Back to results
US 6,892,898 B1Granted
Metering napkin dispenser
AssigneeGeorgia-Pacific Corporation
InventorsBruce T. Boone, Gregory D. Budz, Michael R. Kilgore, Jonathan R. Aumann, James B. Christensen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A product metering napkin dispenser includes a housing defining a storage magazine for receiving a stack of folded napkins and a metering member that penetrates the stack in order to segregate a predetermined number of napkins from the remainder of the stack for dispensing. Preferred embodiments include gravity feed napkin dispensers. In various embodiments the metering member may include: a pivoting plate cooperating with a hinged trap door support surface; a rotating semicircular disk co-rotating with a support disk; or a reciprocating jaw assembly urging napkins through an aperture.
Claims47
A product metering napkin dispenser comprising:
- (a) a napkin magazine for receiving a stack of folded napkins;
- (b) shelf means for releasably retaining said stack of folded napkins about a terminal portion of said napkin magazine;
- (c) a metering member;
- and
- (d) means for providing relative motion between said metering member and said shelf means,
- wherein said shelf means, metering member and said means for providing relative motion between said metering member and said shelf means are configured and arranged such that said metering member penetrates said stack of napkins a predetermined distance from said shelf means in a metering operation thereby segregating a predetermined number of napkins from the remainder of said stack for dispensing, and wherein said shelf means are movable with respect to said stack of folded napkins in said napkin magazine, and are rotatably mounted about a shaft and are configured to release napkins upon rotation of said shaft.
3 more elements
A product metering napkin dispenser comprising:
- (a) a housing defining a napkin magazine for receiving a stack of folded napkins;
- (b) a movable retaining shutter mounted to rotate in a dispensing plane for retaining said stack of napkins in said housing in a closed position;
- (c) a metering shutter mounted to rotate concurrently with said movable retaining shutter at a predetermined distance from said retaining shutter,
- wherein said movable retaining shutter and metering member are positioned, configured and dimensioned to cooperate to dispense a predetermined number of napkins in a dispensing operation where upon rotation of said retaining shutter and said metering shutter:
- (i) said metering shutter revolves to penetrate said stack of folded napkins at said predetermined distance from said movable support shutter thereby segregating said predetermined number of napkins from the remainder of napkins in said stack and thereby retaining the remainder of napkins in said stack in said housing;
- and
- (ii) said movable support shutter revolves to an open position thereby releasing said predetermined number of napkins.
4 more elements
A product metering, gravity feed napkin dispenser comprising:
- (a) a housing defining a napkin magazine for receiving a stack of folded napkins;
- (b) a rotatable shaft mounted in said housing;
- (c) a movable support shutter mounted on said shaft to rotate in a dispensing plane for supporting said stack of napkins about the lower portion of said napkin magazine in a closed position;
- (d) a metering shutter mounted on said shaft to rotate concurrently with said movable shutter at a predetermined distance above said support shutter;
- and
- (e) drive means coupled to said shaft for imparting rotational motion thereto,
- wherein said movable support shutter, metering shutter, shaft and drive means are positioned, configured and dimensioned to cooperate to dispense a predetermined number of napkins in a dispensing operation where upon rotation of said shaft:
- (i) said metering shutter revolves to penetrate said stack of folded napkins a predetermined distance above said movable support shutter thereby segregating said predetermined number of napkins from the remainder of napkins in said stack and thereby supporting the remainder of napkins in said stack;
- and
- (ii) said movable support shutter revolves to an open position thereby releasing said predetermined number of napkins.
7 more elements
A product metering napkin dispenser comprising:
- (a) a housing defining a napkin magazine for receiving a stack of folded napkins;
- (b) a retaining member releasably supporting said stack of folded napkins about a dispensing plane at a terminal portion of said napkin magazine;
- (c) a metering carriage provided with a napkin metering member projecting from said metering carriage;
- (d) a guide configured for directing said metering carriage during operation of said napkin dispenser, said guide having an inward portion and an outward portion, said inward portion being disposed proximately to said stack of folded napkins for guiding said metering carriage during a dispensing stroke over which napkins are dispensed and said outward portion being disposed outwardly with respect to said inward portion for guiding said metering carriage following said dispensing stroke;
- (e) biasing means to urge said metering carriage to a rest position;
- and
- (f) drive means coupled to said metering carriage for advancing said metering carriage along said guide in the dispensing cycle, said drive means being generally adapted to overpower the force exerted on the metering carriage by said biasing means,
- said guide and metering carriage being configured and arranged such that during said dispensing stroke said metering member penetrates said stack of folded napkins at a predetermined distance from said dispensing plane and exerts a force on a predetermined number of folded napkins which are thereby released from said retaining member as said metering carriage advances along said inward portion of said guide.
5 more elements
A product metering, gravity feed napkin dispenser comprising:
- (a) a housing defining a storage chamber for receiving a stack of folded napkins, said folded napkins presenting a folded napkin length and a folded napkin width at the bottom of said stack;
- (b) a support releasably supporting said stack of folded napkins about a dispensing plane at the lower extremity of said storage chamber;
- (c) a reciprocating metering member;
- and
- (d) means for mounting said reciprocating metering member including means for biasing said reciprocating metering member towards a rest position;
- and
- (e) drive means coupled to said means for mounting said reciprocating metering member;
- wherein the aforesaid components are constructed and arranged such that said drive means advance said reciprocating metering member in a dispensing stroke where the reciprocating metering member penetrates said stack of napkins a predetermined distance above said dispensing plane corresponding to a predetermined number of folded napkins and exerts a downward force thereon as the metering member advances in said dispensing stroke.
5 more elements
A method of dispensing a predetermined number of folded napkins comprising:
- (a) disposing a stack of folded napkins in a napkin magazine about a retaining member releasably retaining said stack;
- (b) penetrating said stack with a metering member such that said metering member is between said predetermined number of napkins and the remainder of napkins in said stack;
- and
- (c) providing relative motion between said retaining member and said metering member operative to dispense said predetermined number of napkins;
- wherein said retaining member comprises a movable support shutter mounted to rotate in a dispensing plane about the lower portion of said napkin magazine.
2 more elements
A method of dispensing a predetermined number of folded napkins comprising:
- (a) disposing a stack of folded napkins in a napkin magazine about a retaining member releasably retaining said stack;
- (b) penetrating said stack with a metering member such that said metering member is between said predetermined number of napkins and the remainder of napkins in said stack;
- and
- (c) providing relative motion between said retaining member and said metering member operative to dispense said predetermined number of napkins;
- wherein said retaining member comprises a generally C-shaped aperture.
2 more elements
A method of dispensing a predetermined number of folded napkins comprising:
- (a) disposing a stack of folded napkins in a napkin magazine about a retaining member releasably retaining said stack;
- (b) penetrating said stack with a metering member such that said metering member is between said predetermined number of napkins and the remainder of napkins in said stack;
- and
- (c) providing relative motion between said retaining member and said metering member operative to dispense said predetermined number of napkins;
- wherein a gripping member cooperates with said metering member to grip said predetermined number of napkins during said dispensing operation.
2 more elements
A method of dispensing a predetermined number of folded napkins comprising:
- (a) disposing a stack of folded napkins in a napkin magazine about a retaining member releasably retaining said stack;
- (b) penetrating said stack with a metering member such that said metering member is between said predetermined number of napkins and the remainder of napkins in said stack;
- and
- (d) providing relative motion between said retaining member and said metering member operative to dispense said predetermined number of napkins;
- wherein said metering member is mounted in a metering carriage coupled to guide means for directing the motion of said carriage during operation of said napkin dispenser.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.