U.S. patent application number 11/622174 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-26 for dispenser for sheet products.
This patent application is currently assigned to GEORGIA-PACIFIC CONSUMER PRODUCTS LP. Invention is credited to Carolyn C. Byl, Kip K. Decker, Edward G. Wagner.
Application Number | 20070170197 11/622174 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38236335 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070170197 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Decker; Kip K. ; et
al. |
July 26, 2007 |
Dispenser For Sheet Products
Abstract
A dispenser includes a housing having a dispensing wall, a
bottom wall disposed opposite the dispensing wall, a side wall
connecting the dispensing wall to the bottom wall, and an end wall
disposed adjacent to the side wall and connecting the dispensing
wall and the bottom wall. A first aperture has a first portion
located in a center of the dispensing wall and the second portion
that is located in the side wall and intercommunicates with the
first portion. A second aperture is independent of the first
aperture and has at least a first portion located in the dispensing
wall.
Inventors: |
Decker; Kip K.; (Appleton,
WI) ; Wagner; Edward G.; (Dubuque, IA) ; Byl;
Carolyn C.; (Atlanta, GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PATENT GROUP GA030-43;GEORGIA-PACIFIC LLC
133 PEACHTREE STREET, N.E.
ATLANTA
GA
30303-1847
US
|
Assignee: |
GEORGIA-PACIFIC CONSUMER PRODUCTS
LP
Atlanta
GA
30303
|
Family ID: |
38236335 |
Appl. No.: |
11/622174 |
Filed: |
January 11, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60758903 |
Jan 13, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
221/63 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K 10/421
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
221/063 |
International
Class: |
B65H 1/00 20060101
B65H001/00 |
Claims
1. A dispenser, comprising: a housing including a dispensing wall,
a bottom wall disposed opposite the dispensing wall, a side wall
connecting the dispensing wall to the bottom wall, and an end wall
disposed adjacent to the side wall and connecting the dispensing
wall and the bottom wall, a first aperture having an
intercommunicating first portion and a second portion, the first
portion being located in the dispensing wall and the second portion
being located in the side wall, wherein the first portion is
located generally in the center of the dispensing wall, and a
second aperture being independent of the first aperture with at
least a first portion being located in the dispensing wall.
2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the second aperture comprises
a generally circular portion intercommunicating with an elongated
slot portion.
3. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein the elongated slot portion is
aligned in a direction extending toward a corner of the dispenser,
the corner being defined by the intersection of the dispensing
wall, the side wall and the end wall.
4. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein the elongated slot portion
includes a pair of generally parallel side walls.
5. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein the elongated slot portion
comprises a U-shape or a V-shape.
6. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a
paperboard product.
7. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the second aperture is
disposed along a central axis.
8. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising sheet products
disposed in the housing.
9. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the sheet products are
interleaved and/or releasably attached to each other.
10. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the housing is
disposable.
11. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the second aperture comprises
a second portion being located in the end wall and
intercommunicating with the first portion.
12. A dispenser, comprising: a housing including a dispensing wall,
a bottom wall disposed opposite the dispensing wall, a side wall
connecting the dispensing wall to the bottom wall, and an end wall
disposed adjacent to the side wall and connecting the dispensing
wall and the bottom wall, a first aperture being located at least
in the dispensing wall, and a second aperture being independent of
the first aperture with at least a first portion being located in
the dispensing wall, wherein the second aperture comprises a
generally circular portion intercommunicating with an elongated
slot portion.
13. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein the elongated slot portion
is aligned in a direction extending toward a corner of the
dispenser, the corner being defined by the intersection of the
dispensing wall, the side wall and the end wall.
14. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein the elongated slot portion
includes a pair of generally parallel side walls.
15. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein the elongated slot portion
comprises a U-shaped or a V-shape.
16. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein the housing comprises a
paperboard product.
17. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein the second aperture is
disposed along a central axis.
18. A dispenser, comprising: a housing including a dispensing wall,
a bottom wall disposed opposite the dispensing wall, a side wall
connecting the dispensing wall to the bottom wall, and an end wall
disposed adjacent to the side wall and connecting the dispensing
wall and the bottom wall, a first aperture having an
intercommunicating first portion and a second portion, the first
portion being located in the dispensing wall and the second portion
being located in the side wall, and a second aperture being
independent of the first aperture with a first portion being
located in the dispensing wall and a second portion being located
in the end wall and intercommunicating with the first portion.
19. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the second aperture comprises
a generally circular portion as the first portion and an elongated
slot portion as the second portion.
20. The dispenser of claim 19, wherein the elongated slot portion
is aligned in a direction extending toward a corner of the
dispenser, the corner being defined by the intersection of the
dispensing wall, the side wall and the end wall.
21. A dispenser, comprising: a housing including a dispensing wall,
a bottom wall disposed opposite the dispensing wall, a side wall
connecting the dispensing wall to the bottom wall, and an end wall
disposed adjacent to the side wall and connecting the dispensing
wall and the bottom wall, and an aperture having an
intercommunicating first portion and a second portion, the first
portion being located in the dispensing wall and the second portion
being located in the side wall, wherein the first portion is
located generally in the center of the dispensing wall, and the
second portion extends along the side wall a distance less than or
equal to half a height of the side wall.
22. The dispenser of claim 21, wherein the distance is less than or
equal to a quarter of the height of the side wall.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of
U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/758,903, filed Jan. 13,
2006, which is herein incorporated by reference in its
entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] This disclosure relates to a dispenser for sheet products
such as wipers, napkins, facial tissues, towels, and the like. More
specifically, the disclosure relates to carton-type dispensers for
sheet products.
[0003] Carton-type dispensers for sheet products such as wipers and
tissues are well known in the art. Such sheet products may be
supplied dry, with lotion, or moistened. The sheet products are
generally rectangular in shape and are supplied as, for example,
interleaved, discrete sheets or separably connected. Dispensers for
such sheet products typically are in a carton form (e.g., a box
form) and have an opening, typically at the top, through which
individual articles or sheets are removed by the user. The desire
for increased convenience led to sequential or "pop-up" dispensers.
In a pop-up dispenser, a sheet product usually extends through an
opening to an elevation above that of the dispenser. The user
grasps the exposed portion of the sheet product, without the
necessity of inserting fingers through the opening. In pop-up
dispensing, each sheet product has a leading portion that is first
to pass through the opening, and a trailing portion that later
passes through the opening. In an interleaved arrangement, the
trailing portion of a first sheet product to be dispensed overlaps
the leading portion of the next sheet product to be dispensed. As
the first sheet product is withdrawn by the user, the leading
portion of the next sheet product is pulled through the opening for
later dispensing. The sheet products are folded against one another
in a variety of configurations so that the friction of the trailing
portion of the withdrawn sheet against the succeeding sheet pulls
the leading portion of the succeeding sheet through the
opening.
[0004] One problem frequently encountered in pop-up dispensers is
the transition from the reach-in dispensing mode in which the
product is shipped to the pop-up dispensing mode preferred by the
user, as well as recovery from the dispenser of sheet products that
have fallen back in order to reinitiate the pop-up sequence.
Typically, the opening through which the sheet product is dispensed
is sized large enough to allow the user to reach his or her fingers
therethrough to grasp the sheet product and begin the pop-up
dispensing process. However, the opening is also typically sized to
be small enough to constrict the sheet products dispensed
therethrough, so that a sheet product may be separated from
succeeding sheet products. Fallback is exacerbated with relatively
tall dispensers that are often preferred by the user for economic
reasons. The usable height of the dispenser is often limited to the
length of the overlap of the interfolded sheet product. This
limitation occurs due to the leading and trailing portions of
adjacent sheet products unfolding inside a package taller than the
overlap, resulting in the second sheet product falling back into
the dispenser. Furthermore, fallback can occur as a consequence of
the sheet product being impregnated with another substance, such as
moisture, lotion, cleansing composition, and the like. When the
sheet product is impregnated it is heavier and its surface friction
may be reduced, therefore making it more susceptible to falling
back.
[0005] A common problem among carton-type dispensers involves the
issue of "double pull." This occurs when more than one sheet
product comes out when the leading sheet product is withdrawn.
Additionally, the problem of "streaming" can occur in carton-type
dispensers. Streaming occurs when the user pulls the first sheet
product out, and subsequent sheet products are also withdrawn, with
separation of the following ones sometimes occurring.
[0006] All of these situations are defined as quality defects, and
they are considered to be major inconveniences to the user. A
continual need exists in the art for dispensers that eliminate
these problems and improve the performance of dispensers,
especially carton-type dispensers.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0007] In one embodiment, a dispenser includes a housing, a first
aperture and a second aperture. The housing of the dispenser
includes a dispensing wall, a bottom wall disposed opposite the
dispensing wall, a side wall connecting the dispensing wall to the
bottom wall, and an end wall disposed adjacent to the side wall and
connecting the dispensing wall and the bottom wall. The first
aperture has an intercommunicating first portion and a second
portion, the first portion being located in the dispensing wall and
the second portion being located in the side wall, wherein the
first portion is located generally in the center of the dispensing
wall. The second aperture is independent of the first aperture,
with at least a first portion being located in the dispensing
wall.
[0008] In one embodiment, a dispenser includes a housing, a first
aperture, and a second aperture. The housing includes a dispensing
wall, a bottom wall disposed opposite the dispensing wall, a side
wall connecting the dispensing wall to the bottom wall, and an end
wall disposed adjacent to the side wall and connecting the
dispensing wall and the bottom wall. The first aperture is located
at least in the dispensing wall. The second aperture is independent
of the first aperture with at least a first portion being located
in the dispensing wall, wherein the second aperture comprises a
generally circular portion intercommunicating with an elongated
slot portion.
[0009] In one embodiment, a dispenser includes a housing, a first
aperture, and a second aperture. The housing includes a dispensing
wall, a bottom wall disposed opposite the dispensing wall, a side
wall connecting the dispensing wall to the bottom wall, and an end
wall disposed adjacent to the side wall and connecting the
dispensing wall and the bottom wall. The first aperture has an
intercommunicating first portion and a second portion, the first
portion being located in the dispensing wall and the second portion
being located in the side wall. The second aperture is independent
of the first aperture, with a first portion being located in the
dispensing wall and a second portion being located in the end wall
and intercommunicating with the first portion.
[0010] In one embodiment, a dispenser includes a housing and an
aperture. The housing includes a dispensing wall, a bottom wall
disposed opposite the dispensing wall, a side wall connecting the
dispensing wall to the bottom wall, and an end wall disposed
adjacent to the side wall and connecting the dispensing wall and
the bottom wall. The aperture having an intercommunicating first
portion and a second portion, the first portion being located in
the dispensing wall and the second portion being located in the
side wall, wherein the first portion is located generally in the
center of the dispensing wall, and the second portion extends along
the side wall a distance less than or equal to half a height of the
side wall.
[0011] The above described and other features are exemplified by
the following Figures and detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Referring to the exemplary drawings wherein like elements
are numbered alike in the several Figures:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a dispenser
for sheet products that illustrates one mode of operation of the
dispenser.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the
dispenser illustrated in FIG. 1 that illustrates another mode of
operation of the dispenser.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the
dispenser illustrated in FIG. 1 that illustrates yet another mode
of operation of the dispenser.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a top view of a blank form suitably used to define
the embodiment of the dispenser of FIG. 1.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a
dispenser for sheet products.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 5
depicting a different dispensing mode of operation than that
illustrated in FIG. 5.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a top view of a blank form used to define the
embodiment of the dispenser of FIG. 5.
[0020] FIG. 8 is a front view of an embodiment of a mounting
bracket.
[0021] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a
dispenser for sheet products.
[0022] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a
dispenser for sheet products.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] Disclosed herein is a dispenser for, among other things,
sheet products comprising one or more apertures that are configured
to minimize or eliminate the problems encountered in the prior art
dispensers (e.g., "fallback", "double-pull", "streaming", and the
like). While the dispenser is discussed hereinafter as being a
disposable carton-type dispenser for convenience in discussion, it
is to be understood that in various embodiments the dispenser may
be refillable. In other words, the dispenser may be disposable or
refillable. Further, in various embodiments, the dispenser may be
used in dispensing dry sheet products or moisture-impregnated sheet
products.
[0024] As used herein, the term "disposable" dispenser refers to a
dispenser intended to be discarded after the sheet products
supplied therewith are depleted, that is, the dispenser is not
intended to be restocked with such articles. In contrast, the term
"refillable" refers to a dispenser that may be restocked with sheet
products after the supply has been depleted.
[0025] The term "sheet products" is inclusive of natural and/or
synthetic cloth or paper sheets. Further, sheet products can
include both woven and non-woven articles. Examples of sheet
products include, but are not limited to, wipers, napkins, tissues,
and towels.
[0026] The term "moisture-impregnated sheet products" is defined to
include articles impregnated with at least one substance. Suitable
impregnating substances include, but are not limited to, water, a
surface cleaner, a cleaning composition capable of attracting
particulate matter, a medicament, skin cleanser, skin moisturizer,
skin lotion and antiseptic.
[0027] Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, an embodiment of a dispenser,
generally designated 10, is illustrated. The dispenser 10 may be
portable and lightweight, a rigid container, a semi-rigid
container, a flexible container, or any combination of the
foregoing, and the like. The materials for the dispenser can vary
depending on the desired application, that is, whether the
dispenser is intended to be disposable or refillable. Suitable
materials for the dispenser include, but are not limited to,
paperboard product and plastics (e.g., a polyolefin such as
polypropylene).
[0028] Paperboard products may be particularly useful for making a
low cost disposable container. Suitable paperboard products
include, but are not limited to, cardboard, corrugated cardboard,
fiberboard, and composite materials. In addition, the paperboard
can be combined or treated with one or more additional materials in
order to improve the strength, water resistance, colorfastness or
other characteristics as desired. By way of example only, the
paperboard can be coated or impregnated with one or more resins or
polymeric materials such as waxes, polyolefins, polyvinylidine
chlorides, polyvinyl chlorides, and the like. In addition,
paperboard product can comprise, in whole or in part, laminate or
multi-layer materials such as, for example, two or more layers of
paperboard bonded together. In one embodiment, the dispenser 10 may
be formed from a single sheet of paperboard blank stock 6, which is
cut along its perimeter and pressed and/or scored along fold lines
8 and adapted to be folded into a one-piece rectangular container,
generally shown in FIG. 1.
[0029] The dispenser 10 can comprise a size and shape corresponding
to the desired shape of the sheet products and the desired volume
of the sheet products. Suitable shapes for the dispenser include,
but are not limited to, parallelepiped shapes, cylindrical shapes,
and polygonal shapes. For example, the dispenser may be generally
in the shape of an elongated box. In one embodiment, the dispenser
10 has an elongated box shape defined by six walls. More
particularly, the dispenser comprises two side walls disposed
adjacent to two end walls 14, a bottom wall 15 located adjacent to
all of the side walls 12 and end walls 14, and a dispensing wall 16
located on the opposite end from the bottom wall 15 and is adjacent
to all of the end walls 14 and side walls 12 of the dispenser 10.
The terms side walls, end walls, bottom wall and dispensing wall
are used merely for convenience in discussion and do not
necessarily represent spatial orientation relative to the user. For
example, in some embodiments the dispensing wall 16 may be located
at the "bottom" of the dispenser 10 relative to a user when the
dispenser is mounted, for example, on a wall. Further, it is to be
understood that in some embodiments, there will be no differences
between the term "side wall" and the term "end wall", e.g., a
square container has equally shaped walls.
[0030] In one embodiment, the dispensing wall 16 has a first
aperture 20 located generally in the center of the dispensing wall
16. In other embodiments, the first aperture 20 may be off-center.
In one embodiment, the first aperture 20 is connected to an
elongated, slotted end aperture portion 22 defining an elongated
sheet product retainer on a side wall 12. In other words, the first
aperture 20 is disposed in at least two walls of the dispenser
(e.g., the dispensing wall 16 and the side wall 12 and/or end wall
14). The elongated, slotted end aperture portion 22 comprises a
shape that aids in mitigating or eliminating fallback of the sheet
product into the dispenser 10. In other words, the elongated,
slotted end aperture portion 22 is adapted to retain a portion of
sheet product when the sheet product is pulled through the
elongated, slotted end aperture portion 22 (FIG. 2). Suitable
shapes for the elongated, slotted end aperture portion 22 include,
but are not limited to, U-shaped and V-shaped.
[0031] In one embodiment, the elongated, slotted end aperture
portion 22 extends along a side wall 12 in a direction away from
the dispensing wall 16, that is, in a direction toward the bottom
wall 15. The length that the elongated, slotted end aperture
portion 22 extends along the side wall 12 is less than the entire
height of the side wall 12, more specifically a distance less than
or equal to half the height of the side wall 12, and even more
specifically a distance less than or equal to a quarter of the
height of the side wall 12. In one embodiment, the length that the
elongated, slotted end aperture portion 22 extends along the side
wall 12 is a distance less than or equal to an eighth of the height
of the side wall 12. The height of the side wall is defined as the
distance between the dispensing wall 16 and the bottom wall 15.
[0032] The first aperture 20 is shown as being substantially a
parallelogram, i.e., opposite side edges of first aperture 20 are
generally parallel to each other (e.g., substantially diamond
shaped). In other embodiments, first aperture 20 may comprise other
suitable shapes including, but not limited to, semi-circular, oval,
ellipse, polygon, and non-axisymmetric shapes. In one embodiment,
the first aperture 20 is sized large enough to allow the user to
reach his or her fingers therethrough to grasp the sheet product 4,
thereby allowing the user to begin the pop-up dispensing process or
allow the user to retrieve sheet product 4 that may have fallen
back into the dispenser 10.
[0033] The dispenser 10 may also have a second aperture 30. The
location of the second aperture 30 relative to first aperture 20
may vary depending on the desired use or user preference. For
example, the second aperture 30 may be located near a corner of the
dispensing wall 16, that is, the second aperture 30 may be located
next to an end wall 14 and a side wall 12. In this configuration,
the second aperture 30 may be referred to as a "corner" aperture.
Other locations of the second aperture 30 are discussed in greater
detail below in relation to other embodiments. For example, the
second aperture can be located off-center relative to a center of
the dispensing wall 16 and/or located along a central axis.
[0034] In one embodiment, the second aperture 30 is generally
"key-hole" in shape. More particularly, the key-hole shape of the
second aperture 30 can include a generally circular aperture with
an elongated, slotted sheet product retainer portion 32. In one
embodiment, the elongated, slotted sheet product retainer portion
32 is directed toward the corner of the dispenser 10. In other
embodiments, the elongated, slotted sheet product retainer 32 can
be directed toward side wall 12 or toward end wall 14. In one
embodiment, the second aperture 30 can have a size substantially
less than that of the first aperture 20, wherein "substantially
less than" is defined as at least 50 percent smaller in size
relative to the first aperture 20. The elongated, slotted sheet
product retainer 32 comprises a shape that aids in mitigating or
eliminating fallback of the sheet product into the dispenser 10. In
other words, the elongated, slotted sheet product retainer portion
32 is adapted to retain a portion of sheet product when the sheet
product is pulled through the elongated, slotted end aperture
portion 32 (FIG. 1). Suitable shapes for the elongated, slotted
sheet product retainer portion 32 include, but are not limited to,
U-shaped and V-shaped.
[0035] The elongated, slotted sheet product retainer structure 32
includes a pair of side walls, disposed sufficiently close to one
another to grasp and retain individual sheet products that are at
least partially removed or dispensed from the dispenser 10, i.e.,
in a pop-up position. It is to be understood that although
described as generally key-hole shaped, second aperture 30, in
other embodiments, may be any of a variety of different shapes
including semi-circular, oval, square, or rectangular.
[0036] In one embodiment of making the dispenser 10, the first
aperture 20 and second aperture 30 are formed by a material removal
process. Apertures 20, 30 are defined upon user removal of blank
portions 40, 42, respectively. Blank portions 40, 42 (shown in FIG.
4) may be formed during manufacturing via a die cut process or
similar known paperboard processing technologies. Prior to use, the
blank portions 40, 42 are removed by a user to provide access to
the sheet products 4. Blank 6 may comprise a paperboard product
and/or a petroleum-based plastic material.
[0037] The sheet products 4 are disposed within the dispenser 10
such that they are releasably attached to each previous and
subsequent sheet product (except, respectively, for the first and
last) by any releasable attachment means that allows easy
separation to occur as the sheet product is being dispensed.
Suitable releasable attachment means include, but are not limited
to, friction, cohesion, or other forces that releasably attach
adjacent articles. Perforations upon the articles may serve to
provide releasable detachment between adjacent articles. Where
articles are interleaved, releasable attachment results from
friction or cohesion between adjacent articles. One skilled in the
art can readily determine the appropriate configuration without
undue experimentation to assure separation of the articles without
undue tearing as well as assuring that the article is dispensed
through the dispenser aperture(s) to assure availability of the
succeeding article in the pop-up mode.
[0038] In one method of use, the user may withdraw the sheet
products 4 through a pulling motion directed upward and through the
second aperture 30 toward the dispenser corner. FIG. 1 illustrates
the sheet product 4 partially extending through second aperture 30.
In this manner, the subsequent sheet product 4 is retained within
the elongated, slotted sheet product retainer portion 32. This
embodiment may be particularly beneficial to prevent fall back when
the sheet product 4 has been depleted to a location proximate the
bottom surface 15. In another method of use, the user may withdraw
the sheet product 4 through first aperture 20 as depicted in FIGS.
2-3. As depicted in FIG. 2, the sheet product 4 may be retained by
elongated, slotted end aperture portion 22. As depicted in FIG. 3,
the sheet product 4 may simply be accessed through first aperture
20. It is envisioned that during the life of the product,
individual sheet products 4 may be passed through the first
aperture 20 and/or the second aperture 30 depending on, for
example, user preference, and the like.
[0039] Advantageously, the dispenser 10 reduces or eliminates the
problems associated with previous disposable sheet product
dispensers (e.g., carton-type dispensers). The problems of
fall-back, double pull, multiple pulls, and streaming are either
eliminated or reduced through use of second aperture 30 and/or
retainer structure defined by elongated, slotted end aperture
portion 22.
[0040] Referring now to FIGS. 5-7, an embodiment of a dispenser,
generally designated 50 is illustrated. For ease in discussion,
only those differences between dispenser 10 (FIGS. 1-4) are
discussed in order to highlight desirable features of dispenser 50.
In comparison to dispenser 10, this embodiment does not include a
second aperture 30. Nevertheless, the problems of fall-back, double
pull, multiple pulls, and streaming are either eliminated or
reduced through use of retainer structure defined by elongated,
slotted end aperture portion 22. In various alternative
embodiments, the dispensing wall 16 may be convex or concave rather
than planar. Without wanting to be bound by theory, dispenser 50
may be particularly useful for applications where the dispenser 50
is wall mounted.
[0041] Numerous mounting brackets are known in the art and believed
suitable for use with the embodiments disclosed herein (e.g.,
dispenser 50). In one embodiment, one or more slits 17 can be
provided in the dispensing wall 16. Mounting bracket 44, such as
generally depicted in FIG. 8, has a mounting surface 46 for
attaching mounting bracket 44 to a wall or other surface (not
shown). When attached to a wall, mounting surface 46 will lie
substantially flush against the wall. Mounting bracket 44 further
includes a pair of plates 48 that extend vertically and parallel
with mounting surface 46. Slit openings 17 can be sized and spaced
to accept plates 48. Dispenser 50 (FIG. 5) can then be placed upon
plates 48 of mounting bracket 44, wherein plates 48 extend upwardly
into the interior area of the dispenser 50, substantially flush
with the inside of one of side wall 12, via slits 17.
[0042] In one embodiment of making the dispenser 50, the first
aperture 20 is formed by a material removal process. Aperture 20 is
defined upon user removal of blank portion 40. Blank portions 40
(shown in FIG. 7) may be formed during manufacturing via a die cut
process or similar known paperboard processing technologies. Prior
to use, the blank portion 40 is removed by a user to provide access
to the sheet products 4. Additionally, as part of the manufacturing
process, slits 17 are cut into the blank 6. Blank 6 may be a
paperboard product and/or a petroleum-based plastic material as
discussed above in relation to dispenser 10.
[0043] FIG. 5 depicts one mode of use of the dispenser 50 wherein
the sheet products 4 are dispensed through first aperture 20 and
held within the retainer structure defined by an elongated, slotted
end portion 22. FIG. 6 depicts another mode of use of the dispenser
50 wherein the sheet products 4 are dispensed in a conventional
manner through first aperture 20. FIG. 7 illustrates a blank form 6
in top plan view suitable for construction of the embodiment of
FIGS. 5 and 6.
[0044] Referring now to FIG. 9, an embodiment of a dispenser,
generally designated 60 is illustrated. For ease in discussion,
only those differences between dispensers 10, 50 (FIGS. 1-8) are
discussed in order to highlight desirable features of dispenser 60.
In this embodiment, the location of the second aperture 30 relative
to first aperture 20 is varied compared to the locations discussed
in relation to FIGS. 1-4 of dispenser 10. More particularly, in
this embodiment, the second aperture 30 is not disposed near a
corner. Rather, second aperture 30 is disposed along a central axis
19 such that the second aperture 30 is disposed between two side
walls 12 and is disposed proximate to an end wall 14. Without
wanting to be bound by theory, it is believed that this location of
second aperture 30 can perform equally as well as a corner
location.
[0045] Referring now to FIG. 10, an embodiment of a dispenser,
generally designated 70 is illustrated. For ease in discussion,
only those differences between dispensers 10, 50, 60 (FIGS. 1-8)
are discussed in order to highlight desirable features of dispenser
60. In this embodiment, the location of the second aperture 30
relative to first aperture 20 is varied compared to the locations
discussed in relation to dispensers 10 and 60. More particularly,
the second aperture 30 is connected to an elongated, slotted end
aperture portion 33 defining an elongated sheet product retainer on
end wall 14. In other words, the second aperture 30 is disposed in
at least two walls of the dispenser (e.g., the dispensing wall and
the end wall 14). The elongated, slotted end aperture portion 33
comprises a shape that aids in mitigating or eliminating fallback
of the sheet product into the dispenser 70. In other words, the
elongated, slotted end aperture portion 33 is adapted to retain a
portion of sheet product when the sheet product is pulled through
the elongated, slotted end aperture portion 33. Suitable shapes for
the elongated, slotted end aperture portion 33 include, but are not
limited to, U-shaped and V-shaped.
[0046] In each of the embodiments of dispensers disclosed, the
problems of fall-back, double pull, multiple pulls, and streaming
are either eliminated or reduced through use of second aperture
and/or retainer structure defined by elongated, slotted end
aperture portion. The dispensers allow for single pull and ease of
use to the user. It is further noted that while the dispensers have
been discussed for use with sheet products, it is to be understood
that the advantages obtained for sheet products may also be
realized for other products including, but not limited to, plastics
(e.g., plastic bags), and cloths.
[0047] While the disclosure has been described with reference to an
exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the
art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be
substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope
of the disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to
adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the
disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof.
Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the
particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for
carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include
all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended
claims.
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