Napkin holder

• US 6,257,443 B1
• Filed: 08/31/1998
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alwin Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alwin Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: LaCount, Kenneth H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Noland, Kenneth W.
• Application Number:
  US09/143,724
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 221/33, 221/35, 221/34, 221/45, 221/46, 221/56, 221/52, 221/58
• US Class Current: 221/35
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/427 with means for urging the whole stack towards the dispensing opening, e.g. a spring

Abstract

A napkin holder comprising an upper wall, a lower wall and first and second sidewalls defining a housing having first and second opposed openings as provided. The holder also includes first and second plates disposed and moveable within the housing. The first and second plates respectively have first and second outer peripheries. The holder further includes a biasing structure disposed between the first and second plates biasing the first plate toward the first opening and the second plate toward the second opening. The biasing structure is disposed substantially within both the first and second outer peripheries. The holder also has first and second apertured doors respectively closing the first and second openings. The first apertured door, the first plate, the upper wall, the lower wall and the first and second sidewalls define a first variable-volume napkin compartment, and the second apertured door, the second plate, the upper wall, the lower wall and the first and second sidewalls define a second variable-volume napkin compartment.

Claims

1. A napkin holder comprising:

an upper wall, a lower wall and first and second sidewalls defining a housing having first and second opposed openings and a guide member on one of said walls;

first and second plates disposed and moveable within the housing, the first and second plates respectively having first and second outer peripheries;

guide structure on one of said first and second plates for cooperation with said guide member on said housing walls biasing structure freely disposed between the first and second plates biasing the first plate toward the first opening and the second plate toward the second opening, the biasing structure disposed substantially within both the first and second outer peripheries; and

first and second apertured doors respectively closing the first and second openings, the first apertured door, the first plate, the upper wall, the lower wall and the first and second sidewalls defining a first variable volume napkin compartment, the second apertured door, the second plate, the upper wall, the lower wall and the first and second sidewalls defining a second variable volume napkin compartment, wherein said guide member and said guide structure cooperate during movement of at least one of said plates forward and away from the respective first and second openings.

2. The holder of claim 1, wherein the biasing structure respectively applies first and second biasing forces on the first and second plates, wherein the first and second biasing forces are substantially equal.

3. The holder of claim 1, wherein the biasing structure is a coil spring.

4. The holder of claim 1, wherein the first and second plates are substantially planar and substantially parallel to one another, and the biasing structure exerts a principal force on and substantially perpendicular to the first and second plates.

5. The holder of claim 1, wherein the first and second projections are t-shaped.

6. The holder of claim 1, wherein the upper wall, the lower wall, and the first and second sidewalls are a one-piece construction.

7. A napkin holder comprising:

an upper wall, a lower wall and first and second sidewalls defining a housing having first and second opposed openings;

first and second plates disposed and moveable within the housing;

biasing structure disposed between the first and second plates biasing the first plate toward the first opening and the second plate toward the second opening; and

first and second apertured doors respectively closing the first and second openings, the first apertured door, the first plate, the upper wall, the lower wall and the first and second sidewalls defining a first variable-volume napkin compartment, the second apertured door, the second plate, the upper wall, the lower wall and the first and second sidewalls defining a second variable volume napkin compartment; and

first and second indicators respectively indicating the amount of napkins in the first and second napkin compartments, each of the first and second indicators having a portion disposed outside the housing.

8. The holder of claim 7, wherein the bottom wall has two apertures respectively defining first and second channels and the first and second indicators respectively project from the first and second plates and are respectively disposed through the first and second channels.

9. The holder of claim 8, wherein the first and second indicators are t-shaped.

10. The holder of claim 7, wherein the upper wall, the lower wall, and the first and second sidewalls are a one-piece construction.

11. The holder of claim 10, wherein a portion of the bottom wall is formed of a first ply coupled to and extending from the first sidewall and a second ply coextensive with the remainder of the bottom wall overlapping the first ply, and further comprising at least one leg and a fastener coupling the first ply to the second ply and the leg to the first and second plies.

12. The holder of claim 7, wherein the first and second sidewalls respectively have first and second locking projections and the first door has first and second apertures respectively sized to receive the first and second locking projections to removeably retain the first door in a closed position closing the first opening.

13. The holder of claim 12, wherein the first and second sidewalls respectively have third and fourth locking projections and the second door has third and fourth apertures respectively sized to receive the third and fourth locking projections to removeably retain the second door in a closed position closing the second opening.

14. A napkin holder comprising:

an upper wall, a lower wall and first and second sidewalls defining a housing having first and second opposed openings and a longitudinal axis;

first and second substantially planar plates disposed and moveable within the housing, the first and second plates disposed substantially parallel to one another, the first slate including a guide member;

biasing structure respectively biasing the first plate toward the first opening and the second plate toward the second opening;

first and second apertured doors respectively closing the first and second openings, the first apertured door, the first plate, the upper wall, the lower wall and the first and second sidewalls defining a first variable-volume napkin compartment, the second apertured door, the second plate, the upper wall, the lower wall and the first and second sidewalls defining a second variable-volume napkin compartment; and

guiding structure integrally formed in one of the walls of the housing engageable with the first guide member, wherein the guide member and guide structure cooperate to guide the first plate in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.

15. The holder of claim 14, wherein the biasing structure is a coil spring freely disposed between the first and second plates.

16. The holder of claim 14, wherein the guide structure includes an aperture defining a channel and the guide member includes a projection disposed through the channel.

17. The holder of claim 16, wherein the aperture is disposed in the bottom wall and the projection is t-shaped.

18. A napkin holder comprising:

an upper wall, a lower wall and first and second sidewalls defining a housing having first and second opposed openings;

first and second plates disposed and moveable within the housing, the first and second plates respectively having first and second outer peripheries;

said lower wall having two apertures respectively defining first and second channels and the first and second plates respectively have first and second projections respectively disposed through the first and second channels, biasing structure freely disposed between the first and second plates biasing the first plate toward the first opening and the second plate toward the second opening, the biasing structure disposed substantially within both the first and second outer peripheries; and

first and second apertured doors respectively closing the first and second openings, the first apertured door, the first plate, the upper wall, the lower wall and the first and second sidewalls defining a first variable-volume napkin compartment, the second apertured door, the second plate, the upper wall, the lower wall and the first and second sidewalls defining a second variable-volume napkin compartment.