Towel dispensing and treatment system

• US 7,018,473 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2004
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William S. Shadrach III
• Original Assignee: William S. Shadrach III
• Inventors: Shadrach, William S. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Lamb, Brenda A.
• Application Number:
  US10/821,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20040200410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 118/325, 118/314, 118/315, 118/316, 206/812, 206/494, 206/233, 222/192, 222/383.1, 242/597.8, 242/598.5, 242/598.6
• US Class Current: 118/315
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3818 with a distribution opening which is perpendicular to the rotation axis
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3273 moistened just before use

Abstract

A dispenser to dispense towels selectively treated with a fluid, includes a compartment having an open upper end and containing at least one dispensable towel therein. A removable cover is disposable on the compartment to form an enclosure with the compartment. A towel dispensing conduit extends through the cover to a top opening of the cover, the conduit defining a path through which the dispensable towel is extracted from the compartment and dispensed from the top opening of the cover. A fluid application assembly is associated with the removable cover. The fluid application assembly includes a fluid reservoir, oriented over the compartment when the cover is disposed on the compartment, and being configured to receive and store the fluid therein; and a fluid applicator, in fluid communication with the reservoir and being selectively operable by a user to selectively apply the fluid to the dispensable towel as the towel is dispensed from the dispenser.

Claims

1. A dispenser configured to dispense towels selectively treated with a fluid, comprising:

a compartment having an open upper end and being configured to contain at least one dispensable towel therein;

a removable cover, disposable over the open upper end of the compartment to form an enclosure with the compartment;

a towel dispensing conduit, extending through the cover to a top opening of the cover, the conduit defining a path through which the dispensable towel is extracted from the compartment and dispensed from the top opening of the cover; and

a fluid application assembly, associated with the cover, the fluid application assembly comprising;

a fluid reservoir, oriented over the compartment when the cover is disposed on the compartment, and being configured to receive and store the fluid therein;

a fluid applicator, in fluid communication with the reservoir and being selectively operable by a user to selectively apply the fluid to the dispensable towel as the towel is dispensed from the dispenser.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the fluid applicator includes a delivery portion directed toward an inside of the towel dispensing conduit, and wherein the towel dispensing conduit circumscribes the dispensable towel as the towel is extracted from the compartment.

3. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein the towel dispensing conduit has a length and includes a substantially rounded cross section, and wherein the delivery portion of the fluid applicator is directed toward the inside of the conduit at substantially a midpoint along the length of the conduit.

4. The dispenser of claim 3, wherein the fluid applicator includes a selectively operable pump and wherein the delivery portion of the fluid applicator includes a spray nozzle directed toward the inside of the conduit.

5. The dispenser of claim 3, wherein the towel dispensing conduit includes a circular cross section.

6. The dispenser of claim 2, further comprising a second fluid applicator having a second delivery portion directed toward the inside of the towel dispensing conduit.

7. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the towel dispensing conduit extends at feast partially through the fluid reservoir and is substantially centered within a cross section of the fluid reservoir.

8. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the towel dispensing conduit extends through the fluid reservoir from substantially a bottom of the reservoir to substantially a top of the reservoir.

9. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising at least one dispensable towel selected from the group consisting of:

interfolded towels;

a continuous, perforated towel sheet;

a continuous, perforated towel sheet formed in a roll; and

a continuous towel sheet.

10. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of fluid reservoirs, each reservoir being configured to receive and store a different fluid therein.

11. A portable dispenser configured to dispense towels selectively treated with a fluid, comprising:

a compartment, configured to contain at least one dispensable towel therein;

a removable cover, disposable on the compartment to form an enclosure with the compartment;

a fluid reservoir;

a fluid applicator, in fluid communication with the reservoir and being selectively operable by a user of the dispenser to apply the fluid to the dispensable towel;

the enclosure having at least two distinct configurations, including;

i) an upright configuration, in which a longitudinal axis of the enclosure is substantially vertical; and

ii) a slanted configuration, in which the longitudinal axis of the enclosure is slanted with respect to vertical;

the fluid applicator and reservoir cooperatively defining a sealed unit to contain the fluid within the cover when the dispenser is oriented in either of the upright configuration and the slanted configuration; and

towel dispensing conduit, extending through the cover to a top opening of the cover, the conduit defining a path through which the dispensable towel is extracted from the compartment and dispensed from the top opening of the cover.

12. The dispenser of claim 11, wherein the fluid applicator includes a delivery portion directed toward an inside of the towel dispensing conduit, and wherein the towel dispensing conduit circumscribes the dispensable towel as the towel is extracted from the compartment.

13. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein the towel dispensing conduit has a length and includes a substantially rounded cross section, and wherein the delivery portion of the fluid applicator is directed toward the inside of the conduit at a midpoint along the length of the conduit.

14. The dispenser of claim 13, wherein the fluid applicator includes a selectively operable pump and wherein the delivery portion of the fluid applicator includes a spray nozzle directed toward the inside of the conduit.

15. The dispenser of claim 13, wherein the towel dispensing conduit includes a circular cross section.

16. The dispenser of claim 13, further comprising a second fluid applicator having a second delivery portion directed toward the inside of the towel dispensing conduit.

17. The dispenser of claim 11, wherein the towel dispensing conduit extends at least partially through the fluid reservoir and is substantially centered within a cross section of the fluid reservoir.

18. The dispenser of claim 11, wherein the towel dispensing conduit extends through the fluid reservoir from a bottom of the reservoir to a top of the reservoir.

19. The dispenser of claim 11, further comprising at least one dispensable towel selected from the group consisting of:

interfolded towels;

a continuous, perforated towel shoot;

a continuous, perforated towel sheet formed in a roll; and

a continuous towel sheet.

20. The dispenser of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of fluid reservoirs, each reservoir being configured to receive and store a different fluid therein.