Towel dispensing and treatment system

• US 7,318,949 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2006
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William Shadrach III
• Original Assignee: William Shadrach III
• Inventors: Shadrach, William III
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; Alain L.
• Application Number:
  US11/368,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20060151513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 427/421.1, 427/424, 118315-316, 118/325
• US Class Current: 427/424
• 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 method for dispensing towels contained in a compartment and selectively treating the towels with a fluid comprises the steps of extracting a dispensable towel from the compartment, through a towel delivery conduit extending through a removable cover disposed on the compartment, and from a top opening of the cover, and selectively applying the fluid to the towel as the towel is extracted through the conduit.

Claims

1. A method for dispensing towels contained in a compartment and selectively treating the towels with a fluid, comprising the steps of:

extracting a dispensable towel from the compartment, through a towel delivery conduit that substantially circumscribes the towel, the towel delivery conduit having at least one wall that extends through a removable cover disposed on the compartment;

extracting the dispensable towel from a top opening of the cover; and

selectively applying the fluid to the towel as the towel is extracted through the conduit.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of containing at least a portion of any excess fluid directed to the towel within the towel dispensing conduit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of applying the fluid to the towel includes the further step of applying the fluid to the towel at substantially a midpoint of a length of the towel dispensing conduit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of applying the fluid to the towel includes the step of spraying the liquid on the towel.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of applying the fluid to the towel from at least two application directions.

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

7. The method 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.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the cover forms a portion of the towel dispensing conduit.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the compartment forms a portion of the towel dispensing conduit.

10. A method for configuring a portable dispenser to dispense towels selectively treated with a fluid, comprising:

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

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

coupling a fluid reservoir to the dispenser;

extending a towel dispensing conduit at least partially through the fluid reservoir;

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

wherein the enclosure formed by disposing the removable cover on the compartment has 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.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising coupling a towel dispensing conduit to the dispenser, the 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 method of claim 10, 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 method 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 method of claim 12, 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 method of claim 12, wherein the towel dispensing conduit includes a circular cross section.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the towel dispensing conduit extends through the fluid reservoir from a bottom of the reservoir to a top of the reservoir.

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