Slanted sheet dispenser

• US 8,408,419 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Rippl, Carl G., Christoffel, Sarah L., Nukuto, George I., Berger, Maggie VanderHeiden, Arendt, Jonathan K., McDonald, Duane L., McManus, James D., Sojka, Marci E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kumar, Rakesh
• Application Number:
  US12/215,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20090236358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 221/305, 221/282, 221/97, 221/45, 221/1, 221/34, 221/806, 221/283, 221/63, 248/315
• US Class Current: 221/305
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/42 dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked

Abstract

A sheet dispenser is defined by at least six panels having outwardly facing surfaces, wherein at least one of the panels is oriented at an oblique angle with respect to the other panels. Sheets may be dispensed from an opening located on the oblique surface. The sheet dispenser may sit on a surface such as a countertop for dispensing, or may be placed between a wall and other structure attached to the wall such as a towel bar. Furthermore, the sheet dispenser may be hung from a structure using a strap attached to the towel dispenser.

Claims

1. A sheet dispenser comprising:

a carton comprising six outwardly-facing surfaces;

the six outwardly-facing surfaces comprising a face panel substantially parallel to and spaced apart from a contact panel, a first trapezoidal shaped side-panel substantially parallel to and spaced apart from a second trapezoidal shaped side-panel, and a dispensing panel spaced apart from an obscure panel, wherein the dispensing panel and the contact panel form a first edge having an internal angle from about 40°

to about 60°

, and the dispensing panel and the face panel form a second edge;

wherein the dispensing panel comprises a first longitudinal axis and has an opening for dispensing a paper towel, and wherein the opening defines a shape having a second longitudinal axis; and

wherein the second longitudinal axis is located between the first longitudinal axis and the first edge; and

a stack of individual multi-folded paper towels having a front side having a first height and an opposite rear side having a second height, wherein the first height is less than a second height by 10 mm to 30 mm and the individual multi-folded paper towels having an overlap portion with a depth of 2.75 inches to 3.25 inches.

2. The sheet dispenser of claim 1 further comprising a hanger member extending from one of the six outwardly facing surfaces and selectively attachable to the sheet dispenser.

3. The sheet dispenser of claim 1 wherein an angle formed at the first edge between the dispensing panel and the contact panel is 45°

.

4. The sheet dispenser of claim 1 wherein the stack comprises a leading edge that is oriented so that it lies within the opening.

5. A method of dispensing sheets comprising the steps of:

providing a sheet dispenser of claim 1;

identifying a wall having a towel bar mounted thereon at a distance from a floor;

facing the contact panel toward the wall and sliding the sheet dispenser between the towel bar and the wall such that the dispensing panel is oriented toward the floor.

6. The method of claim 5 further including the step of providing a blocked stack of the sheets.

7. A sheet dispenser comprising:

a carton comprising six outwardly-facing surfaces;

the six outwardly-facing surfaces comprising a face panel substantially parallel to and spaced apart from a contact panel, a first trapezoidal shaped side-panel substantially parallel to and spaced apart from a second trapezoidal shaped side-panel, and a dispensing panel spaced apart from an obscure panel, wherein the dispensing panel and the contact panel form a first edge having an internal angle from about 40°

to about 60°

, and the dispensing panel and the face panel form a second edge;

wherein the dispensing panel comprises a first longitudinal axis and has an opening for dispensing a paper towel, and wherein the opening defines a shape having a second longitudinal axis; and

wherein the second longitudinal axis is located between the first longitudinal axis and the acute edge; and

a stack of individual inter-folded paper towels having a front side having a first height and an opposite rear side having a second height, wherein the first height is less than a second height by 10 mm to 30 mm and disposed within the carton, the individual inter-folded paper towels having an overlap portion with a depth of 4.75 inches to 5.25 inches.

8. The sheet dispenser of claim 7 further comprising a hanger member extending from one of the six outwardly facing surfaces and selectively attachable to the sheet dispenser.

9. The sheet dispenser of claim 7 wherein the internal angle of the first edge is 45°

.

10. The sheet dispenser of claim 7 wherein the stack of paper towels comprises a leading edge that is oriented so that it lies within the opening.