Patent ID: 7648045
Filing Date: 2010-01-19
Classification: A47K

Abstract:
1. A gravity-feed dispenser, comprising: (a) a generally rectangular housing with a front wall, a rear wall, two sidewalls and a lower portion; (b) a funnel portion coupled to said lower portion of said housing provided with a generally convergent profile such that a front wall of said funnel portion extends downwardly and inwardly with respect to said front wall of said housing, a rear wall of said funnel portion extends downwardly and inwardly with respect to said rear wall of said housing and two sidewalls of said funnel portion extending downwardly; (c) a dispensing aperture defined by said funnel portion of said dispenser, said aperture having an elongate portion extending between said sidewalls of said funnel portion defining an elongate axis of said aperture, said aperture having a rear border of said elongate portion of said aperture and wherein said aperture is configured so that said elongate portion thereof extends upwardly from its rear border to said front wall of said funnel portion of said dispenser such that folded sheets disposed in said funnel portion of said dispenser are exposed adjacent said front wall of said funnel portion of said dispenser over a substantial height from said rear border of said elongate portion of said aperture and are so presented at a front of said dispenser; (d) a plurality of declivitous guide ridges provided with arcuate profiles disposed on an inner surface of said front wall of said funnel portion of said dispenser configured to guide folded sheets downwardly as they are drawn through said aperture of said dispenser, wherein said arcuate profiles are projected inwardly into an interior of said housing, wherein said arcuate profiles form corresponding concave sections of the folded sheets in the vicinity of the dispensing aperture with the concavity of the concave sections facing downward toward the dispensing aperture; and (e) a plurality of subsidiary guide ridges provided with generally triangular profiles disposed on an inner surface of said rear wall of said funnel portion of said dispenser configured to guide folded sheets downwardly as they are drawn through said aperture of said dispenser wherein said plurality of declivitous guide ridges and plurality of subsidiary guide ridges are positioned, configured and dimensioned to incline sheets of a stack of folded sheets in a vicinity of said dispensing aperture such that their front portions are elevated with respect to their rearward portions.