Abstract:
Throughout the years there have been a number of different designs for dispensing paper towels. One of the more popular ways is through the paper towel roll. However, paper towels on rolls and utilizing other dispensing apparatuses usually require the use of two hands. A multifold towel dispenser that is both inexpensive and aesthetically pleasing is provided that allows for the easy removal of interleaved towels with a single hand. Thus, a long felt need for having a paper dispenser that requires only a single hand to utilize is fulfilled.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to Provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 60/679,792, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING MULTIFOLD TOWELS” filed on May 11, 2005 on behalf of Kenneth Fadely, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates generally to the dispensing of multifold towels, and more particularly to dispensing multifold towels that require the use of only one hand.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Over the years, multifold towels, specifically trifold towels, have become ubiquitous, especially in commercial applications. The reason for this is that these towels are inexpensive, easy to use, and disposable. Moreover, the individual towels can be stacked and interleaved to provide a continuous feed.  
         [0004]     In particular, the multifold towels have numerous advantages over conventional paper towels. Conventional paper towels are sold in rolls. As most people have experienced, tearing a paper towel along a seam with wet or dirty hands oftentimes requires soiling the adjacent towel that remains attached. Additionally, two hands are, usually required to remove the desired paper towels.  
         [0005]     The packing and dispensing methods for multifold towels, though, are quite varied. Typically, wall dispensers are employed. These wall-mounted dispensers can oftentimes be seen in public restrooms. These dispensers typically enclose a large interleaved stack of the towels, which can be extracted from an opening at the bottom. However, most people do not want a bulky “chrome” or polished dispenser, or any type of wall-mounted dispenser at all. These types of dispensers are oftentimes perceived to be “industrial” or otherwise aesthetically undesirable.  
         [0006]     Therefore, there is a need for a method and/or apparatus for dispensing a single multifold towel from a stack that at least addresses some of the problems associated with conventional dispensers.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention provides an apparatus for dispensing single multifold towels from a stack of multifold towels in a folded condition. A base adapted to receive the stack of multifold towels on an upper surface of the base is provided. The upper surface is dimensioned to support the stack of multifold towels. Additionally, a plurality of support members extending upwardly from the upper surface of the base are provided. The support members are arranged on the base at the periphery of the stack of multifold towels, so as to confine the stack of towels upon the base. A retaining member is also provided, which is removably retained between the support members and positioned by the support members to engage an uppermost multifold towel atop the stack of multifold towels. The retaining member is movable relative to the base and the support members to accommodate variations in height of the stack of multifold towels on the base as towels are dispensed and replenished.  
         [0008]     In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the base and upper surface are rectangular.  
         [0009]     In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, each support member is disposed at a corner of the base, wherein the stack of multifold towels is disposed within the perimeter of the base and the support members.  
         [0010]     In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the retaining member comprises a cylindrical rod having a pair of ends, each of the ends being removably engaged with an aperture formed by the support members.  
         [0011]     In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the base is substantially rectangular in shape.  
         [0012]     In another alternative embodiment of the present invention, each retaining column is secured to at least one side of the base perpendicular to the first side.  
         [0013]     In yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention, each retaining column is secured to the first side.  
         [0014]     In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the base and/or the rod is made of a material comprised of wood, plastic, metal, porcelain, ceramic, glass, leather, or any combination thereof.  
         [0015]     In another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the retaining rod further comprises a pair of end caps that are each wider than the distance between each of said pairs of said retaining support members.  
         [0016]     In yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the retaining rod is substantially cylindrical or a substantially polygonal shape.  
         [0017]     In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one retaining plate is secured to each of said pairs of said retaining support members. Additionally, the retaining plate and the pair of retaining support members are integral in another alternative embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]     The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the dispenser in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the dispenser of  FIG. 1  and a retaining rod;  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of dispenser in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the dispenser of  FIG. 3  and a retaining rod; and  
         [0024]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional elevation view of the dispenser of  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0025]     In the discussion of the FIGURES, the same reference numerals will be used throughout to refer to the same or similar components.  
         [0026]     Refer now to the drawings wherein depicted elements are, for the sake of clarity, not necessarily shown to scale and wherein like or similar elements are designated by the same reference numeral through the several views.  
         [0027]     Referring to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, the reference numeral  100  generally designates a dispenser. The dispenser  100  comprises a base  104  and four support members  106 .  
         [0028]     Specifically, the base  104  is generally a rectangular shape having an upper surface with an area sufficiently large enough to retain a folded multifold towel. However, the base  104  can have a variety of polygonal shapes. Typically, the upper surface  108  is about 9.25 inches by about 3.25 inches. The base  104  can also be comprised of a variety of materials, such as wood, plastic, metal, porcelain, ceramic, glass, leather, or any combination thereof.  
         [0029]     Typical multifold towels of the type for use in the dispenser according to the present invention are less than 10 inches by less than 4 inches in the “plan dimension,” and a single towel is typically less than 0.010 inches thick. Such towels are sold in bulk in interleaved stacks that can be made as high or tall as convenient to use.  
         [0030]     Protruding from the base  104  are the four support members  106 . Typically, each of the four support members  106  is located at or near a corner of the base  104 , perpendicular to the upper surface  108 . Generally, the support members  106  include two elongated flat members that are perpendicular to one another, resembling an L-shaped piece of angle-iron. These support members  106  can be either attached to the upper surface  108  of the base  104  or to sides that are perpendicular to the upper surface  108 . Support members or columns  106  being disposed at the corners of the base  104 , function to confine and maintain the stack of towels atop the upper surface  108  of the base  104 . They also assist in maintaining a retaining member or rod  202  atop the stack, as discussed below.  
         [0031]     Referring to  FIG. 2  of the drawings, a retaining member  202  is shown with the dispenser  100 . As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , the retaining member  202  is of sufficient length to traverse the length of the base  104 . The member  202  is also of sufficient girth or diameter to fit between two support members  106 , such that the member  202  is capable of freely rotating, while its movement is generally confined to rotation about its axis and vertical translation. However, to maintain the position of the member  202  without undue play, end caps  204  can be attached to either end of the member  202 . Each end cap  204  is of sufficient girth or diameter to be larger than the gap between at least two support members  106 , as depicted.  
         [0032]     Both the member  202  and the end caps  204  are capable of having a variety of shapes and are capable of being made of a variety of materials. As depicted in  FIG. 2 , it is preferable to have a member  202  that is substantially cylindrical in shape; however, the member  202  can be a variety of other polygonal shapes. The end caps  204 , too, are preferably substantially cylindrical in shape, but the end caps  204  can take on a variety of other shapes including various decorative shapes and designs. Additionally, each of the member  202  and end caps  204  can be comprised of a variety of materials, such as wood, plastic, metal, porcelain, ceramic, glass, leather, or any combination thereof.  
         [0033]     The functionality of the member  202  and the end caps  204  are not immediately apparent from an initial glance. In order to function, the member  202  is of sufficient weight to retain a plurality of multifold towels. The multifold towels  202  are placed on the base  104 , and generally one fold of the top towel is lifted. Once lifted, the rod is placed on the stack of multifold towels, leaving a fold protruding upward. Force can then be applied to the protruding fold to remove the top multifold towel. As the top multifold towel is removed, the member  202  rolls and/or vertically translates. Once the top multifold towel is removed, there remains a protruding fold of the next multifold towel in the stack.  
         [0034]     In an alternative configuration, end caps  204  can be eliminated. Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4  of the drawings, the reference numeral  300  depicts an alternative configuration for the dispenser in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Specifically with dispenser  300 , two retaining plates  302  are utilized instead of end caps  204 . The retaining plates  302  can be separate or can be integral (formed of a single piece) with retaining support members  106 . By utilizing the retaining plates  302 , the longitudinal movement of the member  202  is restricted. Thus, the retaining plates  402  provide the same benefit as the end caps  204 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 5  depicts a cross-sectional elevation view of the dispenser  300  in use in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 5 , interleaved multifold towels  502  rest on the upper surface  108  of the base  104 . The interleaved multifold towels  502  are also confined by the support members  106 , while retaining member  202  rests atop the interleaved towels  502 .  
         [0036]     The combination of the dispenser  100 , or alternatively dispenser  300 , and retaining member  202 , thus, have a substantial benefit over more conventional towel dispensing techniques. Conventional towel dispensing techniques, such as rolls of paper towels, generally require two hands in order to tear a towel away at a seam. Hence, a towel may be wasted because, in many situations, both hands are dirty, wet, etc. With the present invention, a single towel can be removed without the need of two hands and without the need for bulky industrial paper towel dispensers. Therefore, the present invention provides a method by which a single towel, or multiple towels in rapid succession, can be obtained with one hand, reducing the amount of waste and increasing efficiency. Moreover, the simplicity and portability of the dispenser allows for increased usage throughout the home, office, garage, or anywhere where material cleanup is needed on a surface or from unclean hands.  
         [0037]     Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its preferred embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered obvious and desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of preferred embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.