Patent Publication Number: US-6702225-B2

Title: Dispenser and tray for premoistened wipes

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to dispensers and, more specifically, to a dispenser for premoistened wipes. 
     The use of premoistened wipes is well known. Such premoistened wipes are commonly used with small children and infants when replacing soiled diapers. Premoistened wipes are also used to provide a convenient and effective cleaning material in the absence of running water. Premoistened wipes are also used as a replacement for, or supplement to, dry bathroom tissue. 
     Premoistened wipes may be supplied in individual packages or supplied in larger quantities. While individually supplied wet wipes are typically provided in disposable packaging, larger quantities of wipes may be supplied in either disposable or re-useable containers. Two common containers for supplying multiple wipes are resealable bags and tubs. The resealable bags often have a “zippered” opening which has a pair of interlocking profiles which may be re-engaged to seal the bag after removing one or more wipes from the bag. Tubs are also common and often have a lid which allows access to a stack of folded wipes when the lid is in an open position. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present inventors have recognized difficulties and problems inherent in the prior art and in response thereto have developed an improved dispenser for premoistened wipes. 
     In one aspect, the present invention provides a dispenser for premoistened wipes which comprises, i.e., includes but is not limited to, a housing having an interior space in which one or more premoistened wipes may be placed and a removable tray. The removable tray has a liquid retaining receptacle portion which is positionable below the interior space of the housing. 
     The tray may also include a raised portion having a support surface for the premoistened wipes. The raised portion may be formed by a plurality of ribs. A roller may be used instead of, or in addition to, the ribs to form the raised portion having a support surface. 
     The tray may include a pair of oppositely disposed side walls which are connected by a lower surface, a laterally extending wall, and a roller located opposite the laterally extending wall whereby a substantial portion of the lower surface is disposed between the roller and the laterally extending wall. 
     The tray may also include a laterally extending arcuate surface which projects from the tray to form a grip. 
     The dispenser may also include two dispenser rollers which are cooperatively positioned to engage a premoistened wipe therebetween. One of the dispenser rollers may be located on the removable tray and the other dispenser roller can be located on a cover which has an open and closed position. Engagement surfaces may be used to properly align the two dispenser rollers when the cover is in a closed position. 
     The dispenser may further include a support which is insertable into the hollow core of a rolled product such as a roll of conventional dry bathroom tissue. The dispenser may also include a mounting device which mounts the dispenser to the oppositely disposed recesses of conventional bathroom tissue fixtures. 
     In another aspect, the present invention provides a dispenser for premoistened wipes which includes a housing having an interior space in which the wipes may be positioned, and a removable tray having an impermeable lower surface positionable below the interior space in which the premoistened wipes are placed. 
     In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a dispenser for premoistened wipes which includes a housing having an interior space, a removable tray having a lower surface with a raised portion defining a support surface, and a plurality of premoistened wipes positioned on the support surface within the interior space. The tray may be configured to allow the tray and wipes to be inserted into the housing as a single unit. 
     One advantage provided by the present invention is that the use of a removable tray facilitates the cleaning of the tray and dispenser. The removal of the tray allows the tray to be conveniently cleaned such as by placing the tray under running water. 
     Another advantage provided by the present invention is that it provides a convenient method for dispensing premoistened wipes provided in a rolled form. Furthermore, by using a coreless roll of premoistened wipes, the present invention provides a compact dispenser for dispensing premoistened wipes. 
     In those embodiments of the present invention wherein the tray has a receptacle portion or a liquid impermeable lower surface, the ability to remove the tray from the dispenser facilitates the disposal of excess solution which may run off the wipes and collect in the tray. 
     A further advantage of the present invention is that the use of a removable tray provides a convenient method of placing premoistened wipes in the dispenser. This is accomplished by placing the premoistened wipes on the tray and then inserting the tray and wipes into the dispenser as a single unit. 
     These and other advantages of the present invention are provided by its various aspects, individually and in combinations thereof. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be more fully understood and further advantages will become apparent when reference is made to the following description of the invention and the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a dispenser in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the t ray of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the tray; 
     FIG. 5 is another perspective view of the tray; 
     FIG. 6 is front view of the tray; 
     FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the tray; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the tray taken along line B—B of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the tray taken along line A—A of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 10 is a side view of the tray; 
     FIG. 11 is a top view of the tray; 
     FIG. 12 is an exploded view of a tray and dispenser housing; 
     FIG. 13 is an exploded view of a mounting device; 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a mounting device; 
     FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a mounting device and a bathroom tissue fixture; 
     FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a dispenser housing and a mounting device; 
     FIG. 17 is a partial perspective view of a dispensing roller; 
     FIG. 18 is a front view of the dispensing rollers; 
     FIG. 19 is a schematic cross sectional view of the outer portion of the dispensing rollers; 
     FIG. 20 is a schematic cross sectional view of the central portion of the dispensing rollers; 
     FIG. 21 is another schematic cross sectional view of the dispensing rollers; 
     FIG. 22 is another cross sectional view of the dispensing rollers; 
     FIG. 23 is a partial view of a dispenser and a wipe; 
     FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the rear of the dispenser; 
     FIG. 25 is a perspective view of an alternative dispenser; 
     FIG. 26 is a top view of the dispenser of FIG. 25; 
     FIG. 27 is a front view of the dispenser of FIG. 25; 
     FIG. 28 is a rear view of the dispenser of FIG. 25; 
     FIG. 29 is a side view of the dispenser of FIG. 25; and 
     FIG. 30 is a cross sectional view taken along line  30 — 30  of FIG.  26 . 
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The disclosed embodiments are set forth to illustrate and exemplify the invention. The disclosed embodiments are not intended to be an exhaustive illustration of the invention or to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to the precise forms disclosed. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 illustrates one representative embodiment of the present invention in an exploded view. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the illustrated dispenser  20  can be used to provide either or both premoistened wipes  22  and conventional dry bathroom tissues  24 . The illustrated dispenser has a housing  26  with a frame  28  and a cover  30 . Together the frame  28  and cover  30  enclose and define an interior space  32  when the cover is in a closed position as shown in FIG.  2 . The cover  30  is shown in an open position in FIGS. 12 and 16. 
     The cover  30  is attached to the frame  28  at two circular apertures  34  in the frame  28 . The cover  30  includes a plurality of projections  36  which are inserted inwardly through the apertures  34  to rotatably mount the cover  30  to the frame  28 . The projections  36  provide a bearing surface for engagement with the interior surface of the apertures  34  whereby the cover  30  may be rotated between an open position and a closed position. Some or all of the projections  36  may include outwardly extending tangs at their distal ends which engage the inner surface of the frame  28  adjacent the apertures  34  and thereby inhibit the disengagement of the cover  30  and the frame  28 . 
     The radially inward surfaces  38  of the projections  36  define an opening which is configured to receive the recessed end portions  42  of a telescoping roll bar  40 . Telescoping roll bar  40  provides a support which is insertable into the hollow core  44  of a roll of dry bathroom tissue  24  in a conventional manner. The illustrated roll bar  40  has a female member which extends for approximately ¾ of the total length of the support to prevent the bar from tilting. The male and female members of the roll bar  40  remain assembled when removed from the dispenser  20  and include an internal spring selected to have a force which does not distort the housing frame  28 . The ends of the roll bar  40  define a curved surface to provide an outward button-like appearance to the ends of the roll bar  40  and to facilitate the removal of the roll bar  40 . The telescoping members of the roll bar  40  may be advantageously made of the same materials as the frame  28  and have a matching color. 
     Alternative supports which are insertable into the hollow core  44  of a rolled tissue product  24  and allow the rotation of the rolled tissue  24  thereon, such as alternative telescoping roll bars, a freely extending cylindrical or J-shaped projection, are also well known and may be combined with the housing  26  to provide for the dispensing of a dry rolled tissue product. 
     The illustrated frame  28  includes a lower space  46  in which a portion of the dry bathroom tissue  24  is located after the dry tissue  24  is mounted on the roll bar  40 . As can be seen in FIG. 1, the frame  28  may also include reinforcing ribs  48  which both provide strength to the frame  28  and help the user of the dispenser  20  to locate the apertures  34  when installing the roll bar  40 . 
     The illustrated cover  30  also includes a recessed portion  29  which allows the cover to be easily grasped when opening the cover  30 . Adjacent the recessed portion  29 , a latching projection  31  extends from the cover and is received by recess  27  located in the frame  28 . The latching projection  31  may engage the recess  27  with an interference or snap fit relationship whereby the engagement of the latching projection  31  with the recess  27  maintains the cover  30  in a closed position. Downward pressure on recessed portion  29  disengages the projection  31  and recesses  27  to allow the cover  30  to be opened. The recessed portion  29  may advantageously employ a different surface texture or color adjacent the latching projection  31  to indicate where pressure should be applied to open the cover  30 . The illustrated recess  27  is positioned to be generally hidden from view when the cover  30  is in a closed position. A large variety of different methods and mechanisms for retaining a cover to a frame are known and may be substituted for the illustrated latching method. 
     The cover  30  may be advantageously formed out of material which permits a user of the dispenser to determine the amount of premoistened wipes remaining in the interior space  32  without opening the cover  30 . Alternatively, a small portion of the cover  30  may be clear or partially clear to permit an external visual determination of the amount of premoistened wipes  22  which remain in the interior space  32 . The cover  30  may be advantageously formed by an injection molding process using a polycarbonate material. 
     The illustrated dispenser  20  also includes a removable tray  50 . The tray  50  includes a liquid retaining receptacle portion  52  which faces upward when the tray is placed within the dispenser  20 . When positioned in the dispenser  20 , the tray  50  defines the lower boundary of the interior space  32  in which the premoistened wipes  22  are placed. The tray  50  may be removed by merely opening the cover  30  without dismounting the frame  28 . 
     The liquid retaining receptacle portion  52  of the illustrated embodiment is formed by an impermeable lower surface  54  and several upwardly extending walls which define a volume at the lower portion of the tray  50 . The receptacle portion  52  of the tray collects excess solution from the premoistened wipes  22  and thereby prevents the excess solution from soiling or wetting the other components of the dispenser or the dry tissue  24  supported by the dispenser  20 . Any excess solution remaining in the receptacle portion  52  after depleting the premoistened wipes  22  can be easily discarded by removal of the tray  50 . 
     The removability of the illustrated tray  50  also facilitates the reuse of the tray  50  by allowing the tray  50  to be removed for cleaning. For example, the tray  50  may be conviently rinsed out in a bathroom sink. Additionally, by manufacturing the removable tray  50  entirely out of materials which are resistant to hot water having a temperature of approximately 180-210° F. (82-99° C.), the tray may be cleaned by placing it in a dishwasher. To facilitate the cleaning and disinfecting of the tray and other dispenser components, it is also advantageous that the materials used to form the tray and other components be resistant to isopropol alcohol, or solutions containing up to 70% isopropol alcohol, and be capable of withstanding disinfecting irradiation. The tray and other dispenser components may be advantageously formed by an injection molding process using an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, polypropylene, acetal or similar material. Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that these parts may be formed using a variety of alternative known materials and manufacturing techniques, e.g., machining. 
     When a roll of premoistened wipes  22  is placed in the tray  50  as shown in dashed outline in FIG. 9, the solution contained within the wipes may migrate downwards possibly leaving the wipes located on the upper portion of a stationary roll  22  with less moisture. The dispensing of the wipes, however, will cause the roll  22  to rotate within the tray and the solution retained by the receptacle portion  52  of the tray  50  will enhance the rewetting of the entire roll as it rotates within the tray. 
     The use of a tray having an impermeable lower surface  54  which is positioned below the wipes  22  and which does not form a liquid retaining receptacle can inhibit the soiling or wetting of the other components of the dispenser provided that the wipes are not overly saturated with solution. The use of a tray  50  which does include a liquid retaining receptacle portion  52 , however, will generally be more advantageous. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, a pair of oppositely disposed side walls  56  are connected by the lower surface  54  and a laterally extending wall  58 . The illustrated side walls  56  are spaced at a distance of 4.6 inches (11.68 cm) to provide 0.05 inches (0.13 cm) of clearance on each side of a roll  22  having an axial length of 4.5 inches (11.43 cm). The shape and size of the walls  56 ,  58  also permits the tray  50  to be tipped when inserting the tray  50  and a roll of premoistened wipes  22  into the dispenser without having the roll  22  fall from the tray  50 . 
     The lower surface  54  includes a raised portion having a support surface  64 . The premoistened wipes are placed within the interior space  32  on the support surfaces  64 . The illustrated support surfaces  64  are located on the upper surface of ribs  62  and on two laterally extending rollers  60 . 
     A relatively small laterally extending wall  59  is located between the two rollers  60  opposite wall  58 . As exemplified by walls  58 ,  59 , a receptacle portion  52  may be provided with walls which extend in a generally upwards direction when the tray  50  is installed in the dispenser  20 . In other words, the walls are not required to be oriented perpendicularly to the lower surface  54  or define a vertical plane. Referring to, e.g., FIGS. 8 and 9, wall  58  can be referred to as back wall  58 , which has a back top surface  58   a . Wall  59  can be referred to as front wall  59 , which has a front top surface  59   a.    
     The two laterally extending rollers  60  are disposed opposite the laterally extending wall  58  whereby a substantial portion of the lower surface  54  is disposed between the roller  60  and the laterally extending wall  58 . The premoistened wipes are supported by the ribs  62  in the central portion of the tray  50  while the two rollers  60  provide support at the dispensing end of the tray  50 . FIG. 9 includes an arrow  66  which illustrates a path along which the premoistened wipes may be dispensed as they are unwound from roll  22 . 
     As best seen in FIG. 1, the premoistened wipes placed in the tray  50  may be a coreless roll of premoistened wipes  22  having an axis  23 . The premoistened wipes  22  advantageously have perforations extending parallel to the axis  23  and separating individual sheets of the rolled premoistened material to enable one or more sheets of the material to be conveniently separated from the remainder of the roll. The absence of a hollow core allows more wipes to be provided for a given roll diameter and eliminates the need for a disposable core. Alternative forms of premoistened wipes may also be used with a dispenser having a removable tray. For example, a stack of flat or folded individual or interconnected wipes or a roll of wipes having a core may also be used. 
     In the illustrated tray  50 , the ribs  62  are oriented substantially perpendicular to the axes of the freely rotatable rollers  60  and the axis  23  of the roll of premoistened wipes  22 . By providing ribs  62  having relatively thin support surfaces  64  oriented perpendicular to the axis  23  of the wipes  22 , the surface area of the wipes in contact with the support surfaces  64  is minimized. The minimal bearing surface area provided by the ribs  62  allows the wipes  22  to be rotated thereon without excessive frictional resistance. The ribs  62  may also extend upwardly along a portion of the laterally extending wall  58  as shown in the illustrated embodiment. By extending the ribs  62  upwardly along the wall  58 , the ribs  62  space the roll  22  from the wall  58  to minimize the area of contact, and frictional forces, between the interior of tray  50  and the roll  22 . 
     The two rollers  60  are generally cylindrical with several spaced, cylindrical lands  68  having an increased diameter which provide support surfaces  64 . The intermediate sections of rollers  60  which extend between lands  68  may also engage and support the premoistened wipes. The rollers  60  are rotatably supported by the tray  50  by inserting the ends of the rollers  60  into round apertures in the side walls  56 . An intermediate support  70  is also provided for rotatably supporting one of the two rollers  60  as best seen in FIGS. 4 and 12. 
     The rollers  60  are disposed substantially parallel to the axis  23  of the rolled premoistened wipes  22  and are advantageously positioned to engage and support the rolled wipes near the side of the roll  22  from which wipes are being dispensed. As most easily seen with reference to FIG. 9, the roll of wipes  22  may be unwound by a user pulling the leading wipe which will move along the path indicated by the direction of line  66 . As the leading wipe is being dispensed, the roll will be rotated and be pulled towards the rollers  60 . The use of freely rotating rollers  60  provides a support for the roll  22  which enables the roll  22  to rotate with minimal frictional resistance. 
     A combination of both rollers  60  and ribs  62  are used in the illustrated tray  50  to provide a raised portion having a support surface and facilitate the rotation of the roll  22  within the tray  50 . Alternative configurations for use with a roll of wipes  22 , however, are also possible. For example, the roll  22  could be supported entirely by stationary support surfaces or rollers  60  and the stationary support surfaces or rollers could vary from those shown in the illustrated embodiment. 
     To load the tray with wipes, the premoistened wipes are positioned above the lower surface  54  and inward of the walls  56 ,  58 . The wipes are conveniently placed into the tray  50  after first removing the tray  50  from the frame  28 . Once the wipes have been placed in the tray  50  and the leading wipe draped over the dispensing roller  72 , the tray  50  and wipes  22  are then inserted into the interior space  32  as a single unit. Alternatively, the wipes  22  may be placed in the tray  50  while the tray is within the interior space  32 . 
     After inserting the tray  50  and wipes  22 , the cover  30  is closed whereby the leading wipe is engaged between the two dispensing rollers  72 . One of the dispensing rollers  72  is located on the tray  50  and the second dispensing roller  72  is located on the cover  30 . To ensure the proper positioning of the two dispensing rollers  72  when the cover  30  is placed in a closed position, the tray has a pair of engagement surfaces  74  located near the opposite lateral ends of the dispensing roller  72  located on the tray  50 . The engagement surfaces  74  located on the tray  50  are engaged by a second pair of engagement surfaces  76  located on the cover  30  near the opposite lateral ends of the dispensing roller  72  located on the cover  30  (FIGS.  12  and  17 ). 
     FIG. 17 is an enlarged view of one of the lateral ends of the dispensing roller  72  located on the cover  30  and shows one of the engagement surfaces  76 . The two pairs of engagement surfaces  74 ,  76  are engaged together when the cover  30  is placed in the closed position to facilitate the proper alignment of the two dispensing rollers  72 . Also shown in FIG. 17 is a lateral alignment guide  78 . The side walls  56  of the tray  50  are located between the two lateral alignment guides  78  when the cover  30  is closed and the two pair of engagement surfaces  74 ,  76  are engaged. The guides  78  thereby prevent relative lateral movement between the cover  30  and the tray  50  and facilitate the proper lateral alignment of the two dispensing rollers  72 . 
     In addition to the engagement surfaces  74 ,  76  which are located above the tray&#39;s dispensing roller  72 , the cover  30  and tray  50  also include another set of engagement surfaces on the opposite, lower side of the tray&#39;s dispensing roller  72 . The tray  50  includes a grip  80  which defines a laterally extending arcuate surface  81  which is engageable at its lateral ends by projections  82  on the cover  30 . The arcuate surface  81  and projections  82  thereby facilitate the proper alignment of the cover  30  and the tray  50  and the dispenser rollers  72  located thereon. 
     The grip  80  is positioned so that it may be used when inserting or removing the tray  50  from the dispenser  20 . The illustrated grip  80  not only provides a thin, easily gripped projection but the portion of the illustrated grip  80  which forms the exterior surface  81  which is visible when the dispenser is in a closed position also contributes to the aesthetic outward appearance of the dispenser  20  and conceals the threaded fastener  138 . 
     In addition to the engagement of the grip  80  and the projections  82 , the tray  50  may also be held in place by the engagement of the top edge  84  of wall  58  with a notch  86  in the interior surface of the frame  28 . The engagement of edge  84  and notch  86  prevents the tray  50  from tipping forward as the leading wipe is being pulled during the dispensing process. The use of an arcuate edge  84  and notch  86 , which are horizontally as well as vertically engageable, also helps to laterally locate the tray  50  within the frame  28 . The top edge  84  may alternatively have a key, such as an upstanding tab, or key-way engageable with either a key-way or key on the frame  28  to securely position the tray  50  within the frame  28 . 
     After inserting the tray  50  and wipes  22  into the dispenser, the wipes may be dispensed by pulling the leading wipe and separating a length of premoistened wipes from the remainder of the roll  22  by tearing the wipe material along a row of perforations separating the individual wipes. The removal of the wipes leaves a new leading wipe engaged between the dispenser rollers  72 . The dispensing process may be repeated until the supply of wipes in the tray is depleted whereupon the tray  50  may be removed from the dispenser  20  and the wipes replenished. 
     A dispenser  21  which does not include projections  82  for engaging grip  80  is illustrated in FIGS. 25-30. FIG. 30 presents a cross sectional view taken along line  3030  of FIG.  26  and illustrates the tray  50  positioned within interior space  32 . Also illustrated in FIG. 30 is the relationship between the dispensing rollers  72  and the impingement surface  88  of the exemplary embodiment. The impingement surface  88  is formed by an edge of the cover  30  and defines an edge of a dispensing opening  89 . 
     As schematically illustrated in FIGS. 9-11, the impingement surface  88  and opening  89  extend adjacent the dispensing rollers  72  when the cover  30  is in a closed position. As seen in FIG. 9, the impingement surface  88  includes a central portion  90  and two outer portions  92  located on opposite sides of the central portion  90 . The central portion  90  is located at a first relative position with respect to the dispensing rollers  72  and the gap  94  formed between the rollers  72  through which the wipes are dispensed. The outer portions  92  of the impingement surface  88  are located at different relative positions to the dispensing rollers  72  than the central portion  90 . The central portion  90  of the impingement surface  88  may advantageously have a generally rounded or curvilinear shape and be farthest from the gap  94  at the midpoint of the surface  88 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 18 and 21, the central portion  90  may be located on one side of the gap  94  and the outer portions  92  are located on the opposite side of the gap  94  when viewing the gap  94  at a normal angle. More specifically, a flat plane  150  intersecting the gap  94  and oriented perpendicularly to a plane  152  connecting the axes  72   a  of the dispenser rollers  72  lies within the dispensing opening  89  adjacent the central portion  90  of the impingement surface  88  while the outer portions  92  of the impingement surface  88  lie on the opposite side of the flat plane  150 . Access to the central portion of the gap  94  is relatively unobstructed in such a configuration. 
     With reference to FIG. 22, it can be seen that the illustrated dispensing system includes an impingement surface  88  having a central portion  90  which is disposed relative to the outer portions  92  to provide a more directly accessible gap  94  in the center of the dispensing opening  89 . More specifically, a flat plane  154  intersecting the gap  94  and extending through the opening  89  will contact the two outer portions prior to contacting the central portion of the impingement surface when rotated about a line  156  (oriented perpendicular to the view and shown as a point in FIG. 22) of intersection with the gap  94  toward the impingement surface  88 . As can be seen in FIG. 22, when rotated from a common location from the opening  89  toward the impingement surface, the plane  154  will rotate an angular distance  158  prior to contacting the outer portions  92  of the impingement surface  88  while the plane  154  must be rotated by a greater angular distance  160  to contact the central portion  90  of the illustrated impingement surface  88 . 
     The dispensing of wipes is best seen in FIGS. 19,  20  and  23 . FIGS. 19 and 20 are schematic cross sectional representations which illustrate the direction of travel  66  of a wipe which is being dispensed. FIG. 23 provides a front view of a leading wipe  162  which may be grasped by a user. Each of the individual premoistened wipes provided on roll  22  includes a first side edge  164  and an opposite second side edge  166 . 
     The leading wipe  162  is placed in the gap  94  in a substantially flat configuration when the gap  94  is formed between the two longitudinally extending dispensing rollers  72 . This is accomplished in the illustrated embodiment by inserting the tray  50  into the dispenser  20  and closing the cover  30 . After loading the premoistened wipes in the dispenser  20 , the first and second side edges  164 ,  166  of the leading wipe  162  are disposed on opposite sides of the gap  94  and a forward edge  168  of the leading wipe  162  extends through the gap  94  where it may be easily grasped and dispensed. 
     The impingement surface  88  extends into the space through which the wipes are dispensed after passing through the gap  94 . The impingement surface  88  extends in a direction  170  (FIG. 21) impinging on the wipe being dispensed. Thus, when the user pulls on the leading wipe to dispense one or more wipes, the impingement surface  88  may be engaged by the leading wipe  162 . The wipe engages the outer portions  92  of the impingement surface  88  in first  172  and second  174  areas proximate the first  164  and second  166  side edges of the wipe. The outer portions  92  of the impingement surface  88  extend a greater distance than the central portion  90  in the impingement direction  170 . Consequently, during the dispensing process, the outer portions  92  more forcibly engage the wipe than the central portion  90  of the impingement surface  88 . 
     The gap  94  is advantageously sized to be slightly smaller than or approximately equivalent to the thickness of the wipes  22  whereby the wipes will contact both of the dispensing rollers  72  as the wipes pass through the gap  94 . The directional lines  66  shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 merely indicate the path of travel of the wipe material without representing the thickness of the wipe. 
     The outer portions  92  of the impingement surface may thereby provide a bearing surface against which the wipe may be pulled to initiate the separation of the dispensed wipes from the remaining wipes. During the separation process, the wipes are typically subjected to a lateral force which must be resisted to prevent the wipes from “skating” between the dispenser rollers  72  and “bunching up” at one location between the dispenser rollers  72 . 
     The use of dispensing rollers  72  having corresponding lands  84  and grooves  86  provides resistance to the “skating” or “bunching up” of the wipe when the dispensed wipes are separated from the remainder of the premoistened wipes. In the illustrated embodiment, the lands  84  and grooves  86  of the dispensing rollers  72  are coordinated with the outer  92  and central  90  portions of the impingement surface whereby there are more alternations between lands  84  and grooves  86  adjacent the outer portions  92  of the impingement surface  88 . As best seen in FIG. 18, the lands  84  and grooves  86  of the illustrated dispensing rollers  72  have a greater average longitudinal length adjacent the central portion  90  of the impingement surface  88  than the outer portions  92  of the impingement surface  88 . The shorter average longitudinal length of the lands  84  and grooves  86  adjacent the outer portions  92  of the impingement surface  88  results in a higher concentration of alternations between the lands  84  and grooves  86  adjacent the outer portions  92  of the impingement surface  88 . 
     The alternations between lands  84  and grooves  86  adjacent the outer portions  92  of the impingement surface  88  provide resistance to the “skating” or inward migration of the side edges  164 ,  166  of the wipe being dispensed. Increasing the number of alternations between the lands  84  and grooves  86  can provide an increased resistance to the skating of the wipe. Providing non-smooth texture, such as knurling, on the dispensing rollers  72  may also provide resistance to the skating of the wipes. 
     With reference to FIG. 18, when using wipes having a thickness of 0.010 inches (0.025 cm) it has been found advantageous to use dispensing rollers  72  wherein the outside diameter of the lands  84  is 0.380 inches (0.965 cm) and the outside diameter of the grooves  86  is 0.270 inches (0.686 cm). The radial distance  87  (FIG. 18) separating the lands  84  and grooves  86  at a transition point between a land and groove is consequently 0.055 inches (0.140 cm). It has been found advantageous to employ a longitudinal distance  85  separating adjacent transition points on the two dispensing rollers which is three times larger than the distance  87  separating the land and groove surfaces. 
     The gap  94  is advantageously sized to be smaller than, or approximately equivalent to, the thickness of the wipes  22  whereby the wipes will contact both of the dispensing rollers  72  as the wipes pass through the gap  94 . For example, a gap  94  providing a clearance distance of 0.010 inches (0.025 cm) between the dispensing rollers  72  may be used with a wipe having a thickness of 0.015 inches (0.038 cm). It is noted that the directional lines  66  shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 merely indicate the path of travel of the wipe material without representing the thickness of the wipe. 
     Alternative embodiments of the invention may employ different dimensions for the gap  94 , lands  84  and grooves  86 . For example, alternative dimensions for the dispensing rollers  72  and gap  94  may be employed with wipes having similar thicknesses. The use of alternative dimensions for the dispensing rollers  72  and gap  94  may also be employed for wipes having different thicknesses. For example, it may be advantageous for wipes having a thickness in the range of 0.300 mm (0.012 inches) to 1.300 mm (0.051 inches) to employ gaps  94  in the range of 0.178 mm (0.007 inches) to 1.17 mm (0.046 inches) wherein the gap size varies linearly with the wipe thickness. These combinations of wipe thickness and gap  94  size are merely illustrative and alternative combinations may also be employed. 
     Different sized gaps  94  can be easily provided with the same dispenser by exchanging one or both of the dispensing rollers  72 . For example, to provide a larger gap  94 , the illustrated dispensing rollers  72  could be exchanged for rollers which have lands and grooves with smaller diameters than the illustrated dispensing rollers discussed above. Although rotatable rollers  72  are shown in the representative embodiment, alternative embodiments may employ stationary surface to form a gap  94 . Furthermore, by resiliently biasing one of the dispenser rollers towards the second dispenser roller, such as by one or more springs, a dispenser having a variable gap  94  may be provided. 
     In addition to facilitating the separation of the dispensed wipes, the engagement of a wipe by the outer portions  92  of the impingement surface  88  may also produce a drag on the wipe during the dispensing process. The central portion  90  of the impingement surface  88  may also engage and produce a drag on the wipe. Depending upon the angle at which the wipe is pulled during dispensing, however, the premoistened wipes may not engage the central portion  90  of the impingement surface  88  during the dispensing process. 
     Some drag is desired during the dispensing process to prevent an excessive quantity of wipes from being dispensed as a result of a minor pulling motion. In the illustrated embodiments, it has been found that an advantageous level of drag can be produced by positioning approximately equal amounts of the impingement surface  88  on opposite sides of flat plane  150 . 
     A mounting device may be used to support the dispenser  20  on a conventional bathroom tissue fixture having a pair of opposed recesses for receiving a telescoping roll bar. A suitable mounting device is described in detail in a commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application entitled “Mounting Device” Ser. No. 09/302,356 filed Apr. 30, 1999, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The disclosures of a commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application entitled “Dispensing System and Method for Premoistened Wipes ” Ser. No. 09/302,281 filed Apr. 30, 1999 and a commonly assigned U.S. Provisional Patent Application entitled “Dispenser for Premoistened Wipes” Ser. No. 60/132,024 filed Apr. 30, 1999 are both hereby incorporated by reference. 
     The mounting device  120  illustrated in FIGS. 13-15 includes two support members  122  and  124  which are connected to a positioning member  130  by linkages  132  and  134 . As best seen in the exploded view of FIG. 13, the positioning member  130  may be seated over the cylinder  131 . The support members  122 ,  124  are received within the housing  136  and the housing  136  is folded to trap the support members  122 ,  124  within the housing as illustrated in FIG. 14. A threaded bore hole extends the entire length of cylinder  131  and a threaded fastener  138  may be engaged with the mounting device  120  at either end of the cylinder  131 . The threaded fastener  138  may be used to attach the mounting device  120  to a dispenser  20 . 
     As shown in FIG. 15, the mounting device  120  may be used with conventional bathroom tissue fixtures. The user may manually move the positioning member  130  whereby the linkages  132  and  134  force the support members  122 ,  124  outward to engage the oppositely disposed recesses R of the fixture. The mounting device  120  fits within a slot  121  in the frame  28  and is secured to the frame  28  with fastener  138 . To accommodate a wide variety of conventional fixtures, the mounting device  120  can be secured at different positions along slot  121 . For recessed fixtures, the mounting device  120  can be turned so that the curved end  123  of the mounting device  120  is inserted first into the slot  121  and the support arms  122 ,  124  can be located behind the rear surface  100  of the dispenser  20 . Alternative mounting devices for attaching the dispenser  20  to a conventional bathroom tissue fixture may also be employed. 
     The dispenser may also be directly mounted to a wall, cabinet panel or similar support by inserting fasteners through apertures located in the rear surface of the frame  28 . The apertures in the rear surface  100  of the frame  28  may include a round aperture  96  adapted to receive a threaded fastener therethrough. The aperture  96  may be advantageously positioned to correspond with the middle rib  62  of the tray whereby the void space defined by the rear of the middle rib  62  will overlay the head of the installed fastener to reduce the possibility of clearance difficulties between the fastener head and the tray. The rear surface of the frame  28  may also include another aperture  98  located below the above-described round aperture as shown in FIG.  24 . 
     While this invention has been described in detail, it will be readily apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and general principles of the invention. All of such changes and modifications are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention as defined by the subjoined claims. Furthermore, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art.