Abstract:
I have invented an interleaved disposable tablecloth roll. Successive longitudinally folded pre-cut tablecloth sheets are provided on a coreless roll. The last five inches of each tablecloth are overlapped with the first five inches of the successive tablecloth so that the rear edge of each tablecloth is above the leading edge of the successive tablecloth.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not Applicable  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not Applicable  
       REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING,” A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC  
       [0003]     Not Applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     (1) Field of the Invention  
         [0005]     This invention relates to packaging disposable tablecloths. More particularly, this invention relates to interleaved disposable tablecloths.  
         [0006]     (2) Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.  
         [0007]     Disposable Tablecloths are well known in the prior art. Disposable Tablecloths are usually made of plastic or paper and provide increased convenience and enhanced sanitary features. Disposable Tablecloths have become a virtual staple.  
         [0008]     While disposable tablecloths provide many excellent features, there are several problems that persist pertaining to storing and dispensing individual tablecloths in personal or commercial settings.  
         [0009]     Pre-cut disposable tablecloths are available, but are packaged in small quantities. Large quantities are usually only available on rolls of perforated sheets. For constant use or bulk use, stacked pre-cut disposable tablecloths present several disadvantages. The stacks are difficult to store and the plastics slip against each other. They are also difficult to dispense one at a time.  
         [0010]     Rolls of perforated disposable tablecloths present other problems. When used in commercial settings, time is wasted separating the sheets. In addition, the edges of the tablecloths are not as neat and presentable as pre-cut tablecloths. In home use, perforated tablecloths present additional problems. Many religious Jews use disposable tablecloths for Sabbath and Holiday meals for convenience. Because of the prohibition of tearing, ripping, or cutting on Sabbath or Holidays, the perforated tablecloths must be separated prior to Sabbath or Holidays. This adds an inconvenience to a product intended to enhance convenience. It is difficult to store the pre-ripped tablecloths, and difficult to remember to separate them in advance of one&#39;s need.  
         [0011]     There is a need for an improved method of storing and dispensing disposable tablecloths that eliminates all the disadvantages present in the prior art.  
         [0012]     My invention solves all the problems in the existing art with an interleaved disposable tablecloth roll.  
         [0013]     There are several references in the prior art that provide varied interleaved products on a roll. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,767,860 discloses a roll of interleaved sheets in which successive sheets are folded about each other in a unique configuration for ease in dispensing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,361 discloses a plastic bag dispensing system in which folded plastic bags ore overlapped, rolled into a cylindrical roll, and placed in a package with an opening for dispensing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,269 discloses a roll of interleaved and overlapped tissues for pop-up dispensing purposes. U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,396 B1 discloses interleaved roll mounted bags and dispensers for same.  
         [0014]     However, no product exists in the current art that provides an interleaved roll of disposable tablecloths.  
         [0015]     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a more convenient means for storing and dispensing pre-cut disposable tablecloths.  
         [0016]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an interleaved roll of disposable tablecloths.  
         [0017]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide folded disposable tablecloths arranged with a five inch overlap and wound into a roll.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]     I have invented an interleaved disposable tablecloth roll. Successive longitudinally folded pre-cut tablecloth sheets are provided on a coreless roll. The last five inches of each tablecloth are overlapped with the first five inches of the successive tablecloth so that the rear edge of each tablecloth is above the leading edge of the successive tablecloth. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]      FIG. 1 . is a front view of an unfolded disposable tablecloth.  
         [0020]      FIG. 2 . is a perspective view of the interleaved disposable tablecloth roll.  
         [0021]      FIG. 3 . is a front view of an alternate embodiment of the invention where the tablecloths are overlapped prior to folding. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]     The invention, as depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 , generally comprises a means of storing and dispensing a multitude of tablecloths  10  of a flexible material such as plastic, preferably disposable and resilient, where the pre-cut tablecloths  10  are provided on an interleaved coreless roll.  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a single disposable tablecloth  10  that has been dispensed from the roll and unfolded. Each disposable tablecloth  10  has a first end  20  and a second end  25 . The tablecloths are preferably folded in half longitudinally along the fold-line  15  to provide a more compact roll. The double thickness of the folded tablecloth is also easier to grasp and thus easier to dispense.  
         [0024]      FIG. 2 . is a perspective view of the coreless roll  5 , depicting the overlapped portion  30  of each successive disposable tablecloth  10 . The overlapped portion  30  is formed by placing the second end  25  of each disposable tablecloth  10  over the first end  20  of the next disposable tablecloth  10  with a resulting overlapped portion  30  of five inches. The folded and overlapped tablecloths are then wound into a coreless roll where the first end  20  of the outermost tablecloth is available for dispensing.  
         [0025]      FIG. 3 . is a front view of an alternate embodiment of the invention. In this alternate configuration, the first end  20  of the disposable tablecloth  10  is overlapped with the second end  25  of the disposable tablecloth  10 , forming the overlapped portion  30 , prior to folding the tablecloths along the fold-line  15 . The overlapped and folded disposable tablecloths are then wound into a coreless roll.  
         [0026]     In the preferred embodiment the leading disposable tablecloth  10  overlaps the succeeding disposable tablecloth  10  so that the second end  25  of each tablecloth is above the first end  20  of the successive tablecloth. However, the leading disposable tablecloth  10  can also be overlapped by the succeeding disposable tablecloth  10  so that the second end  25  of each tablecloth is below the first end  20  of the successive tablecloth.  
         [0027]     In the alternate embodiment, the disposable tablecloths  10  are overlapped and then folded instead of folded and then overlapped. Preferably, the disposable tablecloths  10  are overlapped so that the second end  25  is above the first end  20  of the successive disposable tablecloth  10 . When folded, the successive disposable tablecloth will be wrapped around the leading disposable tablecloth for the overlapped portion  30 .  
         [0028]     The tablecloths arranged in the alternate embodiment can also be overlapped so that the second end  25  is below the first end  20  of the successive disposable tablecloth  10 . When folded, the leading tablecloth will be wrapped around the successive tablecloth for the overlapped portion  30 .  
         [0029]     In the preferred embodiment, there is a five inch overlap. However, the overlapped portion can be shorter or longer to accommodate various sizes and textures of tablecloths.  
         [0030]     The tablecloths can be of any size or shape to suit the needs of the end user. The tablecloths can be overlapped and rolled in their unfolded state as well. The tablecloths can also be folded in half along a horizontal axis, a vertical axis, or both. In addition, the tablecloths can be folded into thirds, or any other practical configuration. The tablecloths can be folded before or after being overlapped, and can also be folded both before and after being overlapped.  
         [0031]     The tablecloths are preferably formed of a disposable flexible plastic of suitable thickness. However, the tablecloths can be formed of any effective, appropriate material, including but not limited to paper or paper and plastic combinations. The tablecloths can be formed of plastic backed paper. The tablecloths can be padded. The tablecloths can have a trim around the perimeter.  
         [0032]     The tablecloths can also be provided in single colors, or color combinations. The tablecloths can contain designs, images, or licensed graphics.  
         [0033]     The tablecloths can be formed in rolls of any suitable thickness containing any suitable amount of tablecloths on any one roll. The tablecloths are preferably rolled into a coreless roll, but can be overlapped and rolled around a core as well.  
         [0034]     We have illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.  
         [0035]     Many variations of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. All such variations are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the invention. Although some embodiments are shown to include certain features, we specifically contemplate that any feature disclosed in this description may be used together or in combination with any other feature on any embodiment of the invention. We have also contemplated that any feature may be specifically excluded from any embodiment of an invention.  
         [0036]     Further aspects of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the drawings and the description of preferred embodiments of the invention. A person skilled in the art will realize that other embodiments of the invention are possible and that the details of the invention can be modified in a number of respects, all without departing from the inventive concept. Thus, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.  
       LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS  
       [0037]      5 . Coreless Roll  
         [0038]      10 . Disposable Tablecloth  
         [0039]      15 . Fold-line  
         [0040]      20 . First End  
         [0041]      25 . Second End  
         [0042]      30 . Overlapped Portion