Patent ID: 7533846

Claim:
A generally cylindrical towel roll product comprising an absorbent towel roll having an upright axis, a circumferential outer surface and top and bottom surfaces, and a flexible, water resistant, protective wrapper engaging the circumferential surface of the towel roll about its entire circumference and of sufficient strength to restrain significant diametric expansion of the towel roll when the roll is subjected to an axial load and to increase axial stiffness of the product, the wrapper including top and bottom portions that encase the top and bottom surfaces of the roll, respectively, the top wrapper portion having an opening providing axial access to the towel roll and through which individual towels can be drawn axially from the interior of the towel roll, and a removable and replaceable soil and water-resistant cover protectively covering the wrapper opening, and a rigid disc positioned between the upper surface of the towel roll and the top wrapper portion, the disc having an opening aligned with the opening in the upper portion of the wrapper to enable access to toweling.