Napkin stack

Abstract

A napkin stack which provides a substantially uniform and removably affixed stack of napkins. The stack of napkins comprises a plurality of napkins and a plurality of adhesive elements located at specified locations adjacent the edges of each napkin. The plurality of napkins are removably affixed to each other to provide a napkin stack having a specified pattern.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/772,204, filed 10 Feb. 2006, the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by its reference for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to dispensing napkins and, more specifically, relates to a napkin stack for uniformly providing napkins.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Napkin dispensers are well known in the art. Typical napkin dispensers include a housing and a storage magazine for receiving a stack of napkins. A metering device may also be included in the napkin dispenser to monitor when the dispenser requires refilling. The metering device may include other mechanical mechanisms to enhance the determination of when the dispenser requires refilling. Napkin dispenser may also include the use of spring biased leaves or biased spring elements for convenient extraction of the napkins. A disadvantage of known napkin dispensers includes the need for mechanisms to advance napkins in the dispenser and signal a need to refill the dispenser. Another disadvantage of known dispensers is the cost of manufacturing and maintaining the dispensers.

Therefore, a need exists for a method or device for dispensing napkins where the napkins are uniformly stacked, and a user is able to select a quantity of napkins for use without costly housings and mechanical mechanisms which are subject to maintenance and defect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an aspect of the invention, a napkin stack is provided which comprises a plurality of napkins each having edges and a plurality of adhesive elements located at specified locations adjacent the edges of each napkin. The plurality of napkins are removably affixed to each other to form a stack having a specified pattern.

In a related aspect, the specified pattern of the napkins includes the edges of the plurality of napkins being substantially equidistant from a longitudinal axis passing through center of the napkins.

In a related aspect, the specified locations of the plurality of adhesive elements are substantially the same for each adhesive element.

In a related aspect, the specified locations of the plurality of adhesive elements are substantially the same for each adhesive element and are positioned to mate with each other.

In a related aspect, the specified locations of the adhesive elements are adjacent corners of each napkin.

In a related aspect, the plurality of napkins are folded.

In a related aspect, the adhesive elements are a glue.

In a related aspect, each napkin includes a multiplicity of plies and each ply includes the adhesive elements.

In a related aspect, each napkin includes a multiplicity of plies and only a top and a bottom ply include the adhesive elements.

In a related aspect, the adhesive elements are located on the bottom surface of the napkin.

In a related aspect, the adhesive elements are located on the top surface of the napkin.

In a related aspect, the adhesive elements are orderless and are also non-toxic.

In another aspect according to the present invention, a method for stacking napkins comprises providing a plurality of napkins each having edges. A plurality of adhesive elements are applied at specified locations adjacent the edges of each napkin. The plurality of napkins are stacked such that the plurality of napkins are removably affixed to each other to form a stack having a specified pattern.

In a related aspect, the plurality of napkins includes each of the edges of the plurality of napkins being substantially equidistant from a longitudinal axis passing through a center of the napkins.

In a related aspect, the napkin stack further includes positioning the adhesive elements at substantially the same specified location on each napkin.

In a related aspect, the plurality of napkins further comprise folding the plurality of napkins.

In another aspect according to the invention, a napkin stack kit comprises a plurality of napkins each having edges. A plurality of adhesive elements are attached to each napkin at specified locations adjacent the edges of each napkin. The plurality of napkins are removably affixed to each other to form a stack of napkins in a specified pattern.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a napkin stack according to an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a napkin stack according to the invention where the napkins are folded.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An exemplary embodiment of a napkin stack 10 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 and includes a plurality of napkins 14 each having edges 18. The napkins 14 may be made of a suitable material, for example, paper. In the napkin stack 10 each napkin 14 has four edges 18. As can be seen in FIG. 1, a plurality of adhesive elements embodied as glue tabs 20 are positioned adjacent corners of the napkins 14. The glue tabs 20 are orderless and non-toxic, and may be an edible adhesive glue. Further, for example, the adhesive elements could be a touch fastener such as VELCRO®, or a tape, or another adhesive element in keeping with the spirit of the invention. Additionally, the adhesive elements may also include a layer of adhesive (which may be sprayed or otherwise applied to the napkin) possibly adjacent the napkin edge. It is understood that the adhesive elements 20 may be positioned along the edges of the napkins, in a pattern, or in any manner achieving the function of removable affixing the napkins in the stack 10. In FIG. 1, the glue tabs 20 are positioned on the top of each napkin 14, however, the glue tabs 20 may also be positioned on the bottom of each napkin, or on both sides of the napkin. The glue tabs 20 may also be positioned in mating relation with each other. Further, the glue tabs 20 are shown in the same location on each napkin 14 but may also be in different location or in a random pattern.

The glue tabs 20 removable attach each napkin 18 to the napkin on top of it to provide a napkin stack 10 as shown in FIG. 1, where the edges 18 of the napkins 14 are equidistant from the longitudinal axis 30. Thus, a single napkin 14 or a selected amount of napkins may be removed from the napkin stack 10. Each napkin 14 is one layer, however, the napkins may also be multiple layers, and in the same manner as shown in FIG. 1., be stacked and removable. A multiple layer or ply napkin (not shown) may have glue tabs 20 on each layer, or on a top or bottom layer leaving inner plies without glue tabs 20.

In another embodiment according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, a napkin stack 100 includes a plurality of folded napkins 104 each having edges 108. It is understood that the napkins may also be shaped triangularly without folding or in a plurality of other shapes (not shown). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the triangularly folded napkins 104 are substantially equidistant from a longitudinal axis 110 to form the uniform napkin stack 100.

Similar to the napkin stack 10 embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the glue tabs 20 removable attach each napkin 104 to the napkin on top of it as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, a single napkin 104 or a selected amount of napkins may be removed from the napkin stack 100. As can be seen in FIG. 2, a plurality of adhesive elements embodied as glue tabs 20 are positioned adjacent comers of the napkins 104 similarly to napkins 14 show in FIG. 1. The adhesive elements 20 may be positioned along the edges of the napkins 104, in a pattern, or in any manner achieving the function of removably affixing the napkins in the stack 100. Similar to the napkin stack shown in FIG. 1, the glue tabs 20 shown in FIG. 2 are positioned on the top of each napkin 104, however, the glue tabs 20 may also be positioned on the bottom of each napkin, or on both sides of the napkin, or in different location or in a random pattern.

A method for stacking napkins according to the present invention includes providing a plurality of napkins as shown in FIG. 1, wherein a plurality of glue tabs 20 are at specified locations adjacent edges 18 of each napkin. The napkins are then stacked in any number desired to form the napkin stack 10 where the napkins 14 are removably affixed to each other by the glue tabs 20. A person may then remove one or more of the napkins 14 by peeling away the desired number of napkins 14. One advantage of the present invention is that it eliminates the need for a napkin dispenser. The napkins 14 or 104 according to the present invention maintain their uniform appearance and are not blown by the wind or accidentally knocked asunder. Once the napkins are dispersed from the stack and on a floor or table they can be unsanitary for use and at least lose their orderly appearance. Thus, the napkin stack of the present invention remedies these problems by providing a removably attached napkin stack.

The napkin stacks 10, 100 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may also be provided as a kit comprising a plurality of napkins, and a plurality of adhesive elements such as glue tabs that can be added at specified locations adjacent the edges of each napkin. The plurality of napkins are thereby removably affixed to each other to form a stack in a specified pattern as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The napkin stack according to the present invention does not require a dispenser to maintain a uniform stack. This provides a major advantage and cost savings over known devices and methods of uniformly stacking and making napkins available.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with respect to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in forms and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. It is therefore intended that the present invention not be limited to the exact forms and details described and illustrated herein, but falls within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A napkin stack, which comprises:

a plurality of napkins; and

a plurality of adhesive elements located at specified locations on each napkin such that the plurality of napkins are removably affixed to each other to form a stack having a specified pattern.

2. The napkin stack of claim 1, wherein the specified locations are adjacent an edge of each napkin.

3. The napkin stack of claim 2, wherein the specified pattern of the napkins includes the edges of the plurality of napkins being substantially equidistant from a longitudinal axis passing through center of the napkins.

3. The napkin stack of claim 1, wherein the specified locations of the plurality of adhesive elements are substantially the same for each adhesive element.

4. The napkin stack of claim 1, wherein the specified locations of the plurality of adhesive elements are substantially the same for each adhesive element and are positioned to mate with each other.

5. The napkin stack of claim 1, wherein the specified locations of the adhesive elements are adjacent corners of each napkin.

6. The napkin stack of claim 1, wherein the plurality of napkins are folded.

7. The napkin stack of claim 1, wherein the adhesive elements are a glue.

8. The napkin stack of claim 1, wherein each napkin includes a multiplicity of plies and each ply includes the adhesive elements.

9. The napkin stack of claim 1, wherein each napkin includes a multiplicity of plies and only a top and a bottom ply include the adhesive elements.

10. The napkin stack of claim 1, wherein the adhesive elements are located on the bottom surface of the napkin.

11. The napkin stack of claim 1, wherein the adhesive elements are located on the top surface of the napkin.

12. The napkin stack of claim 1, wherein the adhesive elements are orderless.

13. The napkin stack of claim 1, wherein the adhesive elements are non-toxic.

14. A method for stacking napkins, comprising:

providing a plurality of napkins each having edges;

applying a plurality of adhesive elements at specified locations adjacent the edges of each napkin; and

stacking the plurality of napkins such that the plurality of napkins are removably affixed to each other to form a stack having a specified pattern.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein stacking the plurality of napkins includes each of the edges of the plurality of napkins being substantially equidistant from a longitudinal axis passing through a center of the napkins.

16. The method of claim 14, further including positioning the adhesive elements at substantially the same specified location on each napkin.

17. The method of claim 14, after providing a plurality of napkins, further comprising:

folding the plurality of napkins.

18. A napkin stack kit, which comprises:

a plurality of napkins each having edges;

a plurality of adhesive elements attached to each napkin at specified locations adjacent the edges of each napkin such that the plurality of napkins are removably affixed to each other to form a stack of napkins in a specified pattern.

19. A napkin comprising:

a body;

an adhesive element disposed at a specified position on the body for removably affixing the body to another napkin.