Adaptable To Use With Different Size Articles Patents (Class 221/44)
  • Patent number: 10214371
    Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing folded paper towels is described. The dispenser includes several ribs near the dispensing throat. The ribs are uniquely configured to guide the paper towels towards the throat in a bowed fashion, thus reducing the frequency of tears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SOLARIS PAPER, INC.
    Inventor: Charles Agnew Osborne, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9738434
    Abstract: Conventional sheet storage boxes have problems that the sheet storage box with a sheet-fixing sheet pasted on the sheet-removing opening is wasteful from the point of view of resources and that, in the case of the sheet storage box without the sheet-fixing sheet pasted on the opening, the fixing of sheet becomes weaker as the opening itself becomes larger due to the excessively wide rim of the opening and when the rims of the opening are made too close, the rim of the opening partially becomes smaller and the resistance to remove the sheets becomes too large.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Inventor: Hiromichi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 9498091
    Abstract: Provided is a compact wet wipes package, wherein wet wipes can be easily drawn from a storage container, and the production cost can be kept low. This wet wipes package is provided with: a wet wipes folded body which is continuously folded and stacked, and in which dividing portions are formed at a predetermined interval; an airtight storage container which is formed to store the wet wipes folded body and includes an opening portion from which stored wet wipes are to be drawn outward; a base plate which is attached to the opening portion and is formed with a pinching hole through which the wet wipes are pinched and drawn outward; a drawing hole which is linked with the pinching hole and functions to divide the wet wipes at the dividing portion; and openable/closable lid which can hermetically close the pinching hole and the drawing hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Inventor: Kikuo Yamada
  • Patent number: 8978925
    Abstract: A paper towel cabinet includes a first side wall and a second side wall, a pivotally mounted front wall defining a door, a back wall extending between the side walls, and a paper towel tray having an opening to provide access to paper towels. The paper towel cabinet also includes a module assembly comprising a first module having a front surface extending transversely relative to the first side wall and toward the second side wall. When the door is in an open position, the front surface prevents paper towels leaning toward the door from falling out of the cabinet. The cabinet also includes a bar mounted proximate to the opening and having a length extending between the side walls. The bar is positioned between a stack of paper towels and the opening when the stack of paper towels is placed on the paper towel tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Bobrick Washroom Equipment, Inc.
    Inventor: Dikran Babikian
  • Patent number: 8931663
    Abstract: The present invention is a system for dispensing horizontally stacked moist towelettes. One embodiment involves turning a tub upside down and providing a side door for accessing the stacked towels. Another embodiment involves orienting a tub in an upright position and providing a means for users to easily access the contents. Moist towelettes are dispensed one at a time, from beginning to end. Once one towelette is removed, the next is in position for removal. Any towelette that falls back into the tub can be easily retrieved through the opening without having to open the entire package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Union Street Brand Packaging, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher T. Evans, Christopher Gieda
  • Patent number: 8881943
    Abstract: Disclosed is a tissue paper supply case comprising a case body for containing tissue paper, a lid having a slot-like take-out hole for taking out the tissue paper therethrough, a platform member mounted within the case body for placing the tissue paper thereon, and means for energizing the platform member from the bottom of the case body toward the lid, wherein the lid is provided on its inner surface with a plurality of lid projections formed in parallel rows to the take-out hole on both sides of the take-out hole, which lid projections are tapered each having a protrusion height becoming larger with increasing distance from the take-out hole, and the platform member is provided on its upper surface with a plurality of platform projections formed in parallel rows to the take-out hole on both sides of the position facing the take-out hole, which platform projections are tapered each having a protrusion height becoming larger with increasing distance from the position facing the take-out hole and wherein the p
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignees: Evermate Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Isao Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8851326
    Abstract: The present invention provides a dispenser for folded sheets having an overfill prevention device, which effectively prevents the dispenser from being overfilled with folded sheet material. The result of the present invention is that a maintainer of the dispenser will have a difficult time overfilling the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Francis Tramontina, Jonathan Green, Wolfgang Heich
  • Patent number: 8763854
    Abstract: A cup dispenser includes a body defining a storage region adapted for receiving for an associated stack of cup-shaped articles. The body includes an open end that provides access to the storage region. Multiple fingers are connected to the body for restricting the open end of the body. An adjustment ring is connected to the body and is movable relative to the body. Movement of the adjustment ring relative to the body alters a position of each of the fingers relative to the body. The adjustment ring includes a plurality of adjustment slots and the fingers each include an adjustment stud located in one of the adjustment slots. When the adjustment ring is rotated, the adjustment slots act as cams and the adjustment studs act as cam followers such that the fingers are simultaneously and uniformly adjusted in terms of their radial position relative to the body wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: The Meyer Company
    Inventors: Michael H. Meyer, Michael A. Kolar
  • Patent number: 8757431
    Abstract: Wipe dispenser and collector unit particularly for use in gents' toilets, with a storage cabinet (2) for batches of wipes (24), with an aperture for the bottom wipe (24) located at the center of an angled bottom at an acute angle with the horizontal; the cabinet has a wall-mounting rear cover (3) and a front panel (5) connected to it that can be tilted forward in order to open it, with those two components forming the interior of the closed wipe storage cabinet (2), with a waste container at a specific distance underneath, which also has a wall-mounting rear cover (30), whose storage space, open at the top, is defined by the rear cover (30) and the front unit that can be tilted against it, with the bottom of the front unit connecting to the holes (14) at the bottom of the rear cover (30) with matching bolts (15), which can be released when the unit is tilted forward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Inventor: Andras Fodor
  • Patent number: 8608023
    Abstract: A sheet product dispenser includes a body portion defining an inner cavity arranged to support a stack of sheet products and a faceplate attached to the body portion. The faceplate portion is arranged to support and dispense the sheet products, has an opening comprising a rectangular portion with a centrally disposed arcing triangular portion having a centrally disposed arced apex, the rectangular portion extends from an upper edge of the faceplate to the arced apex, the opening is arranged to expose a plurality of the sheet products on one end of the body portion through the rectangular portion and to expose a planar surface of a single sheet product through the arcing triangular portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Abby C. Case, Matthew K. F. Williquette
  • Patent number: 8608024
    Abstract: A dispenser (10) is disclosed for dispensing a single object (22, 24) at a time, such as a tablet or the like. The dispenser includes a reservoir (26) to contain tablets and an opening in the reservoir sized to pass the tablets. A chute (30) is defined by a wall adjacent to the opening in the reservoir, and defines a dispensing path (39). The movable dispensing guide (32) has a retracted position that does not prevent the advance of tablets along the dispensing path, and an advanced position that intersects the dispensing path between the first and second tablets (22, 24) in the dispensing path. When advanced, the movable dispensing guide allows the first tablet in line to be dispensed from the path, and prevents the second tablet in line from advancing. An actuator is operable to move the movable dispensing guide from its retracted position to its advanced position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: CSP Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Pierre Giraud, Michel Zbirka
  • Patent number: 8205769
    Abstract: A container for storing and dispensing consumable products. Modular construction is utilized wherein there is one base container and at least one subcontainer mounted above the base container. The base container has a floor, a peripheral wall, and a cover panel. Each subcontainer has a peripheral wall and a cover panel, and is coupled to a container below, such as the base container or another subcontainer, in stacked fashion. The cover panel of that container immediately below forms the floor of the container above, thereby obviating the necessity of forming a floor in each container. Each container may have a closure to enable contents to be withdrawn therefrom. The various containers are coupled together to form a stack by a removable band. When contents of the uppermost container are depleted, the empty container is removed from the stack to reveal the next container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Inventors: Seda Gaspari, Mike H. Ananighian
  • Patent number: 8016155
    Abstract: A dispenser is disclosed which is capable of dispensing articles from two locations. The dispenser includes first and second members pivotally connected together by a first hinge to form a first entrance into the dispenser. The first and second members are capable of housing a plurality of wet or dry, sheet-like articles. The first entrance provides reach-in access wherein multiple sheet-like articles can be withdrawn at one time. The second member also has a second entrance formed therein from which the sheet-like articles can be individually withdrawn. The dispenser further includes a third member secured to the first member by a hinge that is coaxially aligned with the first hinge. The third member is capable of pivoting on its hinge to cover the second entrance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Vincent Decker, Christopher Michael Bechyne, Stephen Robert Kehn, Cleary E. Mahaffey, Herb Flores Velazquez, John Martin Wydeven
  • Patent number: 7878368
    Abstract: A center pull towel mechanism having an adjustable iris system where a locking system is configured to enclose the surfaces defining the towel iris. In one form the adjustable iris system automatically adjusts the cross-sectional opening with an adjustable member positioned in the transverse rearward portion with respect to the towlette members interposed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Dispensing Dynamics International, Ltd.
    Inventors: Matthew Friesen, Brad Friesen, John Friesen, Andrew Jackman, Alex Tramploski
  • Publication number: 20100258579
    Abstract: A braking assembly used in a dispenser that dispenses a continuous supply of material such as paper. The braking assembly includes a support structure. A first fixed gear is rotatably connected to the support structure. A movable chassis is also connected to the support structure. A second movable gear is held by the chassis and moves with the chassis. Teeth of the first gear and teeth of the second gear intermesh with each other and allow the paper to pass therethrough. The chassis maintains the teeth of the first and second gears in contact with each other while enabling a distance between gears to be adjustable. The assembly further includes a braking mechanism that varies an amount of force required to rotate the gears.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: SCA TISSUE NORTH AMERICA LLC
    Inventors: Craig BILLMAN, Jeffrey J. BRICKL, Wayne HANSEN, Edward A. RALEIGH, Rodney WILSON, John W. GROSZ
  • Patent number: 7806291
    Abstract: According to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a center-pull bottom feed dispenser includes a housing defining a compartment and including a center-pull bottom feed arrangement for dispensing a sheet material that is in the form of a roll of the sheet material. The sheet material can be a pre-moistened airlaid web. The dispenser also includes a tray that supports the airlaid web roll and includes an outlet opening through which the airlaid web is fed to be accessible to a user. The tray includes a moisture retaining feature that directs fluid from the pre-moistened air-laid web away from the outlet opening and toward an outer peripheral edge of the roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Buckeye Technologies
    Inventor: Stephen Anderson
  • Publication number: 20100170913
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a dispenser for female hygiene accessories. More particularly, the present invention relates to a dispenser, sanitary napkins, pads, tampons and so forth, which enables pulling out of the dispenser sanitary napkins or a female hygiene accessory by operating a handle or a mechanical operation or pulling out manually.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Inventor: Shiran Shoshani
  • Patent number: 7735679
    Abstract: A refillable sheet dispenser includes: a supporting base having two opposite first lateral sides and two opposite second lateral sides, each of which extends from one of the first lateral sides to the other of the first lateral sides; at least one stack of note sheets supported on the supporting base within the first and second lateral sides of the supporting base, each of the note sheets having two opposite lateral edges, each of which is disposed adjacent to a respective one of the second lateral sides of the supporting base and each of which extends between the first lateral sides of the supporting base; and a binding unit having a pair of elastically stretchable strips held tensely on the supporting base and extending from one of the second lateral sides to the other of the second lateral sides of the supporting base in such a manner to traverse the stack of the note sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Taiwan Hopax Chems. Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jen-Rong Liu, Tsung-Tien Kuo, Shu-Wei Ho
  • Patent number: 7530471
    Abstract: A wet wipes dispenser including a top having a dispensing orifice, a bottom, and a sidewall. At least one lid for retaining moisture in the wet wipes dispenser and for access to a stack of wet wipes located inside of the wet wipes dispenser. At least one restraining member positioned inside of the wet wipes dispenser to hold the stack of wet wipes within the wet wipes dispenser elevated at a distance, H, from the dispensing orifice when the wet wipes dispenser is inverted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason C. Cohen, Robert S. Schlaupitz, Eric D. Johnson, Steve R. Kehn
  • Patent number: 7494027
    Abstract: A dispenser package for dispensing flexible sheets from a plurality of stacks of releasably adhered sheets. A carrier member supports the plurality of stacks, and a lowermost sheet of each of the plurality of stacks is adhered to the carrier member. The carrier member and stacks thereon are positioned within an enclosure having a bottom wall, a top wall, and transverse side walls. The top wall defines a transverse slot, with a first end of an uppermost sheet of each of the plurality of stacks projecting through the slot. The transverse side walls of the enclosure are spaced from transverse side edges of the carrier member to afford end-to-end movement of the carrier member and stacks of sheets thereon within the chamber as sheets are dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Timothy J. O'Leary, Scott A. Willard, James R. Emmerling
  • Publication number: 20080264965
    Abstract: A sheet product dispenser includes a housing adapted to house sheet products therein, the housing having an arching wall, a first planar wall disposed in contact with the arching wall, and a second planar wall disposed in contact with the arching wall and the first planar wall; an opening disposed in the first planar wall or the second planar wall, the opening having a size sufficient to allow dispensing of the sheet products there-through; and an access panel forming a portion of the arching wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP
    Inventors: Christopher M. Reinsel, Michael R. Kilgore, Rachel DeSmidt, Frances Alexay
  • Patent number: 7172091
    Abstract: A flat mop dispenser having a container comprising a holding pan and at least one roller proximate the pan. The roller is positioned proximate to a stack of flat mops in the pan and the roller rotates to engage a flat mop and dispense the flat mop out of the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Sweports Limited
    Inventor: George Clarke
  • Patent number: 7134571
    Abstract: A napkin dispenser has a container body for holding a stack of napkins, and a pair of interchangeable face plates each connectable to the container body. One of the face plates has a first elongated dispensing opening exposing a bottom region of the napkin stack, for one-by-one dispensing, and the other face plate has a second elongated dispensing opening exposing an edge region of the napkin stack, for dispensing a plurality of napkins simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: SCA Tissue North America LLC.
    Inventors: Robert C Hochtritt, Andrew M Conger
  • Patent number: 7104418
    Abstract: A dispenser for paper, plastic, foil and other goods that are supplied on rolls or tubes. The dispenser includes a rotation mechanism including a plurality of flexible wires for receiving a first end portion of the plurality of flexible wires. The rotation mechanism further includes a freely rotating cap, a freely rotating spinner and a mechanism for providing resistance to the freely rotating spinner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Lifetime Hoan Corporation
    Inventor: Matthew Kamenstein
  • Patent number: 7014065
    Abstract: An improved dispenser for displaying and dispensing lottery tickets utilizes a dispensing slot with tension arms to provide tension to tickets of varying thicknesses. The dispensing slot is cut into a door at an end of a box-like structure, which holds the tickets. Tension arms extend from the bottom of the slot into notches at the top of the slot such that the slot is narrower than the thickness of the tickets. Because the tension arms are also flexible, tickets of varying thickness can pass through the slot without becoming stuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Schafer Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Craig Jensen
  • Patent number: 6988635
    Abstract: A napkin dispenser has a container body for holding a stack of napkins, and a pair of interchangeable face plates each connectable to the container body. One of the face plates has a first elongated dispensing opening exposing a bottom region of the napkin stack, for one-by-one dispensing, and the other face plate has a second elongated dispensing opening exposing an edge region of the napkin stack, for dispensing a plurality of napkins simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: SCA Tissue North America LLC
    Inventors: Robert C. Hochtritt, Andrew M. Conger
  • Patent number: 6769589
    Abstract: The invention consists of a paper towel dispenser for dispensing individual sheets of paper towels from a roll of paper having regularly spaced apart lines of partial severance. The dispenser is comprised of a housing and a housing door which can be pivotally opened to allow a roll of sheet material to be inserted into the dispenser. The dispenser has a funnel-shaped exit to allow the end of the roll to protrude in order to be grasped by the user. A paper towel tearing member is located adjacent to the funnel outlet of said funnel and the opening of this member is adjustable in order to vary the size of the opening of the dispenser. This adjustment of the exit size creates an adjustment in the position at which the sheet tears away from the roll to allow the use of different types of sheet material in a single dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Englewood Ventures, Inc.
    Inventor: Ladislav Paukov
  • Patent number: 6607093
    Abstract: A spring-loaded wing paper towel track adapter for accommodating shorter width paper towels within a conventional recessed paper towel dispenser and waste receptacle, including a corresponding curved bottom wall which matches the curved bottom wall of the recessed paper towel dispenser, and two opposing sidewalls integrally molded with the bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom. The curved bottom wall has a transverse dispenser opening for dispensing the plurality of shorter width multifold paper towels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Worldwide Integrated Resources, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred I. Morad, James G. Horian
  • Patent number: 6585129
    Abstract: A napkin dispenser for dispensing a stack of interfolded napkins includes an enclosure with a top, bottom, sidewalls, a back wall and a dispensing wall provided with a dispensing aperture spanning along its major axis at least the transverse dimension of an interfolded napkin to be dispensed therethrough as well as a pressure carriage slidably mounted in the enclosure provided with biasing means. The enclosure and pressure carriage are configured to receive a stack of interfolded napkins between the dispensing wall and the pressure carriage, whereas the dispensing means urge the carriage and thus the interfolded napkins towards the dispensing wall. The improved dispensing aperture of the napkin dispenser defines a narrow elongated slit about its central portion and a pair of open areas about its terminal portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Georgia-Pacific Corporation
    Inventors: John R. Moody, Jean-Louis Neveu, Craig D. Yardley
  • Publication number: 20030111480
    Abstract: A dispenser adapted to dispense sheet material therefrom is provided and includes a housing configured to support a sheet material product therein which has an exit port. The dispenser also includes at least an iris diaphragm for controlling the movement of sheet material from the housing through the exit port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Inventors: Richard Paul Lewis, Cleary Efton Mahaffey, Paul Francis Tramontina
  • Patent number: 6543641
    Abstract: The device for dispensing paper towels has a housing for holding a generally vertical stack of the paper towels and including a lower portion through which individual towels can be dispensed. The lower portion includes an elongated opening through which a fold of the bottommost towel can extend and be accessible for a user to grab and pull the bottommost towel from the stack. Improved towel dispensing is enabled by laterally spaced and upwardly-directed ramps located in the vicinity of the front edge of the opening and upon which an edge of the stack rests, opposed end pads angled downwardly to the opening and upon which the stack ends rest, and/or a bottom cabinet portion angled with respect to the rest of the cabinet to transfer stack weight. The opening preferably is shaped to cause the fold of the bottommost towel to assume a C-shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: The Coleman Group
    Inventors: Brian D. Hubanks, Paul A. Omdoll
  • Patent number: 6189726
    Abstract: A towel dispenser adapter converts an existing folded towel dispenser to a center-pull towel dispenser. The adapter detachably mounts center-pull towel dispensing heads to an existing folded towel dispenser. The mostly-flat shaped adapter has at least one generally circular aperture therethrough. Each aperture has receiving slots that accept and lock into place the corresponding feet of the dispenser head. The adapter is detachably mounted to the underside of the existing folded towel dispenser and allows towels to be dispensed by a center-pull method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Binkowsky, Inc.
    Inventor: Mike Fick
  • Patent number: 6003723
    Abstract: A dispenser apparatus for stacked single-fold towel sheets has a rear wall, side walls, and front and rear funnel walls extending to a funnel height between bottom portions of the side walls on opposite sides of a feed slot; and a pair of shelf members projecting downwardly and inwardly from respective ones of the side walls, each shelf member having a shelf width perpendicular to the rear wall being approximately 45 percent of a housing depth between upper extremities of the funnel walls, inward extremities of the shelf members, the inward extremities being spaced above the feed slot within the funnel height and being spaced apart by a distance of not greater than approximately 90 percent of the stack width for partially supporting the sheets. Each shelf member has an upwardly and inwardly facing panel surface that forms a side angle of approximately 45 degrees with the side wall. A perimeter contour of each shelf member has a plan radius of approximately 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Perrin Manufacturing
    Inventor: Michel Morand
  • Patent number: 5884803
    Abstract: The invention provides a cup dispenser for sequentially dispensing a stacked column of disposable cups, including a mounting plate provided with means for attaching the dispenser to a vertical surface, a cup-retaining and dispensing body attachable thereto and suspendable therefrom, the body being provided with an annular opening having a lower edge and with retaining means consisting essentially of at least two wedge-like protrusions extending from the inner walls thereof and positioned within a same imaginary first semi-annular, co-planar segment of the opening, the wedge-like protrusions each having an apex, an inside face and a base, wherein the bases face the lower edge and the protrusions taper into the opening from the respective apexes to the respective bases along the inside face, and wherein at least one inner wall segment of the opening, positioned between the protrusions within the same imaginary semi-annular, co-planar segment of the opening, is provided with a recess to facilitate the local outw
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Inventor: Menachem Vine
  • Patent number: 5778632
    Abstract: A hopper assembly for feeding literature to a literature dispenser. The literature dispenser and a label dispenser are positioned on opposite sides of a conveyor on which products being furnished with literature and labels are transported. The hopper assembly includes a chute which is designed to have an upstream chute portion adjacent the conveyor. The upstream chute portion is positioned within the reach of an operator who is stationed on the same side of the conveyer as the label dispenser, and a single operator can load both the hopper assembly and the label dispenser without moving from one side of the conveyor to the other. The hopper assembly also includes a literature escapement having a plurality of retaining members mounted on a pair of support elements. The retaining members engage a forward facing surface of a piece of literature and are arranged in spaced relationship to provide an opening through which the piece of literature is removable from the hopper assembly in the forward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Eli Lilly and Company
    Inventors: Harold B. Dinius, Jeffrey S. Fluharty, Donald R. Perryman
  • Patent number: 5749492
    Abstract: A Sheet Dispenser for dispensing of flexible and foldable sheets, such as paper towels and the like from a center fed roll thereof. The Sheet Dispenser of the present invention relies upon a member, such as a plate, which may be in the form of or part of a housing for holding the roll of sheets. The plate member is provided with a lower circular dispensing aperture for receiving a leading strip of the sheets from the center fed roll such that a user may grasp and pull outwardly on the sheets in order to achieve a dispensing of the same. The invention relies upon an opening, such as an elongate slot formed in the plate member and in communication with the dispensing aperture and which allows a leading portion of the sheets to be inserted through the slot and into the dispensing aperture. This construction overcomes the previous problems of feeding a leading strip of the successive sheets in the dispensing aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Inventor: Tor Petterson
  • Patent number: 5322186
    Abstract: A retrofit folded towel dispensing module for use with a wall mounted, folded towel dispenser designed to dispense a folded towel having a predetermined footprint, the folded towel dispensing module enabling the dispenser to dispense folded towels having a different footprint. The module has a frame including a top member, a pair of extensible side members attached to the top member, and a dispensing platform having a dispensing orifice therethrough. The dispensing platform is pivotally attached to the extensible side members. The frame supports a stack of folded towels within the wall mounted, folded towel dispenser. The extensible side members allow the frame to be vertically adjustable within the wall mounted, folded towel dispenser to accommodate differing stack heights of a plurality of different wall mounted, folded towel dispensers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1994
    Assignee: Scott Paper Company
    Inventors: Alan D. Frazier, Richard D. Kley
  • Patent number: 5301832
    Abstract: A method and device for dispensing plastic shopping bags in one or more different packs, each pack having bags of the same size with hook-receiving openings in the vicinity of the top edges of its bags, the device including a rack behind and below which is provided a downwardly extending hooking element centrally aligned with the bar. The bags of each pack may be brought up and draped over the mounting plate in reverse position, then their hook-receiving openings are pushed over the hooking elements. After being so disposed and hooked, the bags are then brought back forward from their reverse position and draped over the transverse bar to cause them to hang downwardly in front of the hooking element. Removal of a bag is accomplished by grasping the downwardly hanging bag and pulling out from the remainder of the draped bag packs to detach it from the hooking element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: The Avantage Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark E. Daniels
  • Patent number: 5246137
    Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing individual sheets from the center of a coreless roll includes a support for supporting the coreless roll which defines an aperture, a dispenser nozzle defining a restricted passageway leading from the aperture, the nozzle having an exit opening, and an insert positioned in the passageway to change the effective size and the configuration of the dispenser nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1993
    Assignee: James River Paper Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Rudolph W. Schutz, Lawrence E. Weinert
  • Patent number: 5205435
    Abstract: A method and means for dispensing plastic T-shirt type shopping bags which are in several different packs, each pack having bags of the same size, but different packs having bags of different sizes, the means comprising a rack having a supported transverse bar behind and below which are provided, for example, three downwardly extending hooking elements spaced from each other and centrally aligned with the bar. The bags of the smallest size are hooked over the uppermost hooking element by their central detachable upper edge closures, and brought up and draped over the mounting plate in reverse position. The bags of the next larger size are hooked over the next lower hooking element and brought up over the mounting plate and draped over the smallest bags. Similarly, the bags of the next larger size bag pack are hooked on the next lower hooking element and draped in reverse position over the second pack of bags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: The Advantage Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark E. Daniels
  • Patent number: 5131561
    Abstract: A dispenser for folded paper napkins including a door hinged to an opening of a housing and a face plate detachably secured to the door. The face plate includes a dispensing opening through which napkins are withdrawn from the dispenser. The new dispenser allows the use of interchangeable face plates so that the same dispenser can be used to store various styles and/or sizes of folded paper napkins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignee: Wisconsin Tissue Mills Inc.
    Inventors: C. Patrick Casperson, Robert C. Hochtritt, Christopher W. Chudek
  • Patent number: 5074430
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for retrofitting a paper towel dispenser by the insertion of a retrofit in the dispenser. The retrofit is mounted to the dispenser so as to reduce the dispensing orifice of the dispenser and thus prevents the user from extracting more than one towel at a time. The waste and expenditure associated with the dispenser is thereby significantly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1991
    Inventor: William C. Roberts
  • Patent number: 5012952
    Abstract: A group of flanged lids or cups of substantially identical construction and arranged in nested relation in a container are dispensed from an open end of the container by an elongated yieldable tension element disposed astride the open end of the container and arranged to override the flange of the article adjacent the open end of the container thereby to release and to aid in ejecting the article from the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1991
    Inventor: Leo J. Franz
  • Patent number: 4905868
    Abstract: A dispenser nozzle for a paper towel container holding a roll of perforated paper towels includes a flange for coupling the nozzle apparatus to the container. A conical funnel is integral with the flange and has an entrance opening adjacent the flange to receive the paper towels therethrough. The other end of the funnel has an exit hole which is smaller than the entrance hole and provides an exit for the paper towels passing through the funnel. The entrance opening and exit opening are dimensioned such that a first paper towel will separate from a following paper towel along the perforation boundary therebetween when a leading portion of the following paper towel has exited from the exit opening in the funnel. Preferably, the exit portion of the funnel includes at least one removable section in order that the nozzle may be adjusted for different sizes of paper towels to be dispensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1990
    Inventors: Stephen B. Beane, Ernest A. De Boliac
  • Patent number: 4881660
    Abstract: An adjustable dispenser for holding and dispensing various size cups including the so-called jumbo cup. Radially adjustable retainers within a flanged storage tube frictionally hold the rim of the forwardmost cup against discharging until manually pulled out. Each retainer is locked in a serrated surface within the flange by a thumbscrew.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Assignee: Royston Corporation
    Inventor: J. Marshall Suttles
  • Patent number: 4811878
    Abstract: The present invention provides a towel cradle particularly useful with any one of standard C-fold, multi-fold, single fold and rolled paper towel to be dispensed from a paper towel dispenser. The towel cradle comprises a hopper-like cradle body having an apertured towel support surface provided with a dispensing opening and a substantially solid towel support surface each of which is set at a downward inward angle continuing to a centrally positioned throat formed by downward extensions on each of the surfaces. The downward extension on the solid support surface is additionally provided with a paper cutting edge integral to said towel cradle. The cradle body is reversible within the towel dispenser such that in a first dispensing position the apertured support surface is positioned forwardly in the dispenser which is fitted with a towel guide for dispensing C-fold and multi-fold towels through the dispensing opening with the paper cutting edge being generally hidden to the rear of the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignee: Twin-Cee Limited
    Inventor: Yutaka Horinchi
  • Patent number: 4781305
    Abstract: A single sheet paper dispenser having a tray to hold a stack of paper and a drive assembly which operates as the top sheet of the stack is manually withdrawn to move another single sheet of paper into a feed position whereby it is partly projecting through the open dispensing side of the tray. The dispenser may be used in either a horizontal or a vertical position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Inventor: Gerald O. Carberry
  • Patent number: 4658983
    Abstract: In this tubular cup dispenser, resilient cup-engaging fingers are secured to the inner wall of a tubular housing and extend both forwardly toward a front opening and radially inwardly. At the foremost end of each finger is a radially outwardly extending leg. Each leg has a forwardly extending foot which is guided by a radially extending slot in a ring attached to the tubular housing and surrounding the front opening. The inner face of the ring and the legs have interengaging teeth which, when engaged, prevent radial movement of the cup-engaging fingers. Disengagement of the teeth and adjustment of the fingers is accomplished by manipulation of the forwardly extending feet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1987
    Assignee: Royston Corporation
    Inventor: J. Marshall Suttles
  • Patent number: 4159769
    Abstract: A vending machine adapter to allow items not normally suited to being vended through a particular vending machine to be vended. The vending machine adapter includes a container of substantially the same size and shape as the item normally vended by the particular vending machine and at least one recess provided in the container for holding the item or items normally not vended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1979
    Inventors: Philip A. Hatten, Jerome H. Hyman
  • Patent number: RE35207
    Abstract: A method and means for dispensing plastic T-shirt type shopping bags which are in several different packs, each pack having bags of the same size, but different packs having bags of different sizes, the means comprising a rack having a supported transverse bar behind and below which are provided, for example, three downwardly extending hooking elements spaced from each other and centrally aligned with the bar. The bags of the smallest size are hooked over the uppermost hooking element by their central detachable upper edge closures, and brought up and draped over the mounting plate in reverse position. The bags of the next larger size are hooked over the next lower hooking element and brought up over the mounting plate and draped over the smallest bags. Similarly, the bags of the next larger size bag pack are hooked on the next lower hooking element and draped in reverse position over the second pack of bags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: The Avantage Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark E. Daniels