The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 04, 1990
Filed:
Apr. 07, 1988
Gregory J Wenkman, Middleton, WI (US);
Ferdinand F Salzmann, Prairie du Sac, WI (US);
Other;
Abstract
A napkin dispenser (10) is disclosed that is a self-contained unit that may be set upon a surface such as a table, counter, or the like. The napkin dispenser (10) has a front (14) and back (16) that oppose one another, each end having hinged doors (26) that may be opened for loading of napkins. The napkin dispenser (10) is symmetrical on a plane equidistant from the doors (26). The doors (26) have access windows (30) through which napkins may be extracted individually. The pressure plates (34) push the napkin against the doors (26), the pressure plates (34) being biased by a leaf spring (62). The spring (62) has a single leaf that is attached to the underside of the top (18) of the napkin dispenser (10) and to the back side of each of the pressure plates (34). The spring is positioned at an angle of 45.degree. relative to a line normal to the surface upon which the napkin dispenser (10) may be set, and the spring (62) is routred over a top (72) on the back side of the pressure plates (34). The spring angle and tab (72) provide a force profile against the napkins that allows for ease of extraction of the napkins by the user. The napkin dispenser has integral base (36) and side walls (38) against which the edges of the napkins rest and are molded in one flat piece. The napkin dispenser (10) also features an anchor clip (32) that allows for attachment and detachment of the napkin dispenser (10) from the surface on which it rests. The anchor clip (32) is fixed to the surface by adhesive foam tape (48) and has barbs (44) that extend vertically into two slots (42) in the bottom of the napkin dispenser (10). The anchor clip (32) may be detached from the remainder of the napkin dispenser (10) by accessing the barbs (44) that have been inserted into the slots (42) in the bottom (20) by opening of the doors (26) and by pinching of the barbs (44) together.