IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0611444
(2003-07-01)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Boone, Bruce T.
- Budz, Gregory D.
- Kilgore, Michael R.
- Aumann, Jonathan R.
- Christensen, James B.
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출원인 / 주소 |
- Georgia-Pacific Corporation
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
23 인용 특허 :
8 |
초록
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A product metering napkin dispenser includes a housing defining a storage magazine for receiving a stack of folded napkins and a metering member that penetrates the stack in order to segregate a predetermined number of napkins from the remainder of the stack for dispensing. Preferred embodiments inc
A product metering napkin dispenser includes a housing defining a storage magazine for receiving a stack of folded napkins and a metering member that penetrates the stack in order to segregate a predetermined number of napkins from the remainder of the stack for dispensing. Preferred embodiments include gravity feed napkin dispensers. In various embodiments the metering member may include: a pivoting plate cooperating with a hinged trap door support surface; a rotating semicircular disk co-rotating with a support disk; or a reciprocating jaw assembly urging napkins through an aperture.
대표청구항
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1. A product metering napkin dispenser comprising:(a) a napkin magazine for receiving a stack of folded napkins; (b) shelf means for releasably retaining said stack of folded napkins about a terminal portion of said napkin magazine; (c) a metering member; and (d) means for providing relative motion
1. A product metering napkin dispenser comprising:(a) a napkin magazine for receiving a stack of folded napkins; (b) shelf means for releasably retaining said stack of folded napkins about a terminal portion of said napkin magazine; (c) a metering member; and (d) means for providing relative motion between said metering member and said shelf means, wherein said shelf means, metering member and said means for providing relative motion between said metering member and said shelf means are configured and arranged such that said metering member penetrates said stack of napkins a predetermined distance from said shelf means in a metering operation thereby segregating a predetermined number of napkins from the remainder of said stack for dispensing, and wherein said shelf means are movable with respect to said stack of folded napkins in said napkin magazine, and are rotatably mounted about a shaft and are configured to release napkins upon rotation of said shaft. 2. The napkin dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said metering member comprises a pivotally mounted member adapted to penetrate said stack in a metering operation.3. The napkin dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said metering member comprises a member rotatably mounted about a shaft.4. The napkin dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said metering member is mounted on a metering carriage adapted for reciprocating motion with respect to said stack of folded napkins.5. A product metering napkin dispenser comprising:(a) a housing defining a napkin magazine for receiving a stack of folded napkins; (b) a movable retaining shutter mounted to rotate in a dispensing plane for retaining said stack of napkins in said housing in a closed position; (c) a metering shutter mounted to rotate concurrently with said movable retaining shutter at a predetermined distance from said retaining shutter, wherein said movable retaining shutter and metering member are positioned, configured and dimensioned to cooperate to dispense a predetermined number of napkins in a dispensing operation where upon rotation of said retaining shutter and said metering shutter: (i) said metering shutter revolves to penetrate said stack of folded napkins at said predetermined distance from said movable support shutter thereby segregating said predetermined number of napkins from the remainder of napkins in said stack and thereby retaining the remainder of napkins in said stack in said housing; and (ii) said movable support shutter revolves to an open position thereby releasing said predetermined number of napkins. 6. The napkin dispenser according to claim 5, wherein said retaining shutter is generally semi-circular disk-shaped.7. The napkin dispenser according to claim 6, wherein said retaining shutter has a downwardly inclined trailing portion configured to facilitate the release of said predetermined number of napkins.8. The napkin dispenser according to claim 7, wherein said metering shutter is generally semi-circular disk-shaped.9. The napkin dispenser according to claim 8, wherein said metering shutter is provided with a blunted knife-edge adapted to penetrate said stack of folded napkins.10. The napkin dispenser according to claim 9, wherein said metering shutter is provided with a slot portion proximate to said blunted knife edge of said metering shutter.11. The napkin dispenser according to claim 10, further comprising means for adjusting the predetermined distance between said retaining shutter and said metering shutter.12. The napkin dispenser according to claim 11, further comprising biasing means to urge said support shutter to said closed position.13. A product metering, gravity feed napkin dispenser comprising:(a) a housing defining a napkin magazine for receiving a stack of folded napkins; (b) a rotatable shaft mounted in said housing; (c) a movable support shutter mounted on said shaft to rotate in a dispensing plane for supporting said stack of napkins about the lower portion of said napkin magazine in a closed position; (d) a metering shutter mounted on said shaft to rotate concurrently with said movable shutter at a predetermined distance above said support shutter; and (e) drive means coupled to said shaft for imparting rotational motion thereto, wherein said movable support shutter, metering shutter, shaft and drive means are positioned, configured and dimensioned to cooperate to dispense a predetermined number of napkins in a dispensing operation where upon rotation of said shaft: (i) said metering shutter revolves to penetrate said stack of folded napkins a predetermined distance above said movable support shutter thereby segregating said predetermined number of napkins from the remainder of napkins in said stack and thereby supporting the remainder of napkins in said stack; and (ii) said movable support shutter revolves to an open position thereby releasing said predetermined number of napkins. 14. The napkin dispenser according to claim 13, wherein said support shutter is generally semi-circular disk-shaped.15. The napkin dispenser according to claim 13, wherein said support shutter has a downwardly inclined trailing portion configured to facilitate the release of said predetermined number of napkins.16. The napkin dispenser according to claim 13, wherein said metering shutter is generally semi-circular disk-shaped.17. The napkin dispenser according to claim 13 wherein said metering shutter is provided with a blunted knife-edge adapted to penetrate said stack of folded napkins.18. The napkin dispenser according to claim 17, wherein said metering shutter is provided with a slot position proximately to said blunted knife edge of said metering shutter.19. The napkin dispenser according to claim 13, further comprising means for adjusting the predetermined distance between said support shutter and said metering shutter.20. The napkin dispenser according to claim 13, further comprising biasing means to urge said support shutter to said closed position.21. The napkin dispenser according to claim 20, wherein said biasing means comprise a biasing spring about said rotatable shaft.22. The napkin dispenser according to claim 21, wherein said drive means comprise gear mounted on said rotatable shaft and a rack mounted on a drive member slidably secured to said housing.23. A product metering napkin dispenser comprising:(a) a housing defining a napkin magazine for receiving a stack of folded napkins; (b) a retaining member releasably supporting said stack of folded napkins about a dispensing plane at a terminal portion of said napkin magazine; (c) a metering carriage provided with a napkin metering member projecting from said metering carriage; (d) a guide configured for directing said metering carriage during operation of said napkin dispenser, said guide having an inward portion and an outward portion, said inward portion being disposed proximately to said stack of folded napkins for guiding said metering carriage during a dispensing stroke over which napkins are dispensed and said outward portion being disposed outwardly with respect to said inward portion for guiding said metering carriage following said dispensing stroke; (e) biasing means to urge said metering carriage to a rest position; and (f) drive means coupled to said metering carriage for advancing said metering carriage along said guide in the dispensing cycle, said drive means being generally adapted to overpower the force exerted on the metering carriage by said biasing means, said guide and metering carriage being configured and arranged such that during said dispensing stroke said metering member penetrates said stack of folded napkins at a predetermined distance from said dispensing plane and exerts a force on a predetermined number of folded napkins which are thereby released from said retaining member as said metering carriage advances along said inward portion of said guide. 24. The product metering napkin dispenser according to claim 23, wherein said retaining member comprises a generally planar member defining a dispensing aperture having a length substantially shorter than the dispensing length of said napkins.25. The product metering napkin dispenser according to claim 24, wherein said dispensing aperture has a length of from about 10% to about 30% shorter than the dispensing length of said napkins.26. The product metering napkin dispenser according to claim 25, wherein said dispensing aperture has a length of from about 15% to about 25% shorter than the dispensing length of said napkins.27. The product metering napkin dispenser according to claim 24, wherein the width of said dispensing aperture is less than the dispensing width of said napkins.28. The product metering napkin dispenser according to claim 23 further comprising a gripping member adapted to cooperate with said metering member to grip said predetermined number of folded napkins between said metering member and said gripping member during said dispensing stroke.29. The product metering napkin dispenser according to claim 23, further comprising second biasing means adapted to urge said gripping member towards said metering member during said dispensing stroke.30. The product metering napkin dispenser according to claim 29, further comprising third biasing means adapted to urge said gripping member away from said metering member at about the completion of said dispensing stroke and to urge said metering carriage towards said outer portion of said guide at about the completion of said dispensing stroke.31. The product metering napkin dispenser according to claim 30, further comprising fourth biasing means for urging said metering carriage towards said inner portion of said guide from said rest position.32. The product metering napkin dispenser according to claim 31, wherein said metering carriage is provided with a plurality of mounting shafts and said guide comprises a pair of opposed tracks for receiving said mounting shafts.33. A product metering, gravity feed napkin dispenser comprising:(a) a housing defining a storage chamber for receiving a stack of folded napkins, said folded napkins presenting a folded napkin length and a folded napkin width at the bottom of said stack; (b) a support releasably supporting said stack of folded napkins about a dispensing plane at the lower extremity of said storage chamber; (c) a reciprocating metering member; and (d) means for mounting said reciprocating metering member including means for biasing said reciprocating metering member towards a rest position; and (e) drive means coupled to said means for mounting said reciprocating metering member; wherein the aforesaid components are constructed and arranged such that said drive means advance said reciprocating metering member in a dispensing stroke where the reciprocating metering member penetrates said stack of napkins a predetermined distance above said dispensing plane corresponding to a predetermined number of folded napkins and exerts a downward force thereon as the metering member advances in said dispensing stroke. 34. The product metering, gravity feed napkin dispenser according to claim 33, wherein said means for mounting said reciprocating metering member includes a metering carriage provided with a plurality of mounting shafts and said guide comprises a pair of opposed tracks for receiving said mounting shafts.35. The product metering, gravity feed napkin dispenser according to claim 34, wherein said support comprises a generally planar member defining a dispensing aperture having a length substantially shorter than the dispensing length of said napkins.36. The product metering, gravity feed napkin dispenser according to claim 35, wherein the width of said dispensing aperture is less than the dispensing width of said napkins.37. The product metering, gravity feed napkin dispenser according to claim 35, further comprising a gripping member adapted to cooperate with said metering member to grip said predetermined number of folded napkins between said metering member and said gripping member and second biasing means adapted to urge said gripping member towards said metering member during said dispensing stroke.38. A method of dispensing a predetermined number of folded napkins comprising:(a) disposing a stack of folded napkins in a napkin magazine about a retaining member releasably retaining said stack; (b) penetrating said stack with a metering member such that said metering member is between said predetermined number of napkins and the remainder of napkins in said stack; and (c) providing relative motion between said retaining member and said metering member operative to dispense said predetermined number of napkins; wherein said retaining member comprises a movable support shutter mounted to rotate in a dispensing plane about the lower portion of said napkin magazine. 39. The method according to claim 38, wherein said metering member comprises a metering shutter mounted to rotate concurrently with said movable support shutter.40. The method according to claim 39, wherein said movable support shutter and said metering shutter are mounted on a rotatable shaft.41. The method according to claim 39, wherein said metering shutter revolves to penetrate said stack and support the remainder of said stack during a dispensing operation and said movable support shutter revolves away from said stack to an open position during a dispensing operation, thereby releasing said predetermined number of napkins.42. The method according to claim 39, wherein said support shutter and said metering shutter are generally semi-circular disk-shaped.43. A method of dispensing a predetermined number of folded napkins comprising:(a) disposing a stack of folded napkins in a napkin magazine about a retaining member releasably retaining said stack; (b) penetrating said stack with a metering member such that said metering member is between said predetermined number of napkins and the remainder of napkins in said stack; and (c) providing relative motion between said retaining member and said metering member operative to dispense said predetermined number of napkins; wherein said retaining member comprises a generally C-shaped aperture. 44. The method according to claim 43, wherein said metering member moves downwardly in a dispensing stroke to urge said predetermined number of napkins through said aperture in a dispensing operation.45. The method according to claim 44, wherein said metering member is biased upwardly.46. A method of dispensing a predetermined number of folded napkins comprising:(a) disposing a stack of folded napkins in a napkin magazine about a retaining member releasably retaining said stack; (b) penetrating said stack with a metering member such that said metering member is between said predetermined number of napkins and the remainder of napkins in said stack; and (c) providing relative motion between said retaining member and said metering member operative to dispense said predetermined number of napkins; wherein a gripping member cooperates with said metering member to grip said predetermined number of napkins during said dispensing operation. 47. A method of dispensing a predetermined number of folded napkins comprising:(a) disposing a stack of folded napkins in a napkin magazine about a retaining member releasably retaining said stack; (b) penetrating said stack with a metering member such that said metering member is between said predetermined number of napkins and the remainder of napkins in said stack; and (d) providing relative motion between said retaining member and said metering member operative to dispense said predetermined number of napkins; wherein said metering member is mounted in a metering carriage coupled to guide means for directing the motion of said carriage during operation of said napkin dispenser.
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