Dispenser and insert for a dispenser

Abstract

A dispenser includes a housing surrounding a capacity space, the capacity space formed within a bottom wall of the housing to expose the capacity space to an external environment of the dispenser, and an insert disposed within the housing. The insert includes first and second side walls oriented horizontally to each other, an opening formed on a bottom wall of the insert and aligned with the opening of the housing, an inclined guide wall extending inwardly from the first and second side walls and toward the opening, and a capacity space disposed between the side walls of the insert and configured to accommodate a stack of products, such as hand tissues. The inclined guide wall is configured to reduce the volume of the product stack adjacent the bottom wall.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 287,309, filed on December 8, 2021. The entire contents of the above application are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention generally relates to the technical field of washroom accessories. More specifically, the present application relates to a product dispenser, such as a hand towel dispenser. In particular, a preferred embodiment of the present application relates to a towel dispenser including an insert that reduces the volume space near the opening of the towel dispenser to slightly bend the product stack at the opening and facilitate extraction of the product from the dispenser with reduced tearing. Background Art

[0004] Product dispensers commonly used with commercial washroom systems, such as paper towel dispensers, typically include a container for holding a supply of stacked or rolled paper towels. In the case of stacked paper towels, the interior of the container is typically rectangular in shape and the stacked paper towels are simply pushed into the space by maintenance personnel. Often, maintenance personnel tend to overfill the dispenser by putting as many paper towels as possible into the container. By overfilling the dispenser, the paper towels end up exerting a large amount of force on themselves, and the lowest paper towel at the discharge port may tear due to this large pressure. In addition, the generally rectangular shape of the interior of the container causes the force to be applied evenly along the entire length of the paper towel, which also makes it likely to tear.

[0005] Furthermore, maintenance personnel are often unable to see the interior of the container and thus have no way of knowing whether the dispenser needs to be refilled. Although some dispensers known in the art may include cutouts, the stack of hand towels within the dispenser is not easily visible through these cutouts. As a result, it is not uncommon for maintenance personnel to completely ignore their responsibilities until notified by someone who sees that the towels are empty or to "refill" the stack of towels every time they check. Furthermore, when different models of dispensers are installed in commercial restrooms with locks, maintenance personnel end up having to look through many keys to find the correct key to open a particular dispenser.

[0006] Therefore, it is desirable to provide a paper towel dispenser that alleviates the tearing problem by providing an inward orientation of the container that relieves pressure from the center of the towel and enables the user to easily grasp and remove the towel without tearing it. In addition, it is desirable to provide a paper towel dispenser with an indicator system that can easily indicate to maintenance personnel the level of the towels in the container and / or whether the container needs to be refilled. In addition, there is a need in the art for a lock mechanism for a dispenser that enables a uniform key to be used on the dispenser. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention relates to a paper towel dispenser including an insert that reduces the volume space near the opening of the paper towel dispenser to slightly bend the product stack at the opening and facilitate extraction of the product from the dispenser with reduced tearing. In addition, the paper towel dispenser includes a stop plate having an indicator tab and an associated indicator opening located on the exterior of the paper towel dispenser.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a product dispenser, preferably a tissue dispenser, comprises a housing surrounding a volume, an opening formed in a bottom wall of the housing to expose the volume to an external environment of the tissue dispenser, and an insert disposed in the housing. The insert comprises first and second side walls oriented parallel to each other, an opening formed on the bottom wall of the insert and aligned with the opening of the housing, an inclined guide wall extending inwardly from the first and second side walls and toward the opening, and a volume disposed between the side walls of the insert and configured to accommodate tissues. The inclined guide wall is configured to reduce the volume adjacent to the bottom wall. Thus, the stack of products adjacent to the opening on the bottom wall is curved to reduce pressure on the product and facilitate removal of the product from the dispenser with reduced tearing.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, the paper towel dispenser may further include a stop plate disposed within the paper towel dispenser. The stop plate has an upper position spaced apart from the top wall of the housing and is configured to move downward toward a lower position when the paper towel is removed from the volume space. In addition, the stop plate may include an indication tab configured to align with the indication opening of the housing when the stop plate is close to or in the lower position.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, each of the first and second side walls of the insert includes an opening extending along the length of the side wall. The stop plate includes a first extension tab extending from a first end thereof and a second extension tab extending from a second end thereof. The first and second extension tabs extend through the openings of the first and second side walls of the insert, respectively.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present invention, the insert can be divided into an upper part and a lower part. The first and second side walls of the insert are contained in the upper part, while the bottom wall and the inclined guide wall of the insert are contained in the lower part. In addition, the lower part may also include a front wall extending upward from the front edge of the bottom wall and a rear wall extending upward from the rear edge of the bottom wall. Further, the upper part may also include a first front wall portion extending inwardly from the front edge of the first side wall and / or a second front wall portion extending inwardly from the front edge of the second side wall. The first and second front wall portions are spaced apart from each other to provide a space therebetween, which is aligned with the indication opening of the housing. Alternatively, the indication opening aligned with the indication opening of the housing may be formed in any one of the first and second front wall portions.

[0012] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a paper towel dispenser may include a lock within a housing. The lock includes a lock plate that is moved away from a top plate of the housing and a lock mechanism that is connected to an inner surface of the housing. The lock plate includes a lock tab having an opening. At the same time, the lock mechanism includes a latch that is pivotable and configured to engage the opening in a locked orientation, a tensioning device connected to the latch and configured to apply a force on the latch to maintain it in the locked orientation, and a magnet connected to the latch. The magnet is configured to interact with a key to overcome the force of the tensioning device and convert the latch to an unlocked position. In addition, the lock mechanism can be configured to be adjustably mounted to the inner surface of the housing in at least one of a vertical and a horizontal direction.

[0013] When considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings, these and other aspects and purposes of the present invention will be better appreciated and understood. However, it should be understood that although the following description shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is provided by way of example and not limitation. Without departing from the spirit of the present invention, many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention, and the present invention includes all of these modifications. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] A clearer concept of the construction and operation of the typical mechanisms provided by the invention as well as the advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent by reference to the exemplary and therefore non-limiting embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings and forming a part of the specification, wherein like reference numerals represent like elements throughout the several views, and wherein:

[0015] Figure 1 is an axonometric view of a product dispenser, preferably a tissue dispenser for dispensing tissues, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A front view of a paper towel dispenser;

[0017] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 An axonometric view of a paper towel dispenser in an open orientation;

[0018] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A front view of the paper towel dispenser in the same open orientation;

[0019] Figure 5 It was originally Figure 3 A rear axonometric view of an insert of a paper towel dispenser shown in;

[0020] Figure 6 is an axonometric view of a stop plate of a paper towel dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 7 yes Figure 6A top view of a limiting plate;

[0022] Figure 8 Is set in Figure 5 The upper position of the insert Figure 6 and Figure 7 Axonometric drawing of the limit plate;

[0023] Fig. 9 Is set in Figure 5 The middle position of the insert Figure 6 and Figure 7 Axonometric drawing of the limit plate;

[0024] Fig.10 Is set in Figure 5 The lower position of the insert Figure 6 and Figure 7 Axonometric drawing of the limit plate;

[0025] Fig.11 When the top plate is in the disassembled form Figure 1 Rear axonometric view of the paper towel dispenser;

[0026] Fig.12 is an axonometric view of a lock system of a paper towel dispenser in a locked position according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Fig.13 is an axonometric view of a lock system of a paper towel dispenser in an unlocked position according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Fig.14 is a rear isometric view of an insert for a paper towel dispenser according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] In describing the preferred embodiments of the present invention shown in the accompanying drawings, specific terms will be used for simplicity. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific terms so selected, and it should be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to achieve similar functions. For example, terms such as connected, attached, or similar are often used. They are not limited to direct connections, but include connections through other elements, where such connections are considered equivalent by those skilled in the art. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The invention and the various features and advantageous details described therein may be explained in greater detail with reference to the non-limiting examples described in detail in the following specification.

[0031] Throughout the specification, various terms indicating directions may be used, such as left and right, front and back, up and down, top and bottom, etc. These directions are not intended to be limiting, but are used to describe the relationship of the elements in the drawings relative to each other. Unless mutually exclusive, it is foreseeable that the elements may be reversed, for example, by turning the parts over or inverting them, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0032] First refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , which shows a dispenser 10 preferably for dispensing hand towels according to one embodiment of the present invention. The tissue dispenser 10 includes a housing 12 having a side wall 14, a top wall 16, a bottom wall 18 and a back panel 20 surrounding an internal volume 22 of the tissue dispenser 10. The internal volume 22 of the dispenser 10 is configured to accommodate a stack of products, such as a stack of disposable tissues. In a typical embodiment of the present invention, the side wall 14 is shown as a circular structure. At the same time, in different embodiments of the present invention, the side wall 14 may include any number of side walls formed into any shape. The orientation of the bottom wall 18 is shown as being at an angle relative to the front surface 26 of the housing 12. Preferably, the bottom wall 18 is oriented at an angle between 0° and 90° to the horizontal plane. More preferably, the bottom wall 18 can be oriented at an angle between 15° and 45°. Even more preferably, the bottom wall 18 can be oriented at an angle of 30°.

[0033] The bottom wall 18 may include an opening 24 formed therethrough so as to expose the interior volume 22 of the paper towel dispenser 10 to a user. In turn, the user is able to remove products, such as stacked paper towels, from the interior volume 22 of the paper towel dispenser 10 via the opening 24. In addition, a surface of the housing 12, such as a front surface 26 of the side wall 14, may include a lock indicator 28 disposed near an upper edge of the side wall 14 to indicate where a key may be placed to unlock the paper towel dispenser 10. This will be described in further detail below. In different embodiments of the present invention, the lock indicator 28 may be located at any position of the housing 12.

[0034] The housing 12 may include an indicator opening 30 formed in the front surface 26 of the side wall 14. Preferably, the indicator opening 30 is located near the bottom plate 18 of the housing. It is contemplated that the indicator opening 30 may be completely open to the interior volume 22 of the dispenser 10 or include a transparent barrier that is visually open to the interior volume 22 of the dispenser 10. In turn, maintenance personnel may inspect the paper towel dispenser 10 through the indicator opening 30 to determine whether it is necessary to add product to the paper towel dispenser 10. In other embodiments of the present invention, the indicator opening 30 may be located anywhere on the housing 12.

[0035] Now refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , which shows the paper towel dispenser 10 in a Figure 1 and Figure 2 The side walls 14, top wall 16 and bottom wall 18 can be pivotally moved away from the back panel 20 and the associated support frame 36 to open and expose the interior volume 22 of the paper towel dispenser 10. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the side walls 14, top wall 16 and bottom wall 18 are pivotally hingedly connected to the support frame 36 of the back panel 20 by a pivot point 37, which is disposed in a lower region adjacent to the bottom of the support frame 36 and the side walls 14.

[0036] like Figure 3 As shown, the dispenser 10 may also include a link 38 having an upper end disposed within an opening 41 in the support frame 36. The upper end of the link 38 is slidably engaged with the opening 41 of the support frame 36 so that the link 38 can traverse the length of the opening 41 when the dispenser 10 is opened and closed. The lower end of the link 38 is pivotally connected to the side wall 14 of the housing 12. Therefore, when the side wall 14, the top wall 16, and the bottom wall 18 are pivotally moved away from the back plate 20, the link 38 can control their stop position to prevent damage to the housing 12 or the associated walls on which the housing 12 is mounted.

[0037] The exemplary embodiment of the present invention also describes a lock plate 29 that is disposed in an upper region of the housing 12 and moves away from the top wall 16 of the housing 12 when in the closed orientation 34. The lock plate 29 may be in the form of a cantilevered plate that extends outwardly from an upper portion of the support frame 36 and toward the front surface 26 of the housing 12. In other embodiments of the present invention, the lock plate 29 may extend in any direction toward a lock mechanism 33 associated with the lock indicator 28 described below. In addition, the lock plate 29 may include a tab 31 extending from a distal end thereof.

[0038] The dispenser 10 also includes an insert 40 removably disposed within the housing 12 and within the interior volume 22 of the dispenser 10. Figure 5 In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the insert 40 includes a front wall 42, first and second side walls 44, 46, and a bottom wall 48. The bottom wall 48 is oriented at the same or similar angle as the bottom wall 18 of the housing 12.

[0039] Similar to the bottom wall 18 of the housing 12, the bottom wall 48 of the insert 40 includes an opening 50 to provide access to an interior volume 54 of the insert 40 that will contain the stack of products. Preferably, the insert 40, and in particular the bottom wall 48 and opening 50 of the insert 40, are made of a smooth material, such as, but not limited to, plastic, to facilitate smooth dispensing of the product and limit tearing compared to other materials (e.g., sheet metal). In addition, the edges of the opening 50 are preferably rounded to facilitate smooth dispensing of the product from the dispenser 10. The opening 50 of the insert 40 and the opening 24 of the housing are configured to align with each other when the housing 12 is in the closed orientation 34. Likewise, the insert 40 may include an indication opening 52 similar to the indication opening 30 of the housing 12, which aligns with the indication opening 24 of the housing 12 when the housing 12 is in the closed orientation 34. It is conceivable that the width and / or length of the indication opening 52 of the insert 40 can be greater than the indication opening 30 of the shell 12 to prevent obstruction of the line of sight into the respective internal volume spaces 22, 54 of the shell 12 and the insert 40, which become aligned with each other when the shell 12 is in the closed orientation 34.

[0040] The insert 40 also includes inclined walls 56, 58 disposed at a lower region of the insert 40. As shown, each inclined wall 56, 58 extends from the lower surface of the corresponding side wall 44, 46 at a certain angle toward the bottom wall 48. Specifically, the inclined walls are oriented at a certain angle to reduce the width and capacity space 54 of the insert 40 when the insert 40 approaches the bottom wall 48. Each inclined wall 56, 58 can be oriented at any angle between 0° and 90° relative to the vertical direction. Preferably, each inclined wall 56, 58 is oriented at an angle of 45°. Therefore, the width of the insert 40 is the smallest at the bottom wall 48. The inclined walls 56, 58 are configured to slightly bend the product stack and help remove the product from the dispenser 10 with reduced tearing.

[0041] Figure 5 Each of the side walls 44, 46 is also shown to include a respective vertical slot or opening 60, 62 formed therein and extending along a portion of the length of the side walls 44, 46. While the exemplary embodiment of the present invention depicts the openings 60, 62 being off-center and closer to the front wall 42, various embodiments of the present invention may position the openings 60, 62 at any location along their respective side walls 44, 46. Furthermore, it is contemplated that the upper end of each opening 60, 62 may be spaced from the upper edge of the side walls 44, 46, or extend all the way to the upper edge of the side walls 44, 46, resulting in the openings 60, 62 opening at the upper edge of each side wall 44, 46. The openings 60, 62 of the side walls 44, 46 will be discussed further below.

[0042] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the insert 40 may further include a support plate 64 extending horizontally between the opposing inclined walls 56, 58 to provide rigidity to the insert 40. In other embodiments of the present invention, the support plate 64 may extend between the side walls 44, 46, or between a combination of the inclined walls 56, 58 and the side walls 44, 46.

[0043] Next, refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 , which shows a stopper plate 66 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The stopper plate 66 includes a horizontal main plate 68 having first and second extension tabs 70, 72 extending from the distal end of the main plate 68. Figure 7 As shown, the extension tabs 70, 72 are T-shaped and have extensions 74, 76 that are thinner than the corresponding end tabs 78, 80. In particular, the widths of the extensions 74, 76 are adapted to the widths of the openings 60, 62 described above, respectively. Furthermore, the widths of the end tabs 78, 80 are greater than the corresponding openings 60, 62, so as to prevent the lateral movement of the stopper plate 66 when the extensions 74, 76 pass through the openings 60, 62 and the stopper plate 66 moves vertically through the volume space 54 of the insert 40.

[0044] The stop plate 66 may also include one or more indicator tabs 82 extending downwardly from a front edge 84 of the stop plate 66 adjacent the front wall 42 of the insert 40. Although the exemplary embodiment of the present invention shows the use of two indicator tabs 82 extending perpendicularly from the front edge 84 of the stop plate 66, other embodiments of the present invention may include any number of indicator tabs 82 extending at any angle in a downward direction from the front edge 84 of the stop plate 66. The purpose of the indicator tabs 82 will be described in further detail below.

[0045] Next, Figure 8-Figure 10 The stop plates 66 are depicted disposed at various locations in the insert 40. First, Figure 8The retaining plate 66 is depicted disposed in an upper position 86 in the insert 40. As described above, when the retaining plate 66 is disposed in the insert 40, the main plate 68 extends horizontally between the side walls 44, 46 of the insert 40. In particular, the extensions 74, 76 of the extension tabs 70, 72 extend through the respective openings 60, 62, and the end tabs 78, 80 of the extension tabs 70, 72 are located outside the volume 54 of the insert 40 and help to retain the retaining plate 66 within the volume 54 of the insert 40. In the upper position 86, the retaining plate 66 is disposed at the uppermost position established by the openings 60, 62. That is, the extension tabs 70, 72 are located at or adjacent to the upper edges of the openings 60, 62, respectively. In the upper position 86, the volume 54 of the insert 40 is at its maximum capacity so that a stack of products can be placed within the volume 54 of the insert 40. When refilling the dispenser 10, maintenance personnel can raise the stop plate 66 to the upper position 86 to fill the volume space 54 of the insert 40 with product. In turn, the stop plate 66 can reduce or limit the maintenance personnel's ability to overfill the dispenser 10.

[0046] Next, Fig. 9 The stop plate 66 is depicted disposed in an intermediate position 88 in the insert 40. When in the intermediate position 88, the extension tabs 70, 72 are located in an intermediate position spaced from both the upper and lower edges of the openings 60, 62, respectively. In the intermediate position 88, the volume space 54 of the insert 40 is smaller than that of the insert 40. Figure 8 When the user removes the product from the dispenser 10, the stop plate 66 moves with the top of the product stack. In this way, the user of the dispenser 10 moves the stop plate 66 from the upper stop 86 to the middle stop 88.

[0047] Next, Fig.10 The stop plate 66 is depicted disposed in a lower position 90 of the insert 40. When in the lower position 90, the extension tabs 70, 72 are located at or adjacent to the lower edges of the openings 60, 62, respectively. In the lower position 90, the volume space 54 of the insert 40 is smaller than that of the insert 40. Figure 8 The upper position 86 and Fig. 9 The middle position 88 of the dispenser 10 is reduced to its minimum value. When more products are removed by the user from the dispenser 10, the stop plate 66 moves from the middle stop 88 to the lower position 90 as the product stack becomes smaller.

[0048] When the stop plate 66 is in the lower position 90, the indicator tab 82 of the stop plate 66 becomes aligned with the indicator openings 30, 52 of the housing 12 and the insert 40, respectively. Thus, when the stop plate 66 is in the lower position 90, the indicator tab 82 provides maintenance personnel with notification that the dispenser 10 needs to be refilled. The indicator tab 82 may be colored, textured, or otherwise distinguished for easy identification when aligned with the indicator openings 30, 52. In various embodiments of the present invention, the indicator openings 30, 52 may be positioned or sized to provide an indication that refilling is required prior to the lower position 90.

[0049] See now Fig.11 , which shows a rear view of the dispenser 10 with the top wall 16 shown in an exploded orientation to depict the typical location and alignment of the lock plate 29, lock tab 31 and lock mechanism 33 of the lock 92 within the housing 12 of the dispenser 10. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the back plate 20 and support frame 36 of the housing 12 may be in the form of a mounting frame that enables the dispenser 10 to be mounted to a wall.

[0050] Next, Fig.12 The lock 92 is depicted in a locked orientation 94 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The lock tab 31 of the lock plate 29 includes an opening 96 formed therein and configured to receive a latch pin 98 of the lock mechanism 33. The latch pin 98 is rotatable about a pivot axis created by a pin 100. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the pin 100 is secured to a bracket 102 that is connected or formed integrally with a bracket bracket 104 that extends from each side of the bracket 102 to mount the bracket 102 and associated components to a mounting plate 106 of the lock mechanism 33. In turn, the mounting plate 106 may be connected or formed integrally with the inner surface 27 of the housing 12.

[0051] The lock mechanism 33 includes a tensioning element 113, such as, but not limited to, a coil spring aligned with the pivot axis, which holds the latch 98 and the lock 92 in place. Fig.12 The locking orientation 94 is used as its neutral position. That is, when no other force is applied to the lock mechanism 33, the latch 98 is configured to be located in the opening 96 of the lock tab 31 to prevent the housing 12 from being converted from the closed position 34 to the open position 32.

[0052] The lock mechanism 33 may also include a counter force element 114, such as, but not limited to, a magnet, configured to apply a force to the latch 98 in response to the placement of a key element, such as, but not limited to, another magnet. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the magnet 114 is connected to the latch 96 at a surface adjacent to the mounting plate 106 and the inner surface 27 of the housing 12. Figure 1 The lock indicator 28 shown in FIG. 1 identifies a position adjacent to the magnet 114 of the lock mechanism 33 .

[0053] Furthermore, the maintenance personnel can place the magnet key on the lock indicator 28 to interact with the magnet 114 of the lock mechanism 33 and switch the lock 92 from the locked orientation 94 to the locked orientation 94. Fig.13 Preferably, the interaction between the magnet key and the magnet 114 of the lock mechanism 33 overcomes the force of the tension element 112 and causes the latch 98 to rotate about the pin 100, so that the latch 98 is no longer located in the opening 96 of the lock tab 31. Once the latch 98 is no longer located in the opening 96 of the lock tab 31, the housing 12 can be converted from the closed position 34 to the open position 32.

[0054] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, each support bracket 104 may include a textured surface 108 formed thereon and configured to cooperate with a textured surface 110 of the mounting plate 106. The textured surfaces 108, 110 are configured to variably cooperate with each other along a vertical plane. In this way, the vertical alignment of the latch 98 of the lock mechanism 33 in the locked position 94 relative to the opening 96 of the lock tab 31 can be adjusted by moving the support 102 and the support bracket 104 so that the textured surface 108 cooperates with different areas of the textured surface 110. Fasteners 119 can then be used to connect each support bracket 104 to the mounting plate 106 and lock the textured surfaces 108, 110 together.

[0055] like Fig.12 and Fig.13 As shown, additional one or more fasteners 120 associated with one or more bracket brackets 104 may be tightened or loosened to adjust the horizontal alignment of the latch 98 of the lock mechanism 33 relative to the opening 96 of the lock tab 31 in the locked position 94 .

[0056] Referring again to the bracket 102 of the locking mechanism 33, Fig.12 and Fig.13 The bracket 102 is shown as a U-shaped bracket that at least partially surrounds the other components of the lock mechanism 33, such as the latch 98, the magnet 114, and the tension member 112. A pin 100 extends from one arm of the U-shaped bracket 102 to the other arm of the U-shaped bracket 102 to provide a pivot and secure these components within the bracket 102. The bracket 102 also includes an opening 122 formed in its wall that allows the latch 98 and the magnet 114 to be positioned in a spaced relationship between the latch 98 and the magnet 114. Fig.12 The locking direction is 94 and Fig.13 The unlocking direction 116 can be passed when rotating.

[0057] Now refer to Fig.14, which shows an insert 240 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Similar to the insert 40, the insert 240 is removably disposed within the housing 12 and within the internal volume 22 of the dispenser 10. The insert 240 includes first and second side walls 244, 246, inclined walls 256, 258 and a bottom wall 248.

[0058] The insert 240 can be divided into an upper portion 200 and a lower portion 202. The upper portion includes side walls 244, 246 that are oriented parallel to each other to provide a continuous interior volume 254 aligned with the length of the side walls 244, 246. The upper portion 200 of the insert 240 can also include one or more partial front walls 204, 206 extending perpendicularly from the front edges 245, 247 of the corresponding side walls 244, 246. Fig.14 As shown, the partial front walls 204, 206 are configured to extend inwardly from the front edges 245, 247 of the corresponding side walls 244, 246 a distance that is less than the distance between the side walls 244, 246. Thus, a space 210 is provided between the partial front walls 204, 206.

[0059] The upper portion 200 of the insert may also include at least one partial rear portion 208 extending vertically from one or both of the rear edges 249, 251 of the respective side walls 244, 246. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the partial rear portion 208 extends vertically from the rear edge 249 of the first side wall 244 by a distance that is less than the distance between the side walls 244, 246. It is also contemplated that the height of the partial rear portion 208 may be equal to or less than the height of the first side wall 244. Furthermore, the partial rear portion may be disposed at any location along the rear edge 249.

[0060] In various embodiments of the present invention, the indicator opening 30 of the housing 12 can be aligned with the space 210 between the portions of the front walls 204, 206. Alternatively, any or all of the front walls 204, 206 of the upper portion 200 of the insert 240 can include an indicator opening (not shown) formed therein and configured to align with the indicator opening 30 of the housing 12 when in the closed orientation 34.

[0061] The lower portion 202 includes inclined walls 256, 258 and a bottom wall 248. The inclined walls 256, 258 are configured to extend at an angle from respective upper edges 214, 216 (which are aligned with the lower edges 218, 220 of the corresponding side walls 244, 246 of the upper portion 200 when the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 202 are aligned) toward the bottom wall 248. In particular, the inclined walls 256, 258 are oriented at a certain angle to reduce the width and volume space 254 of the insert 240 when the insert 240 approaches the bottom wall 248. Each inclined wall 256, 258 can be oriented at any angle between 0° and 90° relative to the vertical direction. Preferably, each inclined wall 256, 258 is oriented at an angle of 45°. Therefore, the width of the insert 240 is the smallest at the bottom wall 248. The inclined walls 256, 258 are configured to slightly bend the product stack and help remove the product from the dispenser 10 with reduced tearing.

[0062] The bottom wall 248 is oriented at the same or similar angle as the bottom wall 18 of the housing 12 and includes an opening 250 to provide access to the interior volume 254 of the insert 240. Preferably, the bottom wall 248 of the insert 240 is made of a smooth material, such as, but not limited to, plastic, to facilitate smooth dispensing of the product and limit tearing when compared to other materials such as sheet metal. In addition, the edges of the opening 250 are preferably rounded to facilitate smooth dispensing of the product from the dispenser. The opening 250 of the insert 240 and the opening 24 of the housing are configured to align with each other when the housing 12 is in the closed orientation 34.

[0063] The lower portion 202 further includes a front wall 222 and a rear wall 224. The front wall 222 extends upward in front of the front edge 226 of the bottom wall 248 until it is aligned with the same plane as the upper edges 214, 216 of the inclined surfaces 256, 258. The front wall 222 further extends between the inclined walls 256, 258. Meanwhile, the rear wall 224 extends upward from the rear edge 228 of the bottom wall 248 and extends between the inclined walls 256, 258. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the rear wall may include three portions 224a-c. The central portion 224b extends upward from the rear edge of the bottom wall 248 at a certain angle, while the side portions 224a, 224c extend from each corner of the bottom wall 248 and are triangular in shape to extend between the side edges of the central portion 224b and the side edges of the corresponding inclined walls 256, 258.

[0064] When disposed within the housing 12, the upper portion 200 and the lower portion 202 are aligned, as shown in FIG. Fig.14As shown. Each portion 200, 202 can be placed independently within the housing 12 and / or connected together and placed within the housing 12. When aligned, the lower edges 218, 220 of the side walls 244, 246 of the upper portion 200 are aligned with the upper edges 214, 216 of the inclined walls 256, 258 of the lower portion 202. In addition, an upper edge of the front wall 222 of the lower portion 202 is aligned with the lower edges of the partial front walls 204, 206 of the lower portion 200. The resulting capacity space 254 has a uniform width along the height of the upper portion 200 and a varying width along the height of the lower portion 202.

[0065] Similar to the side walls 44, 46 of the insert 40, the side walls 244, 246 of the insert 240 include vertical slots or openings 260, 262 formed therein and extending along a portion of the length of the side walls 244, 246. Different embodiments of the present invention may position the openings 260, 262 at any location along their respective side walls 244, 246. In addition, it is contemplated that the upper end of each opening 260, 262 may be spaced from the upper edge of the side walls 244, 246 or extend all the way to the upper edge of the side walls 244, 246, such that the openings 260, 262 open at the upper edge of each side wall 244, 246. The openings 260, 262 of the side walls 244, 246 are configured to interact with the stop plate 66 as described above.

[0066] Although the best mode of implementing the invention contemplated by the inventors is disclosed above, the practice of the invention is not limited thereto. It is obvious that various additions, modifications and rearrangements of the features of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the basic inventive concept.

[0067] Furthermore, the components need not be formed into the disclosed shapes or assembled in the disclosed configurations, but can be provided in almost any shape and assembled in almost any configuration. Further, all disclosed features of each disclosed embodiment can be combined with or substituted for the disclosed features of each other disclosed embodiment, unless such features are mutually exclusive.

[0068] The appended claims are intended to cover all such additions, modifications and rearrangements. Suitable embodiments of the invention are distinguished by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A dispenser, characterized in that: include: a shell surrounding the capacity space; an opening formed in a bottom wall of the housing to expose the volume space to an environment external to the dispenser, the bottom wall being oriented at an angle between 0 and 90 degrees; and An insert is removably disposed in the housing, the insert comprising: a first side wall and a second side wall facing parallel to each other; an opening formed in a bottom wall of the insert and aligned with the opening of the housing; and an inclined guide wall extending from the first side wall and the second side wall inwardly and toward the opening; and A volume space is disposed between the side walls of the insert and is configured to accommodate a stack of products, and the inclined guide wall is configured to reduce the volume space adjacent to the bottom wall.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that Also included is a stop plate disposed within the dispenser, the stop plate having an upper position spaced apart from a top wall of the housing and configured to move downward toward a lower position when the product stack is removed from the containment space.

3. The dispenser according to claim 2, characterized in that The stop plate further includes an indication tab configured to align with the indication opening of the housing when the stop plate is close to or in the lower position.

4. The dispenser according to claim 3, characterized in that The insert includes an indication opening formed therein and configured to align with the indication opening of the housing, wherein the indication tab of the stop plate is configured to align with the indication opening of the insert when the stop plate is proximate or in the lower position.

5. The dispenser according to claim 4, characterized in that The size of the indicator opening of the insert is larger than the size of the indicator opening of the housing.

6. The dispenser according to claim 2, characterized in that Each of the first and second side walls of the insert includes an opening extending along a length of the side wall; The limiting plate includes a first extending tab extending from a first end thereof and a second extending tab extending from a second end thereof, wherein the first extending tab and the second extending tab extend through the openings of the first side wall and the second side wall of the insert respectively.

7. The dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that The insert comprises an upper portion and a lower portion separable from each other; wherein the upper portion comprises a first side wall and a second side wall of the insert; and The lower portion includes a bottom wall and an inclined wall of the insert.

8. The dispenser according to claim 7, characterized in that The lower portion further includes a front wall extending upward from a front edge of the bottom wall and a rear wall extending upward from a rear edge of the bottom wall.

9. The dispenser according to claim 7, characterized in that The upper portion further includes at least one or more front wall portions extending inwardly from at least one of a front edge of the first side wall and a front edge of the second side wall.

10. The dispenser according to claim 9, characterized in that The at least one front wall portion is configured to extend between the first side wall and the second side wall a distance that is less than a distance between the first side wall and the second side wall to provide a space between front edges of the first side wall and the second side wall; and The space is aligned with the index opening of the housing.

11. An insert for a dispenser, characterized in that The insert comprises: a first side wall and a second side wall facing parallel to each other; an opening formed in a bottom wall of the insert and aligned with the opening of the dispenser; and an inclined guide wall extending inwardly from the first side wall and the second side wall toward the opening; and A capacity space is disposed between the side walls of the insert and is configured to accommodate paper towels, and the inclined guide wall is configured to reduce the capacity space adjacent to the bottom wall.

12. An insert for a dispenser according to claim 11, characterized in that Also included is a stop plate movable within the insert, the stop plate having an upper position and configured to move downwardly toward a lower position when the tissue is removed from the volume.

13. An insert for a dispenser according to claim 12, characterized in that The stop plate also includes an indication tab configured to align with an indication opening of the dispenser when the stop plate is proximate or in the lower position.

14. An insert for a dispenser according to claim 13, characterized in that The indication tab of the stop plate is configured to align with the indication opening of the insert when the stop plate is close to or in the lower position, and the indication opening of the insert is configured to align with the indication opening of the housing of the dispenser.

15. An insert for a dispenser according to claim 14, characterized in that The size of the indicator opening of the insert is larger than the size of the indicator opening of the housing.

16. The insert for a dispenser according to claim 12, characterized in that Each of the first side wall and the second side wall of the insert includes an opening extending along a length of the side wall; The limiting plate includes a first extending tab extending from a first end thereof and a second extending tab extending from a second end thereof, wherein the first extending tab and the second extending tab extend through the openings of the first side wall and the second side wall of the insert respectively.

17. The insert for a dispenser according to claim 11, characterized in that The insert comprises an upper portion and a lower portion separable from each other; wherein the upper portion comprises a first side wall and a second side wall of the insert; and The lower portion includes a bottom wall and an inclined wall of the insert.

18. An insert for a dispenser according to claim 17, characterized in that The lower portion further includes a front wall extending upward from a front edge of the bottom wall and a rear wall extending upward from a rear edge of the bottom wall.

19. The insert for a dispenser according to claim 17, characterized in that The upper portion also includes a first front portion extending inwardly from a front edge of the first side wall.

20. An insert for a dispenser according to claim 19, characterized in that The upper portion further includes a second front portion extending inwardly from a front edge of the second side wall; and The first front portion and the second front portion are spaced apart from each other to provide a space therebetween; and The space is aligned with the indicator opening of the dispenser.

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