Dual-use towel product

Abstract

A towel product that has dual functions is provided. The towel product includes a series of stacked towels sandwiched between a first support plate and a second support plate. The first support plate, stacked towels, and second support plate are all encased in an outer wrapper. In some cases, the towel product serves as a stand-alone product. In other cases, the towel product serves as an insert to be placed inside of a towel-dispensing container. The first support plate aids in the product's insert functions when placed inside of a towel-dispensing container and the second support plate aids the product's stand-alone functions.

1 . A stacked towel product suitable for use as a stand-alone supply of towels or as an insert for a towel-dispensing container, the product comprising
 a plurality of towels stacked vertically one upon another to form a generally parallelepiped shape having top, bottom and side walls,   top and bottom generally rectangular support plates supporting respectively the top and bottom of the towel stack, each plate having an opening permitting towels to be drawn through it from the stack, the plates having sufficient stiffness to generally maintain the parallelepiped shape of the towel stack as towels are drawn therefrom and   a flexible, water-resistant protective wrapper extending about and snuggly engaging the side walls and top and bottom support plates.   
   
   
       2 . The towel product of  claim 1  wherein the protective wrapper has an opening aligned with the opening of one support plate to enable access to the towel stack, and the product including a removable and resealable cover protectively covering the opening in the wrapper. 
   
   
       3 . The towel product of  claim 2  wherein the removable and resealable cover comprises a flexible sheet bearing a releasable pressure-sensitive adhesive adhering the sheet to the wrapper about the wrapper opening. 
   
   
       4 . The towel product of  claim 1  wherein the opening in one of the support plates is shaped differently from the opening on the other support plate. 
   
   
       5 . The towel product of  claim 2  wherein the opening in the support plate aligned with the wrapper opening is generally slot-shaped with the center of the slot being wider than ends of the slot and the slot being sized to engage towels as they are withdrawn one-by-one from the towel stack. 
   
   
       6 . The towel product of  claim 1  wherein at least one opening is defined by a perforated line. 
   
   
       7 . The towel product of  claim 1  wherein the towel-dispensing container includes an opening that aligns with an opening on one of said top and bottom rectangular support openings. 
   
   
       8 . The towel product of  claim 7  wherein the towel-dispensing container opening is substantially the same as said opening on one of said top and bottom rectangular support openings. 
   
   
       9 . The towel product of  claim 7  wherein the towel-dispensing container dispenses towels from a bottom surface. 
   
   
       10 . The towel product of  claim 7  wherein the towel-dispensing container dispenses towels from a top surface.