Interleaved towel dispenser

Abstract

An interleaved towel dispenser including a housing and a separation arrangement that facilitates the separation of individual towels of a stack of interleaved towels during dispense. The stack of interleaved towels further having an adhesive area that permits attachment of the stack of interleaved towels to another stack of interleaved towels.

1 . An interleaved towel dispenser, comprising:
 a) a housing having an interior and an exterior;   b) a plurality of interleaved towels located within the interior of the housing, the plurality of interleaved towels including a first towel awaiting use and a second following towel interleaved with the first towel; and   c) a separating arrangement that permits dispense of only one interleaved towel at a time, wherein:
 i) only the first towel awaiting use is accessible to a user; and 
 ii) the second following towel is retained during removal of the first towel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the separating arrangement includes a first roller and a second roller that retain the first towel in an awaiting-use position and that retain the second following towel during removal of the first towel. 
     
     
         3 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein a leading portion of the first towel awaiting use extends below the exterior of the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein the first towel and the second towel are located between the first and second rollers during removal of the first towel. 
     
     
         5 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein the first roller is a front roller located toward a front of the housing, and the second roller is a rear roller located toward a rear of the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 5 , wherein one of the front and rear rollers is biased toward the other of the front and rear rollers to retain an awaiting-use towel of the plurality of interleaved towels therebetween. 
     
     
         7 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 6 , wherein the front roller is biased toward the rear roller by a spring. 
     
     
         8 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a frame and a cover pivotally attached to the frame, the cover providing access to the interior of the housing when pivoted to an open position. 
     
     
         9 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interleaved towels includes a stack of interleaved towels, the stack having a top interleaved towel and a bottom interleaved towel, one of the top and bottom interleaved towels having an adhesive area. 
     
     
         10 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a bottom opening through which the plurality of interleaved towels are dispensed, the first towel awaiting use being visible to a user. 
     
     
         11 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 10 , wherein the separating arrangement includes a first roller and a second roller, the interleaved dispenser further including an advancement device interconnected to one of the first and second rollers, wherein the advancement device advances a leading interleaved towel of the plurality of interleaved towels toward a bottom opening in the housing when the dispenser is initially loaded. 
     
     
         12 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein the advancement device is an advancement wheel attached to one of the first and second rollers. 
     
     
         13 . An interleaved towel dispenser, comprising:
 a) a housing having an interior and an exterior;   b) a first roller and a second roller; and   c) a plurality of interleaved towels located within the interior of the housing, the plurality of interleaved towels including a first towel and a second towel;   d) wherein the first towel is located between the first and second rollers when awaiting use, a leading portion of the first towel extending below the exterior of the housing when awaiting use;   e) wherein the first towel and the second towel are located between the first and second rollers during removal of the first towel;   f) wherein the first and second rollers retain the second towel therebetween during removal of the first towel.   
     
     
         14 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a frame and a cover pivotally attached to the frame, the cover providing access to the interior of the housing when pivoted to an open position. 
     
     
         15 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interleaved towels includes a stack of interleaved towels, the stack having a top interleaved towel and a bottom interleaved towel, one of the top and bottom interleaved towels having an adhesive area. 
     
     
         16 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the first roller is a front roller located toward a front of the housing, and the second roller is a rear roller located toward a rear of the housing. 
     
     
         17 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 16 , wherein one of the front and rear rollers is biased toward the other of the front and rear rollers to retain an awaiting-use towel of the plurality of interleaved towels therebetween. 
     
     
         18 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 17 , wherein the front roller is biased toward the rear roller by a spring. 
     
     
         19 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 1 , further including an advancement device interconnected to one of the first and second rollers, wherein the advancement device advances a leading interleaved towel of the plurality of interleaved towels toward a bottom opening in the housing when the dispenser is initially loaded. 
     
     
         20 . An interleaved towel dispenser, comprising:
 a) a housing including a frame and a cover attached to the frame, the housing having an interior and a bottom opening, the frame including horizontal support shelves that define a gap therebetween, the support shelves being constructed to support a stack of interleaved papers towels; and   b) first and second rollers positioned within the interior of the housing adjacent to the bottom opening, the second roller being supported in a fixed position, the first roller being biased toward the second roller, the first and second rollers defining a nip area therebetween.   
     
     
         21 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 20 , further including a stack of interleaved paper towels placed upon the support shelves of the housing, the stack of interleaved paper towels including a first towel and a second towel interleaved with the first towel:
 i) wherein the first towel is located within the nip area between the first and second rollers when awaiting use, a portion of the first towel extending below the exterior of the housing when awaiting use;   ii) wherein the first towel and the second towel are located within the nip area between the first and second rollers during removal of the first towel;   iii) wherein the first and second rollers retain the second towel therebetween during removal of the first towel.   
     
     
         22 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 20 , wherein the cover is pivotally attached to the frame, the cover providing access to the interior of the housing when pivoted to an open position. 
     
     
         23 . The interleaved towel dispenser of  claim 20 , further including an advancement device interconnected to one of the first and second rollers, wherein the advancement device advances a leading interleaved towel of a plurality of interleaved towels through the nip area when the interleaved towels are initially loaded within the interior of the housing.