Sheet product dispenser

Abstract

A dispenser for dispensing a stack of napkins is of a gravity feed kind and includes a base upon which the dispenser is to stand and a dispensing opening at a bottom of a stack housing portion of the dispenser so that the napkins are fed to the dispensing opening along a slide member. The slide member defines a steep, planar upper surface for guiding the stack of napkins, and a less steep, curved lower sliding surface forming a turn in the slide toward the dispensing opening. The lower sliding surface is formed by a plurality of spaced runners separated by recesses. The stack is held by first and second compression members against a bottom part of the steep portion of the sliding surface to take the weight of the upper part of the stack from the part of the stack sliding on the lower curved surface.

1 . A dispenser comprising:
 a dispensing opening;   a slide defining a feed path for gravity feeding a stack of sheet products to the dispensing opening;   a base for standing the dispenser on a horizontal surface;   wherein the slide comprises a more vertical feed path portion, and a less vertical feed path portion that distinctly turns at a turning point toward the dispensing opening relative to the more vertical feed path portion when the dispenser is stood by its base on the horizontal surface; wherein a sliding surface of the less vertical feed path portion, at least at a turning point end thereof, contacts a back side of the stack with a reduced frictional force than a frictional force between a sliding surface of the more vertical feed path portion, at least at a turning point end thereof, and a back side of the stack.   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the less vertical feed path portion comprises a plurality of spaced runners along which the stack is to slide toward the dispensing opening. 
     
     
         3 . A dispenser comprising:
 a dispensing opening   a slide defining a feed path for gravity feeding a stack of sheet products to the dispensing opening;   wherein the slide comprises a feed path portion that distinctly turns toward the dispensing opening about a turning point;   wherein the feed path portion comprises a plurality of spaced runners extending from a turning point end of the feed path portion toward the dispensing opening.   
     
     
         4 . The dispenser of  claim 3 , wherein the dispenser comprises a base and the dispenser is to be stood on said base on a counter surface or other such surface, wherein the slide comprises an upper feed path portion and a lower feed portion providing said feed path portion, wherein the upper feed path portion is more vertically oriented and the lower feed path portion is less vertically oriented when the dispenser is stood on the base on a horizontal surface. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein the more vertically oriented feed path portion has, at least at a turning point end, a relatively continuous sliding surface as compared to the sliding surface provided by the runners. 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein the runners start at the turning point. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein the runners end at an end of the slide adjacent the dispensing opening. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein the sliding surface of the slide is flat and the runners are formed by spaced apart, elongate recesses or slots in the flat sliding surface. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the slide is angled at least 5° relative to the vertical at an upper end of the slide. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein the angle relative to the vertical at the upper end of the slide is from 5° to 15°. 
     
     
         11 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the slide is slanted relative to the vertical at an angle of at least 20° at a dispensing opening end of the slide. 
     
     
         12 . The dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein the angle relative to the vertical at a dispensing opening end of the slide is in the range from 20° to 70°. 
     
     
         13 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the dispenser further comprises at least one stack compression member located at a turning point end of the more vertical feed path portion of the slide, wherein the stack in the less vertical feed path portion of the slide is relatively uncompressed. 
     
     
         14 . A dispenser, comprising:
 a dispensing opening;   a slide for gravity feeding a stack of sheet products to the dispensing opening;   wherein the slide comprises a distinct turn toward the dispensing opening so that a portion of the feed path before a turning point is more vertically oriented than a portion of the feed path after the turning point when the dispenser is stood on its base on a horizontal surface; and   at least one stack compression member located at a turning point end of a portion of the slide located before the turning point for compressing the stack, wherein the stack after the turning point is relatively uncompressed.   
     
     
         15 . The dispenser of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one stack compression member is positioned to provide a compression force from a front side of the stack so that a back side of the stack is in contact with a sliding surface of the stack with greater force. 
     
     
         16 . The dispenser of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one compression member overlaps with at least part of a front side of the stack when viewed from the front so that the stack is required to be lifted over the at least one compression member to be placed on the slide, and the stack is then slid along the slide under the compression member to a position whereby a bottom face of the stack is located adjacent the dispensing opening. 
     
     
         17 . The dispenser of  claim 13 , wherein the dispenser comprises guide arms respectively located on opposed sides of the slide to guide the stack along the slide to the dispensing opening. 
     
     
         18 . The dispenser of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one compression member is located on the guide arms to engage a front side of the stack to compress the stack so that a back side of the stack contacts a sliding surface of the slide with greater force. 
     
     
         19 . A dispenser, comprising:
 a dispensing opening;   a slide for supporting and feeding a stack of sheet products to the dispensing opening for withdrawal from the dispenser through the dispensing opening;   at least one compression member for compressing a part of the stack between a sliding surface of the slide and the compression member; and   a plurality of spaced runners forming part of the slide and extending between the compression member and the dispensing opening.   
     
     
         20 . The dispenser of  claim 19 , wherein the dispenser is arranged so that the stack is uncompressed along the part of the slide formed by the runners. 
     
     
         21 . The dispenser of  claim 19 , wherein the compression member forms the only stack compression location in a direction along the slide toward the dispensing opening. 
     
     
         22 . The dispenser of  claim 19 , wherein the dispenser comprises a door member openable relative to a housing member, for loading a stack of sheet products inside the housing member, wherein the compression member and/or the guide arms are fixed to the housing member so as not to move with opening of the door.