Folded towel dispenser

Abstract

A paper towel dispenser for dispensing C-fold and multifold paper towels. The paper towel dispenser includes a housing having a rear wall, a pair of side walls, a top wall, a bottom wall and a front wall all cooperating to define a receiving space for a stack of paper towels placed therein. The front wall includes portions defining a slot having a closed end spaced apart from a first end of the front wall and an open end that is co-terminus with a second end of the front wall.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A paper towel dispenser for dispensing C-fold and multifold paper towels, the paper towel dispenser comprising:
 a housing having a rear wall, a pair of side walls, a top wall, a bottom wall and a front wall all cooperating to define a receiving space for a stack of paper towels placed therein, the front wall having opposed first and second ends with opposed sides extending therebetween, the front wall also including portions defining a slot, the slot having opposed sides, a closed end and an open end, the closed end of the slot being spaced apart from the first end of the front wall and the open end of the slot being co-terminus with the second end of the front wall.   
     
     
         2 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the second end of the slot tapers outwardly from the opposed sides of the slot. 
     
     
         3 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the second end of the slot widens from the opposed sides of the slot. 
     
     
         4 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the opposed sides of the slot define a first width and the second end of the slot defines a second width, the second width being greater than the first width. 
     
     
         5 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the top wall extends obliquely from the rear wall to the front wall and overlies a portion of the rear wall. 
     
     
         6 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of the rear wall is greater than the length of the front wall, the top wall extending obliquely from the rear wall to the front wall and overlies a portion of the rear wall. 
     
     
         7 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of each of the side walls is greater than the length of the front wall. 
     
     
         8 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 7 , wherein the open end of the slot is set back along the side walls from the bottom wall. 
     
     
         9 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 1 , further comprising mounting apertures for mounting the paper towel dispenser to a wall at an installation site, the mounting apertures being formed in the rear wall of the housing 
     
     
         10 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the front wall includes portions defining at least two slots. 
     
     
         11 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 10 , wherein each of the slots is associated with a receiving space defined by the housing for receiving a stack of paper towels therein. 
     
     
         12 . A ligature resistant paper towel dispenser for dispensing C-fold and multifold paper towels and mounted to a vertical wall at an installation site, the paper towel dispenser comprising:
 a housing having a rear wall, a pair of side walls, a top wall, a bottom wall and a front wall all cooperating to define a receiving space for a stack of paper towels placed therein, the rear wall being located against the vertical wall of the installation site and being secured thereto;   the front wall having a top end adjacent to the top wall, a bottom end adjacent to the bottom wall, and opposed sides adjacent to the side walls and extending between the top and bottom ends; and   wherein the front wall also includes portions defining a slot oriented vertically therein, the slot having opposed sides, a closed end and an open end, the closed end of the slot being spaced apart from the top end of the front wall and the open end of the slot being co-terminus with the bottom end of the front wall.   
     
     
         13 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the bottom end of the slot tapers outwardly from the opposed sides of the slot. 
     
     
         14 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the length of the front wall is less than the length of the rear wall. 
     
     
         15 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the length of the front wall is less than the length of the side walls. 
     
     
         16 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the open end of the slot is spaced apart from the bottom wall. 
     
     
         17 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the bottom end of the front wall is spaced apart from the bottom wall along the side walls. 
     
     
         18 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the top wall extends obliquely from the rear wall to the front wall and defines an external angle between the top wall and front wall that is greater than 15 degrees and less than 75 degrees. 
     
     
         19 . The paper towel dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the front wall includes portions defining at least two slots, each of the at least two slots being associated with a receiving space defined by the housing for receiving a stack of paper towels therein. 
     
     
         20 . A paper towel dispenser for dispensing C-fold and multifold paper towels, the paper towel dispenser comprising:
 a housing having a rear wall, a pair of side walls, a top wall, a bottom wall and a front wall all cooperating to define a receiving space for a stack of paper towels placed therein, the front wall including opposed first and second ends with opposed sides extending therebetween, the front wall also including portions defining a slot, the slot having opposed sides, a closed end and an open end, the closed end of the slot being spaced apart from the first end of the front wall and the open end of the slot being co-terminus with the second end of the front wall, the second end of the front wall being spaced apart from the bottom wall and defining a gap therebetween, the top wall extending obliquely from the rear wall to the front wall and defining an external angle between the top wall and front wall that is in the range of 35 to 65 degrees.