Dispenser for sheet products, particularly napkins

Abstract

A dispenser for sheet products comprising a base, an outer shell mounted to the base, wherein the outer shell has a first portion configured to enclose a stack of sheet products to be dispensed and a second portion having a dispensing opening, the first and second portion being non-detachably and non-movably fixed relative to each other, a platen reciprocally moveable relative to the base and spring biased toward the dispensing opening, and first and second columns respectively extending from the base parallel to a movement direction of the platen on opposite sides of the platen, wherein the outer shell is detachable from the base for inserting a stack of paper products between the first and second columns onto the platen.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dispenser for sheet products comprising:
 a base ( 10 );   an outer shell ( 50 ) mounted to the base, wherein the outer shell has a first portion ( 52 ) configured to enclose a stack of sheet products to be dispensed and a second portion ( 53 ) having a dispensing opening ( 54 ), the first and second portion being non-detachably and non-movably fixed relative to each other;   a platen ( 60 ) reciprocally moveable relative to the base ( 10 ) and spring biased toward the dispensing opening ( 54 ); and   first and second columns ( 13 ,  14 ) respectively extending from the base ( 10 ) parallel to a movement direction of the platen ( 60 ) on opposite sides of the platen, wherein the outer shell ( 50 ) is detachable from the base ( 10 ) for inserting a stack of paper products between the first and second columns onto the platen.   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion ( 52 ) comprises two pairs of opposite side walls ( 55 ) and the second portion ( 53 ) comprises a top wall ( 57 ) non-detachably and non-movably fixed to the side walls ( 55 ). 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the first ( 52 ) and second ( 53 ) portions are made of one piece. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a stop ( 17 ,  18 ) at each of the first and second columns ( 13 ,  14 ), respectively provided at an end ( 16 ) of the first and second columns opposite to the base ( 10 ), the stops being configured to engage with a leading sheet product of the stack of sheet products and/or the platen ( 60 ) in an extended position. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser according to  claim 4 , wherein the stops ( 17 ,  18 ) are flexible parallel to the movement direction of the platen ( 60 ). 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser according to  claim 5 , wherein the stops ( 17 ,  18 ) are more flexible parallel to the movement direction of the platen ( 60 ) in a direction towards the base ( 10 ) than a direction away from the base. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser according to  claim 4 ,  5  or  6 , wherein the stops ( 17 ,  18 ) are made of an elastic material. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser according to  claim 7 , wherein the stops ( 17 ,  18 ) are made of polypropylene. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser according to any one of  claims 4  to  8 , wherein the stops ( 17 ,  18 ) are separate parts fitted to the respective ends ( 16 ) of the first and second columns ( 13 ,  14 ). 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the platen ( 60 ) has guide members ( 63 ) on opposite sides, respectively engaged with the first and second columns ( 13 ,  14 ). 
     
     
         11 . The dispenser according to  claim 10 , wherein each guide member ( 63 ) has a pair of distanced grooves ( 64 ), respectively engaged with opposite longitudinal side edges( 24 ,  25 ) of the respective first and second columns. 
     
     
         12 . The dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base ( 10 ) and/or the columns ( 13 ,  14 ) and/or the outer shell ( 50 ) are made of a rigid plastic material, particularly of the acrylonitrile butadiene styrene group. 
     
     
         13 . The dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a retention mechanism ( 80 ;  90 ) configured to temporarily retain the platen ( 60 ) in a retracted position while the outer shell ( 50 ) is detached from the base ( 10 ). 
     
     
         14 . The dispenser according to  claim 13 , wherein the retention mechanism ( 80  ; 90 ) comprises an engaging member ( 81 ;  91 ) and an engaged member ( 83 ;  93 ), wherein the engaging member is configured to be engaged with the engaged member when manually moving the platen ( 60 ) into the retracted position while the outer shell ( 50 ) is detached from the base ( 10 ). 
     
     
         15 . The dispenser according to  claim 14 , wherein the engaging member ( 81 ;  91 ) is provided with a release portion ( 84 ;  94 ) configured to be engaged with the outer shell ( 50 ) to release the engaging member from the engaged member when the outer shell is attached to the base ( 10 ). 
     
     
         16 . The dispenser according to  claim 14  or  15 , wherein the engaging member ( 81 ) is a latch ( 82 ) fixed relative to the base and to be engaged with a cutout or hook, as the engaged member ( 83 ), fixed relative to the platen. 
     
     
         17 . The dispenser according to  claim 14  or  15 , wherein the engaging member ( 91 ) is a latch ( 92 ) fixed relative to the platen and to be engaged with a cutout or hook, as the engaged member ( 93 ), fixed relative to the base. 
     
     
         18 . The dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer shell ( 50 ) has channels ( 101 ) parallel to the movement direction of the platen respectively engaged with the first and second columns ( 13 ,  14 ). 
     
     
         19 . That dispenser according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein a width of the columns ( 13 ,  14 ) in a direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the platen and to a distance between the columns ( 13 ,  14 ) is not more than 50 mm and not less than 10 mm.