Holder for flaccid flat articles such as napkins

Abstract

A holder maintains flaccid, flat articles in substantially vertically no matter how many articles are removed from it. The holder's base defines a generally horizontal plane when the holder is in normal use. A pair of lateral walls are attached to the base and arranged in vertical planes generally normal to the horizontal plane. These walls, with predetermined height and spacing from each other a predetermined distance, form a region that receives and holds the stacked, flat, flaccid articles—such as napkins—vertically oriented substantially parallel to the lateral walls. Gravity-actuated force-generating members apply a generally horizontal force to the stack of articles within the region and urge them toward one of the lateral walls and away from the other. This application of force substantially reduces any drooping or collapse of the articles and keeps them erect no matter how many articles are placed within or removed from the holder.

1 . A holder for maintaining flaccid flat articles in substantially vertical orientations independently of the number of articles received or removed from the holder, comprising: 
 a base defining a generally horizontal plane when the holder is placed on a support surface during normal use;    a pair of laterals walls attached to said base and arranged in vertical planes generally normal to said horizontal plane, said pair of walls having a predetermined height and spaced from each other a predetermined spaced distance to form a region for receiving and holding a plurality of stacked flat flaccid articles, such as napkins, with orientations generally parallel to said spaced walls and vertical planes; and    gravity actuated force-generating means for applying a generally horizontal force on a stack of flat flaccid articles to urge said articles to be urged toward one of said lateral walls and away from the other of said lateral walls to substantially reduce the drooping or collapse of said articles and maintain said articles substantially erect independently of the number of articles placed within or removed from the holder.    
   
   
       2 . A holder as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined height is generally equal to the vertical height of said articles when stacked within the holder.  
   
   
       3 . A holder as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said predetermined height is less than the vertical height of said articles when stacked within the holder.  
   
   
       4 . A holder as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said lateral walls are fixedly mounted and supported on said base.  
   
   
       5 . A holder as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the holder is made of plastic.  
   
   
       6 . A holder as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the holder is made of wood.  
   
   
       7 . A holder as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said force generating means includes means for generating said generally horizontal force in the direction of said one of said lateral walls at a distance above said base.  
   
   
       8 . A holder as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said force generating means comprises a generally planar member mounted for movement in generally parallel planes between and parallel to said lateral walls to remain upright in all lateral positions and create a compressive force on said stack of articles between said one of said lateral walls and said planar member.  
   
   
       9 . A holder as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said planar member is pivotally mounted on a movable member between said lateral walls to enable said planar member to remain upright regardless of the position of said movable member.  
   
   
       10 . A holder as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said movable member comprises linkage means connected to said planar member and to one of said base and said other of said lateral walls.  
   
   
       11 . A holder as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said movable member is pivotably connected to a region of the holder proximate to the location where said base is connected to said other of said lateral walls.  
   
   
       12 . A holder as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said planar member has a vertical height less than said predetermined height of said lateral walls.  
   
   
       13 . A holder as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said planar member has a vertical height and connection point to said linkage means selected to position a lower edge of said planar member out of contact with said base when all articles have been removed from the holder.  
   
   
       14 . A holder as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said planar member has a vertical height and connection point to said linkage means selected to position an upper edge of said planar member within the region of the upper edge of said other of said lateral walls when the holder has been fully filled with the articles to be held and said other of said lateral walls and said planar member are substantially juxtaposed against each other.  
   
   
       15 . A holder as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said linkage means is pivotally joined to said planar member at a height below a midpoint between said upper and lower edges of said planar member.  
   
   
       16 . A holder as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said linkage means comprises a generally inclined rectangular wall having opposing horizontal edges, and pivot means at each edge for pivoting said inclined wall about a lower horizontal edge and for pivoting said planar member along an upper horizontal edge.  
   
   
       17 . A holder as defined in  claim 16 , wherein said inclined wall is formed of plastic and includes portions of hinges along at least one of said edges.  
   
   
       18 . A holder as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said force generating means is formed of a material sufficiently heavy to create a gravitational force to produce a desired horizontal force acting on the article.  
   
   
       19 . A holder as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the dimensions of said lateral walls are selected to generally correspond to the size and shape of the articles to be held.  
   
   
       20 . A holder as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said surfaces of said planar member and said one of said lateral walls facing the stacked articles are generally smooth to facilitate removal of an article by pulling same upwardly notwithstanding compressive forces acting on said articles by minimizing friction between the flat articles and said facing surfaces.