Paper product dispenser and related methods

Abstract

A dispenser of paper products has a plurality of walls defining an interior of the dispenser, with the interior being configured to store the paper products. Two dispensing mouths are located at oppositely disposed ones of the walls, and are configured to provide access to the paper products in the interior. The dispenser also includes a biasing member and a pair of support elements. The support elements are configured to support the products there against, and the biasing member urges each support element toward one of the dispensing mouths. The dispenser has a geometric center defined by the distance between the dispensing mouths, and each support element is configured to move outwardly toward and inwardly away from one of the dispensing mouths. At least one of the support elements is free to travel inwardly to reach at least the geometric center.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dispenser of paper products, comprising:
 a plurality of walls defining an interior of said dispenser, said interior being configured to store the paper products;   a pair of dispensing mouths at oppositely disposed ones of said walls, said dispensing mouths being configured to provide access to the paper products in said interior; and   a biasing member and a pair of support elements in said interior, said support elements being configured to support the products there against, said biasing member urging each support element toward one of said dispensing mouths,   
       wherein:
 said dispenser has a geometric center defined by the distance between said dispensing mouths, 
 each of said support elements is configured to move outwardly toward one of said dispensing mouths and inwardly away from said one of said dispensing mouths, and 
 at least one of said support elements is free to travel inwardly to reach at least the geometric center. 
 
     
     
         2 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said support elements is free to travel inwardly beyond the geometric center. 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein said biasing member is a spring. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser of  claim 3 , wherein said biasing member is a coil spring. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein said biasing member is coupled to each of said support elements. 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein each of said support elements is a platen. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of walls includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and a pair of end walls extending between said top and bottom walls, said dispensing mouths being located at said end walls. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of said top wall has a first position defining an opening for loading the paper products into said interior, and a second, closed position. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser of  claim 8 , wherein said at least a portion of said top wall is hingedly coupled to the rest of said dispenser to permit pivotal movement thereof between the first and second positions. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein said plurality of walls includes a pair of side walls extending between said top and bottom walls and between said end walls. 
     
     
         11 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein each of said support elements is free to travel inwardly to reach at least the geometric center. 
     
     
         12 . The dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein each of said support elements is free to travel inwardly beyond the geometric center. 
     
     
         13 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said interior includes a first holding volume for storing the paper products, said first holding volume being defined between one of said support elements and one of said dispensing mouths,   said interior includes a second holding volume for storing the paper products, said second holding volume being defined between the other of said support elements and the other of said dispensing mouths,   the sum of said first and second holding volumes defines a total holding volume of said dispenser, and   at least one of said support elements is selectively movable within said dispenser such that at least one of said first or second holding volumes is about 50% or more of said total holding volume of said dispenser.   
     
     
         14 . The dispenser of  claim 13 , wherein each of said support elements is selectively movable within said dispenser such that each of said first and second holding volumes is variable in the range between about 0% and greater than about 50% of said total holding volume of said dispenser. 
     
     
         15 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein said biasing member is detached from each of said plurality of walls. 
     
     
         16 . The dispenser of  claim 15 , wherein said biasing member is detached from both of said support elements. 
     
     
         17 . A dispenser of paper products, comprising:
 a plurality of walls defining an interior of said dispenser, said interior being configured to store the paper products; and   a pair of dispensing mouths at oppositely disposed ones of said walls, said dispensing mouths being configured to provide access to the paper products, wherein:   said interior includes a first holding volume for storing the paper products, said first holding volume being defined between one of said support elements and one of said dispensing mouths,   said interior includes a second holding volume for storing the paper products, said second holding volume being defined between the other of said support elements and the other of said dispensing mouths,   the sum of said first and second holding volumes defines a total holding volume of said dispenser, and   at least one of said support elements is selectively movable within said dispenser such that at least one of said first or second holding volumes is at least about 50% of said total holding volume of said dispenser.   
     
     
         18 . The dispenser of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a biasing member disposed between said support elements to urge each of said support elements toward a respective one of said dispensing mouths.   
     
     
         19 . The dispenser of  claim 17 , wherein each of said support elements is selectively movable within said dispenser such that said first and second holding volumes are each variable in the range between about 0% and at least about 50% of said total holding volume of said dispenser. 
     
     
         20 . The dispenser of  claim 19 , wherein each of said support elements is selectively movable within said dispenser such that said first and second holding volumes are each variable in the range between about 0% and about 100% of the total holding volume of said dispenser. 
     
     
         21 . A napkin dispenser, comprising:
 a top wall, a bottom wall disposed opposite said top wall, first and second end walls disposed opposite one another and extending between said top and bottom walls, and a pair of side walls disposed opposite one another and extending between said top and bottom walls, said walls defining an interior of said dispenser for storing napkins;   a first dispensing mouth at said first end wall for accessing the napkins;   a second dispensing mouth at said second end wall for accessing the napkins;   first and second platens in said interior for supporting the napkins, said first platen being movable inwardly away from said first dispensing mouth and said second platen being movable inwardly away from said second dispensing mouth; and   a spring urging said first platen outwardly toward said first dispensing mouth and said second platen outwardly toward said second dispensing mouth,   
       wherein:
 said dispenser has a geometric center defined by the distance between said first and second dispensing mouths, and 
 each of said first and second platens is free to travel inwardly to reach at least the geometric center. 
 
     
     
         22 . The napkin dispenser of  claim 21 , wherein each of said first and second platens is free to travel inwardly beyond the geometric center. 
     
     
         23 . The napkin dispenser of  claim 21 , wherein said top wall is pivotally movable between an open position to receive napkins into said interior, and a closed position.