Sheet product dispenser

Abstract

A dispenser having a base extension manoeuvrable between a retracted position and an extended position is provided. In the retracted position, the base extension is contained within a foot print of the dispenser when the dispenser is viewed from above. In the extended position, the base extension projects from the footprint formed by the rest of the dispenser when the dispenser is viewed in plan. The base extension is manoeuvrable into the extended position in a sliding motion akin to opening a drawer. The dispenser includes a removable face piece that has a bulging top portion, a recessed medial portion and a toe portion projecting as compared to the recessed portion. Between the bulging top portion and the projecting toe portion, the recess provides a finger receiving space for grasping a tissue in a dispensing opening and dispensing it from the dispenser.

1 . A dispenser comprising:
 a dispensing opening through which sheet products are dispensable from within the dispenser;   a base;   the dispenser arranged to be stood on its base on a counter surface or other such surface so that the sheet products are fed to the dispensing opening by gravity; and   a base extension that is manoeuvrable into a deployed position to extend the base to increase the dispenser's resistance to being tipped over.   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the base extension is manoeuvrable from an undeployed position within a footprint of the dispenser to a position extending from that footprint, wherein the footprint is an area of the counter surface or other surface taken up by the dispenser when the dispenser is viewed in plan. 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the base extension is attached to the dispenser and is manoeuvrable from an undeployed position to the deployed position. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the base extension, in the deployed position, extends from a back side of the dispenser, wherein the dispensing opening is disposed at a front side of the dispenser. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the base extension has a retracted position relative to the base and an extended position relative to the base, wherein the extended position corresponds to the deployed position. 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser of  claim 5 , wherein the base extension is manoeuvrable from the retracted position to the extended position in the manner of a drawer. 
     
     
         7 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the base extension is arranged to contact the counter surface or other such surface in an undeployed position and in the deployed position. 
     
     
         8 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the dispenser includes a component for fixing the dispenser to an upright wall so that the dispenser can be used by standing it on the base on the counter or other such surface and by fixing the dispenser to an upright or vertical surface with the base suspended. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser of  claim 8 , wherein the wall fixing component is provided on a back side of the dispenser, whereas the dispensing opening is provided on a front side of the dispenser, and the base extension is manoeuvrable from the deployed position extending from a rear side of the dispenser to an undeployed position in which the base extension extends less far from the rear side of the dispenser as compared to the deployed position or in which the base extension is retracted within the rear side of the dispenser. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser of  claim 8 , wherein the base extension has a deployed position extending beyond the wall fixing component in which vertical mounting of the wall fixing component to the wall would be impeded by the base extension and is manoeuvrable to an undeployed position in which the mounting of the wall fixing component to the wall is no longer impeded. 
     
     
         11 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , comprising a chute surface for supporting a stack of sheet products in the dispenser and for guiding the sheet products to the dispensing opening, wherein the chute surface is curved along at least part of the chute surface to guide the napkins to the dispensing opening. 
     
     
         12 . The dispenser of  claim 11 , wherein the curved surface forms a cavity in a rear side of the dispenser, whereas the dispensing opening is in a front side of the dispenser, and wherein the base extension is extendable into the deployed position from a retracted position within the cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , comprising a chute surface comprising a less steep portion for supporting part of a stack of sheet products adjacent the dispensing opening and a steeper portion for supporting part of the stack further away from the dispensing opening, wherein the steeper portion is for supporting a larger part of the stack than the less steep portion. 
     
     
         14 . The dispenser of  claim 13 , wherein the steeper portion is angled relative to a horizontal surface upon which the dispenser is placed by the base of the dispenser at an angle of at least 65°. 
     
     
         15 . The dispenser of  claim 13 , wherein the angle of the steeper portion relative to a horizontal surface upon which the dispenser is placed on its base is between 65° and 85°. 
     
     
         16 . The dispenser of  claim 13 , wherein the less steep portion is angled relative to a horizontal surface upon which the dispenser is placed by its base by at least 20°. 
     
     
         17 . The dispenser of  claim 13 , wherein the less steep portion defines an angle relative to a horizontal surface upon which the dispenser is placed on its base of between 20° and 70°. 
     
     
         18 . The dispenser of  claim 13 , wherein the less steep portion of the chute surface is curved. 
     
     
         19 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , comprising a chute surface defining a turn in the dispensing path so that the dispensing opening faces more forwards than downwards. 
     
     
         20 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a toe portion protruding in a frontward direction relative to a vertical line passing through a centre of the dispensing opening when the dispenser is stood on the base on a horizontal surface, wherein the dispensing opening is located on a front side of the dispenser. 
     
     
         21 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , including a front dispensing surface including an upper portion sloping backwards and a lower portion sloping frontwards to define a finger receiving recess therebetween with respect to a downward direction, wherein the dispensing opening is located in the upper portion so that a user is to reach in to the recess to dispense sheet products from the dispensing opening. 
     
     
         22 . The dispenser of  claim 21 , wherein the base comprises a toe portion protruding in a frontward direction relative to a vertical line passing through a centre of the dispensing opening when the dispenser is stood on the base on a horizontal surface, wherein the dispensing opening is located on a front side of the dispenser, wherein the lower portion slopes frontwards to lead in to the toe portion. 
     
     
         23 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , comprising means for locking the base extension in the deployed position and in an undeployed position. 
     
     
         24 . The dispenser of  claim 23 , comprising user activatable means for unlocking the means for locking. 
     
     
         25 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the base extension is moveable between a retracted position and an extended position corresponding to the deployed position and wherein the dispenser comprises a guide slot and a guide follower to guide movement of the base extension between the extended and retracted positions. 
     
     
         26 . A dispenser, comprising:
 a face piece comprising a dispensing opening through which sheet products stored as a stack in the dispenser are dispensable;   a stand upon which the dispenser is to be stood on a counter surface or other such surface so that the sheet products are fed by gravity to the dispensing opening;   at least one component for fixing the dispenser to an upright wall;   wherein the face piece forms at least part of the stand;   wherein the face piece is configured to be removable;   wherein the dispenser is adapted to be stood on the counter surface or other such surface on the stand including the face piece and is adapted to be mounted to the upright wall with the face piece removed.   
     
     
         27 . The dispenser of  claim 26 , the face piece and the mating part of the dispenser include interacting components for push on and pull off mounting of the face piece for respectively securing the face piece to the dispenser and removing the face piece from the dispenser. 
     
     
         28 . The dispenser of  claim 26 , wherein the face piece includes a portion that moves into engagement with a mating portion of the dispenser when the face piece is mounted to the dispenser. 
     
     
         29 . The dispenser of  claim 26 , wherein the dispensing opening of the first face piece may be adapted for one at a time dispensing of the sheet products. 
     
     
         30 . The dispenser of  claim 26 , wherein the first face piece is arranged so that the dispensing opening reveals a bottommost surface of the stack of sheet products. 
     
     
         31 . The dispenser of  claim 26 , wherein the face piece forms a front side toe portion of the stand. 
     
     
         32 . The dispenser of  claim 26 , wherein the face piece is shaped to have an upper portion and a lower portion defining a finger receiving recess therebetween for grasping a sheet product through the dispensing opening, wherein the lower portion forms the toe portion and the dispensing opening is located in the upper portion. 
     
     
         33 . The dispenser of  claim 32 , wherein the upper portion and the lower portion form a curved shape to define the recess between opposed parts of the curve. 
     
     
         34 . The dispenser of  claim 26 , wherein the dispenser is part of a dispenser system that further comprises a second face piece including a dispensing opening, wherein the dispensing opening of the first face piece is adapted for one at a time dispensing of the sheet products, whereas the dispensing opening of the second face piece is adapted for dispensing a plurality of sheet products at a time, wherein the first face piece is arranged so that the dispensing opening reveals a bottommost surface of the stack of sheet products, whereas the second face piece is arranged so that the dispensing opening reveals edges of a plurality of the sheet products at the bottom of the stack.