Paper Towel Dispenser

Abstract

A dispenser includes a housing surrounding a volume, an opening formed within a bottom wall of the housing to expose the volume to an environment external to the dispenser, and an insert disposed within the housing. The insert includes first and second sidewalls oriented parallel to each other, an opening formed in a bottom wall of the insert and aligned with the opening of the housing, angled guide walls extending inward from the first and second sidewalls and toward the opening, and a volume disposed between the sidewalls of the insert configured to receive a product stack e.g., paper hand towels. The angled guide walls are configured to reduce the volume of the product stack adjacent the bottom wall.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A dispenser comprising:
 a housing surrounding a volume;   an opening formed within a bottom wall of the housing to expose the volume to an environment external to the dispenser, the bottom wall oriented at an angle between 0 and 90 degrees; and   an insert removably disposed within the housing, the insert including:
 first and second sidewalls oriented parallel to each other; 
 an opening formed in a bottom wall of the insert and aligned with the opening of the housing; and 
 angled guide walls extending inward from the first and second sidewalls and toward the opening; and 
 a volume disposed between the sidewalls of the insert configured to receive a product stack, the angled guide walls configured to reduce the volume adjacent the bottom wall. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , further comprising a limit plate disposed within the dispenser, the limit plate having an upper location spaced apart from the top wall of the housing and configured to move downward toward a lower location as the product stack is removed from the volume. 
     
     
         3 . The dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein the limit plate further comprises an indicator tab configured to align with an indicator opening of the housing when the limit plate approaches or is in the lower location. 
     
     
         4 . The dispenser of  claim 3 , wherein the insert includes an indicator opening formed therein and configured to align with the indicator opening of the housing, wherein the indicator tab of the limit plate is configured to align with the indicator opening of the insert when the limit plate approaches or is in the lower location. 
     
     
         5 . The dispenser of  claim 4 , wherein the indicator opening of the insert is sized larger than the indicator opening of the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein the each of the first and second sidewalls of the insert include a opening extending along the length of the sidewall;
 wherein the limit plate includes a first extension tab extending from a first end thereof and a second extension tab extending from a second end thereof, the first and second extension tabs extending through the openings of the first and second sidewalls of the insert respectively.   
     
     
         7 . The dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the insert comprises an upper portion and a lower portion separable from each other;
 wherein the upper portion includes the first and second sidewalls of the insert; and   wherein the lower portion includes the bottom wall and angled guide walls of the insert.   
     
     
         8 . The dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein the lower portion further includes a front wall extending upward from a front edge of the bottom wall and a rear wall extending upward from a rear edge of the bottom wall. 
     
     
         9 . The dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein the upper portion further includes at least one of a front wall portion extending inward from at least one of a front edge of the first sidewall and a front edge of the second sidewall. 
     
     
         10 . The dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one front wall portion is configured to extend between the first and second sidewalls for distance less than a distance between the first and second sidewalls to provide a space between the front edges of the first and second sidewalls; and
 wherein the space is aligned with an indicator opening of the housing.   
     
     
         11 . An insert for a dispenser, the insert comprising:
 first and second sidewalls oriented parallel to each other;   an opening formed in a bottom wall of the insert and aligned with an opening of the dispenser; and   angled guide walls extending inward from the first and second sidewalls and toward the opening; and   a volume disposed between the sidewalls of the insert configured to receive paper towels, the angled guide walls configured to reduce the volume adjacent the bottom wall.   
     
     
         12 . The insert of  claim 11 , further comprising a limit plate movable within the insert, the limit plate having an upper location and configured to move downward toward a lower location as the paper towels are removed from the volume. 
     
     
         13 . The insert of  claim 12 , wherein the limit plate further comprises an indicator tab configured to align with an indicator opening of the dispenser when the limit plate approaches or is in the lower location. 
     
     
         14 . The insert of  claim 13 , wherein the indicator tab of the limit plate is configured to align with an indicator opening of the insert when the limit plate approaches or is in the lower location, the indicator opening of the insert configured to align with the indicator opening of the housing. 
     
     
         15 . The insert of  claim 14 , wherein the indicator opening of the insert is sized larger than the indicator opening of the housing. 
     
     
         16 . The insert of  claim 12 , wherein the each of the first and second sidewalls of the insert include a opening extending along the length of the sidewall;
 wherein the limit plate includes a first extension tab extending from a first end thereof and a second extension tab extending from a second end thereof, the first and second extension tabs extending through the openings of the first and second sidewalls of the insert respectively.   
     
     
         17 . The insert of  claim 11 , wherein the insert comprises an upper portion and a lower portion separable from each other;
 wherein the upper portion includes the first and second sidewalls of the insert; and   wherein the lower portion includes the bottom wall and angled guide walls of the insert.   
     
     
         18 . The insert of  claim 17 , wherein the lower portion further includes a front wall extending upward from a front edge of the bottom wall and a rear wall extending upward from a rear edge of the bottom wall. 
     
     
         19 . The insert of  claim 17 , wherein the upper portion further includes a first front portion extending inward from a front edge of the first sidewall. 
     
     
         20 . The insert of  claim 19 , wherein the upper portion further includes a second front portion extending inward from a front edge of the second sidewall; and
 wherein the first and second front portions are spaced apart from each to provide a space therebetween; and   wherein the space is aligned with an indicator opening of the dispenser.