Paper towel dispenser
View Patent ↗Herein disclosed is an apparatus and method for dispensing a single paper towel from a continuous paper towel roll wherein individual towels are separated from each other by a plurality of perforations. The dispenser includes a housing having a housing back and a front cover connectable thereto for opening and closing the housing; a dispensing opening along a periphery of the housing, the dispensing opening defined at least partly by the housing back and at least partly by the front cover; a paper retainer member associated with the front cover and positioned to guide through the dispensing opening a tail of a paper towel roll positioned in the housing; and a piston assembly comprising a biasing member and a piston responsive thereto, the piston assembly connected to the housing so that the piston contacts the tail of a paper towel roll extending through the dispensing opening.
1. A dispenser for dispensing paper towels from a continuous paper towel roll wherein each individual towel is separated from an adjoining towel by a plurality of perforations, said dispenser comprising:
a dispenser housing having a housing back and a front cover hingedly connected thereto for opening and dosing said housing;
a dispensing opening along a periphery of said dispenser housing, said dispensing opening defined at least partly by said housing back and at least partly by said front cover; and
a piston assembly comprising a biasing member and a self-adjusting non-rotating piston responsive thereto, said piston assembly including a piston housing removably connected inside said dispenser housing so that said piston contacts the tail of a paper towel roll extending through said dispensing opening.
2. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the dispenser housing further comprises a wall mounting connector having a plurality of openings for therethrough receiving fasteners.
3. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the dispenser housing further comprises a wall mounting connector member having a plurality of openings for therethrough receiving fasteners, said connector member being releasably engageable with said housing back.
4. The dispenser of claim 1 further comprising an advertising display member releasably engageable with said dispenser housing.
5. The dispenser of claim 1 , further comprising an advertising display member releasably engageable with said dispenser housing so as to extend upwardly therefrom when engaged.
6. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein said dispenser housing further comprises a lock positioned to lock said front cover to said housing back so that said dispenser housing is securely closed.
7. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein said dispenser housing further comprises a paper support shelf forming a lower portion of said housing for thereon supporting a paper towel roll.
8. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein said front cover further comprises a rib member which supportingly contacts a paper retainer member when said front cover is dosed relative to said housing back.
9. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein said biasing member comprises a compression spring.
10. A dispenser for dispensing paper towels from a continuous paper towel roll wherefrom towels are separated by tearing along perforations, said dispenser comprising:
a housing having a housing back and a front cover hingedly connected thereto for opening and closing said housing;
a dispensing opening forming an outlet for a generally funnel shaped paper guide positioned along a lower periphery of said housing, said dispensing opening and funnel shape jointly formed by said housing back and said front cover; and
a piston assembly comprising a biasing member and a non-rotating piston responsive thereto, said piston assembly being removably connected to said housing so that said piston contacts the tail of a paper towel roll extending through said dispensing opening.
11. The dispenser of claim 10 , wherein the housing further comprises a wall mounting connector having a plurality of openings for therethrough receiving fasteners.
12. The dispenser of claim 10 , wherein the housing further comprises a wall mounting connector member having a plurality of openings for therethrough receiving fasteners, said connector member being releasably engageable with said housing back.
13. The dispenser of claim 10 , further comprising an advertising display member releasably engageable with said housing.
14. The dispenser of claim 10 , further comprising an advertising display member releasably engageable with said housing so as to extend upwardly therefrom when engaged.
15. The dispenser of claim 10 , wherein said housing further comprises a lock positioned to took said front cover to said housing back so that said housing is securely closed.
16. The dispenser of claim 10 , wherein said housing further comprises a paper support shelf forming a lower portion of said housing for thereon supporting a paper towel roll.
17. The dispenser of claim 10 , wherein said front cover further comprises a rib member which supportingly contacts a paper retainer member when said front cover is dosed relative to said housing back.
18. The dispenser of claim 10 , wherein said piston assembly further comprises a piston housing supporting piston in responsive contact with said biasing member.
19. The dispenser of claim 10 , wherein said biasing member comprises a compression spring.
20. The dispenser of claim 10 , wherein said piston assembly is removably connected to said housing.
21. The dispenser of claim 10 , wherein a paper retainer member abuts said paper guide and at least partly defines said general funnel shape.