EP1230887A2

EP1230887A2 - Paper napkin support cradle provided with napkin fastening clamp

Info

Publication number: EP1230887A2
Application number: EP20020425059
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sergio Tontarelli
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-02-08
Filing date: 2002-02-05
Publication date: 2002-08-14
Also published as: ITMC20010007U1

Abstract

The present invention refers to a paper napkin support cradle provided with a fastening clamp that ensures the stable and correct position of paper napkins in their housing.

Description

The present patent application refers to a paper napkin support cradle provided with a fastening clamp that maintains napkins in the correct position in their housing.
The model of the invention originates from the observation of a practical inconvenience that can be found in all the different types of table napkin holders that are currently available on the market. Reference is made to the fact that most napkin holders lack suitable means to prevent the uncontrolled exit of napkins from their housing due to careless handling when the user takes one napkin.
It often happens that when taking one napkin out of the napkin holder, the user involuntarily takes more napkins at the same time or touches the adjacent napkins, causing disorder in the pack of napkins that lose their correct layout and position in the napkin holder.
No remedy exists against the action of wind and other draughts that make paper napkins fly, being too light to resist it.
A particular type of napkin holder has been devised to prevent this inconvenience, which is quite common when tables are set outdoors. It is composed of a sort of basket where the napkins are stacked one on top of the other in horizontal position, and not placed one against the other in vertical position, like in traditional napkin holders with cradle structure. This particular model of napkin holder is provided with a cylindrical metal bar that is placed on the stack of napkins. Thanks to the weight of the bar napkins remain stacked even under the action of strong draughts.
The inconvenience of this model of napkin holders is represented by the fact that the user must use both hands to take one napkin out. As a matter of fact, before taking the last napkin of the stack, the user needs to lift the cylindrical bar that is placed on top of the napkin stack. This operation requires two hands, since the user must lift the bar with one hand and use the other hand to take the napkin.
The purpose of the present invention is to realise a paper napkin holder with cradle structure, provided with means capable of fastening the pack of napkins placed in vertical position, in order to maintain their ordered position also in the presence of strong draughts or shocks.
The napkin holder of the invention comprises a base from which a cradle-type body protrudes. A suitably shaped clamp is pivoted inside the body and it is capable of assuming an horizontal position against one of the walls of the cradle and subject to the overturning action of a spring that pushes it against the other wall of the cradle, in opposite position.
The pack of napkins is positioned inside a compartment limited by a fixed wall and a mobile clamp that exercises its fastening action on the pack of napkins while the napkins are taken out. When the last napkin has been taken out, the clamp touches the fixed wall of the compartment.
The pressure exercised by the clamp on the pack of napkins is modest and for this reason each napkin can be taken out with small traction force. At the same time, however, the pressure is sufficient to maintain the correct position of the napkins also in the presence of strong winds or shocks.
For major clarity the description of the napkin holder of the invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawings, which are intended for purposes of illustration and not in a limiting sense, whereby:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the napkin holder of the invention.
Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1, with the clamp in closed position.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the napkin holder of the invention sectioned with a transversal plane, in which the clamp is engaged against one of the cradle walls.
Fig. 4 is the same as Fig. 2, with the clamp detached from the cradle wall.
Fig. 5 is the cross-section of the model of the invention with a transversal plane, in which the clamp is engaged against one of the cradle walls.

With reference to the enclosed figures, the napkin holder of the invention comprises a base (1) from which a cradle-shaped body (2) protrudes. A clamp (3) is pivoted inside the body and suitable shaped to be perfectly positioned on one (2a) of the walls of the cradle (2).
More precisely, the clamp (3) has a basically L-shaped profile, it being formed by a vertical wing (3a) and a sub-horizontal wing (3b) that is placed over the bottom wall (2b) of the cradle (2).
The housing of the pack of napkins is bordered by the vertical wing (3a) of the clamp on one side, by the horizontal wing (3b) of the clamp (3) on the bottom and by the wall (2c) of the cradle (2) opposite the wing (3a) of the clamp (3) on the other side, which is hinged to the bottom (2b) by means of a pivoting dowel (4) located under the end (3c) of the clamp (3).
A torsion spring (5) is inserted on the dowel (4) so that the end (5a) presses the bottom wall (2b) of the cradle (2) and the end (5b) presses the horizontal wing (3b) of the clamp (3), which is subject to an overturning moment that pushes it against the opposite wall (2c) of the cradle (2).
In order to make it easier to place the napkins in the napkin holder, the model of the invention comprises means used to hold the vertical wing (3a) of the clamp (3) against the internal side of the wall (2a) of the cradle (2), so that the pack of napkins can be easily placed in the housing.
The means simply consists in a projecting part (3d) located on the external side of the horizontal wing (3a) of the clamp (3), capable of engaging into a corresponding slot (2d) located on the wall (2a) of the cradle (2).
After positioning the pack of napkins in the housing, the user only needs to release the projecting part (3d) from the slot (2d) to free the clamp (3) that, because of the spring (5), fastens the pack against the wall (2c) of the cradle (2).
The internal side of the vertical wing (3a) of the clamp (3) features a central protuberance (3e) with curved profile near the upper border, which acts as fastening "hook" with respect to the pack of napkins.
By pressing the centre of the pack of napkins, the protuberance (3e) determines the fan-shaped opening of the two opposite sides of the pack, with a little space between the ends of the napkins, thus allowing the user to take one napkin at a time.
The fan-shaped opening is favoured by the presence of a slot (2e) on the wing (2c) opposite the protuberance (3e).
The same purpose explains the sub-horizontal inclination of the wing (3b) of the clamp (3), on which the pack of napkins is positioned. The napkins spontaneously tend to occupy a staggered position from the top downwards, with the same inclination as the sloping wing (3b).

Claims

A paper napkin support cradle of the type comprising a base (1) from which a cradle-shaped body (2) protrudes, in which a pack of napkins is placed, characterised by the fact that a clamp (3) is pivoted inside the cradle (2) and suitable shaped to be perfectly positioned on one (2a) of the walls of the cradle (2) and subject to the returning action of a spring (5) that pushes it against the opposite fixed wall (2c) of the cradle.
A paper napkin support cradle according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the clamp (3) has a basically L-shaped profile, it being formed by a vertical wing (3a) and a sub-horizontal wing (3b) that is placed over the bottom wall (2b) of the cradle(2), so that the housing of the pack of napkins is bordered by the vertical wing (3a) of the clamp on one side, by the sub-horizontal wing (3b) of the clamp on the bottom, and by the wall (2c) of the cradle (2) opposite the wing (3a) of the clamp (3) on the other side, which is hinged to the bottom (2b) by means of a pivoting dowel (4) located under the end (3c) of the clamp (3).
A paper napkin support cradle according to the previous claims, characterised by the fact that a torsion spring (5) is inserted in the dowel (4) so that the end (5a) presses the bottom wall (2b) of the cradle (2) and the end (5b) presses the sub-horizontal wing (3b) of the clamp (3).
A paper napkin support cradle according to claims 1 and 2, characterised by the fact that it comprises a projecting part (3d) located on the external side of the horizontal wing (3a) of the clamp (3), capable of engaging into a corresponding slot (2d) located on the wall (2a) of the cradle (2).
A paper napkin support cradle according to claims 1 and 2, characterised by the fact that the internal side of the vertical wing (3a) of the clamp (3) features a central protuberance (3e) with curved profile near the upper border, which acts as fastening "hook" with respect to the pack of napkins.
A paper napkin support cradle according to claim 5, characterised by the fact that a slot (2e) is located on the wing (2c) opposite the protuberance (3e).