Self-securing roll holder and method

A self-securing roll holder for easily exchanging rolls of sheet material. The holder comprises a mounting bracket, an mounting stanchion, a support, and a cap. The cap is pivotally connected to the support with a resilient retaining assembly. The cap has dimensions that allow the cap to act as a retainer in one position and, when moved to a second position, allow rolls of sheet material to be mounted and dismounted from the support. The retaining assembly further comprises a piston, a piston guide, a spring, and a pivot pin all of which are located inside the support. The cap is pivotally connected to the retaining assembly thereby maintaining forcible contact with the support and retaining rolls of sheet material on the support in one position until moved to a second position to exchange rolls.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure relates to roll holders for paper products. More particularly, this disclosure relates to spring-loaded toilet paper holders for use in bathrooms.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the prior art, various designs and devices are known which dispense rolls of sheet paper material. However, many suffer from the problems of requiring the use of both hands to operate and placing components on dirty surfaces during reloading which can spread disease. One prior art approach is a casing around the rolls of sheet material to hold and dispense the sheet products. A casing type device usually requires the use of many parts and can be difficult to open so as to necessitate the use of both hands. In another typical prior art approach, a removable cap is employed on the end of the spindle to retain rolls of sheet material. Removable cap type devices are oftentimes inconvenient and cumbersome, requiring the use of both hands. The removable cap is easily lost or broken, reducing effectiveness of the device. Furthermore, in both types of prior art devices, parts of the device or the paper roll must be at least temporarily placed on potentially unsanitized surfaces during reloading.

Other examples exist in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,742 to Pena discloses a magazine holder and dispenser for storing and dispensing rolls of toilet paper. Rolls are dispensed by rotating the spindle in an arcuate path about an axis perpendicular to the axis of the roll. The spindle is operated by a vertical crankshaft which is turned to release and dispense a roll in the magazine. The crankshaft also operates an upper roller located in the magazine to prevent a second stored roll from dispensing. The spindle also allows the second roll to drop into a ready position to be dispensed at a later time. This device requires the use of a separate lug, which is attached to the magazine, to secure a roll of sheet material on the spindle. There is no self-securing mechanism on the spindle itself.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,612,423 to Bahnsen, discloses a paper dispenser with a casing, a vertical spindle, and a cam mechanism within the spindle. The cam mechanism includes a pair of cam balls that move between a retracted position and an extended position and a lock to secure the cam balls in the extended position. A pair of part-cylindrical arms surrounds the spindle and is hingedly connected to the casing by a toothed collar that inserts over the spindle for attachment to the upper end of the spindle. When the cam balls are in their extended position, the inner walls of the arms for moving them are in a roll-holding position. The lower end of each arm has a flange for holding rolls of tissue paper. This device requires a special key to release the cam balls in order the squeeze the arms together to release a roll of tissue paper.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,856 to Conlon, Jr. discloses a tape reel drive mechanism that incorporates a cam lever, which is rotatably mounted to the end of a bifurcated shaft of the drive member. A tape reel is locked onto the drive shaft when the cam lever is rotated to force a cam ball, which is supported by a spring, between the two shaft segments, thereby forcing the shaft segments to part and expand two O-rings that surround the shaft segments to forcibly contact the reel hub. This device is not designed for securing rolls of paper sheet material as is the art of this disclosure. Further, this device requires the use of a complicated cam ball and O-ring mechanism to secure a reel on the drive shaft. The mechanism may be prone to jamming.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,682 to Dickson discloses a paper holder with a spindle on a bracket. The spindle requires a resilient material frictionally engaging a central cardboard tube of a paper roll. One embodiment discloses a spindle having a slot therethrough extending axially. The resilient material is press-fit into the slot and projects laterally. Dickson requires a cover to enclose the paper roll, or a resilient material to frictionally engage the paper roll in order to secure it.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,555 to Olson, et al., discloses a support reel with a “quick-release” flange. The flange is secured to a hub with two identical quick-release locking mechanisms. Each locking mechanism has a pair of interlocking cylindrical members. A first cylindrical member, located on the hub, telescopically receives a second cylindrical member, which is mounted on the flange. Each cylindrical member supports a spring-biased plunger. Each hub-mounted member has a pair of multi-sectioned detent-receiving slots that receive a pair of locking pins that extend out from each flange-mounted member. The flange is secured to the hub when a screwdriver depresses and turns each flange-mounted member so that the locking pins are seated in the receiving slots. This device is not used in securing rolls of sheet material and requires interlocking members with locking pins. Also, the device requires an extra tool, i.e., a screwdriver to function.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,179 to Smith, et al., discloses a yarn spool retainer utilizing a yarn spool spindle having a spool retainer consisting of an outer sleeve with an inner plunger. The plunger is resiliently attached to the sleeve whereby the retainer can be placed in the spool and the plunger depressed and rotated to allow studs, which extend radially from the barrel into the bore, to engage with the spindle blade “J”-slots. This device requires two separate pieces, one of which can be lost, and must be used in a vertical position. The slots are prone to misalignment and jamming.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,439 to Bizic discloses a housing for a roll of photographic strip material on a spool. The housing consists of two frontal plates with bearing lugs for the rolls and a jacket that are held together with an axial threaded bolt. Multiple toggle positions of a handle, attached to the threaded bolt function to align the film on the spool. This device requires a housing and a threaded bolt to secure a roll on the spindle.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,749 to White discloses a paper roll holder with a removable cap that has pins to secure the roll. White relies on a removable cap, which can be lost, and protruding studs to secure rolls of sheet material.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,500 to Chen discloses a paper roll holder with a two-part casing that has an opening in the bottom to dispense sheet material. The paper roll is secured inside the casing by a rotary knob. In order to change a roll, a special key is inserted into the top of the casing, and the rotary knob is turned. The spindle is released, allowing the hinged casing to be opened. This device creates a difficult process of changing rolls of sheet material and relies on a casing with a rotary knob to secure rolls of sheet material.

The prior art fails to disclose or suggest a roll holder with a self-securing retainer that allows for easily mounting or removing rolls of sheet material with a sanitary procedure. Therefore, it is desirable to have a roll holder that secures a paper roll while allowing easy dispensing device that is of and is uncomplicated and allows for single-handed operation. It is also desirable to have a paper holder that is of a unitary construction to avoid multiple parts and lost or unsanitary pieces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventor hereby discloses a self-securing roll holder with a unitary construction that can be adjusted to both retain rolls of sheet material and allow for an easy, single-handed exchange of rolls of sheet material.

One preferred embodiment comprises a mounting bracket, a mounting stanchion, a support, and a cap that is pivotally connected to a retaining assembly inside the support. The retaining assembly provides a first position of the cap to retain a roll of sheet material while allowing it to turn freely. A second position of the cap allows the roll to be exchanged.

In one embodiment, the retaining assembly includes a piston, a piston guide, and a spring. A pivot pin connects the piston to the cap. The piston guide is secured inside the support. The piston slides through the piston guide. The piston guide maintains the cap in linear alignment while allowing it to be moved between the first position and the second position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS. 1A through 1C, a mounting bracket100supports a mounting stanchion200, a support300, and a cap400. Mounting bracket100is generally mounted to a flat wall surface with fasteners205. Mounting stanchion200has a first end201and a second end202. First end201is rigidly attached to mounting bracket100. Bracket100is attached to wall101by standard fasteners205. Second end202is removably attached to securing collar204. Securing collar204includes hole206. Support300is secured to mounting stanchion200in hole206. Securing collar202is adapted to receive a fastener203in hole207. Fastener203is a conventional fastener such as a set screw. Decorative cap304is removably fitted to support300. The length of mounting stanchion200is sufficient so that support300is placed at a distance so that a full roll of sheet material410when mounted on support300can freely rotate about support300. Second end302includes slot303. Support300may be oriented in securing collar202in “left-hand” and “right-hand” orientations. In the left-hand orientation, the support extends farther to the left of the securing collar. In the right-hand orientation, the support extends farther to the right of the securing collar. Support300can also be positioned in securing collar202at variable angles about its axis, thereby establishing a change in the rotation plane of cap400as will be further described.

Referring toFIG. 1B, cap400is secured in second end302by retaining assembly399, which is located inside support300. Cap400comprises facing401and facing support402. Facing support402extends generally perpendicularly from facing401having first width405, angled reduction404, and second width406. First width405is provided to strengthen the cap to resist fractures at the interface of facing401and facing support402. Angled reduction404provides sufficient clearance to allow rotation of the cap without interference with support302.

First width405includes top surface405A and bottom surface405B. Axis900is positioned distance407from top surface405A and distance406from bottom surface405B. In a preferred embodiment, distance407is greater than distance406. Fixture surfaces of cap401extend to distance903from the outer surface of support300. These dimensions are preferred but not critical.

The retaining assembly comprises a spring501, a piston guide502, a piston503, and a pivot pin508. Piston503includes flange504integrally formed with piston rod505. In a preferred embodiment, the cross-section of the piston rod is rectangular to prevent axial rotation of the piston. In other embodiments, square, hexagonal and oval cross sections are employed. As will be recognized, other cross-section shapes that prevent axial rotation will also suffice. Piston guide502is rigidly attached to the inside surface of support300with a suitable adhesive. A press fit or crimp may also be employed with success. Piston guide502includes hole510. In a preferred embodiment, the hole is rectangular to receive the piston rod. However, other shapes will suffice which cooperate with the shape of the piston rod to prevent axial rotation of the piston rod. Piston rod505is positioned in hole510and is sized to allow a sliding motion of the piston rod along its longitudinal axis. The piston guide is provided of sufficient width to constrain the piston rod to axial motion only. Flange504has a diameter greater than hole510. Spring helical501surrounds piston rod505and urges flange504away from piston guide502. In one preferred embodiment, helical spring501demonstrates a 3 lb/inch spring constant. Spring constants of between about 0.5 lb/inch and 10 lb/inch are preferred.

Referring toFIG. 2, facing401has first dimension404that is less than the diameter of core411of the roll of sheet material. Second dimension403is greater than the diameter of core411. Facing401retains a roll of sheet material by the interference of second dimension403with the roll.

Referring toFIGS. 3A and 3B, directional force800of approximately 3 pounds is applied to cap400, thus displacing cap400from a first position600to an intermediate position thereby compressing helical spring501. Force800displaces cap400by a distance601, which is sufficient to allow cap400to be rotated about pivot pin508.

Referring toFIGS. 4A and 4B, cap400is shown rotated from its intermediate position at angle700to its second position at angle701. Angle700and angle701are separated by an angular displacement α. In a preferred embodiment, angular displacement α is about 80° to 100°. Angle α defines a plane of rotation. The plane of rotation may be varied by repositioning the support in the collar.

In the second position, facing support402rests in slot303. While at second position, a roll of sheet material410can either be mounted or dismounted by sliding it over cap400and onto support300.

To return the cap from its second position to its first position, an opposite rotational force is applied to the cap, dislodging the support from slot303. Spring501urges piston rod503rearwards, thereby rotating the cap into its intermediate position, through interference between the piston guide and the facing support. Once in the intermediate position, the bias provided by spring501automatically returns the cap of the intermediate position to the firs position.

In a preferred method of use, one hand is used to hold the roll of paper, while using one or more fingers of the same hand to move the cap from its first position to its second position. The roll may then be loaded and the same hand may be used to return the cap from the second position to the first position.

Neither the roll nor any part of the holder need be temporarily placed on a potentially unsanitary surface.

Referring toFIG. 5B, flange590is integrally formed with piston rod505in a central position. Spring501is secured to flange590with securing bracket595, and to piston guide502with securing bracket596. Spring501applies a biasing force between piston guide502and flange590.

Referring toFIG. 5C, resilient retainer598is an annular ring which is formed of an elastomeric material, such as neoprene, and is shown positioned around the piston rod between flange504and piston guide502. Other resilient materials will suffice.

Referring toFIG. 5D, damper530is secured between piston guide502and flange504. Damper530in a preferred embodiment is a fluid-filled piston/cylinder arrangement which slows the movement of the piston rod as induced by spring501. In use, the damper prevents the cap from “snapping” into place against the support when rotated from its second position to its first position.

Referring toFIG. 5E, magnet597is secured to flange504. Magnet598is secured to retainer base509. Magnet597is secured to flange504through adhesive or other means known in the art. Magnet598is secured to retainer base509through adhesive or other means known in the art. From left to right, magnet597is orientated in a north-south position; magnet598is orientated in a south-north position. Opposite orientations will suffice. Piston505slidingly moves through piston guide502. Magnet597and magnet598apply a bias force between retainer base509and flange504.

Mounting bracket100, mounting stanchion200, support300, cap400, piston503, and retainer base509in the preferred embodiment are formed of a light aluminum magnesium oxide. However, other rigid materials can be used such as polyvinyl chloride plastics or suitable durable materials as known in the art. The pivot pin and the helical spring are formed of spring steel.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made to the embodiments disclosed and remain within the inventive concept. Therefore, this invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, but is intended to cover changes within the scope and spirit of the claims.