Rolled paper dispenser

A rolled paper dispenser includes a base that has a rear surface, and a front surface. The rear surface is adapted to be mounted on wall. The rolled paper dispenser also includes a dispensing section that extends from the base at an angle away from the front surface of the base. The dispensing section is a generally elongated, flat, thin member and can include a securing section and an attachment section. The securing section extends from the dispensing section and defines an angle with the front surface of the base from about 25° to about 65°.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to devices for dispensing paper from a roll.

BACKGROUND

There are a great many different types of dispensers intended to hold and dispense sheets of paper from a roll, such as a toilet paper roll or a paper towel roll. These dispensers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and can range from very simple to complex in both the way they operate and their ornamentation. Simple wire or rod hangers, vertical tubes, and wall-mounted spindles are well known and widely used. An example paper holder and dispensing system is set forth in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20110215187A1. While known strategies for holding and dispensing paper from a roll may be suitable in many contexts, there remains ample room for alternative strategies.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, a rolled paper dispenser includes a base having a top end and an oppositely disposed bottom end, a front surface and an oppositely disposed rear surface adapted to be mounted upon a wall. The rolled paper dispenser further includes a support member having a dispensing section structured to support a paper roll, and extending from the base and projecting at a first angle away from the front surface that is from about 25° to about 65°. The support member further includes an attachment section coupled to the base and oriented at a second angle relative to the dispensing section. The support member further includes a securing section forming a tip of the support member and extending at a third angle from the dispensing section toward the base to limit disengaging the paper roll from the dispensing section. The second angle is an obtuse angle and the third angle is an acute angle.

In another aspect, a paper holder includes a wall-mountable base portion, and a dispensing portion connected to, and extending from the wall-mountable base portion. The dispensing portion includes an elongated portion that extends away from the wall-mountable base portion in a direction opposed to the pull of gravity. The wall-mountable base portion and the elongated portion form an angle, opening upwardly, from about 25° to about 65°.

In still another aspect, a rolled paper dispenser includes a base having a top end and an oppositely disposed bottom end, a front surface and an oppositely disposed rear surface adapted to be mounted upon a wall. The rolled paper dispenser further includes a support member having a dispensing section structured to support a paper roll, and extending from the base and projecting at a first angle away from the front surface that is from about 25° to about 65°. The support member further includes a securing section forming a tip of the support member and extending at another angle from the dispensing section that opens in a direction of the base and oriented so as to limit disengaging the paper roll from the dispensing section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Novel technology of a rolled paper dispenser7is shown inFIGS. 1-9. Dispenser7includes a base1that typically has a cross-sectional shape and contains a top end11, an oppositely disposed bottom end12, a front surface9, an oppositely disposed rear surface10, and a support member2structured to support a paper roll3. The support member2is removably, reattachably connectable to the base1. Paper roll3includes a roll of toilet paper, paper towels, hereinafter “paper roll3”, or other paper products stored on a roll. Base1may be rectangular, and typically formed predominately of a wood material, and support member2may typically be formed predominantly of a metal material such as aluminum but, as will be apparent from the discussion herein, either or both may be formed—in whole or in part—from any suitable material including, for instance, metal, ceramic, wood, glass, marble, or plastic materials.FIG. 6shows the support member2, which includes a dispensing section5and a securing section4, and may further include an attachment section6for attaching support member to base1. Dispensing section5may be a generally elongated, flat, thin member, although embodiments in which dispensing section5is curved, has rounded surfaces, or still other shapes, structures, or configurations are also contemplated. Support member2may include a one-piece elongate body of metal that has selected plastically deformed bends and dimensions to attain desired structural and functional properties as further discussed herein.

Material differences between embodiments will be discussed herein. Absent such discussion, different embodiments should generally be understood to be alike in structure and function. It will be appreciated that various embodiments of the dispenser7may have components with a variety of different designs or structures. For instance, base1could have any other shape or configuration, such as a circular shape, a different polygonal shape, or an abstract or ornamental shape, for instance. It will further be appreciated that certain embodiments may include elements from different embodiments disclosed herein. By way of example, in one embodiment, dispenser7could have both an oblong shape and beveled edges.

In the embodiment ofFIGS. 1-6, dispensing section5is substantially straight and angled relative to front surface9of base at a first angle100from about 40° to about 50°. As used herein, the term “about” can be understood in the context of conventional rounding to a consistent number of significant digits. Accordingly, “about 40” might mean from 35-44, and so on. In other embodiments, dispensing section5may be angled to base1at a first angle100from about 25° to about 65°. Attachment section6may be oriented at an obtuse angle (a second angle)150relative to dispensing section5that is from about 115° to about 135°. Securing section4might also be substantially straight and angled at a third angle110from about 85° to about 95° relative to dispensing section5. Angle110may be an acute angle, and angle150an obtuse angle in most embodiments. Securing section4could be oriented approximately normal to surface9in some embodiments. Securing section4may, based on its orientation, fit along the exposed outside surface of the end of paper roll3and trap paper roll3between securing section4and base1to prevent it from becoming disengaged during use. Securing section4is also typically angled by way of angle110toward base1to reduce likelihood of its being snagged by a user.

It can further be seen that placing paper roll3upon support member2causes an edge120of paper roll3to contact front surface9. In this way, paper roll3, and more specifically edge120, generally remains in contact with front surface9. This substantially continuous contact may create frictional resistance that prevents free unrolling and opposes the direction in which the sheets are being dispensed in a manner that may prevent accidental or otherwise undesirable dispensing from paper roll3without unduly encumbering normal use. As most types of paper rolls in common usage are pre-perforated, embodiments of dispenser7are contemplated in which the first angle100of dispensing section5relative to front surface9may be selected based on an amount of force necessary to tear the dispensed paper at the perforations, whilst still enabling unrolling.

InFIG. 5, support member2may be attached to base1by way of attachment section6through use of an adhesive such as glue, fasteners, or by any other suitable means. The bottom of base12may be structured with an engagement slot13created to lockingly accept attachment section6, potentially using an interference fit or a slip fit, such that surfaces of attachment section6are substantially flush with the corresponding surfaces of base1. InFIG. 5, dispenser7is shown in which support member2and base1are decoupled. As can be seen, a recessed section formed in a bottom end12and a rear surface10of base1may be sized and shaped to receive attachment section6. Rear surface10may also include one or more installation members or features8for installing dispenser7in a desired location. For example, installation members8may be a recessed area formed in rear surface10such that dispenser7may be installed on a wall having fasteners positioned thereon. In this way, dispenser7may be installed such that rear surface10can be flush with the wall or other surface on which dispenser7is installed. Installation members8might be a hook, a screw, a wire, or any other device or structure suitable for installing dispenser7at a desired location. Base1might be structured to receive attachment section6such that attachment section6is not visible.

In another embodiment, support member2of dispenser7might not include an attachment section6. In this embodiment, support member2may be integrally formed with base1. For example, dispenser7might be manufactured to allow dispenser7to have a substantially uniform material composition. In other embodiments, base1and support member2may not be integrally formed and/or may have different material compositions. In such embodiments, support member2might be attached to front surface9of base1through use of an adhesive, fasteners, or any other suitable attachment strategy, potentially within a recess.

InFIG. 7, an attachment section66of a support member22may have a curved, swooping shape that extends below a bottom end14before curving upwards. In such an embodiment, attachment section66may not be flush with a back surface111of base101. Installation members113may be structured to project from rear surface111a similar distance that attachment section66projects from rear surface111. A top end is shown at101

InFIGS. 8 and 9, the transition between a securing section15and a dispensing section55of a support member2may have a curved shape.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

Referring to the drawings generally, it will be appreciated by most that toilet paper and other rolled paper that is dispensed for personal hygiene, cleaning activities, or still other purposes can often freely and uncontrollably unroll. Pets and playful children can often ruin a roll of such paper, or require a person to tediously reroll the paper upon its spool. Conventional paper dispensers are typically either mounted upon a horizontal spindle or the like which allows free and unrestricted unrolling, or sometimes vertically oriented, equipped with an anti-rotation cover that sits upon the roll, or simply placed on a surface and not supported for rotation at all. Waste of rolled paper is generally annoying, and potentially expensive.

The present disclosure provides a diagonally oriented paper roll support that employs mild frictional interaction to give the paper roll some resistance to unrolling. Referring back toFIG. 3, it will be recalled that angle100assists in providing this frictional interaction as the weight of paper roll3will tend to cause paper roll3to be seated against from surface9. Angle110and length140of securing section4meanwhile enables rolled paper to be slipped onto dispensing section5and passed over securing section4. Securing section4may form a tip of dispensing section5, and is sized such that a conventional toilet paper tube can be slipped into place, yet prevented from being pulled off. A projection distance140is shown inFIG. 3and might be from about 2 centimeters to about 5 centimeters. Another distance is shown at130, and may be about 9 centimeters to about 14 centimeters, corresponding generally to an axial length of a conventional and standard toilet paper roll and its core tube. Distance130may be understood as a distance from an inside surface of securing section4in a straight line to surface9, and oriented parallel to dispensing section5. A full length of dispensing section5from front surface9to securing section4might be from about 12 centimeters to about 20 centimeters. It will be appreciated that the disclosed dimensional and angular attributes herein work cooperatively to ensure that a paper roll can be supported and capable of being rotated without unduly restricting rotation and requiring or causing paper to be accidently torn. The angular orientation of the rolled paper when installed for service further provides a pleasing aesthetic.

The present description is for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed to narrow the breadth of the present disclosure in any way. Thus, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications might be made to the presently disclosed embodiments without departing from the full and fair scope and spirit of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that certain features and/or properties of the present disclosure, such as relative dimensions or angles, may not be shown to scale. As noted above, the teachings set forth herein are applicable to a variety of different devices and assemblies having a variety of different structures than those specifically described herein. Other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent upon an examination of the attached drawings and appended claims. As used herein, the articles “a” and “an” are intended to include one or more items, and may be used interchangeably with “at least one.” Where only one item is intended, the term “one” or similar language is used. Also, as used herein, the terms “has,” “have,” “having,” or the like are intended to be open-ended terms.