Abstract:
A collapsible paper roll storage device having an opening for inserting paper rolls therein, and a lower securing member that provides support and access to the lower paper roll, allowing a user to draw a paper roll when needed. As the lower paper roll is drawn, the stored paper rolls automatically shift down, replenishing the lower most position for subsequent paper roll withdrawal. The collapsible paper roll storage device has at least one suspension device, facilitating easy suspension and removal of the device. The collapsible paper roll storage device is made from pliable material or incorporates crease lines such that when it is empty, it can be collapsed down to a small rectangular shape and transported or stowed away until subsequent use.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to multiple paper roll storage and, more specifically, to collapsible paper towel or toilet paper storage that is inexpensive and easy to manufacture.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     There are numerous fixtures on the market for storing paper towels and toilet paper. Some are designed to store paper rolls, others are designed to store and dispense paper, yet they are typically rigid and are permanently placed on or affixed to structure such as walls or cabinet doors.  
         [0005]     Known art in the field includes U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,965 (Reaves), U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,475 (Kaysserian), U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,469 (McCarthy), and U.S. Pat No. 5,197,611 (Walton). Although all of these inventions store either paper towel or toilet paper rolls, none are collapsible nor can they be easily suspended or moved from one location to another. These prior art devices are made of rigid material, some with moving parts, and they have to be permanently affixed or placed in position in order to serve their intended use. Therefore, they consume the same amount of space when they are empty as they do when they are in use. Additionally, the materials from which these devices are made are relatively expensive and their manufacturing complicated, subjecting their sale to limited retail outlets. Furthermore, since these devices are rigid and some use a specific length spool, they are fit for either paper towels or toilet paper, but not both.  
         [0006]     In light of bulk consuming habits in today&#39;s marketplace, desire for flexibility, and limited space, consumers continuously demand more flexible storage devices that have more capacity and are less expensive. Furthermore, manufacturers and suppliers increasingly seek to sell their products at multiple retail outlets or to provide as promotional gifts, products that are inexpensive and easy to manufacture.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention is directed toward collapsible paper roll storage devices that are inexpensive, flexible, can store numerous paper rolls of various types, and can be suspended when in use or collapsed and easily stowed when empty. In particular embodiments, the chamber of the collapsible paper roll storage device can be accessed through an opening in a panel, for example, to insert paper rolls. The lower most paper roll rests in a lower securing member, with at least one open side, allowing access to and removal of that paper roll. As the lower paper roll is drawn, the stored paper rolls automatically shift down, replenishing the lower most position for subsequent paper roll withdrawal. A suspension device can suspend the collapsible paper roll storage device in a desired manner such as against the wall, on or inside a door, or from a ceiling away from walls. When empty, the collapsible paper roll storage device can be easily taken down, collapsed down to a thin form, and stowed away for shipment or until future use. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a front isometric view of a collapsible paper roll storage device according to one embodiment of the invention, which comprises an opening in a front panel and hooks for suspending the device and a lower securing member supporting an accessible paper towel roll.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2   a  is a front view of the collapsible paper roll storage device of  FIG. 1 , illustrating its use for storing and accessing paper towel rolls from the lower securing member.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2   b  is a front view of the lower portion of the collapsible paper roll storage device of  FIG. 1 , illustrating its use for storing and accessing toilet paper rolls from the lower securing member.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the collapsible paper roll storage device of  FIG. 1 , illustrating several stored paper rolls and a lower accessible paper roll secured by the lower securing member.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the collapsible paper roll storage device of  FIG. 1  in its collapsed form.  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of a portion of another embodiment of a collapsible paper roll storage device, with an opening in the front panel, sealable by a zipper.  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of a portion of still another embodiment of a collapsible paper roll storage device, with an opening in the front panel, sealable by VELCRO.  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a rear isometric view of a collapsible paper roll storage device, according to yet another embodiment of the invention and illustrating the use of VELCRO for the suspension device.  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of a collapsible paper roll storage device, according to yet another embodiment of the invention and illustrating a top panel suspension device.  
         [0017]      FIG. 9  is an isometric view of still another embodiment of a paper roll storage device.  
         [0018]      FIG. 10  is an isometric view of still another embodiment of a paper roll storage device.  
         [0019]      FIG. 11  is an isometric view of a lower portion of the device of  FIG. 10 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]     The present detailed description is directed toward embodiments of a collapsible paper roll storage device. One particular embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , with some of the possible alternate embodiments shown in  FIGS. 5 through 9 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  shows a collapsible paper roll storage device  10 , according to one embodiment of the invention, with a flexible rectangular chamber that comprises a top panel  11 , two side panels  12 , a rear panel  13 , and a front panel  14 . According to one embodiment of the invention, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the front panel  14  has an opening  15 . Opening  15  can be used to insert paper rolls inside the chamber of the collapsible paper roll storage device or to manipulate them after they are inserted. In one embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIG. 1 , overlapping portions of the front panel can close the opening. Although  FIG. 1  shows opening  15  in front panel  14 , the opening  15  can be incorporated in any of the panels, or none at all.  
         [0022]     The inventor envisions embodiments that do not incorporate one or more panels. For example, the device  10  could be fabricated without top panel  11 . In such embodiments, stiffening elements may be incorporated into the upper edge of the device  10  to help it maintain its shape. In addition, or instead, the device  10  could be fabricated without one or both of the side panels  12 . In such embodiments, straps or other elements extending between the front panel  14  and the rear panel  13  can be used to maintain the proper shape during use. An individual of ordinary skill in the art, having reviewed this disclosure, will appreciate these and other variations that can be made to the device  10  without deviating from the spirit of the invention.  
         [0023]     Moreover, the collapsible paper roll storage device can be suspended by one or more suspension device  16 , attached to a panel. In one embodiment as shown in  FIG. 1 , the suspension device  16  can be a hook attached to rear panel  13 , for suspending the collapsible paper roll storage device from various structures. The suspension device  16  can be thin, allowing a door to close while the collapsible paper roll storage device is suspended from that door.  
         [0024]     A lower securing member  17  can be attached to at least two panels, supporting a lower paper roll  18 . In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the lower securing member  17  can be attached to the rear panel  13  and front panel  14  with at least one open side that provides access to the lower paper roll  18 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 2   a  better illustrates the lower securing member  17 , providing access to a lower paper roll  18  such as a paper towel roll.  FIG. 2   b  illustrates a variable use for the present invention, namely, to store paper rolls of shorter length  19 , such as toilet paper rolls, in a side-by-side fashion. As shown in  FIG. 2   b , the securing member  17  can provide access to more than one toilet paper roll in the lower position. One or more vertical dividers could be incorporated into the body of the device to create vertical chambers for each stack of toilet paper rolls. An individual of ordinary skill in the art, having reviewed this disclosure, will appreciate that the chamber can be divided into two or more sub-chambers, sized to correspond to the particular rolls being stored, and that the rolls could be stored in either a vertical or horizontal orientation.  
         [0026]     Furthermore,  FIG. 3  shows the manner in which the paper rolls may be stored inside the chamber of the collapsible paper roll storage device  10 . The stored paper rolls  20  can rest on top of the paper roll below them while the lower paper roll  18  rests on the supporting member  17 . Regardless of the type of paper roll stored, when the user draws the lower most paper roll  18 , the paper roll immediately above the drawn roll automatically shifts down to the lower position for subsequent use.  
         [0027]      FIG. 4  illustrates the collapsible paper roll storage device  10  in its collapsed state. The collapsible paper roll storage device  10  can be made of a pliable material, such as cloth, other fabrics, foils or films, or can incorporate crease lines such that when it is empty it can be collapsed down to a thin form and be stowed for transport or until future use.  
         [0028]     The flexible nature of the collapsible paper roll storage device  10  has several advantages. One advantage is that consumers can easily position it where they desire when it is in use and easily collapse and store it when it is not in use. Another advantage is that suppliers can easily and inexpensively manufacture a collapsible paper roll storage device  10  and sell it at a profit at a variety of outlets, from grocery stores to retail stores. Still another advantage is the fact that the device can be packaged, shipped, stored and displayed in its collapsed state, minimizing the cost of shipping and retail spaced occupied. Yet another advantage is that suppliers of paper roll products can include the collapsible paper roll storage device as a promotional gift to consumers because the present invention is inexpensive, easy to manufacture, and can fit inside existing product packaging.  
         [0029]     In another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 5 , a zipper  21  can be used to seal the opening  15  after placing the paper rolls inside the collapsible paper roll storage device  10 . In yet another embodiment of the present invention as shown in  FIG. 6 , VELCRO  22  can be used to seal the opening  15 . In embodiments without a top panel, the paper rolls can be loaded into the device  10  from above, and the consumer can use the opening  15  to access the paper rolls and move them into a desired orientation.  
         [0030]     In another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the rear panel  13  can have at least one VELCRO suspension device  23  to suspend the collapsible paper roll storage device  10 . The collapsible paper roll storage device  10  can be attached to its desired position using VELCRO or other similar attaching mechanisms because the present invention is made from pliable or otherwise lightweight material. One advantage of attaching mechanisms such as VELCRO is that they allow the collapsible paper roll storage device  10  to attach inside of doors with no visibility of a suspension device from the outside.  
         [0031]     In another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 8 , at least one top panel suspension device  24  can be attached to the top panel  11 . In this embodiment, a suspension device  24  can be a hook, as shown in  FIG. 8 , or be comprised of VELCRO or other similar attaching mechanisms. An added advantage of this embodiment is that multiple users can access the collapsible paper roll storage device from all sides because a top panel suspension device  24  connects the collapsible paper roll storage device  10  to a ceiling or closet rod, suspended remote from any walls. Such a use may be preferred in commercial applications, such as automobile repair shops, or in some home applications, such as in garages.  
         [0032]     In still another embodiment of the present invention  110 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , a collapsible paper roll storage device can be fabricated without a top panel. Moreover, the rear portion  113 , lower portion  117 , and front portion  114  can be formed from one piece of pliable material, such as cloth, other fabrics, foils or films. The rear portion  113  and front portion  114  can be coupled with straps  125  to maintain a fixed distance between the two portions, sized to retain paper rolls. The lower portion  117  can support all of the rolls and retain one of the rolls, which can be withdrawn from an opening on a side of the lower portion  117 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 10  illustrates yet another embodiment in which a collapsible paper roll storage device  210  may be fabricated without a top panel. The collapsible paper roll storage device  210  may have a first opening  215  in front panel  214 . A zipper  221  can be used to seal the front panel  214  when in use to retain loaded paper rolls  220 . The zipper  221  can be unzipped to allow loading new paper rolls  226  through the first opening  215 . While loading, the zipper  221  can be incrementally sealed to secure the loaded paper rolls  220  while additional paper rolls  226  are stacked on the loaded paper rolls  220 . The collapsible paper roll storage device  210  may also have a second opening  227 , formed by a lower portion  217  and allowing access to the lower paper roll  218 . At least a first stiffening member  228  may support the lower portion  217 , allowing the lower portion  217  to support the loaded paper rolls  220  and the lower paper roll  218 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , the first stiffening member  228  can be positioned on an edge of the rear panel  213 .  
         [0034]     An individual of ordinary skill in the art, having reviewed this disclosure, will appreciate other manners in which the lower portion  217  can be supported. For example, a second stiffening member  229  can be positioned on a periphery of the second opening  227  in place of or in addition to the first stiffening member  228 . The stiffening member can be fabricated from plastic, metal, cardboard, composites, or other material that can maintain a shape of the pliable lower portion  217  to support the stored paper rolls  220  and lower paper roll  218 . Furthermore, the first stiffening member  228  and second stiffening member  229  may be in the shape of a rod that is attached to an edge or inserted through an edge hemming. A stiffening member (not shown) can also be a flat piece configured to extend from an edge of the rear panel  213  to a periphery of the second opening  227 .  
         [0035]     As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , collapsible paper roll storage device  210  can have at least one suspension device  216  that may be removably coupled to various structures. In at least one embodiment as illustrated in  FIG. 10 , suspension device  216  can be removably secured in a hook  230 , supplied with the collapsible paper roll storage device  210  or existing in a structure. Suspension device  216  can also be removably secured around protrusions and structure such as nails, hangers, rods, beams, and other structure suitable to couple to the suspension device  216 . The suspension device  216  can be fabricated from material, such as cloth, other fabrics, foils or films, plastic, metals, canvas, composites, or other material capable of supporting the collapsible paper roll storage device  210 , when suspended. The suspension device  216  may also be made of two straps that can be connected by attaching mechanisms such as VELCRO for applications where the collapsible paper roll storage device  210  is suspended from structures without a free end, such as beams inside garages or rods inside closets.  
         [0036]      FIG. 11  is another illustrated embodiment of the collapsible paper roll storage device  210  that includes a base  217 , fabricated from a material that is stiffer than the material from which front panel  214  and rear panel  213  are fabricated. For example, the base  217  can be fabricated from plastic, cardboard, hard or soft wood, metal, foam, composites, or any other material that is not excessively pliable. The rear panel  213  can support the rear end of the base  217  while the second stiffening member  229 , attached to a periphery of the second opening  227 , can support the front end of the base  217 . The base  217  can support the stored paper rolls  220  and lower paper roll  218  during use. When empty, the collapsible paper roll storage device  210  can collapse onto the base  217  in a thin form and be stowed for transport or until future use.  
         [0037]     All of the above U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety.  
         [0038]     From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.