Patent Publication Number: US-2005127229-A1

Title: Dispenser for disposable paper changing pads on a rolls

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      The present invention claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent No. 60/528,752 filed on Dec. 12, 2003. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates generally to a dispenser for paper products discharged or retrieved from a housing and, more particularly, to a dispenser for disposable children&#39;s changing pads discharged or retrieved from a housing.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Disposable bibs are commonly known in the art, and are provided in a variety of configurations, including on a cylindrical paper roll (similar in appearance to a paper towel or toilet tissue roll). As such, a dispenser for holding a disposable paper product roll is desirable, including a dispenser for disposable bibs. The dispenser provides means for neatly maintaining a well-ordered area about the dispenser, wherein an arm depending from a head of the dispenser is inwardly biased against the paper product of the paper roll, thereby preventing excessive sheets of the product from chaotically littering the area and further providing leverage against the roll for separating a desired sheet(s) from the roll.  
      Consequently, a need has been felt for providing a dispenser for disposable children&#39;s changing pads discharged or retrieved from a housing.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved dispenser for paper products.  
      It is a feature of the present invention to provide an improved dispenser for disposable children&#39;s changing pads discharged or retrieved from a housing.  
      Briefly described according to one embodiment of the present invention, a dispenser for paper products formed on a paper roll is provide having a base and a spindle terminating at superior and inferior ends of the base. The spindle houses said paper roll, and a is head affixed to the superior end of the spindle. An inwardly biased arm depends from the head, and bears against said paper product. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:  
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective of a dispenser for disposable paper product rolls;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a dispenser for disposable paper product rolls; and  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a dispenser for disposable paper product rolls, wherein a paper product roll is slidably affixed thereon and the inwardly biased arm gently bears or presses against the paper product roll. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within the Figures.  
      Referring now to the  FIGS. 1-3 , a dispenser for disposable paper product rolls (hereinafter “dispenser”)  10  is shown in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The dispenser  10  comprises a base  12 , a spindle  14  and a head  16  and an inwardly biased arm  18 . A cylindrically tubular paper roll  22  (and disposable paper product  24 ) is slidably affixed onto the spindle  14 , permitting the roll  22  to freely rotate thereabout and dispense the paper product.  
      The base  12  is defined by a body of sufficient diameter to secure the spindle  14  in a vertically upstanding or projecting configuration. In the embodiment depicted by the  FIGS. 1-3 , the base  12  is shown as a disc of a sufficient diameter and thickness to permit the roll  22  to freely rotated about spindle  14  without displacing the dispenser  10  from an initial orientation. However, it is envisioned that the base  12  may have a variety of geometrical bodies, provided that the particular body is of a sufficient diameter and thickness to permit the roll  22  to freely rotate about the spindle  14 , and preferably of a sufficient diameter so that an anterior end of the roll  22  rests on the base  12  while not in use.  
      The spindle  14  is a linearly elongated cylinder terminating at a superior end and an inferior end, the inferior end permanently or semi-permanently affixed or coupled to the base  12 . The spindle  14  is of a sufficient linear length to permit the roll  22  to reciprocate in a longitudinal or vertical direction during use, and is of a sufficient diameter to permit the free rotation of the roll  22  in a horizontal orbit about spindle  14 . For greater control of the roll  22  and paper product  24 , it is envisioned that the roll  22  is of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the spindle  14 , although increased control is not sole advantage provided by the dispenser  10 .  
      The head  16  is affixed to the superior end of the spindle  14  by threaded or interference fit, or other similar means, so long as the head  16  is securely seated to the superior end of spindle  14 . An arm  18  depends from the head  16 . The arm  18  includes a restraint or anchor  20  at a terminal end opposite an end affixed to the head  16 . The arm  18  is inwardly biased toward the spindle  14  so that when a roll  22  and paper product  24  combination are affixed on the spindle  14 , the arm  18  gently bears or presses the restraint or anchor  20  against the paper product  24 , thereby preventing the paper product  24  from unintentionally rotating off of the roll  22 . Therefore, the arm  18  and restraint or anchor  20  provides the advantage of maintaining a well-ordered and clean area about the dispenser  10 , and discourages unnecessary excessive usage of the paper product  24 . Furthermore, the arm  18  and restraint or anchor  20  may operate to provide leverage against the roll  22  and paper product  24  to facilitate separation of a desired sheet of the paper product  24  from the remaining paper product  24  quantity of roll  22 . The restraint or anchor  20  is envisioned as having a variety of geometric configurations and comprising a variety of materials, including plastic, rubber and other similar materials. In the embodiment depicted in the  FIGS. 1-3 , the arm  18  is curvilinear in form (although other forms are envisioned) with a plastic or rubber surface comprising at least a portion of the restraint or anchor  20 . By providing a plastic, rubber or otherwise textured surface, the restraint or anchor  20  further facilitates the leverage provided by arm  18  against roll  22  and paper product  24 . The plastic, rubber or textured surface must be sufficiently deformable or minimally obstructive to the rotation of the roll  22  and paper product  24  so that the dispenser  10  operates to dispense the paper product  24  with minimal effort while maintaining the well-ordered area desired.  
      It is further envisioned that the base  12 , spindle  14  and head  16  may be fabricated from a durable material, such as plastic, wood, metal or rubber. The arm  18  may be fabricated from a deformable, yet returnably resilient material, such as plastic, rubber or metal.  
      The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.