Abstract:
An improved toilet paper dispensing system for providing easy access to a roll of toilet paper. The toilet paper dispensing system includes a telescoping structure, a cover member attached to telescoping structure, a handle member attached to the cover member, and a toilet paper holder attached to the cover member. The telescoping structure is comprised of a plurality of members slidably connected to one another, sliding longitudinally, guided by a plurality of upper and lower ball bearings in rolling engagement with said telescoping members.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT 
     A Disclosure Document was filed with the Disclosure Document Program on Dec. 3, 2001 and identified by Disclosure Document No. 503,634. The present application hereby incorporates by reference the information contained within Disclosure Document No. 503,634. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable to this application. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to toilet paper holders and more specifically it relates to a toilet paper dispensing system for providing easy access to a roll of toilet paper. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Toilet paper holders have been in use for years. Typically, a conventional toilet paper holder is comprised of a U-shaped bracket or duel post structure attachable to a wall or cabinet with a spring-loaded telescoping member extending between the opposing forks thereof for rotatably supporting a roll of toilet paper. 
     A problem with toilet paper holders in general is that their location is dictated by bathroom and cabinet design. Due to the limitations inherent in many such designs, a conventional toilet paper holder is often, by necessity, placed in a position where it is difficult to access by persons positioned upon a toilet; requiring an undue, and often painful, twisting and turning. 
     The toilet paper dispensing system according to the present invention is substantially different from conventional concepts, and distinguished from designs of prior art in functionality, ease of access to toilet paper, and aesthetic import. 
     Examples of patented devices which are related to the present invention include U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,345 to Beisser; U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,582 to Kasten; U.S. Pat. No. 2,459,252 to Strahan; U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,585 to Schultz et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,452 to Wilder; U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,170 to Morales et al. 
     While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for providing easy access to a roll of toilet paper. Conventional toilet paper dispensing devices do not provide easy access to a roll of toilet paper. 
     In these respects, the toilet paper dispensing system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing easy access to a roll of toilet paper. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved toilet paper dispensing system with novel features that result in a new toilet paper dispensing system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art toilet paper holders, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a telescoping structure, a cover member attached to telescoping structure, a handle member attached to the cover member, and a toilet paper holder attached to the cover member. The telescoping structure is comprised of a plurality of members slidably connected to one another. A plurality of ball bearings are set in an upper and a lower ball bearing raceway between the telescoping slide members. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a toilet paper dispensing system that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices. 
     A further object is to provide a telescoping toilet paper dispensing system that provides easy access to individuals with physical disabilities such as chronic back pain making twisting and turning difficult and painful. 
     Another object is to provide a toilet paper dispensing system that is aesthetically pleasing. 
     Another object is to provide a toilet paper dispensing system with strength and smoothness of movement. 
     Another object is to provide a toilet paper dispensing system that may be attached to various structures such as but not limited to walls, cabinets and the like. 
     An additional object is to provide a toilet paper dispensing system that does not interfere with the normal operation of a bathroom. 
     A further object is to provide a toilet paper dispensing system that is extendible a sufficient distance to provide easy access to a roll of toilet paper. 
     A further object is to provide a cover member sufficient in length to cover said telescoping toilet paper dispensing structure in a contracted position so as to be a pleasingly attractive bathroom artifact. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention. 
     To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view of the present invention in an extended position from a cabinet. 
     FIG. 2 an upper perspective view of the present invention in a contracted position. 
     FIG. 3 is an upper perspective view of the present invention in the extended position. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is an cross sectional view along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 2 illustrating the distal end view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along line  6 — 6  of FIG. 2 illustrating the inner end view of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, FIGS. 1 through 6 illustrate a toilet paper dispensing system  10 , which comprises a telescoping structure  20 , a cover member  30  attached to telescoping structure  20 , a handle member  50  attached to the cover member  30 , and a toilet paper holder attached to the cover member  30 . The telescoping structure  20  is comprised of a plurality of members slidably connected to one another. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1,  3  and  4  of the drawings, the telescoping structure  20  is comprised of a plurality of members capable of having various lengths and sizes. The telescoping structure  20  is preferably comprised of a ball bearing slide such as the 4600 SERIES FULL EXTENSION BALL BEARING SLIDE manufactured by DYNASLIDE. The telescoping structure  20  may also be constructed of a plurality of members slidably connected to one another without the usage of a ball bearing structure. 
     As shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the telescoping structure  20  is preferably comprised of a first member  22 , a second member  24  slidably connected to the first member  22 , and a third member  26  slidably connected to the second member  24 . The first member  22  is attached to a structure such as a wall or cabinet by a plurality of fasteners or other well-known fastening means. The members  22 ,  24 ,  26  are preferably connected so as to prevent accidental removal of the members  22 ,  24 ,  26  from one another during extension thereof. As shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the members  22 ,  24 ,  26  may each be comprised of U-shaped cross sectional structure with the first member  22  and the second member  24  facing outwardly and the third member  26  facing inwardly as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings. 
     As further shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the third member  26  has a pair of first rear apertures  28 . The pair of first rear apertures  28  are each preferably an elongated slotted structure for receiving various sizes and styles of toilet paper holders other than that shown in the drawings. A second rear aperture  29  extends through the distal portion of the third member  26  for receiving the handle member  50  as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 through 6 of the drawings, a cover member  30  is attached to the third member  26  and slidably positionable over the entire telescoping structure  20  for covering the telescoping structure  20  from view when contracted. The telescoping structure  20  has a U-shaped cross-sectional area as best illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings. The cover member  30  is comprised of a front portion  32 , an upper edge  36 , a lower edge  37 , an end portion  34  and an open portion opposite of the end portion  34 . The cover member  30  has a pair of first front apertures  38  that correspond to the first rear apertures  28 . The cover member  30  further includes a second front aperture  39  that corresponds to the second rear aperture  29 . The cover member  30  has an elongate structure sufficient to enclose the telescoping structure  20  when in the contracted position as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 through 6 of the drawings, the toilet paper holder is attached to the cover member  30  and the third member  26  by conventional fasteners extending through the first apertures  28 ,  38 . The toilet paper holder illustrated within the drawings is comprised of a first arm  40 , a second arm  42  and a support member  44  removably positioned between the arms  40 ,  42  for supporting a roll of toilet paper  12 . It is also anticipated that mounting brackets or similar structure may be utilized for securing the toilet paper holder to the cover member  30  and the third member  26 . However, it can be appreciated that various other types of toilet paper holders may be attached to the cover member  30 . The first rear apertures  28  may be interiorly threaded for threadably receiving the fasteners or a mounting nut may be utilized to secure the fasteners within the first rear apertures  28 . 
     As further shown in FIGS. 1 through 5 of the drawings, a handle member  50  is attached to the cover member  30 . The handle member  50  preferably has a threaded distal end that is threadably secured within the second rear aperture  29  within the third member  26  thereby assisting in the securing of the cover member  30  to the third member  26 . The handle member  50  may be directly attached to the cover member  30  via conventional securing means other than threaded attachment. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed to be within the expertise of those skilled in the art, and all equivalent structural variations and relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.