BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to paper towel dispensers, and in particular, to a paper towel dispenser around which a ligature does not anchor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ligature-resistant design is a requirement in many institutional locations. In particular, in rooms where persons may be left unattended and where there is a risk that fixtures may be used as a support to tie a ligature, such as a belt, rope or a cloth, a way to ensure that the fixtures cannot be used in such a manner is desirable. In general, ligature-resistant design is an issue that exists any height above the floor, since objects above the floor can be used to support a ligature, even if one is not attachable.
Paper towel dispensers having locking features are in common-use in public places and private facilities such as hospitals, mental health facilities and incarceration facilities. In such private facilities it is desirable to secure paper towel rolls for both use conservation and sanitation, as in public facilities. Commercial paper towel dispensers are not suitable ligature-resistant designs and typically provide a broad, flat upper surface around which a ligature can be attached.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a paper towel dispenser that prevents ligature formation and/or support of such ligatures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above objectives, among others, are achieved in a ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser and a method of dispensing paper towels.
The ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser includes a housing having a towel recess for receiving a roll of paper towels. A rear face of the housing has a planar mounting area for securing the paper towel dispenser to a wall. The housing has a top projection having an exterior that is curved or inclined downward from an apex to prevent attachment of a ligature and the exterior of the top projection extends above the towel recess by a distance greater than or equal to half of a maximum forward projection of the exterior of the top projection to provide sufficient curvature or inclination of the exterior of the top projection of the housing. The ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser also includes a locking mechanism for securing the housing over the roll of paper towels.
The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives, and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like components, and:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10, with housing front portion 16 opened.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10, with housing front portion 16 opened and paper towel roll 3 removed.
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an installation of example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10.
FIG. 5 is a front sectional view showing details of example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating details of a hinge 15 of example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10.
FIG. 7 is a lower-right perspective view illustrating design features of example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10.
FIG. 8 is an upper-left perspective view illustrating design features of example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10.
FIG. 9 is a front view illustrating design features of example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10.
FIG. 10 is a rear view illustrating design features of example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10.
FIG. 11 is a right side view illustrating design features of example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10.
FIG. 12 is a left side view illustrating design features of example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10.
FIG. 13 is a top view illustrating design features of example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10.
FIG. 14 is a bottom view illustrating design features of example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10.
FIG. 15 is a front view illustrating another example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10A.
FIG. 16 is a side view illustrating example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10A.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT
The present disclosure illustrates paper towel dispensers that provide ligature-resistant structure and installation. The ligature-resistant paper towel dispensers have a housing that covers a paper towel roll and provide an outlet for dispensing the paper towels at the bottom of the housing. The housing has a curved or inclined shape at the top to which a ligature is not attachable. Ligature-resistance is further provided by a planar mounting surface at the rear of the housing that may be in the form of a flange that extends around the housing and securely affixes the housing to the wall at the periphery of the housing to prevent insertion of a ligature behind the housing. The illustrated example is a molded plastic assembly formed from transparent or semi-transparent materials, although the invention is not limited as to materials or techniques of fabrication.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a perspective view of an example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10 is shown. Example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10 includes a housing rear portion 12 that has a rear projection 14 for placement in a wall and a front extension 20 that connects with a housing front portion 16 that is secured over the housing rear portion 12 to enclose a roll of paper towels. An outlet 6 at the bottom of the housing formed by housing front portion 16 and housing rear portion 12 permits exit of an end 5 of the roll of paper towels to dispense individual paper towels.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a perspective view of example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10 is shown with housing front portion 16 opened to reveal a roll 3 of paper towels. Roll 3 is vertically-oriented, i.e., the axis around which roll 3 is formed is aligned with the vertical orientation of the housing of ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10. In order to install or remove roll 3, housing front portion 16, which forms a cover, is opened, as shown. A protrusion 46 is visible inside housing front portion 16, which is engaged by a hook 41 forming part of a locking mechanism 22 provided on front extension 20.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a perspective view of example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10 is shown with housing front portion 16 opened and roll 3 removed. A hinge 15 is formed by a pin (not shown) that extends through hinge portions formed along the sides of housing front portion 16 and housing rear portion 12, and that retains housing front portion 16 to housing rear portion 12. Locking mechanism 22 disposed at the opposite side of housing rear portion 12 and on front extension 20 is used to secure housing front portion 16 over roll 3, when ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10 is available for use. Outlet 6 is formed by two semi-conical outlet portions 6A, 6B, formed in housing front portion 16 and housing rear portion 12, respectively, and that join together to form a conical passage when housing front portion 16 is secured to housing rear portion 12. Mounting voids 18A, 18B for screws, bolts or other suitable fasteners are provided along planar mounting surface 21 forming a rear surface of housing rear portion 12 with the exception of rear projection 14, i.e., the surface of ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10 that lies flush to a wall when ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10 is installed. Planar mounting surface 21 includes a flange 24 that surrounds housing rear portion 12 at the sides of ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10 and extends along the top of housing rear portion 12 to near an apex 26 of a hemispherical top projection 25 of housing front portion 16. Housing rear portion 12 forms the back of a hemispherical top extension of the housing of ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10, by providing a circular profile at a blind seam 28 that joins housing rear portion 12 with housing front portion 16, when the ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10 is secured in a closed position, so that a quarter-spherical shape is formed for ligature-resistance. Housing front portion 16 and housing rear portion 12 include towel recess portions 11A, and 11B, respectively, so that roll 3 (not shown) rests in towel recess portion 11B, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when housing front portion 16 is swung away from housing rear portion 12 and so that roll 3 extends into the wall to reduce the overall profile of ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10. Referring additionally to FIG. 11, the side profile of housing front portion 16 is shown in a left side view. The maximum upward projection h1 of housing front portion 16 is substantially equidistant with the depth dl from the maximum forward projection of housing front portion 16 to the wall, providing a hemispherical shape, i.e., a shape that has a circular cross section in the curved portion of top extension of housing front portion 16. Referring to FIG. 14, it is also apparent that housing front portion has a circular cross section in the horizontal plane, yielding a true quarter-spherical shape. However, a reduced height can provide ligature resistance, and a ratio of height h1 to depth dl in the range of ½ to 1 are contemplated, as well as steeper inclines in which the ratio of height h1 to depth dl is greater than 1.
Referring now to FIG. 4, a perspective view of an assembly of example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10 to a wall 7 is shown. First, a rectangular aperture 8 is formed in wall 7 with dimensions sufficient to accommodate rear projection 14 of housing rear portion 12 and housing rear portion 12 is secured to wall 7 with fasteners 34. The exploded view of FIG. 4 also illustrates the relationship of the components of locking mechanism 22 and a hinge pin 32 which is inserted through the portions of hinge 15 formed on housing rear portion 12 and housing front portion 16. Locking mechanism 22 includes a keylock chamber 40 that is secured in a reinforced hole 42 through front extension 20 with a nut 43. Hook 41 is secured to keylock chamber 40 with a bolt 44. Hook 41 latches over protrusion 46 (not shown) of housing front portion 16, when a key is turned in keylock chamber 40.
Referring now to FIG. 5, a front sectional view of ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10 is shown. Section A-A shows the profile of a lower region of housing front portion 16 which is semi-circular at the front thereof and has parallel sides extending a short distance from flange 24 to the semi-circular portion of the profile of housing front portion 16. Blind seam 28A, 28B is provided completely around housing front portion, so that no gap is provided for insertion of a ligature. The circular profile extends completely around the cross-section of housing front portion 16 above the paper towel recess and rear projection 14 as illustrated in section B-B. Detail 30 shows an overlap provided by ship-lapped edges of front extension 20 of rear housing portion 12 and edges of front housing portion 16 forming part of the blind seam 28A prevents insertion of a ligature at the joint between front housing portion 16 and front extension 20. Detail 33 shows a seal provided by a double-ridged profile provided by ridges 36A, 36B of rear housing portion 12 and the edge of housing front portion 16 above front extension 20, forming the remainder of the blind seam 28B, which also prevents insertion of a ligature.
Referring now to FIG. 8, a perspective view of ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10 illustrates further details of the hinge 15 are shown. A blocking protrusion 60 is provided along the edge of housing rear portion 12 adjacent to hinge 15 and fills the a gap due to the cylindrical profile of the portions of hinge 15 on both housing rear portion 12 and housing front portion 16, so that a ligature cannot be looped through or placed into the gap.
FIG. 7 through FIG. 14 depict design features of example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10, in which FIG. 7 is a lower-right perspective view, FIG. 8 is an upper-left perspective view, FIG. 9 is a front view, FIG. 10 is a rear view, FIG. 11 is a right side view, FIG. 12 is a left side view, FIG. 13 is a top view and FIG. 14 is a bottom view illustrating design features of the above-described example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10.
Referring now to FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, another example ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10A in accordance with another embodiment is shown. Ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10A is similar to ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10 described and shown above, with the difference that a top extension 25A of the housing of ligature-resistant paper towel dispenser 10A is inclined, rather than curved along the lower portion of the sides of the top extension 25A. Therefore, the sides of a housing front portion 16A and a housing rear portion 12A are also inclined to provide the proper mating seal along a flange 24A, as is the incline of housing front portion 16A in the direction perpendicular to the wall as seen in FIG. 15. The apex of housing front portion 16A is still curved to provide a rounded point, but the inclines of top extension 25A provide a conical shape that is ligature-resistant.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form, and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Patent Application
20190357736
