The magazine generally relates to wrapping paper and more specifically to a container of multiple rolls of wrapping paper.
Every year they come, birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Hanukah, promotions, new jobs, and many other events. These events often have presents large and small. To add the element of surprise to the present, a gift giver often has a present wrapped. The wrapping may make many forms.
Wrapping includes a box, a cloth, a bag, a bow, and more often paper. The wrapping seeks to conceal the present from view of the recipient. Wrapping paper has a generally elongated sheet form with printing in various forms upon one side. The printing has a suitable layout, coloration, decoration, and typeface for an occasion such as birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Hanukah, promotions, new jobs, and many others. The printing on wrapping papers has numerous forms.
As paper, wrapping papers has two primary forms when provided to a consumer. Sheets of wrapping paper may be stacked and then folded into a compact, flat form, or more often it may be rolled upon a tube. A roll of wrapping paper has a typical width of nearly three feet, or similar to two shirt boxes form a department store. The roll may then include a length of wrapping paper measure in yards, typically less than ten yards.
When the time comes to wrap a present, a consumer purchases a roll of wrapping paper or retrieves an existing roll, and then unrolls a portion of the wrapping paper. The consumer then measures the wrapping paper to cover the present and then cuts the wrapping paper with scissors or other tools. The consumer then wraps and folds the paper upon the present, securing the paper with transparent tape, adhesive, and the like. The consumer then returns unused wrapping paper and the cutting tools to storage for the next use. At the appointed time, the consumer then gives the present to the recipient for enjoyment.
As previously mentioned, unused wrapping paper returns to storage after its use. Typically, a consumer tightens the wrapping paper upon the roll and then places the roll in a seldom visited place. Because of the slender shape, length, and stiffness of wrapping paper rolls, a consumer has limited places to store wrapping paper.
A consumer may place wrapping paper rolls under a bed, behind a door, in a closet, up in an attic, down in the basement, or other places. There the rolls rest until their next use. Some locations do expose the rolls to the heat of an attic or the coolness of a basement. When an occasion comes, a consumer then has to retrieve the rolls, select a roll, then open the roll upon a table for cutting.
The prior art includes various devices. Polymer storage containers have various shapes and sizes so the larger ones receive multiple rolls of wrapping paper. The rolls generally fit into such containers in no particular order. Some containers have a long but short form suitable for under bed storage. Those containers only store a few rolls beneath their long lid. Other containers have a tall, upright form upon an oval base. These containers store a few rolls on their ends and often have a cap with an enclosed shelf upon it. These upright containers store the rolls in no particular order. The upright containers also have a tendency to tip over, especially with fewer rolls within them.
The prior art may also utilize moving boxes, wardrobe boxes, crates, and other bulk packaging to store the long slender rolls of wrapping paper. Though these packages may store rolls, the rolls have an awkward fit into the packages that takes up much space. These packages often lack a compact form and also promote disorder of rolls stored within in them.
The invention of the magazine has a generally rectangular, prismatic shaped body with a lid. The body has a front with an opening, an opposite back, a bin upon the back, a left side and an opposite right side spanning from the front to the back, a bearing on each side, a spindle assembly between the two bearings, and a base beneath the front, the back, and the two sides. The lid rests upon the front, the back, the left side, and the right side in a spacing above the base. Each spindle of the assembly receives a roll of wrapping paper upon it, oriented parallel to the front. The spindles rotate in two holders that rotate the spindle assembly upon the bearings.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. The present invention also includes guides in a path, spacers between adjacent guides, folding handles, a tape dispenser, a curved grip upon the front, a cutter upon the lid, trapezoidal shaped sides, and an alternate hinged lid. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.
Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of the presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiment of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Before explaining the current 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, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
One object of the present invention is to provide a magazine that rotates rolls of wrapping paper for selection by a user.
Another object is to provide such a magazine that stores at least four rolls of wrapping paper.
Another object is to provide such a magazine that provides a cutter for a user to cut the width of a sheet of wrapping paper.
Another object is to provide such a magazine that has a measuring scale upon its lid.
Another object is to provide such a magazine that provides a bin for storing bows and other items and an onboard tape dispenser.
Another object is to provide such a magazine that is capable of manufacturing and distribution at a price suitable for the users, customers, supply houses, retailers, distributors, and catalogs.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention.
In referring to the drawings,
The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures.
The present invention overcomes the prior art limitations by providing a magazine that stores rolls of wrapping paper. An alternate embodiment of the present invention 1 appears as shown in
Spanning from the front to the back, the body has its left side 4 of a trapezoidal like shape with its depth front to back and height similar to that of the front. Mutually parallel and spaced apart from the left side, the body has its right side 5 also of a rectangular shape of the same depth and height as the left side. The left side 4 and the right side 5, as shown in this figure, each have a track assembly 13 here shown on end. A track assembly 13 spans each side and occupies most of the depth and the height of the side. Each track assembly has a plurality of holders connecting to it and the holders follow a path as later shown. The holders gently move along the track assemblies as a user pushes them to select a roll of wrapping paper for usage.
Between the bin 11 and the right side 5, the back has a tape dispenser 12 preferably formed therein but alternatively adhered to the back or mechanically connected to the back. The tape dispenser has a location proximate the lid and its own height less than that of the back. Spaced below the tape dispenser, the body 20 has its base 6 of a planar rectangular form with four edges. The base 6 joins to the front 2, the back 3, and the two sides 4, 5, along its edges so that the front, the back, and the sides have a spacing apart defining a volume within the body to receive the holders and wrapping paper. Spaced above the base 6 by the height of the front, the invention 1 has its lid 7. The lid has a generally planar rectangular shape with a slightly larger width than that of the front and a longer depth than that of the left side and the right side. The lid extends from the back, over the holders, to the front, and slightly past the front. The lid has a cutter 14 positioned above where the lid rests upon the front and located near the left side in this figure. The cutter follows a linear track 15 along the lid generally parallel to the front. The linear track extends for most of the width of the front thus having sufficient length to exceed the width of a wrapping paper roll.
Turning to
Opposite
Rotating the body 20,
Turning the invention,
And turning the invention 1 over, the body 20 appears next in
Looking at the mechanism of the invention to assist the user in selecting stored wrapping paper,
To reach the drawing out position of a holder, a user moves the holders using the mechanism shown in
In a further alternate embodiment, the left side and the right side have slots in them so a user may grasp the handles outside the magazine. In this further alternate embodiment, the track assemblies join to the left side and the right side.
In a further alternate embodiment, the track assembly has ferrous spacers that attract to a magnetic handle a user grasps outside the left side and the right side. The user then slides the handle in a desired direction to advance the holders around the track assembly.
In a further alternate embodiment, the track assemblies have locations inwardly of the left side and the right side. The track assemblies attached to mounts formed into the base. The track assemblies then have outward handles a user may grasp just inside of the left side and the right side. In a further alternate embodiment, as most people are right handed, the invention has handles proximate the right side only.
The slot 38 of a holder receives a strip 36 joined or adhered lengthwise to one edge of the slot. The strip has a thin elongated, flat form with a plurality of tines 37 mutually extending in the same direction. The tines have a semi rigid form that guides paper pulled beneath them to remain taught. The tines also guide a user to pull the paper in the same direction from each holder. The tines have a length greater than the width of the strip as shown. The tines have a spacing between any two adjacent tines of at least two tine diameters. Each tine has a tip of a blunt square shape to limit penetration of a sheet of paper during its pull and unrolling from the holder. In an alternate embodiment, the tines have a rigid form with a thin tip. In an alternate embodiment, the tines have a flexible form and either a round cross section or a rectangular cross section. And, the strip 36 joins to one edge of the slot 38 with the tines facing into the slot. The tines nearly block the slot but leave enough room for a user to find the edge of a wrapping paper roll and to accommodate the wrapping paper roll deflecting during unrolling.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention 1 appears in
Spanning from the front to the back, the body has its left side 4 of a trapezoidal like shape with its depth front to back and height similar to that of the front. Mutually parallel and spaced apart from the left side, the body has its right side 5 also of a rectangular shape of the same depth and height as the left side. The left side 4 and the right side 5, as shown in this figure, each have a bearing 40 here shown on end. Each bearing has an off center location upon the left side and the right side generally towards the opening 10. The bearing has a spindle assembly, later shown, that occupies most of the depth and the height of the side.
Spaced below the front and the right side, the body 20 has its base 6 of a planar rectangular form with four edges. The base 6 joins to the front 2, the back 3, and the two sides 4, 5, along its edges so that the front, the back, and the sides have a spacing apart defining a volume within the body to receive the spindle assembly, wrapping paper, and related materials and tools. Spaced above the base 6 by the height of the front, the invention 1 has its lid 7. The lid has a generally planar rectangular shape with a slightly larger width than that of the front and a longer depth than that of the left side and the right side. The lid extends from the back, over the spindle assembly, to the front, and slightly past the front. The lid has a grid pattern upon its surface, typically upon a one inch spacing or alternatively on a one centimeter spacing. The lid has a cutter 14 positioned above where the lid rests upon the front and located near the left side in this figure. The cutter follows a linear track 15 along the lid generally parallel to the front. The linear track extends for most of the width of the front thus having sufficient length to exceed the width of a wrapping paper roll.
Turning to
Opposite
Rotating the body 20,
Turning the preferred embodiment of the invention,
Inverting the preferred embodiment of the invention 1, the body 20 appears next in
Inwardly from the spindle assembly, the preferred embodiment has a major divider 50. The major divider extends for the length of the body and spans from the left side to the right side. The major divider has its own height that spans from the base to the rim of the body, just below the lid. The major divider has its thickness, generally more than the front and its thickness is markedly less than its length. The front and the major divider define the main compartment 42. Clockwise in this figure from the spindle assembly, the body has a fourth compartment 46 adjacent to the left side 4. The fourth compartment extends inwardly, here shown as downward in the figure, to a minor divider 47. The minor divider spans from the major divider to the back 3. The minor divider has similar thickness as the major divider and less length than the major divider. The minor divider extends upwardly from the base to the rim of the body and forms a plane with the major divider. The fourth compartment spans for about half the width of the left side and less than one third of that dimension inwardly from the left side. The fourth compartment has a narrow shape.
The minor divider 47 near the fourth compartment connects to the major divider and receives a rod 48 generally centered upon the minor divider 47. The rod extends to a second minor divider 47 approximately centered upon the length of the body as shown. The rod has a diameter generally more than the diameter of a spindle. As the spindles receive rolls of paper, the rod receives rolls of ribbon, webbing, and fabric tape. The rod has a bolted connection to its minor dividers so a user need only remove a nut from the connection to slip the rod away from a minor divider to insert a roll of tape. As shown, the rod 48 spans between two minor dividers 47. Clockwise from the fourth compartment, the two minor dividers, the major divider, and the back define a second compartment 49. The second compartment is the same width as the fourth compartment but of greater length. Clockwise from the second compartment, the second minor divider, the major divider, and the back define the third compartment 51. The third compartment has the same width as the second compartment and the fourth compartment but a length more than that of the second compartment. The third compartment provides storage capacity for the user. The minor dividers may adjust their positions upon the major divider and the back to accommodate rods of different lengths. In an alternate embodiment, the lid has a hatch proximate one corner generally oriented over the third compartment 51. In a further alternate embodiment, a second major divider has a position inward from the first major divider 50. The second major divider in cooperation with the left side, the right side, and the first major divider forms a fifth compartment on a narrow elongated shape. The first compartment has its length to receive additional rolls of wrapping paper.
Looking at this preferred embodiment of the invention to assist the user in selecting stored wrapping paper,
To the right of the holder 44, the main compartment 42 has its inner boundary at the main divider 50. The main divider has a generally centered location as shown. Rightward of the main divider, the second compartment has the rod 48 ready to receive rolls of ribbon and other materials. The rod has a round cross section as shown and a generally centered location upon the minor divider and within the second compartment.
A preferred embodiment of the spindle assembly 43 of invention appears in
Each spindle has two opposite ends, here the left end appears towards the left of the figure and the right end appears towards the right of the figure. The left end of each spindle has its end cap 67 press fit to the spindle. On the right end of each spindle, the spindle has its movable cap 69. The end cap 67 has a diameter similar to that of the spindle while the movable cap 69 has a diameter greater than that of the spindle. Upon each movable cap and outwardly from the spindle, the spindle has an end dock 70 that temporarily secures the movable cap to the spindle against rotation until released by the user. As mentioned above, the center bar 59 extends past the spindles 44 and the end docks 70 as it passes through another cover 62 here shown to the right. The cover has its round, flat, plate like shape as before with a square centered aperture 65a that admits the bar. The cover has a plurality of its own round apertures 65b spaced regularly upon it and to align with the end docks 67 of the spindles 44. The round apertures each admit a stem of a gear 63. The gear has a plurality of teeth radially extending therefrom and having an outer diameter similar to that of the end dock. Each end dock has a fixed position upon the cover and engages a recess in the movable cap 69 as later shown in
Here, the spindle assembly 43 shows six spindles 44 and thus six gears 63 extend from the right ends of the spindles into a rack 64. The rack has a flat, planar square shape with an internal toothed opening as at 64a that receives the gears 63 in mechanical cooperation. The rack has its width and height that fits into the main compartment 42 previously shown. Outwardly from the rack, the spindle assembly has a round plate 65 also with its round apertures 65b spaced regularly upon it that align with the stems of the gears 63. Centered within the round apertures, the plate has its centered square aperture 65a that admits an end of the bar 59. The bar then extends beyond the plate and engages a receptacle 66a in a knob 66. The knob has a plurality of vanes upon its perimeter for a user to grasp when turning the knob during usage. The knob, its vanes, and indicia nearby guide a user to rotate the knob in one direction, here clockwise. Slightly outward from the center of the knob, the rack 64 also has at least one ratchet pawl 68 pivotally attached to it and that engages a nearby gear 63. The pawl allows a user to rotate one spindle in one direction but not the other during usage. The pawl then allows one gear to pass as the spindle assembly rotates in one direction thus preventing a user from rotating the spindle assembly in both directions.
Opposite the right ends of the spindles, the left of this figure shows six gears 63 also extending from the left ends of the spindles into a rack 64. The rack has its flat, planar square shape as before with an internal toothed opening as at 64a that receives the gears 63 in mechanical cooperation. The rack has its width and height that fits into the main compartment 42 previously shown. Outwardly from the rack, the spindle assembly has a round plate 65 also with its round apertures 65b spaced regularly upon it that align with the stems of the gears 63. Centered within the round apertures, the plate its centered square aperture 65a that admits the other end of the bar 59. The bar then extends beyond the plate and engages a receptacle 66a in the other knob 66. This knob has a plurality of vanes upon its perimeter for a user to grasp when turning the knob during usage. This knob is a mirror image of the other knob. This knob, like the other, has vanes and nearby indicia that a user to rotate the knob in one direction, here counter-clockwise so that the spindles as a group rotate up and to the left in the figure. Slightly outward from the center of the knob, the rack 64 also has at least one ratchet pawl 68 pivotally attached to it and that engages a nearby gear 63 using the tip of the pawl 68. The pawl allows a user to rotate one spindle in one direction only as described so that wrapping paper remains upon the rolls. The pawl then allows one gear to pass as the spindle assembly rotates in one direction thus preventing a user from rotating the spindle assembly in both directions.
And,
The preferred embodiment has a spindle assembly with a centered square shaft and six spindles equally spaced about the shaft and parallel to the shaft. The shaft has an elongated, slender shape, a square cross section, a length, and two opposite ends. Outside of the shaft, the assembly has two mutually parallel and spaced apart covers. Each cover has a flat, round shape and each of the ends of the shaft connects to one cover. Each of the spindles have an elongated, slender, cylindrical shape, a left end and an opposite right end, an end cap upon the left end and a movable cap upon the right end, and at least one grip. The cylindrical shape is round. Each of the covers has a center square aperture to receive the shaft and round apertures in registration with each of the spindles. The round apertures receive six gears and each of the gears enters one of the round apertures of one cover and connects to each of the end caps. The gears on this first cover have a coplanar arrangement. Then a further set of six gears enter the round apertures of the other cover and connect to each of the movable caps. This further set of gears also have a coplanar arrangement that has a mutually parallel orientation to the first set of six gears.
Outwardly from the gears and the covers, the assembly has two mutually parallel and spaced apart racks, each of the racks has a rounded internal opening. The opening has a teeth that extending radially inward. The teeth of one rack mesh with the six gears and the teeth of the other rack mesh with the second, or further, set of six gears. The gears in cooperation with the racks allow the spindles to rotate simultaneously and in the same direction. The spindle assembly rotates in one direction only as shown by the vanes upon the knobs in the drawings. Before the knobs and outside of the racks, the assembly has two mutually parallel and spaced apart plates. Each plate has a flat, round shape and a center square aperture that receives the shaft. Outward from the square aperture, each plate has round apertures in registration with the counterpart round apertures in one of the covers. One plate receives six of the gears entering one set of the round apertures. Then the other plate receives the further set of six of the gears. Each the gears enters one of the round apertures. Before leaving the covers, each of the racks has at least one pawl operatively engaging one of the gears for one direction rotation.
The shaft extends outwardly through the center square aperture of each plate. The shaft then engages the knobs. The assembly has two knobs, one of the knobs connecting to the shaft proximate one plates, and the other knob connecting to the shaft at the other plate opposite the first knob. The knobs cooperate with the plates, the racks, the gears, and the covers to rotate the spindle assembly as a user turns at least one of the knobs. More closely, the assembly also has six rectangular docks arrayed upon one cover in registration with the movable caps of the spindles. Each of the movable caps then has a rectangular recess that receives one of the docks in cooperative engagement. This dock and movable cap engagement keeps the movable cap upon the dock during usage until a user separates the movable cap from the dock for loading wrapping paper upon one of the spindles or for removing an empty tube from a spindle.
The spindle assembly presents a selected roll to a user of the invention. Each spindle lets a user release wrapping paper from a selected roll upon pulling, ready to wrap a present or other object resting upon the lid above.
From the aforementioned description, a magazine has been described. The magazine is uniquely capable of storing many rolls of wrapping paper horizontal while rotating the rolls for selection by a user. The magazine and its various components may be manufactured from many materials, including but not limited to, transparent polymers, steel, aluminum, opaque polymers, ferrous and non-ferrous metal foils, their alloys, and composites.
Various aspects of the illustrative embodiments have been described using terms commonly employed by those skilled in the art to convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced with only some of the described aspects. For purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the illustrative embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details. In other instances, well known features are omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the illustrative embodiments.
Various operations have been described as multiple discrete operations, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the present invention, however, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations need not be performed in the order of presentation.
Moreover, in the specification and the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” “third” and the like—when they appear—are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.
The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described examples (or one or more aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Other embodiments can be used, such as by one of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The Abstract is provided to allow the reader to ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. Also, in the above Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together to streamline the disclosure. This should not be interpreted as intending that an unclaimed disclosed feature is essential to any claim. Rather, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. Therefore, the claims include such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.
This non provisional application claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 62/842102 filed on May 2, 2019 which are owned by the same inventors.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62842102 | May 2019 | US |