FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to devices used for handing, dispensing and storing rolled paper and paper accessories. In particular, the present invention relates to a rolled paper storage and dispenser device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Rolled paper is a staple commodity that is used throughout modern society. For example, among the numerous other things, rolled paper takes the form of gift wrapping paper, butcher paper, arts and crafts paper, and wall covering paper. Typically, the handling and storing of rolled paper is problematic since rolled paper tends to be unwieldy due to its dimensions and weight. In addition, a user often finds it extremely difficult to precisely and accurately cut portions of the paper from the roll due to such things as the width of the paper, the diameter of the roll, and the inherent positional instability of the roll on most surfaces. These problems often lead to a significant waste of paper due to, for example, unsatisfactory cut portions, and/or damage to the paper roll due to improper storage such as when a roll is stored on its end.
Furthermore, rolled paper is often wrapped tightly about a center axis. This tight wrapping leads to the paper having a propensity to retain a curvature when it is unrolled. At times this curvature creates a situation in which the paper will spontaneously re-roll such that the recently unrolled portion of the paper forms into a second roll. This typically will exacerbate the problems associated with storing and handling the rolled paper.
Conventionally, the problems associated with the rolled paper have been addressed by attempts to partially restrain portions of the roll. For example, a rod is often inserted through the axial center of the roll such that the rod serves as a support about which the roll can rotate. However, since the rod typically is not sized such that it closely matches the center opening of the roll, dispensing paper from the roll is often erratic and uneven.
Other attempts to address the problems associated with rolled paper have included providing support for the outside surface of the roll such that the paper can be dispensed as the roll is rotated. Typically, these attempts utilize rollers in contact with the outer surface of the roll. However, since the diameter of the roll decreases as paper is dispensed, and since these dispensers typically utilize rollers which cannot dynamically adjust to this decreased diameter, dispensing resistance and consistency is often unacceptable. In many cases the rolling of the roll must either be assisted or suppressed in an attempt to alleviate this unacceptable rolling resistance and consistency problem.
In addition, the conventional devices require complex and often times substantial elements which preclude the positioning and use of the devices in desired locations, for example, under a table top, or where multiple rolls are required to be dispensed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly stated, in a preferred form, the present invention is a paper dispenser which comprises a pair of spaced endplates connected together by one or more rails. Each rail is associated with a roll guide which is movable about an axis of the rail. The roll guide has a plurality of rotatable elements and may additionally be movable along the length of the rail such that a distance between two or more roll guides may be varied along the length of the rail. The roll guide is configured such that the rotatable elements of a single or of multiple roll guides will self adjust their orientation relative to a paper roll surface of a paper roll being dispensed from the paper dispenser.
The paper dispenser may also have a paper cutting element which spans a portion of the distance between the pair of spaced endplates. The endplates may also be associated with leg elements and/or standoff elements. The leg elements and or standoff elements may be configured such that a paper dispenser can be secured to a surface and/or be such that multiple paper dispenser elements can be attached together.
An object of the present invention is to provide a paper dispenser for rolled paper which allows for convenient and reliable dispensing of paper.
An object of the present invention is to provide a paper dispenser which has a roll handling and dispensing configuration such that a paper roll is conveniently and reliably dispensed throughout the life cycle of the roll.
Another object of the invention is to provide a paper dispenser that can be conveniently associated with a surface and/or which can be associated with a plurality of paper dispensers.
A further object of the invention is to provide a paper dispenser that allows paper to be accurately and precisely cut paper from a roll.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident to one of ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a front view of a paper dispenser and associated paper roll consistent with the present invention.
FIG. 1A is a sectioned side view, along section line B-B of the paper dispenser with associated paper roll of FIG. 1 consistent with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectioned side view, along section line C-C, of the paper dispenser of FIG. 1 consistent with the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side view of a paper dispenser having an associated stand and support member consistent with the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a side view of a set of roll guides and associated rails consistent with the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a paper dispenser consistent with the present invention.
FIG. 5A is a sectional view from the front along section A-A of the paper dispenser of FIG. 5 consistent with the present invention.
FIGS. 6A-6D are perspective views of paper dispensers and associated paper rolls in various mounted positions consistent with the present invention.
FIGS. 7A-7C are side cut away views, partly in schematic, of a paper dispenser consistent with the present invention being respectively associated with a full paper roll, a partially depleted paper roll, and a nearly empty paper roll.
FIGS. 8A and 8B respectively show, partly in schematic, a pair roll guides being displaced along a set of rails and about a set of rails consistent with the present invention.
FIGS. 9A and 9B respectively show a paper dispenser and associated ribbon/tape holder consistent with the present invention in an assembled and an exploded view, partly in schematic.
FIG. 10 shows, partly in schematic, a paper dispenser with rotatable cutter bar arms which are associated with a cutter bar consistent with the present invention.
FIG. 11 shows, partly in schematic, an end portion of a paper dispenser wherein a leg element is being inserted into a recess of the end plate consistent with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference to the drawings wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout the several figures, a paper dispenser in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the numeral 10.
In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the paper dispenser 10 comprises a first end plate 12 and a second end plate 14. The end plates 12, 14, are laterally spaced apart by a first rail 16 and a second rail 18, shown in FIG. 1A. Each rail 16, 18 may be substantially cylindrical and is associated with a roll guide 20, portions of which are movable about an axis 22 of the rail 16, 18 (as shown in FIG. 8B). The roll guide 20 has a plurality of rotatable elements 24 which may be configured, for example, as a spherical, cylindrical (as shown in FIG. 8B) and/or similarly rotatable structures.
In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 8B, the roll guide 20 has a body 26 which is configured to receive a rail 16, 18 such that the body 26 may rotate about the axial center 22 of the rail 16, 18. The body 26 may be substantially cylindrical. Extending outwardly from the body 26 is a pair of roller support arms 28. Each of the roller support arms 28 are connected to a rotatable element 24. A paper roll surface 30, as shown in FIGS. 7A-7C, may be associated with each rotatable element 24 of the roll guide 20. The paper roll surface 30 is formed by, for example, an elongated paper sheet which is wrapped about a paper roll axial center 32. In operation, as the paper roll surface 30 is rotated about the paper roll axial center 32, the rotatable element 24 is cause to rotate due to its contact with the paper roll surface.
In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 10, there are two roll guides 20 on each rail 16, 18. Each of the two roll guides, as shown in FIG. 8A, may be movable along the length of the rail 16, 18 such that a distance between the two roll guides 20 may be varied along the length of each rail 16, 18. It should be understood that multiple roll guides 20 may be present on each rail 16, 18, and that each of the multiple roll guides 20 may be movable relative to each other and each end plate 12, 14.
The roll guide 20, in one embodiment of the present invention, is configured such that the rotatatable elements 24 of single and/or multiple roll guides 20 will self adjust their orientation relative to the paper roll surface 30 as the paper roll is reduced in diameter due to paper being dispensed from the paper roll. For example, as shown in FIGS. 7A-7B, as the diameter of the paper roll decreases, the center axis 32 of the paper roll moves closer to the rails 16, 18. As the center axis 32 of the paper roll moves closer to the rails 16, 18, the body 26 of each roll guide rotates about the rail 16, 18 such that the rotatable elements 24 maintain an advantageous relationship with the paper roll surface 30. It should be noted that the rotatable elements 24 of a single roll guide may, for example, self adjust their orientation relative to the paper roll surface 30 through flexure of the support arms 28.
The paper dispenser 10, in one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1, 1A, and 2 may include a paper cutting assembly 40. The paper cutting assembly 40 includes a cutter bar arm 42 having a plate connecting end 44 and a cutter bar end 46. The plate connecting end 44 may be rotatably connected to the plate 12, 14, such the cutter bar arm 42 may rotatably move relative to the plate 12, 14 (as shown in FIG. 10). The cutter bar end 46 of the arm 42 is configured to retain a cutter bar 48. The cutter bar 48, as shown in FIG. 1, may span substantially the entire distance between the plates 12, 14.
In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, the cutter bar 48 includes an opening 49 which is partially defined by a blade back plate 50, a first paper support 52, a blade 54, and a blade front plate 56. In operation, as shown in FIG. 9A, paper 58, being dispensed from the roll extends through the opening 49. Inside the opening 49, as shown in FIG. 2, the paper 58 may be partially supported and guided by the first paper support 52 such that a portion of the paper 52 can be brought into contact with the blade 54 wherein the paper 58 can be cut. For example, a user of the paper dispenser may pull on a portion of the paper 58 extending out of the opening 49 such that the paper 58 is forced against the blade 58. In addition, the cutter bar arm 42 with attached cutter bar 48 may be moved in toward the paper roll by rotating the cutter bar arm 40 as shown in FIG. 10. This would, for example, allow paper 58 to be fed through the opening 49. Furthermore, portions of the blade back plate 50, the first paper support 52, and the blade front plate 56 may retain the paper 58 in the opening such that it cannot easily be pulled out from the roll side of the opening 49 toward the roll. For example, portions of the blade back plate 50, the first paper support 52, and the blade front plate 56 may act to allow the paper 58 to be extended through the paper in a substantially one-way manner.
The paper dispenser 10, in one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1A, 2, 3, and 5, may include paper cutting assembly 60. The paper cutting assembly 60, in a preferred configuration, is attached to a back side of the plate 12, 14 by a support arm 62. The paper cutting assembly 60 includes an opening 64 which is configured to receive the paper 58. The opening 64 is at least partially defined by a blade holder 66, a blade 68, and a cutter paper support 72. The paper cutting assembly 60 also includes a cutter handle 70. The paper cutting assembly 60 is displaceably associated a cutter guide rail 74 which extends between the distance defined by the plates 12, 14. In operation, paper 58 is extended through the opening 64. The blade 68 is brought into contact with the paper 58 with the cutter handle 70. The paper cutting assembly 60 is then displaced along the cutter guide rail 74 such that the paper 58 is cut.
In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 6A-6D, the end plates 12, 14 may also be associated with leg elements 76 and/or standoff elements 78. The leg elements 76 may be configured such that it can be secured to an endplate 12, 14, of the paper dispenser 10 may include a surface stability portion. For example, as shown in FIG. 6B the leg element 76 includes a flat surface 79 for resting on a table 80. The leg element 76A (as shown in FIG. 3) preferably includes a flattened portion 77 which is configured to engage with a leg recess 84 present in the end plate 12, 14. The leg recess 84 is preferably configured as a channel extending from the front to the back of the end plate 12, 14. The leg element 76 may have openings 88, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 9A-9B, through which a fastener (not shown) can be inserted to secure the leg element 76 to, for example, a table 80.
The standoff element 78, in one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6C is configured to allow multiple paper dispenser elements 10 to be advantageously connected together. For example, a stand off element 78 may be associated with a standoff recess 86 in the end plate 12, 14 of a first paper dispenser and with the leg recess 84 in the end plate 12, 14, of a second paper dispenser. The standoff element 78 may include an opening 90 through which the paper dispenser 10 can be secured to a wall 82 (as shown in FIG. 6A), and/or an underside of a table 80 (as shown in FIG. 6D). The standoff recess 86 is preferably configured as a channel extending from the front to the back of the end plate 12, 14.
In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the paper dispenser 10 may be associated with a ribbon/tape holder 92. The ribbon/tape holder 92 preferably includes a channeled body 100 having a plurality of slots 104 into which dividers 102 may be inserted. A tape/ribbon roll 16, as shown in FIG. 9A may be inserted between adjacent dividers 102.
The channeled body 100, in one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 9B may a radiused portion 108 configured to engage and be supported by roll guides 20 of a paper dispenser 10. As such, a paper dispenser 10 may also be utilized as a dispenser for tape/ribbon. For example, tape/ribbon can be dispensed from a tape/ribbon roll 106 by extending tape/ribbon through the cutting bar opening 49 as shown in FIG. 9A.
While preferred embodiments of the foregoing invention have been set forth for purposes of illustration, the foregoing description should not be deemed a limitation of the invention herein. Accordingly, various modifications, adaptations and alternatives may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Patent Application
20060237578
