1. Field
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for holding tissue paper rolls, which includes features for dispensing a fragrance.
2. Description of Related Art
Bathrooms commonly include structures for holding a toilet tissue roll within reach of each toilet. Such structures include roll holders, which are available in various styles. Tissue paper rolls are often proved with a generally cylindrical tubular core or support tube around which the tissue paper is rolled. One commonly used style comprises a telescoping cylindrical spindle for inserting through the core of the tissue roll. The cylindrical tube may be equipped with an internal compression spring to maintain the spindle at the limits of its telescoping action. The spindle can be compressed to fit horizontally between opposing arms or walls of a roll holding structure. The compression spring maintains the spindle securely in compression against the roll holding structure, while permitting horizontal rotation of the tissue for dispensing tissue therefrom. An alternative style, also commonly seen in households, comprises a horizontally disposed arm for insertion through the central support tube of the tissue roll. Notwithstanding the ubiquity of these and other styles of tissue roll holders, such holders are seldom used for functions other than their primary function of holding a tissue for convenient dispensing.
Another common feature found in bathrooms is the fragrance dispenser. Fragrance dispensers also come in various styles, including various dispensers of volatile solids and liquids, as well as the traditional potpourri holder. As compared to chemical odorants, potpourri provides the advantage of a more subtle natural aroma that is less likely to cause irritation or allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. However, from a housekeeping perspective, potpourri may be more difficult to manage than chemical odorant dispensers, particularly in households with young children or pets.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide these and other benefits of useful bathroom products such as exemplified above in an aesthetically pleasing, convenient, and cost-effective product.
A roll holder for holding paper roll products is provided, comprising a tubular spindle closed at both ends thereof to provide a chamber therebetween in an interior of the spindle, for insertion through a core of a paper roll product. The chamber may be in fluid communication with an exterior of the spindle via a plurality of openings, for example, circular holes or clots passing through the chamber walls. The spindle may be generally cylindrical in shape. Its interior chamber may also be generally cylindrical.
The interior chamber is configured to hold a scented product. Any suitable solid scented product may be disposed in the chamber. For example, a potpourri material may be disposed in the chamber. The potpourri may be loosely packed in the chamber to enable tumbling of the potpourri in response to rotation of the spindle around its longitudinal axis. Such tumbling may enhance release of fragrance from the potpourri as paper is dispensed from the roll holder. In the alternative, the potpourri may be tightly packed in the chamber to prevent tumbling of the potpourri despite rotation of the spindle around its longitudinal axis.
The roll holder may further comprise a cover piece closing at least one end of the chamber. The cover piece may be configured to be not removable from the spindle, sealing the scented product in the chamber. In this configuration, the roll holder is intended to be disposed of when the scented product loses its fragrance. In the alternative, the cover piece may be removably attached to the spindle, to enable replacement of the scented product and re-use of the roll holder with renewed scented product placed therein.
In another aspect, the roll holder may further comprise a plurality of stand-offs fixed to the spindle around an outer periphery thereof, configured to hold an interior surface of a cylinder (e.g., a paper roll core) in a spaced-apart relation to the spindle. For example, the stand-offs may comprise a plurality of contoured fins or ribs arranged symmetrically around the periphery of the spindle, for holding the core of the paper roll. For further example, the plurality of stand-offs may be configured to hold the interior surface of the cylinder spaced at least 0.1 or 0.25 inches from a cylindrical exterior surface of the spindle.
In another aspect, the roll holder may further comprise a terminal piece moveably attached to at least one end of the spindle, configured to permit temporary compression of opposing terminals of the spindle along a longitudinal axis thereof, thereby enabling insertion of the spindle into fixed receivers for the opposing terminals. The roll holder may further comprise a compression spring disposed between the spindle and the terminal piece, to urge the terminal piece outward along the longitudinal axis. Outward movement of the terminal piece may be restrained by a latch member attaching the terminal piece to the spindle. The roll holder may be equipped with a second terminal piece moveably attached to an end of the spindle opposite to the first terminal piece. Likewise, a second compression spring may be disposed between the spindle and the second terminal piece, to urge the second terminal piece outward along the longitudinal axis; and outward movement of the second terminal piece may be restrained by a second latch member attaching the second terminal piece to the spindle.
The terminal piece or pieces may each be configured as a cap covering at least one end of the spindle. The cap may be attached to an axle portion protruding from the cap along the longitudinal axis, distal from the spindle. The axle portion may be configured to fit into a receiver for a support arm or support plate for holding the spindle in a horizontal position will remaining free to turn.
The roll holder may be configured to fit snugly into the cylindrical core of the tissue paper. Thus, as the tissue paper is pulled from the roll, the core and roll holder rotate together. The rotation of the roll hold may cause or enhance release or fragrance from the scented product in the interior chamber. For example, rotation may cause increased turbulent air flow, tumbling of the scented product, or both, thereby increasing the rate at which fragrance is released.
In other embodiments, the roll holder may be configured as a cylindrical member with a central cylindrical passage from end to end, causing the interior chamber to have an annular cross section. In these embodiments, the terminal pieces may be omitted and the roll holder mounted by inserting a rod-shaped member through the central cylindrical passage.
A more complete understanding of the roll holder with internal fragrance dispenser will be afforded to those skilled in the art, as well as a realization of additional advantages and objects thereof, by a consideration of the following detailed description. Reference will be made to the appended sheets of drawings which will first be described briefly.
Throughout the drawings and detailed description, like element numerals are used to refer to like elements depicted in the drawings.
The chamber 116 is provided with a plurality of through holes 106 or equivalent openings passing through the chamber walls 107. The openings 106 admit ambient air into the interior of the chamber 116 and permit fragrance to be provided from the interior of the chamber to the ambient environment. For example, aromatic fragrances may be released through the openings 106 into an air gap 158 formed between the spindle 102 and the inside surface 154 of a core 152 for a tissue roll product 150 held by the spindle. From the air gap 158, the fragrance may diffuse into the ambient environment.
A fragrant product 118 is disposed in an interior of the chamber 116. The fragrant product may comprise, for example, a loose, generally particulate solid product, for example, a potpourri made from natural materials, or porous beads (e.g. wooden beads) saturated with fragrant oil. In embodiments where the fragrant product is a particulate material, each opening 106 should be smaller than the minimum particle size for the fragrant product, in at least one dimension. For example, if the openings are circular through holes, the hole diameter should be less than the minimum particle diameter. A particulate or beaded fragrant product 118 may be loosely packed so that it tumbles within the chamber 116 in response to rotation of the spindle 102. Tumbling of the product 118 may enhance air flow and release of fragrance from the product. Thus, the rate of release of fragrance may temporarily increase when the spindle is rotated, for example, as paper 156 is drawn off a roll of tissue paper 150 supported by the spindle 102. In the alternative, the particulate fragrant product may be tightly packed in the chamber 116, so that it does not tumble and remains in place even while the spindle is rotated.
The chamber may be closed using an end cap 110 after the fragrant product is placed in its interior. In some embodiments, the end cap 110 is permanently fixed to the end of the spindle 102, sealing the fragrant product inside. In other embodiments, the end cap may be removable, for example, using a threaded surface, to permit removal and replacement of the fragrant product at any desired time after initial assembly.
In the alternative, or in addition, the fragrant product may comprise a substantially solid material, for example, a gel, paste or wick infused with volatile and semi-volatile fragrances. In these embodiments, the openings 106 should be small enough to protect the fragrant product from damage and large enough to admit air for wafting fragrance from the chamber 116. A non-particulate solid fragrance may be supported by a surface or frame (not shown) in the interior of the chamber 116. In alternative embodiments, the chamber 116 may be sealed and hold a liquid fragrance, such as a fragrant oil. In such embodiments, aromatic fragrance may be transported to the exterior of the spindle 102 using one or more wicks (not shown) passing through the chamber walls 107 and into the air gap 158 formed between the spindle 102 and the inside surface 154 of a core 152 for a tissue roll product 150.
The roll holder 100 may further comprise one or more stand-offs 108 or spacers disposed on and fixed to an exterior wall of the spindle 102. The stand-offs may be co-molded with the spindle 102, or formed in any other suitable fashion. The stand-offs 108 may be configured such that, when the roll holder 100 is inserted in into the core 152 of a paper roll 150, the stand-offs operate to center the spindle in the interior of the paper core 152, and provide an annular gap 158 between the exterior wall of the spindle 102 and the paper core 152. In the United States, consumer toilet tissue roll cores may be generally cylindrical, about 4.5 inches long and may have an inner diameter in the range of about 1.55 to 1.70 inches; for example, about 1.60 inches. The roll holder may be constructed to fit this size, or other standard core sizes. The roll holder is configured such that the annular gap 152 is in fluid communication with the ambient air environment at both ends of the roll holder, to enhance discharge of fragrance from the chamber 116 through the air gap 152 into the environment. For example, an annular gap having an average height in the range of about 0.1 to 0.5 inches may be suitable; for further example, a gap of about 0.36 inches. In addition, the stand-offs may be configured to fit snugly against the interior surfaces of 154 of the paper core 152, such that drawing paper 156 off of the core causes the spindle 102 to rotate with the core 152. The stand-offs 108 may be contoured as shown to facilitate insertion and removal of the roll holder 100 from the paper core 152.
The roll holder 100 may further comprise one or two terminal pieces 104, 104′. In the depicted embodiment, both terminal pieces comprise separate parts free to slide relative to the spindle 102 in the direction of its longitudinal (i.e., cylindrical) axis. Each terminal piece is forced outward by an internally-disposed compression spring 112 and held in place by a stop 122, which may be accommodated in a slot 120. Each terminal piece may be provided with a centrally-disposed axle portion 114 to provide a bearing surface for a support arm or support wall. In the alternative, the roll holder 100 may comprise a single terminal piece 104, while the opposite end of the spindle may lack a separate moveable terminal piece and instead be configured with a fixed integral terminal surface for placing in a complementary receiver. The terminal piece or pieces 104, 104′ may be configured to permit temporary compression of the opposing terminals of the spindle along a longitudinal axis thereof, thereby enabling insertion of the spindle 102 into fixed receivers for the opposing terminals. Such fixed receivers may be configured to hold the spindle 102 and any paper roll 150 into which the spindle is inserted, while permitting rotation of the roll 150 and spindle 102 as paper is drawn off the roll.
An alternative fragrance dispenser 200 is shown in
For a tubular spindle of circular cross section, stand-offs 308 may be arranged around an outer perimeter of the spindle, as shown in
An end cap 334 as shown in
Having thus described a preferred embodiment of a roll holder with internal fragrance dispenser, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain advantages of the within system have been achieved. It should also be appreciated that various modifications, adaptations, and alternative embodiments thereof may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present technology. For example, a generally cylindrical roll holder has been illustrated, but it should be apparent that the novel concepts described above may be applied by one of ordinary skill to spindles of other cross sectional shapes to thereby realize the unexpected benefits described herein. For example, a tubular spindle having a triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, rectangular or other polygonal cross-sectional shape may be used. Likewise, standoffs for providing a space between the spindle outer perimeter and the inner surface of a tissue roll may be provided in various shapes and locations. The standoffs may be incorporated into the geometry of the spindle itself; for example, the corners of a tubular spindle having a triangular cross-section may serve as stand-offs for holding the inner tube of a tissue roll, while providing a ventilation space between the sides of the triangular spindle and the tube wall. The scope of what is claimed should be determined by the appended claims interpreted in accordance with the foregoing specification, and is not limited by the examples hereinabove.
This application claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/376,138, filed Aug. 23, 2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61376138 | Aug 2010 | US | |
61391023 | Oct 2010 | US |