Patent Application
20210100409
The present invention relates generally to bathroom storage. More specifically, the present invention relates to a toilet paper holder that can store multiple toilet paper rolls on a bathroom door or wall.
Presently, there is demand for a toilet paper storage device, particularly for restrooms without adequate existing storage solutions for toilet paper rolls. A toilet paper holder is commonly mounted to a wall near the toilet. The installation of such wall-mounted toilet paper holders requires mechanical fasteners and anchoring devices.
In some cases, installation may require cutting an opening in the wall. Moreover, in some places, some restrooms may be too small to store or install wall-mounted holders. Therefore, there is a need to provide a toilet paper holder or storage device that can be secured onto the door or a wall of smaller restrooms to provide a readily accessible toilet paper roll storage.
The present invention aims to solve the problems associated with conventional toilet paper holding devices through a unique construction of a toilet paper storage device that can store multiple standard toilet paper rolls in restrooms with limited space, in addition to enabling storage and dispensing of an industrial sized toilet paper roll.
Additional advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Additional advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the detailed description of the invention section. Further benefits and advantages of the embodiments of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following detailed description given with reference to the accompanying drawings, which specify and show preferred embodiments of the present invention.
All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The present invention is to be described in detail and is provided in a manner that establishes a thorough understanding of the present invention. There may be aspects of the present invention that may be practiced or utilized without the implementation of some features as they are described. It should be understood that some details have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure focus of the invention. References herein to “the preferred embodiment”, “one embodiment”, “some embodiments”, or “alternative embodiments” should be considered to be illustrating aspects of the present invention that may potentially vary in some instances, and should not be considered to be limiting to the scope of the present invention as a whole.
The present invention is a combination toilet paper dispenser and storage device suitable for any types of bathroom, but works particularly well for bathrooms/restrooms with limited space and for any restroom which needs to store and dispense an industrial type and sized roll of toilet paper. The present invention can be used in any location with a door in some embodiments, or with a hook, nail, or screw attached to a wall in some embodiments. The present invention may, in various embodiment, be either simultaneously or asynchronously be configured to store and dispense both or either standard toilet paper rolls and industrial size toilet paper rolls according to the particular needs, such as supply and demand, of a user, establishment or other entity.
In general, referring to
It should be generally understood that the mounting member 1, the base member 2, and the roll storage member 3 may be formed according to any geometry and dimensions that are suitable for facilitating the spirit and scope of the present invention as herein described. However, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mounting member 1, the base member 2, and the roll storage member 3 generally have elongated, flat geometry. In some embodiments, the mounting member 1, the base member 2, and the roll storage member 3 are formed from a continuous length of material and distinguished only by the bends, angles, or other junctions between the said members, though this is not necessarily a requirement, and in some embodiments the said members may be constructed as separate pieces and joined together through various attachment means. In some embodiments, the mounting member 1, the base member 2, and the roll storage member 3 are constructed from punched metal plate material. It is further noted that the various components of the present invention may be constructed of any suitable material, such as, but not limited to, various types of steel, plastic, wood, stone, or other materials.
The mounting element 4 may vary in different embodiments, as will be further disclosed hereinafter. The mounting element 4 serves to mount the present invention to a door or wall, and the mounting member 1 serves to couple the mounting element 4 with the remainder of the present invention. Generally, the roll storage member 3 is an elongated member onto which standard size toilet paper rolls 100 may be placed for storage. The inner cardboard tube, or otherwise, the central internal space of one or more toilet paper rolls 100 is placed over the free end of the roll storage member 3, which can hold around three to five or more toilet paper rolls 100, depending on the length of the roll storage member 3.
The base member 2 connects the mounting member 1 to the roll storage member 3, and together the three said member generally form a flat-bottomed U shape in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, though the specific geometry of the said members may vary in different embodiments. Moreover, in the preferred embodiment, the base member 2 is configured to receive and support at least one industrial sized toilet paper roll 200, such that the industrial sized toilet paper roll 200 or rolls encircle the base member 2 when the industrial sized toilet paper roll 200 is supported by the base member 2. In general, in order to situation an industrial sized toilet paper roll 200 onto the base member 2, a central opening of the industrial sized toilet paper roll 200 is maneuvered onto the free end of the roll storage member 3, across the length of the roll storage member 3, and subsequently onto the base member 2, as the roll storage member 3 and the base member 2 are generally part of a continuous structure as previously mentioned.
The mounting member 1, the base member 2, and the roll storage member 3 each comprise a first end 10 and a second end 20. The mounting member 1 extends between the first end 10 and the second end 20 of the mounting member 1, the base member 2 extends between the first end 10 and the second end 20 of the base member 2, and the roll storage member 3 extends between the first end 10 and the second end 20 of the roll storage member 3. The first end 10 of the base member 2 is connected to the second end 20 of the mounting member 1, and the first end 10 of the roll storage member 3 is connected to the second end 20 of the base member 2. To situate an industrial sized toilet paper roll 200 on the base member 2, a user may slide the industrial sized toilet paper roll 200 over the second end 20 of the roll storage member 3, toward the first end 10 of the roll storage member 3, and over the second end 20 of the base member 2, to be situated between the first end 10 and the second end 20 of the base member 2.
It is contemplated that the mounting element 4 may vary in different embodiments, and the present invention may incorporate any suitable means to install the present invention in a desired location in a bathroom. In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, as shown in
More specifically, the over-the-door hook 42 comprises a medial member 43 and a distal member 44. The medial member 43 is terminally and perpendicularly connected to the first end 10 of the base member 2, and the distal member 44 is terminally and perpendicularly connected to the medial member 43 opposite the mounting member 1 along the medial member 43. The medial member 43 and the base member 2 are positioned longitudinally opposite each other on the mounting member 1, such that the mounting member 1 is positioned longitudinally between the base member 2 and the over-the-door hook 42. This allows the over-the-door hook 42 to be installed atop a door, while the base member 2 and the roll storage member 3 extend outward from the door's surface.
In some embodiments, referring to
In some embodiments of the present invention, the mounting member 1 is adjustable in length between the first end 10 and the second end 20 of the mounting member 1. To this end, as shown in
Further, the present invention may comprise a mount locking mechanism 6 to affix the first mounting portion 11 and the second mounting portion 12 together at a desired length. Further, in some embodiments, the first mounting portion 11 and the second mounting portion 12 may be telescopically engaged with each other, with the first mounting portion 11 and the second mounting portion 12 being releasably attached to each other through the mount locking mechanism 6.
It should be understood that the specific nature of the length adjustability and the mount locking mechanism 6 may vary in different embodiments, and may utilize any desired configuration that facilitates the spirit and scope of the present invention as herein described. In some embodiments, the mount locking mechanism 6 comprised a first plurality of apertures 60, a second plurality of apertures 61, and a pin 62. The first plurality of apertures 60 traverses through and is distributed along the first mounting portion 11, while the second plurality of apertures 61 traverses through and is distributed along the second mounting portion 12. The pin 62 is removably positioned within one of the first plurality of apertures 60 and one of the second plurality of apertures 61 in order to engage the mount locking mechanism 6.
In some embodiments, as shown in
The locking member 8 may serve multiple functions. Firstly, the locking member 8 may serve as a security measure to prevent theft of an industrial sized toilet paper roll 200 supported by the base member 2. To this end, the locking member 8 should be positioned at a vertical distance from the base member 2 greater than the radius of the industrial sized toilet paper roll 200. It is not unknown for persons using a public restroom, particularly one located in a small business, and particularly during a period of social unrest or uncertainty, such as a pandemic, to commit theft of toilet paper rolls due to real or perceived scarcity of toilet paper. Therefore, the locking member 8 provides a measure of security against such theft.
Preferably, the first end 10 of the locking member 8 is connected to the second end 20 of the roll storage member 3, while the second end 20 of the locking member 8 is releasably attached to the mounting member 1 through the roll locking mechanism 9. It may not be of particular importance which end of the locking member 8, if any, is affixed in place, hingedly or otherwise, so long as both ends of the locking member 8 are able to be securely fastened between the roll storage member 3 and the mounting member 1 in order to trap an industrial sized toilet paper roll 200 between the base member 2 and the locking member 8. Various locking mechanisms and means may be implemented in various embodiments to this end without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In some embodiments, the roll locking mechanism 9 comprises a first aperture 91, a second aperture 92, and a lock 93. The first aperture 91 traverses through the locking member 8 adjacent to the second end 20 of the locking member 8, while the second aperture 92 traverses through the locking member 8 longitudinally opposite the roll storage member 3, wherein the base member 2 is oriented longitudinally. The lock 93 is therefore removably attached within the first aperture 91 and the second aperture 92. The lock 93 may be a simple padlock, cable lock, or another type of lock capable of affixing the first aperture 91 and the second aperture 92 together. However, it is contemplated, as previously noted, that any suitable means to releasably affix the locking member 8 in place between the roll storage member 3 and the mounting member 1 may be realized in various embodiments as desired.
Moreover, the locking member 8 may further be utilized to store and dispense a standard roll of toilet paper 100 in various embodiments.
Finally, in some embodiments, the present invention may further comprise a decorative embellishment 7 connected to the second end 20 of the roll storage member 3. The decorative embellishment 7 may be any desired shape, size, or have any other desired visual features to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the present invention.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 62/909,610 filed on Oct. 2, 2019. The current application also claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 63/054,047 filed on Jul. 20, 2020.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62909610 | Oct 2019 | US | |
| 63054047 | Jul 2020 | US |
