Patent Application
20250235055
The present invention relates generally to toilet paper dispensers, and more particularly, to toilet paper dispensers that securely hold multiple rolls of toilet paper.
There is a need in public restrooms to provide each toilet stall with an abundance of toilet paper so that the toilets do not have to be serviced too frequently. Simply providing extra rolls unsecured would not be satisfactory because of theft. Thus, many different solutions to providing this enlarged and secured volume of toilet paper have been created. For example, some dispensers house an oversized single roll or twin rolls of toilet paper. However, the oversized rolls are not easily procured from most stores.
Housings for containing multiple conventional size rolls have been devised, but each only allows for dispensing from one roll at a time. The user must move a separator or part of the housing or an internal spool to place the next roll into an accessible position once the previous roll is exhausted. Such mechanisms are prone to malfunction and are frustrating to restroom users. Thus, there remains a need to provide a secure toilet paper dispenser for multiple standard size rolls of toilet paper.
The present invention provides a toilet paper dispenser that encloses a plurality of rolls of toilet paper and simultaneously dispenses from each of them. The toilet paper dispenser includes a wall plate and a cover pivotally secured to the wall plate to form an enclosure around the rolls of toilet paper. The wall plate defines a pair of sidewalls that project away from the wall in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the wall. A roll support member is attached to one of the sidewalls for each roll in the dispenser. The cover defines a dispensing opening adjacent to each roll of toilet paper so that all rolls can dispense simultaneously. A latching mechanism is provided to latch the cover in the closed position. A lock can be placed through a latch member of the latching mechanism to lock the cover in the closed position.
Provided herein is a toilet paper dispenser for mounting to a wall and dispensing multiple numbers of rolls of toilet paper simultaneously. The toilet paper dispenser includes a wall plate, a cover and a plurality of toilet paper support members. The wall plate is generally vertically elongated and comprises a pair of sidewalls opposite one another that project outwardly from the wall when the toilet paper dispenser is mounted to the wall. A plurality of apertures are defined horizontally through one of the pair of sidewalls. The number of apertures corresponds to the number of toilet paper rolls to be housed within the toilet paper dispenser. The cover is pivotally connected to the wall plate. The plurality of toilet paper support members correspond to the number of toilet paper rolls to be housed within the toilet paper dispenser. Each toilet paper support member comprises a first leg that extends parallel to a second leg and a transverse member connecting the first leg to the second leg. One leg of each toilet paper support member is inserted through a respective one of the plurality of apertures defined horizontally through one of the pair of sidewalls and the second leg is free to support a toilet paper roll. The cover comprises a dispensing opening corresponding to each of the multiple number of rolls of toilet paper that can be disposed inside of the toilet paper dispenser so that all rolls of toilet paper can be dispensed simultaneously.
The second leg of the toilet paper support member can extend horizontally across the wall plate. The wall plate can define a support surface for supporting the toilet paper support member against forces exerted on the toilet paper support member due to weight of a toilet paper roll disposed thereon. The wall plate can include a plurality of mounting apertures defined through the wall plate.
The cover can be pivotally connected to the wall plate adjacent to a vertical top end of the wall plate. Alternatively, the cover can be pivotally connected to the wall plate adjacent to a vertical bottom end of the wall plate.
The cover can be pivotally connected to the wall plate via a pivot member that is passed through one side of the cover, across the wall plate and through an opposite second side of the cover.
The number of toilet paper rolls to be housed within the toilet paper dispenser can be two, three or more than three.
The wall plate can further include an upper mid wall spanning between the pair of sidewalls and a lower mid wall spanning between the pair of sidewalls.
The cover can define a latch slot configured to receive at least a portion of a latch member when the cover is in a closed position.
A latch recess can be defined in the wall plate and a latch member disposed in the latch recess. The latch recess is configured to allow the latch member to slide vertically between a latched position and an unlatched position. In the latched position, the latch member is configured to engage a latch slot defined in the cover such that the cover cannot be pivoted open from a closed position. The latch member can define a projection portion that projects vertically below the cover when the latch member is in the latched position such that a lock can be placed through the projection portion.
In another example provided herein a toilet paper dispensing system for mounting to a wall and dispensing a plurality of rolls of toilet paper simultaneously includes a wall plate, a cover and a plurality of toilet paper support members. The wall plate includes a pair of sidewalls opposite one another. A plurality of apertures are defined horizontally through one of the pair of sidewalls. A cover is pivotally connected to the wall plate. Each toilet paper support member comprises a first leg that extends parallel to a second leg and a transverse member connecting the first leg to the second leg. One leg of each toilet paper support member is inserted through a respective one of the plurality of apertures defined horizontally through one of the pair of sidewalls and the second leg is free to support a toilet paper roll. The cover comprises a dispensing opening corresponding to each of the plurality of toilet paper support members such that each toilet paper roll housed within the cover can be dispensed simultaneously.
A method of housing and dispensing multiple rolls of toilet paper in a wall-mounted dispenser is also provided herein.
The above summary is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, or describe each embodiment, aspect, implementation, feature or advantage of the invention. The detailed technology and preferred embodiments for the subject invention are described in the following paragraphs accompanying the appended drawings for people skilled in this field to well appreciate the features of the claimed invention. It is understood that the features mentioned hereinbefore and those to be commented on hereinafter may be used not only in the specified combinations, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without departing from the scope of the present invention.
While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to the particular example embodiments described. On the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
In the following descriptions, the present invention will be explained with reference to various exemplary embodiments. Nevertheless, these embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention to any specific example, environment, application, or particular implementation described herein. Therefore, descriptions of these example embodiments are only provided for purpose of illustration rather than to limit the present invention.
It should be recognized that the dimensions, proportions, scale and configurations of components depicted in the accompanying drawings are merely example embodiments and can be varied unless specifically limited in a given claim. Thus, the dimensions, proportions, scale and configurations can be varied without departing from the scope of the invention except where explicitly limited by a given claim.
Referring to
The depicted examples herein are configured for containing and dispensing three rolls of toilet paper. However, it is to be understood that the embodiments of four or more rolls are also contemplated, as well as embodiments for only two rolls. The dispenser 100 is also sized and configured for conventional size toilet paper rolls. However, oversized toilet paper rolls can be accommodated in alternative embodiments where the dispenser is configured for the added clearance necessary to accommodate toilet paper rolls with larger outer dimensions.
The wall plate 102 is generally elongated in a vertical direction and includes a plurality of fastener apertures 108 to allow the plate 102 to be secured to a wall. Screws, rivets or other fasteners can be employed to secure the plate to the wall in a restroom in a location convenient to the user. A top mounting flange 109 extends vertically upwards to define a further mounting means with its own fastener aperture 108.
The wall plate 102 defines a pair of sidewalls 110, 112 that project away from the wall (on which the wall plate 102 is mounted). An upper mid-wall 114 and a lower mid-wall 116 each spans between the pair of sidewalls 110, 112 and are each located to define a partial pocket for a roll of toilet paper 106. In particular, the upper mid-wall 114 lies at least partially vertically between the upper and middle toilet paper rolls 106 while the lower mid-wall 116 lies at least partially vertically between the middle and lower toilet paper rolls 106.
An aperture 118 is defined in one of the pair of sidewalls 110, 112 adjacent to the vertical top of each partial pocket. This aperture serves to receive one end of a toilet paper support member 120. A guide 119 is further provided on the wall plate 102 adjacent to the aperture 118 to further support the one end of the toilet paper support member 120. The guide 119 defines a hollow channel sized and shaped to allow the end of the toilet paper support member 120 to pass therethrough. A retaining ring or push nut 123 can be added to the one end of the toilet paper support member 120 to help ensure that the toilet paper support member 120 does not accidentally withdraw from the wall plate 102.
The toilet paper support member 120, such as shown in
One toilet paper support member 120 is placed on the wall plate 102 for each toilet paper roll. One leg 124 is first inserted through the aperture 118 and guide 119. The other leg 122 extends horizontally across the pocket of the wall plate 102 so that a toilet paper roll can be placed over the free leg and be supported during dispensing. The leg 124 that is inserted into the aperture 118 and guide 119 is shorter than the other leg 122 that holds the toilet paper roll 106.
The wall plate 102 also includes a support surface 128 defined on one of the sides thereon that also includes the aperture 118. The support surface provides a rest or support for the transverse member 126 so that the free leg is additionally supported when weighted down by a roll of toilet paper and even when the user tugs on the toilet paper roll to separate a segment of dispensed paper from the toilet paper roll.
The cover 104 is pivotally attached to the wall plate 102 adjacent to a top end thereof. A cylindrical pivot member 130 functions as a pivot pin to define the pivot axis of the cover. The pivot member 130 extends horizontally through respective apertures in the sidewalls 110 and 112, and defines an enlarged head 132 on a proximal longitudinal end thereof and defines a snap-fastening end 133 on a distal longitudinal end thereof. The snap-fastening end 133 is inserted first until it mates with a pivot aperture 134 defined in the cover. The enlarged head 132 engages a respective pivot aperture 134 defined on an opposite side of the cover 104.
The cover 104 defines a forward contoured surface 136 defining a curved bulge 138 to provide clearance for each toilet paper roll 106. A bottom portion of each curved bulge 138 is open to define a dispensing outlet 140 for each individual toilet paper roll 106. Thus, each toilet paper roll 106 in the dispenser 100 can be used to dispense paper without needing to manipulate the dispenser 100 to release or reveal a next roll when the current roll is exhausted. The two upper dispensing outlets 140 have small lips 139 or walls or ribs spanning the horizontal width of the dispensing outlets 140 that help prevent water from falling down onto the paper roll below.
A latch slot 142 is defined in a bottom surface of the cover 104 as can be seen in
A latch assembly 144 is provided to ensure that the cover is not opened without proper authorization. The latch assembly 144 comprises a latch receiving portion 146 of the base plate 102. The latch receiving portion 146 includes a latch recess 148 defined therein and a latch member 150 disposed in the latch recess 148. The latch member 150 slides vertically upwards and downwards in the recess 148 between a latched position (
The pivot location for the cover 104 can be defined at the bottom of the wall plate 102 and cover 104. In such alternative, the cover opens by pivoting downward so that the toilet paper rolls can be accessed. In such alternative, the latch assembly and related features can be located at the top of the wall plate and cover.
The various dispenser 100 components described herein can be molded from rigid plastic materials. Some or all of the parts can also be formed of metal or a composite material as well.
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments. It will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and equivalent arrangements can be made thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, such scope to be accorded the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all equivalent structures and products. Moreover, features or aspects of various example embodiments may be mixed and matched (even if such combination is not explicitly described herein) without departing from the scope of the invention.
This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/624,763, filed on Jan. 24, 2024, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63624763 | Jan 2024 | US |
