PAPER ROLL HOLDER AND PAPER ROLL

Description

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to devices and means for holding a roll of paper, such as a towel paper roll that me be employed as household accessories, and more particularly the invention refers to a paper towel holders for retaining a paper towel roll, with the paper designed to have transverse lines of perforations to permit detaching one or more pieces of paper, as desired, at a time, by just pulling from a paper end to correctly unwinding the paper roll from the roll holder. The invention also refers to a paper roll for use with the holder.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Paper rolls such as paper towel rolls are well known in the art and they are commercialized for use together with some kind of holders, vertical and horizontal holders, comprising a holder rod for receiving a tube, made of cardboard, paperboard or plastic, containing the reel paper towel thereon. The rod should be capable of retaining the paper roll with the paper roll being capable of concentrically rotating on the rod but without the paper being capable of easily rolling out, and the holder must facilitate the detaching of a piece of paper when the user pulls out an end of the paper roll. Conventional reel papers include transverse lines of perforations to permit detaching one piece of paper by pulling out from an end of the paper.

Traditional tabletop paper towel holders often have a base with an upright or vertical rod extending upwardly from the base. The rod has a standard diameter that does not provide sufficient friction to hold the paper towel roll securely. Indeed the rod has a dimeter quite smaller than an inner diameter of the tube containing the paper. The paper roll is thus mostly loosely arranged on the rod to freely rotate on the rod. As a result, users may experience difficulty tearing off individual sheets, leading to multiple sheets being torn off unintentionally or the roll unraveling. Some existing patents have attempted to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks by providing different means to the traditional holder comprised of a base and upright rod. These means include springs, rubber/plastic flaps, or inner mechanisms to facilitate tearing one sheet at a time. However, these solutions add cost, complexity and additional parts that may wear out or break over time.

US2021321833 (A1), to Madden Laura, discloses a towel holder or rack including a base, a first support member extending upward from the base, a second support member extending upward from the base and configured for supporting a paper towel roll, a cap in slidable contact with the first support member via an extension member such that the cap gravitationally rests atop the paper towel roll, and a third support member extending perpendicularly from the first support member and configured for supporting a fabric towel or cleaning apparatus.

US2023414046 (A1) to Li Congji, discloses a holder including a holding member having a first edge and a second edge, said edges defining an opening. A base is coupled to the holding member, and a central rod is coupled to the base. The holding member changes position or is stationary with respect to the base, and the base includes a stability member adapted to secure the holder to a surface.

US2007176043 (A1) to Yu Kwok L, discloses a paper towel holder comprising a base and a mandrel extending upwardly from the base, the base including a suction cup arranged to engage a support surface in use, an actuator mechanism adapted to raise or lower the centre of the suction cup to create or release a movement resisting suction between the cup and a support surface, the mechanism comprising an elongate member connected to the cup and extending axially of the mandrel, an actuator including a hand grip mounted for rotational movement at the top of the mandrel, one or more radially extending projections at the top of the elongate member, the actuator including a collar comprising one or more of cam surfaces arranged to engage the projection to raise or lower the projection as the actuator is rotated, a sleeve including one or more of vertical guide channels, each channel being adapted to receive a projection to prevent rotation of the projection during use

US2004159738 (A1) to DUNCAN MCKAY discloses paper towel holder including a base with a central aperture and a hollow spindle extending up from the base, a flexible disc secured to the underside of the base and having a substantially flat bottom surface. A central aperture extends through the disc and communicates with the hollow interior of the spindle. A valve stem is slidably mounted in the spindle. The valve stem will fall gravitationally into sealing engagement with portions of the disc surrounding the central aperture so that the central aperture is sealed. In this condition, any attempt to tilt or lift the paper towel holder will create a partial vacuum beneath the disc that will resist such lifting or tilting. However, the valve stem can be lifted up relative to the remainder of the towel holder to open the aperture in the disc. No partial vacuum will exist below the disc and the paper towel holder can be moved easily.

By reviewing the above disclosed references one can conclude that all the attempted solutions have based in the concept of providing additional means, mechanisms, etc., which means and mechanisms are added to the traditional base/rod holder with the purpose of retaining the paper roll but of trying to facilitate the easy pulling out of one piece of paper at a time. As mentioned above, these additional components increase the costs and probabilities of breaking and losing of parts.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide a paper roll holder, of a vertical type such as for tabletop use, or the horizontal type such for a hanging support or rack, having an enhanced rod/paper roll diameter interaction for improving paper tearing off.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a paper, such as a towel paper, roll holder to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks present in the state of the art, by introducing a thicker rod that fits snugly within the hollow core or tube of the paper towel roll, providing greater stability and ease of use without the need for additional components.

It is even another object of the present invention to provide a tabletop paper towel holder designed with an enhanced rod diameter, wherein a thicker rod fits snugly within the core of a standard paper towel roll, providing improved friction and stability, with the rod being oriented vertically or horizontally, offering flexibility in design and usage, wherein the new holder allows users to easily tear off one sheet at a time without the need for additional mechanisms, offering a simple and durable solution for everyday use.

It is still an object of the invention to provide a paper towel holder, comprising a rod for receiving a paper roll for rotating on the rod, the paper towel roll comprising a length of paper having spaced apart transverse lines of perforations, and at least one base located at an end of the rod, wherein the rod has an outer diameter larger than the diameter of standard paper towel holder rods, such that the rod fits snugly within a tubular or hollow core of a paper towel roll, providing a friction between the rod and the hollow core enough to permit rotation of the paper roll on the rod but sufficient to hold the roll securely in place upon a sudden pulling of the paper roll for detaching a piece of the paper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For greater clarity and understanding of the objects of the present invention, it has been illustrated in several figures, in which the invention has been depicted in one of the preferred embodiments, all by way of example, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of the paper roll holder and paper roll of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the paper roll and paper roll holder; and

FIGS. 3 to 5 shows embodiments of three different forms of the rod.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the figures, it is seen that the invention is a paper roll holder indicated by the general reference 1 for receiving a paper roll, indicated by general reference 2. Holder 1, according to one preferred invention, as shown in FIG. 1, is a tabletop paper towel holder comprising a base 3 and an upright rod 4, with rod 4 being a separate piece affixed, by any appropriate means to base 3, or base 3 and rod 4 may be made of only one piece. Both, base 3 and rod 4 may be made of any appropriate material which may be selected from metal, plastic, wood and/or combinations thereof.

Paper roll 2 may comprise a roll of laminar material forming a hollow through core indicated by general reference 5 designed to fit snugly on rod 4. For the purpose of this invention, paper roll and/or towel paper roll must be understood as including all kind of films and laminar materials that can be rolled, folded or winded to form a tubular or hollow core, in a manner that the material can be unrolled and detached and separated into individual sheets or pieces of laminar matter.

Core 5 may be formed simply by the winding of the paper to manufacture the paper roll, as indicated in 5, or may comprise a tubular member 6 made of any convenient material such as cardboard, paperboard or plastic. Thus, the paper roll core may be a tube 6 of any material onto which the paper is rolled on, or the paper roll core may be the tubular space defined by the roll of paper without any additional material. Paper towel roll 2 generally comprise a length of paper having spaced apart transverse lines of perforations 7, wherein, when pulling from an end of the paper roll a single sheet or piece of paper is detached when the paper brakes along line of perforations 7.

According to the invention, rod 4 has an outer diameter, or simply a diameter, such that rod 4 fits snugly within core 5 of paper roll 2, providing sufficient friction to hold the roll securely in place. More particularly, rod 4 is designed for receiving paper roll 2 which roll is capable of rotating on the rod, wherein rod 4 has an outer diameter that fits snugly within hollow core 5 of a paper towel roll 2, providing a friction between rod 4 and hollow core 5 enough to permit rotation of the paper roll 2 on rod 4 but sufficient to hold roll 2 securely in place upon a sudden pulling of the paper roll for detaching a piece of the paper in the roll.

Also, according to the invention, holder 1 and roll 2 can be designed to work all together, that is, rod can have the conventional diameter and core 5 may have a diameter smaller than the conventional ones. Alternatively, holder 1 may also be designed to be used with standard paper rolls, that is rod 4 must have a diameter larger than the diameters of standard or traditional paper towel holders. In both alternatives, rod 4 should fit snugly into the hollow core of the paper rolls. The increased diameter ensures that rod 4 fits snugly within core 5 of traditional paper rolls, providing sufficient friction to hold the roll securely in place and operating according to the teachings of the invention when pulling from an end of the paper to detach a sheet. As an example, traditional paper roll cores have an inner diameter of 42 mm, however, this is not a limitation to the invention because the rod diameter may be any one that fits snugly as described above.

More preferably, as shown in FIG. 2, hollow core 5 has an inner diameter CD, and rod 4, as indicated above, has an outer diameter RD, and inner diameter CD of the paper roll hollow core and outer dimeter RD of rod 4 are the same. Diameters CD and RD may be, as shown, coincident, however some variations may be considered for each of them always provided that a friction between rod 4 and hollow core 5 is provided with the friction being in an extent enough to permit rotation of the paper roll 2 on rod 4 but sufficient to hold roll 2 securely in place upon a user making a sudden pulling of the paper roll for detaching a piece of the paper in the roll.

The friction between rod 4 and core 5 may be enhanced by providing a texturized zone in the outer surface of rod 4, as shown in FIG. 1, as indicated by reference F. Texturized zone F may extend only in a part of the outer surface 8, or it may be extended all along rod 4.

As shown in FIGS. 3-5, rod 4 may have different forms and shapes, preferably, but not limited thereto, a solid of revolution shape, with peripheral waves, notches or crest-and-valleys. In addition, the rod is not limited to circular cross-sections but the rod may have any cross-sectional shape, such as polygonal shapes, oval shapes, and others.

When the paper roll holder is a tabletop paper towel holder, for use on the top surface of a table, desk, counter and the like, base 3 is designed to provide stability for holder while not in use and, mainly, upon a pulling and tearing of a sheet or piece of the rolled paper. Thus, preferably, the base has a weight larger than a weight of the paper roll. More preferably, the base and rod, that is the holder, have together a weight larger than a weight of the paper roll. For example, the base may weight 1 kg, this weight is fine for traditional paper rolls, however, this is not a limitation to the invention. Base 3 may include an inner weight indicated by reference 9 in phantom lines in FIG. 1. In addition, base 3 may include a non-slip surface or pads 10 to prevent slipping on various types of countertops.

The holder of the invention may be employed in horizontal or vertical positions. In the horizontal position, the rod may be affixed in any way to a wall or a support as well it can hang from any rack, support and the like. Thus, the rod can be positioned either vertically or horizontally, allowing for versatile usage scenarios. It is made from a durable material capable of withstanding repeated use. The primary advantage of this design is the ease with which users can tear off individual sheets of paper towel. The snug fit between the rod and the paper towel roll core ensures that the roll remains stationary when a sheet is pulled, allowing for a clean tear without the need for additional components such as springs, rubber/plastic flaps, or inner mechanisms.

In summary, the invention provides a simple yet effective solution to the common problem of tearing off individual sheets from a paper towel roll. The thicker rod diameter, more particularly, the capacity of the rod diameter to fit snugly into a paper roll core is a straightforward modification that significantly improves the functionality of the paper towel holder.

While a particular embodiment of the present paper roll holder and paper roll has been described herein, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the invention in its broader aspects and as set forth in the following claims.