U.S. patent application number 10/796410 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-15 for method and system for storing and dispensing rolled paper products.
Invention is credited to Peterson, Frederick R..
Application Number | 20050199690 10/796410 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34919868 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050199690 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Peterson, Frederick R. |
September 15, 2005 |
Method and system for storing and dispensing rolled paper
products
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention comprises a collapsible,
manually-extracted paper-towel-roll storage and dispensing
container. Paper towel rolls are manually loaded horizontally in
one or more vertical stacks inside the storage and dispensing
container. A dispensing aperture is included at the bottom of the
front face for manual removal of the paper-towel rolls from within
the container. A viewing aperture is also contained on the front
face of the container for viewing the contents of the storage and
dispensing container. A removable door-mounting bracket attaches to
the back side of the storage container and dispenser for hanging
the container from the top of a door. Either the top or bottom face
of the container may be opened for loading and both faces may be
opened for folding the container flat for efficient storage when
not in use.
Inventors: |
Peterson, Frederick R.;
(Shoreline, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Olympic Patent Works PLLC
P.O. Box 4277
Seattle
WA
98194-0277
US
|
Family ID: |
34919868 |
Appl. No.: |
10/796410 |
Filed: |
March 9, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
229/122.1 ;
221/305 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 5/0254 20130101;
B65D 5/722 20130101; B65D 5/4208 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
229/122.1 ;
221/305 |
International
Class: |
B65D 005/72 |
Claims
1. A rolled-paper-product dispenser having an openable top and a
bottom proximal to a dispensing aperture comprising: a vertical
back piece; two vertical side pieces connected to the vertical back
piece; a vertical front piece, including the dispensing aperture,
connected to the two vertical side pieces; a top flap connected to
one of the vertical pieces that fastens to another of the vertical
pieces to enclose the top of the rolled-paper-product dispenser;
and a bottom flap that fastens to one of the vertical pieces to
enclose the bottom of the rolled-paper-product dispenser in order
to support a number of rolled-paper products stacked within the
rolled-paper-product dispenser for storage and for subsequent
manual removal through the dispensing aperture, unfastening of the
top flap and bottom flap allowing the rolled-paper-product
dispenser to fold flat for storage, shipping and retail
distribution.
2. The rolled-paper-product dispenser of claim 1 wherein the
rolled-paper product is a roll of paper towels having a diameter
and height; wherein the rolled-paper-product dispenser has a depth
equal to at least twice the diameter of the rolled-paper product;
wherein the rolled-paper-product dispenser has a width equal to at
least the height of the rolled-paper product; and wherein the
rolled-paper-product dispenser has a height approximately equal to
six times the diameter of the rolled-paper product.
3. The rolled-paper-product dispenser of claim 1 further including
a vertical viewing aperture in the vertical front piece to allow
for visual inspection of rolled-paper products stored within the
rolled-paper-product dispenser.
4. The rolled-paper-product dispenser of claim 1 further including
a mounting member for mounting the rolled-paper-product dispenser
to a vertical surface.
5. The rolled-paper-product dispenser of claim 1 further including
one or more stiffening flaps connected to at least one of the
vertical pieces and contacting at least one additional vertical
piece for providing increased rigidity of the rolled-paper-product
dispenser.
6. The rolled-paper-product dispenser of claim 1 further including
one or more pivoting tabs connected to one or more vertical pieces
to fasten the top flap and the bottom flap.
7. A method for storing and dispensing rolled-paper products, the
method comprising: providing a rolled paper product dispenser
containing an openable top and a dispensing aperture; loading
horizontally-positioned rolls of paper products in one or more
vertical stacks inside a rolled-paper-product dispenser; and
manually extracting rolls of paper products from the
rolled-paper-product dispenser through the dispensing aperture.
8. The method of claim 7 further including a mounting member for
mounting the paper-product dispenser to a door.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein the rolled-paper products are
rolls of paper towels having a diameter and height.
10. The method of claim 10 wherein the rolled-paper-product
dispenser has a depth equal to at least twice the diameter of the
rolled-paper product; wherein the rolled-paper-product dispenser
has a width equal to at least the height of the rolled-paper
product; and wherein the rolled-paper-product dispenser has a
height approximately equal to six times the diameter of the
rolled-paper product.
11. The method of claim 7 further including a viewing aperture to
allow for visual inspection of the rolled-paper products stored
within the rolled-paper-product dispenser.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention provides a method and system for
efficiently storing and dispensing rolled paper products.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] For many years, since the advent of the use of disposable
paper products, consumers have been faced with the problem storing
the often bulky products. With the rise of warehouse-style
shopping, many consumers purchase paper products in bulk in order
to save money and reduce the frequency of shopping trips. Bulk
packaging of paper products may include as many as twelve or more
individually-packaged rolls of the paper product. Unfortunately,
bulk packaging of paper products results in packages that are too
large to store conveniently in many homes and businesses. The
volume of space taken up by the many rolls of paper products makes
a bulk purchase space-prohibitive despite a savings in price and
time. As a result, consumers forgo reduced prices and distributors
and bulk retailers lose business. Accordingly, consumers,
distributors and bulk retailers have recognized a need for an
inexpensive system and method for convenient storage and dispensing
of paper products.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] One embodiment of the present invention comprises an
enclosed rectangular collapsible container ("dispenser") for
storing and dispensing one or more rolls of paper towels. The
dispenser has dimensions appropriate for holding up to twelve
horizontally-placed rolls of paper towels in two vertical stacks of
up to six rolls each. The width of the dispenser is at least equal
to the height of a standard roll of paper towels, the height of the
dispenser is approximately six times the diameter of a standard
roll of paper towels, and the depth of the dispenser is
approximately two times the diameter of a standard roll of paper
towels. A dispensing aperture is included proximal to the bottom of
the front piece of the dispenser for manual extraction of the
enclosed paper-towel rolls. The dispensing aperture has dimensions
corresponding to the approximate height and approximate diameter of
a horizontally-placed roll of paper towels. The dispensing aperture
further contains a projection cut out along the top edge large
enough for a user to manually reach into the dispenser and extract
a roll of paper towels. Removal of a paper towel roll from the
dispensing aperture causes any paper towel rolls directly above the
extracted paper towel roll to shift downward to the bottom of the
dispenser, positioning a new roll of paper towels directly inside
of the dispensing aperture for later removal from the
dispenser.
[0004] Various alternate embodiments of the dispenser include a
viewing aperture, placed on the front piece of the dispenser, for
viewing the contents of the dispenser and a shaped bracket that
extends upward from the back piece and that is flush with the
dispenser for mounting of the dispenser to the top edge of a door.
In various embodiments, the top and bottom pieces of the dispenser
can both be opened for convenient loading of the dispenser with
paper towel rolls from either end. When both the top and bottom
pieces are simultaneously opened in various embodiments, the
dispenser may be folded flat for efficient storage when the
dispenser is not is use.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the
rolled-paper-product dispenser.
[0006] FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the
rolled-paper-product dispenser loaded with rolls of paper
towels.
[0007] FIG. 1C is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the
rolled-paper-product dispenser mounted to a door.
[0008] FIGS. 2A and B are perspective views showing two alternate
embodiments of the top piece of the rolled-paper-product
dispenser.
[0009] FIGS. 3A and B are perspective views of several alternate
embodiments of mounting brackets for the rolled-paper-product
dispenser.
[0010] FIGS. 4A and B are perspective views showing two alternate
embodiments of the bottom piece of the rolled-paper-product
dispenser.
[0011] FIGS. 5A and B show two alternate embodiments of the
rolled-paper-product dispenser folded flat.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] One embodiment of the present invention comprises a hanging,
collapsible paper towel roll dispenser. FIG. 1A is a perspective
view of an empty paper-towel-roll dispenser ("dispenser"). The
dispenser 102 is of a rectangular shape of approximate dimensions
to hold a number of vertical stacks of horizontally-positioned
rolls of paper towels. The dispenser 102 comprises four vertical
orthogonal pieces, a horizontal top piece 104, and a horizontal
bottom piece 106. The vertical pieces include a front piece 108, a
back piece 110 opposite to the front piece 108, and two side pieces
112 and 114. The top piece 104 opens to provide access into the
interior of the dispenser 102 for loading the dispenser with rolls
of paper towels. The top piece 104 and bottom piece 106 may be
openable to allow the paper-towel-roll dispenser to be folded
flat.
[0013] The front piece 108 of the paper towel roll dispenser 102
includes a dispensing aperture 116 for extracting paper towel rolls
from the dispenser 102. The dispensing aperture 116 includes an
extraction space 118 for manually reaching into the dispenser 102
to pull out a paper towel roll through the dispensing aperture 116.
The front piece 108 of the dispenser 102 further includes a viewing
aperture 120 providing an opening for visually inspecting the
contents of the dispenser 102. A mounting bracket 122 is attached
to the back piece 106 of the dispenser 102. The mounting bracket
122 extends upward, flush with the back piece 110 of the dispenser
102 and provides a means for mounting the dispenser 102 to a
door.
[0014] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
dispenser filled with paper towel rolls. The dimensions of the
dispenser 102 provide a snug fit for up to twelve rolls of paper
towels, such as paper towel roll 124. The paper towel rolls are
positioned horizontally in two side-by-side vertical stacks 126 and
128 of up to six rolls of paper towels each with the height of each
paper towel roll extending horizontally across, and parallel to,
the front piece 108 of the dispenser 102.
[0015] In an alternative embodiment of the dispenser, not shown,
the top piece is horizontal, as shown in FIGS. 1A and B. However,
the front piece 108 of the dispenser 102 is longer than the back
piece 110 of the dispenser 102, creating an angled bottom piece
sloping down from the back piece 110 to the front piece 108. The
angled bottom piece allows gravity to pull the back stack 126 of
paper towels forward to enable a paper-towel roll to be in direct
relation to the dispensing aperture 116 when the front stack 128 of
paper towels is empty. FIG. 1C shows one embodiment of the
dispenser mounted to a door by the mounting bracket.
[0016] FIGS. 2A and B are perspective views of two alternate
embodiments of the top piece of the dispenser. The first
embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 2A, shows the top piece of the
dispenser in an open position, providing access to the interior of
the dispenser 102 for loading paper towel rolls. The top piece 104
is pivotably attached to the top edge of one of the vertical
pieces, such as side piece 112. A pivotably attached top flap 202
extends along the edge of the top piece 104 opposite to the edge of
the top piece 104 attached to the side piece 112. The top flap 202
includes two top insertion slits 204 and 206. The insertion slits
204 and 206 are cut out of the top flap 202 in proximity to the
pivot between the top piece 104 and the top flap 202.
[0017] Two top stiffening flaps 208 and 210 are pivotably attached
to the dispenser 102 along the top edges of two opposing vertical
pieces, such as the front piece 108 and the back piece 110. The top
stiffening flaps 208 and 210 have lengths of slightly less than the
width of the vertical pieces to which the stiffening flaps 208 and
210 are attached, the front piece 108 and the back piece 110
respectively. The difference between the widths of vertical pieces
108 and 110 and the attached top stiffening flaps 208 and 210
create an open strip 212 perpendicularly abutting side piece 114.
The width of the open strip 212 is approximately equal to the
thickness of top flap 202.
[0018] Two top pivoting tabs 214 and 216 extend from the proximity
of the top edge of the vertical piece opposite to the vertical
piece attached to the top piece 104. FIG. 2A shows the top piece
104 attached to side piece 112 and the pivoting tabs 214 and 216
extending from side piece 114. The pivoting tabs 214 and 216
comprise a base pivot 218 and 220, a middle pivot 222 and 224, and
a leading edge 226 and 228. Note that the base pivots 218 and 220
and the middle pivots 222 and 224 may be perforated to provide a
consistent fold. One or more grabbing apertures 230 and 232 are
included along the top edge of the side piece 114, flanking the
pivoting tabs 214 and 216.
[0019] Closing the top piece may be done in several orderly steps.
First, the pivoting tabs 214 and 216 are pivoted outward from
attached side piece 114, along the base pivot 218 and 220. Next,
the top stiffening flaps 208 and 210 are folded inward as indicated
by directional arrows 234 and 236. Each top stiffening flap 208 and
210 contains a tab avoidance aperture 238 and 240 respectively
along the edge of the top stiffening flap 208 and 210 adjacent to
the pivot tabs 214 and 216 when the stiffening flaps 208 and 210
are folded inward. The tab avoidance apertures 238 and 240 are of
width at least equal to the width of the pivoting tabs 214 and 216
and are positioned such that, when the top stiffening flaps 208 and
210 are folded horizontally, the tab avoidance apertures 238 and
240 align with the pivoting tabs 214 and 216 respectively.
[0020] In a next step, the top piece 104 is folded inward as
indicated by directional arrow 242. As the top piece 104 is brought
to a horizontal position, the top flap 202 may be tucked inside of
side piece 114 along open strip 212. Insertion slits 204 and 206
align with pivoting tabs 214 and 216 respectively when the top
piece 104 is properly closed in a horizontal position. Once the top
piece 104 is closed, the top piece 104 may be secured by manually
pressing the leading edges 226 and 228 of the pivoting tabs 214 and
216 through the insertion slits 204 and 206 until the bottom half
of the pivoting tabs 214 and 216 are flush with the side piece 114.
Note that, when the top piece 104 is securely fastened, the
pivoting tabs 214 and 216 are at approximately right angles,
bending along the middle pivot 222 and 224. Also note that, when
the top piece 104 is securely fastened, the top half of the
pivoting tabs 214 and 216 are in a horizontal plane with the top
stiffening flaps 208 and 210, inside of the tab avoidance apertures
238 and 240, providing a rigid plane underneath the top piece 104
to help maintain the rectangular shape of the dispenser 102.
[0021] Opening the top piece of the dispenser may be performed by
reversing the above orderly steps for closing the top piece,
beginning with manually reaching into the grabbing apertures 230
and 232 flanking the pivoting tabs 214 and 216 and applying an
outward force to separate the leading edges 226 and 228 of the
pivoting tabs 214 and 216 from the insertion slits 204 and 206,
lifting up the top piece 104 in a motion opposite to directional
arrow 242, then lifting the top stiffening flaps 208 and 210 in
directions opposite to directional arrows 234 and 236.
[0022] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, the dispenser 102 is cut
from a single sheet of pliable material, such as cardboard, with
perforated vertical edges between the vertical pieces, such as the
edge 244 between the vertical front piece 112 and the vertical side
piece 114. The two edges of the original single sheet of cardboard
are connected together as an overlapping connecting flap 246
extending along a vertical edge of one of the vertical pieces of
the dispenser 102. FIG. 2A shows the connecting flap 246 between
the vertical back piece 110 and the vertical side piece 112. The
connecting flap 246 may be affixed to the vertical piece of the
dispenser 102 in a number of different ways, such as running a bead
of glue between the connecting flap 246 and the vertical piece of
the dispenser 102.
[0023] The second embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 2B, shows the top
piece of the dispenser pivotably attached to the top edge of one of
the vertical pieces of the dispenser, such as the back piece. The
top piece 104 includes a tab 248 pivotably attached to one or more
of the unattached edges of the top piece 104. FIG. 2B shows a
single tab 248 opposite to the pivoting edge of the top piece 104.
The top piece 104, shown in an open position, may be manually
brought to a closed position by mating tab 248 with a slit 250 on a
flap 252, pivotably connected to the top edge of one of the
vertical pieces of the dispenser 102, such as the front piece 108.
The slit 250 is cut out of the flap 252 in proximity to the pivot
between the top piece 104 and the flap 252. The direction of
movement to close the top piece 104 is indicated by an arrow 254.
When the top piece 104 is manually brought to a closed position,
tab 248 slides into slit 250, fastening the top piece 104 to the
flap 252.
[0024] FIGS. 3A and B show mounting brackets for one embodiment of
the dispenser. FIG. 3A shows a mounting bracket to mount the
dispenser to a door. The mounting bracket ("bracket") 302 is a
detachable bent strip comprising a series of flat sections shaped
to connect the back piece 110 of the dispenser 102 to the front
face of a door (as shown in FIG. 1C). The bracket 302 extends from
an inner terminus 304, inside of the dispenser 102, to an outer
terminus 306 extending along the back face of a door. The bracket
302 must be made from a material strong enough to hold the weight
of the dispenser 102 when fully loaded with rolls of paper
products.
[0025] An inner section 308 extends from the inner terminus 304
inside the dispenser 102, through a mounting slit 310 in the back
piece 110 of the dispenser 102, to a resting edge 312 flush with
the exterior of the back piece 110. From the resting edge 312, the
bracket 302 bends upward along a first vertical section 314 running
approximately parallel to, and flush with, the back piece 110 of
the dispenser 102. Note that the angle 316 between the inner
section 308 and the first vertical section 314 is not greater than
ninety degrees to prevent the dispenser 102 from losing contact
with the resting edge 312 when the dispenser 102 is in an upright
position. The first vertical section 314 extends upward beyond the
plane of the horizontal top piece 104 of the dispenser 102. The
bracket 302 bends approximately ninety degrees away from the
dispenser 102 extending along a horizontal section 316 of the
bracket 302 before bending approximately ninety degrees for a
second time, extending down a second vertical section 318 in a
direction parallel and opposite to the first vertical section 314,
to the outer terminus 306.
[0026] The first vertical section 314 and the second vertical
section 318 are spaced apart to fit snugly along the two main faces
of a standard two-inch-thick door (about one and three-fourths
inches). When the dispenser 102 is properly mounted to a door, as
shown in FIG. 1C, the first vertical section 314 is sandwiched
between the back piece 110 of the dispenser 102 and the front face
of the door. The first vertical section 314 extends above the plane
of the horizontal top piece 104 of the dispenser 102 so that when
the dispenser 102 is mounted to a door, the top of the dispenser
102 is below the level of the top of the door to allow unobstructed
closure of the dispenser-laden door and to place the dispensing
aperture (116 in FIG. 1A) at a convenient height for the average
user to extract paper towels from the dispenser 102. Additionally,
a spacer 320 may be used to promote a snug fit between the bracket
302 and a door of a width less than that of a standard door. As
shown by directional arrow 322, the spacer 320 may be affixed to
the inside of the second vertical section 318 to mimic the effect
of a door of greater width between the first vertical section 314
and the second vertical section 318.
[0027] FIG. 3B shows an alternative embodiment of the mounting
bracket for mounting the dispenser to a wall or other vertical
surface. The mounting bracket 324 is a detachable bent strip of
width similar to mounting bracket 302, described in FIG. 3A.
Mounting bracket 324 comprises an inner section 326 and a vertical
section 328. The vertical section 328 includes a mounting aperture
330 for passing a nail, tack, push pin, hook or similar tool
through the mounting aperture 330 and into a mounting surface such
as wood or wall materials. The mounting bracket 324 passes through
the mounting slit 332 in the back piece 110 of the dispenser as
described in. FIG. 3A.
[0028] FIGS. 4A and B are perspective views of two alternate
embodiments of the bottom piece of the dispenser. Both of the
illustrated embodiments open to provide access to the interior of
the dispenser for loading rolls of paper towels. The first
embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 4A, employs a similar system as the
first embodiment of the top piece of the dispenser (shown in FIG.
2A). The bottom piece 106 is pivotably attached to the bottom edge
of one of the vertical pieces, such as side piece 112. A pivotably
attached bottom flap 402 extends along the edge of the bottom piece
106 opposite to the edge of the bottom piece 106 attached to the
side piece 112. The bottom flap 402 includes two bottom insertion
slits 404 and 406. The insertion slits 404 and 406 are cut out of
the bottom flap 402 in proximity to the pivot between the bottom
piece 106 and the bottom flap 402.
[0029] A stiffening flap 408 is pivotably attached to the dispenser
102 along the bottom edge of one of the vertical pieces, such as
back piece 110, adjacent to the vertical piece pivotably attaching
the bottom piece 106. The bottom stiffening flap 408 has a length
of slightly less than the width of the vertical piece to which the
stiffening flap 408 is attached, shown in FIG. 4A as the back piece
110. The difference between the width of back piece 110 and the
attached stiffening flap 408 create an open strip 410
perpendicularly butting side piece 114. The width of the open strip
410 is approximately equal to the thickness of the bottom flap
402.
[0030] Two bottom pivoting tabs 412 and 414 extend from the
proximity of the bottom edge of the vertical piece opposite to the
vertical piece attached to the bottom piece 106. FIG. 4A shows the
bottom piece 106 attached to side piece 112 and the pivoting tabs
412 and 414 extending from side piece 114. The pivoting tabs 412
and 414 comprise a base pivot 416 and 418, a middle pivot 420 and
422, and a leading edge 424 and 426. Note that the base pivots 416
and 418 and the middle pivots 420 and 422 may be perforated to
provide a consistent fold. One or more grabbing apertures 428 and
430 are included along the bottom edge of the side piece 114,
flanking the pivoting tabs 412 and 414.
[0031] Closing the bottom piece may be done in several orderly
steps. First, the pivoting tabs 412 and 414 are pivoted outward
from attached side piece 114, along the base pivot 416 and 418.
Next, the bottom stiffening flap 408 is folded inward as indicated
by directional arrow 432. The bottom stiffening flap 408 contains
two tab avoidance apertures 434 and 436 along the edge of the
stiffening flap 408 adjacent to the pivot tabs 412 and 414 when the
stiffening flap 408 is folded inward. The tab avoidance apertures
434 and 436 are of width at least equal to the width of the
pivoting tabs 412 and 414 and are positioned such that, when the
bottom stiffening flap 408 is folded horizontally, the tab
avoidance apertures 434 and 436 align with the pivoting tabs 412
and 414 respectively.
[0032] In the next step, the bottom piece 106 is folded inward as
indicated by directional arrow 438. As the bottom piece 106 is
brought to a horizontal position, the bottom flap 402 may be tucked
inside of side piece 114 along open strip 410. Insertion slits 404
and 406 align with pivoting tabs 412 and 414 respectively when the
bottom piece 106 is properly closed in a horizontal position. Once
the bottom piece 106 is closed, the bottom piece 106 may be secured
by manually pressing the leading edges 424 and 426 of the pivoting
tabs 412 and 416 through the insertion slits 404 and 406 until the
bottom half of the pivoting tabs 412 and 414 are flush with the
side piece 114. Note that, when the bottom piece 106 is securely
fastened, the pivoting tabs 412 and 414 are at approximately right
angles, bending along the middle pivot 420 and 422. Also note that,
when the bottom piece 106 is securely fastened, the bottom half of
the pivoting tabs 412 and 414 are in a horizontal plane with the
bottom stiffening flap 408, inside of the tab avoidance apertures
434 and 436, providing a rigid plane underneath the bottom piece
106 to help maintain the rectangular shape of the dispenser
102.
[0033] Opening the bottom piece of the dispenser may be performed
by reversing the above orderly steps for closing the bottom piece,
beginning with manually reaching into the grabbing apertures 228
and 430 flanking the pivoting tabs 412 and 414 and applying an
outward force to separate the leading edges 424 and 426 of the
pivoting tabs 412 and 414 from the insertion slits 404 and 406,
lifting up the bottom piece 106 in a motion opposite to directional
arrow 432, and then lifting the bottom stiffening flap 408 in a
direction opposite to directional arrow 438.
[0034] The second embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 4B, shows the
bottom piece of the dispenser pivotably attached to the bottom edge
of one of the vertical pieces of the dispenser, such as side piece.
The bottom piece 106 includes one or more pivotably attached bottom
flaps 440 extending from one or more of the unattached edges of the
bottom piece 106. FIG. 4 shows a single bottom flap 440 positioned
opposite to the pivoting edge of the bottom piece 106. The inside
of the bottom flap 440 contains a strip comprising one side of a
hook and loop fastener 442 affixed to the bottom flap 440. The
opposing strip of the hook and loop fastener 444 is affixed in
proximity to the bottom edge of the exterior of the vertical side
piece 114 of the dispenser 102. The directional arrow 446
illustrates the movement of manually closing the bottom piece 106
of the dispenser 102 by mating the opposing strips of the hook and
loop fastener 442 and 444.
[0035] Alternate embodiments of the dispenser 102 may be fabricated
from any number of materials, both pliable and non-pliable,
including corrugated cardboard or other heavy paper material,
plastic, Coroplast.TM., metal, wood, sturdy fabric, and laminate
material. If a pliable material, such as cardboard, is used, then
simultaneously opening up the top piece and bottom piece of the
dispenser 102 allows the dispenser 102 to fold flat for convenient
storage of the dispenser 102 when not in use. FIG. 5A shows the
first embodiment of the dispenser folded flat. FIG. 5B shows the
second embodiment of the dispenser folded flat. Note that the
detachable mounting bracket and spacer are neither shown in FIG. 5A
nor B.
[0036] Although the present invention has been described in terms
of a two particular embodiments, it is not intended that the
invention be limited to these embodiments. Modifications within the
spirit of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the
art. For example, many types of component configurations and
methods of attaching and mounting components to various assemblies
different from those shown in the figures and described in the
above text may be employed. Alternate embodiments of the paper
product roll dispenser may be sized to accommodate different
numbers of paper towel rolls, and may be sized and configured to
store and dispense other types of rolled paper products, such as
shop towels and toilet paper. The arrangement of the various
apertures can be changed within a particular piece of the dispenser
or can be moved to alternate pieces of the dispenser altogether.
For instance, the viewing aperture could be moved to one or more of
the side pieces of the dispenser, the mounting aperture could be
lowered or raised on the back piece of the dispenser or the
mounting aperture could be placed on one of the side pieces of the
dispenser. Several different mounting brackets have been described.
Alternately, the dispenser could include one or more mounting
apertures instead of employing a mounting bracket, or not include a
means for mounting at all. Several different methods of fastening
the top and bottom pieces of the dispenser were described. Either
type of fastening could be used for either piece. Other types of
fasteners may be used as well, such as snaps, magnets, ties, cords,
rivets, folding flaps, post and lanyard combinations, draw strings
or elastic cords. Moreover, the bottom piece of the dispenser could
be sealed permanently or semi-permanently through use of an
adhesive such as glue or tape. Further, a top piece need not be
included if the material used to make the dispenser is stiff enough
to hold shape upon loading. The stiffening flaps employed in the
first embodiment of the dispenser could be in the single flap or
double flap form for either or both the top and bottom piece. Also,
the number of pivoting tabs used in the first embodiment of the
dispenser could be varied for either the top or bottom piece.
[0037] The foregoing detailed description, for purposes of
explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough
understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one
skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in
order to practice the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions
of specific embodiments of the present invention are presented for
purposes of illustration and description: they are not intended to
be exhausted or to limit the invention to the precise forms
disclosed. Obviously many modifications and variation are possible
in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and
described in order to best explain the principles of the invention
and its practical application and to thereby enable others skilled
in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments
with various modifications as are suited to the particular use
contemplated.
* * * * *