Roll paper dispensing and applications

Abstract

This invention relates to a method and an apparatus of dispensing roll paper products, such as roll tissue and kitchen towel paper. More particular, it relates to an apparatus which can repeatedly releases, stops and allows users to rip off roll paper at any length with one-hand operation.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] 1 U.S. Patent Document 5516001 Muckenfuhs May 1996 221/63  5540354 Annand July, 1996 221/52 5636812 Conner June, 1997 242/559.2 5897023 Lee April, 1999 221/48 5979700 Suess November, 1999 221/56 6024323 Palermo, Jr. February, 2000 242/588.6 6036134 Moody March, 2000 242/422.4 6161795 Skerrett December, 2000 242/564 6170725 Ganues January, 2001 224/539 6196435 Wu March, 2001 224/572 6202889 Veith March, 2001 221/58 6202956 Grasso March, 2001 242/560 6213345 Plank April, 2001 221/46 6231000 Wood May, 2001 242/597.7 6237805 Katsanevas May 2001 242/597.7 6202350 Burrel October, 2001 242/560

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERAL SPOSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TRADE OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

[0003] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for roll paper dispensing. Tissue rolls and paper towel rolls are the two primary home use roll paper products. However, conventional residential roll paper dispensers often pose restrictions and disadvantages on their uses. For example, use of tissue rolls are limited in bathrooms because tissue roll dispensers are all wall-mount models designed solely for bathrooms. Although high quality tissue rolls are as good as facial tissues with a price merely one third of it, families aren't encouraged to use cheaper tissue rolls because there is no tissue roll dispensers can be used in rooms outside the bathroom.

[0005] Moreover, while using a conventional residential tissue roll/paper towel dispenser, the remaining roll has to be manually held from being further pulled out. Thence, it is inconvenient and presents a sanitary concern, shall the remaining roll be contaminated or wetted by touching. This two-hand operation is also inconvenient for hand-impaired population because it requires a great deal of coordination between two hands.

[0006] A number of roll paper dispensers and other superficially related apparatuses have heretofore been researched. Again, there aren't portable tissue roll dispensers found in the prior art, although a lot of prior arts provide solutions to the two-hand operation problem cited above. Each of the references (see “References Cited”) contains drawbacks rendering the apparatuses disclosed therein inflexible and/or inefficient for dispensing roll paper. For example, all of the references cited have complicated parts for rotating, guiding and tearing the paper. They also require a housing device usually to be mounted at a fixed location. The inflexibility makes it hard to convert them into portable models. The complexity also makes such products not economical for home use. It is hard to guarantee the durability of such products without at least some maintenance in the future.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Disclosed herein is a new and novel roll paper towel dispensing apparatus that does not contain any of the above discussed, or other, disadvantages of heretofore proposed paper towel dispensing apparatuses.

[0008] The invention comprises a “v” holder, which is a “v” or a similar shaped holding piece located at the releasing end of a dispenser. The “v” holder allows paper passing through to a desirable length and being ripped off abruptly towards to the bottom. Since the narrowed bottom of a “v” holder will hold the paper from being further pulled out, there is no need for holding the roll during operation, as conventional residential dispensers require. It only needs one hand to operate the apparatus provided by the invention. Thence, the invention avoids the chance of roll paper contamination from touching by prior users.

[0009] The invention can be designed into either a portable or wall-mount dispenser. Since it doesn't involve with any electrical devices or complicated mechanical design, the invention is accentually maintenance free.

[0010] Therefore, the advantages of the present invention are:

[0011] a.) allowing one-hand operation to reduce or avoid the chance of roll paper contamination from prior users.

[0012] b.) allowing one-hand operation to increase the accessibility of such devices for hand-impaired people.

[0013] c.) providing a method and apparatus for portable and/or wall-mount tissue roll dispensing; providing families an option of using cheap tissue rolls rather than expensive boxed facial tissues.

[0014] d.) not involving with any electrical devices or complicated mechanical designs and accentually maintenance free.

[0015] These and the objects, features, advantages and alternative aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of h following detailed description taken in combination with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a portable paper towel dispenser featured with this invention;

[0017] FIG. 2 is an embodiment of a portable paper towel dispenser featured with this invention;

[0018] FIG. 3 is an embodiment of a wall-mount paper towel dispenser featured with this invention;

[0019] FIG. 4 is an embodiment of a portable tissue roll dispenser;

[0020] FIG. 5 is an embodiment of a portable tissue roll dispenser;

[0021] FIG. 6 is an embodiment of a wall-mount tissue roll dispenser;

[0022] FIG. 7 is an embodiment of a wall-mount tissue roll dispenser;

DETAILED DESCRIPTON OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The “v” holder consists of two protruding edges forming a wedged opening which narrows down and meets at the bottom. These two protruding edges can be designed symmetrically or asymmetrically. The invention can also be constructed by a variety of materials as long as the material provides a durable quality to withstand the paper ripping operation.

[0024] As discussed in Brief Summary of the Invention, the front end of paper shall travel through the “v” holder. When operating, the paper shall be pulled to the desirable length and ripped abruptly toward to the bottom of the “v” holder. Since the narrow bottom of the “v” holder will hold the end of paper, it is easy for the next user to pick up the end of paper and repeat the operation. There is no need to hold the roll while ripping as conventional residential dispensers require.

[0025] Paper reloading and maintenance of the improved dispensers featured with this invention are the same as conventional residential paper dispensers.

[0026] FIG. 1 to FIG. 7 are seven embodiments of dispensers featured with this invention. All of them allow paper traveling through the “v” holders and being ripped off with one-hand operation. As illustrated, the “v” holder can be made symmetrically (FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) or asymmetrically (FIG. 2) as long as the bottom of the opening narrows down to hold the end of paper. The “v” holder can also be designed with cartoons, animals and other artful configurations as demonstrated in FIGS. 5 and 7. Although it is preferable to integrally design the “v” holder wit a dispenser for aesthetic reasons, the “v” holder can also be installed to a conventional residential roll paper dispenser to improve its use. FIG. 1 and FIG. 6 are two examples of “v” holders installed onto conventional dispensers through screwing or other attaching methods.

[0027] While the above description contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as exemplifications. Many other variations are possible. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

1. An apparatus, which improves the conventional residential roll paper towel dispenser by stopping roll paper from moving and turning while dispensing the release free end from the roll. Said apparatus comprises:

a. A symmetrical or asymmetrical “v” shaped opening, “v” holder, attached to or integrally designed with a roll paper dispenser to receive the free end of paper passing through;

b. The two edges of the “v” holder narrow down and meet at bottom.

whereby while dispensing, the said “v” holder will stop roll paper from further pulled out or rotated, and whereby a user can operate said dispenser with one hand without the aid from the other hand for holding the remaining roll while dispensing.