Safety Toilet Paper Roll Holder
A toilet paper roll holder includes multiple safety features for use in institutional settings. The safety features may include a rod pivotally mounted on a base wherein the rod will pivot upon the application of an outside force having at least a predetermined magnitude.
This application claims priority on a U.S. provisional patent application filed on Mar. 14, 2012, and assigned Ser. No. 61/685,314.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONToilet paper holders may be utilized in institutional settings where individuals may wish to harm them self. It may be desirable, therefore, to provide a toilet paper roll holder that hinders an individual from using the holder to harm themselves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a toilet paper roll holder that provides safety features for use in an institutional setting.
Base 20 also defines an angle 20d that is approximately fifty to seventy degrees, and more particularly, fifty nine degrees. This angle 20d will cause a ligature to slip over the tapered base and down onto the rod, and thereafter to slide off the rod by triggering the breakaway function, i.e., pivoting, of the rod. In other words, this angle 20d will hinder a ligature from becoming secured to the taped base.
Holder 10 also includes the safety feature of a base 20 that includes a smooth, sloped side surface 32 in the general shape of a truncated cone such that a ligature, such as a rope, a wire, hair, a bed sheet or the like, may not be secured thereto. Spindle 22 includes a rounded top surface 34 that inhibits securement of a ligature thereto. An outer surface 36 of rod 24 defines a tapered truncated cone such that the outer diameter 36a of rod 24 decreases as the diameter measurement point moves away from spindle 22 such that the tapered outer shape 36 of rod 24 inhibits securement of a ligature thereto. In other words, a person could not tie a ligature around rod 24 and pull downwardly without the ligature slipping off rod 24 due to the tapered, sloping outer surface 36 of rod 24, and due to the pivoting structure of rod 24 mounted on base 20, which will be discussed in more detail below.
Holder 10 further includes a safety feature wherein rod 24 “drops”, i.e., will not support a load having a weight significantly greater than the weight of a roll of toilet paper. For example, in one embodiment, the rod will not support a weight of approximately twenty pounds applied to the rod near the base and a weight of approximately two pounds applied to the rod near the tip of the rod. However, in other embodiments the rod will not support a much smaller weight such as approximately half a pound. The structure of spring 18 and detent 23 may determine the exact weight at which the rod rotates in each particular embodiment, wherein spindle 22 with rod 24 secured therein, will rotate within base 20 when a load is applied to the rod 24. As shown in
Claims
1. A toilet paper roll holder, comprising:
- a base that defines a sloped outer surface; and
- a rod pivotally secured to said base, said rod structured to support a roll of toilet paper thereon and structured to pivot in a predetermined direction upon application of a predetermined force applied to said rod in said predetermined direction.
2. The holder of claim 1 further comprising a spindle, said spindle pivotally mounted on said base and said rod secured to said spindle.
3. The holder of claim 2 wherein said spindle includes a curved top surface including an aperture therein, and wherein said rod is secured within said aperture.
4. The holder of claim 2 wherein said base defines a mounting surface and wherein said spindle defines a pivot axis positioned at a pivot angle in a range of sixty five to eighty five degrees with respect to said mounting surface.
5. The holder of claim 2 wherein said spindle includes a detent secured thereto, wherein said detent includes a recess that defines two flat surfaces and two arcuate surfaces, said holder further comprising a spring secured within said recess, said spring contacting said two flat surfaces in a nominal condition, and said spring contacting said two arcuate surfaces in a biased condition.
6. The holder of claim 5 wherein said two flat surfaces are spaced apart a first distance and said two arcuate surfaces are spaced apart a second distance, said second distance being greater than said first distance.
7. The holder of claim 1 wherein said rod defines a tapered outer surface such that a diameter of said rod decreases as a point at which said diameter is measured is moved away from said base.
8. The holder of claim 4 wherein said base defines a mounting surface and a top surface, said top surface positioned at an angle of ninety degrees with respect to said pivot angle.
9. The holder of claim 5 wherein said base includes a mounting surface that includes a recess therein, said spring and said detent recess both located within said recess of said base.
10. The holder of claim 1 wherein said base is mounted on a housing, said housing including an upper sloped surface positioned above said base and said rod.
11. The holder of claim 2 wherein said spindle defines a pivot axis, and wherein said aperture for securing said rod is positioned at an angle in a range of sixty five to eighty five degrees with respect to said pivot axis.
12. The holder of claim 10 wherein said housing further comprises side walls secured to said mounting surface and to said upper sloped surface with an absence of a gap there between.
13. The holder of claim 9 wherein said base includes a top surface and wherein said mounting surface is positioned at an angle in a range of ten to forty five degrees with respect to said top surface, and wherein a lower surface of said mounting surface recess is positioned parallel to said top surface.
14. The holder of claim 2 wherein said spindle defines a rounded head region that defines a outer diameter, wherein said base defines a top surface that defines an outer diameter having the same dimension as said spindle head region outer diameter, and wherein said head region of said spindle mates flush with said top surface of said base around said head region outer diameter.
15. A toilet paper roll holder, comprising:
- a base comprising a tapered outer surface;
- a spindle pivotally mounted on said base and including a rounded top region; and
- a rod secured on said rounded top region of said spindle,
- wherein said spindle is structured to pivot upon application of an outside force applied to said rod.
16. The holder of claim 15 wherein said spindle is structured to pivot in response to an application of said outside force so as to pivot to a position wherein said rod is positioned parallel to a direction of said outside force.
17. The holder of claim 16 further comprising a biasing member secured to said base, said biasing member including a loop that extends around an elongate region of said spindle and retains said spindle in a nominal, unpivoted position until said outside force reaches a predetermined magnitude.
18. A method of hindering securement of a ligature to a toilet paper roll holder, comprising the steps of:
- providing a holder that includes a base secured on a mounting plate;
- securing a pivoting spindle to said base; and
- securing a rod to said spindle, said rod adapted to support a toilet paper roll thereon;
- wherein said spindle is adapted to pivot on said base in response to application of an exterior force to said rod.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein said base includes a tapered outer surface that inhibits securement of a ligature thereto, said spindle includes a rounded outer surface that inhibits securement of a ligature thereto, and said rod includes a tapered outer surface that inhibits securement of a ligature thereto.
20. The method of claim 18 further comprising securing a biasing member to said base, said biasing member holding said rod in an unpivoted position until application of an external force of at least a predetermined magnitude is applied to said rod.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 15, 2012
Publication Date: Sep 19, 2013
Inventors: Dwight Greer (Molalla, OR), Lorin Armstrong (Oregon City, OR)
Application Number: 13/523,886
International Classification: B65H 49/26 (20060101);