CA1219564A - Vapor-dispensing paper roll holder - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A rolling device for supporting a roll of toilet tissue and for containing an air-treating sub-stance. The device includes a pair of axially aligned body members forming an elongated cage for the air-treating substance, such body members being spread apart and adjusted in their relative axial positions by a spring which is compressible therebetween and made of a material which undergoes stress relaxa-tion at ambient temperatures such that it readily takes a new set upon mounting. The body members each have an axial protuberance extending from an end surface, such end surfaces preferably being somewhat convex to help minimize the bearing surface of the device with the socket structures in which it is mounted. The air-treating material is preferably in beads free to tumble as the cage is rotated. The spring is preferably a polyolefinic material and preferably includes helical strands extending around the cage. The strands preferably have reduced cross-sections near their ends.

Description

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This invention relates to devices for pro-viding both a continuous low level re~ease of air-treating vapors and a more intense release of air-treating vapors at specific times. In particular, L
5 this invention relates to devices performing the combined functions of dispensing air-treating vapors and holding rolls of paper.
A great variety of devices have been developed to dispense air-treating vapors. Some of such devices 10 are intended to dispense such vapors at a continuous low rate. Others are designed to dispense large amounts of vapors quickly to overcome an undesirable odor. A variety of devices have been developed which are intended to serve both functions. Finally, a 15 number of devices have been developed which are small and/or may be inconspicuously placed to treat the air without clutt~ring the area.
Of particular concern in the field of air treatment is maintaining a pleasant odor or avoiding 20 unpleasant odors in bathrooms. There has been a need for an improved product which better serves the air-freshening needs of a bathroom environment.
A variety of products have been developed for these purposes, but such products have a number of 25 drawbacks. For example, a toilet paper roll holder carrying a cake of paradichlorobenzene is disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,753,209. However, this sort ~2~19~;6~

of device does not very well dispense increased amounts of air-treating vapors when such are needed.
~he rate of vapor dispensing from such devices is substantially constant even while paper is being pulled 5 from rolls mountea on such devices, an action which 3 often occurs when undesirable odors are present.
While such paper roll holders of the prior art are adjustable to accommodate mounting device sockets of varying spacings, they are not adapted ~o 10 roll freely in a wide variety of such spacings. As will be seen, free rolling of the paper roll holder can increase the outflow of air-treating vapors from air-treating materials contained within the holder, particularly if the contained materials are free to 15 tumble within the holder upon rolling. However, if the holders are too tightly mounted, as is frequently the case with such devices of the prior art, a sub-stantially increased outflow effect will not be pos-sible.
In some other devices of the prior art, paper roll mounts contain air-treating substances in the form of powders or beads or some other material 3 which can move within the devi`ce to greatly increase ~, th~ outflow of air-treating vapors. However, like 25 the device disclosed in the aforementioned patent, such devices have not been designed to accommodate varying spacings between the opposed mounting sockets of wall mounting structures, and thus the devices typically do not turn or do not turn properly on such 30 mounting sockets to allow sufficient movement of the contained air-treating materials. ~ consistent rolling action and the resulting sufficient internal tumbling movement do not occur reliably when paper is withdrawn from the paper rolls mounted thereon.
The object of the present invention is to b provide an improved, inexpensive roll-mounting device ~Z~9564 - 3 - i which contains an air-trea~ing material and which can serve to dispense air-treating vapors both at a con-tinous low rate and, when paper is withdrawn from the paper roll mounted thereon, a~ an increased rate to 5 overcome undes-irable odors.
The present invention provides a rolling device mountable on and between opposed sockets and adapted for use in supporting a roll of toilet tissue, comprising, a pair of axially aligned body members 10 together forming an elongated cage,~ each body member including an axial protuberance engagable with one of the sockets; said cage being adapted to contain a vaporizable, air-treating substance, and a spring spreading the body members to a relative axial ad-15 justment and compressible therebetween to allow sus-pension of the cage between opposed sockets of varying spacings, said spring being of a material which under-goes stress relaxation at ambient temperatures such that its spreading force drops readily to near zero 20 for whatever spacing the spring has accommodated, whereby the device will freely rotate as paper is pulled from a paper roll mounted thereon to increase the rate of vapor dispersing from within the cage.
The device of the present invention has 25 greatly improved vapor-dispensing abilities, including the ability to dispense increased amounts of vapors when paper is pulled from a roll mounted thereon.
This is due in part to its free-rolling characteristic which is exhibited regardless of the spacing (with- ?
30 in a broad range) between the opposed mounting sockets.
The spring is preferably made of polyolefinic materials, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and copolymers thereof. These and other acceptable spring materials undergo stress relaxation at ambient tem-35 peratures and will take a new set within a short period of time. Acceptable spring materials allow such relaxation to occur in no more than about one :

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day.
The end surfaces' of the body' members and the axial protuberances' extending therefr'om are de-signed specifically to allow free turning of the 5 device'as paper is pulled from a paper roll' mounted thereon. Each''such''end surface is preferably slightly convex, receding away from its protuberance, such that 3 there is little'contact ~etween the end'surface and the socket structure. The principal contact is that "
10 between the protuberance itself and the socket in which it is inserted. Thus, the bearing surface between the device o this invention and the mounting '~
socket structure'is'min'imized, allowing free turning as paper is pulled from a roll mounted thereon, even F
15 when the paper roll is very light such as when it is nearly depleted.
The protuberances from such convex end surfaces are preferably short in length. For example the protuberances might be shorter than they are wide.
20 If shorter than the depth of the sockets they engage, the convex end surfaces will engage the socket struc-tures preventing the protuberances from reaching the-bottoms of the sockets. Given their convexity, the engagement of the end surfaces with the socket "~
25 structures will cause little friction which might interfere with free rolling action.
The spring is preferably a group of helical strands (for example, three) extending around the cage near the center thereof. In a highly preferred em- ~;
30 bodiment, each of the strands has a cross-section of reduced area near its ends to allow increased axial compression without excessive irregular deformation of the spring. The cross sectional area is preferably gradually reduced from the center portions of the 35 strands toward the ends thereof. Reducing the cross-.

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sectional area of the spring strands near their ends allows more distortion--free axial compression for a .
~iven axial spring length. This feature is important because it decreases the axial dimension of the spring, 5 thereby increasing the axial dimension of remaining portions of the cage.
The body members forming the.cage for an air-treating material are preferably apertured to emit air-treating vapors and are preferably generally 10 cylindrical in shape to accommodate the mounting of a tissue paper roll. The apertures must be small enough to contain the air-treating material, but large -, enough in total to allow free movement of gases.
Other features and advantages of the in-15 vention will be apparent from the following des-cription of preferred embodiments of the invention and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the de-vice of this invention.
FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of the de-vice of FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along Section 3-3 as shown in FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 4 is a disassembled perspective view 25 indicating how the device is filled.
FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of one of the helical spring strands taken along section 5-5 as shown in FIGURE 2. ,.
FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of a helical ~.
30 strand taken along section 6-6 as shown in FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary eleva- F
tion of one end of FIGURE 2.
The drawings illustrate a preferred vapor-dispensing paper roll holder 10. Vapor-dispensing 35 paper roll holder 10 includes first and second body ~, ~9~i6~ ,'5 members 12 and 14, which together form an elongated cage 16. Cage 16 contains a large number of plas-tic beads 18 impregnated with a vaporiza~le air-treating su~stance. Plastic beads 18 are not shown in 5 the figures, other than in FIGURE 49 Paper roll holder 10 is a rolling device mountable on and between-opposed sockets, such as mounting socket 20 shown in FIGURE 6. Paper roll holder 10 is designed to roll freely while mounted 10 between mounting sockets of widely varying typical spacings. Such rolling action, which occurs when paper is withdrawn from a roll mounted on paper roll holder 10, causes beads 18 to tumble within cage 16. ¢This action increases the outflow of air-treating 15 vapors from cage 16.
The body members 12 and 14 are generally cylindrical in shape and define an axis along the length of paper roll holder 10. Each of the body members 12 and 14 has a somewhat convex end surface 20 20. From each end surface 20 an axial protuberance 22 extends a short distance to a distal end 24. The axial length of each protuberance 22 is less than its width. Protuberances 22 are generally cylindrical in shape. The convexity of end surface 20 and the short 25 axial dimension of protuberances 22 serve to minimze the bearing surface of roll holder 10 with respect to the mounting sockets.
The first and second body members 12 and 14 each has an apertured end section 26. End sections 30 26 are similar in shape to each other, each including a multiplicity of circumferentially spaced bars 28 F
which are generally parallel to the axis of roll holder 10. Bars 28 are closely spaced, their spac-ings being less than the dimensions of beads 18 con-35 tained within cage 16. The spacings of bars 28 allow the emissions of vapors from within cage 16.
Second body member 14 includes a cylind-~Z~L9564 rical, non-apertured, section 30 of smaller diameter than in section 26. Non-apertured section 30 is telescopically received within end section 26 of i, first body member 12. End section 26 of first body 5 member 12 has an annular rim 32 which projects radially !
inwardly. Non-apertured section 30 has radially ~, projecting stops 36 near open end 34 which engage annular rim 32 to hold first body member 12 in en-- gagement with second body member 14.
Second body member 14 has an annular edge 38 at the juncture of non-apertured section 30 and its end section 26. Three helical spring strands 40 extend from annular rim 32 of first body member 12 to a spring-bearing ring 42. Spring-bearing ring 42 15 engages annular edge 38 of second body member 14 and such engagement tends to spread body members 12 and 14 to a relative axlal adjustment. Spring 40 is compressible between annular rim 32 o first body member 12 and annular edge 38 of second body member 20 14. Thus, spring 40 allows the relative axial po-sitions of first and second body members 12 and 14 to be adjusted such that paper roll holder 10 can be mounted between opposed mounted sockets of various spacings.
Spring strands 40 have varying cross-sec-tional areas at different positions along their lengths.
For example, as illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6, the cross-sectional area of sp~ing strand 40 is greater near the middle of the strand length (see FIGURE 5) than ~, 30 it is near the ends thereof (see FIGURE 6). Such variation in the spring strand dimensions allows greater compression of spring 40 without abnormal distortion. Thus, a spring of relatively small axial dimension can provide substantial adjustment of the 35 relative axial positions of first and second body members 12 and 14.

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- 8 - i Each of the body members 12 and 14 is preferably an integrally molded structure. Thus, first body mem~er 12, including its protuberance 22, end section 26, annular rim 32, spring strands 40, 5 and spring-bearing ring 42, is a single molded piece.
Likewise, second body member~l4, including its pro-tuberance 22, end section 26, annular edge 38, and non-apertured section 30, i5 a single molded struc-ture.
Spring 40 is made of a material which under-goes stress relaxation such that its spreading force drops readily to near zero for whatever spacing the Y
spring has accommodated when paper roll holder 10 is mounted. It is preferred that spring 40 be made of 15 a polyolefinic material, such as polypropylene, poly-ethylene, and copolymers thereof. Other acceptable materials for spring 40 will be apparent to those skilled in the art who are familiar with this in-vention. Polypropylene is most preferred. Such ma-20 terials allow spring 40 to relax (or "flow!') to a newset within about one day. Thus, paper roll holder 10 will readily turn in its mount as paper is withdrawn from the paper roll mounted thereon. Then, when the paper roll mount must be removed and remounted during 25 replacement of a paper roll, spring 40 will contract and expand as required t~ allow successful remounting, but will not expand beyond (or much beyond) the "set"
that it took when first placed in a given wall mount.
Beads 18 within cage 16 are impregnated 30 plastic. Such beads may be perfumed composites of ethylene and polarmonomer copolymers, such as vinyl ' acetate and ethyl acrylate. Methods for preparing such beads are well known in the art. See, for example, United States P~tent No. 4,095,031, entitled 35 "PERFUME COPOLYMERS OF ET~YLENE AND POLARMONOMER" is-sued in the name of Edward Jacob Engle on June 13, 1~78. The exact composition of such impregnated plas-.9~;64 g ;
tic beads does not form a part of this invention.
While in the foregoing specification thisinvention has been .des'cribed in relation to certain preferred embod'iments and many.details have been set 5 forth for purpose'of illustration, it will be'apparent to those skilled in 'the art that the invention is sus-.ceptible to additional er~odiments and that certain of the details. des'cribed herein can be varied con-siderably without. departing from the basic prin- '' 10 ciples of the invention.

Claims (8)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A rolling device mountable on and be-tween opposed sockets and adapted for use in support-ing a roll of toilet tissue, comprising a pair of axially aligned body members together forming an elongated cage, each body member including an axial protuberance engagable with one of the sockets; a vaporizable, air-treating substance within the cage;
and a spring spreading the body members to a relative axial adjustment and compressible therebetween to allow suspension of the cage between opposed sockets of varying spacings, said spring being of a material which undergoes stress relaxation at ambient tem-peratures such that its spreading force drops readily to near zero for whatever spacing the spring has ac-commodated, whereby the device will freely rotate as paper is pulled from a paper roll mounted thereon to increase the rate of vapor dispersing from within the cage.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the spring comprises helical strands extending around the cage.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the heli-cal strands have reduced cross-sectional areas near their ends, whereby increased axial compression without distortion is made possible while minimizing the axial length of the spring.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the spring material is polyolefinic.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the spring material is selected from the group consisting of poly-propylene, polyethylene, and copolymers thereof.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the vaporizable air-treating substance is contained within beads which are free to tumble within the cage during cage rotation.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the body members are generally cylindrical elements.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein each body member has a convex end surface from which its protuberance extends, whereby the bearing surface with respect to its mounting sockets is minimized.