MXPA00009069A - Counter-top paper towel holder - Google Patents

Abstract

A counter-top paper towel holder (10) has a base (18), a mounting rod (20) extending upward from the base, and a stabilizing extension (26) extending upward from the base at a position radially spaced from the mounting rod. The stabilizing extension (26) includes a handle portion (28) and a presser arm (32) spaced radially outward from the handle potion. The presser arm (32) is resilient, and includes a free end for abutting the roll of paper towels mounted on the mounting rod. Grasping the handle with one hand provides support for the paper towel holder against gross movement as the free towels are pulled from the roll using the other hand. The thumb of the grasping hand may press against the presser arm to force the free end against the roll. The free end thus prevents further rotation of the roll, and assists in breaking the lines of perforation to dispense the towels.

Description

CARRIER FOR PAPER TOWELS AGAINST COVER INREFERENCE TO RELATED REQUESTS Not applicable DECLARATION REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED INVESTIGATION Not applicable BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a paper towel carrier. In particular, the present invention relates to an improved carrier for roll paper towels to use a counter cap. Rolls of perforated paper towels are a common item in many houses. Said rolls typically include a cylindrical cardboard center surrounded by spirally wound paper towels, each being separable along a perforation line parallel to the longitudinal axis of the center. The carriers for said rolls are commonly mounted under cabinets or in vertical walls with the longitudinal axis extended horizontally. It is also known to provide a counter cap carrier for such rolls. The usual back-roll roll carrier consists of a mounting base, a vertical mounting bar. The center is received in the assembly bar and will rotate around it during the assortment. The base keeps the assembly bar, and consequently the roll, straight during the assortment. To ensure this straight position, the user frequently holds the upper end of the mounting bar. Even when this arrangement is acceptable, it has disadvantages. To separate the towels from the roll, it is often necessary to hold the roll to prevent its rotation. This can be achieved while holding the upper end of the mounting bar, but the upper end of the roll may become dirty.

Additionally, the initial tearing of the towels along the perforation line is sometimes difficult, and is aided by applying pressure to the roll adjacent to the perforation line.

This requires the user not only to stop the upper end of the roll, but to keep the upper end of the roll in a position to apply this pressure in the correct place. Also, this also presents a problem in soiling the roll adjacent to the perforation line. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide such a paper towel carrier that allows the supply of paper towels. Another object of the present invention is to provide said carrier which is simple and easy to use. Another object of the present invention is to provide such a carrier which is stable, and which assists in the breaking of the perforation lines. These and other objects are obtained by means of a backing paper towel carrier having a base, a mounting bar extending upwards from the base, and a stabilizing extension extending upwards from the base in a position radially separated from the mounting bar. The stabilization extension includes a handle portion and a pressure arm spaced radially away from the handle portion. The pressure arm is elastic, and includes a free end to terminate the roll of paper towels mounted on the mounting bar. Holding the handle with one hand provides support for the paper towel holder against sudden movement when the other hand is used to pull the free towels from the roll. The thumb of the clamping hand can press against the pressure arm to force the free end against the roll. In this way the free end also prevents the rotation of the roll, and assists in the breaking of the perforation lines to supply the towels. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The objects and features of the invention mentioned above are explained in greater detail with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like elements, and in which: Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a paper towel carrier according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front view of the paper towel carrier of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a side view of the paper towel carrier of Fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference to Figure 1, a paper towel carrier according to the present invention is generally designated with the reference number 10. It is intended that the paper towel carrier 10 be used against the tape, to hold a roll of paper towels 12 (Fig. 2). Such rolls 12 include a cardboard core (not shown) having a tubular shape which supports a length of absorbent paper wound spirally around it. This paper includes perforation lines 14, which extend essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the center, in predetermined lengths to form a plurality of individual towels 16. The paper towel carrier 10 includes a base 18 for the purpose of resting on a against top or similar support surface. While the base 18 may have a variety of peripheral shapes, it is preferred that the circular form have a slightly larger diameter than that of the complete roll 12. Extending upwards from the base 18 is a mounting bar 20. The mounting bar 20 it may have several peripheral shapes, preferably to be circular again, and preferably also has a slight inner taper of a lower end 22 towards an upper end 24. The mounting bar 20 preferably extends from a central portion of the base 18, and It can be coaxial with a circular base. As best illustrated in the Figures. 2 and 3, the roll 12 can be mounted on the mounting bar 20 with the center receiving the mounting bar 20 and a longitudinal end of the roll 12 ends at the base 18. The towels 16 will thus be manually pulled from the roll 12 for the extension tangentially. This manual force will serve to protect the towels 16 against falling down under their weight price, generally keeping them within a plane of the tangent. A manual force increased in the same direction will serve to break the perforation lines 14 to separate one or more towels 16 from the roll 12. The arrangement described here is well known in the art. In the present invention, however, an arrangement has been provided to automatically provide a force to hold the towels 16 against the fall, and to assist in the separation of the towels 16 along the perforation lines 14. This arrangement consists of in a stabilizing extension 26 extending upward from the base 18. The stabilizing extension 26 includes a handle portion 28 extending upwardly from the base 18 to an upper end 30. The handle portion 28 extends from the base 18 in a position spaced radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the mounting bar 20 a distance sufficient to allow the user to insert the fingers between the handle portion 28 and an entire roll 12 when mounted on the mounting bar 20 In other words, the handle portion 28 is separated from the longitudinal axis of the mounting bar 20 by a distance greater than the radius of an average roll 12. As can be anticipated, the po The handle portion 28 can thus be held by the user to provide stability during the use of the paper towel carrier 10. The stabilizing extension 26 is also provided. in includes a pressure arm 32 spaced radially outwardly from the handle portion 28, as in an opening 34 (Fig. 3). It is notorious that the opening 34 may extend completely to the base 18 or may start in a position separate from it, as shown. The pressure arm 32 extends beyond the upper end 30 of the handle portion 28 to a free end 36. The pressure arm 32 preferably has a height such that the free end 36 is located adjacent the upper end 24 of the bar 20. The pressure arm 32 also curves inward towards the center of the mounting bar 20 such as in its rest position at the free end 36 of the pressure arm 32 is located radially inwardly of the handle portion 28. As shown, in Fig. 3, it is preferred that the free end 36 separates radially outwardly from the mounting bar 20 when in the rest position it is shown with a solid line. However this is not required, and the free end 36 may end up on the mounting bar 20 when it rests. The pressure arm 32 is elastically mounted to the base 18, or formed of an elastic material such as a plastic, to allow it to flex radially as illustrated in the dashed lines of Fig. 3. Likewise, the arm of pressure 32 can flex radially outward from position A to end against roll 12 when complete. The elastic nature of the pressure arm 32 will tend to force it inward towards the rest position, however, just as the free end 36 exerts a force against the roll 12. As can be foreseen, the free end 36 can thus serve to stop the towels 16 against falling under their own weight, presents a full edge for the user to hold it manually for ease of use, and also present a pleasant appearance. The free end 36 continues to apply its force against the roll 12 until the roll 12 is terminated to a point such that its outer radius separates into the rest position (which may not occur depending on the rest position chosen during design) . The elastic nature of the pressure arm 32, together with the positioning of the handle portion 28 also allows additional use for the free end 36. Specifically, the applied force due to the elasticity of the pressure arm 32 will keep the towels 16 against the collapse, but it is not enough to provide important assistance in breaking the perforation lines 14. However, this force can be increased, by the user to provide such assistance. In particular, the user can manually press against the pressure arm 32, in a radially inward direction to force the free end 36 against the roll 12 with greater force, as illustrated by the position B in Fig.3. This greater force may be sufficient to stop the roll 12 against rotation, so the user can break the perforation lines 14 manually by pulling the unrolled towels 16 (those extend beyond the free end 36) in the tangential direction. The inner face of the free end 36 may include a knob or other method that increases the friction that assists in this. Further, if the free end 36 is located in its preferred position adjacent the upper end 24 of the mounting bar 20, the free end 36 is located adjacent the upper longitudinal end of the roll 12, and consequently adjacent to the edge of the towels 16. This position is advantageous for the user to be able to unwind the towels 16 until the desired perforation line 14 is only passing the free end 36, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The user can then manually pull the towels 16 not simply in the tangential direction, but also radially outward. This reduces the possibility of the roll 12 to be rotated, and provides an easier break of the perforation lines 14. The manual force applied by the user to move the pressure arm 32 radially inward is easily applied due to the positioning of the portion of handle 28. Specifically, the fingers of the user can rest on the handle portion 28 with the thumb of the same hand resting on the outer face of the pressure arm 32. A simple action of squeezing that hand will then cause the desired deflection radially towards inside the pressure arm 32. While the handle portion 28 may be biased outward during that tightening, the longer length of the pressure arm 32 typically ensures sufficient deflection. Additionally, the handle portion 28 can surely be designed for less elasticity. The handle portion 28 as mentioned above increases the stability of the entire paper towel holder 10. As well as, with one hand the user can avoid the abrupt movement of the paper towel carrier 10 while also applying pressure to the outer face of the roll 12. This frees the other hand of the user to hold and pull the towels 16. This arrangement is thought to be It provides an effective and convenient supplier of paper towels. Additionally, the paper towel carrier 10 is of simple design that allows a reduced manufacturing cost. In fact, the entire device can be manufactured from a monolithic piece of plastic using injection molding techniques. Finally, the pressure arm 32 and the free end 36 are visible during use, allowing decorative features to be added to increase the aesthetics of the paper towel carrier 10. From the above it will be seen that this invention is well adapted to achieve all the purposes and objectives previously established together with the other advantages that are obvious and that are inherent in the structure. It will be understood that certain characteristics and subcombinations are useful and can be used without reference to other characteristics and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

Since many possible embodiments can be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it will be understood that the entire subject set forth herein or shown in the accompanying drawings will be construed as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Claims (5)

1. A backing paper towel holder comprises: a base; a mounting bar extending up said base and adjusted to receive therein a center of a roll of spirally wound paper towels separated by perforation lines; a handle portion extending upwardly from said base to the upper end of said handle portion extending from said base in a separated position a first distance from a longitudinal axis of said mounting bar, said first distance being greater than the radius of said roll; and a pressure arm extending upwardly from said base to a free end, said pressure arm separates radially outwardly from said handle portion, said free end being elastically inclined toward a rest position at a second distance from said longitudinal axis, said second distance is less than said first distance.

2. A paper towel carrier against the lid as in claim 1, wherein said pressure arm is formed of an elastic material.

3. A backing paper towel carrier as in claim 1, wherein said press arm has a length such that said free end is adjacent an upper end of said mounting bar.

4. A backsheet paper towel carrier as in claim 3, wherein said pressure arm is formed of an elastic material.

5. A paper towel holder as in claim 4, wherein said base, mounting bar, handle and pressure arm are formed as a monolithic piece of plastic.