US20090090722A1

US20090090722A1 - Apparatus to store hygienically and transport multiple rolls of toilet paper

Info

Publication number: US20090090722A1
Application number: US11/973,433
Authority: US
Inventors: Michelle Ingram
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-10-09
Filing date: 2007-10-09
Publication date: 2009-04-09

Abstract

A sealable container constructed of molded plastic or the like, for the storage and transport of multiple rolls of toilet paper in individual compartments, which maintains the original quality, integrity, and freshness of toilet paper by insulating it from moisture, dirt, germs, and other contaminants.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of toilet paper storage containers and carrying devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Toilet paper has become an indispensible staple of personal hygiene. It is commonly sold in a convenient rolled form. Consumers typically purchase multiple rolls of toilet paper at a time to ensure that they will have access to a constant supply of the product as needed.
By design, toilet paper deteriorates when it becomes wet so as not to clog drain pipes. It must be stored, therefore, in a manner calculated to keep it dry at all times, or its quality becomes compromised. Moreover, as a cleansing product which is made to come into contact with the most intimate parts of the human body, it is desirable to maintain toilet paper in a reasonably fresh and sanitary condition prior to use.
Single rolls of toilet paper typically come wrapped in paper packaging, while multiple rolls are often bundled together in plastic wrap. These forms of packaging provide some minimal degree of protection from moisture, dirt, and septic contamination, but they can be prone to tearing and puncturing, potentially compromising the hygienic integrity of the toilet paper. Moreover, to remove a single roll of toilet paper within a bundled package, the plastic wrap must be cut, torn, punctured, or otherwise open, implicitly exposing the remaining unused rolls to possible contamination.
Numerous loose single rolls of toilet paper can be cumbersome to handle, inconvenient to store, and inefficient in terms of utilization of space. If stored on one end on a closet shelf, for example, they can be knocked over and may be prone to roll off the shelf and onto a dirty floor. Even toilet paper rolls in bundled plastic wrap remain manageable only until the packaging has been opened, after which they can easily become dislodged from the packaging and come in contact with moisture, dirt, and germs.
Clean, fresh, dry toilet paper becomes especially important in the advent of a hurricane or similar natural disaster, when normal access to stores can be cut off for indeterminately long periods of time and people may be confined to their homes. The need can be particularly acute for families with young children. Moreover, when required to leave their homes in the face of a major storm, evacuees may have to take refuge in a designated public shelter, and in that event must transport with them their own supplies of toilet paper in quantities sufficient to last for several days or weeks.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a sealable container, constructed of molded plastic or the like for the storage and transport of multiple rolls of toilet paper in individual compartments, which maintains the original quality, integrity, and freshness of toilet paper by insulating it from moisture, dirt, germs, and other contaminants.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective of a four-compartment embodiment of the invention, with four latches, showing the lower and upper sections.

FIG. 2 presents a bottom exterior view of a four-compartment embodiment of the invention, with two latches in front and two hinges in the rear, in a closed condition with the latches engaged.

FIG. 3 shows an overhead view of a four-compartment embodiment of the invention, with two latches in front and two hinges in the rear, in a closed condition with the latches engaged.

FIG. 4 shows a view of a four-compartment embodiment of the invention, with two latches in front and two hinges in the rear, in an open condition with the latches unengaged, reflecting the interior surfaces of the lower and upper sections and the placement of a single toilet paper rolls into the compartments of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a twelve-compartment embodiment of the apparatus in a closed condition with the latches engaged.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS


10	lower planar section	12	upper planar section
14	curved wall	16	side wall
18	first hole	20	second hole
22	hinge	24	seal
26	toilet paper roll	28	latch

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An exploded view of one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. This particular embodiment comprises a lower planar section 10 and an upper planar section 12. To achieve strength and durability, the lower planar section 10 and upper planar section 12 of the apparatus may be injection molded or otherwise made from plastic or other suitable materials.
The lower and upper planar sections 10, 12 may be fastened together by any number of means. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, four latches 28 are used, enabling the ready and complete separation of each section from the other.
Each of the four latches 28 depicted in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 are located on the lower planar section 10. Each of the latches 28 shown are engaged by moving the latch 28 about a pivot to wrap around the exterior side of the upper planar section 12, thereby fastening the lower planar section 10 to the upper planar section 12 by way of compression.
Each of the two planar sections 10, 12 has a plurality of compartments in like number. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, each planar section 10,12 has four compartments. Each compartment comprises a recessed, curved wall 14 and two side walls 16, which together form a half cylinder of a length and radius sufficient to accommodate the insertion of a roll of toilet paper 26 to a depth equal to the radius of the roll. When the planar sections 10, 12 are aligned and joined, the compartments of the upper planar section 12 come together with the matching counterpart compartments of the lower planar section 10 to form full cylinder compartments, each of which is capable of enclosing completely a single roll of toilet paper 26.
At least one seal 24 surrounding the full cylinder compartments formed by the planar sections 10, 12 acts to inhibit the introduction of water, dirt, and other contaminants into the compartments. The seal 24, as in this embodiment, may be fashioned as a molded gasket protruding from the interior surface of the upper planar section 12, creating a barrier around the full cylinder compartments formed by the compression of the lower and upper planar sections 10, 12 when the apparatus is in a closed position and the latches 28 or other fasteners are engaged. Other forms of seals may be used, however, such as rubber or silicone gaskets affixed to the interior surface of a section. Seals may also be placed around individual compartments.
A first hole 18 in the lower planar section 10 and a second hole 20 in the upper planar section 12 form a handle for the apparatus when the lower planar section 10 and the upper planar section 12 are joined together. This facilitates the portability of the apparatus, which can be transported like a briefcase.
As seen in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, one or more hinges 22 can be used to join the lower planar section 10 and upper planar section 12 on one side, with latches 28 on the opposite side. FIG. 3 presents an overhead perspective of the same hinged embodiment, illustrating how the latches 28 fold over the upper planar section 12 to compress the two planar sections 10, 12 together when engaged. The use of hinges as depicted in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4 prevents the two planar sections from separating completely but allows the upper planar section 12 to pivot away from the lower planar section 12 to enable the user to insert or remove rolls of toilet paper 26 from the apparatus. FIG. 4 shows this hinged embodiment of the apparatus in an open condition, with the latches 28 disengaged and pivoted open. The hinged embodiment of FIG. 5 illustrates how the dimensions of the two planar sections 10, 12 may be modified to accommodate additional compartments to increase the storage capacity of the apparatus. The minimal profile of the apparatus allows it to be efficiently stored on closet shelves, under beds, and in other narrow spaces.

Claims

1. A container for storing and transporting multiple rolls of toilet paper, comprising:

a lower planar section having a set of recessed compartments, each of said compartments comprising a curved wall and two side walls forming a half cylinder of a length and radius sufficient to accommodate the insertion of a single roll of toilet paper to a depth equal to the radius of the roll;

an upper planar section having a set of recessed compartments identical to the lower section, such that the upper planar section may be mated to the lower planar section and their respective compartments united to form full cylindrical compartments into each of which a single roll of toilet paper may be enclosed;

a plurality of fasteners whereby said lower planar section and said upper planar section may be joined together;

one or more mechanical seals positioned between said lower planar section and said upper planar section and between the outer edges of said planar sections and their recessed compartments.

2. The container of claim 1, in which one or more of the fasteners is a latch.

3. The container of claim 1, in which one outer edge of the lower planar section and one outer edge of the upper planar section are joined by one or more hinges.

4. The container of claim 1, in which there is first hole in the lower planar section between an outer edge of the lower planar section and the recessed compartments in the lower planar sections, and a second hole in the upper planar section between an outer edge of the upper planar section and the recessed compartments in the upper planar sections, such that when the sections are mated together, the holes are also mated to form a handle to facilitate transporting the container.

5. The container of claim 1, in which the two planar sections are fashioned from injection-molded plastic.

6. The container of claim 5, in which the mechanical seal is a gasket.

7. The container of claim 6, in which the gasket is molded from the interior surface of one of the two planar sections.