Protective housing for bathroom toilet paper

• US 6,056,233 A
• Filed: 05/05/1998
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David R. Von Schenk
• Original Assignee: David R. Von Schenk
• Inventors: Von Schenk, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Strimbu, Gregory J.
• Application Number:
  US09/072,648
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 242/905, 242/594.5, 242/599.1, 242/598.6, 242/599, 242/598.5, 242/597.8, 242/596.8, 312/34.1, 312/34.7, 312/34.8, 312/34.21, 312/34.22, 312/324, 312/245, 60/519
• US Class Current: 242/594.5
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/40 with extensible or collapsible roll supports or roll spindles
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3253 with one or more reserve rolls

Abstract

A cover system for toilet paper to protect the toilet paper from dispersal by children and pets comprising a wall-mounted plastic casing completely covering upper and lower rolls of paper. The upper and lower rolls are covered by respective upper and lower swivelable covers, each having a safety latch system. Each safety latch system includes a pair of button-releasable latches with one button on each side of the casing and each cover may be released only by pushing both such buttons at the same time. The covers are light permeable and night lights may be mounted to the inside of the casing or as part of each holder going through each toilet paper roll.

Claims

1. A cover system for at least one roll of toilet paper comprising, in combination:

a. frame means, having a first side and a second side, for partially enclosing and removably holding, within an interior thereof, the at least one roll of toilet paper for dispensing;

b. attachment means for attaching said frame means to a bathroom structure;

c. swivelably attached to said frame means, at least two swivelable cover means for closing off the interior of the frame means for preventing the dispensing of the at least one roll of toilet paper when in a closed position, said at least two cover means are pivotable in opposing directions between said closed position and an open position, said at least two cover means and said frame means, together, fully enclose the at least one roll of toilet paper when said at least two cover means are in the closed position;

d. latch means for holding each said cover means in said closed position; and

e. latch release means for user release of each said latch means;

f. spindle support means directly attached to said first and second sides of said frame means for supporting a toilet paper spindle.

2. A cover system according to claim 1 wherein each of said latch release means comprises:

a. a pair of user-operable latch releases structured and arranged for user release of a respective one of said latch means only when both of said user-operable latch releases are user-operated at the same time.

3. A cover system according to claim 2 wherein for each said pair of user-operable latch releases one of said user-operable latch releases is located on said first side of said frame means, and the other of said user-operable latch releases is located on said second side of said frame means.

4. A cover system according to claim 2 wherein each of said pair of said user-operable latch releases is integrally attached to a respective one of said cover means.

5. A cover system according to claim 1 wherein each of said cover means comprises:

a. a cylindrically shaped structure having a first straight portion, a second straight portion, and, between said first and second straight portions, a concave portion;

b. wherein said first straight portion is swivelably connected to said frame means and said second straight portion is detachably connected with said frame means by a respective one of said latch means.

6. A cover system according to claim 5 wherein each of said cover means is light-permeable.

7. A cover system according to claim 6, further comprising lighting means for providing a light source situate within said interior of said frame means.

8. A cover system according to claim 7 wherein said light source is supported by said frame means.

9. A cover system according to claim 7 further comprising:

a. said toilet paper spindle being mounted within said interior of said frame means for internally supporting said toilet paper roll along a central axis of said toilet paper roll;

b. wherein said light source is supported by said toilet paper spindle.

10. A cover system according to claim 7 wherein each of said latch release means comprises:

a. a pair of user-operable latch releases structured and arranged for user release of a respective one of said latch means only when both of said user-operable latch releases are user-operated at the same time.

11. A cover system according to claim 10 wherein for each of said pair of user-operable latch releases one of said user-operable latch releases is located on said first side of said frame means, and the other of said user-operable latch releases is located on said second side of said frame means.

12. A housing for protecting a pair of rolls of toilet paper from dispersal by children and pets, said housing comprising:

a. a normally-vertical planar back portion having attachment means for attaching said back portion to a bathroom structure;

b. a pair of normally-vertical planar side portions attached to said planar back portion, each extending from said planar back portion at about a right angle with respect to said planar back portion,

i. said pair of said planar side portions comprising spindle support means directly attached thereto for supporting a toilet paper spindle;

c. a normally-horizontal planar base portion attached to an inner surface of each of said planar side portions about midway between a top and a bottom of each of said portions, said base portion substantially spanning a distance between said planar side portions;

d. a first cover, having an open position and a closed position, swivelably connected to a top of said planar back portion and structured and arranged to be detachably latched in said closed position of said first cover; and

e. a second cover, having an open position and a closed position, swivelably connected to a bottom of said planar back portion and structured and arranged to be detachably latched in said closed position of said second cover;

f. said housing being structured and arranged so that, when both said first and second covers are in a respective said closed position, said housing fully encloses the pair of rolls of toilet paper and prevents a dispensing of the toilet paper from the pair of rolls of toilet paper.

13. A housing according to claim 12 further comprising:

a. a first pair of user-operable latch releases structured and arranged for user release of said first cover when detachably latched in said closed position of said first cover; and

b. a second pair of user-operable latch releases structured and arranged for user release of said second cover when detachably latched in said closed position of said second cover;

c. each said pair of user-operable latch releases being structured and arranged for user release of a respective said cover only when both of said latch releases are user-operated at the same time.

14. A housing according to claim 13 wherein:

a. one of said first pair of said user-operable latch releases is located on one of said planar side portions, and the other one of said first pair of said user-operable latch releases is located on the other one of said planar side portions; and

b. one of said second pair of said user-operable latch releases is located on said one of said planar side portions, and the other one of said second pair of said user-operable latch releases is located on said other one of said planar side portions.

15. A housing according to claim 14 wherein each said user-operable latch release is operated by pressing a button.

16. A housing according to claim 13 wherein said first pair of user-operable latch releases is integrally attached to said first cover, and said second pair of user-operable latch releases is integrally attached to said second cover.

17. A housing according to claim 12 wherein said covers are light-permeable.

18. A housing according to claim 17 further comprising a light source situate within said housing.

19. A housing according to claim 18 wherein said light source is supported by said back portion and said base portion.

20. A housing according to claim 18 further comprising:

a. said toilet paper spindle mounted within said housing for supporting one of the pair of rolls toilet paper along a central axis of the one of the pair of rolls toilet paper;

b. wherein said light source is supported by said toilet paper spindle.

21. A housing according to claim 18 further comprising:

a. a first pair of user-operable latch releases structured and arranged for user release of said first cover when detachably latched in said closed position of said first cover; and

b. a second pair of user-operable latch releases structured and arranged for user release of said second cover when detachably latched in said closed position of said second cover;

c. each said pair of user-operable latch releases being structured and arranged for user release of a respective said cover only when both of said latch releases are user-operated at the same time.

22. A housing according to claim 21 wherein said first pair of said user-operable latch releases is integrally attached to said first cover, and said second pair of said user-operable latch releases is integrally attached to said second cover.

23. A housing for protecting a pair of rolls of toilet paper from dispersal by children and pets, said housing comprising:

a. a normally-vertical planar back portion having attachment means for attaching said back portion to a bathroom structure;

b. a pair of normally-vertical planar side portions each attached to said back portion, each extending from said back portion at about a right angle with respect to said back portion, and said planar side portions being separated by a separation distance,

i. said pair of planar side portions comprising spindle support means directly attached therto for supporting a toilet paper spindle;

c. a normally-horizontal divider portion having a bottom surface and being slidably attached to an inner surface of each of said planar side portions about midway between a top and a bottom of each of said planar side portions, said divider portion being structured and arranged to span said separation distance between said planar side portions;

d. divider support means, integrally attached to each of said planar side portions, for supporting said divider portion;

e. a first cover, having an open position and a closed position, swivelably connected to a top of said planar back portion and structured and arranged to be detachably latched in said closed position of said first cover; and

f. a second cover, having an open position and a closed position, swivelably connected to a bottom of said planar back portion and structured and arranged to be detachably latched in said closed position of said second cover;

g. said housing being structured and arranged so that, when both said first and second covers are in a respective said closed position, said housing fully encloses said pair of rolls of toilet paper and prevents a dispensing of the toilet paper from the pair of rolls of toilet paper.

24. A housing according to claim 23 further comprising:

a. a first pair of user-operable latch releases structured and arranged for user release of said first cover when detachably latched in said closed position of said first cover; and

b. a second pair of user-operable latch releases structured and arranged for user release of said second cover when detachably latched in said closed position of said second cover;

c. each said pair of user-operable latch releases being structured and arranged for user release of a respective said cover only when both of said latch releases are user-operated at the same time.

25. A housing according to claim 24 further comprising a lateral support portion:

a. attached to said inner surfaces of said planar side portions, and

b. normally adjacent to said bottom surface of said divider portion.

26. A housing according to claim 25 wherein a light source is supported by said divider portion.

27. A roll holder for supporting a roll of toilet paper comprising, in combination:

a. a cylindrical inner plunger having an outer surface and having an inner plunger cavity, said inner plunger cavity having an substantially open plunger first end and a substantially closed plunger second end;

b. a cylindrical outer housing having a closed housing first end and having an outer housing cavity therein, said outer housing cavity slidably engaging said outer surface of said inner plunger;

c. a lighting means for illuminating said roll holder;

d. a power means, disposed within said inner plunger cavity, for supplying electric power to said lighting means;

e. a removable capping means for closing said substantially open first end of said inner plunger cavity; and

f. a compressible urging means for urging said plunger second end away from said housing first end;

g. wherein said inner plunger and said outer housing are structured and arranged to provide support along a central axis of said roll of toilet paper.

28. A roll holder according to claim 27 wherein said lighting means comprises light emitting diodes attached adjacent said first end and adjacent said second end of said inner plunger.