PAPER TOWEL HOLDER

Abstract

A paper towel holder comprises a base and a magnetically non-attractive shaft disposed vertically on top of the base. A first magnetically attractive element is disposed on an upper end of the shaft. A pressing member is disposed on the upper end of the shaft, is movable relative to the shaft in a vertical direction, and has a lower side having a pressing face. A second magnetically attractive element is disposed on the pressing member. When the pressing member is secured onto the shaft by magnetic attraction between the first and second magnetically attractive elements, a spacing between the pressing face and the base is smaller than a height of a paper towel roll. When the paper towel roll is disposed on the paper towel holder, the pressing face presses against a top end of the paper towel roll under the magnetic attraction.

Claims

1. A paper towel holder comprising: a base; a shaft disposed vertically on top of the base, wherein the shaft is not magnetically attractive, and wherein a first magnetically attractive element is disposed on an upper end of the shaft; a pressing member disposed on the upper end of the shaft and movable relative to the shaft in a vertical direction, wherein the pressing member has a lower side having a pressing face, wherein a second magnetically attractive element is disposed on the pressing member and is attractive to the first magnetically attractive element, wherein when the pressing member is secured onto the shaft by magnetic attraction between the first magnetically attractive element and the second magnetically attractive element, a spacing between the pressing face and the base is smaller than a height of a paper towel roll, wherein when the paper towel roll is disposed on the paper towel holder, the pressing face presses against a top end of the paper towel roll under the magnetic attraction between the first magnetically attractive element and the second magnetically attractive element.

2. The paper towel holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first magnetically attractive element and the second magnetically attractive element includes at least one magnet.

3. The paper towel holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the first magnetically attractive element and the second magnetically attractive element includes at least one magnet, and wherein another of the first magnetically attractive element and the second magnetically attractive element is an element attractable by magnetism.

4. The paper towel holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shaft includes a hollow portion at central portion thereof, wherein an upper coupling column is disposed on the upper end of the shaft and includes an outer periphery having a plurality of first coupling grooves arranged in a circumferential direction of the upper coupling column, wherein the upper coupling column extends upward beyond a top end of the hollow portion of the shaft, wherein the first magnetically attractive element includes a plurality of first magnets respectively disposed in the plurality of first coupling grooves, wherein each two adjacent first magnets have opposite polarities, wherein the pressing member includes a pressing board and a coupling block, wherein the pressing face is provided on a lower side of the pressing board, wherein the pressing board includes a through-hole in a central portion thereof, wherein the shaft extends through the through-hole, wherein the coupling block is received in the through-hole of the pressing board and includes a coupling hole through which the shaft extends, wherein the coupling hole of the coupling block includes an inner periphery having a plurality of second coupling grooves corresponding to the plurality of first coupling grooves, wherein the second magnetically attractive element includes a plurality of second magnets respectively disposed in the plurality of second coupling grooves, and wherein each two adjacent second magnets have opposite polarities.

5. The paper towel holder as claimed in claim 4, wherein the outer periphery of the upper coupling column has a plurality of teeth coupled with an inner periphery of the hollow portion.

6. The paper towel holder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base includes an upper cover, a lower cover, at least one weight, and a lower coupling column, wherein the upper cover and the lower cover are coupled with each other to define a compartment receiving the at least one weight, and wherein the lower coupling column is disposed upright on a central portion of the lower cover and is coupled with the shaft.

7. The paper towel holder as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lower coupling column includes an outer periphery having a plurality of teeth, wherein the shaft includes a hollow portion at a central portion thereof, and wherein the lower coupling column is coupled with a bottom end of the hollow portion and is press-fit to an inner periphery of the hollow portion by the plurality of teeth of the lower coupling column.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of a paper towel holder of an embodiment according to the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the paper towel holder according to the present invention after assembly.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the paper towel holder according to the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view illustrating installation of a paper towel roll on the paper towel holder according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] With reference to FIGS. 1-3, a paper towel holder of an embodiment according to the present invention comprises a base 1, a shaft 2, and a pressing member 3. The base 1 includes an upper cover 11, a lower cover 12, a weight 13, and a lower coupling column 14. the upper cover 11 and the lower cover 12 are coupled with each other to define a compartment 15 receiving the weight 13. If desired, a plurality of weights 13 may be used. The lower coupling column 14 is disposed upright on a central portion of the lower cover 11 and includes an outer periphery having a plurality of teeth 141.

[0024] The shaft 2 is in the form of a vertical tube which is not magnetically attractive and which is disposed vertically on top of the base 1. The shaft 2 includes a hollow portion 21 at a central portion thereof. A lower end of the hollow portion 21 is coupled with the lower coupling column 14 and is press-fit to an inner periphery of the hollow portion 21 by the plurality of teeth 141. An upper coupling column 22 and a first magnetically attractive element 23 are disposed on an upper end of the shaft 2. The upper coupling column 22 includes an outer periphery having a plurality of teeth 221.

[0025] Furthermore, a plurality of first coupling grooves 222 is disposed on the outer periphery in a circumferential direction of the upper coupling column 22. The upper coupling column 22 extends beyond the top end of the hollow portion 21 of the shaft 2. The plurality of teeth 221 may be press-fit to the inner periphery of the hollow portion 21.

[0026] The first magnetically attractive element 23 includes a plurality of first magnets 231 respectively disposed in the plurality of first coupling grooves 222 of the upper coupling column 22. Each two adjacent first magnets 231 have opposite polarities. For example, if the polarity of a radially outer end of a first magnet 231 is N, the polarity of a radially outer end of another first magnet 231 adjacent to this first magnet 231 is S. In another embodiment, the first magnetically attractive element 23 may be an iron block attractable by magnetism or any other element which may be secured to a preset height (not shown) on the shaft 2 by a magnetically attractive element. Furthermore, a spacing between the first magnetically attractive element 23 and the base 1 is smaller than a height of a paper towel roll 4 (see FIG. 4).

[0027] The pressing member 3 is disposed on the upper end of the shaft 2 and includes a pressing board 31, a coupling block 32, and a second magnetically attractive element 33. The pressing board 31 is in the form of a disc and includes a lower side having a pressing face 311. The pressing board 31 includes a through-hole 312 in a central portion thereof. The shaft 2 extends through the through-hole 312. The coupling block 32 is received in the through-hole 312 of the pressing board 31 and includes a coupling hole 321 in a central portion thereof. The shaft 2 extends through the coupling hole 321. In this embodiment, the coupling block 32 is comprised of an upper block 322 and a lower block 323 which are coupled with each other and are respectively disposed on upper and lower sides of the pressing board 31. An inner periphery of the coupling hole 321 includes a plurality of second coupling grooves 324 corresponding to the plurality of first coupling grooves 222.

[0028] The second magnetically attractive element 33 includes a plurality of second magnets 331 respectively disposed in the plurality of second coupling grooves 324. Each two adjacent second magnets 331 have opposite polarities. For example, if the polarity of a radially outer end of a second magnet 331 is S, the polarity of a radially outer end of another second magnet 331 adjacent to this second magnet 331 is N. In another embodiment, the second magnetically attractive element 33 may be an iron block attractable by magnetism or any other element (not shown) be attractable by magnetism.

[0029] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the pressing member 3 is mounted around the shaft 2 by the coupling hole 321. The first magnetically attractive element 23 and the second magnetically attractive element 33 are secured to the upper end of the shaft 2 by magnetic attraction between the first magnetically attractive element 23 and the second magnetically attractive element 33. At this time, the spacing H1 between the pressing face 311 of the pressing member 3 and the upper cover 11 of the base 1 is smaller than the height H2 of the paper towel roll 4. Furthermore, the opposite polarities N, S of the first magnets 231 of the first magnetically attractive element 23 and the second magnets 331 of the second magnetically attractive element 33 may stably attract each other, whereas each first magnet 231 and an adjacent second magnet 331 having the same polarity repel each other. Therefore, the pressing member 3 will not rotate relative to the shaft 2 after the magnetic attraction, thereby providing enhanced assembly stability.

[0030] When it is desired to install the paper towel roll 4, a tube 41 of the paper towel roll 4 is mounted around the shaft 2, and the pressing member 3 is then mounted. The position of the pressing member 3 mounted on the shaft 2 may be higher than that before mounting the paper towel roll 4. Nevertheless, since the first magnetically attractive element 23 and the second magnetically attractive element 33 are magnetically attractive, the pressing face 311 of the pressing board 31 presses against the paper towel roll 4 under the magnetism. Furthermore, when a hand of a user pulls and rotates the paper towel roll 4, a proper resistance will be provided to prevent the paper towel roll 4 from instantly extending to an excessive length, and the pulled paper towel roll 4 is apt to be positioned by the pressing force to permit easy tearing.

[0031] When the paper towel holder according to the present invention falls inadvertently, since the first magnetically attractive element 23 and the second magnetically attractive element 33 still attract each other, the pressing member 3 and the paper towel roll 4 are prevented from disengaging from the shaft 2, thereby providing enhanced assembly stability.

[0032] The magnetism between the first magnetically attractive element 23 and the second magnetically attractive element 33 enables the pressing face 311 of the pressing member 3 to press against the paper towel roll 4, providing more stable operation. Therefore, unstable pressing of the paper towel roll 4 due to the elastic fatigue of conventional spring can be avoided. Furthermore, since the upper side of the paper towel roll 4 is pressed in the present invention, reduction in the pressing force resulting from the change in the diameter of the paper towel roll after a period of time of use in the conventional approach can be avoided, thereby providing enhanced operational stability.

[0033] In view of the foregoing, the paper towel holder according to the present invention is more stable and more reliable in operation.

[0034] The foregoing embodiments are examples of the present invention, not limitation to the present invention. All equivalent changes made in accordance with the spirit of the present invention should also fall within the scope of the present invention.