Paper Towel Holder

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/570,225, titled “Paper Towel Holder,” filed Mar. 26, 2024; U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/663,028, titled “Paper Towel Holder,” filed Jun. 21, 2024; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/730,728, titled “Paper Towel Holder,” filed Dec. 11, 2024. This application incorporates the entire contents of the foregoing applications by reference.

Various implementations relate generally to paper towel holders.

A paper towel holder may include a hollow post having a top end and a bottom end; a cap that is secured to the top end with a friction fit; a base assembly comprising a lower base and a top shell; and a post base having a post-gripping end and a base-gripping end. The post-gripping end may include ribs that secure the post base to the hollow post at the bottom end and a locking mechanism that secures the post base to the base assembly. The top shell may include diatomaceous earth and may have a flat upper surface and a downward-extending perimeter sidewall.

In some implementations, the locking mechanism includes a plurality of locking stakes with locking notches and a twist lock having slots and locking extensions that selectively engage with the locking stakes and the locking notches. The lower base and top shell may include apertures to accommodate the locking stakes. The lower base and top shell may further include a centering keyway, and the locking mechanism may further include a centering key that engages with the centering keyway.

The lower base may include a weighted plate that is overmolded with silicone. Feet may be disposed on a bottom surface of the lower base to locate the lower base above a horizontal surface on which the lower base is disposed, with an air gap between the horizontal surface and the bottom surface. The cap may include a wood or simulated wood material, and the hollow post may include aluminum or another metal or simulated metal material.

A paper towel holder may include a post having a top end and a bottom end; a base assembly; and a post base having a post-gripping end and a base-gripping end. The post-gripping end may secure the post base to the post at the bottom end, and a locking mechanism on the base-gripping end may secure to the base assembly. The base assembly may include diatomaceous earth.

The base assembly may include a lower base and a top shell. The top shell may include diatomaceous earth, and the lower base may include a material that is heavier than that the top shell. In some implementations, the lower base includes a metal slab that is overmolded with silicone or another polymer having a Shore A durometer of between about 20 and about 70. The top shell may include a flat upper surface and a downward-extending perimeter sidewall.

The post may be a hollow post and may include a top cap that is secured to the top end with a friction fit. The hollow post and the top cap may be made of materials that are different from each other.

In some implementations, the locking mechanism includes locking threads. In other implementations, the locking mechanism may include a plurality of locking stakes with a locking notches and a twist lock having slots and locking extensions that selectively engage with the locking stakes and the locking notches. The lower base and top shell may include apertures to accommodate the locking stakes. The lower base and top shell may further include a centering keyway, and the locking mechanism may further include a centering key that engages with the centering keyway. The lower base may include a cavity on a bottom surface that is configured to accommodate the twist lock.

illustrates an exemplary paper towel holderhaving a postand a base assembly. The postmay be a hollow tube and may include a cap, which, in some implementations, may be decorative and be made of a different material than the tube(e.g., the tubemay be made of aluminum or another metal or simulated metal material, and the capmay be made of a decorative wood, such as beech or oak (or simulated wood material)).

The base assemblymay include feetto raise the base assemblyslightly above a horizontal surface on which the paper towel holdermay be disposed (such that an air gap exists between the horizontal surface and the bottom of the base). In some implementations, the feetmay enable the paper towel holderto be stably supported by any such surface, even if it is slightly uneven. The base assemblyand its feetmay include a flexible, resilient and/or soft material, such as, for example, silicone or rubber. In some implementations, the feetmay be separate from other portions of the base assembly(e.g., they may be adhesively adhered pads).

is an exploded view of the exemplary paper towel holdershowing additional exemplary details. In some implementations, as shown, the capmay be configured to fit into the tube(at a top end) and be retained there by an interference or friction fit. A post basemay be engaged by a bottom endof the post(e.g., by an interference or friction fit), and the post basemay cooperate with a twist lockto retain a diatomaceous earth elementand, in some implementations, a base cap, a weightand a base bottom. In some implementations, the base capand base bottommay be overmolded (e.g., as a single “skin”) onto the weight.

The diatomaceous earth elementmay form a portion of a closed cylinder, in some implementations. That is, as shown, the diatomaceous earth elementmay include a top surfaceand a downward-extending perimeter sidewall. In some implementations, the diatomaceous earth elementis molded (e.g., with a cold press molding or similar process) to facilitate coverage of other elements, such as the base cap, the weightand the base bottom. Further, the diatomaceous earth elementmay be configured to absorb water (e.g., water that is dripped onto its surface as paper towels are removed from a paper tower roll that is disposed on the holder).

The base capand base bottommay be made of a polymer, such as ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), another plastic, a silicone, a hard rubber, or another polymer. In some implementations, as shown, the base capand the base bottomcooperate to cover the weight(e.g., collectively, in some implementations, a lower base), which may be made of a steel or other metal or material that provides extra mass to anchor the paper towel holder. In some implementations, one or more of the base capand base bottomare omitted; in other implementations, both are omitted and the weightis covered or wrapped (e.g., overmolded) in another material (e.g., a silicone, such as a silicone having a Shore A durometer of between about 20 and about 70) (“about” or “approximately” may mean within 1%, or 5%, or 10%, or 20%, or 50%, or 100% of a nominal value; “substantially” may mean within 1%, or 5%, or 10%, or 20% of a nominal value or position); in still other implementations, the weightis omitted and one or more of the base capor the base bottommay include additional material to provide mass for anchoring the paper towel holder. In some implementations, the non-diatomaceous earth-containing component or assembly is heavier than the diatomaceous earth-containing component. Many variations are possible.

illustrate additional details of a locking mechanism-specifically, as shown, the post baseand twist lock. As shown in, the post basemay include ribsat one end (e.g., a post-gripping end) that are configured to grip the inside of the postto secure the post baseto the post. At the opposite end (e.g., a base-gripping end), the post basemay include two locking stakes, which may include notches (e.g., notch) that are configured to cooperate with slotsand locking extensions (e.g., extension) on the twist lock. In operation, the slotsin the twist lockmay be aligned with the locking stakeson the post base, and the twist lockmay be disposed such that the locking stakesare in the slots; then, the twist lockmay be rotated, such that the extensionsengage with the notches, locking the twist lockto the post base, as shown in. In some implementations, a centering keymay also be provided that is configured to cooperate with a corresponding keyway(see). In such implementations, the centering keyand corresponding keywaymay facilitate smooth operation of the twist lock, particularly as it is rotated into a locking position.

is an another exploded view depicting how the post baseand twist lockcan engage and secure together the diatomaceous earth element, the base cap, the weightand the base bottom. In particular, an openingin the diatomaceous earth elementmay be configured to receive a portion of the post base; and the base cap, the weightand the base bottommay include aperturesthat correspond to the locking stakesand optional centering keyon the post base. The base bottommay include a cavity(see) to receive the twist lock. An exemplary assembled holderis shown in.

is an exemplary cross section showing additional detail of the various components described above—including the post, post base, locking stakeswith their notches, centering key, twist lockwith its slots, etc.

Several implementations have been described with reference to exemplary aspects, but it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the contemplated scope. For example, some posts may rotate while others may be fixed; various materials may be employed for various components (e.g., metal, wood, plastics, rubbers, silicones, combinations of the same, etc.); locking mechanisms may include connectors that are threaded, press-fit, or removable, or different components may be adhered with adhesive, co-molded, overmolded, etc.; some implementations include a diatomaceous earth slab, metal disk and silicone base; other implementations may omit one or more of these elements; some implementations omit fins; fasteners other than the threaded fasteners described may be employed (e.g., screws, bolts, pins, press-fit connectors, etc.); elements may be wrapped or overmolded in other materials (e.g., silicone). Other variations are possible.