Tissue roll stacking and deployment apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for storing numerous stackable roll-shaped objects R 1 , R 2 , . . . , R N with N=>2, such as tissue rolls, is proposed. A subset of objects R 1 , R 2 , . . , R M , with M<N, are easily deployable for use. The apparatus includes a pole for piercing through and holding the objects R 1 , R 2 , . . , R N and two surface-mountable brackets for engaging the loaded pole ends while allowing a later removal of the pole there from. For separating objects R M from R M+1 , the pole has a perpendicularly projecting pluggable and removable handle. A clearance zone is provided between R M and R M+1 for finger access to remove shipping wrap from a roll and to tear off supporting core of an empty roll. The pole can be made of joinable subsections for assembly at point of use. A detachable optional-cosmetic enclosure is also provided.

1 . An apparatus for storing and deploying for use, near a fixed surface, a plurality of stackable roll-shaped objects R 1 , R 2 , . . . , R N  with N>=2, wherein the roll-shaped objects R 1 , R 2 , . . . , R M , with M<N, are deployable for use, the apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a pole having a first end and a second end defining a pole length sufficiently long for piercing through and holding said plurality of stackable objects R 1 , R 2 , . . . , R N ;    (b) a first surface-mountable bracket and a second surface-mountable bracket for, after being respectively mounted on said fixed surface, respectively engaging the first end and the second end of said pole with held plurality of stackable roll-shaped objects while allowing a later removal of said pole from the two surface-mountable brackets; and    (c) said pole further comprises, near a demarcation between roll-shaped objects R M  and R M+1 , a user-pluggable and user-removable handle element thereon, projecting in a direction generally perpendicular to the pole, said handle element for separating the set of deployable objects R 1 , R 2 , . . . R M  from said plurality of stackable objects R 1 , R 2 , . . . , R N      thereby forming an open structure facilitating the ongoing usage of said deployable objects R 1 , R 2 , . . . R M  and replenishment thereof from the remaining stackable objects R M+1 , R 2 , . . . , R N .    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein, owing to the removability of said pole from said two surface-mountable brackets, upon using up an old set of objects R 1 , R 2 , . . . , R N  a new set of objects R 1 , R 2 , . . . , R N  can be installed, after removal of said pole from the two surface-mountable brackets, by an off-site loading of said new set of objects R 1 , R 2 , . . . , R N  onto said pole followed by respectively back engaging the first end and the second end of the loaded pole with the first surface-mountable bracket and the second surface-mountable bracket.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each of said two surface-mountable brackets further comprises a mounting means for mounting said each bracket on said fixed surface.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said pole further comprises a plurality of joinable subsections for assembly at a point of use by the user thereby providing a more compact product during shipment.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein, for the case of an about horizontal orientation of the installed pole, at least one of the two surface-mountable brackets further comprises a restraining means for restraining said pole from significant lateral motion while allowing said pole to longitudinally slide there through.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein, for the case of an other than about horizontal orientation of the installed pole, the gravitationally lower surface-mountable bracket further comprises a stopping means thereby engaging and stopping a correspondingly engaged end of said pole from both significant lateral movement there from and from longitudinally sliding there through.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein at least one pair of neighboring subsections are joined together with a compressible means making the length of said pole compressible thereby facilitating the removal of said pole from said two surface-mountable brackets.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each of said roll-shaped objects is a donut or a jewelry ring.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each of said roll-shaped objects is a tissue roll with a supporting core.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said tissue roll further includes its shipping wrap and, correspondingly, at least one end of said pole further comprises a sharp tip for poking through the shipping wrap thereby facilitating the loading of said stackable roll-shaped objects R 1 , R 2 , . . . , R N  onto the apparatus for storage.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said demarcation between roll-shaped objects R M  and R M+1  further comprises a longitudinal clearance zone sufficient for finger access to reach and remove the shipping wraps during the deployment of said roll-shaped objects R 1 , R 2 , . . . , R M .  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said demarcation between roll-shaped objects R M  and R M+1  further comprises a longitudinal clearance zone sufficient for finger access to reach and tear off the supporting core of an empty tissue roll from the pole.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  optionally further comprises: 
 (a) a wall attachment base for the user to affix to an area of said fixed surface near the roll-shaped object R N ; and    (b) a detachable enclosure means for the user to attach to said wall attachment base thereby forming a detachable cosmetic enclosure of the roll-shaped objects R M+1 , R M+2 , . , R N .    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein one of said surface-mountable brackets, located next to the roll-shaped object R N , optionally further comprises a bracket attachment base thereon and, correspondingly, the apparatus further comprises a detachable enclosure means for the user to attach to said bracket attachment base thereby forming a detachable cosmetic enclosure of the roll-shaped objects R M+1 , R M+2 , . . . , R N .  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the structure of said pole further comprises a pipe.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein M equals 1 or 2.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said fixed surface is essentially a horizontal or a vertical surface.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said fixed surface is a slanted surface other than a horizontal or a vertical surface.