Rewinding toilet paper spindle

Abstract

A toilet paper spindle which is simple and effective at rewinding the amount of toilet paper and restricting the amount dispensed is disclosed and described. The toilet paper spindle can include a central spindle, an outer sleeve, and a rotation biasing member. The central spindle can include engagement ends which prevent or minimize movement of the central spindle with respect to the mounted spindle holder. The outer sleeve can be oriented concentrically about the central spindle and can minimize or prevent relative movement of a standard toilet paper roll mounted thereon. The rotation biasing member can be oriented inside the outer sleeve to allow axial rotation along a common axis between the outer sleeve and the central spindle during removal of toilet paper from the toilet paper roll. The biasing member also acts such that the outer sleeve returns to a biased position after removal of the toilet paper is complete effectively rewinding the roll.

1 . A toilet paper spindle for use with a mounted spindle holder, comprising:
 a) a central spindle including engagement ends oriented at each end of the central spindle, said central spindle having a retractable length which includes an extended working position and a compressed installation position, and said engagement ends being configured to prevent or minimize movement of the central spindle with respect to the mounted spindle holder;   b) an outer sleeve oriented concentrically about the central spindle and having a sleeve length sufficient to leave the engagement ends exposed, and said outer sleeve is configured to minimize or prevent relative movement of a standard toilet paper roll mounted thereon; and   c) a rotation biasing member oriented inside the outer sleeve to allow axial rotation along a common axis between the outer sleeve and the central spindle during removal of toilet paper from the toilet paper roll, such that the outer sleeve returns to a biased position after removal of the toilet paper is complete, thus rewinding the toilet paper roll.   
   
   
       2 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 1 , wherein the central spindle comprises two longitudinally mating sections which telescopically slide to adjust the retractable length. 
   
   
       3 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 2 , wherein the two longitudinally mating sections are biased in the extended working position using a spring oriented inside the central spindle. 
   
   
       4 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 2 , wherein the two longitudinally mating sections further include a selectively lockable latch configured to secure the mating sections together. 
   
   
       5 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement ends comprise tapered stoppers sized to frictionally engage corresponding recesses in the mounted spindle holder. 
   
   
       6 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 5 , wherein the tapered stoppers are integral with the central spindle and coated with a friction material. 
   
   
       7 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 1 , wherein the outer sleeve further includes interference fitted end covers through which the engagement ends protrude. 
   
   
       8 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 7 , wherein the end covers are caps or plugs. 
   
   
       9 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve length is about 4 inches. 
   
   
       10 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 9 , wherein the sleeve length is from about 2 inches to about 3.5 inches. 
   
   
       11 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 1 , wherein the outer sleeve further comprises a toilet paper roll engagement member. 
   
   
       12 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 11 , wherein the toilet paper roll engagement member is at least one spring clip having an arcuate shape with a center portion bowed outward from an exterior surface of the outer sleeve. 
   
   
       13 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 11 , wherein the toilet paper roll engagement member is a tapered end profile on at least one end of the outer sleeve. 
   
   
       14 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 11 , wherein the toilet paper roll engagement member is a foam cylinder concentrically friction fit about the outer sleeve. 
   
   
       15 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 1 , wherein the outer sleeve is sized to friction fit with the toilet paper roll. 
   
   
       16 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 1 , wherein the rotation biasing member includes a single spring around the central spindle which is secured at each end to end caps of the outer sleeve, and at the center of the spring to the central spindle wherein one spring section tightens around the central spindle while the other spring section simultaneously expands around the central spindle. 
   
   
       17 . The toilet spindle of  claim 1 , wherein the rotation biasing member includes a first spring wound around the central spindle and secured at one end to the outer sleeve and at an opposite end to the central spindle. 
   
   
       18 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 16 , wherein the rotation biasing member further includes a second spring wound around the central spindle and secured at one end to the outer sleeve and at an opposite end to the central spindle, and wherein the first spring and second spring are attached such that the first spring tightens around the central spindle when the second spring simultaneously expands about the central spindle. 
   
   
       19 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 1 , wherein the rotation biasing member includes a spring tensioning adjustment mechanism. 
   
   
       20 . The toilet paper spindle of  claim 1 , wherein the rotation biasing member is configured in rotational resistance so as to restrict a toilet paper length. 
   
   
       21 . A method of using the toilet paper spindle of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a) retracting the central spindle to the compressed installation position; and   b) inserting each of the engagement ends into corresponding recesses in the mounted spindle holder.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the mounted spindle holder is a previously existing holder having a conventional spindle, and the method further comprises removing the conventional spindle prior to the step of inserting each of the engagement ends. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the rotation biasing member includes a tensioning adjustment mechanism and the method further includes tuning the tensioning adjustment mechanism to a desired rotational tension. 
   
   
       24 . A toilet paper dispenser system including the toilet paper spindle of  claim 1  and a spindle holder including recesses configured to receive the engagement ends and being wall mountable.