U.S. patent application number 09/827087 was filed with the patent office on 2002-09-05 for expandable organizer.
Invention is credited to Govrik, Christopher, Govrik, Devee J..
Application Number | 20020121520 09/827087 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26890220 |
Filed Date | 2002-09-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020121520 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Govrik, Devee J. ; et
al. |
September 5, 2002 |
Expandable organizer
Abstract
An expandable organizer, such as an organizer for storing
materials in a drawer, is disclosed. The organizer has two outside
compartments and an inside compartment. The outside compartments
are divided into a plurality of sub-compartments for storing a
plurality of articles. The inside compartment is positioned between
the two outside compartments, and retains the outside
compartments.
Inventors: |
Govrik, Devee J.; (St. Paul,
MN) ; Govrik, Christopher; (St. Paul, MN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MERCHANT & GOULD P.C.
P.O. Box 2903
Minneapolis
MN
55402-0903
US
|
Family ID: |
26890220 |
Appl. No.: |
09/827087 |
Filed: |
April 6, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60194617 |
Apr 5, 2000 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
220/500 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 1/36 20130101; B65D
21/086 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/500 |
International
Class: |
B65D 001/24; B65D
001/36; B65D 025/04 |
Claims
We claim:
1. An organizer for organizing a plurality of articles, the
organizer comprising: a first outside compartment, the outside
compartment divided into a plurality of subcompartments for storing
articles; a second outside compartment, the outside compartment
divided into a plurality of sub-compartments for storing articles;
and a central compartment retaining the first and second
compartments; wherein the first and second outside compartments may
expanded away from each other to form a storage area in the central
compartment.
2. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein the first and second
outside compartments are identical.
3. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein the central
compartment includes a divider.
Description
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is directed to an expandable
organizer, such as an organizer for storing materials in a drawer.
In a first implementation, the organizer has two outside
compartments and an inside compartment. The outside compartments
are divided into a plurality of sub-compartments for storing a
plurality of articles. The inside compartment is positioned between
the two outside compartments, and retains the outside compartments.
The outside compartments may be pulled away from one another to
form an additional area for storing articles within the inside
compartment. This additional area is formed from the inside
compartment, and may include a divider so that it forms two or more
areas for storing articles.
DRAWINGS
[0002] The invention will be more fully understood by reference to
the figures, in which:
[0003] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a first implementation
of an expandable organizer constructed in accordance with the
invention, showing the organizer in a contracted configuration.
[0004] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a first implementation
of an expandable organizer constructed in accordance with the
invention, showing the organizer in an expanded configuration.
[0005] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an expandable organizer
constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the organizer
in a contracted configuration.
[0006] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an expandable organizer
constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the organizer
in an expanded configuration.
[0007] FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a second implementation
of an expandable organizer constructed in accordance with the
invention, showing the organizer in an expanded configuration.
[0008] FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of an expandable organizer
constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the organizer
in a contracted configuration.
[0009] FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of an expandable organizer
constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the organizer
in an expanded configuration.
[0010] FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of an expandable
organizer constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the
organizer in a contracted configuration.
[0011] FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view of an expandable
organizer constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the
organizer in an expanded configuration.
DESCRIPTION
[0012] The present invention is directed to an expandable
organizer, such as an organizer for storing materials in a drawer.
The organizer is configured to allow it to expand to fill a drawer,
and provides enhanced storage and organization of the drawer. The
organizer can be used to store a variety of items, such as office
supplies, tools, coins, jewelry, etc. The organizer is typically
produced from plastic, and can be formed using an injection mold, a
thermoforming mold, or other fabrication method.
[0013] In a first implementation, the organizer has two outside
compartments and an inside compartment. The outside compartments
are divided into a plurality of subcompartments for storing a
plurality of articles. These articles are typically of varying
sizes and shapes. In a preferred implementation, the two outside
compartments are identical to one another, and thus may be made
using a single mold.
[0014] The inside compartment is positioned between the two outside
compartments, and preferably retains the outside compartments,
typically by using tabs to retain the piece together. The outside
compartments may be pulled away from one another to form an
additional storage area for retaining articles between them (in the
inside compartment). When the inside storage area includes a
divider, the size of the inside storage areas can be altered by
moving the inside compartment with respect to the outside
compartments.
[0015] The invention is further understood by reference to the
figures. FIG. 1 shows a top perspective view of a first
implementation of an expandable organizer 10 constructed in
accordance with the invention, showing the organizer in a
contracted configuration. Organizer 10 includes outside
compartments 12, 14, and inside compartment 16 (a small piece of
which is shown in FIG. 1). In addition, each of the outside
compartments 12, 14 is subdivided into multiple areas for storing
articles. Note that in the implementation shown, the multiple areas
have different shapes and sizes, although they are optionally all
the same size and shape. Optionally, the two identical pieces show
an asymmetry when attached to the inside compartment (as shown in
FIG. 1).
[0016] FIG. 2 shows a top perspective view of a first
implementation of an expandable organizer constructed in accordance
with the invention, showing the organizer in an expanded
configuration. Inside compartment 16 is shown, and has a divider 18
that segregates the inside compartment into first and second
storage areas 20, 22. Note that the storage areas 20, 22 may be
increased or decreased in size by moving the outside compartments
toward or away from each other. Also, the two storage areas 20, 22
may by changed in size so that one is larger than the other (by
contracting one of the outside compartments more than the other).
The organizer can be arranged so that just one of the inside areas
(20 or 22) is displayed.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the expandable organizer 10
constructed in accordance with the invention, showing organizer 10
in a contracted configuration. FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the
expandable organizer 10 constructed in accordance with the
invention, showing the organizer 10 in an expanded
configuration.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a second implementation
of an expandable organizer 24 constructed in accordance with the
invention, showing the organizer 24 in an expanded configuration.
The organizer 24 has two outside compartments 26, 28, and an inside
compartment 30. Inside compartment 30 does not include a divider in
this implementation.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of an expandable organizer
10 constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the
organizer in a contracted configuration. FIG. 7 is a side
elevational view of an expandable organizer 10 constructed in
accordance with the invention, showing the organizer in an expanded
configuration. FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of an expandable
organizer 10 constructed in accordance with the invention, showing
the organizer 10 in a contracted configuration. FIG. 9 is a bottom
perspective view of an expandable organizer 10 constructed in
accordance with the invention, showing the organizer in an expanded
configuration.
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