U.S. patent application number 11/086403 was filed with the patent office on 2006-05-04 for expandable remote control organizer.
Invention is credited to Ali Tawanapoor.
Application Number | 20060091030 11/086403 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46321867 |
Filed Date | 2006-05-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060091030 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tawanapoor; Ali |
May 4, 2006 |
Expandable remote control organizer
Abstract
A compartmentalized organizer for accommodating one or more
remote controls. The organizer has a plurality of discrete
compartments which are substantially identical but variable with
respect to size. Each compartment has a substantially rectangular
shape, with both male and female connectors. The male connector is
laterally disposed on the opposing side from the female connector
allowing the compartments to be laterally arranged in releasably
connectable fashion. The remotes are situated on the top panel of
each compartment to allow line of sight transmission while still
positioned on the compartment. Signaling means may be provided to
allow for communication between compartments and the remote
controls accommodated thereon.
Inventors: |
Tawanapoor; Ali;
(Alexandria, VA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
REED SMITH LLP
Suite 1400
3110 Fairview Park Drive
Falls Church
VA
22042
US
|
Family ID: |
46321867 |
Appl. No.: |
11/086403 |
Filed: |
March 23, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10980343 |
Nov 2, 2004 |
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11086403 |
Mar 23, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/320 ;
220/23.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 19/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/320 ;
220/023.4 |
International
Class: |
B65D 85/00 20060101
B65D085/00; B65D 21/02 20060101 B65D021/02 |
Claims
1. An expandable remote control organizer for releasably
accommodating a plurality of remote control units, each remote
control unit used for remotely controlling a selected one of a
plurality of disparate electronic devices, comprising: a plurality
of compartments each having at least one pair of a male connector
and a female connector disposed on opposing sides to be releasably
connected with a female connector of one adjacent compartment and a
male connector of another adjacent compartment respectively, each
of said compartments having a flat surface for accommodating one of
the remote control units thereon, wherein said compartments are
selectively connected to provide the expandable remote control
organizer.
2. The organizer according to claim 1, further comprising indicia
to indicate said remote control units accommodated thereon.
3. The organizer according to claim 1, further comprising sealing
means applied to said male and female connectors to create a
permanent attachment.
4. The organizer according to claim 1, further comprising signaling
means for signaling at least one of said remote control units.
5. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein said compartments
include interior compartments and a pair of end compartments.
6. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein said male connectors
are rectangular-shaped pieces and said male connectors are
rectangular-shaped grooves.
7. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein said male and female
connectors of one corresponding compartment are interlocked with
the connectors of the adjacent compartments respectively.
8. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein said male connector
is a lateral protrusion out of a first lateral edge of each
compartment, and said female connector is a lateral groove in an
opposite lateral edge of said compartment.
9. The organizer according to claim 8, wherein said male connector
has a general V-shaped cross-section with a bottom of the V
connected with the first lateral edge, and the female connector is
a notch in the opposite lateral edge.
10. The organizer according to claim 8, wherein said male connector
has a general T-shaped cross-section with a bottom of the T
connected with the first lateral edge, and the female connector is
a notch in the opposite lateral edge.
11. The organizer according to claim 8, wherein said male connector
has a general column-shaped cross-section with a narrow end of the
column connected with the first lateral edge, and the female
connector is a general column-shaped groove in the opposite lateral
edge.
12. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein each of the remote
control units is releasably accommodated in the organizer via a
magnetic mechanism or Velcro.
13. The organizer according to claim 2, wherein the indicia are
releasably accommodated in the organizer via magnetic a mechanism
or Velcro.
14. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein the compartments
are made of a mixture of plastic and a magnetic material.
15. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein the compartments
are made of wood, rubber, plastic, aluminum, non-magnetic stainless
steel, or other non-ferrous sheet metal, and coated with a mixture
of plastic and a magnetic material.
16. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein a top surface of
each of the compartments is non-slip.
17. The organizer according to claim 1, wherein a top surface of
each of the compartments is provided with a texture or slits
thereon.
18. A remote control organizer for releasably accommodating a
plurality of remote control units, each remote control unit used
for remotely controlling a selected one of a plurality of disparate
electronic devices, comprising: a body shaped like a tray; and at
least one of: (1) indicia to indicate said remote control units
accommodated thereon, (2) signaling means for signaling at least
one of said remote control units, wherein each of the remote
control units is releasably accommodated in the organizer via a
magnetic mechanism or Velcro.
19. A method for providing an expandable remote control organizer
for releasably accommodating a plurality of remote control units,
each remote control unit used for remotely controlling a selected
one of a plurality of disparate electronic devices, comprising:
providing a plurality of compartments each having at least one pair
of a male connector and a female connector disposed on opposing
sides, each of said compartments having a flat surface for
accommodating one of the remote control units thereon; and
selectively connecting said compartments to provide the expandable
remote control organizer by connecting said male connector and said
female connector of a corresponding compartment with a female
connector of one adjacent compartment and a male connector of
another adjacent compartment respectively.
20. The method according to claim 19, whereby the connecting steps,
the connectors are interlocked with each other by sliding a male
connecter into a female connector.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/980,343 filed on Nov. 2,
2004.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention concerns organizing tools. More
particularly, the invention is directed to an expandable organizer
for accommodating remote controls thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0003] Organizers for accommodating various household or office
items are well known. These organizers are characterized by the
provision of one or more compartments shaped to accommendate one or
more target items. For example, letter holders for incoming male
have a series of vertical or horizontal separators so that male
received on different days can be separated until processed and
filed.
[0004] With the proliferation of new consumer electronics, nearly
all of which have a dedicated remote control, most households have
several remote controls in a single room. For example, a TV remote,
a cable box remote, a DVD remote, and a surround sound processor
remote may be needed for a single room, and the resulting clutter
often results in remotes being misplaced, stepped on, dropped, etc.
Accordingly, a means for organizing several remote controls so that
they can be accessible at all time is needed.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,761,010 discloses a medication organizing
system for allowing patients to rapidly and easily prepare
hermetically sealed dosage packages to set up their medication
regime for a week, month, or longer period of time. The device
includes seven hoppers to allow the patient to prepare a set of
hermetically sealed medication packages for a given time for each
day of the week.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,157 discloses an organizer for use in a
closet which includes a row of side-by-side compartments at least
partially formed from a flexible material. Each side-by-side
compartment has a floor, a pair of side walls extending from the
floor and a mouth between the side walls. The organizer further
includes a suspender coupled to the row of side-by-side
compartments. The suspender is configured and adapted to hang the
plurality of compartments from the closet rod such that each mouth
faces a forward horizontal direction perpendicular to the axis of
the closet rod when the organizer is hung from the rod.
[0007] The present invention is directed to a compartmentalized
organizer for accommodating one or more remote controls. The
organizer has a plurality of discrete compartments which may be
substantially identical. Each interior compartment has a
substantially rectangular shape with both male and female
connectors. The male connector is laterally disposed on the
opposing side from the female connector allowing the compartments
to be laterally arranged in releasably connectable fashion. The
opposing exterior compartments have rounded outer edges with
outward facing handles. The compartments may be packaged for sale
in a vertically stacked arrangement and each compartment may have
indicia for indicating the various devices associated with a
particular remote control unit such as a cable box or DVD.
Signaling means may be provided to allow for communication between
compartments and the remote control accommodated therein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is a major object of the invention to provide an
organizer for remote controls.
[0009] It is another object of the invention to provide an
organizer for remote controls comprised of a series of releasably
attachable compartments.
[0010] It is another object of the invention to provide an
organizer for remote controls which allows the remote to be
operated while positioned on the organizer.
[0011] Finally, it is a general goal of the invention to provide
improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the
purposes described which is dependable and fully effective in
accomplishing its intended purposes.
[0012] These and other objects of the present invention will become
readily apparent upon further review of the following specification
and drawings.
[0013] The present invention meets or exceeds all the above objects
and goals. Upon further study of the specification and appended
claims, further objects and advantages of this invention will
become apparent to those skilled in the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of
the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the
same becomes better understood when considered with the
accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate
the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and
wherein:
[0015] FIG. 1 shows a plan view, partly in section, of a first
embodiment of a remote control organizer formed in accordance with
the concept of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 2 shows an edge view of the organizer of FIG. 1
illustrating a pair of connecting elements.
[0017] FIG. 3 shows a plan view, partly in section, of a second
embodiment of a remote control organizer formed in accordance with
the concept of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 4 shows an edge view of the organizer of FIG. 3
illustrating a pair of interlocking connectors.
[0019] FIGS. 5A-B show to variations of the pair of interlocking
connectors in FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the remote control organizer
of the present invention, generally indicated by the numeral 10, is
shown. It can be seen that the organizer 10 is comprised of a
series of individual compartments 20 which may be variable in size
and shape. Interior compartments 20 have two opposing lateral edges
22 which are preferably essentially straight to facilitate lateral
arrangement of the compartments 20, but the outward facing edges 23
of the end compartments 20 are rounded for safety. Each of the
interior compartments 20 also has two opposing organizer edges 22''
which are preferably essentially straight to be assembled into
edges of the organizer 10. Each compartment 20 includes a vertical
wall portion 24 which extends around the periphery of the
compartment 20, and a top panel upon 21 which a remote control 28
may be removably adhered. The organizer 10 so assembled is
generally shaped like to tray to be place on any surface, e.g., a
surface of a coffee table, a desk, etc., in the room where the
to-be-remotely-controlled units placed. Situating the remote 28 on
the top panel 21 allows each remote, which typically have line of
sight IR transmitters, to be operated while still in the
compartment. End compartments 20 are differentiated from interior
compartments 20 in that the edges and corners are rounded and
handles 25 are provided to facilitate lifting of the organizer
10.
[0021] In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, the
compartments 20 are sized to "accommendate" an average sized remote
control 28. However, remotes 28 vary greatly in size and
accordingly the compartments 20 are preferably large enough to
accommodate the largest sizes of remotes available, which are
typically the "master" controllers such as those commonly sold at
consumer electronics retail outlets or provided by cable and
satellite TV providers. These master controllers are typically in
the range of about 8 inches in length to 21/2 inches wide, with
varying degrees of thickness. Thus, compartments should be at least
8 by 3 inches, as a slight overhang will not affect the function of
the compartment 20. The compartments 20 may be sold in packages of
6, in a vertically stacked arrangement to save space. The
compartments 20 are provided with at least one pair of male and
female connectors 30, 32 respectively to facilitate releasable
connection of adjacent compartments. The connecters 30, 32 may be
sized for snap fit or frictional engagement, or may be glued
together for a permanent attachment. The end compartments 20 have
either a male or female connector 30, 32 so they can be connected
to each other and to avoid having an extra connector protruding
proximate to the handle 25. Connectors 30, 32 must be sufficiently
long to prevent twisting of the compartments 20. To that end,
multiple pairs of connectors 30, 32 may be provided along the edges
of the compartments 20. Connectors 30, 32 may also be reinforced
with metal to reduce the possibility of fatigue or failure from
repeated connections.
[0022] Instead of a rectangular-shaped connecting piece 30 or
groove 32, the second embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS.
3-4, deploys a male interlocking connector 130 and a female
interlocking connector 132 to be interlocked with each other. The
male interlocking connector 130 is a lateral protrusion out of the
left lateral edge 122 of the interior compartment 120 having a
general V-shaped cross-section with the bottom of the V connected
with the left lateral edge 122. The female interlocking connector
132 is a notch in the right lateral edge 122 of the interior
compartment 120 having a general V-shaped cross-section with the
top of the V buried inside the right lateral edge 122 for receiving
the male interlocking connector 130 of another the interior
compartment 120 slid therein from one of the organizer edges 122''
of the interior compartment 120.
[0023] FIGS. 5A-B show to variations of the pair of interlocking
connectors in FIG. 4. In FIG. 5A shows a male interlocking
connector 130' protruding out of the left lateral edge 122 of the
interior compartment 120 having a general T-shaped cross-section
with the bottom of the T connected with the left lateral edge 122.
A corresponding female interlocking connector 132' is a groove in
the right lateral edge 122 of the interior compartment 120 having a
general T-shaped cross-section with the top of the T buried inside
the right lateral edge 122 for receiving the male interlocking
connector 130' of another the interior compartment 120 to be slid
therein from one of the organizer edges 122'' of the interior
compartment 120. Similarly, FIG. 5B shows a column-shaped male
interlocking connector 130'' protruding out of the left lateral
edge 122 of the interior compartment 120 with a narrow bottom
connected with the left lateral edge 122 and a corresponding
groove-shaped female interlocking connector 132'' in the right
lateral edge 122. Other shapes having a narrow end with a wide end
or having a narrow end with a wide body section may be adopted as
cross-sectional shapes for the pair of interlocking connectors.
[0024] The organizer 10 of the invention has very few parts so as
to be easily assembled and cleaned.
[0025] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
compartments 20 may have indicia attached or imprinted thereon to
indicate the function that the device controlled by the remote 28
performs, e.g., an indicium 40 labeled with "TV" for accommodating
a TV controller thereon, or labeled with "DVD" for accommodating a
DVD controller, etc. Like the releasable attachment means 38 of the
remote 28, the indicium 40 may be a plastic tag attached on its
back a permanent magnet, a piece of velcro, or other easily
releasable connector arrangement. A corresponding attachment means
is provided on the top surface 21. If the compartments 20 is made
of a magnetic material, the indicium 40 may be a tap made of a
mixture of plastic and a magnetic material. The indicium 40 may be
integrated with the compartment 20 (e.g., placed in a seat in the
compartment 20) or integrally formed with the compartment 20 (e.g.,
embedded in the compartment 20). The thickness of the seat is kept
as thin as 10 mm to ensure the indicium 40 does not pop out of the
top surface 21.
[0026] At least one universal signaling means 146 may be provided
to allow the organized 10 to communicate with the remotes 28. Such
universal signaling means may be modified from the component of the
universal remote controller described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,549,143
which is hereby incorporated by reference to track one or all
remotes 28. The universal signaling means 146 may be as simple and
small as a semiconductor chip embedded in the organizer 10 (e.g.,
in the end compartment 20) with a bottom thereon to be pressed to
call up any remotes in the room. An RF transmitter receiver
arrangement may be used for signaling as would be apparent to one
of skill in the art, with dedicated transmitters for each
compartment and detachable receiver with audio transducers for each
remote 28. The universal signaling means 146 may be as big as a
business-card-sized calculator embedded in the organizer 10 with
bottoms thereon to be programmed to call up a particular remote 28
in the room. Alternatively, each of a plurality of signaling means
is provided to each of the compartments 20 to allow communication
between each remote 28 and its respective compartment 20.
[0027] The top surface 21 of each compartment 20 is provided with a
releasable attachment means 36 which may be a permanent magnet, a
piece of Velcro.RTM., or other easily releasable connector
arrangement. The permanent magnets can be in any shape other than a
0.5 inch.times.0.5 inch square, e.g., a disk with a 0.75 inch
diameter, and they can be made from ferrous, ceramic, or similar
magnetic material. The permanent magnets of different compartments
20 can be oriented randomly, but preferably to adjacent magnets
with an identical polarity. The attachment means 36 cooperates with
a corresponding attachment means 38 secured to the remote control
28. The compartments 20 may be made of a mixture of plastic and a
magnetic material or coated with the mixture on the top surface 21
so that only the remote control 28 need have a magnet 38 attached.
Alternatively, the compartments 20 may be made of wood, rubber,
plastic, other synthetic resin material, aluminum, of other
non-ferrous sheet metal and non-magnetic stainless steel, etc then
coated with the mixture on the top surface 21.
[0028] The top surface 21 of the compartment 20 is preferably
non-slip so that the remote 28 rests in a desired orientation
without pivoting away when the organizer 10 is moved.
Alternatively, the non-slip of the top surface 21 may be provided
via a texture or slits thereon.
[0029] Attachment means 38 may be provided with an adhesive for
attachment to each of the remotes, Attachment means 36 may be
integrated with the compartment 20 (e.g., placed in a seat 142 in
the compartment 120 as shown in FIGS. 3-4) or integrally formed
with the compartment 20 (e.g., embedded in the compartment 20). The
thickness of the seat 142 is kept as thin as 30 mm to reduce the
gap between the remote 28 and the top surface 21 but still
sufficiently connects and supports the remote 28.
[0030] In operation, a user would purchase a set of compartments 20
in unattached condition. An attachment means 3 8 is then attached
to each remote. The user would then arrange and attach the
compartments 20 as necessary by aligning the attachment means 36,
38, with each attached compartment 20 accommodating a single remote
28. The remaining unattached compartments 20 may be used as
necessary when more remotes are acquired by the user. The user may
then operate the remote 28 as normal, optionally removing the
remote if desired.
[0031] In one other embodiment, the organizer is formed in
one-piece and shaped like to tray to be place on any surface.
[0032] The principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation
of the present invention have been described in the foregoing
specification. However, the invention which is intended to be
protected is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed.
The embodiments described herein are illustrative rather than
restrictive. Variations and changes may be made by others, and
equivalents employed, without departing from the spirit of the
present invention. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all
such variations, changes and equivalents which fall within the
spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the claims,
be embraced thereby.
* * * * *