U.S. patent application number 11/450073 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-14 for first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer.
Invention is credited to Douglas K. Furr, Michael A. Tippets, Jared W. Young.
Application Number | 20060278591 11/450073 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37523192 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060278591 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tippets; Michael A. ; et
al. |
December 14, 2006 |
First in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer
Abstract
A first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer is assembled
from a plurality of support panels and spacer dowels which
interconnect the support panels in a spaced-apart, parallel
relationship. Each support panel has right and left faces, and each
face is equipped with at least one supply rail which slopes
downward from the front to the back of the panel, and a retrieval
rail beneath the supply rail, from which it is fed, and which
slopes downward from back to front. Two adjacent, spaced-apart
support panels provide sets of opposed rails, which form at least
one supply track and one retrieval track for storing cans. At least
three spacer dowels interconnect each adjacent pair of support
panels. The end of each dowel is inserted into an interconnection
aperture in a support panel and rotated 90 degrees to lock it in
place.
Inventors: |
Tippets; Michael A.;
(Spanish Fork, UT) ; Young; Jared W.; (Spanish
Fork, UT) ; Furr; Douglas K.; (Orem, UT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Angus C. Fox, III
4093 N. Imperial Way
Provo
UT
84604-5386
US
|
Family ID: |
37523192 |
Appl. No.: |
11/450073 |
Filed: |
June 8, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60595136 |
Jun 8, 2005 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/59.2 ;
211/74 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F 1/087 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/059.2 ;
211/074 |
International
Class: |
A47F 1/04 20060101
A47F001/04 |
Claims
1. A first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer comprising: at
least two support panels, each support panel having at least one
supply rail and one retrieval rail on each of two opposed major
faces, each support panel also having at least six interconnection
apertures arranged in spaced-apart sets of two; and at least three
spacer dowels for securing said at least two support panels in a
parallel, spaced-apart relationship, each spacer dowel having a
locking head at each end thereof, each locking head being
insertable within an interconnection aperture and locking the dowel
within the interconnection aperture when the spacer dowel is
axially rotated.
2. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 1,
wherein each interconnection aperture and each locking head is
shaped generally like an irregular hexagon that is symmetrical
about a pair of intersecting, perpendicular axes.
3. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 1,
wherein a spacer dowel may be inserted from either side of an
interconnection apertures so that the spacer dowel protrudes from
either of the major faces of the support panel, thereby allowing
assembly of can organizers employing any number of support
panels.
4. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 1,
which comprises x number of support panels, and 3(x-1) number of
spacer dowels.
5. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 1,
wherein each of said support panels and each of said spacer dowels
is injection molded from a tough, semi-rigid, polymeric
thermoplastic material.
6. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 5,
wherein said thermoplastic material is selected from the group
consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP),
polyvinylchloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS),
polycarbonate (PC), and polystyrene (PS).
7. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 1,
wherein each major face of a support panel has two supply rails,
which are downwardly inclined from a front edge of the support
panel toward a rear edge, and one retrieval rail which is
downwardly inclined from an upper portion of said rear edge to a
bottom portion of said front edge.
8. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 1,
wherein each interconnection aperture is surrounded on both major
faces by a crenelated circular wall.
9. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 8,
wherein each spacer dowel comprises: a locking head at each end
thereof that, when rotated, is secured against one major face of a
support panel and locks the spacer dowel within an interconnection
aperture; an inner retainer disc inboard of each locking head, said
retainer disc being secured against an opposite face of the support
panel, with the support panel sandwiched between it and the
adjacent locking head; a cylindrical coupler coupling each locking
head to its adjacent retainer disc, said cylindrical coupler having
a width that is equal to or just slightly greater than the
thickness of the support panel in the interconnection aperture
region; a ribbed center portion which spans a distance between the
retainer discs at opposite ends of the spacer dowel; and a domed
projection inboard and immediately adjacent each retainer disc,
said domed projection being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of
the spacer dowel, said domed projection having a radius that is
greater than an inner radius of each crenelated wall.
10. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim 9,
wherein each domed projection distorts said crenelated circular
wall after the locking head most near thereto is inserted in an
interconnection aperture and the spacer dowel is axially rotated,
said domed projection being positioned in a notch of the crenelated
circular wall when said locking head is axially rotated to a locked
position.
11. A first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer comprising: x
number of support panels, each support panel having one retrieval
rail and upper and lower supply rails on each of two opposed major
faces, each support panel also having an even number y of
interconnection apertures arranged in spaced-apart sets of two; and
y/2(x-1) number of spacer dowels for securing said support panels
in a parallel, spaced-apart relationship, each spacer dowel having
a locking head at each end thereof, each locking head being
insertable within an interconnection aperture and locking the dowel
within the interconnection aperture when the spacer dowel is
axially rotated.
12. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim
11, wherein x is an integer greater than 1, and y/2 is an integer
equal to 2, 3 or 4.
13. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim
11, wherein each interconnection aperture and each locking head is
selected from the group consisting, generally, of irregular
hexagons that are symmetrical about a pair of intersecting,
perpendicular axes, rectangles, and crosses.
14. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim
11, wherein a spacer dowel may be inserted from either side of an
interconnection apertures so that the spacer dowel protrudes from
either of the major faces of the support panel, thereby allowing
assembly of can organizers employing any number of support
panels.
15. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim
11, wherein each of said support panels and each of said spacer
dowels is injection molded from a tough, semi-rigid, polymeric
thermoplastic material.
16. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim
15, wherein said thermoplastic material is selected from the group
consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP),
polyvinylchloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS),
polycarbonate (PC), and polystyrene (PS).
17. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim
11, wherein each major face of a support panel has two supply
rails, which are downwardly inclined from a front edge of the
support panel toward a rear edge, and one retrieval rail which is
downwardly inclined from an upper portion of said rear edge to a
bottom portion of said front edge.
18. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim
11, wherein each interconnection aperture is surrounded on both
major faces by a crenelated circular wall.
19. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim
18, wherein each spacer dowel comprises: a locking head at each end
thereof that, when rotated, is secured against one major face of a
support panel and locks the spacer dowel within an interconnection
aperture; an inner retainer disc inboard of each locking head, said
retainer disc being secured against an opposite face of the support
panel, with the support panel sandwiched between it and the
adjacent locking head; a cylindrical coupler coupling each locking
head to its adjacent retainer disc, said cylindrical coupler having
a width that is equal to or just slightly greater than the
thickness of the support panel in the interconnection aperture
region; a ribbed center portion which spans a distance between the
retainer discs at opposite ends of the spacer dowel; and a domed
projection inboard and immediately adjacent each retainer disc,
said domed projection being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of
the spacer dowel, said domed projection having a radius that is
greater than an inner radius of each crenelated wall, so that each
domed projection distorts said crenelated circular wall after the
locking head most near thereto is inserted in an interconnection
aperture and the spacer dowel is axially rotated, said domed
projection being positioned in a notch of the crenelated circular
wall when said locking head is axially rotated to a locked
position.
20. The first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer of claim
11, wherein spacer dowels of different lengths are provided to
accommodate cans of different heights.
Description
[0001] This application has a priority date based on provisional
patent application No. 60/595,136, which was filed on Jun. 8,
2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates broadly to shelf units for
storing and dispensing individual cans of food or beverage. More
particularly, the present invention comprises an improved
gravity-feed rack that is assembled from at least two side panels
which are held together in a parallel arrangement by connector
dowels.
[0004] 2. History of the Prior Art
[0005] Storing cans of food or beverage on a shelf can be not only
cumbersome, but dangerous. Ideally, a homeowner would should would
to use the oldest food first. However, when cans are stacked on
shelf, it is frequently necessary to completely rearrange the cans
so that the earliest purchased are the most accessible. Even when
properly arranged, it can be difficult to determine which are the
earliest purchased cans. Stacked cans can also be unstable,
especially during the process of rearrangement. If cans are stored
on a high shelf in a pantry, for example, a falling can cause
potentially serious injury to the homeowners toes or feet, can fall
on a child's head or, less significantly, dent a hardwood
floor.
[0006] Gravity racks for dispensing cylindrical cans have long been
known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,628 to Ross
(1991) discloses a GRAVITY-OPERATED BOTTLE AND CAN DISPENSING RACK
which is constructed from a pair of rigid, generally parallel, and
spaced-apart side walls which interconnect with a rear wall. A pair
of upper and lower lengthwise included shelves extend generally
transversely between the opposing sides. The upper shelf is
inclined downwardly interiorly from an access end of the rack,
while the lower shelf is inclined downwardly from the rear wall
towards the access end. Containers roll from the upper shelf at the
rack access end into the interior of the rack, through a transfer
throat, and then down the lower ramp back to the rack access
end.
[0007] Another examples of a gravity-feed can dispenser is
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,888,145 to Knots et al. (1959) titled
BIN DISPENSER. This dispenser includes three laminar body members
which are arranged in a parallel, spaced-apart relationship. A pair
of outer body members are mirror images of one another, having
downwardly inclined, serpentine-like can tracks on only one side
thereof. A center body member has similar can tracks on both sides
thereof. The three body members are maintained in the spaced-apart
relationship by a plurality x of hollow spacer tubes and a
plurality 2x of threaded shafts. Spacer tubes are positioned
longitudinally between adjoining pairs of body members, with spacer
tubes between each adjoining pair being coaxial with those of the
other adjoining pair. Each threaded shaft penetrates all three body
members, and is coaxial with a pair of coaxially-aligned spacer
tubes. Each threaded shaft is secured at both ends so as to clamp
all three body members together.
[0008] Another gravity-feed can dispenser is disclosed in U.S. Pat.
No. 4,105,126, to Deffner, et al. (1978) titled STORAGE AND
DISPENSING RACK, which discloses a modular dispensing rack
comprising a plurality of identical, interchangeable shelf
components. The components may be quickly and conveniently coupled
together to create vertical racks of selective desired sizes. The
individual shelves are slightly downwardly inclined to assist
gravity-feed, and each comprises integral side rails of different
heights adapted to accommodate varying sizes of cans without
jamming. Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,903 to Eckert
(1980) titled GRAVITY FEED CAN DISPENSER FOR BEVERAGE COOLERS.
Eckert's improvement is the provision of stackability and
side-by-side interconnection of multiple dispensers.
[0009] Of less relevance to the present invention are certain
vending machine systems which employ broad principles of
gravity-feed technology, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
3,416,706 to Gross (1968), and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,795,345 to
Baxendale (1974).
[0010] It would be desirable to provide a can dispenser that can be
compactly shipped when unassembled and that can be easily assembled
and is readily adapted for both home and commercial use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] A first in, first out, gravity-feed can organizer is
assembled from a plurality of support panels and spacer dowels
which interconnect the support panels in a spaced-apart, parallel
relationship. Each support panel has right and left faces, and each
face is equipped with two supply rails which slope downward from
the front to the back of the panel, and a retrieval rail beneath
the two supply rails, from which it is fed, and which slopes
downward from back to front. Two adjacent, spaced-apart support
panels provide three sets of opposed rails, which form two can
supply tracks and one can retrieval track. The left face of the
support panel provides the right rails of the three tracks, while
the right face of the opposed support panel provides the left
rails. For the present embodiment, each adjacent pair of support
panels are interconnected by three spacer dowels. Each support
panel has six dowel interconnection apertures, which are divided
into three spaced-apart groups of two; two groups near the rear of
the support panel and one near the front thereof. Each group of
interconnection apertures provides an anchor for the end of each of
two spacer dowels which are inserted into the apertures from
opposite sides of the support panel. Each interconnection aperture
is generally in the shape of an irregular hexagon that is
symmetrical about a pair of intersecting, perpendicular axes. Each
spacer dowel has a locking head at each end thereof which is
generally of the same shape as the interconnection aperture, but
slightly smaller so that it can pass through the aperture. Each
interconnection aperture is surrounded by a crenelated wall, the
slots of which enable the spacer dowels to be locked in place with
their associated interconnection apertures. A domed projection near
the end of each spacer dowel distorts the crenelated wall as the
dowel is axially rotated in an associated interconnection aperture
until the domed projection reaches a slot in the wall. The slot
provides a lower energy state that tends to retain spacer dowel in
its locked position. For a present embodiment of the invention,
three spacer dowels are employed to interconnect a pair of adjacent
support panels. Can organizers employing any number of support
panels may be assembled. If x equals the number of support panels,
then 3(x-1) will be the number of spacer dowels that are required
to assemble the can organizer. Each of the spacer dowels which
interconnect two adjacent panels must be of the same length. Spacer
dowels of any length can be made by adjusting the length of the
ribbed center portion of the spacer dowel to accommodate different
can sizes. The support panels and dowels are preferably injection
molded from a tough polymeric thermoplastic material, such as
polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC),
acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC),
polystyrene (PS), or other suitable thermoplastic compounds. Filler
materials, such as talc may be used with the thermoplastic
compounds to provide color and improve rigidity.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0012] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a support panel, taken from a
top, rear, left-side vantage point;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a right-side elevational view of the support panel
of FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a left-side elevational view of the support pane
of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a short spacer dowel,
with the locking domes facing down;
[0016] FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of a short or long spacer
dowel, with the locking domes facing down;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the short spacer dowel of FIG.
4;
[0018] FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of a short or long spacer
dowel, with the locking domes facing right;
[0019] FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the short spacer dowel of
FIG. 4;
[0020] FIG. 9 is an end elevational view of a short or long spacer
dowel, with the locking domes facing left;
[0021] FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of a long spacer dowel,
with the locking domes facing down;
[0022] FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the long spacer dowel of FIG.
10;
[0023] FIG. 12 is a bottom plan view of the long spacer dowel of
FIG. 10;
[0024] FIG. 13 is an isometric view of the long spacer dowel of
FIG. 10, with the locking domes on the back side and not visible
here;
[0025] FIG. 14 a view of ellipsoid region 14 of FIG. 2, enlarged to
show the insertion of a locking head of a first spacer dowel in the
left connection aperture from the bottom thereof, and the insertion
of a locking head of a second spacer dowel in the right connection
aperture from the top thereof;
[0026] FIG. 15 is a view of the region of FIG. 14, following the
axial rotation of each of the spacer dowels 90 degrees to locked
positions; and
[0027] FIG. 16 is an isometric view of a can organizer assembled
from three support panels and six spacer dowels.
DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0028] The new first in first out can organizer will now be
described in detail, with reference to the attached drawing
figures.
[0029] Referring now to FIG. 1, a support panel 100 has a front
edge 101 and a rear edge 102. The left face 103 of the support
panel 100, which is visible in this view, is a mirror image of the
right face thereof, which is shown in FIG. 2. The left face 103 of
the support panel 100 has upper and lower right-side supply rails,
104R and 105R respectively, which are downwardly inclined from the
front edge 101 toward the rear edge. The upper and lower right-side
supply rails 104R and 105R, in conjunction with upper and lower
left-side supply rails 104L and 105L of an opposed right face of an
adjacent identical panel; provide a pair of tracks which feed cans
to al retrieval track comprised of a right-side retrieval rail 106R
and a left-side retrieval rail 106L on the opposed right face of an
adjacent identical panel. Each retrieval rail 106, generally, has
four interconnected sections: a nearly vertical section 107 which
begins at the top rear of the support panel 100; a
moderately-inclined section of constant slope 108; a curved section
109 which interconnects the nearly vertical section 107 and the
moderately-inclined section 108; and a final level section 110 that
is connected to the moderately-inclined section 108. When a
retrieval track is created by the right and left retrieval rails
106R and 106L on the opposed right and left faces of two adjacent
support panels 100, cans are retrieved from the level track formed
by the two opposed final level sections 110 of right and left
retrieval rails 106R and 106L. Although somewhat confusing at
first, the left face 103 of the support panel 100 provides the
right rails of a can track, while the right face 201 provides the
left rails of a can track (each track including both a right and
left rail between two support panels 100.
[0030] Still referring to FIG. 1, as will be later shown and
described, at least two support panels 100 must be interconnected
in a perpendicular, parallel and spaced-apart relationship. There
is no limit to the number of support panels 100 which can be so
interconnected. As will be subsequently shown, each adjacent pair
of support panels 100 is interconnected with three spacers dowels.
Each support panel 100 is equipped with three sets of
closely-spaced interconnection apertures. A first set 111A/111B is
located in the upper rear corner of the support panel 100; a second
set 112A/112B is located in the lower rear corner of the support
panel 100; and a third set 113A/113B is located near the front edge
101 just below the lower supply rail 105R. For each set of
interconnection apertures 110, 111 and 112, generally; spacer
dowels (not yet shown) can be inserted into the interconnection
apertures 111, 112 or 113 from opposite sides of the support panel
100 and secured within the apertures. The opposite end of each
spacer dowel can then be interconnected to other support panels. It
will be noted that each interconnection aperture 111A, 111B, 112A,
112B, 113A and 113B is surrounded by a crenelated circular wall
114. The notches 115 in each crenelated wall 114 allow the wall
portions 116 to more readily flex and also provide two positions of
lower energy for locking a spacer dowel.
[0031] Referring now to FIG. 2, the right face 201 of the support
panel 100 is visible. It will be noted that each of the apertures
111A, 111B, 112A, 112B, 113A and 113B has the general shape of an
irregular hexagon that is bilaterally symmetrical about a pair of
intersecting, perpendicular axes. In this view can be seen the
profiles of the left upper supply rail 104L, the left lower supply
rail 105L and the left retrieval rail 106L.
[0032] Referring now to FIG. 3, the left face 103 is shown from a
plan perspective. In this view can be seen the profiles of the
right upper supply rail 104R, the right lower supply rail 105R and
the right retrieval rail 106R. FIG. 3 also shows the path of cans
301, shown circles drawn with dashed lines. Cans suspended between
upper supply rails 104R and 104L and lower supply rails 105R and
105L (the left rail of each pair is not shown in this drawing
figure) roll from front to back. Cans suspended between retrieval
rails 106R and 106L (not shown) roll from back to front. Assuming
the cans 301 are of equal size and weight, cans from the upper
supply track 104R/104L will feed the retrieval track 106R/106L
before it is fed with cans from the lower supply track
105R/105L.
[0033] Spacer dowels are available in a variety of different
lengths, which accommodate cans of different heights (different
lengths, if the can axis is horizontal). FIGS. 4, 6 and 8 show
different views of a short spacer dowel 400, while FIGS. 10, 11 and
12 show different views of a long spacer dowel 1000. FIGS. 5, 7 and
9 are end views which may apply to both long and short spacer
dowels.
[0034] Referring now to FIGS. 4, 6, 8, 10, 11 and 12, a short
spacer dowel 400 and a long spacer dowel 1000 have identical end
portions 401A and 401B and vary only in the length of the ribbed
center portions 402 and 1002. Each spacer dowel 400 or 1000
comprises a locking head 403A and 403B at each end thereof that,
when rotated, is secured against one face of a support panel 100
and locks the spacer dowel within an interconnection aperture 111,
112 or 113; inner retainer discs 404A and 404B inside the locking
heads 403A or 403B, respectively, at each end of the dowel 400 or
1000, a retainer disc 404A or 404B being secured against an
opposite face of the support panel 100 with the support panel 100
sandwiched between it and the adjacent locking head; cylindrical
couplers 405A and 405B, each of which has a width that is equal to
or just slightly greater than the thickness of the support panel in
the interconnection aperture region, and that interconnects a
locking head 403A or 403B with a retainer disc 404A or 404B
respectively a ribbed center portion 402 or 1002 which interconnect
the retainer discs 404A and 404B; and locking domes 406A and 406B
which both distort the wall portions 116 of the crenelated circular
wall 114; when the spacer dowel 400 or 1000 is rotated within an
interconnection aperture 111, 112, or 113 and are positionable in
notches 115 between wall portions 116 of the crenelated circular
walls 114. When positioned between wall portions 116 after
insertion in an interconnection aperture 111, 112 or 113 and axial
rotation of 90 degrees, the spacer dowel 400 or 1000 is locked in
place.
[0035] Referring now to FIG. 5, the hidden lines 501 show how the
ribbed center portions 402 or 1002 would appear if a
cross-sectional view were taken thereof. It will also be noted that
each of the locking heads 403A or 403B, like each of the
interconnection apertures 111, 112 or 113, has the general shape of
an irregular hexagon that is symmetrical about a pair of
intersecting, perpendicular axes.
[0036] Referring now to FIG. 13, a long spacer dowel 1000 is seen
in an isometric view, making it easier to conceptually visualize
the spacer dowel that is possible by referring to only plan view or
end view drawings. The parts of the spacer dowel 1000, which have
been heretofore described and identified here by their item
numbers.
[0037] Referring now to FIG. 14, a locking head 403 of a first
spacer dowel 400 or 1000 has been inserted into the left connection
aperture 11 3B from the bottom thereof, and a locking head 403 of a
second spacer dowel 400 or 1000 has been inserted into the right
aperture 113A from the top thereof.
[0038] Referring now to FIG. 15, each of the inserted spacer dowels
400 or 1000 in FIG. 14 has been axially rotated 90 degrees so that
the locking domes 405A or 405 assume locked positions in the
notches 115 between the wall portions 116 of the crenelated
circularwalls 114 which surround the connections apertures 113A and
113B.
[0039] Referring now to FIG. 16, a can organizer 1600 has been
assembled from three support panels 100A 100B and 100C and six long
spacer dowels 1000A, 1000B, 1000C, 1000D, 1000E and 1000F. Each of
the spacer dowels has been axially rotated 90 degrees from its
insertion angle in order to lock them in place. It should be clear
from the foregoing description that can organizers employing any
number of support panels may be assembled. If x equals the number
of support panels, then 3(x-1) will be the number of spacer dowels
that are required to assemble the can organizer. Each of the spacer
dowels which, interconnect two adjacent panels must be of the same
length. Spacer dowels of any length can be made by adjusting the
length of the ribbed center portion of the spacer dowel to
accommodate different can sizes.
[0040] The support panels 100 and the spacer dowels 400 and 1000
are preferably injection molded from a tough semi-rigid polymeric
thermoplastic material, such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene
(PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
(ABS), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), or other suitable
thermoplastic compounds. Filler materials, such as talc may be used
with the thermoplastic compounds to provide color and improve
rigidity.
[0041] Although only a single embodiment of the invention has been
disclosed, it will be obvious to those having ordinary skill in the
art that changes and modifications may be made thereto without
departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed.
For example, the intersection apertures 111, 112 and 113 and the
locking heads 403A and 403B may also be generally rectangular
shaped or cross shaped. In the former case, the locking head would
be axially rotated about 90 degrees to lock the spacer dowel within
the interconnection aperture. In the latter case, an axial rotation
of about 45 degrees would be required. In addition, although three
dowels are currently preferred, the can organizer may be designed
so that two or four spacer dowels are employed to secure adjacent
pairs of support panels in a parallel, spaced-apart
relationship.
* * * * *