U.S. patent application number 11/961454 was filed with the patent office on 2008-06-26 for utility organizer for use on a deck rail.
Invention is credited to Jonathan Scharf.
Application Number | 20080149578 11/961454 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39541348 |
Filed Date | 2008-06-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080149578 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Scharf; Jonathan |
June 26, 2008 |
Utility organizer for use on a deck rail
Abstract
An organizer that is intended to hold multiple items that are
used during outdoor cooking on a deck. The organizer includes a
groove along the bottom surface adapted to fit snugly over the top
of a deck rail, so that the organizer is self-supporting and easily
accessible to a barbeque grill. The organizer also includes one or
more hooks extending from the outer surface for hanging cooking
utensils. Desirably it also includes a handle pivotally mounted
thereon.
Inventors: |
Scharf; Jonathan;
(Glenmoore, PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ELMAN TECHNOLOGY LAW, P.C.
P. O. BOX 209
SWARTHMORE
PA
19081
US
|
Family ID: |
39541348 |
Appl. No.: |
11/961454 |
Filed: |
December 20, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60871886 |
Dec 26, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
211/86.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J 37/0786
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/86.01 |
International
Class: |
A47F 5/00 20060101
A47F005/00 |
Claims
1. A utensil organizer capable of resting securely on a deck rail
without the need for modifications to the deck rail or fasteners of
any type for use by a person grilling on a deck, comprising: a
basin with an open top and a front, back, left, right, and bottom
outer surface, for storing cooking items used during grilling; two
downwardly extending flanges with opposed inner surfaces and outer
surfaces formed by the front and back outer surfaces of the basin,
thereby providing a groove along the bottom outer surface of the
basin between the two flanges to allow the organizer to securely
straddle a deck rail with one side of the organizer facing the
person; and at least one hook for hanging utensils, attached to the
side of the organizer facing the person.
2. The utensil organizer of claim 1, wherein the organizer is made
of lightweight material.
3. The utensil organizer of claim 2, wherein the lightweight
material is moldable plastic.
4. The utensil organizer of claim 1, wherein the at least one hook
is molded into the organizer.
5. The utensil organizer of claim 1, further comprising a weighted
bottom to prevent the organizer from tipping over when set on a
deck rail
6. The utensil organizer of claim 1, wherein the length to width
ratio of a horizontal cross section of the organizer is greater
than 1 to 1.
7. The utensil organizer of claim 1, further comprising at least
one hook attached at a position on the side of the organizer facing
the user, adapted to be detached and reattached at the same or a
different position.
8. The utensil organizer of claim 1, further comprising a
horizontal support panel inside the basin, above the groove.
9. The utensil organizer of claim 1, further comprising a handle
pivotally mounted to the left and right outer surfaces of the basin
to facilitate carrying and easy removal of the organizer from a
deck rail.
10. The utensil organizer of claim 1, further comprising a lid
fitting over the top of the basin to protect the cooking items from
weather and pests.
11. The utensil organizer of claim 10, wherein the lid is hingedly
attached to the basin.
12. The utensil organizer of claim 1, wherein at least one of the
inner surfaces of the flanges is textured to provide additional
security for the organizer as it straddles a deck rail.
13. The utensil organizer of claim 12, wherein said at least one of
the inner surfaces is textured with protrusions integrally formed
thereon.
14. The utensil organizer of claim 12, wherein said at least one of
the inner surfaces is textured with foam rubber.
15. The utensil organizer of claim 1, wherein compartments are
formed within the basin to provide the user with various choices in
organizing items or to quarantine certain cooking items.
16. The utensil organizer of claim 15, wherein the compartments are
formed by interlocking strips that fit into the basin and partition
available storage space.
17. The utensil organizer of claim 1, further comprising an insert
adapted to be attached in the bottom outer surface of the basin,
between the inner surfaces of the flanges, to allow the organizer
to fit securely over a deck rail that is narrower than a typical
deck rail.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of and incorporates in
its entirety by reference U.S. Provisional Application No.
60/871,886 filed Dec. 26, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to containers for organizing
items used during outdoor grilling to provide a convenient
container for carrying and storing utensils and to free the limited
working space around a barbeque grill. In particular, the invention
is concerned with a low a cost, self-supporting utensil organizer
capable of resting securely on a deck rail without the need for
modifications to the deck rail or fasteners of any type.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Barbeque grills are often stored on outdoor decks and have
limited work space for cooking utensils or other items used during
grilling. Grilling enthusiasts use a multitude of cooking utensils
and flavorings and often use these items throughout the grilling
process. Accordingly, there is a need for a convenient organizer
for storing and carrying cooking implements for easy access during
grilling on a deck.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The invention concerns a utensil organizer for use on a deck
rail, wherein a preferred embodiment of the organizer comprises an
open, elongated basin with a groove along the bottom surface that
enables the organizer to be set in a self-supporting way on a deck
rail and at least one hook attached at the user side of the
organizer.
[0007] It is an aspect of the invention that hooks can be attached
and detached from a corresponding mounting point on the outer
surface of the basin. It is also an aspect of the invention that,
in an alternative embodiment, the hooks are integrally formed on
the surface of the basin.
[0008] It is another aspect of the invention that it provides a
utensil organizer comprising a basin, a pair of flanges extending
downward from the basin, and a groove between the pair of
flanges.
[0009] It is a further aspect of the invention that the organizer
includes a removable lid. It is another aspect of the present
invention that in a preferred embodiment, the lid is hingedly
attached to the basin.
[0010] It is an advantage of the invention that the organizer is
self supporting and does not require the use of any fasteners or
any modifications to the deck rail upon which it is set.
[0011] It is an advantage of the invention that the organizer can
be made of a light weight and inexpensive material.
[0012] It is an advantage of the invention that the organizer has a
large capacity, but is designed to remain balanced on a deck rail
when loaded.
[0013] It is yet another advantage of the invention that the
organizer conserves the work space typically found on a household
portable barbeque grill.
[0014] It is yet another advantage of the invention that the
organizer provides the user with an area to store items while
grilling that is easily accessible and frees the work space
commonly associated with a household portable barbeque grill.
[0015] It is another aspect of the invention that the organizer can
be fabricated as a unitary device.
[0016] It is yet another aspect of the present invention that a
textured surface, such as a piece of foam rubber or a surface
having multiple protrusions, is disposed on the interior side of at
least one flange to provide additional security for the utensil
organizer.
[0017] It is yet another aspect of the present invention that an
insert may be placed inside the groove on the underside of the
basin to reduce its width. The insert allows the utensil organizer
to fit securely over deck rails that are significantly narrower
than the groove.
[0018] It is yet another aspect of the present invention that a
panel is installed within the basin, thereby forming a bottom
surface of the basin that could support drinks.
[0019] It is yet another aspect of the present invention that the
interior of the basin is subdivided into multiple compartments. It
is another aspect of the present invention that in a preferred
embodiment, multiple interlocking strips can be placed inside the
basin to compartmentalize the storage space in a configuration
chosen by the organizer's user.
[0020] It is yet another aspect of the present invention that it
provides a handle that is movable about a pivot point mounted to
the outer surface of the basin. It facilitates carrying and easy
removal of the organizer from a deck rail.
[0021] It is another aspect of the present invention that the
organizer may be shaped to have a large capacity and may be
fabricated of any suitable material, but preferably a light weight,
inexpensive material, such as moldable plastic. The advantage of
this combination is that it would allow several cooking items that
are typically stored in a kitchen to be carried to the deck in the
organizer in one trip.
[0022] These and other aspects and advantages of the present
invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a utensil organizer in
accordance with the invention.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a utensil
organizer in accordance with the invention, including a panel in
the basin to support drinks or other items that require such a flat
surface.
[0025] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a utensil
organizer in accordance with the invention, having a removable lid,
a pivotably mounted handle, an insert placed inside the groove
under the basin to more securely fit over thin rails, and
interlocking strips for sectioning the space within the organizer
into multiple compartments.
[0026] FIG. 4 is an elevation view of an embodiment of a utensil
organizer in accordance with the invention, showing a deck rail
fitting within the groove on the underside of the basin and a
utensil hanging from a hook mounted to the basin.
[0027] FIG. 5 is an elevation view of an embodiment of a utensil
organizer in accordance with the invention, showing the
groove-adjusting insert placed inside the groove on the underside
of the basin to allow it to fit securely over an abnormally thin
deck rail. Also shown in FIG. 5 is a utensil hanging from a hook
mounted to the basin.
[0028] FIG. 6 is an elevation view of an embodiment of a utensil
organizer in accordance with the invention, showing strips of foam
rubber mounted to the interior sides of the two flanges to provide
additional security for the utensil organizer as it straddles a
deck rail. Also shown in FIG. 6 is a utensil hanging from a hook
mounted to the basin.
[0029] FIG. 7 is an elevation view of an embodiment of a utensil
organizer in accordance with the invention, showing protrusions on
the interior sides of the two flanges to provide additional
security for the utensil organizer as it straddles a deck rail.
Also shown in FIG. 7 is a utensil hanging from a hook mounted to
the basin.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] Referring now to FIG. 1, utensil organizer 110 designed to
be set on a deck rail is illustrated. Organizer 110 is in the shape
of an elongated, open basin, though in general, various shapes are
within the scope of the invention. Organizer 110 benefits from the
elongated shape, in contrast with a square or circular horizontal
cross section, because it maximizes the volume of organizer 110 and
its capacity for holding items in basin 118 without compromising
stability. Organizer 110 is elongated along the axis of a deck
rail, rather than along its width. In other words, the larger
dimension of the elongated organizer 110 is collinear to a groove
120 adapted to perch on a deck rail. This characteristic of the
organizer 110 of the present invention enhances stability in use.
While the elongated shape of organizer 110 is preferred because it
adds to the stability provided by groove 120, shapes that are not
elongated along the axis of a deck rail are also within the scope
of the present invention. This is because the groove alone provides
enough stability to keep the organizer secured to a deck rail
without the need for modifications to the deck rail or fasteners of
any type.
[0031] The open design of organizer 110 is advantageous because it
allows for quick and easy access to basin 118 which can hold
cooking items, such as sauces or spices that are used during the
cooking process, and safety items, such as pot holders or oven
mittens for handling hot items from the grill.
[0032] Along the bottom of organizer 110, running along the length
of basin 118, is groove 120. Groove 120 enables organizer 110 to be
set on and supported by a deck rail. Dimension "L1" is of
sufficient magnitude to ensure that groove 120 fits snugly over a
typically sized deck rail. Similarly, dimension "H1" is of
sufficient magnitude to prevent organizer 110 from slipping off of
a deck rail. A typical deck rail is formed from a 2.times.6 board,
but in its finished form is somewhat thinner. Therefore, dimension
"L1" is typically about 5.5 to 5.75 inches and "H1" is typically 2
inches or more. Optionally, the bottom of organizer 110 may be
weighted, e.g. with ballast, to prevent the organizer from tipping
over when set on a deck rail. By securely setting organizer 110 on
a deck rail, the organizer 110 is in close proximity to someone
using a barbeque grill on a deck, thus allowing easy and convenient
access to organizer 110. Organizer 110 also frees the limited
amount of workspace that is built into a typical outdoor portable
grill by providing a convenient alternative location for storing
cooking items.
[0033] One side of the organizer 110, referenced as 140, is the
user side, or front outer surface of basin 118. When the organizer
110 is mounted on a deck rail, user side 140 is the side that faces
the user of the organizer 110, providing easy access to utensils or
other items hanging from hooks 130. In general, hooks 130 can be
made of any suitable material and mounted by any suitable means or
integrally formed on the user side of an embodiment of an organizer
in accordance with the invention. However, in the embodiment shown
in FIG. 1, hooks 130 are attached at mounting points 136 that allow
hooks 130 to be detached and/or attached at respective mounting
points 136.
[0034] FIG. 2 depicts another embodiment of the present invention.
The notable difference between this embodiment and the embodiment
shown in FIG. 1 is that organizer 210 has a horizontal support
panel 256 located in the bottom of basin 218. Panel 256 provides a
surface onto which drinks can be placed without the concern that
they will fall over and spill out.
[0035] FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the present
invention. There are four salient differences of organizer 310
shown in FIG. 3 from organizer 110 in FIG. 1. First, organizer 310
includes handle 362 mounted at pivot point 372. When the user of
organizer 310 desires to remove it from a deck rail, the handle 358
facilitates easy removal. In addition, the fact that handle 358 is
pivotable allows it to be moved out of the way during use of
organizer 310. Second, organizer 310 includes a removable lid 358
to shield its contents from pests, such as insects, and weather,
such as rain or snow. A hingedly attached lid, instead of the
completely removable lid 358 shown here, is also within the scope
of the invention. Third, within the basin is a set of interlocking
strips 344 configured as a grid that compartmentalizes the storage
space available in organizer 310, providing the user with various
choices in organizing items or to quarantine certain cooking items,
such as raw meat, to prevent cross-contamination of dangerous
bacteria. Although the interlocking strips 344 are arranged in a
grid in FIG. 3, they are adapted to be arranged into alternate
configurations by the user, much like the partitioning strips found
in a typical camera bag. Although the interlocking strips 344 are
separate, removable pieces, it is also contemplated that in an
alternative embodiment, compartments would be integrated into the
body of an organizer. Fourth, organizer 310 includes a
groove-adjusting insert attached along the bottom with dimensions
"L3" and "H3" to provide a secure fit for a rail that is narrower
than a typical deck rail. While less commonplace than a deck rail
produced from a 2.times.6 board, many deck rails are formed from
2.times.4 boards. Again, a finished deck rail is generally thinner
than the board it started from, so dimension "L3" for such a deck
rail would be about 3.5 to 3.75 inches and "H3" would be at least 2
inches. Of course, deck rails are produced in other sizes, and it
is within the scope of the invention to match the dimensions of
alternate groove-adjusting inserts to those rails.
[0036] FIG. 4 is an elevation view of an embodiment of the present
invention. This view shows how deck rail 427 fits within groove 420
with flanges 424 and 426 of organizer 410 extending downward along
the sides of deck rail 427. Also, this figure illustrates how hook
430 attached to mounting point 436 on the user side of the
organizer 410 can be used to support various items, including
utensil 433.
[0037] FIG. 5 shows an elevation view of another embodiment of the
invention. Here, groove-adjusting insert 564 is attached under
basin 518, inside groove 520, and between flanges 524 and 526 to
allow organizer 510 to fit more securely over deck rail 527, which
is narrower than a typical deck rail. Also shown is a utensil 533
hanging from hook 530, which is attached at mounting point 536.
[0038] FIG. 6 is an elevation view of an embodiment similar to the
one in FIG. 4 with the exception that the inner surfaces of flanges
624 and 626 have a textured surface comprising strips of foam
rubber 628 attached thereto. It is contemplated that at least one
of the flanges, and preferably each flange, 624 and 626, may have
one or multiple strips of foam rubber 628. The strips of foam
rubber 628 serve to help keep organizer 610 firmly seated on deck
rail 627. Also shown is a utensil 633 hanging from hook 630, which
is attached at mounting point 636.
[0039] FIG. 7 is an elevation view of an embodiment similar to the
one in FIG. 4 except flanges 724 and 726 each have a textured inner
surface, e.g. comprising protrusions 752. Protrusions 752 may be
integrally formed on the organizer 710, such as being part of an
injection-molded flange. Alternatively, they may be applied to
flanges 724 and 726 after the flanges 724 and 726 have been
manufactured, such as with an adhesive. Protrusions 752 are
preferably formed of a similar material to that of the flanges 724
and 726. The purpose of the protrusions 752 is to help keep
organizer 710 firmly secured on deck rail 727. Also illustrated is
a utensil 733 hanging from hook 730, which is attached at mounting
point 736.
[0040] The above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate
the principles of the invention, but not to limit its scope. Other
embodiments and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the
art and may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of
the invention.
* * * * *