U.S. patent application number 12/901920 was filed with the patent office on 2011-04-14 for organizer.
This patent application is currently assigned to PROGRESSIVE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Heather Curtin.
Application Number | 20110084040 12/901920 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43854002 |
Filed Date | 2011-04-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110084040 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Curtin; Heather |
April 14, 2011 |
ORGANIZER
Abstract
An organizer includes a removable charger caddy, a main
compartment with configurable dividers, and a tray. One or more
cord-wrapping dividers are provided for receiving electrical cords
of electronic devices. The cord-wrapping dividers are removably
secured to the caddy.
Inventors: |
Curtin; Heather; (Duarte,
CA) |
Assignee: |
PROGRESSIVE INTERNATIONAL
CORPORATION
Kent
WA
|
Family ID: |
43854002 |
Appl. No.: |
12/901920 |
Filed: |
October 11, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61250265 |
Oct 9, 2009 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/126.7 ;
211/133.6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 1/04 20130101; A47B
23/00 20130101; A47B 97/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/126.7 ;
211/133.6 |
International
Class: |
A47B 23/00 20060101
A47B023/00 |
Claims
1. An organizer, comprising: a floor and a plurality of sidewalls
defining an interior space; and a cord-winding divider supported by
the organizer, the cord-winding divider having a lower foundation,
a pair of upper arms, and a central winding region between the
lower foundation and the upper arms.
2. The organizer of claim 1, wherein the cord-winding divider
further comprises a slot for receiving a loose end of an electrical
cord.
3. The organizer of claim 2, further comprising: a removable caddy
sized to be received within the organizer, the removable caddy
having a base and a bar formed in the base; the lower foundation of
the cord-winding divider further having a channel sized and
configured to snugly receive the bar; whereby when the bar is
received within the lower foundation the cord-winding divider is
retained within the caddy substantially perpendicularly to the base
of the caddy.
4. The organizer of claim 3, wherein the slot is formed along a top
edge of the cord-winding divider substantially between the pair of
upper arms.
5. The organizer of claim 4, wherein the slot further comprises a
bore extending through the cord-retaining divider and a channel
extending from an edge of the cord-retaining divider to the bore,
the channel having a width that is less than a diameter of the
bore.
6. The organizer of claim 5, wherein the cord-retaining divider
includes a width defined along the foundation and a height defined
from the foundation to the arms, the width being greater than the
height.
7. The organizer of claim 6, wherein the caddy further comprises a
first pair of opposing caddy sidewalk and the bar extends
substantially along the entire base between the first pair of
opposing caddy sidewalls.
8. The organizer of claim 7, wherein the caddy further comprises a
second pair of opposing caddy sidewalk and a first concavity formed
on one of either the first pair of opposing caddy sidewalls or the
second pair of opposing caddy sidewalls.
9. The organizer of claim 8, wherein the caddy further comprises a
second concavity formed on a second one of either the first pair of
opposing caddy sidewalls or the second pair of opposing caddy
sidewalls, wherein the first concavity and the second concavity are
substantially opposite one another on opposing caddy sidewalls.
10. The organizer of claim 7, wherein the caddy further comprises a
raised region formed on one of the first pair of opposing caddy
sidewalls.
11. The organizer of claim 7, wherein the organizer further
comprises a plurality of interior compartments.
12. The organizer of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of
positionable dividers and a means for attaching the plurality of
positionable dividers to the organizer.
13. The organizer of claim 1, further comprising: a removable caddy
sized to be received within the organizer, the removable caddy
having a base and a bar formed in the base; and a means for
securing the cord-winding divider to the caddy in a position
substantially perpendicular to the base of the caddy.
14. The organizer of claim 13, wherein the cord-winding divider
further comprises a means for receiving a loose end of an
electrical cord.
15. The organizer of claim 14, wherein the means for securing
comprises: a U-shaped channel formed in the lower foundation of the
cord-winding divider; and a complementary surface formed on the
caddy, the complementary surface configured to be snugly received
within the U-shaped channel.
16. The organizer of claim 15, wherein the U-shaped channel extends
along the entire length of the lower foundation.
Description
PRIORITY CLAIM
[0001] This application claims the benefit of prior U.S.
application Ser. No. 61/250,265 filed on Oct. 9, 2009, the contents
of which are incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] There are many desk organizers having a variety of
compartments for pens, paper clips, and other desk supplies. In
most cases, the organizers are formed from plastic and are molded
into a fixed arrangement of compartments for containing various
items. Current desk organizers are in a "one size fits all"
configuration, but the users items may or may not actually fit in
the pre-formed compartments.
[0003] Even where current desk organizers work well for most loose
items, they are generally unsuitable for neatly holding electronic
devices such as cell phones and the electrical cords for use with
those items.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A preferred organizer includes a peripheral sidewall, a
floor, and several interior compartments. The various compartments
may be configured as desired, including larger or smaller
compartments, reconfigurable or positionable dividers, sliding
trays, and other options.
[0005] In the exemplary version as shown, the organizer includes a
removable charger caddy, a larger main compartment with dividers,
and a tray. As desired, the main compartment may have
repositionable dividers or may be formed with several interior
compartments that are fixed at the time of manufacture. Likewise,
the tray may be a removable tray that can also slide laterally
within a larger tray slot, or may be fixed in position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The detailed description of the invention is provided with
reference to the following drawings.
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective partially exploded view of a
preferred organizer.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a front plan view of a plurality of positionable
cord-wrapping dividers.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a removable charger caddy,
shown with a plurality of cord-wrapping dividers.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred organizer, shown
with dividers positioned in an exemplary configuration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0011] A preferred organizer 10 includes a peripheral sidewall 11,
a floor 12, and several interior compartments. In the version as
shown in FIG. 1, the organizer is integrally formed from plastic in
a configuration in which three compartments are permanently formed.
In this case, the three compartments include a large generally
rectangular compartment 13 extending along the entire length of the
organizer and occupying approximately half of the organizer; a
medium-sized compartment 14; and a small compartment 15. The small
and medium sized compartment are adjacent one another and next to
the large compartment, which the small and medium sized
compartments combined are the same size as the large compartment by
itself. The organizer may be formed with a greater or smaller
number of pre-formed compartments, including a single large
interior compartment.
[0012] The various compartments may be configured as desired,
including larger or smaller compartments, reconfigurable or
positionable dividers, sliding trays, and other options. In the
exemplary version as shown, the organizer includes a removable
charger caddy 20, a number of internal dividers, and a removable
tray 40. As desired, the main compartment may have repositionable
dividers or may be formed with several interior compartments that
are fixed at the time of manufacture. Likewise, the tray 40 may be
a removable tray that can also slide laterally within a larger tray
slot, or may be fixed in position.
[0013] The removable charger caddy 20 preferably includes a base or
floor 21 and a peripheral sidewall 25 that combine to form a
compartment defining an interior space. The sidewalls optionally
include a means for grasping the tray for removal from the
organizer, and in the version as shown this is implemented in the
form of a pair of curved indentations 22, 23 along opposing sides
of the caddy sidewalls. The indentions ideally are sized and
arranged to accommodate a finger of a user between the indentation
and an adjacent sidewall of the organizer when the caddy is
positioned within one of the compartments of the organizer so that
a user can readily grasp the caddy and remove it from the
organizer. Optionally, a portion of the sidewalls of the caddy
(such as in the region of the indentation) may be higher than the
rest of the sidewall of the caddy. In this manner, the higher or
raised portion of the sidewall is dimensioned to extend above the
sidewalls of the organizer in order to further aid in grasping the
caddy for removal.
[0014] The charger caddy further includes one or more removable
cord-wrapping dividers 50. In the exemplary version as shown, three
such dividers are provided. The dividers 50 are configured to allow
them to be removed from the caddy to make cord winding and
unwinding easier. The cord-wrapping dividers 50 and the caddy
cooperate to include a means for securing the dividers to the
caddy. In the version as shown, the cord-wrapping dividers are
formed with a foundation 52 having a raised channel 51 that is
shaped. to receive a central bar 24 formed longitudinally in the
floor of the caddy. Thus, the cord wrapping dividers 50 are formed
with a foundation generally in the shape of an inverted U, with the
central bar being formed with a complementary size and shape in
which it can be snugly received within the interior portion of the
inverted U shape. Each of the cord-wrapping dividers can be
frictionally and removably held in place by positioning the channel
of the divider such that it substantially surrounds the bar to hold
the cord-wrapping divider in place. The foundation of the
cord-wrapping divider is preferably long and extends along the
entire length of the cord-wrapping divider. In the preferred
version, the foundation is wider than the height of the
cord-wrapping divider.
[0015] Although the configuration as shown and described above is
preferred and provides advantages, the foundation of the
cord-wrapping dividers 50 may be configured differently in order to
accomplish the central purpose of allowing the cord-wrapping
dividers to be removably secured to the caddy. Thus, for example,
the floor of the caddy may include a central slot for receiving one
or more tabs formed in the cord-wrapping dividers. Alternatively,
either of the caddy and the dividers may be formed with any of a
variety of complementary projections and depressions to allow
either of them to receive and retain the other. Likewise, in other
configurations the dividers can be permanently secured within the
caddy.
[0016] The cord-wrapping dividers 50 further include a central
winding region 54 and a pair of upper arms 55, 56. In combination,
the foundation, central winding region, and upper arms combine to
form a shape that generally resembles a capital I when viewed from
the front as illustrated in FIG. 2. In the preferred version,
however, the main winding region 54 is relatively wide, as is the
foundation, such that the width of each is greater than the height
of the divider.
[0017] In the exemplary version, the main winding region and arms
are essentially formed as a plate having enough thickness to
provide durability as desired. In other versions, however, the main
winding region may be thickened and may include a hollow interior
to increase the overall thickness. Preferably, the length of the
arms 55, 56 and the length of the base of the cord-wrapping
dividers are sufficiently greater than the width of the central
winding region such that a cord may be wrapped around the central
winding region several times and the arms and base will retain the
cord and keep it from sliding off either end of the cord-wrapping
divider.
[0018] The cord-wrapping dividers also include a cord retaining
slot 58 for receiving a loose terminal end of a cord and preventing
the cord from unwinding itself from the cord-wrapping divider. In
the version as shown, the cord retaining slot is formed as a
circular bore adjacent the top of the main body, with a channel in
an upper edge of the main body providing a passageway so that the
cord can travel through the passageway and into the bore. The
channel is sized to allow for a snug passage of a typically shaped
electrical cord for a standard device such as a cell phone, pager,
razor, or other such small electrical item. The bore is enlarged to
allow the cord to be held within the bore, though somewhat more
loosely than the channel. The bore and channel need not be shaped
in the form as depicted, but they are preferably sized as described
to allow for the most efficient passage and retention of the
cords.
[0019] In alternate versions, the bore and channel may be located
in different positions other than at the top of the main body. For
example, they may be located on the foundation or on one or both of
the arms. Similarly, the channel need not be a separately formed
feature, but rather may be simply a part of the bore itself,
located tangentially along an edge of the divider.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 3, the preferred caddy 20 is sized and
shaped to receive three cord-wrapping dividers. Each is illustrated
in place, supported by the central bar formed in the base of the
caddy. In other versions of the invention, the central bar may be
formed in a different position or may be replaced with one or more
bars extending across the width of the caddy rather than the single
central bar extending along the length of the caddy as shown. The
caddy includes a sufficient space on either side of the
cord-wrapping dividers such that an electronic device such as a
cell phone may be stored within the caddy and on one side or the
other of the cord-wrapping divider.
[0021] In use, a cord-wrapping divider 50 can be removed from the
caddy, separating the foundation from the bar or other fastening
device formed in the caddy. Then a cord for a cell phone or other
electronic device is wound around the divider, winding the cord
laterally about the main winding region 54. As the thickness of the
winding increases with additional wrappings of the cord, the
foundation and the aims prevent the cord from slipping of from the
main body. As described above, each of the foundation and the arms
extends laterally beyond the main body to provide a greater
cord-retaining surface for this purpose. When the cord reaches the
end of its length during the winding process, the terminal end of
the cord is inserted through the channel and into the bore to hold
the cord securely to the divider. Then the divider can be attached
to the caddy by securing the foundation to the bar or other
securement device. The removability of the caddy 20 allows the
caddy to also be removed and taken to a more convenient place and
then returned to the organizer.
[0022] As shown in FIG. 4, the organizer may optionally include
additional features, including a removable tray 40. The tray 40 is
formed with one or more internal tray dividers to separate the tray
into multiple compartments. The tray may include a peripheral
flange in order to support the tray atop a rim of the smaller
compartment 15. In addition, the smaller compartment may include
several interior walls 16 to support the tray. As best seen in FIG.
1, the interior walls 16 are configured to bifurcate the smaller
compartment 15 across its width and its length. The interior walls
are formed with a height that is approximately half the height of
the sidewalk of the small compartment, with the height of the tray
40 being equal to the height of the sidewalk of the organizer less
the height of the interior walls. Thus, the interior walls provide
support for the bottom of the tray. Preferably, the tray is smaller
in length and width than that of the smaller compartment and can
slide laterally atop the interior sidewalls for access to one or
more of the compartments formed by the interior sidewalk.
[0023] The larger compartment 13 may further include slots or
channels 60 formed along the sidewalk and additional grooves or
vertical supports 62 providing locations for receiving and
retaining additional dividers 32. A lower portion of the dividers
32 are similarly received between vertical supports 62 in order to
hold the dividers in a vertical position.
[0024] The dividers 32 are substantially rectangular and include
lateral ears that are shaped to be received within the channels.
The lateral ears include an upper ear and a lower ear that are
preferably offset from one another, with a complementary offset
configuration on each side of the divider. A lateral ear on one
side of the divider includes a peg or bump while a lateral ear on
the opposite side includes a hole or cavity for receiving the peg
or bump. Thus, a pair of dividers may be interconnected to one
another by engaging the lateral ears of adjacent dividers.
[0025] Each divider includes a central slot extending approximately
half way downward from the top of the divider. The dividers can
therefore be positioned perpendicularly to one another by receiving
the ears from a first divider (or pair of connected dividers)
within the central slot of a second divider. As best seen in FIG.
4, the large compartment 13 can be subdivided as desired by
interlocking and inserting dividers.
[0026] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been
illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the
disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention
should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that
follow.
* * * * *