Expandable organizer

Abstract

The expandable organizer is an organizer for a carrying case or container that is formed from modular units that can be connected end-to-end to expand the size of the organizer to suit the carrying case or container. Each modular unit has a center wall and at least one pocket attached to each of the opposing sides of the center wall. The center wall may be formed from two layers of cloth fabric enclosing a rigid insert that keeps the organizer upright to facilitate access to items stored in the organizer. The pockets are also made of cloth fabric, which permits a decorative design to be imprinted on the exterior surface of the organizer by silkscreen or other processes. The opposing ends of the modular unit have mating releasable fasteners, so that modular units may be chained together to increase the length of the expandable organizer.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an organizer for portable personal containers or carriers used for carrying a variety of miscellaneous objects. More particularly, the invention relates to an expandable organizer useful for organizing objects carried in vehicle glove compartments, purses, backpacks, briefcases, book bags, luggage, picnic baskets, tool kits and the like.

2. Description of the Related Art

Most items, such as briefcases, purses, etc. contain a confusion of things, related or unrelated, that fill the item to near capacity, and defy the user to find the sought-after item. The owner may have started the day with a reasonably well-ordered collection of items, such as car keys, house keys, shopping lists, check books, wallets, money, a cell phone, and more, but before the day is very old the carrying case may be fumbled with a number of searches that turn the item's once-neat order to chaos. By way of example, mistakes in transferring items from one carrying case to another are common, and frustrations or worse are inevitable.

Similar problems arise in organizing items for backpacks, briefcases, luggage, and other carrying cases or containers. Various organizers have alleviated some of these problems. However, carrying cases and containers come in many different sizes for many different purposes, so that there is a need for an organizer that is readily convertible to different sizes, large and small. Further, many organizers are made in such a way that it is difficult to keep the organizer upright in the carrying case or container to allow for easy access. In addition, when the organizer is intended to be used as a complement to personal attire, it would be desirable to have the organizer amenable to manufacturing from materials that are receptive to printing by silk screening or other known means for decorating the object.

Thus, an expandable organizer solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The expandable organizer is an organizer for a carrying case or container that is formed from modular units that can be connected end-to-end to expand the size of the organizer to suit the carrying case or container. Each modular unit has a center wall and at least one pocket attached to each of the opposing sides of the center wall. The center wall may be formed from two layers of cloth fabric enclosing a rigid insert that keeps the organizer upright to facilitate access to items stored in the organizer. The pockets are also made of cloth fabric, which permits a decorative design to be imprinted on the exterior surface of the organizer by silkscreen or other processes. The opposing ends of the modular unit have mating releasable fasteners, so that modular units may be connected together to increase the length of the expandable organizer.

The center wall may have a grommet for attaching tethered items, such as a key chain. In practice, the expandable organizer will usually have multiple pockets of different sizes formed on each side of the center wall for storing items of different sizes, although the organizer may be formed with multiple pockets on one side of the center wall and a single large pocket on the opposite side, if desired.

The expandable organizer may be used with different styles and sizes of carrying cases or containers, including, but not limited to, purses, backpacks, briefcases, book bags, luggage, picnic baskets, tool kits, car trunks and the like. In use, a single modular unit may be used with a small carrying case, such as a purse, while multiple modular units may be fastened together end-to-end to provide an elongated organizer for storing items in a suitcase, trunk, or other large carrying case or container.

These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of an expandable organizer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial, environmental front view showing the top portion of a single modular unit of an expandable organizer of the present invention from the opposite side from FIG. 1, with a portion of the outer layer of the center wall broken away.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an expandable organizer according to the present invention showing two modular units coupled together. Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is an expandable organizer suitable for storing and organizing a variety of items in a carrying case or container, such as a purse, a backpack, a briefcase, a book bag, luggage (including suitcases and trunks), a picnic basket, a tool box, a car trunk, etc. FIG. 1 shows a single modular unit of the expandable organizer in use with a conventional purse 10 or handbag having a carrying strap 12. The modular unit 20 of the expandable organizer 18 is shown disposed within the storage compartment 14 of the purse 10. The modular unit has a plurality of pockets 22a and 22b of different widths, shown storing such items as a pen 24 and a checkbook 26.

As shown in FIG. 2, each modular unit 20 includes a center wall 28. The center wall 28 may be made from a double layer of cloth fabric enclosing an insert 30 made from rigid material in order to keep the module 20 in an upright position, thereby facilitating access to items stored in the organizer 18. Pockets 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d are made by sewing or attaching cloth fabric to the cloth exterior of the center wall 28. The cloth fabric is preferably nylon because of its strength and water resistance; however, the exterior surface of the center wall 28 and the pockets 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d may be made from polyester, cotton, wool, or other fabric material made from either natural or synthetic fiber. Advantageously, the cloth fabric permits a desired decoration or decorative motif to be imprinted on the modular unit 20 by silkscreen or other process.

The insert 30, when provided, is made from a thin sheet of rigid material, such as plastic, wood, cardboard, etc. The insert 30, when provided, lends support for installation of a grommet 32, which allows a key chain or other tethered accessory to be releasable (releasably) attached to the organizer 18. The insert 30 provides a backbone or spine that maintains the organizer 18 in an upright position within the compartment 14 of the purse 10 or other container. Of course, the insert 30 need not be provided, so that center wall 28 may be flexible, if desired.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each module unit 20 has corresponding releasable fasteners 34 and 36 disposed at opposite ends of the unit 20. In FIG. 3, fasteners 34 and 36 are shown as buttons 34 on one end of the unit 20 and buttonholes 36 at the opposite end of the unit 20. It will be understood, however, that other releasable fasteners may be used in lieu thereof, e.g., mating strips of hook and loop fastening material, clasps, clips with corresponding holes, zippers, laces or other tie fasteners, etc. Releasable fasteners 34 and 36 permit multiple modular units, such as modules 20a and 20b, to be fastened together to expand the length or width of the organizer 18. This feature is particularly useful when there are numerous items to be sorted, separated and stored, and where the carrying case or container is large enough to accommodate the expanded length or width of the organizer 18.

Although the modular units 20 are rectangular in the drawings, it will be understood that the modular units may be arcuate or circular, or may have any desired polygonal shape, e.g., square, triangular, trapezoidal, etc. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. An expandable organizer for a handbag, pocketbook, backpack, briefcase, knitting bag, diaper bag, or other type of carrying case or container for easily storing and transferring items from one carrying case or container to another.

2. An expandable organizer, comprising a plurality of modular storage units, each of the units having: a center wall having opposing ends, the center wall being made form at least one layer of cloth fabric;

at least one pocket attached to opposite sides of the center wall, the at least one pocket being made from cloth fabric: and means for releasably attaching the modular units end-to-end in order to expand the length of the organizer.

3. An expandable organizer, comprising a plurality of modular storage units, each of the modular units having: a center wall having opposing ends, the center wall being made from at least one layer of cloth fabric;

at least one pocket attached to opposite sides of the center wall, the at least one pocket being made from cloth fabric; and a releasable fastener at each of the opposing ends of the center wall for releasably attaching the modular units end-to-end in order to expand the length of the organizer.

4. An expandable organizer in accordance with claim 1 wherein the releasable devices comprise: fasteners sewn or otherwise attached to opposing ends; and other releasable fasteners may be used in lieu thereof; mating strips of hook and loop fastening material, clasps, clips with corresponding holes, zippers, laces or other tie fasteners, etc.

5. An expandable organizer in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of the pockets is designed to hold and store different items.

6. An expandable organizer in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of the pockets is designed to hold and store eyeglasses

7. An expandable organizer in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of the pockets is designed to hold and store credit cards and/or identification cards

8. An expandable organizer in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of the pockets is designed to hold and store an electronic personal digital assistant

9. An expandable organizer in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of the pockets is designed to hold and store a cellular phone

10. An expandable organizer in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of the pockets is designed to hold and store a pager

11. An expandable organizer in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of the pockets is designed to hold and store a checkbook

12. An expandable organizer in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of the pockets is designed to hold and store cosmetics

13. An expandable organizer in accordance with claim 1 for easily transferring items from one carrying case to another comprising a plurality of expandable organizers for holding and storing items; and fastening devices fastened to a modular unit for removable fastening successive modular units together.