Compartment divider assembly
A compartment divider assembly, in accordance with the principles of the invention, may include a first divider having a longitudinal axis, a second divider having a longitudinal axis that crosses the longitudinal axis of the first divider, and an interior frame—with each of the first and second dividers being moveable back and forth through the interior frame. If desired, the assembly may further include an exterior frame, with at least one end of at least one of the first and second dividers connected to the exterior frame.
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This invention relates to devices for securing, bracing, or separating objects within a compartment or space.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONWhether storing, transporting, or shipping various items, people have long sought to organize these items in particular spaces. Such items and spaces may include, for example, clothing in a dresser drawer, groceries in the trunk of a car, and large quantities of product in a commercial shipping container. Reasons for wanting to organize such items are varied, and may include, for example, increasing the efficiency of a limited space, protecting items from damage when being transported, and protecting people from unsecured items.
Devices for securing, bracing, or separating objects within a compartment or space have been proposed; but typically, such devices are designed to accommodate a particular type of item, space, or compartment. In addition, some of the proposed devices offer a degree of adjustability—for example, to handle items of different sizes. However, the steps required to make the adjustments typically can be quite cumbersome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONin one aspect of the present invention, a compartment divider assembly may include a first divider having a longitudinal axis, a second divider having a longitudinal axis that crosses the longitudinal axis of the first divider, and an interior frame—with each of the first and second dividers being moveable back and forth through the interior frame.
In another aspect, a compartment divider assembly may include: a first divider having a longitudinal axis, a first end, and a second end; a second divider having a longitudinal axis that crosses the longitudinal axis of the first divider, the second divider further having a first end, and a second end; an interior frame through which each of the first and second dividers is moveable back and forth; and an exterior frame, with each of the first and second divider first and second ends connected to the exterior frame.
By moving one or more of the first divider, second divider and interior frame of a compartment divider assembly of the present invention, a user readily may create one or more divided spaces within a compartment, and easily may adjust the size of the divided spaces so as to accommodate, support, and brace items of differing shapes and sizes. These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and description of the drawings.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into this patent document and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
With reference to
Although the second divider longitudinal axis L2 crosses the first divider longitudinal axis L1, these axes do not have to intersect one another (e.g., meet at, or pass through, a common point). For example, the second divider longitudinal axis may cross over or under the first divider longitudinal axis. In the embodiment shown, the second divider longitudinal axis L2 crosses under the first divider longitudinal axis L1.
The exterior frame 18 comprises four interconnected segments, with each segment in the form of an exterior frame rail. The first divider 12 extends between and is slidably connected to the first and third exterior frame rails 28, 32, and the second divider 14 extends between and is slidably connected to the second and fourth exterior frame rails 30, 34—with each of the dividers 12, 14 slidably moveable back and forth through the interior frame 16, independently of one another. Accordingly, a user may slidably move the interior frame 16 and one or both of the dividers 12, 14, to create a number of divided spaced within the space defined by the perimeter of the exterior frame 18. For example, if one large space is desired, the user may slide the first divider 12 to the second or fourth exterior frame rail 30, 34, and may slide the second divider 14 to the first or third exterior frame rail 28, 32. And if one or more smaller spaces are desired, the user can form divided spaces having any of a number of different sizes, simply by slidably moving the first and second dividers 12, 14 through the interior frame 16 and along the exterior frame rails as needed.
The compartment divider assembly 10 of
As best seen in
With reference to
The compartment divider assembly 10 shown in the Figures has an adjustable length in both a first axis (e.g., an x-axis) and a perpendicular second axis (e.g., a y-axis). As best seen in
In this embodiment, each of the divider rails 38, 40, 42, 44 includes a first rail member and a second rail member slidably connected to the first rail member. Because all of the divider rails of this embodiment are identical, the detailed description of this aspect focuses on a single divider rail—with the understanding that these details apply to the other divider rails. With reference to
In similar fashion, and with reference to
For the divider rails 38, 40, 42, 44 and exterior frame rails 28, 30, 32, 34 described in the preceding two paragraphs, advantageously the first and second rail members that comprise a particular divider rail or a particular exterior frame rail may be identical. For example the two members may be cut from a single length of railing having one cross-sectional shape along its entire length. Once the two members are cut to the desired length, one of the members simply may be flipped or inverted lengthwise, so that the channel and protrusion of the first member are generally oriented toward the corresponding (and identical) protrusion and channel of the second member. The two members may be positioned generally end-to-end; and the channel and protrusion of one member may be fed into the corresponding protrusion and channel of the other member to form the rail.
With reference to
With reference to
As seen in
With reference to
The brackets 46, 48, 50, 52 are now described in further detail. With reference to
With reference to
The brackets or exterior frame rails can be constructed so that, when an exterior frame rail is in non-perpendicular alignment with an adjacent exterior frame rail (e.g., when the peripheral shape of the exterior frame is trapezoidal), the bracket tube through which the non-perpendicular rail passes may still be moved smoothly back and forth along that rail. This can be accomplished in any suitable fashion. For example, and with reference to
As mentioned briefly above, the interior frame 16 of the compartment divider assembly 10 includes a cam lock assembly 36 incorporated into the interior frame 16. This aspect of the interior frame 16, including the way in which the cam lock assembly 36 cooperates with the rest of the interior frame 16 and the divider rails 12, 14, now is described in detail. With reference to
With reference to
As best seen in
With reference to
A Two-Divider Assembly with Each Divider Including a Single Rail (No Exterior Frame)
Each of the first and second dividers includes a single rail, as opposed to, e.g., multiple parallel rails. The dividers are perpendicular to each other, and the rails are moveable back and forth through the interior frame. The interior frame includes a releasable lock assembly.
A Two-Divider Assembly with Each Divider Including a Pair of Parallel Spaced-Apart Rails (No Exterior Frame)
Each of the first and second dividers includes two parallel spaced-apart rails. The dividers are perpendicular to each other, and the rails are moveable back and forth through the interior frame. The interior frame includes, in sequential order, first, second, third, and fourth passageways. The first divider rails are moveable back and forth through the first and third passageways respectively; and the second divider rails are moveable back and forth through the second and fourth passageways respectively. The interior frame includes a cam lock assembly. At the end of each divider, a bumper is connected to the end of each rail. The bumpers may be biased against the sidewalls of a particular compartment (e.g., the walls of a car trunk). If the dividers have a fixed length (e.g., sized to fit a particular car trunk), the sidewall-contacting surface of each of the bumpers may comprise a material having a relatively low coefficient of friction. In this fashion, when the lock is disengaged, a user may adjust the dividers with relative ease.
A Two-Divider Assembly with an Exterior Frame Connected to a Compartment Sidewall
The exterior frame includes a single segment in the form of a rail; and the rail is mounted to a sidewall of the compartment. If the compartment is the trunk of a car, the rail may be mounted to, for example, the interior surface of the rear wall of the trunk (i.e., the trunk wall that is closest to the back of the car). The assembly further includes first and second dividers that are perpendicular to each other, and that move back and forth through the interior frame. The interior frame includes a releasable lock assembly. An end of one of the dividers is movably connected to the rail.
DividersA divider may comprise any suitable number of rails or other suitable structure that serves to divide, support, or brace. Examples of such structures include rails, rods, nets, cords, and cables. If desired, a support member may be present at each end of a divider; and the structure that serves to divide, support, or brace may be connected to the support members via coil springs or the like. The springs may add a level of resilience to the structure. A divider rail may be adjustable in length. For example, the rail may be a telescoping rail. And if desired, the adjustable rail may have one or more locks to releasably maintain a desired length.
A divider may comprise one or more retractable rails or flexible support members. Such rails may be especially advantageous for compartment divider assemblies used in the beds of pickup trucks. For example, in a divider that runs the length of the bed adjacent a wheel well, it may be helpful to retract rails that otherwise would be blocked by the wheel well. Or if the divider includes flexible support members (e.g., cords), it may be possible simply to stretch the cords around the wheel well.
A divider may include padding along the surfaces that may come in contact with items being supported or braced by the divider.
Interior FrameThe interior frame may comprise sections that rotate relative to one another. For example, an interior frame may comprise two rotatable sections (e.g., along the frame length), with a first divider moveable through one section (e.g., via a first passageway), and a second divider moveable through the other section (e.g., via a second passageway). If desired, the first and second dividers may be moved between a perpendicular orientation and a parallel or near-parallel orientation by rotating one section relative to the other section.
Releasable Lock AssembliesAny suitable lock or lock assembly may be used to selectively prevent relative movement between a first divider and a second divider once a user has moved one or more of the dividers to a desired position. Examples of such locks and assemblies include a cam lock assembly, a locking pin, and a screw-and-bolt assembly.
A compartment divider assembly, in accordance with the principles of the invention, may be made of any suitable material(s), using any suitable manufacturing technique(s).
As may be seen from the discussion above, a compartment divider assembly in accordance with the principles of the invention may be used in any suitable location. Examples of a few such locations include a dresser drawer, the cargo area of a car as shown in
While the present invention has been illustrated by a description of a few embodiments, and while the illustrative embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the inventor to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the following claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications readily will appear to those skilled in the art upon a reading of this patent document. For example, a compartment divider assembly of the present invention may have more than two dividers and more than one interior frame. The invention, in its broader aspects, is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described in this patent document.
Claims
1. A compartment divider assembly, comprising:
- a first divider having a longitudinal axis;
- a second divider having a longitudinal axis that crosses the longitudinal axis of the first divider; and
- an interior frame,
- the first divider moveable back and forth through the interior frame, and
- the second divider moveable back and forth through the interior frame.
2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the first divider longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to the second divider longitudinal axis.
3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second dividers are moveable back and forth through the interior frame independently of one another.
4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the interior frame includes a first passageway and a second passageway, with the first divider moveable back and forth through the first passageway, and the second divider moveable back and forth through the second passageway.
5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the first divider comprises a rail, and the interior frame comprises a passageway, the first divider rail moveable back and forth through the passageway.
6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the rail comprises a first rail member and a second rail member substantially parallel with the first rail member, the first and second rail members slidably connected to one another along at least a portion of their respective lengths.
7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein one of the first and second rail members includes a channel along at least a portion of its length, and the other of the first and second rail members includes a protrusion along at least a portion of its length, the channel and the protrusion constructed and arranged to slidably engage one another.
8. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the passageway is constructed and arranged to inhibit rotation of the rail in the passageway when the first and second rail members are in the passageway simultaneously, when the first rail member is in the passageway but the second rail member is not in the passageway, and when the second rail member is in the passageway but the first rail member is not in the passageway.
9. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the second divider comprises a rail, and the interior frame comprises a second passageway, the second divider rail moveable back and forth through the second passageway.
10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the first divider comprises two spaced-apart rails in a first common plane, the two first divider rails moveable back and forth through the interior frame.
11. The assembly of claim 10 wherein the second divider comprises two spaced-apart rails in a second common plane, the two second divider rails moveable back and forth through the interior frame.
12. The assembly of claim 11 wherein the first divider longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to the second divider longitudinal axis.
13. The assembly of claim 11 wherein the interior frame includes, in sequential order, first, second, third, and fourth passageways, the two rails of the first divider moveable back and forth through the first and third passageways respectively, the two rails of the second divider moveable back and forth through the second and fourth passageways respectively.
14. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising locking structure constructed and arranged to inhibit movement of the first and second dividers relative to the interior frame.
15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein the locking structure comprises a cam lock.
16. The assembly of claim 1 wherein one of the first and second dividers has a first end, and the assembly further comprises an exterior frame, the first end connected to the exterior frame.
17. A compartment divider assembly, comprising:
- a first divider having a longitudinal axis, a first end, and a second end;
- a second divider having a longitudinal axis that crosses the longitudinal axis of the first divider, the second divider further having a first end, and a second end;
- an interior frame through which each of the first and second dividers is moveable back and forth; and
- an exterior frame, with each of the first and second divider first and second ends connected to the exterior frame.
18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the first divider longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to the second divider longitudinal axis.
19. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the first and second dividers are moveable back and forth through the interior frame independently of one another.
20. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the interior frame includes a first passageway and a second passageway, with the first divider moveable back and forth through the first passageway, and the second divider moveable back and forth through the second passageway.
21. The assembly of claim 17 including a bracket at each of the first divider first and second ends, the brackets connecting the first divider first and second ends to the exterior frame.
22. The assembly of claim 17 wherein the exterior frame comprises first, second, third, and fourth segments, the first divider extending between and connected to the first and third segments, the second divider extending between and connected to the second and fourth segments.
23. The assembly of claim 22 wherein the first divider has an adjustable length, and the second segment has an adjustable length.
24. The assembly of claim 23 wherein the second divider has an adjustable length, and the first segment has an adjustable length.
25. The assembly of claim 23 wherein the second segment comprises a rail including a first rail member and a second rail member substantially parallel with the first rail member, the first and second rail members slidably connected to one another along at least a portion of their respective lengths.
26. The assembly of claim 25 further comprising locking structure at the rail, the locking structure constructed and arranged to inhibit slidable movement between the first and second rail members.
27. The assembly of claim 25 wherein one of the first and second rail members includes a channel along at least a portion of its length, and the other of the first and second rail members includes a protrusion along at least a portion of its length, the channel and the protrusion constructed and arranged to slidably engage one another.
28. The assembly of claim 27 further comprising locking structure at the rail, the locking structure constructed and arranged to form a releasable friction fit with a surface of the protrusion, thereby inhibiting slidable movement between the first and second rail members.
29. The assembly of claim 22 including a first bracket at the first divider first end and a second bracket at the first divider second end, the first and second brackets constructed and arranged to move back and forth along the first and third segments respectively.
30. The assembly of claim 29 wherein the first segment comprises a rail including a first rail member and a second rail member substantially parallel with the first rail member, the first and second rail members slidably connected to one another along at least a portion of their respective lengths, and wherein the bracket includes a passageway moveable back and forth along the rail, the passageway constructed and arranged to inhibit rotation of the rail in the passageway when the first and second rail members are in the passageway simultaneously, when the first rail member is in the passageway but the second rail member is not in the passageway, and when the second rail member is in the passageway but the first rail member is not in the passageway.
31. The assembly of claim 30 wherein the passageway includes a circumferential sidewall.
32. The assembly of claim 21 wherein the brackets are constructed and arranged to offset the first divider from the second divider, whereby the second divider longitudinal axis crosses but does not intersect the first divider longitudinal axis.
33. The assembly of claim 32 wherein the interior frame includes a first passageway and a second passageway offset from the first passageway, with the first divider moveable back and forth through the first passageway, and the second divider moveable back and forth through the second passageway.
34. The assembly of claim 22 further comprising a first corner member connecting the first and second segments, and a second corner member connecting the second and third segments, the first and second corner members operable to permit adjustment of an interior angle between the first and second segments and the second and third segments respectively.
35. The assembly of claim 17 further comprising a plurality of legs at the exterior frame.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 23, 2008
Publication Date: Mar 25, 2010
Applicant:
Inventor: Kevin D. Johnson (San Jose, CA)
Application Number: 12/284,575
International Classification: A47F 5/00 (20060101);