BUCKET DIVIDER

Abstract

A bucket divider is adapted to be used with a bucket. The bucket divider includes plates that interconnect between them to form compartments inside the bucket. The height of the plates is larger than the width in order to fit the interior of the bucket.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 61/257,535 filed Nov. 3, 2009, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a divider. More specifically, the present invention relates to a divider adapted to be used with a bucket to divide the interior of the bucket into compartments.

Homeowners, handymen, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, other tradesmen, and janitorial/housekeeping staff frequently need to use different tools or items to do a task. It is a common practice to use a standard bucket to hold, carry, and store the tools or items. Unfortunately, organizing the tools inside the bucket is almost impossible, since the small tools or items fall to the bottom of the bucket.

As can be seen, there is a need for a simple and inexpensive device that cooperates with a standard bucket to organize the tools or items inside the bucket.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, the bucket divider is adapted to be used with a bucket and includes a first plate; a second plate interconnected to the first plate, both of the plates are made of plastic, metal, composite material, wood, or resin material.

In another aspect of the present invention, the bucket divider is adapted to be used with a bucket and includes a first plate; a second plate interconnected to the first plate, a base having a plurality of holes, both of the plates are made of plastic, metal, composite material, wood, or resin material, the plates interlock with each other and then lock into the base.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective front view of a bucket divider according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention while being used inside of a bucket;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the bucket divider of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the components of the bucket divider according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of the bucket divider of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross sectional view taken along line 5-5 of the bucket divider of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a plan view showing the geometry of the components of the bucket divider of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 illustrates a detailed view of the slotted hole according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features.

Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide a simple, interchangeable bucket divider that may divide a common bucket into compartments.

The bucket divider 10 will be described below with reference to five gallon plastic buckets. However, this reference is not intended to limit the scope of this invention in any manner. The present invention may be used with any size plastic, metal, or glass buckets.

FIG. 1 illustrates the bucket divider 10 secured inside a bucket 12. The bucket divider 10 may include a first plate 16, a second plate 18, and, optionally, a base plate 20.

FIGS. 2-3 illustrate that the first plate 16 may have a top end 21, a bottom end 23, a height H1, a width W1, a width W3, tapered sides 25, a slot 24 near the bottom end 23, a slide snap tab 26 to connect the slot 24 to the bottom end 23 of the first plate 16, and push tabs 28 projecting from the bottom end 23. Push tabs 28 may be peened or formed to resist pull-back after insertion into slotted holes 34. The first plate 16 may include a finger lift hole 22 to allow the user to pull, push, or rotate the bucket divider 10 inside the bucket 12 for tool/item access. The first plate 16 may be a flat plate. The tapered sides 25 of the first plate 16 may by tapered from the top end 21 to the bottom end 23 in order to conform to the inside of the bucket 12.

The height H1 and width W1 of the first plate 16 may vary and depend on the height H and width W of the bucket 12. In one embodiment, the height H1 of the first plate 16 may be larger than the width W1 in order to accommodate the bucket divider 10 to the depth of the bucket 12. In one embodiment, the first plate 16 may have a height H1 between 10½ to 13¾ inches; a width W3 of the bottom end 23 between 10¼ to 10 3/16 inches; and a width W1 of the top end between 11¼ to 11⅛ inches. The slot 24 may be approximately 4½ inches long. The slide snap tab 26 may be approximately 1 inch long.

The second plate 18 may have a top end 31, a bottom end 33, a height H2, a width W2, a width W4, tapered sides 35, a slot 30 near the top end 31, a slide snap slot 32 at the bottom end 33, and push tabs 28 projecting from the bottom end 33. Push tabs 28 may be peened or formed to resist pull-back after insertion into slotted holes 34. The second plate 18 may include a perforated cut-out or knock-out 36 that may be removed to receive the handle of a drill or tool across the top of the second plate 18. The second plate 18 may be a flat plate. The top end 31 may include a nested top-pattern cut having an offset to ease of access to finger lift hole 22 and to eliminate material waste in fabrication as shown in FIG. 6. In one embodiment, the cut offset may be one inch. In addition, the top end 31 may have a 0.75 of an inch radius on the outside corners for user safety, aesthetics and to accomplish ease of fabrication/cut-out. The tapered sides 35 of the second plate 18 may by tapered from the top end 31 to the bottom end 33 in order to conform to the inside of the bucket 12.

FIG. 7 illustrates the first plate 16 and the second plate 18 may be connected to the base 20 by pressing the push tabs 28 inside a respective slotted hole 34, with slots 37 on the base 20. The 4 slots 37, on hole 34, may be punched, cut, sawed or otherwise formed. The base 20 may have a geometrical shape. In one embodiment, the base 20 may have a round shape. The size of the base 20 may depend on the size of the base of the bucket 12. In one embodiment, the plates 16 and 18 may be vertical panels.

The height H2 and width W2 of the second plate 18 may depend on the height H and width W of the bucket 12. In one embodiment, the height H2 of the second plate 18 may be larger than the width W2 in order to accommodate the bucket divider 10 to the depth of the bucket 12. In one embodiment, the second plate 18 may have the height H2 of between 8½ to 12 inches; a width W4 of the bottom end approximately 10¼ to 10 3/16 inches; and the width W2 of the top end approximately 11¼ to 11⅛ inches wide. The slot 30 may be approximately 4 inches long. The slide snap slot 32 may be approximately 1 inch long.

Both of the plates may be made of a rigid material. In one embodiment, the plates may be made of plastic, aluminum, composite material, resins, wood, or metal. The panels 16 and 18 may be made by casting, molding, extruding, sawing, tool cutting or laser cutting the material.

In one embodiment, the second plate 18 may be an optional element. In another embodiment, the base 20 may be an optional element.

FIGS. 3 and 6 illustrate that the second plate 18 may include a perforated cut-out or knock-out 36 that may be removed to receive the handle of a drill or tool across the top of the second plate 18.

Since the plates 16 and 18 may be dimensioned to the inner dimensions of the bucket 12 the bucket divider 10 may frictionally engage with the inside walls of the bucket 12.

The user may assemble the panels, engage the first plate 16 with the second plate 18 by aligning and sliding the slit, slide snap tab 26 of the first plate 16 with the slot 30 of the second plate 18 until the slot 30 is secure inside the slot 24 and until the slit, slide snap tab 26 is secure in the slot 32. The first panel 16 and the second panel 18 may form perpendicular angles dividing the interior of the bucket 12 into compartments. The user may lift or introduce the bucket divider 10 into the bucket 12 by using the finger lift hole 22.

The bucket divider 10 may be used with any size bucket. In addition, the bucket divider may be used as a storage device for long-term storage of toys, fabrics, sport equipments, small items, or tall items.

The bucket divider 10 according to the present invention may provide the user with a simple, interchangeable device that may divide and organize a common bucket into compartments.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A bucket divider adapted to be used with a bucket, the bucket divider comprising:

a first plate having side walls, a top end and a bottom end;

a second plate interconnected to the first plate, wherein the second plate includes side walls, a top end and a bottom end;

wherein the first plate and the second plate are made of plastic, metal, composite material, wood, or resin material.

2. The bucket divider of claim 1, wherein the first plate and the second plate are vertical plates.

3. The bucket divider of claim 1, wherein the side walls of the first panel and the second panel are tapered from the top end to the bottom end of each plate.

4. The bucket divider of claim 1, wherein the bottom end of the first plate includes a slide snap tab that connects with a slide snap slot located on the bottom end of the second plate.

5. A bucket divider adapted to be used with a bucket, the bucket divider comprising:

a first plate having side walls, a top end, a bottom end, a height, a width, and tabs projecting from the bottom end;

a second plate interconnected to the first plate, wherein the second plate includes side walls, a top end, a bottom end, a height, a width, and tabs projecting from the bottom end;

a base having a plurality of slotted holes;

wherein the first plate and the second plate are made of plastic, metal, composite material, wood or resin material;

wherein the first plate and the second plate interlock with each other and then lock into the base by securing the tabs into the slotted holes of the base.

6. The bucket divider of claim 5, wherein the sturdy and flexible material is selected from plastic, aluminum, composite material, wood or resin.

7. The bucket divider of claim 5, wherein the side walls of the first panel and the second panel are tapered from the top end to the bottom end of each plate.

8. The bucket divider of claim 5, wherein the sturdy and flexible material is selected from plastic, aluminum, composite material, wood or resin.

9. The bucket divider of claim 5, wherein the height of each plate is larger than the width.

10. The bucket divider of claim 5, wherein the bucket divider is made by casting, molding, extruding, sawing, tool cutting, or laser cutting.

11. The bucket divider of claim 5, wherein the second plate may include a perforated cut-out or knock-out adapted to receive a handle of a drill or tool across the top end of the second plate.