Collapsible trunk organizer

• US 20040140334A1
• Filed: 02/11/2004
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colin Drane
• Original Assignee: Colin Drane
• Inventors: Drane, Colin
• Granted Patent: US 6,817,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 224/542
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/02 in separate luggage compartment B60R7/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/925 Carrier for grocery bag

Abstract

A portable, collapsible trunk or cargo space organizer has: (a) an initially flat, rectangular main panel having a centerline between its ends, with a parallel fold line at a specified distance on each side of the centerline; these fold lines serving to define two movable, side sections and a middle section of this main panel, (b) a flat, rectangular middle panel whose top side corner edges have a specified radius of curvature, (c) flat, rectangular end panels whose width is approximately equal to the width of the main panel'"'"'s middle section, and with the bottom edge of such end panels having a notch that is configured to cooperate with the middle panel'"'"'s curved corner edges, (d) a strap of length approximately equal to the main panel'"'"'s middle section, with each of the strap'"'"'s ends attaching to one of the main panel'"'"'s side edges and with its midpoint attaching to a point on the top edge of the middle panel, (e) means for coupling each of the top side corners of the end panels to one of the corners of the main panel'"'"'s side edges, and (f) a means for hingedly coupling the middle panel'"'"'s bottom edge proximate the centerline of the main panel.

Claims

1. A portable, collapsible organizer comprising:

a main panel having two side edges and two end edges, said panel having a centerline between said ends and having two fold lines in said panel, each said fold line running parallel to said side edges and being located at a specified distance from each of said side edges, said fold lines serving to define two side sections and a middle section of said panel and to facilitate the folding of said side sections so that said side sections can be rotated about said fold lines so as to be held vertical to said middle section,

a middle panel, said panel having top and bottom side edges and two end edges, said middle panel having two top side corner edges formed by the intersection of said top side edge and said end edges, a portion of said corner edges having a specified radius of curvature,

a first and a second end panel, each of said panels having a top and a bottom side edge and two end edges, the width between said ends being approximately equal to the width of said middle section of said main panel, each of said end panels having a notch in said bottom side edge, said notch extending perpendicular to said bottom side edge,

a strap having two ends, the length of said strap being approximately equal to the width of said main panel middle section, each end of said strap attaching to one of said side edges of said main panel,

a first means for coupling each of the top side corners of said first end panel to one of the opposite corners at one end of said main panel,

a second means for coupling each of the top side corners of said second end panel to one of the opposite corners at the other end of said main panel, and

a means for hingedly coupling said bottom edge of said middle panel to said centerline of said main panel.

2. An organizer as recited in claim 1 wherein said curved portions of said middle panel corner edges and said end panel notches configured so as to allow said end panels to rotate upward with the edges of said notches sliding along a portion of the faces of said middle panel when said middle panel is being held in a vertical position.

3. An organizer as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second means of coupling configured so as to allow said first and second end panels to rotate inward and upward about their top side edges when said main panel side sections and middle panel are being held perpendicular to said main panel middle section.

4. An organizer as recited in claim 2 wherein said first and second means of coupling configured so as to allow said first and second end panels to rotate inward and upward about their top side edges when said main panel side sections and middle panel are being held perpendicular to said main panel middle section.

5. An organizer as recited in claim 2 further comprising a means for stopping the downward rotation of said end panels so that said panels do outside the boundaries formed by said main panel side sections when said sections are being held in a vertical orientation.

6. An organizer as recited in claim 3 further comprising a means for stopping the downward rotation of said end panels so that said panels do outside the boundaries formed by said main panel side sections when said sections are being held in a vertical orientation.

7. An organizer as recited in claim 4 further comprising a means for stopping the downward rotation of said end panels so that said panels do outside the boundaries formed by said main panel side sections when said sections are being held in a vertical orientation.

8. An organizer as recited in claim 1 further comprising a means for fastening attached to the bottom of said main panel middle section that allows said organizer to be secured to a portion of the environment surrounding said organizer.

9. An organizer as recited in claim 2 further comprising a means for fastening attached to the bottom of said main panel middle section that allows said organizer to be secured to a portion of the environment surrounding said organizer.

10. An organizer as recited in claim 3 further comprising a means for fastening attached to the bottom of said main panel middle section that allows said organizer to be secured to a portion of the environment surrounding said organizer.

11. An organizer as recited in claim 4 further comprising a means for fastening attached to the bottom of said main panel middle section that allows said organizer to be secured to a portion of the environment surrounding said organizer.

12. An organizer as recited in claim 5 further comprising a means for fastening attached to the bottom of said main panel middle section that allows said organizer to be secured to a portion of the environment surrounding said organizer.

13. An organizer as recited in claim 6 further comprising a means for fastening attached to the bottom of said main panel middle section that allows said organizer to be secured to a portion of the environment surrounding said organizer.

14. An organizer as recited in claim 7 further comprising a means for fastening attached to the bottom of said main panel middle section that allows said organizer to be secured to a portion of the environment surrounding said organizer.