Locker organizer

• US 20040178706A1
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dʼ Orso, Ronald
• Original Assignee: Dʼ Orso, Ronald
• Inventors: Dʼ Orso, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 6,814,418 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/351
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 43/006 fixed on cords, cables, wire or chains
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 61/04 for shoes, hats, umbrellas, or the like shoe racks as an implement for the manufacture of shoes A43D117/00

Abstract

A locker organizer includes one or more shelves which may be suspended from the conventional coat hooks of a wall locker or the like. The present locker organizer also includes a series of wedges adjustably extending from at least one edge of the shelf or shelves, allowing the shelf or shelves to be secured immovably between opposed walls of the locker. This precludes the banging of the shelves against the interior walls of the locker whenever the shelves are accessed, e.g., placement or removal of books and/or other articles thereon or therefrom. The shelf or shelves are adjustably suspended by suspension lines which may be formed of a stout cord, rope, or chain. The suspension lines may include index indicators to aid the user in adjusting the position of the shelf or shelves thereon, to assure that the shelf or shelves remain substantially level when installed in the locker.

Claims

1. A locker organizer, comprising:

at least one flat, planar shelf having a generally rectangular periphery defining four corners, each of the four corners having a suspension line passage formed therethrough, said shelf having a plurality of shelf slots defined through said periphery;

four flexible shelf suspension lines, each of the shelf suspension lines extending through a corresponding one of the corners, the four suspension lines being disposed in opposing pairs;

a shelf support stop disposed upon each of the shelf suspension lines, immediately below a corresponding said shelf;

a pair of upper hanging loops, each of the loops being formed in one of the opposing pairs of suspension lines, respectively; and

a lateral spacing adjustment wedge movably secured through each of said shelf slots.

2. The locker organizer according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one shelf comprises a plurality of shelves;

each of said shelves further includes an unbroken central area; and

each of said shelves is formed of materials selected from the group consisting of plastic, metal, and wood.

3. The locker organizer according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one shelf has an upper surface and a lower surface;

each of said shelf slots extends through said at least one shelf from said upper surface to said lower surface, in a downward and outward diagonal orientation;

the periphery of said at least one shelf has a beveled slope substantially parallel to said diagonal orientation of said shelf slots;

the beveled slope of the periphery and each of said shelf slots define a corresponding diagonally sloped wedge retaining member therebetween;

each said wedge retaining member having a diagonal span extending from said upper surface to said lower surface of said at least one shelf;

each said wedge comprising a triangular block having an upper face, an engaging face substantially normal to said at least one shelf, and a diagonal face;

each said wedge further including a wedge slot formed therethrough, substantially parallel to said diagonal face;

said wedge slot and said diagonal face of each said wedge defining a diagonally sloped shelf retaining member therebetween;

said wedge slot having a length substantially greater than said span of said wedge retaining member of said shelf; and

said shelf retaining member of said wedge passing through a corresponding one of said shelf slots and secured to said at least one shelf by said wedge retaining member of said at least one shelf passing through said wedge slot, with said wedge being slidably movable diagonally relative to said at least one shelf for wedging said shelf immovably against an adjacent surface.

4. The locker organizer according to claim 1, wherein said shelf suspension lines are selected from the group consisting of cords, ropes, and chains.

5. The locker organizer according to claim 1, wherein:

said shelf suspension lines are selected from the group consisting of cords and ropes; and

said shelf support stops comprise knots formed along said shelf suspension lines as desired.

6. The locker organizer according to claim 1, wherein:

said shelf suspension lines comprise chains formed of a plurality of chain links; and

said shelf support stops comprise clips selectively installed through said chain links as desired.

7. The locker organizer according to claim 1, further including at least one shelf leveling indicator disposed upon each of said shelf suspension lines.

8. A locker organizer comprising:

at least one flat, planar shelf having a generally rectangular periphery defining four corners, each of the four corners having a suspension line passage defined therethrough;

four flexible shelf suspension lines, each of the shelf suspension lines extending through a corresponding one of the corners, the shelf suspension lines being disposed in opposing pairs;

a shelf support stop disposed upon each of the shelf suspension lines, immediately below a corresponding said shelf;

a pair of upper hanging loops, one of the loops being formed in one of the opposing pairs of shelf suspension lines, respectively; and

at least one shelf leveling indicator disposed upon each of the shelf suspension lines.

9. The locker organizer according to claim 8, wherein:

said at least one shelf comprises a plurality of shelves;

each of said shelves further includes an unbroken central area; and

each of said shelves is formed of materials selected from the group consisting of plastic, metal, and wood.

10. The locker organizer according to claim 8, wherein:

said at least one shelf further includes an upper surface and a lower surface, with a plurality of shelf slots extending through said periphery of said at least one shelf;

each of said shelf slots extends through said at least one shelf from said upper surface to said lower surface, in a downward and outward diagonal orientation;

said periphery of said at least one shelf has a beveled slope substantially parallel to said diagonal orientation of said shelf slots;

said beveled slope of said periphery and each of said shelf slots define a corresponding diagonally sloped wedge retaining member therebetween;

each said wedge retaining member has a diagonal span extending from said upper surface to said lower surface of said at least one shelf;

a lateral spacing adjustment wedge is movably secured through each of said shelf slots;

each said wedge comprises a triangular block having an upper face, an engaging face substantially normal to said at least one shelf, and a diagonal face;

each said wedge further includes a wedge slot formed therethrough, substantially parallel to said diagonal face;

said wedge slot and said diagonal face of each said wedge define a diagonally sloped shelf retaining member therebetween;

said wedge slot has a length substantially greater than said span of said wedge retaining member of said shelf; and

said shelf retaining member of said wedge passes through a corresponding one of said shelf slots and is secured to said at least one shelf by said wedge retaining member of said at least one shelf passing through said wedge slot, with said wedge being slidably movable diagonally relative to said at least one shelf for wedging said shelf immovably against an adjacent surface.

11. The locker organizer according to claim 8, wherein said shelf suspension lines are selected from the group consisting of cords, ropes, and chains.

12. The locker organizer according to claim 8, wherein:

said shelf suspension lines are selected from the group consisting of cords and ropes; and

said shelf support stops comprise knots formed along said shelf suspension lines as desired.

13. The locker organizer according to claim 8, wherein:

said shelf suspension lines comprise chains formed of a plurality of chain links; and

said shelf support stops comprise clips selectively installed through said chain links as desired.

14. A wall locker with a locker organizer, comprising:

a wall locker having opposed left and right lateral walls, a rear wall, and a front wall having a door disposed within said front wall;

a clothing hanger hook extending inwardly from each of said lateral walls of said wall locker;

a locker organizer having at least one flat, planar shelf with a generally rectangular periphery and four corners;

each of said four corners of said at least one shelf of said locker organizer having a suspension line passage therethrough;

four flexible shelf suspension lines, with each of said shelf suspension lines extending through a corresponding one of said corners of said at least one shelf of said locker organizer;

a shelf support stop disposed upon each of said shelf suspension lines, immediately below a corresponding said shelf of said locker organizer;

said shelf suspension lines comprising opposed pairs of shelf suspension lines, with each of said pairs forming an upper hanging loop therein;

each said hanging loop of said suspension lines of said locker organizer being removably installed over a corresponding said hanger hook of said wall locker, for suspending said locker organizer within said wall locker;

at least one shelf leveling indicator disposed upon each of said shelf suspension lines;

said at least one shelf of said locker organizer further including a plurality of shelf slots through said periphery thereof; and

a lateral spacing adjustment wedge movably secured through each of said shelf slots of said shelf of said locker organizer.

15. The wall locker and locker organizer combination according to claim 14, wherein:

said at least one shelf of said locker organizer further includes an upper surface and a lower surface;

each of said shelf slots of said at least one shelf of said locker organizer extends through said at least one shelf from said upper surface to said lower surface thereof, in a downward and outward diagonal orientation;

said periphery of said at least one shelf of said locker organizer has a beveled slope substantially parallel to said diagonal orientation of said shelf slots;

said beveled slope of said periphery and each of said shelf slots define a corresponding diagonally sloped wedge retaining member therebetween;

each said wedge retaining member having a diagonal span extending from said upper surface to said lower surface of said at least one shelf;

each said wedge of said locker organizer comprising a triangular block having an upper face, an engaging face substantially normal to said at least one shelf, and a diagonal face;

each said wedge of said locker organizer further including a wedge slot formed therethrough, substantially parallel to said diagonal face;

said wedge slot and said diagonal face of each said wedge of said locker organizer defining a diagonally sloped shelf retaining member therebetween;

said wedge slot having a length substantially greater than said span of said wedge retaining member of said shelf of said locker organizer; and

said shelf retaining member of said wedge passing through a corresponding one of said shelf slots and secured to said at least one shelf by said wedge retaining member of said at least one shelf passing through said wedge slot, with said wedge being slidably movable diagonally relative to said at least one shelf for wedging said shelf immovably against at least two opposed said walls of said wall locker.

16. The wall locker and locker organizer combination according to claim 14, wherein:

said at least one shelf of said locker organizer comprises a plurality of shelves;

each of said shelves of said locker organizer further includes an unbroken central area; and

each of said shelves of said locker organizer is formed of materials selected from the group consisting of plastic, metal, and wood.

17. The wall locker and locker organizer combination according to claim 14, wherein said shelf suspension lines of said locker organizer are selected from the group consisting of cords, ropes, and chains.

18. The wall locker and locker organizer combination according to claim 14, wherein:

said shelf suspension lines of said locker organizer are selected from the group consisting of cords and ropes; and

said shelf support stops comprise knots formed along said shelf suspension lines of said locker organizer as desired.

19. The wall locker and locker organizer combination according to claim 14, wherein:

said shelf suspension lines of said locker organizer comprise chains formed of a plurality of chain links; and

said shelf support stops comprise clips selectively installed through said chain links as desired.