Mounting upright and clip for adjustable organizer system

• US 20050145588A1
• Filed: 07/07/2004
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rubbermaid Incorporated (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rubbermaid Incorporated (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Stitchick, David M., O'Brien, Sean, Costa, Frazer, Marchetta, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,255,237 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/183
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/022 with cantilever shelves
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/027 Cantilever shelves
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/028 characterised by support bracket location means, e.g. fixing means between support bracket and shelf
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/061 Cantilever brackets
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/1458 with perforations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/57 Distinct end coupler
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7147 Connected by flexible tie

Abstract

A height adjustable upright for an adjustable organizer system has at least one first segment with a upper end configured to hang from a mounting rail and has a lower end. The upright also has at least one second segment with a pair of opposed ends, at least one of which being configured to connect end-to-end with the lower end of the first segment. A clip has a pair of opposed ends each configured to connect to the lower end of the first segment and to the one end of the at least one second segment to hang the second segment from the first segment.

Claims

1. A height adjustable upright for an adjustable organizer system, the upright comprising:

at least one first segment having a upper end configured to hang from a mounting rail and having a lower end;

at least one second segment having a pair of opposed ends, at least one of which is a configured to connect end-to-end with the lower end of the first segment; and

a clip having a pair of opposed ends each configured to connect to the lower end of the first segment and to the one end of the at least one second segment to hang the second segment from the first segment.

2. A height adjustable upright according to claim 1, wherein the first segment and the second segment are each a U-shaped channel with a front surface, a pair of rearwardly extending side surfaces, and an open back side, the front surface having a plurality of adjacent pairs of perforations therein over a substantial portion of the front surface.

3. A height adjustable upright according to claim- 1, further comprising:

a plurality of the second segments, each having an identical pair of opposed ends connectable end-to-end with a selected one of both the lower end of the first segment and either one of the opposed ends of each second segment.

4. A height adjustable upright according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of second segments include at least two segments of different height between their respective ends.

5. A height adjustable upright according to claim 3, wherein at least a fraction of the plurality of second segments and the first segment are of different height between their respective ends.

6. A height adjustable upright according to claim 1, wherein the first segment and the second segment are different in height between their respective ends.

7. A height adjustable upright according to claim 1, wherein the other end of the second segment is configured to hang from the mounting rail.

8. A height adjustable upright according to claim 7, wherein the first segment is taller in height that the second segment between their respective ends.

9. A height adjustable upright according to claim 1, wherein the clip further comprises:

a body;

a pair of identically curved hooks, one on each of the opposed ends of the clip; and

a bearing plate extending from an edge of and perpendicular to a plane of the body.

10. A height adjustable upright according to claim 2, further comprising:

a non-linear cutout in each side surface adjacent the lower end of the first segment and on at least the one end of the second segment, each cut-out forming a notch extending toward the adjacent segment end; and

a pair of identically curved hooks, one each extending from one of the opposed ends of the clip, each hook being sufficiently wide to be received in the notches on both side surfaces of the adjacent segment end when the clip is positioned covering the open back side of the corresponding segment.

11. A height adjustable upright according to claim 10, the clip further comprising:

a clip body; and

a bearing plate extending from an edge of the clip body and perpendicular to a plane of the body, the bearing plate positioned to bear against the side surfaces of end-to-end abutting segments.

12. A height adjustable upright according to claim 1, further comprising:

a fastener opening provided through the lower end of the first segment, through at least the one end of the second segment, and through each end of the clip, the fastener openings in the clip aligned one each with one of the fastener openings in the first segment and the second segment when assembled.

13. A height adjustable upright according to claim 1, wherein each of the opposed ends of the second segment is a substantially identically configured end.

14. An adjustable vertical upright kit for an organizer system, the kit comprising:

a plurality of upright first segments each having an upper end and a lower end, the upper ends configured to hang the first segments from a support rail;

a plurality of second segments each having an upper and a lower end, the upper ends configured to hang the second segments from a support rail, each of the lower ends of the first and second segments configured to connect end-to-end with the lower end of any other of the first and second segments; and

a plurality of clips attachable to the lower ends of the first and the second segments, each clip configured to hook together end-to-end adjacent segment lower ends, one hanging from the other.

15. An adjustable vertical upright apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of the clips further comprises:

a clip body having opposed curved ends, a generally planar section between the opposed ends, and a bearing plate extending from an edge of the body perpendicular to a plane of the body.

16. An adjustable vertical upright apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of the upper ends of the first and second segments is configured to connect and hang the segments from a horizontal top rail in an organizer system.

17. An adjustable vertical upright apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of first segments is shorter in height than each of the plurality of second segments.

18. An adjustable vertical upright apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of second segments include a variety of different heights.

19. A joint connection for connectable vertical upright segments in an organizer system, the joint connection comprising:

a first end of a first upright segment formed as a channel with a front surface, an open back, and opposed side surfaces;

a first notch formed in each of the side surfaces of the first upright segment adjacent the first end, the first notches positioned across from one another;

a second end of a second upright segment formed as a channel with a front surface, an open back, and opposed side surfaces, the second upright longitudinally aligned with the first upright and the second end abutting the first end;

a second notch formed in each of the side surfaces of the second upright segment adjacent the second end, the second notches positioned across from one another; and

a clip having first and second hooks on opposite ends of the clip that each hook into the first and second notches, respectively, to connect the first and second ends to hang one of the first and second upright segments from the other.

20. A joint connection according to claim 19, wherein the clip is positioned adjacent the open back of the first and second uprights with the hooks received in the first and second notches.

21. An adjustable upright kit for a wall mounted organizer system, the kit comprising:

a plurality of first segments each formed as a channel with a front surface, an open back, and opposed side surfaces, each first segment having a first end with a first notch formed in each of the side surfaces of the first segment adjacent the first end, the first notches positioned across from one another;

a plurality of second segments formed as a channel with a front surface, an open back, and opposed side surfaces, each second segment having a second end longitudinally aligned with the first upright and the second end abutting the first end, each second end having a second notch formed in each of the side surfaces of the second upright segment adjacent the second end, the second notches positioned across from one another;

a plurality of clips each having first and second hooks on opposite ends of the clip, the hook ends each configured to hook into the first and second notches, respectively, to connect first and second ends, first and first ends, and second and second ends as desired to hang one of the first or second upright segments from another first or second segment; and

each of the first and second segments having a hanger end opposite the respective first and second ends, each hanger end configured to hang the segment from a top rail of the organizer system.

22. An adjustable upright kit according to claim 21, wherein each of the clips hooks onto connected segments and extends between the connected segments covering the open backs thereof.