Compartment divider assembly

• US 20100072154A1
• Filed: 09/23/2008
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Articulation Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Articulation Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Kevin D.
• Application Number:
  US12/284,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20100072154A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/184
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/02 in separate luggage compartment B60R7/005 takes precedence

Abstract

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.

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.