Modular organizer

• US 6,422,398 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Safco Products Co
• Original Assignee: Safco Products Co
• Inventors: Thorud, Stanley R., LaFontaine, Pamela R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harris, Erica B.
• Application Number:
  US09/871,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20010032824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 211/186, 211/189, 211/194, 211/188, 211/10
• US Class Current: 211/10
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features related to dismountability or building-up from elements A47B43/00, A47B45/00 take precedence; features for adjusting shelves or partitions A47B57/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/04 with means for adjusting the inclination of the shelves
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 87/007 Linkable independent elements with the same or similar cross-section

Abstract

A modular organizer includes a plurality of walls, two faceplates, and a plurality of shelves. In a storage mode, the walls and shelves of the organizer are stored within the containing walls of the face plates. The containing walls of the faceplates are each equipped with an exterior edge that presents an uneven outline. When the uneven outlines of each faceplate are positioned adjacent each other, a substantially sealed interface is created containing the walls and shelves within. In an organizer mode, the walls are supported by, and serve to separate the faceplates. The shelves are placed within the structure formed by the walls and are positionable between a display and storage position. Each faceplate of each modular organizer is identically configured to incorporate at least one post and hole pair. When one modular organizer is placed adjacent another, the post of one engages the hole of the other and vice-versa allowing a user to fashion virtually any desired modular organizing unit to fit a specific space, e.g., side-by-side, top-to-bottom and bottom-to-top positioning of multiple modular organizers.

Claims

1. A configurable modular organizing unit comprising:

a first modular organizer, wherein said first modular organizer includes a post and hole pair, wherein said post and hole pair are formed unitary with said first modular organizer; and

a second modular organizer, wherein said second modular organizer includes a post and hole pair that is formed unitary with said second modular organizer and that is opposite in orientation to said post and hole pair of said first modular organizer, and wherein upon placing said second modular organizer adjacent said first modular organizer, said post of said first modular organizer engages said hole of said second modular organizer, and said post of said second modular organizer engages said hole of said first modular organizer.

2. The unit of claim 1, wherein said first modular organizer and said second modular organizer each have four sides, and wherein each of said four sides includes post and hole pair.

3. The unit of claim 2, wherein each of said four sides includes at least two post and hole pairs.

4. The unit of claim 3, wherein the at least two post and hole pairs are identically oriented.

5. The unit of claim 4, said post and said hole of the said at least two post and hole pairs are adjacently positioned and substantially identical in shape.

6. The unit of claim 1, wherein said first modular organizer and said second modular organizer each include a panel with a post extending therefrom, and wherein said post of said panel engages said hole of its respective modular organizer.

7. The unit of claim 1, said post and said hole of said post and hole pair are adjacently positioned and substantially identical in shape.

8. A configurable modular organizing unit comprising:

a plurality of organizers, each of said organizers means having two sets of parallel sides, wherein said two sets of parallel sides are configured in a square or rectangular orientation, and wherein within each set of parallel sides each side includes a post and hole combination that has been formed unitary with the side, and wherein within each set of parallel sides the unitary post and hole combination of one parallel side is opposedly (oppositely) positioned and reverse oriented from the unitary post and hole combination of the other parallel side,

wherein upon positioning a first of said plurality of organizers adjacent a second of said plurality of organizers the post and hole combination of said first of said plurality of organizers engages the reversely positioned post and hole combination of the second of said plurality of organizers to form a modular organizing unit.

9. The unit of claim 8, wherein a placement of said second of said plurality of organizers adjacent said first of said plurality of organizers is selected from a group consisting of:

side-by-side adjacent placement, top-to-bottom adjacent placement, and bottom-to-top adjacent placement.

10. The unit of claim 8, wherein within each set of parallel sides each side includes at least two post and hole combinations, each post and hole combination of one side being oppositely positioned and reversely oriented from the post and hole combination of the parallel side.

11. The unit of claim 10, wherein the at least two post and hole combinations of one side are identically oriented on the side.

12. The unit of claim 11, wherein the post and hole combination comprises a post that is adjacently positioned and substantially identical in shape to a hole.

13. The unit of claim 8, wherein the post and hole combination comprises a post that is adjacently positioned and substantially identical in shape to a hole.