Desktop organizer

• US 7,641,056 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2006
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carl H. Schulman
• Original Assignee: Carl H. Schulman
• Inventors: Schulman, Carl H.
• Primary Examiner(s): PUROL, SARAH L
• Application Number:
  US11/550,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20070102376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 211/11, 211/10, 211/13.1, 211/70.6, 211/71.01, 211/74, 211/87.01, 211/189, 211/195, 211/72, 211/113, 211/85.15, D19/92, D19/75, 206/482, 206/493, 206/465, 206/466, D94/15
• US Class Current: 211/11
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 17/06 with parts, e.g. trays, movable on a pivot or by chains or belts movable-strip writing or reading apparatus B42D19/00
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 23/002 with a fixed base
• CPC Class Codes: B43M 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B43M 99/008 Desk-receptacles for holding writing appliances

Abstract

An embodiment of an organizer for a desk or other horizontal surface having an extending portion includes an elongated base assembly having a clamping member and a cover member for attaching to the extending portion, at least one fastening device for attaching the clamping member to the surface and for attaching the cover member to the clamping member, a pair of vertical supports adapted to be attached to the cover member and each support including a plurality of holes, and a plurality of horizontal accessory supporting rods extending from the slots in one of the vertical supports to the corresponding holes in the other vertical support.

Claims

1. An organizer to be secured to a desired surface having an extending portion comprising:

a base assembly comprising;

an elongated clamping member extending from a first end to a second end, the elongated clamping member having an upper portion, a lower portion and a channel between the upper portion and the lower portion, the upper portion comprising a first threaded hole located at the first end of the elongated clamping member and a second threaded hole located at the second end of the elongated clamping member;

the extending portion of the desired surface slidably inserted into the channel of the elongated clamping member;

a first bolt extending through and theadily engaging the first threaded hole and a second bolt extending through and theadily engaging the second threaded hole, the first and second bolts extending into the channel so as to compress the the extending portion of the desired surface between the lower portion of the elongated clamping member and the first and second bolts;

an elongated cover member having a rear portion, a forward portion and a channel in the rear portion, the elongated cover member positioned atop the desired surface so that the upper portion of the elongated clamping member nests within the channel of the elongated cover member and the forward portion contacts the desired surface so as to provide support to prevent the organizer from leaning forward, the first and second bolts extending through holes in the elongated cover member and extending upward from a top surface of the elongated cover member;

first and second supports, each of the first and second supports comprising a vertical member, a horizontal tab having a hole and extending from the vertical member, a plurality of spaced-apart holes along the vertical member;

the first support positioned so that the first bolt extends through the hole of the horizontal tab of the first support, the vertical member of the first support extending upward from the elongated cover member;

the second support positioned so that the second bolt extends through the hole of the horizontal tab of the second support, the vertical member of the second support extending upward from the elongated cover member;

a plurality of rods, each rod horizontally extending from one of the spaced-apart holes in the first support to a corresponding one of the spaced-apart holes in the second support; and

first and second nuts threadily respectively engaging the first and second bolts so as to fasten the first and second supports, the elongated cover member and the elongated clamping member together.

2. The organizer of claim 1 wherein the first and second threaded holes of the top portion of the elongated clamping member are formed by first and second nuts rigidly secured to the top portion of the elongated clamping member.

3. The organizer of claim 1 wherein as the first and second nuts are tightened to fasten the first and second supports, the elongated cover member and the elongated clamping member together, the compression of the the extending portion of the desired surface between the lower portion of the elongated clamping member and the first and second bolts is increased.

4. The organizer of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second supports further comprise an offset member that is substantially parallel to and offset from the vertical member, the offset members of the first and second supports substantially enclosing open ends of the channel of the elongated cover member.

5. The organizer of claim 1 wherein the elongated cover member further comprises a first slot and a second slot, the first and second supports extending through the first and second slots of the elongated cover member respectively.

6. The organizer of claim 1 wherein the forward portion of the elongated cover member comprises a bottom surface that contacts the desired surface, the bottom surface compressed against the desired surface when the first and second nuts are threadily engaged to the first and second bolts.

7. The organizer of claim 1 wherein the forward portion of the elongated cover member comprises a curved top surface forming a well.

8. The organizer of claim 1 wherein the first and second bolts are elevator bolts having a slotted top surface.

9. The organizer of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of retainers for securing the rods to the first and second supports, the plurality of rods including at least one groove for mating with the one of the plurality of retainers.

10. The organizer of claim 1 further comprising an organization accessory having a pair of hooks for hanging the accessory from one or more of the rods.

11. The organizer of claim 10 wherein each of the hooks comprises a vertical portion that contacts at least two of the rods, thereby supporting the accessory in a substantially horizontal orientation from the rods.

12. The organizer of claim 10 wherein the accessory is selected from a group consisting of a tray and a cup holder.

13. An organizer to be secured to a desired surface having an extending portion comprising:

a base assembly comprising;

a clamping member having a channel and a pair of threaded holes forming passageways into the channel;

the extending portion of the desired surface slidably inserted into the channel of the clamping member;

a pair of bolts theadily engaging the threaded holes and extending into the channel so as to compress the extending portion of the desired surface between the clamping member and the pair of bolts;

a cover member having a rear portion, a forward portion and a channel in the rear portion, the cover member positioned atop the desired surface so that a portion of the clamping member nests within the channel of the cover member and the forward portion rests atop the desired surface so as to provide support that prevents the organizer from leaning forward, top portions of the bolts extending through holes in the cover member and protruding upward from the cover member;

a rack assembly comprising a pair of vertical spaced-apart supports and a plurality of horizontal rods extending between and supported by the pair of vertical supports, the plurality of rods arranged in a spaced-apart manner;

the rack assembly connected to the base assembly and extending upward from the cover member;

a pair of nuts threadily engaged to the top portions of the bolts that fasten the cover member and the clamping member together; and

wherein when the pair of nuts are tightened to fasten the cover member and the clamping member together, the compression of the extending portion of the desired surface between the elongated clamping member and the first and second bolts is increased.

14. The organizer of claim 13 wherein the pair of threaded holes of the clamping member are formed by a pair of nuts welded to the clamping member.

15. The organizer of claim 13 wherein when the pair of nuts are tightened to fasten the cover member and the clamping member together, the forward portion of the cover member is compressed against the desired surface.

16. The organizer of claim 13 wherein the pair of supports further comprise an offset member that is substantially parallel to and offset from the vertical member, the offset members extending over sides of the cover member.

17. The organizer of claim 13 wherein the forward portion of the cover member comprises a curved top surface forming a well.

18. The organizer of claim 13 further comprising:

an organization accessory having a pair of hooks for hanging the accessory from one or more of the rods;

wherein each of the hooks comprises a vertical portion that contacts at least two of the rods, thereby supporting the accessory in a substantially horizontal orientation from the rods; and

wherein the accessory is selected from a group consisting of a tray and a cup holder.

19. An organizer to be secured to a desk surface having an extending portion comprising:

a base assembly comprising;

at least one clamping member having a channel and a threaded hole forming a passageway into the channel;

the extending portion of the desk surface slidably inserted into the channel of the clamping member;

a bolt theadily engaging the threaded hole and extending into the channel of the clamping member so as to secure the clamping member against the extending portion of the desk surface;

a cover member having a rear portion, a forward portion and a cavity in the rear portion, the cover member positioned atop the desk surface so that a portion of the clamping member nests within the cavity of the cover member and the forward portion rests atop the desk surface, a top portion of the bolt extending through a hole in the cover member;

a rack assembly comprising a pair of vertical spaced-apart supports and a plurality of horizontal rods extending between and supported by the pair of vertical supports, the plurality of rods arranged in a spaced-apart manner;

the rack assembly connected to the base assembly and extending upward from the cover member; and

a nut threadily engaged to the top portion of the bolt that;

(1) compresses the forward portion of the cover member against the desk surface so as to provide support that prevents the organizer from leaning forward; and

(2) further secures the clamping member against the extending portion of the desk surface.