Infant products organizer

A portable infant products organizer comprising a flexible covering conforming in shape to an insert which is of rigid construction for insertion into a storage cavity of the covering and which may be removed from the cavity in order to visually observe the plurality of products carried on the insert. The insert includes a rigid bottom having upright supports for slidably accommodating at least a pair of panels. The outside surface of each panel includes a plurality of flexible clamps, studs, snaplock components or the like which are available for detachably receiving a multiplicity of infant care supplies or products. The storage insert further includes a central storage compartment separating the pair of panels for accommodating additional supplies such as towels, pads, etc. Handle members are provided on each of the respective panels so that the user may remove either one of the pair of panels from the insert while the insert is in the storage compartment of the covering.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to the field of infant care apparatus, and 
more particularly to an infant care organizer for storing a plurality of 
baby and infant items, such as bottles, diapers, and other infant care 
supplies. 
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
Conventionally, a multiplicity of storage cases, containers and bags are 
known for carrying and storing infant care supplies. As an example, diaper 
bags are probably the most common of such devices and typically are fabric 
bags for storing both clean and soiled diapers, bottles, tissues, hand 
towels and the like. Some diaper bags have separate compartments for 
bottles while other diaper bags provide for storage of a changing pad. 
Still another currently available container for transporting infant 
supplies resides in changing bags or the like having a small sack closable 
by a drawstring and having a number of external pockets. Spare disposable 
pads and liners are carried in the sack and ointments, talcum powder and 
other supplies can be fitted into the external pockets. 
Although such prior containers, bags and sacks simplify the transportation 
of infant care supplies, such apparatus do not provide ready access to 
selected items and oftentimes mix the items which makes selection of a 
desired supply difficult to find. Furthermore, the provision for external 
pockets is greatly limited and only a reduced number of supplies can be 
carried in such pockets. In modern day infant care, a great many separate 
and individual care supplies and items are necessary and organization of 
such items and supplies in a carrier or container is greatly needed. 
Some attempts have been made to provide a suitable portable carrying case 
for baby and infant care supplies such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 
5,062,557; 4,781,277 and 2,631,632. However, these disclosures are not 
pertinent since the apparatus relates to external storage pockets, 
maintenance of supplies in a cool environment and fully enclosed storage 
of supplies without provision for convenient visual selection and removal 
of stored product or supply. 
Therefore, a long-standing need has existed to provide an infant or baby 
supply organizer which will hold the multiplicity of individual items and 
containers and which may be readily made visible for individual selection 
by the user when it is desired to remove one such item or container from 
the multiplicity. Also, from a sanitary and transportation consideration, 
external pockets are not preferred since items and supplies can 
inadvertently fall from such external storage. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, the above problems and difficulties are avoided by the present 
invention which provides a novel portable baby or infant supply organizer 
comprising a flexible covering having the shape of an insert which is of 
rigid construction and may be readily introduced into a storage cavity 
within the covering and readily removed from the cavity in order to 
visually observe the plurality of supplies carried on the insert. The 
insert includes a rigid bottom having upright supports for slidably 
accommodating at least a pair of panels. The outside surface of each panel 
includes a plurality of flexible clamps, studs, snaplock components or the 
like which are available for detachably receiving a multiplicity of baby 
and infant care supplies. The storage insert further includes a central 
storage compartment separating the pair of panels for accommodating 
additional supplies such as towels, pads or the like. Handle means are 
provided on each of the respective panels so that the user may readily 
remove either one of the pair of panels from the insert while the insert 
is in the storage compartment of the covering. 
The releasable or detachable mountings carried on the external surface of 
the panel may readily connect with any one one of the plurality of infant 
care supplies that may include supplies within containers of a cylindrical 
configuration, box-like configuration, or any other shape whether the 
supply container is composed of rigid material, such as metal or a soft 
material such as plastic. Containers for holding infant care supplies may 
be detachably connected to the snap-on lugs or studs carried on each of 
the respective panels and detent means are provided on each of the 
respective panels for releasably holding the panels to the upright frame 
carried on the insert base. 
Therefore, it is among the primary objects of the present invention to 
provide a novel baby or infant care supply organizer in a manner whereby 
the user may readily observe the respective supplies and make a visual 
selection without disturbing or removing non-selected supplies. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel infant care 
supply organizer which provides a removable insert on which a plurality of 
care products are detachably stored whereby the insert is provided with a 
soft fabric cover so that the supplies are internally stored without the 
need for external pockets. 
Still a further object is to provide a baby bag organizer which is adapted 
to operate as a baby diaper bag container to be used with any standard 
size open-top diaper bag. 
Another object resides in providing a base adapted to be inserted into a 
covering and wherein the base includes at least two sliding side 
organizing panels on which a plurality of care supplies are releasably or 
detachably carried. 
A further object resides in providing a baby or infant care supply 
organizer that includes a fabric container with an open cavity into which 
an insert is removably carried and on which a plurality of releasable and 
detachable fasteners are carried for holding the care supplies.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIG. 1, the novel baby and infant care supply organizer is 
indicated in the general direction of arrow 10 which includes an exterior 
cover or container 11 which is preferably of a square of rectangular shape 
having a bottom two ends and two sides. The opposite sides, as indicated 
by numerals 12 and 13, are provided with handles 14 and 15 adapted to be 
hand-held by the user for transportation and carrying purposes. The cover 
11 is composed of a pliable and soft fabric or other suitable material 
which serves to protect the interior storage compartment. The top of the 
cover or container 11 includes flaps 16 and 17 which may be used to cover 
an opening leading into the interior storage compartment. The ends of the 
container are illustrated and numeral 18 refers to one end which is broken 
away to expose the interior storage compartment. Also, the broken away 
portion illustrates that within the storage compartment, there is provided 
a framework broadly indicated by numeral 20. Therefore, when it is desired 
to open the container 11, the flaps 15 and 16 are folded over against the 
respective handles 14 and 15 and the interior frame 20 is exposed. The 
frame 20 forms a major portion of an insert which may be lifted out of the 
storage compartment and the insert includes means for carrying the infant 
care supplies in an organized and convenient manner. 
Referring now in detail to FIG. 2, the removable insert is broadly 
indicated in the direction of arrow 21 and includes a base 22 adapted to 
rest against the bottom of the container 11 when the insert is within the 
internal storage compartment. The base 22 supports a frame consisting of 
upright posts or stanchions 23, 24, 25 and 26. The posts or stanchions 
support side members 25 and 26 as well as end members 27 and 28. The side 
and end members as well as the posts or stanchions provide a rigid 
framework which is carried on the base 22. In addition to supporting the 
end and side members, the posts are provided with slots so as to slidably 
capture the opposite ends of a pair of panels such as panel 30 and panel 
31 carried on opposite sides of a framework in fixed spaced-apart 
relationship. 
Referring to panels 30 and 31, it can be seen that the panels are in a 
raised position in broken lines and are in a storage position in solid 
lines. Either of the panels may be easily lifted from the frame by the 
user employing the handles formed in the top of each panel, such as handle 
32. Each panel, such as panel 30, includes a supply holding or retaining 
means of external surface for releasably or detachably supporting a 
plurality of care products or supplies. For example, a plurality of 
snap-lock components, such as studs as represented by numeral 33, 
outwardly project from the surface in order to snap-lock in retaining 
engagement with any one of a plurality of holders. It is noted that the 
studs 33 are generally located in sets at different locations on the panel 
30. Each set of studs is available for attachment with a selected one of a 
multiplicity of holders. For example, a bottle holder 34 may be suitably 
carried on studs so as to outwardly project. The holder includes a 
recessed base 35 for supporting a baby bottle while the upper part of the 
bottle can fit into a clamp 36. With respect to other infant care 
supplies, boxes and small containers may be snap-locked onto the studs and 
such additional containers are shown in broken lines. 
Referring now in detail to FIG. 3, it can be seen that selected posts, such 
as posts 23 and 29, include a base from which a slotted member 36 is 
received in a receptacle 37. This is more clearly shown in FIG. 4. 
However, the slotted member 36 is integrally carried on the opposite ends 
of panel 25 and the member 36 is received within the openings 37 of the 
fitting 29. It can also be seen that the interior storage compartment of 
the insert 21 is defined by the opposite ends 27 and 28 as well as by 
sides 40 and 41. Therefore, the panels 40 and 41 may also be selectively 
raised from the framework without disturbing the panels 30 or 31, if 
desired. It is to be understood that the invention may include a single 
panel 30 or may include a pair of panels 30 and 31. 
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, it can be seen that the panel 40 includes a pin 
42 which is insertably received through a groove in the fixture 29. The 
pin and groove serve as a guide for raising and lowering the panels 40 and 
41 individually or in unison. Also, it can be seen that the panels 30 and 
31 include a resilient detent means 43 which includes a detent that is 
resiliently mounted so as to releasably engage with an opening or hole 44 
in the wall 25. Thus, yieldable resistance is provided by the detent means 
to the raising and lowering of the panels 30 and 31 within the framework. 
FIG. 5 more clearly shows the detent action with respect to the opening 44 
as a yieldable retainer. 
Referring to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, a variety of containers and snap-on holders 
are illustrated. In FIG. 6, a shelf 50 may be mounted onto the front 
surface of panel 30 by means of snap-locking fasteners together, as 
previously described, utilizing the studs 33 as one component and mating 
studs on the back of the holder 50. The studs cooperate to snap-lock 
together in a conventional manner so as to support the shelf 50. The shelf 
includes a back wall 51 holding the studs matable with the studs 33 and 
further includes a forward facing shelf 52 which has a pair of 
spaced-apart holes 53 and 54 for insertably receiving downwardly depending 
projections 55 and 56 extending beneath a box-like holder 5. The holder 
includes a lid 57. Therefore, it can be seen that a box may be employed to 
hold any one of the plurality of infant care products or supplies and that 
the box is detachably mounted to the shelf 52. The shelf 50 may be 
detachably connected with the face of panel 30 by means of the snap-lock 
studs. 
Referring now in detail to FIG. 7, another container is illustrated having 
a back wall 60 on which matable studs are provided for attachment to the 
studs 33 on the external face of panel 30. The wall 60 supports a box 61 
having an opening front which is closed by a pivotal cover or lid 62. The 
lid is pivotally mounted by means of pivot arrangement 63 located on 
opposites sides of the lid or cover 62. 
Referring to FIG. 8, a holder 34 is illustrated having an elongated 
midsection 70 which has a clamp-type member 71 integrally formed at one 
end and a base 72 formed at its opposite end. The base includes the 
previously described recess 35 while the upper portion or member 71 
includes the clamp 36. It can be seen that a plurality of studs 73 are 
carred on the back side of the holder 34 and these studs include recesses 
operable to snap-lock with the studs 33 on the exterior surface of panel 
30. The same kind of stud arrangements as shown in FIG. 8 are used on the 
walls 51 and 60 of the shelf and box shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. 
In view of the foregoing, it can be seen that the baby or infant care 
supply organizer of the present invention provides a novel means for 
carrying a plurality of such items in a convenient and easily accessible 
arrangement. When it is desired to use any of the supplies, the user can 
withdraw either one or both of the two panels from the respective frame 
and can visually and manually select the items intended to be used. The 
items are carried in the respective holders and boxes as well as in the 
central compartment between the slidable panels. The entire assemblage of 
supplies, the frame and the insertable panels are carried within an 
enclosing soft cover including handles so that the assemblage can be 
carried from place to place. 
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and 
described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and 
modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its 
broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover 
all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and 
scope of this invention.