Remote control organizer

A remote control organizer, with releaseable attachment for securing and supporting a plurality of remote control units, while said remote control units are in use, which control electronic entertainment equipment, comprising of two structural members, one disposed on the other forming an internal storage cavity for a television program guide and a suitable location for securing and supporting a cable channel guide. Said organizer having handle portions to provide a single hand grasping and pick up without the accidental pushing of buttons on said remote control units.

The present invention relates generally to an article of manufacture to be 
used in conjunction with electronic entertainment equipment. More 
particularly, said article relates to organizing multiple hand held remote 
control units, while in user for controlling television, video cassette 
recorder, and stereo component equipment (compact disc players, stereo 
receivers, etc.). In addition, said article of this invention has 
provision for storage of television program guide and location for cable 
channel guide. 
It is common for users of electronic entertainment equipment to handle 
multiple remote control units for said equipment as well as television 
program guides and cable channel guides at essentially the same time, 
therefore resulting in unnecessary complexity of handling said remote 
controls and guides. Said complexity commonly results in misplacement and 
also potential damage of said remote controls and guides. Said 
misplacement and potential damage is further enhanced in the presence of 
unsupervised pets and small children. 
The disadvantages of remote control holders, as defined in the following 
U.S. patents are: 
i) In U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,670 to Timberlake, the geometry of the rack 
structure is limited to supporting only two remote controls as well as 
limits the compatibility to universally receive remote controls of diverse 
shapes and sizes. The strap fastening means for remote control fastening 
is restrictive with regards to having the remote control buttons exposed 
for use. The basic geometrical layout creates an article which is 
expensive to manufacture and does not address the need for ease of 
mobility to place the said rack out of reach of unsupervised pets and 
small children. The side by side orientation of television program guide, 
remote control support and video cassette recorder tape support creates a 
placement area requirement for said rack which is not compact. Although 
the television program guide is exposed for use, said guide is also 
exposed to become easily damaged. 
ii) In U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,892 to Burrell, although the holder is cost 
effective to manufacture, any one of the disclosed embodiments is unduly 
restrictive due to the pre-selected number of fastening faces for remote 
controls. Furthermore, the disclosed embodiments are only intended for use 
in the operator's hand, requiring the operator to move said holder from 
its' normally stored position and orientating the said article to access 
the desired remote control and further orientation for its' use. Although 
partially addressed, we believe this excessive manipulation would result 
in accidental pushing of buttons on said remote controls. Burrell also 
discloses embodiments for accepting literature that would require 
excessive handling while retrieving and storing the said literature. Said 
excessive handling would also result in accidental damage to said 
literature. Yet another disadvantage of Burrell's disclosed embodiments is 
poor stability in the stored position due to the high center of gravity 
and lack of anti-skid feet. 
iii) In U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,817 to VonKleist et al., has disclosed a caddy 
where the principal structure comprises of four separate members which 
need to be structurally joined together resulting in an unduly complex 
assembly creating unnecessary cost. Vonkleist et al. was remiss in 
addressing the need for easy mobility and use in hand with regards to 
single hand pick up from the surface on which the caddy rests without 
accidentally pushing the buttons on the fastened remote controls on said 
caddy. VonKleist et al. discloses a storage compartment for an 
entertainment guide of which defined geometry results in undue restriction 
to the depth of said insertion being a fraction of the overall cavity 
depth due to the thickness of the said guide. As the thickness of the said 
guide increases, the allowable said insertion depth decreases resulting in 
less utilization of the said storage compartment. Also, as the said 
utilization of the said storage compartment decreases, the likelihood of 
accidental damage to said guide and its' ease of fall-out during handling 
of said caddy increases. Furthermore, the disclosed opening of the said 
storage compartment also results in ease of fall-out of said guide of any 
size during handling of said caddy. 
iv) In U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,389 to Self, has disclosed a bracket assembly 
with side rails which does not address the need for easy mobility and use 
in hand with regards to single hand pick up from the surface on which the 
said bracket assembly rests without accidentally pushing the buttons on 
the adhered instruments on said bracket assembly. Self also did not 
consider the need for literature storage. We have found the disclosed 
geometry to be wasteful in the use of "Velcro". The disclosed embodiment 
of the bracket assembly is unduly limited due to the relationship of the 
number of fingers, shapes and sizes of instruments and variable locations 
of battery compartments thereon, increasing the risk of the instrument 
"Velcro" portions bridging the joints of said battery compartments thereby 
making battery changes difficult and the need to replace the "Velcro" due 
to the degradation of the said "Velcro" adhesive on disassembly. Another 
limitation of Self's embodiments is the requirement to have at least one 
instrument bridge at least one finger on each subunit thereby restricting 
users' choice for instrument positioning. Other disadvantages of Self's 
disclosed embodiments are poor stability while resting on its' support 
surface due to the lack of anti-skid feet and potential marring on its' 
support surface due to the lack of anti-marring feet. 
v) In U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,658 to Novak, has disclosed a holder for remote 
control units, said holder is unduly complex in its' use of interlocking 
teeth to adjust to the width of the said remote control unit and its' use 
of mortise and mating tenon to join holders for extra said remote control 
units and therefore the number of component members are excessive. Novak 
also did not consider the need for literature storage. Other disadvantages 
of Novak's embodiments are poor stability while resting on its' support 
surface due to the lack of anti-skid feet and potential marring on its' 
support surface due to the lack of anti-marring feet. 
vi) In U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,746 to Wells et al., has disclosed an electronic 
control unit storing apparatus of defined geometry, where each electronic 
control unit has its' individual exterior cell, the disclosed embodiments 
do not provide for the averaging of the combined widths of multiple 
electronic control units, thereby increasing the likelihood of any one 
electronic control unit not fitting said exterior cell. Furthermore, the 
said geometry requires the operator to orientate the said apparatus to 
access the desired said electronic control unit. The manipulation required 
to obtain the said orientation would result in accidental pushing of 
buttons on said electronic control units. Wells et al. also discloses 
embodiments of which an interior cell is capable of receiving articles for 
storage and when the stored article is literature, excessive handling is 
required while retreiving and storing said literature (ie. literature 
curling). Said excessive handling would also result in accidental damage 
to said literature. Other disadvantages of Wells et. al.'s embodiments are 
poor stability while resting on its' support surface due to the lack of 
anti-skid feet and potential marring on its' support surface due to the 
lack of anti-marring feet. 
vii) In U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,609 to Meghnot, has disclosed a device for 
holding only two separate remote control units. Meghnot also did not 
consider the need for literature storage. Other disadvantages of Meghnot's 
disclosed embodiment are poor stability while resting on its' support 
surface due to the lack of anti-skid feet and potential marring on its' 
support surface due to the lack of anti-marring feet. 
viii) In U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,505 to Lowe, has disclosed a holder for remote 
controllers, said holder has the same disadvantages as described under 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,892 to Burrell with the exception of anti-skid feet. 
ix) In U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,059 to Butler, has disclosed an improved 
cushioning device for remote control television equipment which unduly 
limits the compatibility to universally receive remote controls of diverse 
shapes and sizes. More particularly the open cavity therein adapted to 
grippingly receive a remote control device will have dimensions such that 
only a particular family of remote controls having required size will fit 
the said open cavity. Butler also discloses a pocket for reception of a 
television program guide that would require excessive manipulation to 
insert said guide. Said excessive manipulation would also result in 
accidental damage to said guide. 
x) In U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,683 to Ferrante, has disclosed a holder for 
TV/VCR remote control units, said holder is simply a storage device not 
intended for receiving remote control units while said remote control 
units are in use. 
xi) In U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,887 to Beach, has disclosed a rack for storing 
stereo and television remote control devices which has the same 
disadvantages as U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,683 to Ferrante. 
xii) In U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,693 to Striplin, has disclosed a device for 
supporting remote control units, said device is unduly complex with 
regards to clutching indexing method, bearings, shaft, base and rotating 
member for remote control unit mounting. Another disadvantage of said 
device is that orientation is required to select desired remote control 
unit and also this manipulation would result in accidental pushing of 
buttons on said remote control unit. Striplin's disclosed embodiments are 
also restrictive due to the requirement of the pre-selected number of 
remote control units. Striplin also did not consider the need for 
literature storage. Further disadvantages of Striplin's disclosed 
embodiments are poor stability while resting on its' support surface due 
to the lack of anti-skid feet and potential marring on its' support 
surface due to the lack of anti-marring feet. 
xiii) In U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,412 to Seymour et al., has disclosed an 
infrared remote control unit integrator console, said console is unduly 
complex with regards to detectors, amplifiers and emittors which would 
become cost prohibitive. Seymour et al. also did not consider the need for 
literature storage. 
xiv) In U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,792 to Rogalski, has disclosed a holder for VCR 
and TV remote controls, said holder would unduly limit the compatibility 
to universally receive remote controls of diverse shapes and sizes. 
Furthermore, the remote control fastening method is restrictive with 
regards to having the remote control buttons exposed for use due to the 
diverse shapes, sizes, placement and orientation of remote control 
buttons. Rogalski also did not consider the need for literature storage. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide an article of 
manufacture which will overcome all of the above said disadvantages in a 
simple, compact, light-weight, easily handled (highly mobile), durable, 
low cost manner for use on coffee tables, users' laps, floors, and in 
users' hands. Accordingly, the present invention comprises: a remote 
control organizer having releaseable attachment means for securing and 
supporting a plurality of remote control units of diverse shapes and 
sizes, while said remote controls are in use; a concealed, protected, 
generally captive and gravity dispensable storage means for a television 
program guide; a means for securing and supporting a cable channel guide, 
independently of other literature, while said cable channel guide is in 
use; a single hand grasping, pick up and handling means, without the 
accidental pushing of buttons on said remote controls, thereby providing 
quick and easy handling (mobility) of said remote control organizer, while 
said remote control organizer is in use and when placed out of reach of 
unsupervised pets and small children. 
The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be 
better appreciated and understood from the following detailed description 
and the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIGS. 5 to 8, inclusive, the remote control organizer 10 
comprises of two major structural components, housing 20 and base 50. Said 
housing 20 is formed from a single sheet of thermoplastic material by the 
vacuum thermoforming process. It should be appreciated that the said 
housing 20 could be produced using other processes, such as injection 
molding, but it is believed that the vacuum thermoforming process is the 
most cost effective, especially if initial tooling costs are considered. 
Base 50 is an essentially rectangular flat planar member which is simply 
produced by cutting from a flat sheet material. Generally rectangular 
annular portion 29 having skirt portion 31 is designed to receive and 
locate said base 50. Said housing 20 and said base 50 are simply joined 
together using hot melt adhesive (not shown). It should be appreciated 
that other joining means, such as snap fits, could be utilized. 
Elastomeric feet 70 are joined at each corner of exposed planar surface 52 
of said base 50 with adhesive (not shown), thereby providing anti-skid and 
anti-mar characteristics to said organizer 10 when resting on horizontal 
support surface 300, as best illustrated in FIG. 5. 
As best seen in FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive, generally rectangular surface 
portion 26 of said housing 20 is designed to support remote control units 
of diverse shapes and sizes (shown in phantom). There is no practical 
limitation to the length of said remote control units to be supported on 
said surface portion 26 since said remote control units may extend 
outwardly beyond outside front surface 33 of said housing 20, said outside 
front surface 33 can be best seen in FIG. 1. Again, referring to FIGS. 1 
to 4, inclusive, the width of said surface portion 26 is bounded by right 
handle portion 21 and left handle portion 22 of said housing 20. It should 
be appreciated, said width can be selected to accomodate any plurality of 
said remote control units of diverse shapes and sizes. In the interest of 
compactness it has been determined that said width being approximately 
eight inches will accomodate the average of the combined widths of the 
vast majority of the diverse shapes, sizes and quantity of said remote 
control units normally found in North American households. It should also 
be appreciated that said surface portion 26 can be inclined at a non-zero 
angle relative to the plane of said base 50 to enhance user visibility and 
operation of buttons on said remote control units. Referring to FIG. 4, 
said remote controls are releaseably attached to said surface portion 26 
by user installed "Velcro" hook buttons 80 on said surface portion 26 and 
"Velcro" loop buttons 90 on the supporting face of said remote controls. 
It should be appreciated that said "Velcro" loop buttons 90 will not snag 
users' clothing while using or servicing the said remote control unit 
independent of said organizer 10. It has been determined that for each of 
said remote control units, four sets of said "Velcro" hook and loop 
buttons, 80 and 90, approximately one-half inch in diameter, will provide 
adequate fastening means to overcome gravity and mechanical shock 
encountered during normal use of said organizer 10. It should be 
appreciated said quantity and size of said "Velcro" buttons, 80 and 90, is 
not wasteful in said useage. It should be further appreciated said user 
installed "Velcro" loop buttons 90 significantly reduces the risk of 
bridging the joint between battery compartment cover and body of said 
remote control unit eliminating the wastage and user inconvenience of 
removing said "Velcro" loop button 90 during battery replacement of said 
remote control unit. The positioning of said "Velcro" buttons 80 and 90, 
as illustrated, are generally concealed from view when said remote control 
units are installed on said organizer 10, thereby preventing accidental 
snagging to articles, such as clothing, onto said "Velcro" hook buttons 
80. 
As best illustrated in FIG. 6, said right handle portion 21 and said left 
handle portion 22 of said housing 20 has an elevated geometry relative to 
said surface portion 26 providing structural rigidity for said housing 20. 
It should be appreciated said structural rigidity allows for thinner said 
sheet useage hence less cost and less weight for said housing 20. Said 
handle portions 21 and 22 further comprises of rib portions 23, 24 and 25. 
Said rib portions further enhance said structural rigidity. Center rib 
portion 23 of said handle portions 21 and 22 is of a higher elevation than 
inner rib portion 24 and outer rib portion 25. Said rib portions 24 and 25 
are essentially of the same elevation. 
Referring to FIG. 2, the width of said rib portion 24 guarantees clearance 
between said rib portion 23 and said user installed remote control units. 
Said clearance in combination with said higher elevation of said rib 
portion 23 relative to said rib portion 24 provides an ergonomically 
acceptable grasping means for the user's thumb, shown in phantom, thereby 
allowing single hand pick up of the said organizer 10 from horizontal 
support surface 300 without the accidental pushing of buttons on said 
remote control units. It should be appreciated said grasping means 
provides easy and convenient mobility and hand held use of said organizer 
10 as best illustrated in FIG. 3. Again referring to FIG. 2, the elevation 
clearance generated between bottom edge portion 32 of said housing 20 and 
said support surface 300 is provided by the elevation of said feet 70 
further enhances said grasping means of said organizer 10 by allowing the 
user's fore finger tip, shown in phantom, to grip said edge 32. 
Referring to FIGS. 5, 7, and 8, three edge surfaces of said base 50 are 
essentially in physical contact with said skirt 31. It should be 
appreciated that said physical contact significantly enhances the 
structural rigidity of said organizer 10. Exposed edge surface 51 of said 
base 50 is remotely positioned and essentially parallel to inside rear 
surface 27 resulting in a rectangular opening between said base 50 and 
said housing 20 in the same plane as said base 50 for receiving television 
program guide 100. The space between said housing 20 and said base 50 
defines a storage cavity where the elevation of said inside rear surface 
27 of said housing 20 with respect to the planar surface of said base 50 
and suitable dimensions for said rectangular opening allows for storage of 
said guide 100 having various thicknesses. It should be appreciated that 
this geometry provides essentially 100 per cent. utilization of the 
cross-sectional area of said organizer 10 in the same plane as said base 
50 for the storage of said guide 100. It should be further appreciated 
that said geometry substantially reduces the chance of accidental fall-out 
of said guide 100 during intended handling of said organizer 10. 
With reference to FIG. 7, said rear surface 27 has an inclined angle of 
about 70 degrees relative to the plane of said base 50. Said inclined 
angle in combination with said rectangular opening allows for convenient 
dispensing of said guide 100 from said storage cavity, due to gravity, 
when said organizer 10 is intentionally tilted to an inclined angle of 
about 60 degrees to about 90 degrees relative to the horizontal, as 
illustrated. It should be appreciated that in any other orientation during 
intended handling of said organizer 10, the guide 100 will be retained in 
said storage cavity. The said geometry provides concealed, protected, 
generally captive and gravity dispensable storage means for said guide 100 
most often found in North American households. 
With reference to FIG. 8, said planar surface 52 of said base 50 provides a 
rectangular area suitable for supporting user installed cable channel 
guide 200 by means of double-sided adhesive tape 201, thereby providing 
additional utility and convenience of said organizer 10. 
It should be appreciated that the exposed viewed surfaces of said housing 
20 as generally seen in FIGS. 1 and 3 as well as said exposed planar 
surface 52 of said base 50 as seen in FIG. 8 maybe lightly textured to 
significantly reduce common problems of imperfections and fingerprinting 
on flat surfaces without a significant negative effect on adhesive bonds. 
Said organizer 10 as shown and described is a simple, compact, 
light-weight, easily handled (highly mobile), durable, low cost remote 
control organizer for use on coffee tables, users' laps, floors, in users' 
hands comprising: releaseable attachment means for securing and supporting 
a plurality of remote control units of diverse shapes and sizes, while 
said remote controls are in use; a concealed, protected, generally captive 
and gravity dispensable storage means for a television program guide; a 
means for securing and supporting a cable channel guide, independently of 
other literature, while said cable channel guide is in use; a single hand 
grasping, pick up and handling means, without the accidental pushing of 
buttons on said remote controls, thereby providing quick and easy handling 
(mobility) of said remote control organizer, while said remote control 
organizer is in use and when placed cut of reach of unsupervised pets and 
small children. 
Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiment of the 
invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope 
thereof. Accordingly, that scope is intended to be limited only by the 
scope of the appended claims.