Abstract:
A refrigerating or freezing cabinet may include any number of drawers, bins, baskets, or other compartments. In at least one compartment at least one organizational partition is inserted to divide products and food substances within the at least one compartment of the refrigerating or freezing cabinet. The partition may be a plurality of shapes and sizes, and may have an attachment means to secure it within the refrigerating or freezing cabinet. An attachment means or clip may also be provided to secure products or food substances with the cabinet.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to an organization system configured in refrigerators and freezers, more particularly, the disclosure relates to an organization system for organizing bags, bundles, and various others foods and containers within a refrigerating or freezing cavity. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Refrigerators or freezers may be configured with various shelves, drawers and compartment areas. A variety of food items having various shapes and sizes may be stored within the refrigerating and freezing cabinets. Some products are well suited for storage in drawers, others store well in baskets, and still others store well on shelves. Various food items tend to have abstract shapes with uneven surfaces and are frequently piled within a drawer or spread out on a shelf. Some examples of such food items having irregular dimensions include deli meat, sliced or shredded cheese, string cheese, nuts and dried fruits, bag salads, and homemade items or leftover products from meals, which are stored in varying sizes and styles of plastic freezer containers. The variety of shapes and sizes of these food items results in the foods being piled together in the drawer or spread out on a shelf. 
         [0003]    A resulting consequence storing food items in this manner is that users will have difficulty sifting through the disarray of food items in order to find the desired item or items. Additionally, if the drawer becomes full these various items will tend to shift during storage and may spill or overflow into another area of the refrigerator or freezer cabinet causing the food items to be damaged or unable to be found prior to spoilage. Additionally, these items may be caused to move while searching for a desired food item due to a lack of containment. Another related issue is that frequently these various shaped food items are stored in the crisper or deli drawers when they are foods that may not benefit from the containment especially items that do not benefit from being in such humidity controlled environment. As a result, items that would benefit from a humidity controlled environment will not fit due to the addition of these various other food items. Therefore, there is a need in the refrigeration appliance industry for an organization system configured within the refrigerator and/or freezer. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    An embodiment may include at least one organizational partition, for use in a refrigerating or freezing compartment. The partition has a front and a rear surface, and an edge extending from at least one end of the front and rear surface, the edge continuing around a perimeter of the partition. The partition may be inserted into a refrigerating or freezing cavity to form a division between a plurality of products and food substances which may be stored in the cavity. The partition may have various attachment means for attachment within the cavity, including, but not limited to clips for securing products thereto, and tabs for labeling or identifying stored contents. Further, an exemplary embodiment may use clips attached together or individually within the refrigerating or freezing cavity, wherein the clips may be fixed or movingly attached by an attachment means that enables at least one of rotational and translational movement within the cavity. 
         [0005]    It is a further object of the present disclosure to use an organization device, or a set of organization devices, in conjunction with a drawer, basket, or bin of a refrigerating or freezing compartment, or to use an organization device, or set of organization devices, in conjunction with a refrigerating or freezing cavity, to improve the organizational system of consumer refrigerating and freezing appliances. 
         [0006]    According to one aspect, a refrigerator or freezer may be provided with an interior compartment, such as a wire mesh basket or bin. Within the compartment is inserted one or more organizational partitions, which may be used to divide the space into smaller storage units. The organizational partitions attach to the side rails or bottom rails via an attaching mechanism that enables rotational or translational movement of the partitions within the mesh basket. 
         [0007]    According to another aspect, a refrigerator or freezer may be provided with an interior compartment, such as a solid bin or drawer. Within the compartment along the bottom wall of the compartment is inserted a partition assembly plate, which has a substantially smooth lower surface and an upper surface containing attachment means for attaching one or more organizational partitions to the partition assembly plate. This configuration may enable rotational or translational movement of the partitions within the solid drawer. Both of the above configurations may have organizational partitions which are oriented from front to rear, or from one side to the other side of the interior compartment. 
         [0008]    According to another aspect, a refrigerator or freezer may be provided with an interior compartment, the compartment being either wire mesh, solid, or any other configuration comprising a compartment for storage within the refrigerator or freezer cabinet. Organizational partitions may be inserted into the storage area according to one of the configurations above, and attached to at least one face of the one or more organizational partitions is a biased clip or fastener, which may be used for securing items to be stored within the storage space. The biased clip or fastener may be opened by pushing on the rearward portion of the clip such that stored items may be retrieved from the storage space. 
         [0009]    According to another aspect, a refrigerator or freezer may be provided with an interior space. Within the interior space a system of clips or fasteners may be mounted along a side or back wall, along the interior of the door, or along any combination of the interior surfaces of the refrigerator or freezer and its partitions, drawers, bins, or baskets. The system of clips may include a substantially rectangular panel on which is mounted one or more clips of various sizes, and in various configurations. The panel could also be any other useful shape to fix within an interior surface of the refrigerating or freezing cavity. The system of clips or fasteners may instead include one or more strands of clips attached in a more linear orientation, without the use of a shaped panel, each strand having one or more clips attached thereto. The system of clips may instead be composed of individual clips, each clip configured with and attaching element. In this configuration the clips may all attach using a similar attachment element, or the clips may use a diverse set of attachment elements configured for specific corresponding attachment locations within the storage space. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates an angled perspective view of a basket containing organizational partitions; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  illustrates an angled perspective view of partitions attached to a partition assembly plate; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  illustrates an angled perspective view of a partition assembly being inserted into a drawer; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  illustrates an angled perspective view of a partition assembly in a drawer; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  illustrates an angled perspective view of a basket containing an organizational partition, having clips attached thereto; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  illustrates a side perspective view of a refrigerating or freezing cavity; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  illustrates a front perspective view of a refrigerating or freezing cavity. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    The present disclosure provides for a refrigerating or freezing cavity containing at least one basket, bin, drawer, storage container, or storage space, wherein improved organization is accomplished by the use of at least one organizational partition, clip, or any combination thereof. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates a basket  30  configured to be used in a refrigerating or freezing cavity (illustrated as element  80 ,  FIGS. 6-7 ). The basket  30  may be configured in a plurality of shapes and sizes. The basket  30  may be at least one of fully and partially open on one or more sides, and the top. The basket  30  may have substantially vertical walls  32 , or one or more walls extending upward at some angle with a vertical plane, the walls forming an interior space  34 . At least one organizational partition  31  may be configured to rotatively or fixidly engage a portion of the basket  30  when inserted into the interior space  34  of the basket  30  to movably divide the interior space  34  into at least one product region  35 . The at least one organizational partition  31  may have a solid structure or the partition may have one or more open passages  41  to allow air flow through the partition. Additionally, the at least one partition  31  may be at least one of rigid and flexible in part or in its entirety. The at least one partition  31  may have an identifying mark or trademark  42  located somewhere on a surface of the partition. The at least one partition  31  may be designed such that the structure or surfaces of the partition  31  depict some food type or substance, or represent some other kind of identifying mark. 
         [0019]    The at least one partition  31  may be rectangular or any other shape configured to divide the interior space  34  into at least one product region  35 , such that the at least one partition  31  extends substantially from one side  32  of the basket  30  to the other side  32 , or from the front  37  of the basket  30  to the rear  38 , while also extending from the base  39  of the basket  30  to some point above the base  39  of the basket  30 . The at least one partition  31  may include as part of its structure at least one tab or protrusion  40  extending away from the main body of the partition  31 , such that the at least one protruding part  40  may be used for identification of food items or other substances placed in the adjoining product regions  35 . The tab or protrusion  40  may be located at any position along the top edge  36  of the partition  31 . If more than one partition  31  is inserted into the interior space  34 , the tab or protrusion  40  of each partition may be offset from the others by being located at a different position along the top edge  36  of the partition  31 . The protrusion  40  may be fixed, or slidably connected to the top edge  36  to allow adjustment along the top edge  36  of the partition  31  to achieve a plurality of configurations. 
         [0020]    The at least one partition  31  may fit loosely into the interior space  34 , or may be attachable to the basket  30  along at least one of the sides  32 , front  37 , rear  38 , and along the bottom  39  or any combination thereof, the attachment being accomplished by an exemplary attaching mechanism  33 , such as, but not limited to a male and female pinned connection. The attachment mechanism  33  may be configured to snap on to at least one of the side  32 , front  37 , rear  38 , and bottom  39  rails of the basket  30  or by some other means, and may be mounted in such a way as to allow the dividers  31  to be fixedly, slidably or rotationally adjustable within the interior space  34 . Additionally, clips or some other attachment means, such as, but not limited to hooks, elastic members or other resilient members may be fixed to the at least one partition  31 , for attachment or fastening of food items or other products within the at least one product region  35 . The partition  31  may be a rigid material, such as, but not limited to plastic, metal, wood, composite, or other suitable material that is usable within a refrigerating or freezing cavity. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  illustrates an alternate embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment a partition assembly plate  50  is provided, having a top surface  52  and a bottom surface  53 . The assembly plate  50  may be solid or contain open passages  54  to allow airflow through the assembly plate. Located adjacent to the top surface  52 , either above or below or both, is at least one attachment means  55  whereby at least one organizational partition  51  may be at least partially fixedly attached to the assembly plate  50 . The attachment means  55  may be configured to hold the at least one partition  51  firmly in place, or may be configured to allow slidable or rotational movement of the at least one partition  51  with respect to the assembly plate  50 . As described above, the at least one partition  51  may contain at least one clip or other attachment means similar to attachment means  33 , described above regarding  FIG. 1 , and may be any of various shapes or sizes to accommodate separation of an interior space into at least one product region. The at least one partition  51  may be solid or may contain open passages  58  to allow airflow through the partition  51 . The at least one partition  51  may have one or more tabs or protruding parts  57  to allow for identification of substances placed in the adjoining product regions (not shown). The at least one protrusion  57  may be fixed or movable along the top edge  56  of the partition  51 . The assembly plate  50  may be oriented within a basket, bin, drawer, or other space within the refrigerating or freezing cavity to facilitate organization of products therein. The assembly plate  50  may be oriented such that the partitions  51  run substantially from front to rear or from side to side within a drawer, bin, or basket, or in any other usable orientation within the refrigerating or freezing cavity. The partition  51  may be a plastic, metal, wood, composite, or other suitable material that is usable within a refrigerating or freezing cavity. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3  illustrates the partition assembly plate  50  and the at least one partition  51 , as described above, being coupled with a generally shaped drawer  60 , and configured for use in a refrigerating or freezing cavity  80 , illustrated in  FIGS. 6-7 . The assembly plate  50  may be oriented such that the at least one partition runs from side to side (as shown in  FIG. 3 ), or may be oriented such that the at least one partition runs from front to rear (not shown). The assembly plate  50  may be oriented such that the bottom surface  53  of the assembly plate  50  rests on the interior bottom surface  62  of the drawer  60 , bin, basket, or other refrigerating or freezing space. Additionally, the assembly plate  50  may be shaped such that it is rectangular or other geometric configuration to facilitate orientation within a drawer, bin, basket, or other space within the refrigerating or freezing cavity, the orientation being substantially at an angle  63  to an axis  61  running along the front of the drawer  60 , bin, basket, or refrigerating or freezing cavity. For example, the assembly plate  50  may be circular or hexagonal or some other shape to allow placement of the assembly plate  50  such that the at least one partition  51  runs at a  45  degree angle (not shown) to the axis  61 , or at some other angle to facilitate storage of abstract shaped and sized products. Additionally, the assembly plate  50  may rest on the interior bottom surface  62  of the drawer  60 , bin, basket, or other refrigerating or freezing cavity, or may have some attachment means whereby the bottom surface  53  of the assembly plate  50  may be fixedly attached to the interior bottom surface  62  of the drawer  60 , bin, basket, or other refrigerating or freezing cavity. 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  depicts a placement of the partition assembly plate  50  with at least one partition  51  into the interior space  64  of the drawer  60 , thereby creating at least one product region  65 . The assembly plate  50  may rest on the interior bottom surface  62 , or be fixedly attached thereto with some attachment means (not shown). 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  contains a depiction of a basket  70 , similar to the basket  30  in  FIG. 1 , containing at least one organizational partition  71  placed within the interior space  74  to create at least one product region  75 . The at least one partition  71  depicts one embodiment of a partition having a solid structure  72 . The structure  72  may be rigid or flexible to accommodate orientation of abstractly shaped products within the at least one product region  75 . The at least one partition  71  may contain at least one clip or other attachment means  73  whereby products or food substances may be fastened thereto and secured within the at least one product region  75 . The at least one clip  73  may be oriented on the front, rear, or any other surface of the at least one partition  71  to facilitate organization or securing of products or food substances. Additionally, the at least one clip  73  may have attachment means (not shown) such that it is movable to multiple positions along any surface of the at least one partition  71 . The partition  71  of  FIG. 5  doesn&#39;t depict a tab or protruding part  40 , as in  FIG. 1 , however, it is understood that the partition  71  may be configured in any manner as described above, including various shapes, sizes, and orientations, and having any or none of various attachment means to be secured or fit loosely within a basket, bin, drawer, or other refrigerating or freezing cavity. 
         [0025]      FIG. 6  depicts an organizational partition or panel  81  containing at least one clip or attachment means  83  secured to a surface  82  of the partition or panel  81  with any of various attachment mechanisms (not shown). The at least one clip  83  may be oriented in any configuration to enable fastening of products or food substances  86 , and in the case of at least one additional clip  84 , may be oriented linearly, in rows or columns, a grid, asymmetrically, or any other of various configurations to facilitate organization of products or food substances  86  within the bin, basket, drawer, or other refrigerating or freezing cavity  80 . Additionally the at least one clip or attachment means  83  may be fixed or movably mounted (not shown) to a surface of the partition or panel, such that the at least one clip  83  is movable along the surface  82  of the partition or panel  81 . The partition or panel  81  may be attached to the interior of the refrigerating or freezing cavity by means of an adjustment mechanism  85 . The adjustment mechanism  85  may be a telescoping rail as shown in  FIG. 6 , or some other type of adjustment mechanism allowing the panel to move rotationally or translationally along or away from the interior surface of the refrigerating or freezing cavity.  FIG. 7  shows the frontal perspective view. 
         [0026]    In another embodiment, the at least one clip  83  may be connected to at least one other clip  84  by some means other than the divider or panel  81  as shown in  FIG. 6 . Together the at least two clips (not shown) may be oriented linearly, in rows or columns, asymmetrically, or in some other orientation, and together having an attachment mechanism (not shown) for use anywhere within the refrigerating or freezing cavity. The adjustment mechanism may be rotationally or translationally adjustable along or away from the interior surface of the refrigerating or freezing cavity. In yet another embodiment, the at least one clip  83  may be independently attachable to some region within the refrigerating or freezing cavity by means of any of various attachment mechanisms. In this embodiment at least one clip  83  may be located (not shown) by the user in any of various convenient locations at the user&#39;s preference. In any of the above embodiments the at least one clip or attachment means  83  may be affixed to an adjustment means which allows the at least one clip to be separately or jointly adjusted with none or at least one other clip. In a preferred embodiment, some combination of any of the above described at least one partitions or panels  31 ,  51 ,  71 ,  81  and the at least one clips  73 ,  83 ,  84  may be utilized in conjunction with each other to facilitate organization according to the user&#39;s preference within the refrigerating or freezing cavity.