Abstract:
The cord organizer of the present invention is made up of a hollow container, preferably rectangular-shaped, having a top surface and a bottom surface. The container is divided into at least one longitudinal section by vertical longitudinal dividers. The top surface of the container includes longitudinal slits centered over the longitudinal sections so that a user can line up each cord along one of the slits and firmly press the cord down through the slits into the longitudinal channel.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to an organizer for cords, such as electrical, telephone and data cords, that keeps the cords free from tangles and hides them.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Millions of appliances and computers are in use in industrialized society, not only in industry, but in offices, schools, and households as well. Each appliance or computer and computer devices requires its own cord, electric and data cords, that travels from the appliance or the computer to the electric outlet and other devices. These cords sometimes reach a considerable distance. This can make for an unattractive amalgam of tangled cords travelling across rooms from the appliance or computer to the electric outlet or other devices. Further, tangled cords can lead to damage to the cords themselves, thus limiting the life of the electric appliance or computer.  
           [0003]    A known electric cord holder is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,374, which discloses a tubular cord cover with a C-shaped cross-section having only one compartment for electric cords, formed by extruding plastic. Another electric cord holder is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,118,017, which discloses a floor conduit to cover and protect electric cords, where the cords must be pressed in from the bottom of the device. Thus, the user must lift the conduit, and then press the electric cords up into the conduit.  
           [0004]    There are also several patents on reel cord organizers where the excess electric cord is wound around reels and other parts of the invention. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,164,582 titled “Enhanced Storage System for Electrical Appliances, Powercords, and Adapters” and 3,626,495 titled “Tangle Free Wire Holder”.  
           [0005]    It would be desirable to provide a cord organizer made of a flexible material, so the cords can be pressed into the channels of the organizer and out of plain view. It would also be desirable to provide an organizer that has multiple channels and also provides an attractive storage container for the cords while in use.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention is directed to a cord organizer, preferably rectangular-shaped. The organizer is made up of a container and, optionally, a cover. The container is hollow and is divided into longitudinal sections by vertical dividers. These longitudinal sections are accessible by slits formed in the top of the container. The optional cover fits onto the top of the container, covering the slits.  
           [0007]    An object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive, effective cord organizer that can be used in a variety of places and comes in a variety of sizes.  
           [0008]    The inventive organizer can be constructed either through injection molding, compression molding, or extrusion from a flexible material, such as plastic (in particular polypropylene resin or low-density polyethylene), or other material having substantially similar flexibility and durability properties.  
           [0009]    The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention, including the container and the optional cover;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the optional cover for the invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the optional cover for the invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is an end plan view of the optional cover for the invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the container showing the outline of the channels;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a side plan view of the container showing the outline of the channels;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view of the container;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 is a top plan view of two containers, illustrating a ninety-degree turn; and  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view of the container. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]    The present invention is directed to a cord organizer that provides an attractive storage container that keeps cords tangle-free. The cord organizer is configured for all kinds of cords and cables such as electrical, telephone, data transmission cords, computer cables and the like. The organizer is made up of a hollow container  10  and an optional cover  12 . The container includes a top surface  11 , bottom surface  13 , longitudinal sides  15  and parallel ends  17 , as shown in FIG. 1. The container has longitudinal (i.e. parallel to the long sides  15  of the invention) channels  14 , defined by vertical longitudinal dividers  16 , as shown in FIG. 1 and FIGS.  5 - 7 . The channels  14  can accommodate a number of cords and cables  18 . These longitudinal channels are accessible through slits  20  formed in the top surface  17  of the container  10 , the slits  20  being centered over the longitudinal channels  14 , as shown in FIG. 1 and FIGS.  5 - 7 . In one embodiment, the container  10  has open spaces  24  between the long sides  15  and the outermost vertical dividers  16 , as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 7; however, in an alternate embodiment, the container can be formed without these open spaces  24  (see FIG. 9). Preferably, container  10  is made of a flexible material. Thus, the user lines up each cord  18  along one of the slits  20  and firmly presses down on the cord  18 , causing the slits  20  to give and allowing the cord  18  to be pushed into the longitudinal channel  14  (see FIG. 1.)  
         [0021]    The optional cover  12  includes an outer surface  19  and an inner surface  21 . The optional cover  12  fits on top of the container  10 , covering the slits  20 . The optional cover  12  can be attached to the container  10  with a cover-securing means  23 , such as an adhesive strip or strips of hook and loop fasteners. The cover-securing means  23  is attached to the inner surface  21  of the cover  12 . The cover-securing means  23  mates with a cover-receiving surface  22  on the container  10 . See FIGS.  2 - 4 .  
         [0022]    The invention can be formed out of plastic, particularly polypropylene resin or low-density polyethylene, or other flexible material by injection molding, compression molding, or extrusion. Injection molding is a manufacturing process where heated plastic is forced into a mold cavity under pressure. A mold cavity is essentially a negative of the part being produced. The cavity is filled with the melted plastic, and the plastic changes phase to a solid, resulting in the product. The invention can be manufactured by injection molding techniques known to one skilled in the art of injection molding.  
         [0023]    With compression molding, the mold has a top portion and a bottom portion. A defined quantity of material is put between the top portion and bottom portion of the mold. The mold closes, so that the top portion meets the bottom portion, which pushes the material into the mold cavity. Compression molding is most often used with cross-linked polymers. Gerd Pötsch &amp; Walter Michaeli, Injection Molding: An Introduction 184 (Hanser Publishers, 1995). The invention can be manufactured by compression molding techniques known to one skilled in the art of compression molding.  
         [0024]    In one particular embodiment, two containers with ends cut at forty-five degree angles, with respect to the longitudinal axis, can be joined at approximately a ninety-degree angle. This is best seen in FIG. 8, which shows two containers  10  to be joined to one another so as to form an L-shaped configuration. Another container  10  could be added on to form a U-shaped configuration. In another embodiment, the end of the container  10  can be shaped at approximately a forty-five degree angle with respect to the latitudinal axis (which is parallel to the parallel ends  17  of the container  10 ), so that one container  10  can extend, for example, along an upright wall, and the other container  10  with an end cut similarly to be joined thereto at right angles can extend, for example, along the floor.  
         [0025]    The invention can be freestanding, or can be attached to a wall or desk with a securing means, for example, an adhesive strip or screws.  
         [0026]    In a preferred version of the invention, channels  14  can be generally about 1 to 3 inches wide. The corresponding slits  20  can be generally about {fraction (1/4)} to 1 inch wide. In the invention shown in FIG. 7, the open spaces  24  can have a width of generally from {fraction (1/2)} to 1 inch. The invention can be provided in a variety of lengths, preferably between 1 to 3 feet and in widths of 4 to 12 inches or wider. The number of channels  14  is preferably two, but container  10  can include additional channels  14 .  
         [0027]    Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.