Patent Publication Number: US-2012037520-A1

Title: School desk organizer

Description:
The present application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/401,444, filed Aug. 13, 2010. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
     School desks for children in primary schools, i.e. grade schools, often include a book box or a book storage compartment. The book and storage box of many conventional desks is positioned under the desktop, accessible from the front of the compartment, or by lifting the desktop for top access. These desk storage cavities are used for holding student books, notebooks and ordinary paraphernalia such as pencil box, pencils, pens, rulers, erasers, etc. In the past, it has been difficult to organize a desk book box, especially a front-opening compartment, because one has to reach into the compartment from the front, making it difficult to arrange the contents. The disorganized desks make it more time-consuming to switch from one lesson to another, easier to lose important items, and makes the desk a less desirable workspace for the student. There remains a need to organize a student&#39;s workspace without the high cost of additional furniture or replacing the old desks in the classroom. 
     What is disclosed is an organizer for use with a school desk, the organizer comprising:
         a tray having a bottom and four integrally formed side walls extending upwardly from the bottom,   a removable divider wall extending between two of the side walls, the divider wall removably retained by connecting features on said two of the side walls, a secondary divider comprising a first engaging portion on a first end and a second engaging portion on a second end,   the removable divider wall comprising a plurality of first connectors spaced apart by predetermined distances along the divider wall, each first connector comprising a cavity portion having an upper opening adapted to receive the first engaging portion of the secondary divider and a retaining portion adapted to removably retain the secondary divider,   at least one side wall opposite the divider comprising a plurality of second connectors, the second connectors in the side wall spaced apart corresponding to the first connectors of the divider, each second connector comprising a cavity portion having an upper opening adapted to receive the second engaging portion of the secondary divider and a retaining portion adapted to removably retain the secondary divider,   each corresponding first connector and second connector adapted to removably retain the secondary divider therebetween.       

     The side wall opposite the divider comprising the second connectors may also include a groove corresponding to each second connector adapted to receive a portion of the second end of the secondary divider. 
     The cavity portion of the first connector and/or the second connector may include a slot. Alternatively or additionally, the cavity portion and retaining portion of the first connector and/or the second connector forms a T-slot. 
     The connecting features on the side walls intersecting the divider wall each may have a cavity portion having an upper opening adapted to receive a divider wall engaging portion and a retaining portion adapted to removably retain the removable divider wall. 
     The cavity portion of at least one of the connecting features may include a slot. Alternatively or additionally, the cavity portion and retaining portion of at least one of the connecting features forms a T-slot. 
     Each side wall may include a step. Additionally, each side wall may be sloped between one and 15 degrees In one alternative, one side wall or the tray is a front wall having at least one opening therethrough. Each organizer may be nestable with another organizer when the removable divider wall and the secondary divider are removed. 
     Optionally, the bottom of the tray includes a recess in the bottom, and the removable divider wall comprises a protrusion extending therefrom corresponding to the recess, the protrusion and the recess positioned such that the protrusion engages the recess when the removable divider wall is installed in the tray. 
     In one application, the organizer may be used with a school desk, the school desk comprising a cavity beneath a desktop, the cavity comprising a cavity height and cavity width and an access opening, and wherein the width of the organizer tray being between 85% and 100% of the cavity width, the height of the side walls being less than the cavity height, the organizer tray fitting substantially within the desk cavity. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the school desk organizer of the present disclosure, 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a removable divider wall removed from the organizer of  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a secondary divider removed from the organizer of  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of the desk organizer of  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 5  is a detail view of the connection between the removable divider and a wall of the organizer, 
         FIG. 6  is a detail view of the connection between the secondary divider and the removable divider wall, 
         FIG. 7  is a detail view of the connection between the secondary divider wall and a wall of the organizer, and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a school desk for use with the present school desk organizer. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Disclosed herein is a school desk organizer intended for use by grade school children sitting at a school desk having an integrated storage compartment. The present school desk organizer for use with the integrated storage compartment of a school desk includes a box, i.e. a tray, with integral front, back and opposite sidewalls and one, two, three or four internal dividers. The unit is preferably made of injection molded plastic. 
     In accordance with our invention, we provide a school desk organizer which can be inserted into a conventional student desk and is capable of holding student books, notebooks and ordinary paraphernalia such as pencil box, pencils, pens, rulers, erasers, etc. Our school desk organizer comprises integral front, back and opposite side walls and a bottom extending between the front, back and side walls to define a generally rectangular tray with slightly sloped sides at the bottom coming to second layer at the top such as a lip or flange that allows the school desk organizer to nest one inside the other for shipping. Within the tray we utilize one, two, three or four dividers, which in one embodiment extends between the front and back walls parallel to and spaced from the sidewalls to define two or three compartments. The side dividers are adjustable to form various sizes of compartments in the tray. In one alternative, the dividers utilize T-slots in the dividers and in the tray as discussed below. The T-slots allow the dividers to fasten securely so form a fixed wall when the divider is installed, yet the divider is removable. 
     As discussed below, we incorporate two cutouts in the front wall where the user may grip the school desk organizer in order to pull it out of the school desk storage compartment. The entire box including the partitions is preferably integrally made of injection molded plastic so as to be both useful, durable and economical to manufacture. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a school desk organizer  10  includes a tray  12  having a bottom  20  and four integrally formed side walls extending upwardly from the bottom  20 . The four side walls include a front wall  22 , a rear wall  24 , left side wall  26  and right side wall  28 . A removable divider wall  30  extends between two of the side walls, such as between the front wall  22  and the rear wall  24  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The removable divider wall  30  is removably retained by connecting features  32  on the intersecting walls. A secondary divider  40  may be adjustably positioned between the removable divider wall  30  and a side wall opposite the removable divider  30 . The secondary divider  40 , shown in  FIG. 3  removed from the organizer, has a first engaging portion  42  on a first end  44  and a second engaging portion  46  on a second end  48  for removably connecting one end of the secondary divider  40  to the removable divider wall  30  and the other end of the secondary divider to the desired side wall opposite the removable divider  30 . 
     The removable divider wall  30  includes a plurality of first connectors  50  spaced apart by predetermined distances along the divider wall  30  such as shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in the detail of  FIG. 6 , each first connector  50  comprises a cavity portion  52  having an upper opening  54  adapted to receive the first engaging portion  42  of the secondary divider and a retaining portion  56  adapted to removably retain the first engaging portion  42  on the secondary divider  40 . The retaining portion  56  may at least partially interlock with the first engaging portion  42  to hold the first end  44  of the secondary divider  40  in place. 
     The cavity portion  52  of the first connector  50  may include a slot  58 . In one alternative, the slot  58  is a T-slot formed by the cavity portion  52  and the retaining portion  56 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 7 , at least one side wall opposite the divider comprises a plurality of second connectors  60 . The second connectors  60  in the side wall are spaced apart corresponding to the first connectors  50  of the removable divider  30 . Each second connector  60  comprises a cavity portion  62  having an upper opening  64  adapted to receive the second engaging portion  46  of the secondary divider  40  and a retaining portion  66  adapted to removably retain the second engaging portion  46  of the secondary divider  40 . The retaining portion  66  may at least partially interlock with the second engaging portion  46  to hold the second end  48  of the secondary divider  40  in place. 
     The cavity portion  62  of the second connector  60  may include a slot  68 . In one alternative, the slot  68  is a T-slot formed by the cavity portion  62  and the retaining portion  66 . The secondary divider  40  is removably retained between a corresponding first connector and second connector as selected by the user of the organizer. 
     The shape of the tray  12  is such that the tray  12  is nestable with a second organizer tray when the removable divider wall  30  and the secondary divider  40  are removed. In this way, the trays  12  may be nested together in stacks for shipping and distribution of the organizers, and for storage of the trays  12  in a classroom or storage area. Each side wall  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 , may comprise a step  70 . The step  70  may be such that a lower portion of the side walls is inset a desired amount toward the interior of the tray as shown in  FIG. 1 . The step  70  is positioned such that when nested, at least a portion of the step  70  on at least one side wall of one tray rests on a corresponding upper portion of side walls of a second tray beneath it. The upper portion of the side walls  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  may have a lip or flange. 
     One or more of the side walls  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  may be outwardly sloped between 1 and 15 degrees. In one embodiment, the side walls  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  are sloped at an outward angle between about 5 and 10 degrees. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , at least one of the side walls opposite the divider may include a groove  72  corresponding to each second connector  60  adapted to receive a portion of the second end  48  of the secondary divider. The groove  72  may be positioned between the bottom  20  and the second connector  60  such that the second end  48  of the secondary divider  40  will engage the groove  72  to inhibit movement of the end  48 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the groove  72  is formed in the step  70  and aligned with the second connector  60 . 
     As discussed above, the removable divider wall  30  is removably retained by connecting features  32  on the intersecting walls. In the example shown in  FIG. 1 , the removable divider wall  30  is positioned between the front wall  22  and the rear wall  24  retained using the divider wall connecting features  32 . The connecting features  32  on the intersecting two side walls each may have the same geometry as the second connectors  60  on the side wall, as shown in  FIG. 5 . The connecting features  32  may include the cavity portion  62  having the upper opening  64  adapted to receive a divider wall engaging portion  74 , and the retaining portion  66  adapted to removably retain the removable divider wall  30 . The cavity portion  62  of the divider wall connecting features  32  may include the slot  68 . As discussed above with reference to the second connector  60 , the slot  68  in the connecting features  32  may be a T-slot formed by the cavity portion  62  and the retaining portion  66 . The retaining portion  66  may at least partially interlock with the divider wall engaging portion  74  to hold the divider wall  30  in place. 
     The front wall  22  of the tray  12  may include at least one opening  80  therethrough. The opening  80  may be a recess in an upper portion of the front wall  22  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The opening  80  may be sized and positioned for viewing at least a portion of the contents of the organizer from the front. Alternatively or additionally, the opening  80  may sized and positioned such that a user can grasp the front wall  22  at the opening  80  to use as a pulling handle. In yet another alternative, the opening  80  may be sized such that a user can reach through the opening to remove items from the organizer. 
     In one alternative, the bottom  20  includes at least one recess  82  in the bottom  20 , and the removable divider wall  30  has at least one protrusion  84  extending therefrom positioned corresponding to the recess  82 . The protrusion  84  and the recess  82  are positioned such that the protrusion  84  engages the recess  82  when the removable divider wall  30  is installed in the tray. 
     In one application, the school desk organizer  10  is sized to fit within a book box  88  of a primary school desk  90 , such as shown in  FIG. 8 . The school desk  90  includes a desktop  92 , and a plurality of supporting legs  94 . 
     The book box  88  includes an access opening  96  through which items may be placed in the storage cavity of the book box  88 . The book box  88  may be a front-opening compartment as shown in  FIG. 8  having a storage cavity therein. Alternatively, the school desk  90  may be a lift-lid style desk wherein the desktop  92  pivots upwardly for accessing the book box  88 . It is contemplated that the school desk organizer  10  may be adapted to fit within book boxes of other school desk configurations. 
     In any event, the school desk organizer  10  is sized for the tray  12  to fit substantially within the book box cavity, i.e. the desk cavity. The width of the tray  12  may be between 85% and 100% of the width of the desk cavity, and the height of the side walls of the tray  12  being less than the height of the desk cavity such that the desk organizer  10  fits within the book box  88 . 
     In a desk with a front-opening book box  88 , the school desk organizer  10  is sized to slide into and out of the access opening  96  in the front of the desk. A user may use the present organizer as a drawer by sliding the organizer partially from the cavity, and sliding it back in return. Alternatively, when the desk is a lift-top desk, the school desk organizer  10  is sized to fit within the book box such that the desktop closes without interference with the school desk organizer  10 . 
     The school desk organizer  10  may be made by injection molding, and made of a thermoplastic selected from various available grades of polypropylene, polyethylene, ABS, polycarbonate, high impact polystyrene, polyester, or other suitable thermoplastic as desired. In one alternative, the school desk organizer  10  is molded using ABS. In another alternative, the tray may be molded using one material, such as high density polyethylene, and the dividers molded out of another material such as ABS. The material may be selected considering material properties including durability strength, stiffness, impact resistance and other desired properties. 
     This invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments and is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. The present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments provided herein but only as set forth in the accompanying claims. Various modifications of the illustrative embodiments, as well as additional embodiments to the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to this description.