Patent Publication Number: US-2006011564-A1

Title: Multiple receptacle item organizer

Description:
CONTINUING DATA  
      This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/587,695 filed Jul. 14, 2004.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a home or office organizer and, more particularly, relates to a mail, assorted papers, keys and items organizer.  
      The use of mail organizing devices is known in the prior art. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,624 to Davis, Jr. discloses a multiple receptacle mail organizing system.  
      While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the prior art patents do not describe an item organizer that allows mail of a family or other group of individuals to be organized in one central location, along with other home or office items, such as envelopes, keys, pencils and newspapers.  
      In this respect, the item organizer according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The organizer of this invention includes a cabinet comprising a bottom wall, a pair of opposed sidewalls, a top wall, and a back wall. The organizer also includes an upper horizontal dividing wall, a lower horizontal dividing wall, and several box-shaped open-faced item bins.  
      The organizer is a simple way to organize a complicated lifestyle. Along the sides of the organizer are 4 or more hooks to hang keys or other small necessities. On one side are two pockets, used for items such as pens and pencils, stamps, outgoing mail, etc. On the opposing side there is a slot fit for envelopes or other items of that size. Many more things could be added on the organizer. All pockets may be used for whatever purpose the consumer desires. The organizer can be made to fit almost any measurements that are requested. It can also be made in different shapes and sizes.  
      It is therefore an object of the present invention to permit individuals to organize and keep account of all mail, bills, magazines, catalogs, stamps, envelopes, newspapers, keys, etc. The item organizer helps families or groups quickly systemize their mail and other useful documents. The organizer can be personalized to meet every categorizing need with side hooks to hang keys, and easy to reach compartments for small necessities such as pens and pencils, envelopes, stamps, receipts.  
      These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of an organizer constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of another side of the organizer of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is a lower perspective view of the organizer of  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the back of the organizer of  FIG. 1 . 
    
    
      Before one embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof as used herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Use of “consisting of” and variations thereof as used herein is meant to encompass only the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof. Further, it is to be understood that such terms as “forward”, “rearward”, “left”, “right”, “upward” and “downward”, etc., are words of convenience in reference to the drawings and are not to be construed as limiting terms.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      With reference now to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the new and improved mail organizer embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference number  10  will be described.  
      The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of components. In their broadest context, the components include a cabinet  14  comprising a bottom wall  18 , a pair of opposed sidewalls  22  and  24 , a top wall  26 , and a back wall  30  (see  FIG. 4 ). The cabinet  14  also includes an upper horizontal dividing wall  34 , a lower horizontal dividing wall  38 , and eight box-shaped open-faced item bins  42  and  44 . The organizer further includes a plurality of key hooks  46 , a pen and pencil compartment  50 , a small card compartment  54  and an envelope compartment  60  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). All of the above, except for the key hooks  46 , which are metal, are made from any choice of wood type with a desired color stain. The cabinet  14  can also be made from any other material such as plastic, metal, glass etc.  
      Such components are individually configured and correlated with respect to each other to provide a structure that allows various items to be organized for an individual, a family or other group of individuals.  
      More particularly, the bottom wall  18  is horizontal, rectangular, and planar with an added curved front planar edge  62 , a rear edge, and opposed side edges. The sidewalls  22  and  24  are opposed rectangular planar pieces attached to and extending upwards from the side edges of the bottom wall  18 . The top wall  26  is horizontal, rectangular, and planar and is attached to an upper edge of each of the sidewalls  22  and  24 . The back wall  30  is also planar and is connected between the sidewalls  22  and  24 , the top wall  26 , and the bottom wall  18  to define a hollow compartment  74 . The upper horizontal rectangular planar dividing wall  34  is spaced apart below the top wall  26  and extends between and is attached to the sidewalls  22  and  24  and the back wall  30 . The lower horizontal rectangular planar dividing wall  38  is spaced apart below the top wall  26  and also extends between and is also attached to the sidewalls  22  and  24  and the back wall  30 .  
      An upper sequential arrangement of four box-shaped item bins  42  is provided within the hollow compartment  74  between the top wall  26  and the upper dividing wall  34 . The upper sequential item bins  42  are defined by removable partitions  78 , each partition  78  being removably in vertically aligned slots  86  in the upper dividing wall top surface  84  (see  FIG. 3 ) and the top wall bottom surface  88 . A lower sequential arrangement of four box-shaped item bins  44  is also provided within the hollow compartment  74  between the upper dividing wall  34  and the lower dividing wall  38 . The lower sequential item bins  44  are defined by removable partitions  82 , each partition  82  being removably received in vertically aligned slots  85  in the upper dividing wall bottom surface  87  (see  FIG. 3 ) and the lower dividing wall top surface  89 . All of the item bins  42  and  44  can used for holding a selected individual or more items, and each of these item bins has a rectangular front opening  90  see  FIG. 3 ). More or less bins can be selected by removing one or more of the partitions  78  and  82 .  
      The cabinet  14  further includes a railing  91  for preventing items from easily sliding out of the bottom extent of the hollow compartment  74 . The railing  91  is formed from a curved top strip  94  and a plurality of spaced apart cylindrical posts  98  extending vertically between the top strip  94  and the bottom wall curved front edge  62 . Thus the lower portion of the organizer  10  can be used, for example, as a newspaper and magazine rack, or to hold a bowl (not shown) to contain miscellaneous items, such as coins, paper clips, etc.  
      Attached to each of the side walls  22  and  24  is the plurality of key hooks  46 , and attached to one side wall  22  is the first or pen and pencil compartment  50  comprising a curved outer wall  100  with opposed vertically extending side edges attached to the one side wall  22 , a planar bottom wall with a curved outer edge attached to the pen and pencil compartment outer wall  100 , and a straight edge attached to the one side wall  22 . Also attached to this one side wall  22  is the second or small card compartment  54  with a outer planar rectangular wall  118 , a pair of planar rectangular side walls attached to the one side wall  22  and to the small card compartment outer wall  118 , and a bottom planar rectangular wall attached to both of the small card compartment side walls and the small card compartment outer wall  118 . The top edge of the small card compartment outer wall is notched  126  to provide easier access to any cards within the small card compartment. The small card compartment  54  can also be used for storing stamps and receipts, among other items.  
      The pen and pencil compartment  50  and the small card compartment  54  sit in front to back horizontal order in about the middle of the one sidewall  22 , with the key hooks  46  located beneath the compartments. The top and bottom edges of the pen and pencil compartment  50  and the small card compartment  54  lie in about the same horizontal top and bottom planes, respectively.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , attached to the other side wall  24  is the third or envelope compartment  60  with a outer planar rectangular wall  130 , a pair of planar rectangular side walls attached to the other side wall  24  and to the envelope compartment outer wall  130 , and a bottom planar rectangular wall attached to both of the envelope compartment side walls and the envelope compartment outer wall  130 . The top edge of the envelope compartment outer wall  130  is notched  138  to provide easier access to any envelopes within the envelope compartment  60 . The bottom of the envelope compartment  60  sits about one third of the way up the other side wall  24 , with the key hooks  46  are located beneath the envelope compartment  60 . The envelope compartment  60  is about twice as long as the small card compartment  54  and about one third wider.  
      Means for also provided for permitting the cabinet to be hung on an office or home wall is also attached to the cabinet. In the preferred embodiment, such hanging means is in the form of two spaced apart triangular-shaped wires  140  pivotally attached to the top of the back wall  30 .  
      The organizer further includes means for labeling each of the item bins, such labeling means being in the form of tag receiving metal or plastic rectangular frames  150 , each of which is attached to the front face of a dividing wall beneath each bin. A tag or label  154  may then be marked appropriately and then placed in a respective frame  150 . Thus, the bins can be personalized for names, categories, etc.  
      The organizer  10  stands about 24 inches high, and can be mounted or left to be free standing on a counter top (not shown) or where ever the consumer pleases.  
      Various other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following claims.