Patent Publication Number: US-6336555-B1

Title: Magnetic school organizer

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/160,845, filed Oct. 21, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a school organizer which magnetically attaches to a desk. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Primary school children need a variety of supplies during the school day. For example, a student might need pencils and pens, a pad of paper, a ruler, glue, scissors, a calculator, and crayons. If these items are placed in the student&#39;s desk, they inevitably mix together and form a disorganized mess. In addition, the student is unable efficiently to transport the supplies to another work area. 
     A need remains in the art for an organizer for school supplies that magnetically attaches to the outside of a desk, and can be removed and carried to another area. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is an organizer for school supplies that magnetically attaches to the outside of a desk, and can be removed and carried to another area. 
     A storage and carrying device for school supplies comprises a cloth carrier having several pockets of various sizes for holding pencils, glue, calculator, crayons, markers, a note pad, etc. The organizer comprises a main back portion formed of a single piece of fabric, which is folded in half and sewn to form a top compartment for magnets, a main compartment for markers and paper, and a bottom compartment for pencils and the like. 
     The organizer further includes a sewn on front pocket portion, which is formed of a single piece of cloth sewn to the front of the main portion and further having a series of vertical seams which form several pockets of various sizes between the front portion and the back portion. 
     Finally, the organizer includes a scissor holder, comprising a loop of fabric sewn to the front of one of the front pockets. A snap or velcro closure holds the bottom compartment closed, and a second snap holds the main compartment closed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a school organizer according to the present invention, which is capable of magnetically attaching to a desk. 
     FIG. 2 shows a front view of the single piece of fabric used to make the main back portion of the school organizer of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 shows the piece of fabric used to make the front pocket portion of the school organizer of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 shows a front view of the piece of fabric used to make the scissor holder of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 shows a side view of the organizer of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 6 shows an isometric view of a second embodiment of a school organizer according to the present invention, which is capable of magnetically attaching to a desk. 
     FIG. 7 shows an isometric view of a third embodiment of a school organizer according to the present invention, which is capable of magnetically attaching to a desk. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a school organizer  100  according to the present invention, which is capable of magnetically attaching to a desk (not shown). Organizer  100  comprises a main back portion  102 , which is formed of a single piece of fabric, which is folded vertically in half and sewn to form a top compartment  123  for magnets  122 , a main compartment  140  (better shown in FIG. 5) for markers and paper (not shown), and a bottom compartment  116  for pencils and the like (not shown). 
     The main fabric piece is folded upward and seam  130  is sewn to begin forming main compartment  140 . Snap  120  holds main compartment  140  closed. Then the doubled fabric is folded upward again, toward the front, and seams  132  and  134  are sewn to form bottom compartment  116 . Snap  118  is used to hold bottom compartment  116  closed. 
     Seams  124 ,  126 ,  128 , and  130  form a closed top compartment  123  for holding magnets  122  in place. Magnets  122  allow organizer  100  to securely attach to a steel desk, cabinet, or the like. 
     The organizer further includes a sewn on front pocket portion  104 , which is formed of a single piece of cloth sewn to the front of back portion  102 . Seam  136 , together with a series of vertical seams  138 , form several pockets  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112  between front portion  104  and back portion  102 . 
     Finally, organizer  100  includes a scissor holder  114 , comprising a loop of fabric sewn to the front of one of the front pockets  112 , with seams  140  along the side of the loop. 
     FIG. 2 shows a front view of the single piece of fabric  200  used to make the main back portion  102  of school organizer  100 . In the preferred embodiment, a single piece of canvas, 26 inches long by 13½ inches wide, comprises fabric piece  200 . First, each edge of piece  200  is folded over ½ inch and sewn as seams  208 ,  210 ,  212 , and  214 . Bottom half  206  is folded backward at center fold line  202 , and the right edges are sewn together by seam  130  (see FIG.  1 ). Next, bottom compartment  118  is formed by folding up the fabric at fold line  204  and sewing the two layers of the compartment to the top layer underneath. 
     This procedure results in a main compartment  140 , which has been formed between the front and back layers of main back portion  102 . Main compartment  140  has an opening along the left side of main back portion  102 . As shown in FIG. 1, a snap  120  may be used to hold main compartment  140  closed. A velcro closure or the like may also be used. 
     Magnets  122  are sewn into compartment  123  (see FIG. 1) using seams  124 ,  126 , and  128  (seam  130  is already in place). Finally, front pocket portion  104  is sewn on the front of main back portion  102 . 
     FIG. 3 shows the piece of fabric  300  used to make the front pocket portion  104  of school organizer  100 . In the preferred embodiment, fabric piece  300  is 20½ inches wide by 4½ inches high. Each edge is folded over and sewn to form seams  312 ,  314 ,  316 , and  318 . Pleats  304 ,  306 , and  308  form pockets  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112 , and seams  138  secure the pockets to main back portion  102  (see FIG.  1 ). In the preferred embodiment, the pockets formed are 4 inches high, and are, from left to right, 3¼ inches wide (for crayons), 1¾ inches wide (for a glue stick), 3½ inches wide (for a calculator), and 3¼ inches wide (for glue). 
     FIG. 4 shows a front view of the piece of fabric  400  used to make scissor holder  114 , shown in FIG.  1 . In the preferred embodiment, piece  400  is ¾ inches high by 6½ inches wide. It is folded into thirds at fold lines  402  and  404 , and stitched at seams  406  and  408 , to form an elongated strip of reinforced cloth. It is sewn to the front of one of the pockets of pocket portion  104 , as shown in FIG. 1. A gap  114  is left to insert the scissors. 
     FIG. 5 shows a left side view of organizer  100 . Some of the features on the front of organizer  100  have been removed for clarity. Main compartment  140  has an opening on the left side of organizer  100 , which can be closed with snap  120 . This pocket may be used for pads of paper, markers, or the like. 
     FIG. 6 shows an isometric view of a second embodiment  600  of a school organizer according to the present invention. It is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 1, except that it further includes elastic straps  602  for securely holding items placed in pockets  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112 . Straps  602  are preferably sewn to the front of back portion  102  at each end of each pocket. Two straps  602  may be sewn, one on top of the other, in a single pocket to provide further security, by allowing an item such as a calculator to be secured between the two parallel straps  602 . One of the parallel straps may be slightly loose to accommodate the item (e.g. crayons). 
     FIG. 7 shows an isometric view of a third embodiment  700  of a school organizer according to the present invention. It is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 1, except that a strip of elastic  702  is extended and sewn along each pocket  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112 . Elastic strip  702  may be sewn along the inside of the pockets or along the outside. As in the embodiment of FIG. 6, the elastic better secures items in the pockets. In the preferred embodiment, elastic strip  702  is about one half the length of front pocket portion  104 , so that it grips firmly. 
     While the exemplary preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, those skilled in the art will recognize various changes, modifications, additions, and applications other than those specifically mentioned herein which fall within the spirit of this invention.