Patent Abstract:
A device and method for securing and suspending items. The device includes a rail and at least two walls extending in a transverse direction to the rail. Each wall terminates at a distal end spaced apart from the rail, and the rail and walls delineate a slot between the walls. A resilient member extends from one wall toward the other wall, and is operable to extend into the slot and be resiliently deflected between first and second positions within the slot. The resilient member is biased away from the rail so that in its first position a distal tip thereof is resiliently deflected toward the rail to define a gap with the second wall for receiving a portion of an item, and in the second position the distal tip is resiliently biased toward the second wall to define a pinch point therebetween for securing the item.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/098,010, filed Sep. 18, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to devices and methods for securing items, and more particularly to a device configured for organizing, securing and suspending items, for example, suspending bagged food packages from a wall or door, beneath a shelf or cabinet, etc. 
         [0003]    Various devices have been proposed that are capable of securing and suspending various objects or items, such as bagged products. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,204 to Gonzalez discloses a bag-retaining clip formed by two legs that are pivotably coupled at one end to enable the legs to be rotated toward each other and clamp onto an edge of a bagged product (potato chip bag). Other examples utilize resilient features for securing a bagged product, such as an article holder disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,422 to Rios and a clip strip disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,341 to Werner. Rios&#39; holder comprises a gripping feature defined by a downward-facing opening into which the edge of a bagged product can be inserted and a member horizontally biased to close the opening. Werner&#39;s clip strip also comprises a gripping feature defined by a horizontally-biased member that acts to close a downward-facing opening into which the edge of a bagged product can be inserted and held by the member. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention provides a device and method suitable for organizing, securing and suspending items. 
         [0005]    According to a first aspect of the invention, the device includes a rail extending in a longitudinal direction and having a longitudinal side, and at least first and second walls extending from the longitudinal side of the rail in directions transverse to the longitudinal direction. Each of the first and second walls terminates at a distal end spaced apart from the rail, and with the rail the first and second walls delineate a slot between the first and second walls. A resilient member extends from the first wall and toward the second wall, and is operable to extend into the slot and be resiliently deflected between first and second positions within the slot. The resilient member is biased away from the rail so that in the first position of the resilient member a distal tip thereof is resiliently deflected toward the rail and defines a gap with the second wall for receiving a portion of an item, and in the second position of the resilient member the distal tip thereof is resiliently biased toward the second wall to define a pinch point therebetween for securing the item. 
         [0006]    According to a second aspect of the invention, the method of securing and suspending an item includes pushing an edge of the item against a resilient member to cause the resilient member to resiliently deflect into a slot between first and second walls and enable the edge of the item to enter the slot through a gap between a distal end of the resilient member and the second wall, and then releasing the item. The resilient member is biased in a direction away from the slot so that the distal tip of the resilient member is resiliently biased toward the second wall to define a pinch point therebetween that secures the item. 
         [0007]    A significant advantage of this invention is that the method of using the device is uncomplicated, and the device is capable of having an uncomplicated construction that is amenable to mass production processes. In addition, the device can be used to secure and suspend a wide variety of items, nonlimiting examples of which include jackets, hats, towels, swimming pool accessories like swim goggles, life jackets and floaties, household and gardening items such as extension cords and bagged lawn and garden supplies, and bagged food products. For example, the device is capable of securing, organizing and sealing bagged food products such as snack chips, dried soups, dried seasoning mixes, etc. The device can also be configured for mounting to a variety of surfaces and structures, including walls, doors, under cabinets and shelves, or any other convenient location. 
         [0008]    Other aspects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a device adapted for securing, suspending and organizing items in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIGS. 3 through 7  are side views of devices configured in accordance with additional embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 8 and 9  are perspective and side views, respectively, of a device configured in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]      FIGS. 1 through 9  depict certain embodiments of a device  10  adapted for securing, suspending and organizing items in accordance with the present invention, with  FIGS. 8 and 9  showing what is believed to be a preferred embodiment. The devices  10  can be fabricated from a variety of materials, with plastic believed to be preferred for purposes of cost and manufacturability. For convenience, identical reference numerals are used in the drawings to denote the same or equivalent elements throughout the various views. 
         [0014]    As represented in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the device  10  is shown as having a base  12  that can be attached to a wall  14  or other vertical surface, for example, with screws inserted through holes  16  in the base  12 . Extending from the base  12  is a rail  18  that may be attached to or formed integrally with the base  12 . As will become evident from the following description, the device  10  is intended to be used with the rail  18  oriented in a generally horizontal position, though other orientations are possible. To facilitate the description of the device  10 , the terms “vertical,” “horizontal,” “upward,” “downward,” “upper,” “lower,” “above,” “below,” etc., will be used in reference to the orientation of the device  10  as represented in  FIG. 1 , and therefore are relative terms and should not be interpreted as otherwise limiting the scope of the invention. 
         [0015]    Multiple walls  20 , which may be integral or attached to the rail  18 , are shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  as extending downward from the rail  18  to define separate spaces or slots  22  between the base  12  and a first of the walls  20  and thereafter between each adjacent pair of walls  20 . The walls  20  are shown as extending perpendicular to a longitudinal side  18 A of the rail  18 , though a perpendicular orientation is not required and therefore various transverse orientations are also within the scope of the invention. To promote the rigidity of the walls  20 , reinforcements or supports  23  are integrally formed, attached or otherwise provided at the intersections of the walls  20  with the rail  18  to minimize flexing of the walls  20 . The walls  20  are represented as being of approximately equal lengths, though walls  20  of different lengths are also within the scope of the invention. The slots  22  have a roughly rectilinear shape as a result of the walls  20  being oriented perpendicular to the rail  18 , though this shape is not necessary for the operation of the device  10 . 
         [0016]    A resilient tab  24  is shown as being disposed at the lower end of each slot  22 . The tabs  24  are depicted as generally straight (linear) and extending roughly horizontally in a direction away from the base  12  and roughly parallel to the longitudinal direction of the rail  18 . The tabs  24  are shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  as defining joints  34  with the base  12  and a distal end  28  of each wall  20  except for the wall  20  farthest from the base  12 , though it is foreseeable that the tabs  24  could extend toward the base  12  and define joints with all of the walls  20 . The joints  34  of the tabs  24 , which may be the result of a separate attachment operation or the result of integrally forming the tabs  24  with the base  12  and walls  20 , are formed to provide a biasing effect that causes the tabs  24  to be biased away from the rail  18 . The tab  24  of the leftmost slot  22  nearest the base  12  in  FIG. 1  is in a free state position outside its slot  22 , whereas the tabs  24  of the second through fifth slots  22  from the base  12  have been deflected into positions within their respective slots  22 , and as a result are subject to the biasing forces applied by their respective joints  34  that urge the tabs  24  away from the rail  18 . 
         [0017]    In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , each tab  24  is longer than the width of the slot  22  that it spans (for example, by about one to two millimeters), creating a toggling effect between the free-state position outside of the slot  22  as shown for the leftmost slot  22  in  FIG. 1  and the deflected position within the slot  22  as shown for the second through fifth slots  22  from the base  12  in  FIG. 1 . In its free state (as shown in the leftmost slot  22  of  FIG. 1 ), each tab  24  is inclined downward. For example, the tabs  24  may be inclined about four degrees from a plane containing the distal ends  28  of the walls  20 . Each tab  24  is further shown as having a distal portion  30  that is further inclined from the remainder of the tab  24 , for example, about four degrees from a plane defined by the remainder of the tab  24  (forming an obtuse angle with the remainder of the tab  24 ), and therefore about eight degrees from the plane intersecting the distal ends  28  of the walls  20 . The orientation of the distal portion  30  of each tab  24  facilitates toggling of the tab  24  upward into its respective slot  22 , as evident from comparing the first and second slots  22  from the base  12  in  FIG. 1 . Releasing the tab  24  of the second slot  22  causes the biasing of the tab  24  to engage its distal end  32  with the adjacent wall  20 , as shown for the third and fourth slots  22  from the base  12  in  FIG. 1 . The fifth slot  22  from the base  12  shows a bagged product  26  secured and sealed by a pinch point resulting from the distal end  32  of the tab  24  being urged downward toward the side of its adjacent wall  20  and into engagement with an edge of the product  26 . 
         [0018]    As a result of the above construction, the product  26  is able to be secured with the device  10  by placing the edge of the product  26  in a gap  36  that is present between the distal end  32  of the tab  24  and the adjacent wall  20  when the tab  24  is in its free state (leftmost slot  22  in  FIG. 1 ), then pushing the tab  24  upward into the slot  22  against the biasing force of its joint  34  (second slot  22  from the base  12  in  FIG. 1 ), then pushing the tab  24  to resiliently deflect upward into its slot  22  so that the edge of the product  26  is within the slot  22 . By releasing the product  26 , the joint  34  forces the tab  24  downward, causing the distal end  32  of the tab  24  to be biased toward the adjacent wall  22  (third and fourth slots  22  in  FIG. 1 ) and into engagement with the edge of the product  26  (fifth slot  22  of  FIG. 1 ). The pinch point is preferably capable of closing and sealing an open edge of the product  26  and suspending the product  26  from the device  10 . The product  26  can easily be removed from the slot  22  by lifting the tab  24 , such as shown for the second slot  22  in  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, the product  26  can be released by pulling downward to force the tab  24  to toggle and reacquire its downward free-state orientation. 
         [0019]    In view of similarities between the first embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2  and the remaining embodiments of the invention, the following discussion of  FIGS. 3 through 9  will focus primarily on aspects of the additional embodiments that significantly differ from the first embodiment. Other aspects of the additional embodiments not discussed in any detail can be, in terms of structure, function, materials, etc., essentially as was described for the first embodiment. 
         [0020]    The embodiment of the device  10  shown in  FIG. 3  differs in part by forming the base  12  separately from the rail  18  and its walls  20 , and then assembling the rail  18  to the base  12  with fasteners (not shown) or any other suitable means. With this embodiment, the first tab  24  is attached to a wall  20  instead of the base  12 , and this wall  20  and the end of the rail  18  are received and secured within a channel  25  in the base  12 . Alternatively, the rail  18  can be used without the base  12  and mounted directly to a horizontal or vertical surface, such as beneath a cabinet or shelf. 
         [0021]    In addition, the device  10  shown in  FIG. 3  differs as a result of the tabs  24  (other than their distal portions  30 ) having arcuate shapes whose concave sides face their respective slots  22 . Also contrary to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the tabs  24  are not longer than the widths of the slots  22 , and their distal ends  32  directly face the adjacent walls  20  when the tabs  24  are in their free state (as shown). As a result, the toggle-action of the tabs  24  described for  FIGS. 1 and 2  is eliminated, the distal ends  32  of the tabs  24  do not directly engage their adjacent walls  20 , and the pinch point intended to secure an item is the result of an interference fit between the thickness of the item and a gap  38  between each distal end  32  and its facing wall  20 . The pinch-point effect is enhanced by the presence of a shoulder  40  on each wall  20  facing the adjacent distal end  32  across the gap  38 . The shorter tabs  24  shown for the device  10  of  FIG. 3  can be more rigid than the tabs  24  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , so as to be capable of providing an ample pinching or gripping action through the thickness of the item being gripped, even though the tabs  24  do not directly contact their facing walls  20 . 
         [0022]    The embodiment of the device  10  shown in  FIG. 4  is similar to that of  FIG. 3 , but has a modular construction in which individual slots  22  are defined by a C-shaped unit  42 . The units  42  are attached to the rail  18  (such as with fasteners), and adjacent units  42  cooperate to define the walls  20  between slots  22 . Each unit  42  is also depicted as defining a shoulder  40  similar to that of  FIG. 3 . 
         [0023]    The device  10  of  FIG. 5  differs from previous embodiments as a result of the distal end  32  of each tab  24  having a more defined point capable of better pinching or gripping certain types of items, such as bags and packages. 
         [0024]    The device  10  of  FIG. 6  utilizes tabs  24  with a toggle-action similar to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , but differ as a result of having an arcuate shape along their entire lengths and engaging shoulders  40  defined by a notch in each facing wall  20  instead of shaping the walls  20  to have an L- or J-shaped cross-section. The toggle action of the tabs  24  is a result of the tabs  24  in  FIG. 6  being longer than the widths of their respective slots  22 . However, the combined effect of their lengths and arcuate shapes inhibit the tabs  24  from being deflected outside the slots  22 . In  FIG. 7 , the tabs  24  are shorter than the widths of the slots  22  to provide a gripping action similar to that of  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 .  FIG. 7  also illustrates an example of the base  12  being omitted, such that the rail  18  is mounted directly to a surface, preferably a horizontal surface such as beneath a cabinet or shelf. 
         [0025]    Finally,  FIGS. 8 and 9  represent a device  10  configured as a one-piece structure, for example, as a result of fabrication by injection molding a suitable plastic material. As before, the device  10  can be seen to have a base  12  that can be attached to a wall or other vertical surface, a rail  18  extending from the base  12 , walls  20  extending downward from the rail  18  to define slots  22  therebetween. Large radii (supports)  23  are present at the intersections of the rail  18  and walls  20  to minimize flexing of the walls  20 , and the tabs  24  are longer than the widths of the slots  22  they span so as to engage shoulders  40  formed on their respective facing walls  20  and provide a toggle-action similar to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  6 . When engaged with its wall  20 , each tab  24  is preferably inclined inward about eight degrees into its slot  22 . 
         [0026]    The device  10  of  FIGS. 8 and 9  is further equipped with stop members  44  that project into the slots  22  from the rail  18 . The stop members  44  function to limit the extent to which the tabs  24  are able to be resiliently deflected into the slots  22 . The stop members  44  are represented in  FIGS. 8 and 9  as extending from the longitudinal side  18 A of the rail  18  in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the rail  18 , and to have a distal end  46  disposed adjacent the midpoints of the tabs  24  between adjacent walls  20 . 
         [0027]    Certain dimensions are believed to be exemplary and potentially preferred in order to promote the ability of the device  10  of  FIGS. 8 and 9  to secure and suspend a wide variety of items. As an example, for the purpose of securing and suspending items such as bagged food products, jackets, hats, towels, swimming pool accessories like swim goggles, life jackets and floaties, and household and gardening items such as extension cords and bagged lawn and garden supplies, suitable dimensions are believed to include a length of up to about five centimeters (for example, slightly greater than 3.8 centimeters) for the tabs  24 , a thickness of about one millimeter for the tabs  24 , widths of up to about five centimeters (for example, about 3.8 centimeters) for the slots  22 , and depths of up to about five centimeters for the slots  22 . 
         [0028]    While the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, the devices  10  could differ in appearance and construction from the embodiments shown in the Figures, and an embodiment of the invention may incorporate any of the features and functions described for any of the embodiments shown in the Figures. Furthermore, the functions of the tabs  24  and their joints  34  could be performed by components of different construction but capable of a similar (though not necessarily equivalent) function, and a wide variety of materials and processes could be used to fabricate the devices. Accordingly, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated in the Figures. Instead, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0