Abstract:
A rectangular shaped container has lateral and longitudinal walls where one longitudinal wall has a greater height and has two hooks, or folds into a hook like shape, for placing the container upon a bed rail. The container has a divided interior with compartments for storage of things therein. The compartments have similar height and generally the same width. The dividers also stiffen the container when in use. The container includes a stiffener box or shelf that provides a shallower compartment and prevents collapse of the container. The container can be made from one or two layers of material, often cardstock or cardboard.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This non-provisional application claims priority to the provisional application with a Ser. No. of 60/881,976 with a filing date of Jan. 22, 2007 which is commonly owned by the same inventors. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to lightweight collapsible containers and more specifically to a divided container with at least one hook for use upon a hospital bed. 
         [0003]    The primary purpose of this paperboard container is for holding items near a hospital bed where individual items for patient safety and other objects may be located. 
         [0004]    A person who occupies a hospital bed has certain items that are critical to his safety and comfort. This includes the telephone, emergency suctioning equipment, the nurse call light, patient cell phone, and TV control, which are necessary for patient safety and comfort. These items are frequently inaccessible to the patient and reaching for them causes potential risk to the patient. These safety and personal care items are frequently under the sheets, have fallen to the floor, or have been misplaced beyond the patient&#39;s sight or reach. This invention solves this problem by providing a safe and convenient location for organization and accessibility of these items. 
         [0005]    A person who occupies a hospital bed for a length of time brings objects along: pictures from home, pens and pencils, a flashlight, a book light, books, magazines, and the like. Additionally, well wishers provide other objects to a patient in bed: flowers, bears, cards, balloons, and the like. In time, those objects accumulate in a small and busy hospital room. The objects may impede, or interfere, with health care providers as they move around the bed when tending to the patient. 
         [0006]    For longer stays in a hospital, and also in a nursing home, the objects allow a person to establish an environment similar to home. Familiar objects lead to more pleasant feelings in a patient which assists in healing and safety in a nursing home resident which boosts morale and well being. 
         [0007]    Objects have been managed in their original containers or wisely placed in a hospital room or around a bed. Bags and boxes have also collected and organized objects near a bed. Bags often have a wide mouth that accepts many objects and often have a handle that rests upon a bed handle, knob, peg, or extension. When hanging, the bag collects objects but limits access to its interior as the weight of objects narrows the opening to a bag when suspended from a handle or peg. Boxes, having a generally rectangular form, have a fixed shape that also accepts many objects. Boxes are often placed upon the floor or chairs adjacent to a hospital bed for holding various objects. Some boxes have a hole for a handle that can be placed upon a bed handle, knob, peg, or extension similar to a bag. However, boxes generally have an open top sometimes with adjacent flaps. Many objects fit into a box but the roominess leads to disorganization of objects therein. As a patient accumulates more objects near a hospital bed, efficient storage of the objects for ready retrieval by the patient becomes highly desirable. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention has a generally rectangular shaped container with lateral walls, longitudinal walls, a bottom and dividers. One longitudinal wall has a greater height and is folded into a hook like shape for locating the container upon a bed rail. Alternatively, the shorter of the longitudinal walls has a pair of hinged hooks extending therefrom. The container has a plurality of dividers that separate the interior of the container for storage of things therein. The dividers also stiffen the container when in use. The invention also includes a stiffener box, or alternatively a shelf, that provides a shallower compartment and prevents collapse of the container. The container of the present invention can be made from two pieces of material, often cardstock or paperboard. Alternatively assembly of other materials, such as plastic, may be an option. 
         [0009]    It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide a container that hangs from a bed rail in a hospital or nursing home setting. 
         [0010]    It is another object of this invention to provide a container that can be divided for separate storage of items therein. 
         [0011]    Another object of this invention is to provide a container that is made from a minimum of material, preferably in a single planar sheet. 
         [0012]    Another object of this invention is to provide a container that is readily manufactured and is inexpensive to purchase by the consumers. 
         [0013]    A further object of this invention is to provide a container with a shelf or a stiffener box located therein that maintains the container in an open position. 
         [0014]    These and other objects may become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the summary of the invention as provided herein. In addition, the invention will be better understood upon undertaking a study of the description of its preferred embodiment, in view of the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    In referring to the drawings, 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a top view of the container for hanging from a bed; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the container when disassembled and partially flattened; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the partially flattened container and the separate stiffener box; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a view of an alternate embodiment of the invention where dividers are within an insert that is then placed into the container; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the container installed upon a bed rail; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is an end view of the installed container; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is an opposite end view of the installed container; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the container with hinged hooks and an internal shelf; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a top view of the container showing one hook rotated inward and the other hook rotated outward; and, 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a front view of the container showing apertures in the inner wall for hooks. 
       
    
    
       [0026]    The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    In reference to the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows the container  1  of the present invention viewed from above and before installation upon a bed rail R. The container has a generally rectangular shape from two lateral walls, two longitudinal walls, and a bottom. The first longitudinal wall, or inner wall  2 , extends above the container for its entire length. The inner wall has a shank portion  3 , generally coplanar with the inner wall inside of the container, and a bight  4  that extends perpendicular to the shank and further folds into a generally inverted U shape. The shank and bight of the inner wall cooperate as a hook  11  to grasp a bed rail. Opposite the inner wall, the other longitudinal wall is the outer wall  5 . The outer wall, here shown upwardly, has less height than the inner wall. 
         [0028]    Then the lateral walls take the form of two mutually parallel and spaced apart end walls  6  that join the inner wall  2  to the outer wall  5 . The end walls and the outer wall have the same height, generally less than the shank of the inner wall. Below the endwalls, the inner wall, and the outer wall, a bottom  7  closes the container. In the preferred embodiment, the bottom extends lengthwise along the outer wall  5  but in the opposite direction of the inner wall  2 . The bottom has sufficient width to span across the container, at least the same width at the endwalls  6 . 
         [0029]    Located within the container, a plurality of dividers  8  spans from the inner wall to the outer wall. The dividers are generally planar and rectangular having the same width as the endwalls. The dividers are hingedly connected to the inner wall and the outer wall to allow for collapsed storage and transportation of the present invention. In the preferred embodiment, the hinged connection is provided by flaps  9  oriented oppositely upon each divider. Here the invention has three dividers though the number of dividers can be adjusted depending upon the length of the container. When the container is opened and ready for hanging, as in  FIG. 1 , a stiffener box  10  is placed in the compartment formed between a divider and one endwall or between two dividers. The stiffener box has at least four faces and a width similar to that of an endwall and a length similar to that of a compartment. The stiffener box generally fits snugly into a compartment and using panel diaphragm action prevents racking and collapse of the unfolded container. The stiffener box also reduces the depth of a compartment for storage of smaller things. Here the stiffener box is placed at one endwall, though other locations are foreseen. A user of the invention can relocate the stiffener box to the compartment of her choice. 
         [0030]    When generally flattened, the hanging container  1 , appears as shown in  FIG. 2 . The outer wall has a generally rectangular shape connected upon its lateral ends to the endwalls  6 , here one end wall is shown. The outer wall has longitudinal edges, where one edge is open towards the inner wall and the bottom  7  connects to the other longitudinal edge upon a fold line. The bottom generally has the same length as the inner wall. The endwalls connect to the inner wall opposite their connection to the outer wall. Here the inner wall  2  is shown slightly below the outer wall  5 . The inner wall generally is parallel to the outer wall but has a greater width extending away from the container in the opposite direction as the bottom. The inner wall has a shank portion  3  connected by a fold line  3   a  to the container, a bight  4  connected by a fold line  4   a  to the shank away from the container, and the bight and shank cooperate to form a hook when folded. In  FIG. 2 , the stiffener box  10  is shown unfolded in a generally planar rectangular shape with at least three fold lines  10   a , evenly spaced along the length of the rectangular shape. The fold lines are perpendicular to the length of the rectangular shape. 
         [0031]    The container begins assembly in  FIG. 3  where the outer wall is lifted away from the inner wall. During lifting, the dividers  8  and endwalls  6  unfold, generally in parallel, away from the bottom  7 , and away from the stiffener box  10  in this view. Opposite the inner wall and below the container, the bottom extends from a fold line  7   a  and has a similar width to that of the endwalls. The stiffener box takes shape separately as its faces appear along the fold lines  10   a . The stiffener box has a width slightly less than the width of an endwall. 
         [0032]    An alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 4 . The container has an inner wall  5  that extends to a shank  3  with a bight  4  that forms a hook  11  for placement of the container upon a bedrail R. Opposite and parallel to the inner wall, the container has an outer wall  2 . Spaced apart and mutually parallel, two endwalls  6  connect to the inner and outer walls at the lateral ends of the container. A bottom  7  connects to the inner wall, the outer wall, and the end walls as it defines the lower boundary of the container. The container is generally hollow and rectangular. 
         [0033]    To provide compartments  12  within the container, an insert  13  is placed within the container. The insert is shown here outside of the container and has a generally rectangular form of similar shape to the container. The insert has two mutually parallel and spaced apart longitudinal sides. The sides are connected by a plurality of dividers  8  that each has flaps  9 . The flaps secure to the interior of the longitudinal sides. In this figure, two dividers are shown located at the ends of the longitudinal sides. Other numbers of dividers within the container are possible. A stiffener box  10  is shown located between two dividers inwards from the ends of the insert. However the stiffener box may be located adjacent to the ends of the insert as desired by the patient. 
         [0034]    When assembled, the container  1  is placed upon a bedrail or other generally horizontal edge as shown in  FIG. 5 . The container has a generally rectangular form with an open top here showing the dividers  8 . The container has the hook  11  resting upon the bedrail R and the remainder of the container inside of the bedrail for a patient, or resident, to access. In the foreground of this view, the container has its outer wall  5  shown, here in a rectangular shape with the longitudinal direction parallel to the length of the bedrail. The outer wall has two ends that connect to the endwalls  6 . The endwalls are shown perpendicular to the bedrail and the outer wall. The endwalls and the dividers form a plurality of compartments  12 , generally extending upright. Within the compartments, a patient or resident may place their things when occupying the bed. In this view, the dividers  8  are shown joined to the container using parallel but reversed flaps  9  upon the inside and the outside edges of each divider. 
         [0035]    Looking down the length of a bedrail in  FIG. 6 , the container  1  again has its rectangular form with the outer wall  2  to the left and an endwall  6  in the foreground. The endwall also has a rectangular shape and a height that sets the height of the container including the dividers and the hook. The hook  11  has a shank  3 , as before, that extends over the top surface of the bedrail and a bight  4  that wraps downward and under the bedrail. The bight and shank cooperate to position the container upon the bedrail in a stable manner. 
         [0036]    The dividers  8  are shown within the container in  FIG. 7 . The rectangular container has a hook  11  for attaching to the bedrail R and compartments  12  formed within the outer wall  2 , endwalls  6 , and inner wall  5 . A compartment forms from an endwall and a nearby divider or between two nearby dividers. The dividers and endwalls have the same height as the container leading to a flush open top, pleasing in appearance and operative in function to the patient visitors, and hospital staff. Each divider  8  has two parallel flaps  9  upon the longitudinal edges that adjoin the outer wall and inner wall respectively. The flaps are reversed where one flap is in the direction towards the left endwall and the other flap in the direction towards the right endwall. The reversal of the flaps allows for expanding the container to its full form from a flat configuration as previously shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 . 
         [0037]    In the foregoing figures, the present invention appears in the process of assembly, or assembled. In this embodiment, the container is made from double sheet cardboard. This embodiment has the hook, inner wall, and endwalls manufactured from a planar sheet and folded, the bottom and the outer wall manufactured from a second sheet. The dividers and stiffener box are made from a third sheet of cardboard, scored, and folded for insertion into the partially assembled container. The outer wall  2  joins to the flaps  9  upon one side of the dividers  8  and the inner wall  5  joins to the opposite flaps  9  of the dividers. The outer wall, inner wall, divider flaps, endwall flaps, and bottom are joined by an adhesive, or glue, applied at room temperature or heated. The adhesive is preferably applied in strips with dots of adhesive as an alternate method of application. In an alternate embodiment, the container is made from single sheet cardboard. In a further alternate embodiment, the hook, the inner wall, the outer wall, the endwalls, and the bottom are made from one sheet of material, such as cardboard, while the dividers and stiffener box are made from a second sheet of material. 
         [0038]    The preferred embodiment of the container now takes form as shown in  FIG. 8 . This embodiment has an inner wall  2  extending longitudinally and an opposite outer wall  5  generally parallel and spaced apart from the inner wall. The outer wall has a greater height than the inner wall that improves display of items within the container and gently tips items towards the inner wall. The inner wall and the outer wall extend upwardly from the edges of the rectangular bottom (not shown). Perpendicular to the inner wall, the container has a pair of mutually parallel and spaced apart endwalls  6 . Each endwall spans from the outer wall to the inner wall at an end of the bottom. Each endwall has a generally trapezoidal shape with the longer base adjoining the outer wall. Parallel to the endwalls and within the container, a plurality of dividers  8 , here shown as two, subdivide the space within the inner wall and the outer wall. In this embodiment, the dividers also have a generally trapezoidal shape with the longer base adjoining the outer wall, generally in the same orientation as the endwalls. In a further refinement, the dividers have a concave lower edge (not shown) proximate the bottom. Between two dividers and generally centered on this embodiment, the container has a shelf  13  generally parallel to the bottom and spaced above the bottom. The shelf is generally perpendicular to the inner wall and spans from the inner wall to the outer wall. 
         [0039]    Then the inner wall  2  has at least one aperture  14 , though the container has two shown. The aperture admits a hook  15  therethrough that engages a bedrail R. Here, the hook has a generally open linear form, preferably a wire bent double, curved into a classic hook shape with a bight that engages the bedrail and an opposite shank secured to the inner wall. Each hook rotates from a stowed position within the container to an extended position outside the inner wall for reaching a bedrail. Alternatively, each hook may be made from sections of inner wall made rigid by an adhesive or a reinforced corner of paperboard or cardstock. 
         [0040]    Viewing the alternate embodiment of the container from the top,  FIG. 9  shows the outer wall  5  parallel to the inner wall  2  with the endwalls  6  at each end of the bottom  7 . The dividers  8 , here shown as a pair, extend from the outer wall to the inner wall while being parallel to the endwalls. Within the dividers, the shelf  13  spans from one divider to the next, generally parallel to the bottom. Outwardly of the shelf, the container has two compartments for storing items and stowing the hooks  15  during transport of the container. In this figure, the compartment on the left shows a hook stowed within that compartment while the compartment on the right shows a hook rotated outward of the inner wall and ready to reach a bed rail. The hook on the left has an open linear form here shown as a wire bent double. The hook has a closed end bent round that forms the tip of the hook. The wire extends and curves away from the tip into the bight of the hook. When the curve of the bight returns to the shank, the wire straightens both ends that approach each other. Generally opposite the tip of the hook, the ends of the wire extend mutually opposite but collinear. The ends of the wire then fit within the inner wall and operate as a hinge to allow rotation of the hook from within the container, as in the left compartment, to outward of the inner wall, as in the right compartment. 
         [0041]    As an alternate method of assembly, the shelf  13  is formed from a folded extension of the dividers  8 . The shelf links both dividers together and each divider has at least one tab on each edge that slides within the double wall construction of the outer wall and inner wall respectively. 
         [0042]    Once more, the container is shown in  FIG. 10  in a front view with the hooks removed for clarity. The container has an outer wall  5  in the background and an inner wall  2  in the foreground and generally of lower height than the outer wall. Two dividers  8  span from the outer wall to the inner wall generally forming a centered compartment. The dividers extend downwardly to the bottom  7  and adjoin both the inner wall and the outer wall. The dividers support a shelf  13 , here shown in phantom, that spans from the inner wall to the outer wall generally parallel and spaced above the bottom. The inner wall has two apertures  14 . Each aperture is generally centered in the compartments outwardly of the center compartment with the shelf. The apertures are generally elongated vertically and allow for rotation of the hooks therethrough. 
         [0043]    In the foregoing three figures, the preferred embodiment of the present invention appears assembled and is made from a single sheet of material folded upon scores into a double wall construction of the inner wall, the outer wall, the endwalls, the dividers, and the shelf. The bottom has single wall construction. This embodiment has the hook manufactured from bent steel wire and the bight and shank of the hook have a coating to resist abrasion. The outer wall, inner wall, dividers, endwalls, and shelf are joined by tabs positioned into slots while the bottom forms from interleaved extensions of the inner wall, the outer wall, and the endwalls. The interleaving of extensions strengthens the bottom as more items and weight are placed inside the compartments upon the bottom. This embodiment has minimal usage of adhesive. 
         [0044]    Variations or modifications of the subject matter of this invention may occur to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the disclosure provided herein. Such variations or modifications are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the invention as described herein. The description of the preferred embodiment and of the drawings showing the same are provided herein for illustrative purposes only. 
         [0045]    From the aforementioned description, a container has been described. The container is uniquely capable of storing items vertically in compartments while hanging from a bed rail. The container and its various components may be manufactured from many materials including but not limited to paperboard, cardstock, card board, wood, plywood, polymers, high density polyethylene HDPE, polypropylene PP, polyethylene terephalate ethylene PETE, polyvinyl chloride PVC, nylon, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, their alloys and composites. 
         [0046]    The phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. Therefore, the claims include such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.