Abstract:
An organizing and storage container especially constructed for use by medical facility patients in which they may store personal items adjacent to their beds, chairs, etc. wherein the container is mounted to such bed, chair, etc. in an elevated position and is free to assume a horizontal position irrespective of the position of the bed, chair and which container is specifically constructed to both protect the contents from bacterial infection but to remind the patient of the continued need to do so.

Description:
This application claims the benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/367,029 filed May 20, 2010. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This application is directed to the safe, convenient and readily accessible storage of personal items of those individuals confined to a hospital setting. Generally when a person is temporarily admitted to a hospital or other medical or care related facility, no provision is made for the convenient storage of the patient&#39;s necessary personal belongings such as eyeglasses, dental appliances, cell phone and other items enabling the patient to easily communicate with others and maintain a sense of normalcy. Having such items readily accessible to the patient in a hospital, medical, convalescent, or rehabilitation facility at his/her bedside or other related equipment member, e.g., chair or walker, contributes to the patient&#39;s well being, safety, comfort, convenience and recovery. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a container for the storage of such items in close proximity to the patient. 
     In addition, the transmission of germs or bacteria by hospital personnel and/or visitors to the patient&#39;s bedside and/or other hospital related equipment member is of concern; and thus, a container that is easily wiped clean and sanitized while housing the patient&#39;s selected personal effects would be desirable. 
     These and other objects of the invention are accomplished by the provision of an organizing and storage system for patients in hospital and related medical facilities having a floor on which a hospital related member is supported comprising, a pouch-like container and means for attaching said container to a clamp in turn adapted for removable attachment to said hospital related member, said container having a back panel upwardly terminating in a relatively rigid top panel, said top panel supporting said means for attaching said container to said clamp, a front panel attached to said back panel so as to form an interior storage space between the front of said back panel and the back of said front panel and accessible via a top opening, and said attachment means accommodating relative rotation between said attachment means and said clamp such that said container is rotatable to a horizontally parallel position with respect to said facility floor. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the container system of the present invention in a fully closed position; 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective view similar to  FIG. 1  with privacy screens inserted in the container as well as a greeting and/or reminder message displayed at a top portion thereof; 
         FIG. 3  is a view similar to that of  FIGS. 1 and 2  with the front flap of the container in a raised position; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial rear perspective view of  FIG. 1  showing the clamp utilized to connect the container to a hospital related member such as the side rail of a hospital bed as well as a portion of the system of mounting the container to such clamp; 
         FIG. 4A  is a front perspective view of a modified container form; 
         FIG. 4B  is a front perspective view of another modified container form; 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view of  FIG. 4  showing one container connected to the clamp; 
         FIG. 5A  is a partial elevational view of an alternate trunnion mounting means; 
         FIG. 5B  is a partial elevation view similar to  FIG. 5A  showing another trunnion mounting means; 
         FIG. 5C  is a sectional view along the line  5 C- 5 C of  FIG. 5B ; 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of  FIG. 4  showing two containers connected to the clamp; 
         FIG. 6A  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  but showing a modified form of the invention wherein the attachment means is mounted to the docking base, e.g., the clamp; 
         FIG. 6B  is a view similar to  FIG. 6A  but showing another modification thereof; 
         FIG. 7  is a top plan view of  FIG. 4  with the container and the mounting system removed; 
         FIG. 8  is a left side elevational view of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a front elevational view of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a front elevational view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view along the line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is an enlarged exploded partial view of one form of the attendant means for attaching the container to the clamp; 
         FIG. 12A  is a view similar to  FIG. 12  showing an alternate attachment means; 
         FIG. 12B  is a perspective view of a portion of the container shown in  FIGS. 12 and 12A  wherein the button or clip is configured in a different shape; 
         FIG. 13  is a partial perspective view of the container system of the present invention connected to the side rail of a hospital bed and wherein two such containers are supported; 
         FIG. 13A  is an enlarged partial view similar to  FIG. 13  but illustrating an alternate outside container configuration; 
         FIG. 14  is a view similar to  FIG. 13  but with the bed raised to an elevated position to better illustrate how the containers of the present invention are maintained in a horizontal attitude; 
         FIG. 14A  is a perspective view showing an alternate means for attaching a container to a hospital related member; 
         FIG. 15  is an enlarged partial perspective view of the clamp attachment system shown in  FIG. 14  to illustrate the angular elevation of the clamp while the container remains level; 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view of the container system of the present invention connected to an IV pole and held by a patient; 
         FIG. 17  is a partial rear perspective view of  FIG. 16  showing how the container assumes a horizontal position even though the attachment clamp is disposed in a vertical attitude; 
         FIG. 17A  is a partial perspective view similar to  FIG. 14A  showing a still further alternate means for attaching a container to a hospital related member, e.g. a pole; 
         FIG. 17B  is a partial perspective view showing the attachment means of  FIG. 17A  positioned in an alternate position; 
         FIG. 18  is a partial perspective view similar to  FIG. 3  but showing an alternate construction of the container; 
         FIG. 18A  is a view similar to  FIG. 18  showing another embodiment; 
         FIG. 19  is a partial view of  FIG. 18  showing how a container of hand disinfectant can be positioned in one of the container side pockets shown in  FIG. 18 ; 
         FIG. 19A  is a view similar to  FIG. 19  showing another embodiment; and 
         FIG. 20  is a partial view of  FIG. 18  depicting a flower in a bud vase positioned in one of the container side pockets shown in  FIG. 18 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings and more particularly to  FIGS. 1-14 , a preferred embodiment of the organizing and storage system  10  of the present invention is shown including a container  12  in which a patient&#39;s selected belongings such as eyeglasses, dental devices, cell phone and hand sterilizing lotion may be conveniently stored and positioned in close proximity to the patient. For instance, the container  12  may be mounted to a hospital related member, e.g., one of the side rails  16  of a hospital bed  15  such as depicted in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , via attachment means  18  such that the container or containers  12  remain disposed in a horizontal position vis-à-vis the floor  20  on which the bed is supported. 
     The importance of the container  12  remaining in such horizontal position even when the hospital related member such as the bed side rails are elevated as in  FIG. 14  will be more fully apparent as the description continues. One of the primary purposes of the instant invention is that indicia positioned on the container such as messages relating to care, personal identification and reminders will be clearly visible to hospital personnel and/or visitors at all times. In addition, horizontal positioning ensures that personal effects in the container  12  will not be inadvertently spilled or dislodged therefrom irrespective of the movement or positioning of the hospital related member. 
     The container  12  is essentially of a pouch-like, handbag or soft-sided lunchbox configuration having a back panel  22  which forms the rear of the container and which extends upwardly and terminates in a top panel  24  having an upper edge surface  25  and is preferably an integral continuation of the back panel. A front panel  26  is disposed longitudinally forward of the back or rear panel  22  and is connected thereto via a pair of laterally spaced side panels  28  as well as a bottom panel  30 . The side and bottom panels  28 ,  30  respectively preferably fold upon themselves to provide at least one interior storage space  32  within the container  12  and between the front surface  36  of the rear panel  22  and the rear surface  38  of the front panel  26 . In addition, an intermediate panel  39  may be included to provide back-to-back storage spaces  32  and  34 . 
     A front flap  40  having a front surface  42  as well as peripheral edges  44  and an upper edge  46  is connected to the top panel  24  such that the flap  40  overlies a major portion of the front panel  26  in a closed or downwardly extending position as shown in  FIG. 3  to access the storage spaces  32  and  34  via the open tops  33  and  35  respectively thereof. 
     The front flap as well as all the panels are preferably formed of non-porous plastic sheet material, e.g., vinyl resin, that is flexible and can easily be wiped clean and sanitized such as with anti-bacterial solutions. This is particularly important for the front flap  40  since the front flap  40  is the main barrier preventing germs from entering the interior portions of the container  12 . The edges of the front flap  40  as well as the panels may be fused for strength or alternatively provided with a narrow strip  50  of woven or braided material, e.g., nylon, polypropylene, etc., commonly referred to as binding having finished or selvage edges running the binding&#39;s entire length that is folded over the peripheral raw or unfinished edges to encase the edges and sewn in place as shown in the drawing. A locking strip  54  also formed of such woven or braided material and having an upper end  56  and a lower end  58  is attached to the top panel  24  and is adapted to be positioned over the open tops  33  and  35  of the storage spaces  32  and  34 . A hook and loop fastener pair  60 ,  62  is attached to the rear surface of the strip  54  and to the front surface  36  of the front panel  26  to provide an easy and simple opening and closing system. 
     In addition, both the front panel  26  and the front flap  40  are preferably transparent whereas the back panel  22  and the intermediate panel  39 , when provided, are preferably opaque. In this manner, items the patient desires to conceal from view can be placed in the storage space  35  while other items placed in the storage space  33  remain visible. In addition, the front flap  40  may include an open top pocket or pockets  66  formed by adding or incorporating a patch or patches  68  of sheet material attached to the inside surface thereof such as by fusion welding. In this way, a greeting, photograph, name tag, etc or informational pamphlet may be placed in such pocket and is clearly visible through the front surface of the front flap  40  to hospital personnel and visitors alike. For instance, a suitable greeting that could be placed in a pocket would be one that indicates the patient&#39;s preferred name. Also, the front of the top panel is also preferably provided with one or more messages, e.g., “Hands Clean?”, so everyone including the patient is reminded of the need to prevent germs and sanitize by periodically wiping down at least the front surface of the front flap  40  as well as hand sanitizing the patient&#39;s and visitors&#39; hands. 
     The attachment means  18  by which the container  12  is mounted to a hospital related member, e.g., the bed side rail, includes a trunnion member  70  that is connected to a rigid portion  19  of the container  12  that provides a rounded bearing surface, e.g., in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5-7 , through the top panel  24  thereof and a clamping member  90  that, in turn, is connected to the trunnion member  70  at least in the area through which the trunnion  70  extends. In order to reinforce the top panel  24  and to add rigidity thereto, a rigid insert  25  of plastic and the like may be added generally by utilizing a double layer of sheet material to form the top panel and sandwiching the insert  25  therebetween. The trunnion member  70  includes an elongated shaft or plug  72  having an enlarged head or button  74 . The plug  72  extends through an opening  27  in the top panel  24  and is provided with fastening means for attaching a connecting boss  80  to the terminal end  76  thereof. Such attaching means  18  may include a threaded channel  78  into which fastener  82 , e.g., a screw or bolt, passing through a hollow bore  84  of the boss  80  serves to connect the plug  72  and boss  80  together after inserting the plug  72  into the bore  84  of the boss  80 . The fastener  82  could alternatively be omitted and the plug  72  and boss “heat staked” together. The boss may include a flange  86  on the end proximal to the top panel  24  to apply pressure to the top panel, that is, the top panel  24  is, in effect, sandwiched between the rear face  75  of the button and the flange  86 . The boss  80  includes a reduced diameter central pivot support surface  88  that, in turn, is received by a keyhole-shaped cutout  91  downwardly extending from the upper edge  94  of at least one of the opposed handles  96  of the clamp  90  to support the container  12  and defining a rounded bearing surface  92  in pivotal supporting relationship with the support surface  88  of the above-indicated trunnion connection. 
     It should be pointed out that other ways of forming the rounded bearing surface  92  in the clamp handles  96  can be utilized (see  FIGS. 5A and 5B ). In  FIG. 5A , the opening is not formed by a downwardly extending cutout  91  but passes through the body of the handle and is in the shape of a keyhole opening  91 A wherein the lower reduced diameter portion thereof forms the rounded bearing surface  92 , and the enlarged portion enables an already assembled trunnion member  70  to extend laterally therethrough for positioning of the pivot support surface  88  thereof thereon. Additionally, as shown in  FIG. 5B  and  FIG. 5C , while the opening is formed by a downwardly extending cutout  91 B, such cutout does not include a reduced diameter entrance as a means to retain the trunnion to the handle but alternatively utilizes an outwardly extending detent  93 B which extends (as by snap fit) an arcuate recess  93 C formed on the inside surface of the boss  80 . Thus, the bearing surface  92  and the trunnion support surface  88  interaction enables the free-swinging suspension of the container with respect to the docking base to remain the same as above explained with reference to the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 5-9  and  FIG. 5A . Thus, the term “cutout” as utilized herein is intended to cover the various cutout forms disclosed above, e.g., cutouts  91 ,  91 A and  91 B. 
     It should also be pointed out that the rigid portion of the container which interacts with the trunnion member to provide the desired pivotal mounting of the container to the docking base and thus to the hospital related member can be formed by alternate constructions such as those shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B . Such rigid portion  19  in part shown in  FIG. 4  and as further explained with reference to  FIG. 12  is formed by the area surrounding hole  27  through the top panel  24  but as above referred to can take other forms. One such alternate form of a rigid portion  19 A is shown in  FIG. 4A  wherein the top panel, although configured similar to that of  FIG. 4 , utilizes a rigid panel which instead of being, in effect, a continuation of the back panel is a separate member having a lower edge that is attached to the upper edge  46 A of the container  12 A via fasteners  150 . Another form of an alternate rigid portion  19 B is depicted in  FIG. 4B  wherein a rigid wire  152  that is bent upon itself to form an integral rigid circular opening  154  centrally thereof which, in effect, forms the rigid portion  19 B through which portions of the trunnion member  70  may be inserted as with the previously described embodiments. The wire includes a central body  155  and opposed ends  156  which may be inwardly bent such that those ends can be inserted into the selvage when present in the upper edge of the container or melt embedded into such upper edges as when formed from plastic trim such that the wire  152  and the remaining portions of the container are connected to each other. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 12A , a modified form  18 A of the attachment means is shown whereby a trunnion member  70 A may be attached to the rigid portion of the container, e.g., the top panel  24 , thereof. Instead of utilizing a separate bolt or screw  82 , such modified trunnion member  70 A incorporates such threaded screw or bolt  82 A into the boss  80 A whereby the bolt  82 A passes through a smaller opening  27 A for connection with the plug  72  via internal threads  78 A therein. 
     The clamp  90  includes opposed elongated members  95  connected together at central portions thereof and defining the handles  96  at the upper portions thereof and opposed jaws  97  at the lower portions thereof. The central connection of the members  95  is formed by interlocking lugs  100  and  102  extending inwardly from the opposed handles  96  through which a hinge pin  104  and spring  106  serves to interconnect the opposed handles such that they are biased to an open longitudinally outwardly angled position and when the handles  96  are forced towards each other such as by a grasping motion serve to open the normally closed jaws  97 . In this way, the clamp  90  can be securely fastened but easily removed from a hospital related member, e.g., a bed rail, crutches, chair, table, a tubular portion of a walker, an IV pole or wheel chair arm. Upon release of the handles  96  from their proximal jaw opening position, the handles  96  assume a more upright and vertical position dependent upon the width or diameter of the member grasped by the jaws  97 . An advantage of structuring the cutouts  91  at the upper edges  94  of the handles is that this position assumes that the trunnion member  70  and thus the pivotal connection between the container  12  and the clamp  90  is vertically spaced above the jaws and through the connection of such jaws with the hospital related member above such member. This positioning, in effect, lifts the containers considerably above the hospital related member and in some cases such as with connection to hospital bed rails serves to prevent the containers from resting in an inconvenient and relatively inaccessible position between the outer edge of the mattress and the bed rail. This positioning also assures maximum visibility to the front of the container. A detailed description of such a suitable spring clamp is shown in U.S. Patent Publication 2009/0019678 published Jan. 22, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by specific reference thereto. 
     Preferably, each of the handles  96  includes a cutout  91  such that a pair of containers  12  can be mounted on the clamp  90  each with self-leveling, pivotal movement with respect to the clamp and thus, in turn, positioned on each side of the same hospital related member on which the clamp is mounted similar to saddle bags. The cutout  91  includes a narrowed entrance  93  of a diameter slightly less than that of the trunnion member pivot support surface  88  such that the boss  80  must be forced or snapped into the rounded bearing surface  92  of the cutout  91  such that the pivotal connection is purposely retained even when the hospital related member is angularly moved with respect to the supporting floor  20 . As previously indicated, the alternate cutout forms described herein may be utilized as well, and such alternate forms would be interconnected with the trunnion in a manner dictated by their respective constructions. Also, by having one cutout  91  on each handle  96 , one container  12  may be positioned facing outwardly towards the visitor, i.e., on the visitor&#39;s side, of a bed rail and another container  12  facing inwardly towards the patient, i.e., on the patient&#39;s side, of the bed rail thus better enabling the division of the patient&#39;s items between the two containers dependent upon the privacy or personal nature of the items, e.g., notices, reminders, name tags and sanitizing lotion or fluid on the public side and more personal items on the patient&#39;s side. 
     The above described embodiments assume an attachment means  18  that is separate from the docking base, e.g., the clamp  90 , and then the trunnion means is attached thereto. However as shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , a modified forms of the trunnion member means may be either attached to a portion of the docking base, e.g., the clamp  90 A, prior to mounting the container thereto by conventional attachment means such as the fastener  82  as shown in  FIG. 6A  or may be integrally molded to the clamp  90 B as shown in  FIG. 6B . 
     Turning to  FIG. 6A , trunnion member  70 B includes an enlarged head or button  74 B from which a shaft or plug  72 B extends. Plug  72 B includes an end wall or face  73 B which abuts the surface of the handle  96 A and is attached thereto by a screw or bolt  82 B positioned on the opposite surface of the handle and passing through the handle body into the plug  72 B which may be threaded to accommodate such attachment. With the trunnion member  70 B so attached to at least one of the handles  96  and preferably both, the button  74 B is adapted to pass through an enlarged opening  27 D of cutout  91 D formed in panel  24 D of a modified container  12 D. The cutout  91 D is, of course, inverted as compared to cutout  91 A since the modified attachment means is secured to the clamp as opposed to the container. Accordingly, the outer surface of the plug  74 B serves to form a pivot support surface  88 B which contacts the rounded bearing surface  92 B formed at the reduced diameter upper portion of the keyhole shaped opening  27 D which defines the cutout  91 D. This pivotal mounting allows the container to pivot freely with respect to the clamp  90 A as in the previous embodiments. 
     Turning to  FIG. 6B , a still further embodiment is shown where a trunnion member  70 C is integrally formed with the handle(s)  96 B as by injection molding. Such trunnion member includes a shaft or plug  72 C outwardly extending from the outwardly facing face of at least one and preferably both of the handles  96 B of clamp  90 B. The plug  72 C terminates in an enlarged head or button  74 C which is adapted to pass through the enlarged portion of the opening  27 D as described with reference to the  FIG. 6A  embodiment. The plug  72 C includes a hollow body defined in part by the truncated walls  75 C which, in turn, define longitudinally extending surfaces  77 C which serves to form a pivot support surface  88 C which, in turn, is adapted to contact the rounded bearing surface  92 B of the cutout  91 D. The free pivoting relationship between the clamp and container is achieved as with the previously described embodiments. The surface  77 C may be rounded in cross section so as to enhance such pivotable motion. 
     It should be noted that with the above described embodiments of  FIGS. 6A and 6B  that a modified form of cutout  91 E may be formed in the upper panel  24 E of a modified form of container  12 E. Such cutout  91 E is similar in form to cutout  91  but downwardly extends from the upper edge surface  25 E of the panel  24 E as opposed to downwardly extending from the edge  94  of clamp  90 . The reduced diameter lead in portion  93 E of cutout  91 E adjacent the enlarged opening  27 E forms rounded bearing surface  92 E that facilitates the desired free pivotal motion between the container  12 E and the clamp  90 A or  90 B. Stated differently, the trunnion members  70 B and  70 C can be utilized in conjunction with either cutout  91 D or  91 E. 
     With further regard to the division between the public and private (hospital vs. patient) sides of the bed or other hospital related member to which the container is mounted, it should be pointed out that a simplified version of the container can be utilized for mounting on the public side. An example of such a simplified container  12 C is shown in  FIG. 13A . Therein, the container  12 C omits the front flap of the container  12  since the sanitation and privacy features of such flap are unnecessary on the public side and provides a front panel  26 C preferably formed of mesh fabric and attached to the back panel  22  at the sides and bottom thereof. The pouch created by such panel  26 C can be used by hospital staff for insertion of meal plans, notes from hospital staff, discharge papers and reading material, etc. 
     With regard to notices and the like, the button  74  is provided with a narrow width slot  75  downwardly extending from the upper peripheral edge  77  thereof for the placement of a thin paper or cardboard sheet upon which time urgent or other related messages may be posted in a highly visible position by staff and/or visitors. The button  74  thus forms a message clip—the shape of which may be varied dependent upon the nature of the hospital facility, etc. For instance, the clip may take the form of the facility&#39;s logo or may be shaped to express various themes such as the American flag form of button  74 A shown in  FIG. 12B . 
     To illustrate how the clamp  90  or the modified forms  90 A and  90 B thereof may be mounted to hospital related members other than a bed rail, reference is made to  FIGS. 16 and 17 . In  FIGS. 16 and 17 , a container  12  is shown mounted via a clamp  90  to a vertically oriented IV pole  100 . The clamp  90  assumes a vertical orientation as seen in  FIG. 17  while the attachment means  18  enables the container  12  to remain horizontal as shown by the flange  86  positioned against the inside surface of the top panel  24  indicative of the central pivot support surface positioned in the bearing surface  92  of the cutout  91  proximal to the top panel. A similar arrangement of the above-described components takes place in different angular positions depending on the structure (hospital related member) to which the clamp  90  is mounted including walkers, wheel chairs and even conventional chairs, etc. as previously indicated. 
     In the foregoing description of the invention in its various forms, the construction and function of the docking base has been illustrated with specific reference to the clamp  90 . However, as previously pointed out, the docking base may also take forms different from such clamp. For instance with reference to  FIG. 14A , one such modified or alternate construction of the docking base is depicted. Therein, a band  190  preferably formed of a somewhat stiff plastic is adapted to encircle the hospital related member. The band includes a central body  192  and opposite ends. One of the ends  194  terminates in a housing  196  including an open slot  198  for receipt of the other end  200 . Such other end  200  includes an upstanding ridge  202  which when forced, e.g., snap fitted, into the slot  198  provides the means by which the band is attached to the hospital related member. 
     The body of the band includes at least one and preferably two hanger members  204  formed on opposed sides thereof. The hanger members include an outer wall  206  laterally spaced from the band body  192  to form a space  207  therebehind. The walls  206  include an upper edge  208  and a cutout  210  downwardly extending therefrom. The cutout  210  provides a rounded bearing surface  92  at the base thereof and thus along with the space  207  provides the means by which the trunnion member  70  may be positioned therein and function in the same manner as previously described to enable one or two containers to be positioned therein and function so as to enable the desired pivotal movement of the container with respect to the hospital related member. While the cutout  210  is depicted as in the form of cutout  91 B previously described with reference to  FIGS. 5B and 5C , the cutout or opening  210  could also take the forms depicted and described with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 5A  of the drawings as well as to the modified forms described in  FIGS. 6A and 6B . 
     A still further modified docking base form is shown in  FIGS. 17A and 17B  and has particular utility when used in transition as between a bed and a chair and when less permanent fastening of the docking base is desired. Therein, a band  220  preferably formed of a flexible plastic or strong woven material is adapted to encircle the hospital related member. The ends  222 ,  224  respectively are provided with loop and hook fastening means (Velcro) such that the band  220  can be easily fixed in position and removed. The central body  226  of the band includes a hanger member  228  having, in turn, an inner wall  230  attached to the band and an outwardly spaced outer wall  232  to form space  234  therebetween. The outer wall has a regular geometric peripheral edge, e.g., a square, and includes at least one and preferably three cutouts  236  inwardly extending from the edges thereof. Generally, the outer wall  232  is square or rectangular such that when these cutouts are utilized, the docking base will present a cutout in position to receive the trunnion member in several different directions. As with the explanation with reference to the  FIG. 14A  docking base embodiment, the cutouts  236  may also take the form of the various configurations set out in  FIGS. 5 ,  5 A and  5 B. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 18-20 , a modified form of a container  12   a  is depicted wherein one or both side panels  28  are provided with a vertically oriented and laterally extending pocket  110 . The pocket or pockets  110  include sidewalls  112  that may be rounded or rectangular and formed of transparent sheet plastic of the type forming the panels or of plastic or fabric mesh as depicted in  FIG. 18   a  and further including a bottom wall  114  that, in turn, includes an opening  116  therethrough. The sidewalls  112  define a cavity  118  for receipt of a bottle  120  of antibacterial lotion that is preferably positioned in an inverted position therein such that the dispensing nozzle  122 , e.g., a squirt-type cap or dispensing hand pump, thereof extends through the opening  116  to increase the ease of dispensing fluid onto one&#39;s hands. In addition, the pockets  110  may include a closed loop  124  preferably formed from web or other open mesh type material similar to that utilized in the binding portions of the panels. The loop  124  may be utilized to orient the dispensing nozzle  122  of a lotion, etc. bottle when such is oriented base end down in the pocket  110  or for supporting a bud vase  126  used for displaying a natural or artificial flower or other decorative object. Also as shown in  FIG. 19A , the loop  124  may be omitted and a pouch or pocket  125  provided in addition to or as a replacement for such loop. As may be readily apparent, these pockets can be used to hold MP3 players, glasses and other items the user wants easily accessible. 
     While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying this invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.