Patent Document

This is a request for filing a Divisional application, under 37 C.F.R. § 1.53(b), of prior application Ser. No. 10/068,811, filed Feb. 6, 2002 now abandoned, for: JEWELRY ORGANIZER by: Lori Greiner. The entire disclosure of the prior application is considered as being part of the disclosure of the accompanying application and is hereby incorporated by reference therein. 

   RELATED APPLICATION 
   The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/728,505, entitled “Jewelry Chest and Box with Slidable Features” filed Dec. 1, 2000, incorporated herein by reference. 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a jewelry organizer with unique slidable features. While several different types of jewelry organizers are known, there is a need for a jewelry organizer that is convenient to use and allows a user to easily view and select jewelry. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   One type of a known jewelry holder is in the form of a container with relatively high sides and back walls and a top that is hinged to the back wall to permit access into the container. Earring stands are fixed to the bottom of the container. A particular problem with this type of jewelry holder is that it is very difficult to insert and remove the jewelry from the stands because the side walls and hinged top limit the amount of space available. 
   Yet another type of jewelry holder proposes racks that slide into a box-like container having a single open side. Again, a problem with this type of jewelry holder is that because the racks are designed as an integral part of the box-like container when the racks are removed from the container, the racks cannot be placed on a horizontal surface without falling over. In addition, because there is only one open side, access to the jewelry located inside the container is limited. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,184, invented by the present inventor and hereby incorporated by reference discloses a jewelry holder with a plurality of movable earring stands that are positioned on a base. The base is in the form of a box with an open front that slidably receives a drawer. The top of the base is provided with a plurality of grooves that slidably receive the earring stands. The stands include a pair of supports joined by a substantially horizontal cross-piece that has at least one aperture sized to receive a post or stem of an earring. The stands include a base that is sized to slidably fit within the grooves in the base. Alternatively, clip-on earrings may be directly clipped onto the crosspiece. 
   Some organizers are in the form of a piece of furniture, such as an armoire. These types of organizers can hold many more jewelry items as well as other items such as lingerie, evening bags, etc. These organizers may have drawers, some having compartments within the drawers to organize jewelry items. In addition, these items may have side doors outfitted with necklace bars for holding necklaces. 
   It is desirable to provide a jewelry organizer that can hold a large amount of jewelry in an organized fashion that allows a user to have direct and easy access to the jewelry contained therein. In addition, it is desirable to provide a jewelry organizer that makes visual inspection of the items contained therein easy. In addition, it is desirable to provide a jewelry organizer that groups like items together. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a jewelry organizer according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the jewelry organizer shown in  FIG. 1  with two doors and a lid opened. 
       FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the jewelry organizer shown in  FIG. 1  with all the doors and lid opened. 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the jewelry organizer shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of the jewelry organizer as shown in  FIG. 1  with all of the doors opened and the lid opened. 
       FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of a jewelry organizer according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a portion of a jewelry organizer according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is an elevational view of a jewelry organizer according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a front elevational view of a jewelry organizer according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 10  is the organizer shown in  FIG. 9  with the top lid opened. 
       FIG. 11  is the organizer shown in  FIG. 9  with the top lid opened and the lift out drawers fully extended. 
       FIG. 12  is an elevational view of an organizer according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 13  is a top view of the organizer shown in  FIG. 9  with the top lid opened and the lift out drawers fully extended. 
       FIG. 14  is an elevational view of the back of a jewelry organizer according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 15  is a side view of the jewelry organizer shown in  FIG. 14 . 
       FIG. 16  is a top view of a top section of an organizer according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 17  is a front elevational view of a jewelry organizer according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 18  is a perspective view of a portion of the organizer shown in  FIG. 17 . 
       FIG. 19  is a front elevational view of a jewelry organizer according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a jewelry organizer according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention. The jewelry organizer  10  has a top section  9 , a middle section  11  and a bottom section  13 . The top section  9  includes two doors  12 . The middle section  11  includes two mid-level doors  14  and the bottom section  13  includes a plurality of drawers  16 . While there are only two drawers  16  illustrated in the bottom section  13 , there may be more or less and the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments illustrated. The bottom section  13  may include legs  18  as shown or, alternatively, the bottom section  13  of the organizer  10  may be a chest of drawers that extend to the floor. The organizer  10  has a lid  20  that can be pivoted open to expose a mirror as will be described hereinafter. Pull handles  15  and/or knobs  17  are included on the drawers  16  and/or doors  12 ,  14  respectively. In a preferred embodiment, the top, middle and bottom sections  9 - 13  are detachable from one another. In another preferred embodiment, the top, middle and bottom sections  9 - 13  are not detachable from one another. In still another preferred embodiment, only certain sections may be detachable from one another. 
     FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the jewelry organizer shown in  FIG. 1  with one of the top doors  12  and mid-level doors  14  opened as well as the lid  20 . The jewelry organizer  10  has a back wall  19  with a necklace bar  18  secured thereto. The necklace bar  18  has a plurality of hooks  21  on which necklaces can be hung. The doors  12  each form a cabinet as can be seen in  FIG. 2  in which a plurality of sliding earring stands  22  are mounted. More particularly, the sliding earring stands  22  can be slid out of the cabinet formed in the door  12 . Each sliding earring stand  22  is mounted within the cabinet in grooves/tracks  24  formed in the bottom of the cabinet. U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,184 entitled “Jewelry Holder with at Least One Movable Stand”, by the present inventor which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses sliding earring stands that are the same as those incorporated into the doors  12 . The sliding earring stands  22  each have a plurality of crosspieces  26  extending between pillars  13 . Each cross piece  26  has a plurality of holes  15  in which pierced earrings can be mounted. In addition, clip on earrings can be mounted directly to the crosspiece  26 . The sliding earring stands  22  have a base  23  that fits within a groove  24  and thus, when a stand  22  is removed from the cabinet, it is self-supporting, in other words the earring stands  22  can stand on their own on a relatively flat surface when removed from the grooves or tracks  24  formed in the floor of each cabinet. 
   The drawers  16  have pull handles  15  which allow the user to slide a drawer  16  in and out of the organizer  10 . The doors  12  in the top section  9  of the organizer are rotatably secured in the organizer by hinges  27 . The doors  14  in the middle section  11  of the organizer are mounted to the organizer by hinges  25 . Located on the inside of each door  14  is another necklace bar  30  with a plurality of hooks  32  on which necklaces can be hung. The necklace bar  30  can be unhinged by releasing a clasp  21  and the necklace bar  30  can be rotated away from the door  14 . Alternatively, the necklace bar  30  can be fixed to the door  14 . Each door  14  may also be provided with a tray  34  to hold the bottom portion of long necklaces so that the necklaces do not interfere with the closing of the doors  14 . 
   Behind the doors  14  are a plurality of drawers  36 . Storage compartments such as a ring platform  38  can be placed in a drawer. The ring platform  38  is preferably a soft, foam-like material in which slits  40  are formed as is well known. The other drawers  36  may also hold rings or they may have compartments to hold larger items such as bracelets, brooches and necklaces. In addition, they may hold articles of clothing such as scarves, lingerie, socks and hosiery. The drawers  36  can be customized by forming the storage compartments as stand alone units which can be interchangeable and/or dropped into a drawer according to a user&#39;s needs and preferences. In addition, removable dividers may be provided to allow a user to customize the configuration of the storage compartment of each drawer  36 . Alternatively, the storage compartments may be formed as an integral part of the drawer and not changeable by the user. 
   As can be seen from  FIG. 1  when the doors  14  are closed, they conceal the plurality of drawers  36  located behind them. 
   In the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the top  39  of the middle section  11  is substantially open so that one can see items in the top-most drawer  36  of the middle section  11 . Alternatively, the top  39  may be closed. 
     FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the jewelry organizer  10  shown in  FIG. 1  with all the doors  12 ,  14  and lid  20  opened. A mirror  42  is located on the inside of lid  20 . Alternatively, the top of the organizer  10  may be provided with a recessed opening, and upon opening the lid  20 , the mirror can be propped up and supported by an easel as shown in  FIG. 7 . Alternatively, the organizer may be provided without a pivoting lid.  FIG. 4  is a side view of the jewelry organizer  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   The walls and floors of the various compartments and the lid&#39;s inner surface of the jewelry organizer are preferably lined with an anti-tarnish cloth many varieties of which are commercially available. The anti-tarnish cloth allows the jewelry to be placed in the organizer  10  while reducing the risk of tarnish to the jewelry items. Alternatively, only sections of the organizer may be lined with anti-tarnish cloth, or there may be no anti-tarnish cloth provided. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the jewelry organizer is formed of wood and is about eighteen inches wide, forty-eight inches high and about fourteen inches deep. Of course, the preferred embodiment of the chest is not limited in size and other dimensions may be used depending on the quantity of jewelry to be held. Alternatively, the chest can be made of various other materials such as acrylic, polystyrene, polypropylene, metal, and wood composites, for example. 
     FIG. 5  is a top view of the jewelry organizer shown in  FIG. 1  with all of the doors  12 ,  14  and the lid  20  opened. 
     FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of a jewelry organizer  100  according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this preferred embodiment, the doors  140  which house necklaces are mounted on the side of the organizer  100 . Unlike the preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the drawers  136  are exposed in this preferred embodiment. The bottom section  130  is a chest of drawers in this preferred embodiment. 
   Because the bottom sections  13 ,  130  of the organizers  10 ,  100  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6  are detachable from the middle sections  11 ,  111 , the organizer can be modified to a user&#39;s needs. Thus, a user may decide that more space is necessary and choose the bottom section  140  shown in  FIG. 6  to be used with either middle section  11 ,  111 . In addition, because the top sections  9 ,  190  of the organizers  10 ,  100  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6  are also detachable from the middle sections  11 ,  111 , the top portions  9 ,  90  can be removed from the organizer and placed on a surface such as a vanity counter if desired. In addition, a user can select from a plurality of top sections such as that shown in  FIGS. 1-7  and  FIGS. 10-15 . The inner surface of each door  140  is provided with a necklace bar and tray as previously described. Of course, the organizers  10 ,  100  shown in  FIGS. 1-6  may be a single, unitary piece or they may be detachable from one another. 
     FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a lid  220  that may be used with any of the jewelry organizers described herein. In this preferred embodiment, the lid  220  pivots open as shown. A mirror  221  is located under the lid  220  and is rotatably attached to the organizer at its lower edge  224 . An easel-like stand  222  located behind the mirror  221  prop the mirror into position as shown. 
     FIG. 8  is a front elevational view of another preferred embodiment of a jewelry organizer. In this preferred embodiment, some of the drawers are replaced with pivotal trays  300  that rotate out as shown by the arrow as disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 09/728,505 which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference. In addition, the bottom section  13  of the organizer may be provided with both pivoting trays and pull-out drawers. 
     FIG. 9  is a front view of a jewelry organizer  300  according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment the middle and lower sections  11 ,  13  are the same as shown in  FIGS. 1-5  but the top section  390  is different. The top section  390  includes a lid  392  which can be pivoted open as shown in  FIG. 10 . The inner surface  394  of the lid  392  may have a mirror  396  disposed thereon as shown or it may not. Located under the lid is a compartment  398  that holds a plurality of lift out drawers  400  as shown in  FIG. 11 . 
   In one preferred embodiment, the lift out drawers  400  are coupled to one another by hinges  402  such that the drawers  400  can be lifted out of the compartment  398  and fully extended as shown in  FIG. 11 . Alternatively, the upper drawers  400  can slide along a track  410  formed in the bottom most drawers  400  as shown in  FIG. 12 . Wheels  412  may also be added to assist in the sliding of the drawers. Of course, if more drawers were provided additional tracks would be needed. In addition, as shown in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 12 , the lower-most drawers  410  may slide along the top of the middle section to their extended position as shown in  FIG. 12  and not be lifted-out as shown in  FIG. 11 . Alternatively, the lower-most drawers  410  may lift out and the drawers located thereabove may slide out from the lower-most drawers. 
     FIG. 13  is a top view of the jewelry organizer shown in  FIG. 11 . Each drawer  400  can be customized for a user&#39;s particular needs. As an example, a first drawer  404  may have a plurality of adjustable dividers  406  located therein to provide maximum earring storage. A second drawer  408  may have a ring platform  410  located therein. The ring platform  410  may be a piece of foam covered with fabric and die cut with slits to hold rings upright. A third drawer  412  holds a plurality of adjustable dividers  414  that divide the drawer  412  into larger compartments than drawer  404 . Like the dividers  406  in drawer  404 , the dividers  414  are removable and/or interchangeable. The fourth drawer  416  includes a plurality of adjustable dividers  418  that divide the drawer  416  into medium sized compartments. The dividers  418  in the fourth drawer  416  are also removable and/or interchangeable. All of the lift out drawers  400  are configurable to a user&#39;s needs. 
     FIG. 14  is an elevational view of the back of a jewelry organizer according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Two secret compartments  500  are provided although the present invention is not limited to a particular number of such compartments. A door  502  is provided to gain access to the compartment  500 . Each door  502  may be provided with a lock  504  or a combination (not shown) to provide security. In addition, the other drawers, doors and trays may be provided with latches or locks or other security devices. As can be seen in the side view of the organizer in  FIG. 15 , the compartment  500  is provided by utilizing a shorter drawer  510  which slides on a platform  508 , such as a three-quarters length drawer, so that a region directly behind the drawer is vacant and can be used as the secret compartment. 
     FIG. 16  is a top view of a top section  600  of a jewelry organizer according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this preferred embodiment, doors  601  are formed by two sections  602 ,  604  coupled together by a hinge  606 . The section  602  of the door  601  can be rotated open and folded back on section  604 . In this preferred embodiment, grooves  608  are formed in the bottom of the top section and stands  610  are slid into these grooves  608 . In an alternative embodiment, the top section  600  may not have grooves  608  but rather may have at least one earring stand permanently affixed in the top section of the organizer. 
     FIG. 17  is a front elevational view of a jewelry organizer  800  according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The organizer  800  has similar features to the organizers already described. The organizer  800  includes an additional earring tree  830  mounted to an inner surface of door  814 . The inner surface of the door  814  has a lip  832  (as seen in  FIG. 18 ) that runs around the perimeter of the door  814 . The earring tree  830  is mounted on the door  814  by a pin  834  located at the top and bottom of the door  814 . The earring tree  830  rotates about the pins  834  so that access to both sides of the earring tree  830  can be had as seen in  FIG. 18 . Like the earring stands located in the top section of the organizers, the earring tree  830  has a plurality of cross bars  836  extending between pillars  838 . Each cross bar  836  has a plurality of holes  840  through which pierced earrings can be mounted. The thickness of the lip  832  around the perimeter of the door  814  is selected so that when the earring tree  830  is in its closed position as shown in  FIG. 17 , it fits within the recess created by the lip  832 . A latch (not shown) may be provided to secure the free end of the earring tree  830  to the inner surface of the door  814 . 
     FIG. 19  is a front elevational view of a jewelry organizer according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The organizer is similar to that described with reference to  FIG. 11  with the addition of an earring tree  830  to the inner surface of the door  814 . 
   It should be understood that a wide range of changes and modifications can be made to the embodiment described above. It is therefore intended that the foregoing description illustrates rather than limits this invention, and that it is the following claims, including all equivalents, which define the invention.

Technology Category: 1