Freight accommodation on freight carrier – Load bracing means – Panel or frame – wall-to-wall
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-02
2004-02-10
Gordon, Stephen T. (Department: 3612)
Freight accommodation on freight carrier
Load bracing means
Panel or frame, wall-to-wall
C410S121000, C410S129000, C410S151000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06688821
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to organizers and more particularly pertains to a new adjustable cargo area organizer system for adjustably organizing a cargo area of a vehicle having at least a pair of opposed side walls orientated generally parallel to each other.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years the versatility of vehicles having a cargo area have increased tremendously. These vehicles have drawn the attention of user that are looking for durable and versatile vehicles. These users often use these vehicles for carrying and hauling goods such as, groceries, tools, lumber and machinery. The problem that has been encountered with these types of vehicles is that the goods tend to move about the cargo area when the vehicle is in motion. In fact, unsecured goods can become damaged or they can damage the vehicle.
There have been numerous inventions to divide cargo areas of vehicles in order to limit the movement of goods being transported. However, the prior inventions have several disadvantages. First, they are generally bulky, heavy and difficult to move. Second, they are generally not adjustable to various vehicles, therefore once the invention is installed in a particular vehicle it cannot be used in another vehicle. Lastly, the prior inventions typically require that a portion of the invention be mounted to the vehicle by some type of fastener. The installation method also made it difficult to use the invention in various vehicles.
The use of organizers is known in the prior art. More specifically, organizers heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,434; U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,301; U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,947; U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,993; U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,847; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 350,526.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new adjustable cargo area organizer system. The inventive device includes a partition assembly for portioning the cargo area of a vehicle into compartments. The partition assembly includes at least one panel that has a pair of opposed first end surfaces. Each of the opposed first end surfaces is selectively abuttable against the pair of opposed side walls of the vehicle. The panel has a front surface that has at least one elongated channel extending therein. At least one divider is provided that has an end that is slidably secured in the elongated channel. The divider subdivides one of the compartments of the cargo area into sub-compartments.
In these respects, the adjustable cargo area organizer system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of adjustably organizing a cargo area of a vehicle having at least a pair of opposed side walls orientated generally parallel to each other.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of organizers now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new adjustable cargo area organizer system construction wherein the same can be utilized for adjustably organizing a cargo area of a vehicle having at least a pair of opposed side walls orientated generally parallel to each other.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new adjustable cargo area organizer system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the organizers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new adjustable cargo area organizer system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art organizers, either alone or in any combination thereof.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the adjustable cargo area organizer system in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that 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. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new adjustable cargo area organizer system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the organizers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new adjustable cargo area organizer system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art organizers, either alone or in any combination thereof.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new adjustable cargo area organizer system for adjustably organizing a cargo area of a vehicle having at least a pair of opposed side walls orientated generally parallel to each other.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new adjustable cargo area organizer system that is easily transportable and that can be easily transferred between vehicles.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new adjustable cargo area organizer system that is used to organize goods of different sizes and shapes while preventing the goods from being damaged or damaging the vehicle.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.
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