Package and article carriers – Vehicle attached – Complementary to vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-19
2004-09-28
Cronin, Stephen K. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Vehicle attached
Complementary to vehicle
C224S550000, C224S555000, C224S566000, C224S925000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06796472
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related generally to apparatus utilized to accomplish a variable division or compartmentalization of an automobile trunk and for securing cargo loaded into such trunk.
Typically apparatus utilized to accomplish a variable division of an automobile trunk are comprised of members of fixed length such that the shape and/or the dimensions of the compartments created by division of an automobile trunk are fixed. This limits usefulness of the created compartments.
All of the known art in the field of apparatus to accomplish a division or compartmentalization of automobile trunks provide for but a single row of compartments between the rear of the trunk area and the rear-most line between the wheel wells of the automobile. This limitation fails to address the difficulty encountered by an aging population in bending and stretching to reach cargo items which are, because of the depth of the compartment, deep within the trunk close to a rear-most line between the wheel wells of the automobile.
More particularly the present invention is related to apparatus which permit compartmentalization of automobile trunks into compartments of variable size and shape.
Yet more particularly the present invention is related to apparatus which permit compartmentalization of automobile trunks which provides for more than one row of compartments between the rear of the trunk and a rear-most line between the wheel wells of the automobile.
Yet more particularly the present invention is related to apparatus which permit compartmentalization of automobile trunks into compartments which provide a variable number of compartments.
In yet further and final point of particularity, the present invention is related to apparatus which permit compartmentalization of automobile trunks into compartments which provide the flexibility to quickly and easily change the configuration of the compartments as the loading of cargo within the trunk space of an automobile is being accomplished.
b. Description of the Prior Art
Various automobile trunk compartmentalizers, or devices and systems useful for such purpose, are known in the prior art. The prior art includes the following devices useful for compartmentalizing an automobile trunk.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,978 discloses a device for variable division of a motor vehicle boot and for securing the loaded goods which utilizes a guide rail arranged on the floor of an automobile trunk and one or more support panels guided by a sliding guide block in the guide rail at right angles to the guide rail and so as to be transversely displaceable therein. This patent does not, however, disclose a device or system which provides for variable length of the support panels. Additionally, the support panels of the disclosed invention are confined to a pre-set number of paths which divide the trunk area in a front to back fashion into compartments whereby only one row of compartments is possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,584 discloses an accessory for use in hatchback automobiles and station wagons that is dimensioned to fit within the rear interior area of the automobile, and is intended to restrict movement of small articles during transportation. The accessory comprises a base, a back flap swingably attached to the base, and at least two side flaps swingably attached to the back flap. The invention disclosed by this patent does not provide for variation in either the number or size of the compartments provided. Additionally, the invention disclosed divides the trunk area in a front to back fashion into compartments whereby only one row of compartments to the rear of a rear-most line between the wheel wells of the automobile is possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,205 discloses a device for organizing articles which includes a plurality of wall members disconnectably connected together at their ends to form a closed perimeter wall of predetermined configuration. The area bounded by the perimeter wall is subdivided into a plurality of compartments by a primary divider wall and a plurality of subdivider walls wherein the subdivider walls are removable and or repositionable to change the number and size of compartments. The invention disclosed by this patent includes one or more compartments between the wheel wells of the automobile, but provides only for divisions from front to back of the automobile trunk space whereby all compartments are rectangular and no compartment depth is less than the distance between a rear-most line between the wheel wells of the automobile and the rear of the trunk space.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,040 discloses a removable vehicle trunk organizer comprising a container with a variable number of separated compartments and a reversible locking device for laterally securing the container within a vehicle trunk. The reversible locking device comprises a spiral throw-out lock with at least one extensible leg linked to an exterior actuator. The invention disclosed by this patent does not provide for variable size compartments, nor does it provide for compartments that are other than rectangular in shape, nor does it provide for more than one row of compartments in the trunk area between the rear of the trunk and the rear-most line between the wheel wells of the automobile.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,972 discloses a space organizer including a backboard which extends laterally across the storage area and at least two wing-like partition members which can be either fixed or hinged and which partition a given area of the storage area into three cells or sub-areas for bags and the like. The invention disclosed by this patent does not provide for a storage compartment between the wheel wells, does not provide for more than one row of compartments between the rear of the trunk area and the rear-most line between the wheel wells, and does not provide for more than three compartments.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,316 discloses a storage rack for automobile trunks which can be readily installed in a typical automobile trunk, and may be used to secure objects of different sizes, thereby preventing these objects from being damaged during transportation. The storage rack consists of two supporting bars, two bracing bars, and a multiple number of sliding and tightening pieces. The disclosure of this patent provides for multiple, variable sized front to back divisions of the trunk area between the rear of the trunk and the line between the wheel wells. This patent disclosure does not provide for the creation of more than one row of compartments between the rear of the trunk and the rear-most line between the wheel wells, does not provide for a compartment between the wheel wells, and does not provide for non-rectangular compartments.
Accordingly, in the prior art there remains need for an automobile trunk compartmentalizer that provides for more than one row of compartments between the rear of the trunk and a rear-most line between the wheel wells of the automobile, variable sized compartments, variable shaped compartments, a variable number of compartments, one or more compartments between the wheel wells of the automobile, and the flexibility to quickly and easily change the configuration of the compartments as the loading of cargo within the trunk space of an automobile is being accomplished.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention is of an automobile trunk compartmentalizer that provides variable size and shape compartments, and thereby provides control of the depth of the compartment, as measured from the rear of the trunk area to the rear-most line between the wheel wells of the automobile.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a device or system that compartmentalizes an automobile trunk into compartments that are variable in size.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a device or system that compartmentalizes an automobile trunk into compartments that are variable in shape.
It is a yet further and final object of this invention to provide a device or system that compartmentalizes an automobile t
Brevard Maerena
Cronin Stephen K.
Lee Larry Mason
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