Locker organizer

Supports: cabinet structure – Components spaced from bottom wall

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C312S006000, C108S149000, C211S118000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06814418

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to shelves and the like, and more specifically to a suspended shelf which may be hung from the conventional coat hooks provided in a conventional wall locker, as normally installed in gymnasium locker rooms in schools, health clubs, spas, sports arenas, employee dressing rooms, and, similar facilities. The present locker organizer invention may include a series of suspended shelves, including means for taking up lateral slack along the edges of the shelves to prevent lateral movement and noise against the interior sides of the locker.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lockers for schools and other facilities are conventionally constructed of relatively thin metal, and have a relatively narrow and tall configuration. While such a configuration conserves lateral space and provides convenience in hanging a very few articles of clothing within the locker, the storage of other articles (e.g., books, shoes, backpacks, etc.) is inconvenient at best, due to the relatively small floor area provided in such tall and narrow locker configurations. While others have also recognized this problem, past solutions have not provided all of the benefits of the present invention.
Most of the various locker shelves developed in the past have comprised rigid structures, requiring some time to assemble and install properly within the locker. Other devices have been developed which are easier to install within a locker, but those devices fail to provide the relatively wide and level shelf space of the present invention. Moreover, none of the shelves of the prior art have provided the positive fit of the present locker organizer invention within a locker, at least for suspended shelves.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a locker organizer comprising one or more suspended shelves, providing ease of installation within a conventional gym locker or the like. The present locker organizer further includes means to facilitate the leveling of the shelves, and further means for positively locking the shelves within the locker so as to preclude lateral movement and noise due to the shelves banging against the interior walls of the locker.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 889,517 issued on Jun. 2, 1908 to Charles L. Gerken, titled “Rotary Display Stand,” describes a stand having a rotating central column supported at top and bottom, with a series of radially disposed arms suspended at their distal ends by chains extending from the upper end of the central column. Shelves rest upon the radial arms. The Gerken stand teaches away from the present invention, as Gerken cannot use opposed lateral suspension members (as in the coat hooks conventionally provided in lockers) to support his stand, as such lateral support would preclude rotation. Moreover, the central column of the Gerken rotating stand interferes with the placement of relatively wide articles (e.g., schoolbooks, etc.) upon the shelves. The shelves of the present locker organizer are open across their entire spans and depths.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,847,066 issued on Mar. 1, 1932 to Mathilde C. Berg, titled “Collapsible Shoe Bag,” describes a device comprising a series of rigid shelves suspended in a vertical tier by a series of flexible panels enclosing three of the four sides or edges of the shelves. The Berg shoe bag shelves are permanently affixed within the folding walls or side panels, unlike the present invention with the lateral enclosure being defined by the walls of the locker in which the device is installed. Moreover, Berg provides only a single suspension point, which is not suitable for use in a conventional wall locker with its typical opposed lateral coat hooks installed on opposite walls of the locker. Finally, Berg does not provide any means of adjusting the height of her shelves within the flexible walls of her device, nor does she provide any means of adjusting the width of the device to accommodate slack if installed within a wall locker or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,299,021 issued on Oct. 13, 1942 to Herbert E. Hoffman, titled “Foldable And Suspendable Rack For Shoes Or The Like,” describes a rack having a series of rigid crossmembers forming rectangles, and suspended by ropes or cords at their ends. Hoffman does not provide any form of solid, rigid shelving for each level of his device, and states that the longitudinal and lateral members must be pivotable relative to one another to provide for complete folding. Moreover, the Hoffman device is relatively small, with a span extending from a point beneath the instep to a point beneath the toe of a conventional shoe, or something on the order of six inches or so. This is much too small to span the interior of a wall locker or the like, as is necessary to provide sufficient storage for books and similar articles. Finally, Hoffman teaches that his supports are sloped from back to front, with the heels of the shoes being captured by the higher rearward crossmember of each level. Such sloped supports are not desirable for the storage of books, notebooks, and many other articles.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,184,273 issued on May 18, 1965 to Ronald S. Blough, titled “Shelf Bag Stabilizer,” describes a link or arm which attaches between the upper peripheral frame of a shoe bag or the like, and the closet hanger rod from which the shoe bag is suspended. The Blough device is immovably affixed to the closet rod, and thus prevents the hanging bag from rotating relative to the rod when the bag or its contents are accessed. The shoe bag disclosed in the Blough patent contains a series of suspended rigid shelves therein, with ropes or cords suspending the shelves from the upper peripheral frame. However, a flexible enclosure bag extends around the shelves, unlike the present locker organizer. This structure teaches away from the present invention, as the flexible enclosure bag disclosed in the Blough patent would not permit the use of wedges or other means between the shelf edges and the bag for precluding movement of the shelves within the bag. In contrast, the present locker organizer includes means for immovably affixing the suspended shelves within the relatively rigid walls of a locker, precluding movement therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,451 issued on Aug. 27, 1985 to Theodore Bredderman et al., titled “Hanging Locker Shelves,” describes a relatively narrow set of suspended shelves for use in a locker or the like. The Bredderman et al. shelves are suspended along opposite edges by flexible side panels, which in turn are suspended from a horizontal top shelf within the locker. Bredderman et al. do not provide for suspending their shelves from opposite coat hooks disposed upon the facing interior walls of the locker, due to the relative narrowness of their shelf assembly. Accordingly, the Bredderman et al. shelves cannot be wedged or otherwise immovably affixed between the opposite walls of the locker to prevent lateral movement of the shelves, as can the shelves of the present locker organizer invention. The Bredderman et al. shelving more closely resembles the shelves of the Berg '066 U.S. Pat. discussed further above, than it does the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,044 issued on Apr. 4, 1989 to Bradley M. Dobry, titled “Locker And Locker-Shelf Insert,” describes a series of shelves supported by rigid metal rods, with the lower ends of the rods resting upon the floor of the locker. No overhead suspension system is disclosed by Dobry. The Dobry shelves take up only a portion of the width of the interior volume of the locker, and rely upon a lateral brace extending from the upper center support rod and bearing against the opposite locker wall to hold the shelves in place. It is noted that the use of only a single upper lateral brace would act as a lever which would tend to push the bottom of the shelf assembly away from the opposite wall of the locker, rotating about the fulcr

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