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US4693382A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Sorter for automotive glove compartments

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1986-08-04
•
Granted: 1987-09-15
•
Expires: 2006-08-04
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Abstract

Abstract A sorter, constructed to be placed within any sized and shaped automotive glove compartment, is formed from a lattice like grid having fracturable elements for breaking the grid into each of a plurality of shelves, sides and dividers of predetermined size commensurate with the glove compartment and from a plurality of clips configured to engage and retain the shelves, sides and dividers in rigid relationship to one another.

Inventors

  • 👤 Neal Galen

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 18:03
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47B; A47B57/00; A47B57/58; A47F; A47F5/00; A47F5/14; B; B60; B60R; B60R7/00; B60R7/04; B60R7/06

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 146 words
A sorter for an automotive glove compartment, said sorter comprising in combination: (a) at least one shelf member for supporting articles to be stored in the glove compartment; (b) side members for supporting said shelf member within the glove compartment; (c) each said shelf member and said side member being formed from a lattice like grid, said grid including rungs and junctions and wherein each said rung interconnects a pair of said junctions and wherein each said rung includes opposed tapered sections tapering toward a connected one of said junctions for defining the point of fracture of said rung adjacent each connected one of said junctions; (d) means for detachably attaching said side members to said shelf member; (e) at least one divider for segregating articles to be stored upon said shelf member; and (f) further means for detachably attaching said divider to said shelf member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 146 words
A sorter for an automotive glove compartment, said sorter comprising in combination: (a) at least one shelf member for supporting articles to be stored in the glove compartment; (b) side members for supporting said shelf member within the glove compartment; (c) each said shelf member and said side member being formed from a lattice like grid, said grid including rungs and junctions and wherein each said rung interconnects a pair of said junctions and wherein each said rung includes opposed tapered sections tapering toward a connected one of said junctions for defining the point of fracture of said rung adjacent each connected one of said junctions; (d) means for detachably attaching said side members to said shelf member; (e) at least one divider for segregating articles to be stored upon said shelf member; and (f) further means for detachably attaching said divider to said shelf member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 137 words
A sorter for an automotive glove compartment, said sorter comprising in combination: (a) at least one shelf member for supporting articles to be stored in the glove compartment; (b) side members for supporting said shelf member within the glove compartment; (c) each said shelf member and said side member being formed from a lattice like grid, said grid including rungs and junctions and wherein each said rung interconnects a pair of said junctions and wherein each said rung includes means for localizing fracturing of said rung adjacent at least one of said junctions interconnected by said rung; (d) means for detachably attaching said side members to said shelf member; (e) at least one divider for segregating articles to be stored upon said shelf member; and (f) further means for detachably attaching said divider to said shelf member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 137 words
A sorter for an automotive glove compartment, said sorter comprising in combination: (a) at least one shelf member for supporting articles to be stored in the glove compartment; (b) side members for supporting said shelf member within the glove compartment; (c) each said shelf member and said side member being formed from a lattice like grid, said grid including rungs and junctions and wherein each said rung interconnects a pair of said junctions and wherein each said rung includes means for localizing fracturing of said rung adjacent at least one of said junctions interconnected by said rung; (d) means for detachably attaching said side members to said shelf member; (e) at least one divider for segregating articles to be stored upon said shelf member; and (f) further means for detachably attaching said divider to said shelf member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 219 words
A sorter for an automotive glove compartment, said sorter comprising in combination: (a) at least one shelf member for supporting articles to be stored in the glove compartment; (b) side members for supporting said shelf member withing the glove compartment; (C) each said shelf member and said side member being formed from a lattice like grid, said grid including rungs and junctions and wherein each said rung interconnects a pair of said junctions; (d) means for detachably attaching said side members to said shelf member said detachably attaching means including a J-clip for engaging at least one rung of said shelf member with at least one rung of one of said side members, each said J-clip having a cross member terminated by upwardly curved ends curved toward each other and spaced apart from one another by a distance equivalent to the distance between a pair of adjacent ones of said rungs and a tail extending from said cross member and terminated by a curved end curved toward said cross member and spaced from said cross member a distance equivalent to the distance between a pair of adjacent ones of said rungs; (e) at least one divider for segregating articles to be stored upon said shelf members; and (f) further means for detachably attaching said divider to said shelf member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 219 words
A sorter for an automotive glove compartment, said sorter comprising in combination: (a) at least one shelf member for supporting articles to be stored in the glove compartment; (b) side members for supporting said shelf member withing the glove compartment; (C) each said shelf member and said side member being formed from a lattice like grid, said grid including rungs and junctions and wherein each said rung interconnects a pair of said junctions; (d) means for detachably attaching said side members to said shelf member said detachably attaching means including a J-clip for engaging at least one rung of said shelf member with at least one rung of one of said side members, each said J-clip having a cross member terminated by upwardly curved ends curved toward each other and spaced apart from one another by a distance equivalent to the distance between a pair of adjacent ones of said rungs and a tail extending from said cross member and terminated by a curved end curved toward said cross member and spaced from said cross member a distance equivalent to the distance between a pair of adjacent ones of said rungs; (e) at least one divider for segregating articles to be stored upon said shelf members; and (f) further means for detachably attaching said divider to said shelf member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 216 words
A sorter for an automotive glove compartment, said sorter comprising in combination: (a) at least one shelf member for supporting articles to be stored in the glove compartment; (b) side members for supporting said shelf member within the glove compartment; (c) each said shelf member and said side member being formed from a lattice like grid, said grid including rungs and junctions and wherein each said rung interconnects a pair of said junctions; (d) means for detachably attaching said side members to said shelf member; (e) at least one divider for segregating articles to be stored upon said shelf member; and (f) further means for detachably attaching said divider to said shelf member said further detachably attaching means including a T-clip for clip for engaging at least one rung of said shelf member and for receiving at least one of said dividers, each said T-clip having a base member terminated by downwardly curved ends curved toward each other and spaced apart from one another by a distance equivalent to the distance which is a function of the space between a pair of adjacent ones of said rungs and a pair of parallel supports extending upwardly from the said base member and spaced apart from one another by a distance equivalent to the thickness of said grid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 216 words
A sorter for an automotive glove compartment, said sorter comprising in combination: (a) at least one shelf member for supporting articles to be stored in the glove compartment; (b) side members for supporting said shelf member within the glove compartment; (c) each said shelf member and said side member being formed from a lattice like grid, said grid including rungs and junctions and wherein each said rung interconnects a pair of said junctions; (d) means for detachably attaching said side members to said shelf member; (e) at least one divider for segregating articles to be stored upon said shelf member; and (f) further means for detachably attaching said divider to said shelf member said further detachably attaching means including a T-clip for clip for engaging at least one rung of said shelf member and for receiving at least one of said dividers, each said T-clip having a base member terminated by downwardly curved ends curved toward each other and spaced apart from one another by a distance equivalent to the distance which is a function of the space between a pair of adjacent ones of said rungs and a pair of parallel supports extending upwardly from the said base member and spaced apart from one another by a distance equivalent to the thickness of said grid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 37 words
The sorter as set forth in claim 4 wherein said detachably attaching means includes a J-clip for engaging at least one rung of said shelf member with at least one rung of one of said side members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 160 words
A sorter for placement within a compartment, said sorter comprising in combination: (a) at least one shelf member for supporting articles to be stored in the compartment, said shelf member having a boundary configuration generally representative of a horizontal cross section of the compartment; (b) a pair of side members for supporting said shelf member within the compartment, each of said side members having a boundary configuration generally representative of the respective vertical cross sections of the compartment; (c) each said shelf member and each of said side member being formed from a lattice like grid, said grid including rungs and junctions and wherein each said rung interconnects a pair of said junctions and wherein each said rung includes opposed tapered sections tapering toward a respective one of said junctions for defining points of fracture of said rung adjacent a connected one of said junctions; and (d) means for detachably attaching each of said side members to said shelf member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 160 words
A sorter for placement within a compartment, said sorter comprising in combination: (a) at least one shelf member for supporting articles to be stored in the compartment, said shelf member having a boundary configuration generally representative of a horizontal cross section of the compartment; (b) a pair of side members for supporting said shelf member within the compartment, each of said side members having a boundary configuration generally representative of the respective vertical cross sections of the compartment; (c) each said shelf member and each of said side member being formed from a lattice like grid, said grid including rungs and junctions and wherein each said rung interconnects a pair of said junctions and wherein each said rung includes opposed tapered sections tapering toward a respective one of said junctions for defining points of fracture of said rung adjacent a connected one of said junctions; and (d) means for detachably attaching each of said side members to said shelf member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 150 words
A sorter for placement within a compartment, said sorter comprising in combination; (a) at least one shelf member for supporting articles to be stored in the compartment, said shelf member having a boundary configuration generally representative of a horizontal crss section of the compartment; (b) a pair of side members for supporting said shelf member within the compartment, each of said side members having a boundary configuration generally representative of the respective vertical cross sections of the compartment; (c) each said shelf member and said side member being formed from a lattice like grid, said grid including rungs and junctions and wherein each said rung interconnects a pair of said junctions and wherein each said rung includes means for localizing fracturing of said rung adjacent at least one of said junctions interconnected by said rung; and (d) means for detachably attaching each of said side members to said shelf member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 150 words
A sorter for placement within a compartment, said sorter comprising in combination; (a) at least one shelf member for supporting articles to be stored in the compartment, said shelf member having a boundary configuration generally representative of a horizontal crss section of the compartment; (b) a pair of side members for supporting said shelf member within the compartment, each of said side members having a boundary configuration generally representative of the respective vertical cross sections of the compartment; (c) each said shelf member and said side member being formed from a lattice like grid, said grid including rungs and junctions and wherein each said rung interconnects a pair of said junctions and wherein each said rung includes means for localizing fracturing of said rung adjacent at least one of said junctions interconnected by said rung; and (d) means for detachably attaching each of said side members to said shelf member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 231 words
A sorter for placement within a compartment, said sorter comprising in combination: (a) at least one shelf member for supporting articles to be stored in the compartment, said shelf member having a boundary configuration generally representative of a horizontal cross section of the compartment; (b) a pair of side members for supporting said shelf member within the compartment, each of said side members having a boundary configuration generally representative of the respective vertical cross sections of the compartment; (c) each said shelf member and said side member being formed from a lattice like grid, said grid including rungs and junctions and wherein each said rung interconnects a pair of said junctions; and (d) means for detachably attaching each of said side members to said shelf member said detachably attaching means including a J-clip for engaging at least one rung of said shelf member with at least one rung of one of said side members, said J-clip having a cross member terminated by curved ends curved upwardly toward each other and spaced apart form one another by a distance equivalent to the distance between a pair of adjacent ones of said rungs and a tail extending from said cross member and terminated by a curved end curved toward said cross member and spaced from said cross member a distance equivalent to the distance between a pair of adjacent ones of said rungs.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 231 words
A sorter for placement within a compartment, said sorter comprising in combination: (a) at least one shelf member for supporting articles to be stored in the compartment, said shelf member having a boundary configuration generally representative of a horizontal cross section of the compartment; (b) a pair of side members for supporting said shelf member within the compartment, each of said side members having a boundary configuration generally representative of the respective vertical cross sections of the compartment; (c) each said shelf member and said side member being formed from a lattice like grid, said grid including rungs and junctions and wherein each said rung interconnects a pair of said junctions; and (d) means for detachably attaching each of said side members to said shelf member said detachably attaching means including a J-clip for engaging at least one rung of said shelf member with at least one rung of one of said side members, said J-clip having a cross member terminated by curved ends curved upwardly toward each other and spaced apart form one another by a distance equivalent to the distance between a pair of adjacent ones of said rungs and a tail extending from said cross member and terminated by a curved end curved toward said cross member and spaced from said cross member a distance equivalent to the distance between a pair of adjacent ones of said rungs.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2820687A Cited
US3750894A Cited
USD264894S Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-09-14 1991-03-16 1991-09-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-09-14 1995-03-16 1995-09-15 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-09-14 1999-03-16 1999-09-15 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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