Collapsible stand for stabilizing grocery bags in transit

Claim 1

A stand for stabilizing cargo in an upright position in a transport vehicle, said stand comprising: (a) a base plate formed with a cargo-engaging upper surface and a vehicle-engaging under surface, said under surface being contoured to assist in gripping said vehicle; (b) a back plate formed with a cargo-engaging inner surface and a relatively opposing outer surface; (c) a brace plate defining a cut-out portion in the back plate and formed with relatively opposing inner and outer surfaces and a vehicle-engaging lower edge; (d) first hinge means pivotally connecting the base plate and the back plate together for movement between an operative position in which said plates are generally perpendicular to one another and a collapsed position in which said plates are disposed in closely spaced, generally stacked relation to one another; and (e) second hinge means pivotally connecting the back plate and brace plate together for movement between a supporting position in which the brace plate is angularly disposed relative to the back plate and a retracted position in which the inner and outer surfaces of the brace plate are disposed, respectively, in substantially coplanar relation to the inner and outer surfaces of the back plate.