GB2169877A - Apparatus for holding articles in a vehicle storage area - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a container for articles having adjustable support arms or legs, so that when the container is mounted in a car boot for example, the adjustable arms and legs can be brought into engagement with the sides of the boot positionally to stabilise the container therein during motion of the vehicle. Articles may then be packed in the container in a more organised fashion, so that when the vehicle is moving they are not allowed to slide around the boot so causing damage to the articles or the storage area itself. The container may be provided with sectionalised internal dividing walls so designed and interchangeable that a variety of compartments may be formed in the container of differing size and shape. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for holding articles in a vehicle storage area FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to apparatus for holding articles in the storage areas of vehicles, particularly a car boot or trunk.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Loading articles in a car boot, particularly articles of shopping which are normally transferred thereto from a supermarket hand cart, is presently carried out by placing the articles in any convenient way on the floor of the boot to the best possible advantage with regard to the space available.

It is a common occurrence that shopping items loaded in this fashion, are prone to move about freely in the boot during motion -of the car, thus quite possibly causing damage to the interior of the boot and/or to the articles themselves; in the case of glass bottles containing fluids, the results can be most undesirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide simple and convenient apparatus for obviating these problems and to permit a car boot for example to be loaded with articles in such a way that the articles are stabilised in position during vehicle motion, and do not consequently cause damage to themselves by self collision or to the sides of the boot, or to the interior of the storage area.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for holding articles in a vehicle storage area comprising a container for packing articles, and means for positioning the container in the storage area to prevent movement thereof within the storage area during motion of the vehicle.

With this arrangement the present "hig- geldy-piggeldy" loading of a car boot or similar vehicle storage area, is avoided, and a much more sophisticated, safe and sensible method of loading becomes possible.

Advantageously the container may be provided with a number of compartments of differing size and shape to suit the normal contents of a load of shopping or other items, so that even better control over packing methods can be achieved, In essence, items can be packed for transportation in a much more safe and organised manner than heretofore possible.

The apparatus of the invention may be so designed that it occupies the least amount of space when not in use. For example, the containerm with its walled compartments, may be fully collapsible, and the means for engaging the walls of the storage area positionally to stabilise the container should preferably take the form of adjustable legs mounted to the container, so that when not in use such legs can be fully retracted and remain unobtrusive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken with respect to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a device for holding articles, such as shopping items, in a vehicle storage area, such as a car boot, and Figure 2 is an enlarged view illustrating one method of connectably assembling the internal partitioning of the device shown in Fig. 1.

BEST MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVEN TION The holding apparatus shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing comprises a container 1 removably mounted in a rectangular support frame 2, by means of clips or pegs (not shown) so that the container 1 may be detached quickly from the frame 2 when not in use.

The container 1 is divided into separate compartments 3 of variable internal shape and size formed by a series of removable dividing walls 4.

The dividing walls 4 are designed to be interchangeable to facilitate the formation of internal compartments 3 of various sizes and shapes corresponding to the sizes and shapes of the particular items to be transported thus providing the apparatus with great versatility.

The container 1 with its dividing walls 4 is so designed that when removed from the support frame 2 it can be collapsed flat, and if required laid on the floor of the vehicle storage area thus occupying minimal space. This will then allow the vehicle storage area to be temporarily used for the transportation of large articles, such as for example, suit cases, without the need to remove the apparatus from the vehicle storage area.

To fix the container 1 in position within a particular storage area, for example a car boot, adjustable support arms 5 are mounted to the support frame 2 at respective corners thereof as elongate extensions of the respective sides of the frame 2, thus subtending a right angle A between respective pairs of support arms 5, with the support arms 5 lying in the plane of the frame 2.

Each support arm 5 is extendable and retractable with respect to the frame 2 to suit a variety of sizes of storage area. Thus it will be appreciated that to mount the apparatus in a car boot, the support arms 5 will normally have to be first of all retracted as the apparatus is initially inserted in the boot, and then extended to allow the support arms 5 to engage the walls or sides of the boot, thereby positionally to stabilise the container in the boot prior to storage of articles.

Any suitable means as between the support arms 5 and the frame 2 may be provided to effect a controlled amount of extension and retraction as, for example, a ratchet mechanism, simple positioning holes and locking pegs. Such means will be quite familiar to one skilled in the art. The free ends 6 of the support arms 5 may of course be provided with protection pieces 6 to assist engagement with and to avoid damage to, the surface of the sides of the main storage area with which they engage in use.

A preferred method of erecting the walls 4 within the container 1 is illustrated in detail in Fig. 2. In this embodiment a vertical channel 11 of circular cross-section is formed with a narrow opening 10. Channels of this type are spaced at regular intervals along the inside walls of the container 1 and on both sides of each dividing wall 4.

At both ends of each dividing wall 4 is a vertical post 12 of circular cross-section attached to the wall by a thin flexible membrane 13. Dividing walls are supplied in a variety of lengths, each length being a multiple of the distance between the channels.

Compartments 3 of the required size may be formed by selecting dividing walls 4 of the appropriate lengths and connecting them to the container walls and to each other by sliding the posts 12 into the required channels 11.

A similar method may be employed to connect the container walls to each other.

This method of construction provides the advantages, as mentioned earlier, in that when the whole container assembly is removed from the support frame 2 it may be collapsed flat without having to be dismantled.

The storage apparatus as described has considerable advantages particularly to the shopper when loading the boot of his or her car with shopping items, which is presently accomplished, in quite a disorganised manner due to the lack of any facility to do otherwise, and which can result in great inconvenience due to the uncontrolled movement in the storage area when the vehicle is motion.

Simple modifications to the apparatus as described will of course be quite evident to one skilled in the art but which would still come within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims (9)

1. Apparatus for holding articles in a vehicle storage area comprising a container for packing articles, and means for positioning the container in the storage area to prevent movement thereof within the storage area during motion of the vehicle.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means is constituted by projecting elements or members on the container for engaging the sides of the storage area, such as a vehicle boot, positionally to stabilise the container within the storage area, during vehicle motion.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claims 1 or 2 wherein said container is removably mounted on a support frame.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said projecting elements or members are in the form of support legs or arms adjustably attached for extension and retraction to said support frame.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said support frame is square or rectangular, a pair of said support legs or arms being mounted at the corners of said square or rectangle, as elongate extension portions of the respective sides thereof, and lying in the plane of said square or rectangular frame.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said container is provided with internal dividing walls to provide compartments for single articles of differing size and shape.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said internal dividing walls are removably mounted in the container and interchangeable to allow the formation of internal compartments of differing shape and size.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said container with the internal dividing walls thereof, is collapsible.

9. Apparatus for holding articles in a vehicle storage area substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.