Adjustable drawer divider
View Patent ↗An assembly comprising a storage receptacle includes a front panel, a rear panel, a first side panel joining the front panel to the rear panel and a second side panel joining the front panel to the rear panel. The front panel, the rear panel and the first and second side panels define a storage space within the confines of the front panel, the rear panel and the first and second side panels. A divider is located within the storage space and extends between the front panel and the rear panel and divides the storage space into storage space sections. A spring operated mechanism engages the divider to selectively maintain the divider in place in the storage space and allows for the position of the divider to be adjusted between the first side panel and the second side panel, whereby the dimensions of the storage space sections can be adjusted.
1. An assembly comprising:
a storage receptacle including a first panel having a first end and a second end, a second panel having a first end and a second end, a third panel joining the first end of the first panel to the first end of the second panel and a fourth panel joining the second end of the first panel to the second end of the second panel; wherein the first panel, the second panel, the third panel, and the fourth panel are configured to define a storage space within the confines of the first panel, the second panel, the third panel, and the fourth panel;
a divider located within the storage space and extending between the first panel and the second panel and dividing the storage space into storage space sections; and
a spring operated mechanism operatively engaged with the divider to selectively maintain the divider in place in the storage space and allow for positioning of the divider within the storage space to be adjusted between the third panel and the fourth panel, whereby dimensions of the storage space sections can be adjusted, and
wherein the divider includes an upper edge, the second panel includes an upper edge and the spring operated mechanism includes a handle that extends along the upper edge of the divider between a first end of the handle located adjacent the first panel and a second end of the handle located at the second panel, the first end of the handle being secured to the divider, and the second end of the handle being movable along the upper edge of the second panel.
2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the storage receptacle comprises a basket in a freezer compartment of a household bottom mount refrigerator.
3. The assembly of claim 1 including a support bar extending between the third panel and the fourth panel adjacent the first panel of the storage receptacle, the first end of the handle being slidably supported at the support bar.
4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the storage receptacle comprises a basket in a freezer compartment of a household bottom mount refrigerator.
5. The assembly of claim 3 wherein each of the first panel, the second panel, the third panel, and the fourth panel has a bottom edge and the storage receptacle includes a fifth panel joined to each of the first panel, the second panel, the third panel, and the fourth panel at each of the bottom edges of the first panel, the second panel, the third panel, and the fourth panel and at least substantially closing off the bottom of the storage space, and the spring operated mechanism includes a compression spring arrangement located between the handle and the upper edge of the divider urging the handle and the divider away from one another.
6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the storage receptacle comprises a basket in a freezer compartment of a household bottom mount refrigerator.
7. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the divider includes a grasping site located adjacent the upper edge of the divider that allows the divider to be grasped and moved towards the handle against the urging of the compression spring arrangement, thereby allowing the divider to be adjusted between the third panel and the fourth panel of the storage receptacle.
8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the storage receptacle comprises a basket in a freezer compartment of a household bottom mount refrigerator.
9. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the upper edge of the second panel includes a plurality of alternating upwardly facing projections and recesses and a projecting portion of the divider includes a plurality of alternating downwardly facing projections and recesses arranged so as to be in a good meshing relationship with the alternating upwardly facing projections and recesses included at the upper edge of the second panel when the divider is maintained in place in the storage space of the storage receptacle, and the alternating downwardly facing projections at the projecting portion of the divider are disengaged from the good meshing relationship with the recesses between the alternating upwardly facing projections at the upper edge of the second panel so that the downwardly facing projections can pass over the alternately upwardly facing projections at the upper edge of the second panel when the divider is grasped and moved towards the handle, whereby a position of the divider can be adjusted in the storage space of the storage receptacle.
10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the storage receptacle comprises a basket in a freezer compartment of a household bottom mount refrigerator.
11. The assembly of claim 10 wherein the first end of the handle is secured to the divider by means of a securing device that requires an application of a tool in order to release the first end of the handle from the divider.