GB2393167A

GB2393167A - A rack for supporting shopping bags in a car boot.

Info

Publication number: GB2393167A
Application number: GB0221820A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Svein Arne Hagen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-09-20
Filing date: 2002-09-20
Publication date: 2004-03-24
Also published as: AU2003267620A1; WO2004026635A1; GB0221820D0

Abstract

A rack for supporting shopping bags in a car boot comprises collapsible dividers which are hinged to a base tray and may be releasably secured in the erected position. The rack may fold flat when not in use. The base tray may be coated in rubber to prevent bags stored within the rack sliding around and may serve to catch any powder or liquid spillage from the items stored therein. Flexible ribbons may be provided between the dividers to support individual shopping bags. The rack may have hinged side pieces which fold flat for storage and which engage the edge of each divider in use. Alternatively, a rack for supporting shopping bags in a car boot may comprise a unitary moulded rack provided with a plurality of compartments, a rack comprising a base tray and removable dividers which engage with slots formed in the base tray or a rack comprising two vertical dividers at right angles to one another which, when located in a corner of the boot of a vehicle, form a storage enclosure for shopping bags.

Description

SHOPPING BAG RACK FOR CAR BOOTS

This invention consists of a rack to be placed in a car boot to take shopping bags and prevent them from falling over and scatter its contents during transport It can also collect liquid or powder spillage from the bags. The rack can be folded flat when not in use Refer to drawing l/l. The rack consists of several vertical dividers with side rails, mounted on a base tray. The tray has catches that keep the dividers in a vertical position when in use. If necessary an extra lock can be mounted or the catch can trap the dividers such that a release handle have to be operated to lower the catch and hence free the dividers and allow them to be folded flat. The end divider have a handle to make erection easier.

If there is more bags than there is room for in the rack, the rack can be placed such that there is just room for the excess bags between the rack and the back of the boot, thereby supporting these bags.

Two or three bags are envisaged in each compartment, the number of compartments can vary. A flexible ribbon can be mounted between two vertical dividers to divide up the space and thereby support each individual bag if the compartment is not full.

(shown in figure 1 in the middle compartment) Material will be tough plastic or aluminium. The bottom of the tray can be fitted with a rubber sheet which will have grooves or spikes to reduce movements when driving.

The dividers will not be solid, as indicated on the drawing for simplicity, but will be perforated or 'grid' shaped to reduce weight and materials.

VARIATIONS

In stead of, or as well as, the side rails, a hinged side flap could be fitted along the sides of the base tray that folds upwards from a flat position and engages into the edges of each divider on both sides.

The side rails could be replaced by ribbons and the dividers could be tilting in pairs towards each other. It would take up less area when folded flat, but the height of the dividers would be limited to half the distance between them. To rise all dividers by pulling on one of theme a modulated metal bar could be fitted along the side of the tray on each side (inside), tapping into the edges of the dividers alternatively above and below the pivot points.

The base tray may contain pull out bars, in all four directions, that stretches to the sides front and back of the car boot and locks in position to stop any movement of the rack when driving.

r In stead of hinged dividers they could be loose, 'slot in', dividers where the bottom tray has multiple slots to enable different size compartment to be made The bags would be placed in depressions in the base tray and dividers slotted in to 'fence in' the bags and thereby support them.

The whole rack could be moulded in one piece (e.g. not collapsible), with a depression in the tray for each shopping bag and support on all sides This would be cheaper and easier to produce.

An even simpler version would be to have vertical dividers on only two sides, at right angles to each other, and rely on the back and one side of the boot to provide the two other sides of support. The base would be a horizontal strip along the two sides using the weight of some bags to keep them in position

Claims

CLAIl/fS

1. A rack as in drawing 1/1, for supporting shopping bags in a car boot, with collapsible vertical dividers hinged on to a base tray and kept in a vertical position by catches and/or locks in the base tray.

2 A rack as above with a tray that collects any liquid or powder spillage.

3. A rack as above that folds flat when not in use.

4. A rack as above with flexible ribbons between the dividers to support individual shopping bags.

5. A rack as claimed in claim 1 fitted with a friction catch or a catch that needs to be lowered by a handle in order to free the bottom of the divider(s) before the dividers can be folded flat.

5. A rack as above with the base fitted with a rubber sheet with grooves or spikes to reduce sliding during transport.

6 A rack as above with a hinged flap on each side that folds up from a flat position and engages into the edges of each divider. Not shown on drawing 1/1.

7. A rack similar to above, but the dividers tilts in pairs towards each other They all move simultaneous by a modulated metal bar along each side of the base tray (inside,). The bar taps onto the edges of all the dividers alternatbve above and below the pivot point. Not shown on drawing 1/1.

8 A rack as in paragraph 1, with space bars that extend in all directions to the sides, back and front of the car boot, lock in position and thereby prevent the rack from moving about in transit Not shown in drawing.

9. A rack to support shopping bags in a car boot with a base tray with multiple slots where loose dividers can be slotted in. The bags will be placed on me base tray (in depressions) and the dividers slotted in around the bags thus 'fencing' them in. The base tray can collect spillage of liquid or powder from the bags Not shown on drawing. 1 O. A rack to support shopping bags in a car boot> moulded in one piece, with a compartments for each bag. The base tray will have depressions and dividers and can collect spillage of liquid or powder from the bags. Not shown on the drawing.

11. A rack to support shopping bags in a car boot, consisting of two vertical dividers at right angles to each other, forming a comer and a horizontal piece on which some bags will stand. The weight of the bags standing on the horizontal piece will keep the rack in position. The rack and the back and one side of the car boot wild hence 'fence in' and thus support the bags. Not shown on the drawing.

- 1 I' -

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A rack as in drawing 1/1, for supporting shopping bags in a car boot, with vertical dividers which can all be made to fold flat in a single release-operation and can be made to rise and lock in again to a vertical position, also in a single operation.

2. A rack as claimed in claim 1 with flexible ribbons between the dividers in order to define space for and support individual shopping bags.

3. A rack as claimed in claim I with a tray that collects any liquid or powder spillage. 4. A rack as claimed in claim 1 with the underside of the base fitted with a rubber sheet to reduce sliding during transport.