Adjustable partition assembly

Abstract

An adjustable partition assembly for use in containers carrying items such bottles, cans, and the like. The adjustable partition assembly includes a first member and a second member. The first members include spaced apart slots located a short distance from the long edges of the member, through which the second part can be inserted. The second members include spaced apart notches in their edges. The partition is assembled by inserting the second members into the slots in the first members, and engaging the notches in the second members onto the first members. The assembly can be adjusted to accept different size items by relocating the first and second members use a different selection of notches and slots, or to use one or more member of a different length. The partition assembly is conveniently fabricated from strip plastic material, such as polyethylene, of a suitable width.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An adjustable partition assembly for a container comprising in combination: 
 a first set of partition members each having a length and height capable of being received upright in the container and having a plurality of parallel spaced part slots having a length extending from adjacent an upper edge of the member to adjacent a lower edge of the member, the lower end of the slot being separated from the lower edge of the member by a first distance, and the upper end of the slot being separated from the upper edge by a third distance; and    a second set of partition members each having a length capable of being received upright in the container, a height less than the length of the slots in the first partition members, and a plurality of spaced apart notches in a lower edge of the partition member extending upwardly therefrom for a second distance;    wherein the first and second distances are substantially the same so that when the second members are inserted through the slots in the first members, the slots in the second member engage the first member below the lower ends of the slots to provide an array of compartments within the container.    
     
     
         2 . An adjustable partition assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the slots in each first member and the notches in each second member are both regularly spaced.  
     
     
         3 . An adjustable partition assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the slots in each first member and the notches in each second member are both regularly spaced by the same distance.  
     
     
         4 . An adjustable partition assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the first and third distances are the same.  
     
     
         5 . An adjustable partition assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the first members are shorter than the second members.  
     
     
         6 . An adjustable partition assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the first members are longer than the second members.  
     
     
         7 . An adjustable partition assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second members are fabricated from a water resistant material.  
     
     
         8 . An adjustable partition assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second members are fabricated from sheet plastic material.  
     
     
         9 . An adjustable partition assembly according to  claim 8  wherein the first and second members are fabricated from sheet polyethylene.  
     
     
         10 . An adjustable partition assembly according to  claim 1  wherein all of the first members are the same length.  
     
     
         11 . An adjustable partition assembly according to  claim 1  wherein all of the first members are not the same length.  
     
     
         12 . An adjustable partition assembly according to  claim 1  wherein all of the second members are the same length.  
     
     
         13 . An adjustable partition assembly according to  claim 1  wherein all of the second members are not the same length.  
     
     
         14 . An adjustable partition assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the height of the second members is such that the second members are a close fit in the slots in the first members.  
     
     
         15 . An adjustable partition assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein locking strips are provided in the slots of the first member in a space therein above the second member.