Asymmetric expandable silverware tray

Abstract

A versatile drawer organizer structure for segregating a plurality of items. The structure includes a main compartment and two adjustable side compartments located on each side of the main compartment. Each of the side compartments can slide toward the main compartment or away from the main compartment thus decreasing and increasing the size of the side compartments and decreasing and increasing the overall width of the structure so that the structure precisely fits within the inside width of the drawer. The overall width of the structure can be adjusted without cutting of the material making up the structure and without making any permanent alterations to the structure. Thus, the structure can be easily sized to precisely fit the inside width of a large number of different drawers and many other enclosed spaces. Added features for the two adjustable side compartments are: they may be of differing widths, are expandable in length as well as width, contain rail-like grooves so that they can slide from the main compartment to any desired length yet not separate inadvertently.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:  
     
         1 . A structure for segregating a plurality of items, the structure comprising: 
 a drawer having a drawer width, a drawer depth, a drawer height, and a drawer bottom;    a main compartment disposed on the drawer bottom, the main compartment having a front side, a back side, a first side, a second side, and a main width, the second side oriented in the same direction as the first side, and the front side oriented substantially parallel to the back side, the main compartment having a plurality of individual compartments;    a first side compartment disposed on the drawer bottom, the first side compartment positioned adjacent to the first side of the main compartment and having a first width and a first depth, the first side compartment having a front wall and a back wall and one side wall;    a first channel formed in a ledge along the front side of the main compartment;    a first ridge formed along the front wall of the first side compartment, the first ridge being positioned in sliding engagement with the first channel and at least partially surrounded by the first channel such that the ridge is covered by the channel and such that the distance between the first side of the main compartment and the side wall of the first side compartment is varied as the first ridge slides within the first channel such that the first width of the first side compartment is changed, but remains fixed unless selectively changed, and such that the combined first width and main width together substantially match the drawer width of the drawer such that the entire drawer width of the drawer is substantially occupied by at least the main compartment and the first side compartment so that the drawer is efficiently used.    
     
     
         2 . A structure for segregating a plurality of items as defined in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a second side compartment disposed on the drawer bottom, the second side compartment positioned adjacent to the second side of the main compartment and having a second width and a second depth, the second side compartment having a front wall and a back wall and one side wall;  
 a second channel formed in a ledge along the back side of the main compartment; a second ridge formed along the back wall of the second side compartment, the second ridge being positioned in sliding engagement with the second channel such that the distance between the second side of the main compartment and the side wall of the second side compartment is varied as the second ridge slides within the second channel such that the second width of the second side compartment is changed and such that the combined first width, second width, and main width together substantially match the drawer width of the drawer such that the entire drawer width of the drawer is substantially occupied by at least the main compartment, the first side compartment, and the second side compartment so that the drawer is efficiently used.  
 
     
     
         3 . A structure for segregating a plurality of items as defined in  claim 1  wherein the main compartment comprises: a compartment for holding knives; 
 a compartment for holding forks, and a compartment for holding spoons.  
 
     
     
         4 . A structure for segregating a plurality of items as defined in  claim 1  wherein the first side compartment comprises a single unitary compartment.  
     
     
         5 . A structure in which the two end slides have the ability to expand in the depth direction by means of two separate but opposite structures that lay one upon another, or by means of a sandwich type structure in which one of the two structures lies within the other and is thus expandable in the depth direction.  
     
     
         6 . An asymmetry in which one slide is appreciably longer in the width direction than is the other and into which vertical notch paths on both ends of the slide in the depth and width direction allow for the entry of one or more partitions, the partitions and the end slides themselves likewise having notches such to allow entry of other partitions in the width direction.  
     
     
         7 . A slide cavity, tracks, such that the center tray and the end slides are in contact along the tracks and that allows free movement in the width direction yet prevents the coming-apart of the center tray from the slides in the direction counter to that of the direction of the sliding.  
     
     
         8 . A structure wherein partitions fit within one another such that in relative movement between the main compartment and side compartments the partitions are lengthened or shortened creating the desired areas between partitions. Partition walls contain a cavity into which smaller size partitions walls fit. Thus drawing the smaller partition walls out of the larger lengthens one or more partitions to change over-all sizes of compartments to fit the drawer space.  
     
     
         9 . Lifts, props, or stilts to support one or more sides of the center structure or end structures to maintain a level parallel to the drawers bottom.