Divider System and Clip for Use Therein

Abstract

A clip for installing a divider into a compartment includes a mounting segment and a divider support segment adjoined to the mounting segment. The mounting segment is receivable into a mounting opening in a wall or a divider to secure the clip into it. The mounting segment has an axial length along a central axis of extension and a peripheral profile over the axial length. The divider support segment defines a linear slot adapted to slidably receive and support a positionable divider therein. The peripheral profile of the mounting segment is shaped such that, when a pair of the clips having respective mounting segments which are identical are each coaxially inserted into opposing sides of a mounting opening, the peripheral profile of one of the mounting segments does not interfere with that of another one of the mounting segments with their respective axial lengths being axially overlappable with one another.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A clip for installing a divider into a compartment, the clip comprising:
 a mounting segment receivable into a mounting opening in a wall or a divider to secure the clip into the wall or the divider, the mounting segment having an axial length along a central axis of extension and a peripheral profile over the axial length;   a divider support segment adjoined to the mounting segment and defining a linear slot adapted to slidably receive and support a positionable divider therein;   wherein the peripheral profile of the mounting segment is shaped such that, when a pair of the clips having respective mounting segments which are identical are each coaxially inserted into opposing sides of the mounting opening in the wall or the divider, the peripheral profile of one of the mounting segments does not interfere with the peripheral profile of the other one of the mounting segments so that the respective axial lengths are axially overlappable with one another.   
     
     
         2 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the linear slot is defined by two parallel and spaced channel walls positioned on opposite sides of the slot. 
     
     
         3 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the linear slot defines a receiving plane for a divider that is coplanar with the central axis of extension for the mounting segment. 
     
     
         4 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting segment includes a pair of L-shaped sections which extend along the axial length. 
     
     
         5 . The clip of  claim 4 , wherein each of the L-shaped sections has two legs and a bend therebetween and wherein the bend of each of the respective L-shaped section faces the bend of the other L-shaped section. 
     
     
         6 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting segment has two planes of reflectional symmetry that are each coplanar with the central axis of extension for the mounting segment. 
     
     
         7 . The clip of  claim 1 , wherein the clip comprises a polymeric material. 
     
     
         8 . A divider system comprising:
 a container with side walls;   one or more dividers received within the side walls of the container, the one or more dividers including one or more positionable dividers;   a plurality of mounting openings, in which at least some of the mounting openings extend through a thickness of one of the side walls of the compartment or of a respective one of the dividers;   one or more clips as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the mounting segment of each clip is received in one of the mounting openings to position the divider support segment of the respective clip for reception of an edge of a positionable divider within the container.   
     
     
         9 . The divider system of  claim 8 , wherein the edge of the positionable divider is received in the slot of the divider support segment of the respective clip. 
     
     
         10 . The divider system of  claim 8 , wherein the thickness of the mounting opening in which the mounting segment is received is less than twice the axial length of the mounting segment. 
     
     
         11 . The divider system of  claim 10 , wherein another clip as claimed in  claim 1  is received on the other side of the side wall of the compartment or the divider having the mounting opening such that a pair of clips are received on opposite sides of the same mounting opening. 
     
     
         12 . The divider system of  claim 11 , wherein the peripheral profile of the mounting segment on the clip on one side does not interfere with the peripheral profile of the mounting segment on the clip on the other side with the respective axial lengths of the mounting segments axially overlapping one another. 
     
     
         13 . The divider system of  claim 8 , wherein the mounting opening has a periphery that is shaped like a plus sign and the mounting segment of the clip includes a pair of L-shaped sections which extend along the axial length that are received in the mounting opening. 
     
     
         14 . The divider system of  claim 13 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the mounting opening is half-filled by the pair of L-shaped sections on the mounting segment of the clip upon reception of the clip in the mounting opening, thereby permitting an insertion of another clip on the other and opposing side of the mounting opening. 
     
     
         15 . The divider system of  claim 13 , wherein the pair of L-shaped sections on the mounting segment of the clip include opposing peripheral sections that prevent rotation of the mounting segment of the clip within the mounting opening when the mounting segment is received in the mounting opening and only permits axially translation in to and out of the mounting opening. 
     
     
         16 . The divider system of  claim 8 , wherein the depth of the mounting opening is equal to the axial length of the mounting segment. 
     
     
         17 . The divider system of  claim 8 , further comprising an other mounting opening on an other one of the side walls of the compartment or on an other respective one of the dividers in which the other mounting opening opposes the mounting opening having a clip in it, and in which an other clip is received in the other mounting opening to provide a pair of opposing facing clips each receiving a respective opposing edge of a divider. 
     
     
         18 . The divider system of  claim 17 , wherein the pair of opposing facing clips, when received in their respective mounting openings, have a distance between a base of a slot of one of the clips and a slot opening on the other one of the clips that is shorter than an edge-to-edge distance of the positionable divider and a distance between the base of the slot of one of the clips and the base of the slot of the other one of the clips that is longer than the edge-to-edge distance of the positionable divider.