Flexible resilient clamp device and a container comprising the flexible resilient clamp device

Abstract

A container system which comprises at least one flexible resilient clamp device detachably fixable to a container. The clamp device comprises at least two substantially opposite clamp halves which are at least interconnected at a top part of the clamp device, are adapted to be moved towards each other, and which exert an outward pressure when compressed. The clamp device further comprises in at least one fixation structure adapted to hold the clamp device in a fixed position. The container comprises a bottom plate, at least two substantially parallel side walls, and at least one complementary fixation structure on each opposing side wall for engaging the clamp device fixation structure.

We claim as our invention:  
     
         1 . A flexible resilient clamp device detachably fixable to a container, comprising: 
 two substantially opposite clamp halves interconnected at a top part, movable towards each other, and which exert an outward pressure when compressed; and    at a portion of a bottom part in a region of one end of at least one of the clamp halves, a fixation structure for holding the clamp device in a fixed position by engaging the container.    
     
     
         2 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 1 , wherein the fixation structure is comprised of an element selected from a group consisting of a notch, an indentation, a protrusion, a groove, a tongue element, a tooth-like element, and a hole.  
     
     
         3 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 1  wherein a width of the clamp device is smaller than a distance between the opposite clamp halves adjacent to the fixation structure.  
     
     
         4 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 1  wherein the opposite clamp halves are part of an arc-like structure, said opposite clamp halves adjacent to the bottom part being further apart than top parts of said clamp halves.  
     
     
         5 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 1  having opposite side faces which define a width of the clamp device.  
     
     
         6 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 1  wherein a space between the opposite clamp halves is at least partially filled with at least one of an elastic material, an elastomeric material, a foam material, and a spring.  
     
     
         7 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 1  wherein at least one side face of at least one clamp half comprises at least one of a wall element and a rim connecting an upper wall of the clamp.  
     
     
         8 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 7  wherein at least one portion of at least one of the rim and the wall element comprises at least one of a hole and a depression for receiving at least one of pencils, scissors and glue sticks.  
     
     
         9 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 1  comprising at least one of metal, plastics and wood.  
     
     
         10 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 1  wherein at least one of the clamp halves is extendible.  
     
     
         11 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 1  wherein an upper part of the clamp device adjacent to where the clamp halves are interconnected comprises at least one handle.  
     
     
         12 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 1  wherein at least an upper part of the clamp device comprises at least one trench for receiving flat items.  
     
     
         13 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 1  wherein the fixation structure on at least one of the clamp halves comprises a plurality of protrusions in a row separated by substantially parallel indentations for receiving wall-like fixing elements of said container.  
     
     
         14 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 13  wherein an upper edge of each protrusion comprises a notch, each notch being aligned in a same direction and of substantially a same height.  
     
     
         15 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 1  wherein the fixation structure on at least one clamp half in the bottom part comprises a substantially vertical outer wall having at least one of a hole and groove-like depression arranged in a pattern adapted to take up at least one of a pin and a protrusion and to be detachably fastened in at least two fixed orientations of the clamp device in the container.  
     
     
         16 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 1  wherein the fixation structure on at least one clamp half comprises a substantially vertical outer wall having at least one of a hole and groove-like depression which is not circular and takes up protrusions, and wherein the clamp device is detachably fastened in at least two fixed orientations.  
     
     
         17 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 1  wherein the fixation structure on at least one clamp half comprises a substantially vertical outer wall having at least one pin, a cross-section of which is substantially circular and projecting from the wall and detachably fastened in at least two fixed orientations of the clamp device in the container.  
     
     
         18 . The flexible resilient clamp device according to  claim 1  wherein the fixation structure on at least one clamp half comprises a substantially vertical outer wall having at least one stick which is not substantially circular and projects from the vertical wall and is detachably fastened in at least two fixed orientations of the clamp device in the container.  
     
     
         19 . A container, comprising: 
 a bottom plate;    at least two opposing side walls connected to said bottom plate; and    a fixation structure on each of the opposing side walls engaging a clamp device having a fixation structure complementary to said side wall fixation structure for holding said clamp device in at least one substantially fixed position.    
     
     
         20 . The container according to  claim 19  wherein the container fixation structure comprise fixation elements located in a row.  
     
     
         21 . The container according to  claim 19  further comprising as said container fixation structure a sequence of substantially vertical, spaced apart fixation elements having substantially a same height and length and substantially aligned in parallel to each other in a row adjacent to each side wall, the vertical fixation elements on opposing sides being aligned on substantially parallel lines for holding flat items; and 
 at least one strip above each sequence of vertical fixation elements, a width of the strip being smaller than a length of the vertical fixation elements.  
 
     
     
         22 . The container according to  claim 19 , comprising as said container fixation structure a sequence of pins, a cross-section of which are substantially circular in shape projecting from a bottom part of each side wall towards each other in a form of at least two rows of pins aligned above each other, and at least two of the pins being located on a substantially vertical line.  
     
     
         23 . The container according to  claim 19  comprising as said container fixation structure a sequence of pins projecting from a bottom part of each side wall towards each other in a form of at least one row of pins, opposing pins on opposing side walls being located on substantially parallel lines.  
     
     
         24 . The container according to  claim 19  comprising as said container fixation structure a sequence of at least one of holes and groove-like depressions in each opposing side wall, and aligned adjacent to a bottom part of each side wall, and the at least one of holes and depressions being at least located on substantially parallel lines.  
     
     
         25 . The container according to  claim 19  comprising as said container fixation structure a sequence of at least one of holes and groove-like depressions in each opposing side wall, a cross-section of which are polygonal and aligned adjacent to a bottom part of each side wall.  
     
     
         26 . A container system for storage of flat disc-like items, comprising: 
 at least one detachable flexible resilient clamp device having a fixation structure; and    a container which comprises a bottom plate, two opposing side walls being connected to said bottom plate, on each opposing side wall of the container a fixation structure which is substantially complementary to the clamp device fixation structure so that when both complementary fixation structures are engaged the clamp device is in a substantially fixed position.    
     
     
         27 . The container system according to  claim 26  wherein the container complementary fixation structure allows for a fixation of the clamp device in at least two distinct orientations in the container.  
     
     
         28 . The container system according to  claim 26  comprising the container fixation structure having a sequence of substantially vertical, spaced apart wall-like fixation elements having a substantially same height and length, and substantially aligned in parallel to each other in a row adjacent to each container sidewall, vertical fixation elements on opposing sides being aligned on substantially parallel lines for holding the flat items.  
     
     
         29 . The container system according to  claim 26  wherein the container is one of a toolbox, a medicine box, a cosmetic box, a media box, and a garden box.  
     
     
         30 . The container system of  claim 26  wherein a movable divider wall is provided in the container.  
     
     
         31 . The container system according to  claim 26  for storage of at least one of books, photographs, CDs, DVDs, paper, cards and envelopes.  
     
     
         32 . A method for utilizing a container system, comprising the steps of: 
 providing at least one detachable flexible resilient clamp device having two substantially opposite clamp halves each having an associated fixation structure;    providing a container comprising a bottom plate, two opposing sidewalls connected to the bottom plate, and on each opposing side wall a fixation structure which is substantially complementary to the clamp device fixation structure on each clamp half so that when both complementary fixation structures are engaged, the clamp device can be fixed in at least first and second different fixed positions; and    orienting the clamp device in the first position for a first storage use of the system and orienting the clamp device in the second fixed position for a second different storage use of the system.    
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32  wherein the flat items are stored.  
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33  wherein the flat items comprise at least one of CDs and DVDs.