Storage container

Abstract

A storage tub may include one or more flexible wall dividers which may be pushed or pulled into a first stable position in which the wall divider is retracted up against the tub walls so that the interior of the tub forms a single storage compartment. One of the dividers may be pulled to a stable extended position away from the tub walls for form a second storage compartment with the tub. A second dividers may be also pulled into a stable extended position to form a second storage compartment. When both dividers are in the extended position four equal storage compartments may be formed within the tub.

1 . A storage tub, comprising:
 a tub bottom;   a plurality of generally vertical tub walls connected at one end to the tub bottom to form a first storage compartment; and   at least one storage compartment divider flexibly mounted to one or more tub walls, the divider operable by a user:
 into a first, dynamically stable retracted configuration within the first storage compartment without substantially reducing the storage capacity of the first compartment, and 
 into a second, dynamically stable extended configuration forming a second storage compartment within the first storage compartment. 
   
     
     
         2 . The storage tub claimed in  claim 1 , wherein two of the tub walls are connected together by an included tub wall angle,
 wherein said storage compartment divider is flexibly mounted at one end to a first one of said two tub walls at a first distance from said included angle between the two tub walls and flexibly mounted at a second end to the second one of said two tub walls at a second distance from said included angle, and   wherein, in said retracted position, a first panel of said storage compartment divider is generally parallel with said first one of said tub walls from the first end of said storage divider to the included tub wall angle.   
     
     
         3 . The storage tub claims in  claim 2 , wherein, in said retracted position, a second panel of said storage compartment divider is generally parallel with said second one of said tub walls from the second end of said storage divider to the included tub wall angle. 
     
     
         4 . The storage tub of  claim 3 , wherein said storage compartment divider includes a flexible, included divider wall angle between said first and second panels, said included divider wall angle positioned adjacent said included tub wall angle in said retracted position. 
     
     
         5 . The storage tub of  claim 4 , wherein, in said extended position, said second storage compartment extends from said flexible mounting of said first end of said divider wall along said first one of said tub walls to the included tub wall angle and then along said second one of said tub walls to the flexible mounting of said second end of said divider wall to the included divider wall angle—at a position displaced from said included wall angle -and then back to said flexible mounting of said first end of said divider wall. 
     
     
         6 . The storage tub of  claim 5 , wherein the tub is a generally square shape and said second compartment is a generally square shape approximately one quarter of the size of the first storage compartment in which the second compartment is located. 
     
     
         7 . The storage tub of  claim 6  further comprising:
 a second wall divider dynamically stable in retracted and extended positions, wherein, when in the extended position, said second wall divider forms a third storage compartment in said storage tub so that when both wall dividers are both in their extended positions, at least three compartments are formed within the storage tub. 
 
     
     
         8 . The storage tub of  claim 7  wherein included wall angles of both wall dividers are adjacent each other so that four generally equal sized compartments are formed within the storage tub when both wall dividers are in their extended positions. 
     
     
         9 . The storage tub of  claim 5  further comprising:
 a second wall divider dynamically stable in retracted and extended positions, wherein, when in the extended position, the second wall divider forms a third storage compartment in said storage tub so that when both wall dividers are in their extended positions, at least three compartments are formed within the storage tub. 
 
     
     
         10 . The storage tub of  claim 7 , wherein more than three compartments are formed in the storage tub when both wall dividers are in their extended positions. 
     
     
         11 . The storage tub of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one storage compartment divider is flexibly mounted to said storage tub by molding. 
     
     
         12 . The storage tub of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a mounting base affixed to at least one of said tub walls wherein said at least one storage compartment divider is removably mounted at one end thereof to said mounting base. 
 
     
     
         13 . The storage tub of clam  1  further comprising:
 one or more stabilizers adjacent the bottom edge of an inside surface of the storage tub bottom and the lowest edge of the wall divider to enhance the dynamic stability of the extended wall divider. 
 
     
     
         14 . The storage tub of  claim 12  wherein the lowest edge of the wall divider fits within stabilizers to make the storage compartment formed by the all divider at least somewhat liquid proof. 
     
     
         15 . The storage tub of  claim 1  wherein the flexibly mounted storage compartment divider is formed from a material sufficiently flexible so that the divider may be pulled by the user away from the tub walls at a point intermediate the ends thereof by flexing the material. 
     
     
         16 . The storage tub of  claim 13  wherein the divider may be pushed by the user away from extended position toward the tub walls at a point intermediate the ends thereof into the retracted position by flexing the material. 
     
     
         17 . The storage tub of  claim 1  wherein the flexibly mounted storage compartment divider is formed from a plurality of panels flexibly mounted to each other so that the divider may be pulled by the user, away from the retracted position and into the extended position, by flexing the mounting between the panels of the wall divider. 
     
     
         18 . The storage tub of  claim 15  wherein the divider may be pushed away from the extended position to the retracted position by the user by flexing the mounting of the panels of the wall divider.