Basket divider apparatus and method

Abstract

An appliance or basket having one or more dividers. The dividers may include a stowed position and a deployed position relative to each other. A divider may include one or more engagement mechanisms to engage portions of the basket in the deployed position and/or engage portions of another divider in the stowed position.

1 . A refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a basket body having a space therein for storing food, the space formed by a plurality of walls including a first wall and an opposing second wall, wherein the basket body includes a first divider and at least one second divider, and wherein the first divider includes opposing first ends engaging the first wall and the opposing second wall, respectively, and wherein the at least one second divider includes opposing second ends; and   wherein the at least one second divider is positioned in a stowed position engaged to the first divider and a deployed position disengaged from the first divider, and wherein when in the deployed position the opposing second ends of the at least one second divider engages the first wall and the opposing second wall, respectively.   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1  wherein the at least one second divider is parallel to the first divider in both the stowed position and the deployed position. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1  wherein the first divider is fixed in position to the first wall and the opposing second wall. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1  wherein the basket body includes an engagement mechanism releasably engaging the at least one second divider to the first divider. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 4  wherein the engagement mechanism is at least one of a pocket engagement, a clip engagement, and/or a magnetic engagement. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1  wherein each one of the first wall and the opposing second wall includes a plurality of openings therein, wherein the opposing second ends of the at least one second divider engage at least one first opening of the plurality of openings of the first wall and at least one second opening of the plurality of openings of the second wall when in the deployed position. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1  wherein the first divider includes a first top wall and the at least one second divider includes a second top wall, wherein the first top wall is at a higher elevation that the second top wall when the at least one second divider is in the deployed position. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1  wherein the basket body is a freezer basket. 
     
     
         9 . A basket for an appliance comprising:
 a body having a space therein for storing food, the space formed by a plurality of walls including a first wall and a second wall, wherein the body includes a first divider and at least one second divider, and wherein the first divider includes opposing first ends engaging the first wall and the second wall, respectively, and wherein the at least one second divider includes opposing second ends; and   wherein the at least one second divider is positioned in a stowed position engaged to the first divider and at least one deployed position disengaged from the first divider, and wherein when in the at least one deployed position the opposing second ends of the at least one second divider engages the first wall and the second wall, respectively.   
     
     
         10 . The basket of  claim 9  wherein the at least one second divider is parallel to the first divider in both the stowed position and the at least one deployed position. 
     
     
         11 . The basket of  claim 9  wherein the first divider is fixed or movable in position relative to the first wall and the second wall. 
     
     
         12 . The basket of  claim 9  wherein the body includes an engagement mechanism releasably engaging the at least one second divider to the first divider. 
     
     
         13 . The basket of  claim 12  wherein the engagement mechanism is at least one of a pocket engagement, a clip engagement, and/or a magnetic engagement. 
     
     
         14 . The basket of  claim 9  wherein each one of the first wall and the second wall includes a plurality of openings therein, wherein the opposing second ends of the at least one second divider engage at least one first opening of the plurality of openings of the first wall and at least one second opening of the plurality of openings of the second wall when in the at least one deployed position. 
     
     
         15 . The basket of  claim 9  wherein the first divider includes a first top wall and the at least one second divider includes a second top wall, wherein the first top wall is at a higher elevation than the second top wall when the at least one second divider is in the at least one deployed position. 
     
     
         16 . The basket of  claim 9  wherein the at least one second divider fits within an outer periphery of the first divider when in the stowed position. 
     
     
         17 . A method of partitioning the space of a basket of an appliance comprising the steps of:
 providing a basket body having a space therein for storing contents, the space formed by a plurality of walls including a first wall and an opposing second wall, wherein the basket body includes at least one first divider and at least one second divider, and wherein the at least one first divider includes opposing first ends engaging the first wall and the opposing second wall, respectively, and wherein the at least one second divider includes opposing second ends;   stowing the at least one second divider in engagement with the at least one first divider in a stowed position; and   deploying the at least one second divider away from the at least one first divider to at least one deployed position, wherein when in the at least one deployed position the opposing second ends of the at least one second divider engages the first wall and the opposing second wall, respectively.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising releasably engaging an engagement mechanism between the at least one first divider and the at least one second divider when in the stowed position. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising engaging the opposing second ends of the at least one second divider to at least one opening of a plurality of openings of each one of the first wall and the opposing second wall, respectively, when in the at least one deployed position. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the at least one second divider is parallel to the at least one first divider when in the at least one deployed position and the stowed position.