Patent ID: 6648166
Filing Date: 2003-11-18
Classification: B25H

Abstract:
A portable folding storage assembly for storing and carrying a plurality of items, said storage assembly comprising:a central support structure constructed and arranged to be supported in a generally upright position on a level support surface, and further comprising a plurality of drawers, each drawer providing a storage space for storing items therein, each of said drawers being mounted in the central support structure for movement between open and closed drawer positions; a container assembly comprising a storage container and a cover member, said storage container providing interior storage space and an access opening into said storage space, said storage container being mounted on said central support structure for movement with respect thereto between an access position and a storage position, said cover member being movable with respect to the storage container between a closed position in which the cover member is in covering relation with the access opening of the storage container to retain stored items within the storage space and open position in which the cover member is moved away from the access opening of the storage container to allow items to be placed in and removed from the storage space of the storage container; said container assembly being movable between an access position and a storage position with respect to the central support structure, said container assembly being constructed and arranged such that 1) when the container assembly is in its access position, the storage container is in its access position and the cover member is movable into its open position and 2) when the cover member is in its closed position the container assembly can be moved into its storage position in which the storage container is in its storage position with respect to the central support structure, the central support structure being constructed and arranged such that when the container assembly is in its storage position, the central support structure is positioned to hold the cover member in its closed position with respect to the storage container; said container assembly and said plurality of drawers being constructed and arranged such that 1) when said container assembly is in its access position the drawers are movable between their open and closed positions and such that 2) when the drawers are in their closed positions, movement of the container assembly into its storage position releasably locks the drawers in their closed positions; a locking assembly constructed and arranged to releasably lock the container assembly in the storage position thereof; and a handle connected to the central support structure, said handle being manually engagable by a hand of a worker to enable the worker to carry the central support structure, particularly when the container assembly is in the storage position thereof.