Abstract:
A combination rolling cabinet and storage assembly for storing and transporting collectibles therein, having: a top and bottom compartment; top and bottom walls joined by opposed side walls all joined to an upright rear wall, the cabinet defining an interior compartment accessible through an open upright front side of the door between open and closed positions; a base cabinet including wheels and a retractable/extendible pulling handle for locomoting; at least one additional cabinet connectable on top of the base cabinet; upper storage apparatus connectable on top of the base cabinet; a plurality of removable tote tray drawers or containers, and light holder carried in trunklike housing between top compartment and bottom compartment; can be loaded or unloaded upright or laying on floor or flat surface; and components are made of any suitable materials, preferably plastic.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a portable cabinet equipped for rolling movement over a surface with an appendage housed inside, said device having separate, compartmentalized trays or containers for receiving, organizing, storing and transporting a plurality of collectible items for holiday such as ornaments, strands of lights, and related accessories, as well as for hobbies and crafts. As the popularity of holiday tree decorating grows dramatically, the need arose for a convenient and practical means to receive, organize, store and transport delicate collectibles. 
     In the past, delicate collectible items, lighting, and related accessories for the holiday have been stored in large plastic storage containers wherein the contents thereof cannot be secure from damage or breakage. There are no separate compartments or dividers to prevent contents from shifting, breaking or being destroyed. 
     The prior art is replete with reference to various types of organizers and portable storage devices. The prior art is not designed, intended, or adaptable for holiday, hobby, and crafting. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,418, to Goldstein, is directed to a carrying case for information and product samples. This case is particularly adapted for artwork or other similar, substantially flat material. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,711, to Schmid, relates to a portable display case comprising a pair of containers detachably connected to each other. Each container has a hingably connected cover portion that may be laid flat to support the compartment in a vertical position allowing display of goods contained therein. 
     None of these prior art patents relate to a portable cabinet and organizer with separate, compartmentalized trays or containers adaptable for receiving, organizing, storing and transporting a plurality of delicate collectibles. 
     The present invention meets these special objectives by a unique design and assembly. The manner by which such objectives are achieved will become apparent upon reading the following Specification, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a portable cabinet with an appendage housed inside, said device having plurality of separate, compartmentalized tote tray or container for receiving, organizing, storing and transporting a plurality of collectible items for holiday and related accessories such as ornaments, one or more strand of lights, hobbies and crafts. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a versatile, portable, efficient system to transport and adequately hold collectibles securely in a cabinet and within its inner compartment. This device housed inside the cabinet has separate, compartmentalized trays/containers with dividers that prevent items from shifting, bumping other items. 
     It is also an object of this invention to provide a storage and transportation cabinet with a plurality of trays that are reliable, convenient, and efficient in use, yet relatively inexpensive in construction. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide a rigid storage and transporting device to store various collectible items and prevent its contents from shifting and becoming damaged or destroyed. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide an organizer which can be conveniently fit into an outer container of varying size and shape and which can also be partitioned into inner compartments. 
     It is a yet further object of this invention to provide a secure and reliable method of keeping strands of holiday lights from becoming twisted, tangled, damaged and broken. 
     Further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the description herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the front closed cabinet according to this invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the front opened portable cabinet of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the back and side front view of the portable cabinet opened illustrating the hinged side cabinet of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the opened latch assembly of the portable cabinet and storage cabinet of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a back and side elevational view of an embodiment of the cabinet in an upright position illustrating the roller mechanism and handle displayed; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective elevational view of the opened cabinet and storage caddy of the present intention illustrating latch and snap assembly with proper alignment of plurality of horizontal trays and empty chamber with plurality of shelves for rounded trays; 
         FIG. 7  is a second perspective view of the front and back portable cabinet of the present invention opened in upright position illustrating proper alignment of boxes for light strands and plurality of trays/containers nested together; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the lid and base components, forming the container; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic front view of the horizontal panel for securing light strands; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective front and side view of rectangular box open illustrating proper alignment and placement of light strand and angled bottom; 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic view of the portable cabinet and storage caddy of the present invention with the cabinet open and internal chambers, tote trays or containers displayed illustrating functionality and use. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a portable cabinet equipped for rolling movement over a surface with an appendage housed inside, said device having separate, compartmentalized trays or containers for receiving, organizing, storing and transporting a plurality of collectible items such as ornaments and strands of lights and hobbies and/or crafts. The components of this invention are made of any suitable materials, preferably molded plastic. 
     Thus it is apparent that in accordance with the present invention, an apparatus that fully satisfies the objectives, aims and advantages is set forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, permutations and variations will become apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the appended claims. 
     Referring to the drawings and specifically  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 , and  11 , there is illustrated a portable cabinet and caddy organizer  7  and  11  according to the present invention.  FIG. 1  illustrates the portable cabinet and caddy organizer in the closed transportable position,  FIG. 6 , illustrates the enclosure for the portable cabinet and caddy organizer in an open position, in a partially assembled state, and  FIGS. 7 and 11  illustrates the portable cabinet and caddy organizer assembled. It will be appreciated that the assembled portable cabinet and organizer shown by  FIGS. 6  and  7  are devoid of items such as ornaments, lights, collectibles, or the like, as well as such additional elements being deleted from the drawing for clarity of illustration. 
       FIG. 5  refers to rollers  4 , which engage the rigid body portion for support, are mounted about adjacent to the bottom of portion of wall member  22  and  23 . The rollers  4  are preferably position at the junction of rear panel  22  and the bottom of wall member  23 . The rollers  4  are positioned to at least partially support the weight of the cabinet  14  when in the upright, or at rest position. The rollers  4  are operable to enable rolling movement of the cabinet across a surface when in an inclined position. The rollers  4  are preferably, molded plastic but may be any caster of a type known to those skilled in the art and may be mounted with an axle, snap or any other suitable material known to those skilled in the art. 
     The push/pull handle or gripping bar as shown in  FIG. 5  is preferably a rigid handle, having two legs and a gripping member  3 . The handle, which may also be stationary, is mounted on the cabinet  5  about adjacent to the rigid body portion at the top portion of wall member  20 . The handle  3 , which preferably, also includes a locking mechanism (not shown) for locking the handle in the retracted position, may be employed by the user to effect rolling movement of the cabinet  5  across the surface. 
     The portable cabinet and organizer as shown in  FIG. 3 , includes an enlarged six-sided trunklike enclosure or housing  FIGS. 2 and 3  defined primarily by an upright cabinet  FIG. 3  having an openable door  1  associated with one side thereof. 
     The upright cabinet as shown by  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  6 , includes generally parallel and horizontally extending top and bottom walls  22  and  23  which are rigidly and permanently joined to generally parallel and vertically extending side walls  24  and  28 . All of these walls  24 ,  25   26  and  28 , in turn are rigidly joined to a generally vertically enlarged rear walls  22  and  23 . Thus the formed cabinet has a front side  1  which is open so as to provide access to the rather large interior compartment  FIGS. 2 ,  6 ,  7 , and  11  defined by the cabinet. 
     The front side or opening  1  of the cabinet  3  is adapted to be closed by the door  1 , the latter including a generally peripheral edge wall  22 - 30  defined between generally parallel and horizontally extending top and bottom edge walls  22 - 30 , the latter being rigidly and permanent joined by parallel and vertically extending side edge walls  24  and  25 . The peripheral edge wall is in turn joined to a vertically enlarged front wall or panel  26  which, in cooperation with the edge wall, causes the door  1  to define therein a compartment  8  which extends throughout substantially the full extent of the door but is of shallow horizontal depth. The bottom of this compartment  10  is defined by an inner flat panel which extends between the edge wall  24  and overlies the front panel  26 . When the door  1  is closed onto the cabinet  FIG. 3 , the shallow door compartment  8  faces and is in open communication with the front side of the larger and deeper cabinet compartment  8 . 
     The door  1  is connected to the cabinet  2  by a vertically elongated hinge  6  which defines a vertically extending hinge axis disposed adjacent the front edge of the side wall  24  and  26 , whereby the door  1  can be horizontally hingedly swung between the closed and open positions illustrated respectively by  FIGS. 3 ,  6  and  7 . 
     The side edge of the door remote from the hinge preferably has a conventional latch  5   FIGS. 4 ,  6  and  7  which cooperates with the cabinet when in the closed position so as to hold the door closed, such latch being typically activated in a conventional manner. 
     As shown by  FIG. 6 , the cabinet interior compartment  8  and  10  is preferably provided with appropriate organizer supports or elements positioned within the compartment  8  and  10  so as to cooperatively function as part of a portable cabinet and organizer. For example, in the illustrated embodiment the cabinet  FIG. 6  stationarily mounts therein a first horizontal shelf  7  disposed so as to extend horizontally across the compartment adjacent the upper portion thereof but in slightly downwardly spaced relation from the top wall  1 ( a ). A further stationary shelf  7 ( b ) also extends horizontally across the cabinet compartment, this latter shelf  7 ( f ) being positioned approximately midway between the top and bottom walls of the cabinet. The elevation of shelf  7  in a preferred embodiment is approximately at work surface or table height relative to the floor. A horizontally enlarged slidable shelf or tray  7 ( b ) is also mounted on the cabinet at an elevation slightly below the shelf  7 ( a ). This tray or shelf  7 ( b ) is horizontally movably supported on conventional telescopic drawer slides  7 ( b ) which mount to the underside of shelf  7 ( a ), whereby tray  17  and  19  can be slidably moved between a storage position within the cabinet as illustrated in  FIG. 7 ; and a use position illustrated in  FIG. 11  wherein the container  19 ( d ) projects outwardly from the front of the cabinet. When in the use position illustrated by  FIG. 11 , tray  19  can be readily used. 
     Cabinet shown in  FIG. 6 , also mounts therein various chambers and fixtures which cooperate to define a useable storage space when the portable cabinet and organizer is in the assembled position of  FIG. 11 . For example, in the illustrated embodiment the door  1  mounts thereon vertically, the latter being secured at the back of the shallow compartment  2  so as to extend across the inner surface of the front panel adjacent the upper end of the door. 
     Considering now the door  1  in the illustrated embodiment, also is provided with a drawer unit  12  and  13  which are disposed within the bottom compartment  8  directly above the bottom wall  33 , and is again supported so that the drawer can be slidably moved inwardly and outwardly from the storage position into an access position illustrated by  FIGS. 7 and 11  so as to access the upwardly opening compartment  8  thereof. If desired, a further tote tray drawer can be movably supported on the cabinet directly below the drawer being supported so as to be movable into an open position similar to the previous drawer as illustrated by  FIGS. 6 and 11 . The trays/containers permit storage of significant collectible items therein, both during utilization of the cabinet and organizer when the cabinet and organizer is in the position of  FIG. 11  for storage. 
     The cabinet bottom  2  supports and stores therein an enlarged organizer, the latter being storable in an upright position within the shallow compartment  10  substantially as illustrated by  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  11 . There is also provided a horizontally elongated top bracket/clasp  11  positioned within the shallow compartment of the door adjacent the upper end thereof. This bracket/clasp  11  extends horizontally across the door compartment, and has leverlike arms  11  at opposite ends thereof which joins the opposite side edge walls of the tray door to permit the bracket/clasp  11  to be vertically moved to accommodate removal of the tote tray about a horizontal hinge axis. This enables the bracket/clasp  11  to be moved slightly from a lowermost position as illustrated in  FIG. 7  wherein it overlaps and engages the tote tray in the underside compartment  10 , thereby trapping the storage tray and holding it securely in the bottom compartment, and in a lower storage position shown in  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  11 , when the cabinet is resting on a flat surface and wherein the bracket/clasp is disposed directly adjacent the bottom edge wall  10 . 
     The door  1  also mounts thereon, adjacent the lower free corner thereof (i.e., the lower corner remote from the hinge  6 ), a roller assembly  4  adapted to be disposed in stationary and load-bearing engagement with a support surface or floor when the door  1  is in the open position so as to not only maintain the door  1  stationary relative to the cabinet  7 , but to also prevent load-bearing induced distortion of the door and cabinet which may otherwise interfere with proper utilization of the cabinet and organizer and specifically of the components associated therewith. 
     As indicated in  FIG. 2 , the bottom edge wall of the bottom  2  is disposed a small distance above the bottom wall  10  of the cabinet  3  and  5 , thus providing sufficient space for accommodating the caster without unduly increasing the structural complexity of the lower edge of the door. 
     When the portable cabinet and organizer is in the open position as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  5 , the cabinet  2  and door  1  function not only to support collectibles and equipment such as the shelves, drawers. 
     As shown by  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  11 , the horizontal tote tray has one or more horizontally elongated device that is approximately 17 inches in length that fit in one bracket therein on opposing ends of the tray to organize and hold strands of lights in place and keep lights tangle-free. 
     As indicated in  FIGS. 7 and 11  storage container has generally rounded components each with a top that aligns and mates in face-to-face relation with interlocking lips to hold items in the chamber. The containers are slidably mounted therein the storage cabinet from top to bottom. Components are of any suitable material, preferably molded plastic. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  11 , one or more elongated, generally rectangular components are incorporated in the storage caddy chamber, each with a dedicated top and base and handle member, held in place by a pair of clasps  11  woven into the interior recessed sidewalls of the storage apparatus. The tote trays  FIG. 11  slide in and out of the recessed storage chamber  FIG. 7  for access and convenience in storage of collectibles. 
     While the portable cabinet and storage caddy organizer has been illustrated and described above incorporating various collectibles, equipment, and accessories (such as shelves, tote tray or container drawers, light comb, and the like) which are believed desirable to provide a portable cabinet and organizer having a minimal but comprehensive selection of usable features, nevertheless it will be appreciated that other structures or features can alternately or optionally be provided within the enclosure if desired. 
     The cabinet  FIG. 12  will normally have a depth which is several times the average depth of the door compartment. Similarly, the enclosure  12  will normally have a height which is significantly greater than either the horizontal width or depth of the closed enclosure. In a typical construction, a cabinet will be a depth of about 17 inches, a width of about 17 inches, and a height of about 27 inches. 
     When transporting of the portable cabinet and storage caddy organizer as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 11  of this invention is desired, then the portable cabinet and storage caddy organizer can be stored intact in an upright position with the door closed and latched so that the overall enclosure is in the closed position illustrated by  FIG. 1  or tilt the cabinet and organizer rearwardly to permit the casters to rest on the a flat surface such as a floor or table. 
     Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention. 
     LEGEND 
     
         
           1 . Cabinet Top (Door) or Front 
           2 . Cabinet Bottom or Back 
           3 . Handle 
           4 . Wheel Assembly 
           5 . Cabinet Latch Assembly 
           6 . Hinge Assembly 
           7 . Shelf 
           8 . Interior Top Chamber Compartment 
           9 . Caddy Appendage 
           10 . Interior Bottom Caddy Chamber Compartment 
           11 . Clasp 
           12 . Tote Tray Top 
           13 . Tote Tray Bottom 
           14 . Tote Tray Handle 
           15 . Tote Tray Light Comb 
           16 . Tote Tray Latch 
           17 . Single Tray 
           18 . Container Lid 
           19 . Container Base 
           20 . Handle Panel 
           21 . Center Caddy Panel 
           22 . Left Bottom Rear Wall 
           23 . Right Bottom Rear Panel 
           24 . Left Side Bottom Panel 
           25 . Right Side Bottom Panel 
           26 . Right Front Horizontal Panel 
           27 . Right Front Caddy Panel 
           28 . Center Front Horizontal Panel 
           29 . Left Caddy Panel 
           30 . Left Front Horizontal Panel 
           31 . Cabinet Feet (not shown) 
           32 . Bottom Floor Wall 
           33 . Front Floor Wall 
           34 . Horizontal Tray Shelf