Abstract:
An Interlocking System utilizing upper and lower grooves along the edges of the base of an item to interlock with upper and lower grooves on other items. One item described is a dispenser using a spongy material to force a tape with labels upwardly to be withdrawn. Another item with upper and lower grooves is a storage box.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to interlocking systems and more particularly to a system with a variety of items that interlock with one another at the base, such items including items for office usage, such as label dispensers but may be used equally well with kitchen and other items. This invention further relates to specific office equipment for use in the Interlocking System such as a label dispenser and a storage box or file cabinet with filing products.  
           [0003]    2. Prior Art  
           [0004]    Frequently, various items are used together such as on a desk or in a kitchen. One item may, and often does, become separated and it is not uncommon for an item to be removed and then not be available when needed. This pertains to many different types of items of which office and kitchen equipment are just two.  
           [0005]    A decided advantage would be achieved if various items could be connected in an orderly fashion but while permitting an item to be disconnected should the need arise to separate any one or more items while still preventing easy separation.  
           [0006]    By way of example, one piece of office equipment that is advantageous to have available is a label dispenser. Labels are widely used. Many, such as return address labels are preprinted. Other labels are left blank to be filled in to meet a particular need such a labels used to identify food storage packages. Increasingly, labels have a sticky back and are dispensed from a tape on which they are mounted for ready removal when being put on just about anything which they are to identify. A dispenser, preferably a reusable dispenser, that permits ready access to labels and maintains them in storage for use would serve a need. An added benefit would be derived from a dispenser that can be annexed readily to or have annexed to it other items which have some relationship to it.  
           [0007]    Another frequently used piece of office equipment is a storage cabinet. Whether used for file folders or the storage of various office devices such as pens and erasers, it is very helpful in an office. Like the label dispenser, it would be an added benefit to have a storage box that can be annexed readily to or have affixed to it other objects used in conjunction with it.  
           [0008]    Objects  
           [0009]    It is an object of this invention to provide an Interlocking System by which various items can be secured to one another.  
           [0010]    It is a further object of this invention to provide an Interlocking System by which various items can be secured to one another while also being detachable from one another.  
           [0011]    It is another object of this invention to provide a dispenser for the convenient dispensing of labels that is inexpensive and durable.  
           [0012]    It is still another object of the present invention to provide a dispenser that can be secured to other items.  
           [0013]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive and durable storage box that can be secured to other items.  
           [0014]    These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art based upon the description of the preferred embodiment.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0015]    A Interlocking System is provided for interlocking a plurality of items. A first item includes a first base having at least one edge. The edge has a first upper groove and a first lower groove. The first upper groove being turned away from the first lower groove and over the first base and the first lower groove being turned away from the first upper and down under the first base. A second item includes a second base also having at least one edge. This edge also has a second upper groove and a second lower groove, the second upper groove being turned away from the second lower groove and over the second base and the second lower groove being turned away from the second upper groove and down under the second base. The second lower groove is locked into the first upper groove. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a storage box with a label dispenser attached at one edge and another label dispenser attached at another side of the storage box.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a storage box with a smaller item attached at the left side of the storage box as faced and another smaller item attached to it at the right side of the storage box.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the attachment of the base edges at the left side.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3A is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the upper groove attached to a base formed from a single sheet and a lower groove attached to a base formed from a single sheet.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the base edge attachment at the left side.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 shows a label dispenser with two smaller items of office equipment attached to it at the base of the label dispenser on two separate sides and with the enclosure of the label dispenser broken away showing the inner parts of the label dispenser.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is a pictorial view of the label stack folded for use in the label dispenser.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 is a pictorial view of a sponge material used in the label dispensers to force the label stack upwardly as labels are consumed.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the label dispenser.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 is a pictorial view of the end of the label dispenser showing the label stack and the spongy material and the edge of the base for securing the label dispenser to other items.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 10 is a pictorial cross sectional view along line  10 - 10  of FIG. 8.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 11 is a pictorial exploded view of the storage box showing the lid and handle removed and with the edge of the base for connecting the storage box to other items.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 12 is a pictorial view of the storage box showing the enclosure on the rear wall of the storage box for retaining the lid when removed from the top of the storage box.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 13 is a pictorial view of a file folder with pockets on each side extending along the fold either inside or outside the folder.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 14 is a pictorial view of an expandable box for use as an adjustable folder in the storage box.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of the base of the inner box shown in FIG. 14.  
                                                   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NUMERALS            NUMERAL   DESCRIPTION                    11   Storage Box       13   Base       15   Edges       17   Upper Groove       19   Lower Groove       21   Sheets       23   Top Sheet       25   Bottom Sheet       27   Single Sheet       29   Label Dispenser       31   Labels       33   Tape       35   Holder       37   Lower Edge       39   Two Side Walls       41   Ends       43   Top Edges       45   Top       47   Opening       49   Resilient Member       51   Bottom Surface       53   Top Surface       55   Plate       57   Band       59   End Member       61   Front Side       63   Rear Side       65   Left Side       67   Right Side       69   Lid       71   Handle       73   Top Edge       75   Inner Channels       77   Inner Faces       79   Outer Channels       81   Outside Faces       83   Tabs       85   Hand Grip       87   Left End       89   Right End       91   Protrusion       93   Pocket       95   Enclosure       97   Inner Box       99   Two Ends       101   Base (Inner Box)       107   Base Sections (Inner Box)       109   Clips       110   Lower Surface       111   One Clip       113   Upper Surface       115   File Folder       117   Pocket       119   Bend Line                  
 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0032]    Referring now to FIG. 1, a storage box  11  is shown. The storage box  11  is mounted on a base  13 . The base  13 , which is shown as being rectangular, has four edges  15 . Each of the four edges  15  has an upper groove  17  and a lower groove  19 . The base  13  may be formed from two sheets  21 , one on top of the other. A top sheet  23  would then have the upper grooves  17  and a bottom sheet  25  would have the lower grooves  19 . In the alternative, a single sheet  27  may be used which would have formed from it either the upper groove  17  or the lower groove  19 . Then the other groove, be it the upper groove  17  or the lower groove  19 , would be affixed to the single sheet  27 . This is shown in FIG. 3A where the single sheet  27  is shown with a lower groove  19  attached to it for the storage box  11  and with the item affixed to it having an upper groove  17  attached to the single sheet  27 .  
         [0033]    At each of the four edges  15 , the upper groove  17  is turned up and away from the base  13  and over itself. Similarly at each of the edges  15 , the lower groove  19  is turned down away from the base  13  and the upper groove  17  and under itself. The upper groove  17  and the lower groove are U-shaped with the U turned ninety degrees with both grooves  17 ,  19  open inside the edge  15 .  
         [0034]    The upper grooves  17  are best used to affix to the storage box or any other item also having upper grooves  17  and lower grooves  19 , as shown in FIG. 1. The lower grooves  19  are best used to affix the storage box  11  or any other item having upper grooves  17  and lower grooves  19  to other units similarly equipped. In order to be able to affix other items to the storage box  11 , the other items (as shown in FIG. 1) must also have similar mating lower grooves  19  and upper grooves  17 . The upper grooves  17  and the lower grooves  19  are sized to be forced into similar grooves on connecting items and then are held in place by the tight fit while still being removable.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 3 shows the upper groove  17  of the storage box  11  blocked into a lower groove  19  of an ancillary item affixed to the dispenser and FIG. 4 shows the detail of the lower groove  19  of the storage box  11 , which is used as an example, fitted into the upper groove  17  of an auxiliary item.  
         [0036]    In FIG. 5, a different combination is shown as a label dispenser  29  is the central item rather than the storage box  11  and two auxiliary items are attached to it with the lower groove  19  of the auxiliary item being secured within the upper groove  17  of the label dispenser  29 .  
         [0037]    The variations of combination of items that can be secured together is virtually endless. As best seen in FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the label dispenser  29  is shown. The labels  31  to be dispensed are mounted on a tape  33  which is folded back and forth (FIG. 6) in an accordion style. A holder  35  is secured to the base  13  of the label dispenser  29  at the lower edge  37  of two side walls  39 , both of which are preferably solid but may have an opening. The side walls  39 , which are substantially of the same size and generally parallel to one another, are sized to permit a pocket (not shown) to be affixed to hold a business card as the label dispenser  29  is very suitable as an item to be handed out for advertising purposes.  
         [0038]    The holder  35  has ends  41  which may be either closed or left open. The ends  41  are shown closed in FIG. 5 and FIG. 10. From end  41  to end  41  and from the top edges  43  of the side walls  39  the holder  35  has a top  45 . In the center of the top  45 , substantially between the two ends  41 , there is an opening  47  which preferably extends from side wall  39  to side wall  39 . From the opening  47 , the tape  33  with the labels  31  is dispensed and is also installed into the holder  35 . However, when the ends  41  of the holder  35  are left open, installation of the tape  33  with the labels  31  can be achieved from either of the ends  41 .  
         [0039]    As seen in FIG. 5 and FIG. 7, a resilient member  49 , which is formed from a sponge-like material, is located in the holder  35 . The resilient member  49  serves as a spring permitting the tape  33  with the labels  31  affixed to it to be placed into the holder  35  on top of the resilient member  49  thereby compressing the resilient member  49  to a comparatively small thickness. As the tape  33  with the labels  31  are consumed, the resilient member  49  expands forcing the tape  33  with the labels  31  upwardly to be easily removed. The resilient member  49  has a bottom surface  51  which is secured to the base  13  of the holder  35  by any suitable adhesive. The resilient member  49  has a top surface  53  opposite from the bottom surface  51 .  
         [0040]    As best seen in FIG. 7, a plate  55  is affixed to the top surface  53  of the resilient member  49 . The plate  55  is also affixed to the resilient member  49  by any suitable adhesive. A band  57  is mounted on the top of the plate  55  with a space between the plate  55  and the band  57 . An end member  59  of the tape  33  with the labels  31  is slid under the band  57  thus holding the tape  33  with the labels  31  in place on the resilient member  49 . When the tape  33  and the labels  31  are consumed, the end member  59  is removed and the end member  59  of a new stack of labels  31  on a tap  33  is inserted.  
         [0041]    The storage box  11 , which is shown in FIG. 1 is also shown in even greater detail in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12. The storage box  11  has a front side  61 , a rear side  63 , a left side  65  and a right side  67  as well as the base  13  having the upper grooves  17  and the lower grooves  19  as previously described. The storage box  11  also has a lid  69  and handle  71  which are detachable. The left side  65  and right side  67  as well as the front side  61  and the rear side  63  have a top edge  73  adjacent to the lid  69  and handle  71 . The left side  65  and the right side  67  extend slightly above the front side  61  and the rear side  63 . An inner channel  75  is formed in the left side  65  and the right side  67  immediately adjacent to the top edge  73  of the front side  61  and the rear side  63  and the inner channel  75  face one another being located on the inner faces  77  of the left side  65  and the right side  67 . The inner channels  75  are immediately above the front side  61  and the rear side  63 .  
         [0042]    Also on the left side  65  and the right side  67 , above the inner channels  75  are outer channels  79  which face away from one another being on the outside faces  81  of the left side  65  and the right side  67 .  
         [0043]    The lid  69 , which is a flat sheet, slides in the inner channels  75 . A tab  83  located on the lid  69  serves as a pull point for the lid  69 . The handle  71  is a flexible member which narrows in the center section to form a hand grip  85  and expands to a left end  87  and a right end  89 . At the right end  89  and the left end  87 , the handle  71  bends inwardly and then back outwardly forming a protrusion  91  having a U-shaped but turned on its side with the closed ends of each U facing one another. The two protrusions  91  fit into the outer channels  79  and as the handle  71  is lifted up, the protrusions  91  are forced more securely into the outer channels  79 .  
         [0044]    As seen in FIGS. 11 and 12, a pocket  93  is located on the left side  65 , the right side  67  and the front  61  of the storage box  11 . These pockets  83  are transparent and are multi-purpose and may be used for advertising but can be used for posting information, such as frequently called telephone numbers. As shown in FIG. 12, a larger and more substantial enclosure  95  is provided on the rear side  63  to store the lid  69  when removed from the top  45  of the storage box  11 .  
         [0045]    As shown in FIG. 14, an inner box  97 , which is retractable, is provided. The inner box  97  serves to take up unused space for files and to hold miscellaneous items. The inner box  97  has two ends  91  and a base  101 . The base  101  includes upper grooves  17  and lower grooves  19 , but only at the two ends  99 , so the inner box  97  can be used outside the storage box  11  and can be affixed to it and to other items having upper grooves  17  and lower grooves  19 . The base  101  is formed in two sections  107 , each section  107  being affixed to a different end  99 . One base section  107  has a series of clips  109  affixed to the lower surface  110  of the base section  107 . The other base section  107  has one clip  111  mounted on its upper surface  113 . Each clip  109  on the lower surface  110  (FIG. 15) mates with the one clip  111  on the upper surface  113  and the size of the inner box  97  is determined by which clip  109  on the lower surface  110  is enaged by the one clip  111 .  
         [0046]    In FIG. 13 a  file folder  115  is shown having pockets  117  which may be on either the interior or the exterior of the file folder  115  or on both the interior and the exterior of the file folder  115 . Each pocket  117  is approximately half the size of the half of the file folder  115  on which it is located and each pocket  117  extends from the bend line  119  between the two halves of the file folder  115  with the opening into the pocket  117  being generally parallel to the bend line  119 .  
         [0047]    It is to be understood that the drawings and description matter are in all cases to be interpreted as merely illustrative of the principles of the invention, rather than as limiting the same in any way, since it is contemplated that various changes may be made in various elements to achieve like results without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.