Modular storage bins

Modular storage bins provide for the bulk containment and storage of various commodities and goods, and are particularly useful in the kitchen or pantry for the storage of foods and spices. One or more identically sized open sleeves are installable beneath or alongside an existing cabinet or shelf, or alternatively may be placed atop an existing countertop or shelf. A mounting plate may be provided for additional attachment security for the sleeves, if desired. Each of the sleeves are adapted for the containment of one or more specially configured bins, with the bins being provided in various sizes. The largest bins have dimensions which are integral multiples of the smaller bins, i.e., the largest bins are two and three times the width and height of the intermediate sized and smallest bins. Thus, two half width bins, or a two by two matrix of four intermediate bins, or a three by three matrix of nine of the smallest bins may be installed in any given sleeve. The smallest bins are particularly adapted for use as spice containers, and are completely closed with the exception of a dispenser on one end. The bins and sleeves are preferably formed of a transparent material, thus enabling a user to view the quantity and type of goods contained therein. A latching mechanism may also be installed on at least some of the bins, to preclude inadvertent removal from the sleeve.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to storage containers and the like, 
and more specifically to various sizes and configurations of storage bins. 
The different sizes are even multiples of one another, thus allowing an 
integral number of smaller bins to fit within the same area occupied by a 
single larger bin. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The typical household kitchen includes various cupboards and drawers which 
serve to collect small quantities of different commodities (spices, etc.), 
and perhaps other articles as well. Oftentimes, such commodities and 
articles are placed on a single shelf of a cupboard or cabinet, and it can 
be difficult to find the specific spice or other article or object amid 
the congestion. 
Various devices have been developed as a response to the above problem, but 
generally do not provide a totally satisfactory solution. Lazy susan type 
units, wherein one or more shelves are constructed as a rotary unit, 
enable persons to access the rear portion of the shelves more easily, but 
still fail to compartmentalize the materials thereon to enable a person to 
find the desired substance more easily. Smaller storage drawers and 
cabinets have also been developed (primarily for hardware), but generally 
the drawers or bins of such units are all of equal size in a given 
cabinet, and cannot be exchanged for drawers of different sizes in order 
to hold larger or smaller objects. 
Thus, a need will be seen for modular storage bins, which bins may be 
provided in sizes equivalent to multiple integers of a smaller base size, 
in order to allow a whole number of the drawers to fit within a bin sleeve 
of standardized size. The bin sleeves or holders should be installable in 
virtually any position, either resting atop another object or secured to 
the side wall or underside of another object (shelf, cupboard, etc.). 
Preferably, the bins and sleeves are formed of a clear material, to enable 
a person to view the contents, and should have securing means to hold the 
individual bins within the appropriate sleeves, and/or dispensing means 
for bulk commodities or other material stored therein. Finally, the bins 
should be adaptable to food storage in the kitchen, pantry, or other 
suitable area, as well as to storage of other articles (e.g., hardware, 
fasteners, etc.) in the shop, garage, or other environment. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,305 issued to Robert S. Service on Dec. 22, 1987 
describes a Spice Rack comprising a rack or shelf portion which telescopes 
vertically from an intermediate portion, which intermediate portion in 
turn telescopes horizontally from an outer case. No separate enclosed 
containers for various bulk goods are disclosed, and the complex action 
required to access the rack portion (extending the intermediate portion 
from the case and then raising the rack portion from the intermediate 
portion) is unlike the horizontally sliding or telescoping single action 
required of the present modular storage bins. Moreover, since all goods 
contained by the Service rack are in their own containers, Service does 
not disclose the use of transparent materials. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,833 issued to Lee M. Huizenga on May 29, 1990 describes 
a Storage Organizer System And Means For Installing The Same. The system 
is based upon one or more horizontal bars secured to a wall; with at least 
two vertical panels being hung from the bar(s). One or more horizontal 
shelves are then installed between the vertical panels. No fully enclosed 
drawers or bins are disclosed, nor are any telescoping or horizontally 
sliding components disclosed, as provided by the present modular storage 
bins. Huizenga also does not provide for transparency of any of the panels 
or components. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,826 issued to Rodney R. Tompkins on Aug. 28, 1990 
describes a Compact Disc Display And Storage Board comprising a board with 
a plurality of first fastener components (Velcro-.TM.) secured thereto. 
The cooperating fastener components are secured to the backs of the 
compact disc cases, allowing the cases to be removably affixed to the 
board. No closure means is provided over the board, no different sizes of 
bins or other units is described, and no transparent materials are 
disclosed by Tompkins, which features are provided by the present 
invention. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,209 issued to Richard Todd on Nov. 20, 1990 describes a 
Bottle Storage And Serving Holder, comprising a unitary rack having an 
upper horizontal shelf with a series of holes therein. The holes are 
adapted for the support of inverted bottles placed therein. Todd does not 
disclose the use of transparent materials, as the bottle contents are 
readily visible in any case. No moving components (sliding drawers, 
dispensers, etc.) are disclosed by Todd, and the Todd holder is not 
adaptable for the storage of bulk commodities, as provided by the present 
modular storage bins. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,203 issued to Rainer Friedrich et al. on Nov. 29, 1994 
describes a Spice Rack With Magnetically Held Spice Containers. The 
containers comprise a series of jars or the like, with ferrous metal lids. 
The lids are held in position by a magnet installed within the rack. The 
spice jars are suspended from above by their metal lids, and are removed 
from the rack by pulling downward. No horizontally moving drawers or 
modular components are disclosed by Friedrich et al., and the only 
disclosure of transparent materials is in the jars themselves, and not in 
any component of the rack. The present modular storage bins do not rely 
upon any substantial metal components, magnetic or otherwise. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,934 issued to Larry G. Fox on Feb. 28, 1995 describes 
an Apparatus And Method For Adjustably Supporting Furnishings On A Wall 
Surface. The apparatus comprises a horizontal rail secured to a wall, 
generally on the order of a chair rail or the like. A plurality of clips 
may be adjustably attached to the back of the article to be suspended from 
the rail, with the clips hooking to the upper edge of the rail. The 
present storage bins may be secured to a vertical surface such as a wall, 
or beneath an overlying shelf or the like, but are not adapted to use the 
Fox attachment system. 
U.S. Pat. No. D-300,887 issued to Paul R. Evans on May 2, 1989 describes a 
design for a Wall Unit, comprising a plurality of open horizontal shelves 
apparently of glass or other transparent material. No closure means is 
indicated for any of the shelves or other area of the Evans unit, and no 
removable modular bins or drawers are disclosed, as provided by the 
present invention. 
U.S. Pat. No. D-347,764 issued to Milton L. Cohen et al. on Jun. 14, 1994 
describes a design for a Condiment Container, comprising a single unit 
having convex sides and a curvilinear upper portion. One embodiment 
includes dispensing holes therein. No modular units, transparent 
construction, closure means, or means of assembling multiple units in a 
unitary array, are disclosed by Cohen et al., which features are provided 
by the present modular storage bins. 
French Patent Publication No. 748,556 to Jmpexal E. G. and published on 
Jul. 6, 1933 describes a pantry cabinet or the like, comprising a 
plurality of shelves accessible by means of hinged doors. A plurality of 
differently sized drawers is also indicated, but there is no disclosure of 
any modular construction, whereby plural smaller drawers may be installed 
in the same space as a single larger drawer, as may be done with the 
present invention. Moreover, at least some of the smaller drawers of the 
present invention are completely closed with the exception of a dispensing 
opening, and may be formed of transparent material so the contents may be 
viewed, which features are not disclosed by the French patent publication. 
French Patent Publication No. 958,717 to Reinhard E. Seifert and published 
on Mar. 15, 1950 describes a medicine cabinet or the like, having a 
plurality of apparently adjustable open shelves therein. Only two closed 
drawers are apparently disclosed, with no modular interchangeability of 
differently sized components, no transparent construction, and no 
components adapted as sealed dispensing units, being disclosed by Seifert. 
Finally, French Patent Publication No. 1,451,610 to Jean P. Zaiger and 
published on Sep. 2, 1966 describes a cigarette lighter holder or the 
like, apparently comprising a generally rectangular and unitary structure 
formed of a transparent sheet material. Two apparently magnetic strips of 
material are located on one side of the device, apparently for securing 
the device to a metal surface. No modular construction of multiple bins is 
disclosed, nor is any means of closing the device, as provided by the 
present invention. 
None of the above noted patents, taken either singly or in combination, are 
seen to disclose the specific arrangement of concepts disclosed by the 
present invention. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
By the present invention, improved modular storage bins are disclosed. 
Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide 
improved modular storage bins which may be provided in different sizes, 
with larger sizes being substantially integral multiples of the smaller 
sizes, whereby a plurality of smaller sized bins may be used in place of a 
single larger sized bin, in a standard sleeve unit. 
Another of the objects of the present invention is to provide improved 
modular storage bins which are adapted for the storage of bulk commodities 
or other materials or articles therein. 
Yet another of the objects of the present invention is to provide improved 
modular storage bins in which at least some bins are completely closed, 
with the exception of dispensing means at one end thereof. 
Still another of the objects of the present invention is to provide 
improved modular storage bins which are preferably formed of transparent 
sheet material, such as acrylic or other plastic. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide improved modular 
storage bins which are installable beneath an overlying surface or to the 
side of a vertical surface, and which may include a mounting plate for 
more secure attachment. 
An additional object of the present invention is to provide improved 
modular storage bins at least some of which bins include latching means 
engaging the bin sleeve or enclosure, and precluding inadvertent removal 
of the bins from the sleeve. 
A final object of the present invention is to provide improved storage bins 
for the purposes described which are inexpensive, dependable and fully 
effective in accomplishing their intended purpose.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently 
throughout the several figures of the attached drawings. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the present 
invention will be seen to relate to modular storage bins, with each such 
bin including a sleeve 10 and a plurality of drawers or bins therein. 
While all of the sleeves 10 are identical in size and configuration, the 
bins may be of different sizes, with the larger sizes being integral 
multiples of the smaller sizes. 
Thus, one sleeve 10 may include a single largest bin 12 therein, with such 
bins 12 adapted to fit closely within the interior of a sleeve 10. Another 
sleeve 10 may include two half bins 14, each having substantially one half 
the width of the sleeve 10, but being substantially equal in height to the 
sleeve interior. Yet another sleeve 10 may include four quarter size bins 
16, with such quarter size bins 16 each having substantially one half the 
height of the interior of a sleeve 10, and being equal in width to that of 
a half size bin 14, i.e., half the width of a sleeve 10 interior. And 
still another sleeve 10 may include a total of nine bins 18, each having a 
width and a height of one third that of the sleeve 10 interior, thereby 
providing a three by three matrix of nine such one ninth size bins 18 in a 
single sleeve 10. It will also be seen that another sleeve 10 may be used 
to contain two vertically stacked quarter size bins 16, with a single half 
size bin 14 inserted beside the two quarter size bins 16. 
While the sleeves 10 may be merely placed atop an underlying surface, such 
as the countertop T or shelf S of FIG. 1, they may also be secured to the 
side or underside of a panel, as to the shelves S of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 
provides a view of an efficient arrangement of such sleeves 10 and 
accompanying bins 12 through 18, as they might be installed along the 
underside of a kitchen or workshop cabinet C or the like. Various sleeve 
mounting or attachment means may be used, which are described further 
below. It will be seen that the present invention is not limited to the 
specific arrangement disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, but that 
the various bins 12 through 18 may be mixed and matched as desired to 
provide the degree of customizing of storage space and versatility desired 
by the user. 
FIG. 3 provides a detail view of the specific construction of a sleeve 10 
and a full size bin 12, as well as a sleeve mounting means. The sleeve 10 
is formed of a first side 20 and an opposite second side 22, and a top 
panel 24 and opposite bottom panel 26. Each of the sides and panels 20 
through 26 has substantially the same width, thereby defining a 
substantially square cross section for the interior of the sleeve 10. The 
first and second ends 28 and 30 are open. 
FIG. 3 also discloses a mounting means for the sleeve 10, comprising a 
mounting plate 32 of metal or other suitable material, which may be 
secured to the side or underside of a panel or surface, such as the side 
of the shelves S or the underside of the cabinet C respectively of FIGS. 1 
and 2. Mounting screws 34 or other means may be used to secure the 
mounting plate 32 to the desired location. The mounting plate 32 includes 
a first sheet of hook and loop fastening material 36 thereon, with a 
mating second sheet of such material 38 being provided on one of the sides 
or panels 20 through 26 of the sleeve 10 (e.g., on the top panel 24 for an 
underlying mounting, as shown in FIG. 3). This mounting plate system 
provides secure mounting for the sleeves 10, and for any bins 12 through 
18 which may be inserted therein, particularly on uneven or other surfaces 
where an adhesive may not work properly. The hook and loop fastening means 
allows the sleeves 10 to be easily removed for cleaning or other purposes, 
as desired, yet provides good security for even loaded sleeves and bins 
secured thereby. It will be seen that other mounting means including 
mechanically or adhesively securing the sleeve directly to the mounting 
surface, may be used where suitable and/or desired. 
FIG. 3 also provides a view of a full size bin 12. Such bins 12 each 
comprise a first side 40, an opposite second side 42, a bottom panel 44, 
and opposite first and second end panels 46 and 48, with the top being 
open to provide for storage of bulk commodities or other articles therein, 
as desired. The sides 40 and 42, bottom panel 44, and second end panel 48 
are dimensioned so as to fit closely within the interior dimensions of the 
sleeve 10, but may be slightly smaller than a precise fit in order to 
allow runners 50, side spacers 52 provided on both sides 40/42, but shown 
on only one side 42 for clarity in the drawing figure), and/or some other 
low friction means to be installed thereon to provide for ease of removing 
and inserting a full bin 12. 
While the sides 40/42, bottom panel 44, and end panel 48 are sized to fit 
within the sleeve 10 interior, it will be seen that the front panel 46 
includes a flange 54 extending therefrom, which protrudes beyond the width 
and height of the full size bin 12 as defined by the sides 40/42 and 
bottom panel 44. The front panel 46 is dimensioned to match closely the 
exterior dimensions of the sleeve 10, so as to preclude excessive 
insertion of the bin 12 into the sleeve 10. Yet, the edge or flange 54 of 
the front panel 46 does not extend beyond the external dimensions of the 
sleeve 10, in order to provide a compact installation without the front 
panel flange 54 catching on a cabinet edge or the like to which the sleeve 
10 may be mounted. 
To provide for ease of removal of the bin 12 from the sleeve 10, a handle 
or knob 56 may be provided on the front or first end panel 46 of the full 
size bin 12. This knob or handle 56 may also cooperate with latching means 
to positively retain the bin 12 within the sleeve 10, which latching means 
is discussed further below. 
FIG. 4 provides an exploded perspective view of a sleeve 10 which has been 
configured to contain a single half size bin 14 and two quarter size bins 
16. Each of the bins 14/16 will be seen to be configured similarly to the 
full size bins discussed above. The half size bin 14 is formed of opposite 
first and second sides 58 and 60, a bottom panel 62, and opposite first 
and second end panels 64 and 66, with an open top. Each of the quarter 
size bins 16 includes opposite first and second sides 68/70, a bottom 
panel 72, and opposite first and second end panels 74 and 76. Both the 
half size and quarter size bins 14 and 16 may also include low friction 
means, such as bottom runners 50 and/or side spacers or buttons.52, in the 
manner of the full size bins 12, and each of the front panels 64/74 also 
includes an extended flange, respectively 54a and 54b, to preclude 
excessive insertion of the bins 14/16 into the bin sleeve 10. 
Due to the smaller cross sectional size particularly of the quarter size 
bin 16, the manufacture of such bins having a length equal to that of the 
full length of the sleeves 10, may result in a somewhat excessive length 
relative to the width of the bin 16. Accordingly, such quarter size bins 
16 (and ninth size bins discussed further below) are preferably 
manufactured to have a length only half that of the length of the sleeves 
10, as shown by their relative lengths in FIG. 4. Larger bins, such as the 
full size bins 12 and the half size bins 14, are preferably manufactured 
to have a length substantially the same as that of the bin sleeves 10. (It 
will be noted that the half size bin 14 of FIG. 4 appears to have a length 
only half that of the bin sleeve 10 of FIG. 4. Such half size bins 14 may 
be manufactured to half length, if desired, but may also have a full 
length if desired.) 
Each of the half size and quarter size bins 14/16 includes a handle or 
knob, respectively 56a/56b, scaled in proportion to the size of the front 
panel 64/74 of the respective bins 14/16. Otherwise the knobs 56/56a/56b 
of the bins 12/14/16 are similar polygonal shapes (preferably octagonal, 
although other shapes may be used), to provide uniformity of appearance 
between each of the different sizes of bins 12/14/16. As in the case of 
the full size bins 12f the knobs 56a/56b of the half and quarter size bins 
14/16 may include latching means (described further below) providing for 
positive retention of the bins 14/16 within a sleeve 10. 
As each of the half size and quarter size bins 14/16 have a cross sectional 
area considerably less than that of a sleeve 10, some means must be 
provided to preclude unwanted lateral or vertical displacement of a bin 
14/16 within a sleeve 10, particularly when only one such smaller bin 
14/16 is placed therein. This is accomplished by means of a vertical 
partition 78, which is inserted within the sleeve 10 and which serves to 
divide the sleeve 10 interior laterally into two substantially equal 
portions. Thus, two half size bins 14 may be placed within a sleeve 10 and 
each may be withdrawn as desired, without the second such bin 14 being 
displaced to block the reinsertion of the withdrawn bin 14 when it is 
reinserted into the sleeve 10. A second horizontal partition 80 is 
provided between the vertical partition 78 and the side wall(s) 22 (and/or 
20) of the sleeve 10, to provide vertical separation of two quarter size 
bins 16, in much the same manner. (It will be seen that the horizontal 
partition 80 may extend across the full width of the interior of the 
sleeve 10 and interlock with the vertical partition 78 to provide for four 
quarter size bins 16, if desired.) 
A variation on the above described horizontal and vertical partitions 78 
and 80 is shown in FIG. 5, wherein four partitions 82 each having two 
elongate slots 84 therein, are assembled together in a two by two matrix 
of two horizontal and two vertical partitions 82. One pair of partitions 
82 (e.g., the horizontally disposed pair) are positioned with their slots 
84 facing rearwardly, while the other pair (e.g., the vertical pair) are 
positioned with their slots 84 facing forwardly. Thus, the slots 84 of the 
pairs of partitions 82 will interlock, to hold the partitions 82 immovably 
relative to one another. (The partitions 82 need only be half the length 
of the sleeve 10, as the ninth size bins 18 adapted to fit within the 
partition 82 spaces are preferably only half the length of the sleeve 10. 
However, the partitions 82 may be made full length, if desired.) 
In turn, the partition 82 assembly is inserted into a sleeve 10, thereby 
dividing the interior of the sleeve into a three by three matrix of nine 
separate volumes. The one ninth size bins 18 are adapted to fit closely 
within each of the nine interior spaces provided by the interlocking 
partitions 82 within the sleeve 10, with the partitions 82 precluding 
displacement of remaining bins 18 when one or more such bins 18 are 
removed from the sleeve 10. As noted above, the vertical and horizontal 
partitions 78 and 80, used to separate half size and quarter size bins 14 
and 16 from one another within a sleeve 10, may also be slotted if 
appropriate (with the horizontal partition 80 extending the full width of 
the sleeve 10), to provide four quadrants for the insertion of four of the 
quarter size bins 16 therein. 
FIG. 6 provides a detailed view of the latching means provided for the full 
size, half size, and quarter size bins 12/14/16 to secure such bins 
positively within a sleeve 10. (While only a half size bin 14 and a 
quarter size bin 16 are shown, it will be understood that the principle of 
the latching means applies equally well to a full size bin 12.) Each bin 
14/16 includes a rotary knob, respectively 56a/56b thereon, which knobs 
also serve as handles to facilitate the withdrawal of the bins 14/16 from 
a sleeve 10. Each of the knobs 56a/56b is mounted to a pin or shaft 86 
which extends through the respective front panel 64/74 of each bin 14/16. 
This pin or shaft 86 is in turn secured to a latch lever 88 on the 
opposite or inner side of the front panel 64/74, with the knob 56a/56b 
being immovably affixed relative to the latch lever 88 by means of the 
connecting pin or shaft 86. 
The top panel 24 of the sleeve 10 includes a plurality of arcuately formed 
insets 90 therein, which are positioned and adapted to receive the distal 
ends of the latch levers 88. Preferably, three such slots or insets 90 are 
provided, with one centrally positioned between each side panel of the 
sleeve 10 and the other two positioned medially between the central inset 
and the respective side panel. Thus, the central inset or slot 90 is 
properly positioned to accept the latch lever of a single full size bin 12 
which may be inserted into the sleeve 10, while the two insets 90 to 
either side are positioned to accept the latch lever 88 of a half width 
bin (i.e., a half size or quarter size bin 14/16). While such insets 90 
are only shown in the top panel 24 of the sleeve 10, it will be understood 
that two such insets 90 may be provided in a horizontal sleeve partition 
80 to either side of the central vertical partition 78, for securing the 
lowermost bins 16. 
FIG. 7 provides detailed perspective views of a pair of the smallest bins 
18 of the present modular storage bins invention. Each of these bins 18 is 
formed of a first and an opposite second side 92 and 94, a top panel and 
an opposite bottom panel 96/98, and a first end panel and opposite second 
end panel 100/102. Thus, each of the one ninth sized bins 18 will be seen 
to comprise a completely enclosed box, excepting access as described 
below. 
Each of the smaller bins 18 includes a rotary dispensing knob or handle 104 
disposed on the front panel 100 thereof. While these knobs 104 have 
essentially the same shape and rotary operation as the knobs or handles 
56/56a/56b of the bins 12/14/16 discussed above, no latching means is 
provided with the knobs 104. Instead, a dispensing port 106 is provided 
through the front panel 100 of each bin 18, and offset from the hole or 
passage 108 generally centrally located in the front panel 100 for the 
knob pin 110. The knob 104 in turn includes three approximately equal 
arcuate areas, with one having a dispensing passage 112 therethrough which 
is essentially congruent to the dispensing port 106 of the front panel 
100, another area having a plurality of smaller holes 114 therethrough, 
and a third area 116 being completely closed. Thus, a bin 18 may be filled 
with a bulk commodity (e.g., ground spices or the like) through the 
dispensing port 106 (or may dispense such commodity from the dispensing 
port 106), or alternatively may be used to shake such commodity from the 
small holes 114 in another sector of the knob 104 as desired by rotating 
the knob 104 to the desired position to locate the passage 112 or the 
holes 114 over the dispensing port 106. The bin 18 may be sealed by 
turning the knob 104 to position the closed sector 116 over the dispensing 
port 106, as desired. 
In summary, the above described modular storage bins and accompanying 
sleeve(s) will be seen to provide an extremely convenient means of storing 
and accessing a variety of goods, commodities, and other articles. The 
bins are extremely useful in the kitchen or pantry for the storage and 
dispensing of food products, with the open bins 12/14/16 providing easy 
access for the dispensing of relatively large quantities of goods through 
the open tops. The smallest bins 18 are particularly adapted for the 
containment of spices or other finely ground or powdered substances 
therein, which products may be dispensed in relatively large quantities 
through an open passage or alternatively shaken from the porous area of 
the front panel knob. 
All of the bins 12/14/16/18 have a unifying theme, in that they are each 
generally similarly shaped, even though their sizes differ. Each of the 
knobs 56/56a/56b, and even the dispensing knob 104, are similarly 
configured, preferably having an equal number of faces forming an 
equilateral polygonal shape. Each of the knobs also rotates to provide 
some function, i.e., the knobs 56/56a/56b rotate to provide latching or 
unlatching from their associated sleeve(s), while the knob 104 provides 
selective dispensing of a product contained within a bin 18, as described 
above. 
While the present bins 12/14/16/18 and their associated sleeves may be 
formed of virtually any suitable sheet material, it has been found that 
clear acrylic plastic provides a very economical, yet durable and easily 
cleaned material for the bins, which is also quite suitable for use in 
storing food products. Alternatively, translucent or opaque plastic or 
other material be used as desired. Such plastic sheet is also easily 
assembled with appropriate adhesives or solvents. 
The present bins and sleeves will also be found to provide an excellent 
storage system for small parts and components which may be stored in a 
garage, basement, and/or home workshop. The preferably clear plastic 
material enables the user to see readily the specific parts or components 
contained in each bin, at a glance. The specific sizes of the present bins 
result in practically no wasted space, no matter if a single full size bin 
12, two half width bins 14, four quarter size bins 16, or nine of the 
smallest bins 18 are used, with the appropriate partitions providing the 
proper spacing between adjacent smaller bins. The partitions may be 
removed, replaced, or exchanged as desired, allow a bin sleeve 10 to 
accommodate a variety of differently sized bins as needed. Thus, the 
present modular storage bin system will be seen to be extremely versatile 
and valuable for the user thereof. 
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the 
sole embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments 
within the scope of the following claims.