A STORAGE SYSTEM

Abstract: The invention relates to a modular storage system, comprising a plurality of storage receptacles (2), and a frame (1') defining a plurality of openings (3) each for receiving a respective receptacle, each opening (3) and receptacle (2) having releasably engageable means (4, 5) whereby a receptacle (2) can take up two positions with respect to the frame (1') without disturbing another receptacle (2) of the system (1).

Description: A STORAGE SYSTEM The invention relates to a storage system. Such systems are often used to store temporarily a variety of articles or objects, for example, clothes, vegetables, papers, files, nuts, bolts, screws, bottles, in fact virtually anything which needs to be tidied away, for future retrieval from the system for future use. Such systems are therefore often used in the home, office, or workplace. Known systems often have individual storage traps or boxes, but these are clumsy in that unless extra precautions are taken, stored items can fall out of a tray, and also one tray cannot be moved without disturbing the whole system. It is accordingly an object of the invention to seek to mitigate this disadvantage. According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a storage system, comprising a storage receptacle, and a frame defining an opemng for receiving the receptacle, the opening and receptacle each having releasably engageable means whereby a receptacle can take up two positions with respect to the frame. There may be a plurality of storage receptacles and a frame defining a plurality of openings each for receiving a respective receptacle. Thus a receptacle can take up two positions without disturbing another one of the system. The releasably engageable means may comprise a projection and groove arrangement. This provides a relatively simple arrangement, particularly where the arrangement may comprise a projection carried by the frame which projects into each opening, and a blind groove carried by a base of the receptacle. The opening and receptacle may be substantially rectangular in plan, and the groove may extend from one end of the receptacle to the centre of the base. The projection may be substantially circular in plan and the groove may be of substantially channel section. The frame may be upright. This provides for storage on a relatively small standing area. Each opening may be defined by a separate module of the frame. Each module may comprise two parts which when assembled define the module. Each part may comprise a substantially L-shaped part a longer leg of which may carry part of the projection whereby when the two parts are assembled, the projection is formed. The two parts may have cooperable means whereby the module is assemblable. The cooperable means may comprise a tongue on one part and a slot in the other. The tongue may project from the longer leg of one part and the slot may be in a shorter leg of the other part. Each module may have means for cooperation with an adjacent module whereby to provide an upright stack. The means may comprise a spigot and socket arrangement. There may be spaced sockets carried by an upper part of a module and spigots projecting from a lower part thereof whereby similar modules can be stacked substantially upright. The receptacles and frame may each be made of plastic. According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a kit of parts for assembly to provide a storage system, comprising a plurality of modules assemblable to provide a plurality of discrete openings, and a plurality of receptacles, each insertable in and removable from a respective opening. According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a set of parts for assembly to provide a module for a storage system, comprising at least two parts which are stackable and nestable and which are assemblable to provide a module of a frame for a storage system. The two parts may be of substantially L-shape. Storage systems embodying the invention are hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a module of a first system according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows, to a smaller scale than Fig. 1, a first storage system according to the invention, using a module of Fig.l; Fig. 3 shows schematically a perspective view of the underside of a receptacle of the first storage system of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 shows schematically a plan view of the module of Fig. 1, showing how a receptacle of Fig. 3 is mounted and demounted from the system; Fig. 5 shows schematically a plan view of the receptacle during mounting or demounting; Fig. 6 shows schematically a set of parts for assembly to make a module of the storage system; Fig. 7 shows schematically a stacked and nested set of parts of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 shows a frame in part underneath plan view of a second embodiment of storage system according to the invention; Fig. 9 shows a half sectional plan view of the frame of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 shows an underneath plan view of a receptacle of the second embodiment, for insertion in the frame of Figs. 8 and 9. Fig. 11 shows an elevational view of the receptacle of Fig. 10, on arrow A in that Fig.; Fig. 12 shows a side elevational view of the receptacle of Figs. 10 and 11 and Fig. 13A - 13D shows a disassembled roller, Figs. 13B and C respectively showing an inner elevation of respective halves thereof. Referring firstly to Figs. 1 to 7 of the drawings, there is shown a first embodiment of a storage system 1, comprising a plurality of storage receptacles 2, and a frame 1' defining a plurality of openings 3 each for receiving a respective receptacle, each opening 3 and receptacle 2 having releasably engageable means 4, 5 whereby a receptacle 2 can take up two positions with respect to the frame 1 ' without disturbing another receptacle 2 of the system 1. The releasably engageable means comprises a projection 4 and groove 5 arrangement, in the embodiment a projection from a base of the frame 1 ' and a blind groove in the base of the receptacle 2. The openings 3 and the receptacles 2 are each of substantially rectangular configuration in plan, and the groove 5 in each receptacle 2 extends from an edge of a narrow side to the centre. The groove, of channel section in the embodiment, is thus blind. The receptacle is moulded in plastic and is mounted in the frame 1' by offering up to the opening 3 with the groove aligned with the projection. On pushing the receptacle into the opening, the groove rides over the projection until the projection butts against the blind end, so limiting further insertion. The receptacle is then rotated through an angle of 90° (Fig. 4 arrow 'Y') in a horizontal plane as viewed, and thus is inserted in the frame 1', as shown in Fig.2. The receptacle 2, which has edge or hand grips 6, can be removed by rotation through 90° and then pulled out, as shown in Fig. 2 (arrow 'X', insertion being in the opposite direction). Thus in an upright frame arrangement as shown in Fig. 2, any receptacle can be inserted and removed from the system without disturbing any other receptacle in the system. The frame V itself is in the embodiment formed of a plurality of superposed modules. Each module is itself formed of two substantially similar parts 7, 8 of substantially L-shape, which parts 7, 8 are themselves nestable and stackable (Fig. 7) as shown in Fig. 7, which enables the parts to be stacked and stored with minimum spaces. Each part has a longer leg 7a, 8a and a shorter leg 7b, 8b. The longer legs 7a, 8a each have a projecting tongue 9 at a free end, and, midway of their length, a rebate 10 from which upstands a semi-cylindrical projection part 11. Each shorter leg 7b, 8b, has a slot 12 for receiving the tongue 9 with a push fit. When two parts are pushed together so the tongues are received in respective slots, the two semi-cylindrical projection parts combine to form the upstanding projection 4. Each module 11 is releasably mountable with another to form the upright stack by interengageable elements in the form of spaced holes 13 in the upper (as viewed) surface of the shorter legs which receive projections or spigots 14 on the underside of the shorter legs. Thus a stable frame or array can be formed. The parts are moulded in one piece from plastic, with strengthening ribs incorporated. Referring now to Figs. 8 to 12, there is shown a second embodiment of storage system embodying the invention. This embodiment comprises a cradle, receptacle or frame 20 and a receptacle or bin 21 which is insertable or mountable in the frame 20 as in the first embodiment. A complete storage system 20, 21 can be built up vertically, as in Fig. 2, by mounting the frames 20 one on top of another, and each one can receive a receptacle or bin 21, and any one bin 21, can be mounted in, or demounted from, the system, without disturbing another; thus each receptacle 21 and frame 20 comprises a module, a plurality of which when superposed or stacked form the second embodiment of storage system 20, 21 as in the first embodiment. To achieve this, each frame or receptacle 20, has a body 23 defining an opening 24 for receiving a bin or drawer 21, the opening 24 being defined by upright side walls 25 and a base 26, the base 26 having downwardly (as viewed) projecting spigots 27 and the walls 25 having sockets or pockets 28 aligned, when stacked, with the spigots so that a column of frames 20 can be erected in a stable manner with a spigot 27 in a respective socket. Between the walls 25 there is the base 26, which has mounted thereon in a circular array a plurality of rotatabie members, in the embodiment in the form of four equiangulariy spaced spheres, rollers or balls 29. The rollers 29 are each made from mating halves 29a, 29b having a diametral spigot and socket arrangement 32, 33 and the two halves 29a, 29b having peripheral surface profiles 30, 31 to register and mate with one another to form in an assembled roller a smooth exterior, the spigot 32 being a push fit in the socket 33. Each half 29a, 29b has an axial projection 34 so that an assembled roller 29 is mountable with a push or snap fit of the projection 34 in complementary recesses 35 in the base 26. There are thus four equiangulariy shaped recesses 35, as shown in Fig. 8. The recesses have a cup-shaped part 36 for receiving the body of a ball. The bin or receptacle 21 is moulded from plastic, as is the frame 20. The bin 21 has on its underside 38 an array or track 37 which is in the form of a circular groove 37a with three entry grooves 37b, c, d, the width of the grooves being such as to receive, and provide rolling accommodation of the balls 29. The spacing of the entry grooves 37a, b, c is equivalent to the vertical radial distance between two balls 29, i.e. the distance 'd' , Fig. 8. The grooves 37b, d are tangential to the groove 37a, the groove 37c being radial thereof. In use, with a plurality of frames 20 stacked vertically, a bin 21 can be mounted in the array by offering it up with its narrow side to the opening 24 with the respective open mouths of the three balls aligned with the entry grooves 37a, b, c. As the bin is inserted further into the opening, the centre ball picks up on and enters respective lateral grooves 37b, d. When fully inserted, the ball is located at the blind end of a diametral groove 37e, and the other three balls are located on an arc of the track 37 nearest the entry grooves. The bin 21 can then be rotated on the balls 29 through 90° in track 37a so that its long side is flush across the face of the frame 20, as in Fig. 2. Any bin can be inserted and removed without disturbing another, or the storage system as a whole, in other words each bin can take up two positions without disturbing the system. It will be understood that the balls 29 may be on the underside of the bin 21 and the grooves or track 37 in the base of the frame 20. Moreover, the balls 29 may be grooved and the tracks raised, for cooperative rolling interengagement as before. Further, the track may be formed by a pair of parallel ridges or rails. Finally, the spigots may be on the upper edge of the walls, and the pocket on the underside of the base of the frame.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A storage system, comprising a storage receptacle, and a frame defining an opening for receiving the receptacle, the opening and receptacle each having releasably engageable means whereby a receptacle can take up two positions with respect to the frame. 2. A storage system according to Claim 1, there being a plurality of storage receptacles and a frame defining a plurality of openings each for receiving a respective receptacle. 3. A system according to Claim 2, the releasably engageable means comprising a projection and groove arrangement. 4. A system according to Claim 3, the arrangement comprising a projection carried by the frame which projects into each opening, and a blind groove carried by a base of the receptacle. 5. A system according to Claim 4, the opening and receptacle being substantially rectangular in plan, and the groove extending from one end of the receptacle to the centre of the base. 6. A system according to either Claim 4 or Claim 5, the projection being substantially circular in plan and the groove being of substantially channel section. 7. A system according to any preceding claim, the frame being upright. 8. A system according to any of Claims 2 to 7, each opening being defined by a separate module of the frame. 9. A system according to Claim 8, each module comprising two parts which when assembled define the module. 10. A system according to Claim 9, each part comprising a substantially L- shaped part a longer leg of which carries part of the projection whereby when the two parts are assembled, the projection is formed. 11. A system according to Claim 9 or Claim 10, the two parts having cooperable means whereby the module is assemblable. 12. A system according to Claim 11, the cooperable means comprising a tongue on one part and a slot in the other. 13. A system according to Claim 12, the tongue projecting from the longer leg of one part and the slot being in a shorter leg of the other part. 14. A system according to any of Claims 9 to 13, each module having means for cooperation with an adjacent module whereby to provide an upright stack. 15. A system according to Claim 14, the means comprising a spigot and socket arrangement. 16. A system according to Claim 15, there being spaced sockets carried by an upper part of a module and spigots projecting from a lower part thereof whereby similar modules can be stacked substantially upright. 17. A system according to any preceding claim, the receptacles and frame each being made of plastic. 18. A system according to Claim 3, the releasably engageable means comprising a track and runner arrangement. 19. A system according to Claim 19, the arrangement comprising a groove array of the receptacle and a roller arrangement of the frame. 20. A system according to Claim 20, the roller arrangement comprising a circular array of rollers and the groove arrangement comprising a circular groove and parallel entry grooves thereto. 21. A kit of parts for assembly to provide a storage system according to any preceding claim, comprising a plurality of modules assemblable to provide a plurality of discrete openings, and a plurality of receptacles, each insertable and removable from a respective opening. 22. A set of parts for assembly to provide a module for a storage system, comprising at least two parts which are stackable and nestable and which are assemblable to provide a module of a frame for a storage system.

Inventors: CRISP DAVID JOHN, CRISP, DAVID, JOHN
Applicants: CRISP DAVID JOHN, OASIS LEISURE PROD LTD, CRISP, DAVID, JOHN, OASIS LEISURE PRODUCTS LIMITED
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A47B49
IPC codes: A47B49, A47B87, A47B88