Abstract:
A tray and storage containers combination includes a tray having a bottom, side walls and an open top configured to receive a lid. A plurality of containers are configured to be arranged within the tray, each of which having a top wall and a bottom wall, two side walls and a back wall, each of the plurality of the containers having an openable lid. The containers are positioned in the tray to rest on their respective bottom walls so that the lids of the plurality of the containers face a side wall of the tray.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/436,044, filed on Jan. 25, 2011, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This application relates to a storage container. More particularly, this application relates to a storage container for organization of small craft items. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     People who work with beads either as a hobby or in their profession may accumulate hundreds of different designs and types of beads which vary by color and size as well as material. It is difficult to easily store the multitude of types of beads such that they are all visually accessible and easily retrievable to the person during use, as well as providing containers that are easily transportable. 
     U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0178693 to Gupta discloses a beadwork kit, a lap desk for bead working, a bead stringing tray and a weaving tray, the trays being interchangeable in the kit and desk and also being capable of being used alone. The kit has a case having a cover and a base. The cover includes a plurality of compartments within which beads containers are received. A further compartment is provided for holding scissors or other tools. The base also includes a storage compartment which underlies a beadwork tray. The beading tray is for engaging beads in a straight line such as for making bracelets, necklaces, with a plurality of grooves therein which may include indicia associated therewith for determining the final length of the project. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,493,102 to Belokin discloses a tackle and utility box formed of a pair of substantially identically shaped molded members having converging top and bottom walls and integral side and end walls with matching inner open sides, hinged to each other along one edge so that in a closed position the molded members adjoin at their open sides to form an enclosure and in open position the sides of the members fold out into a flat base with the open inner skies directed upwardly at an angle to each other. At least one compartmented tray is included, hinged at its bottom across the open inner side of one of the molded members. In the closed position, the sides of the hinged compartmented trays serve as covers for the fixed compartments in both molded members and in open position the trays can be rotated to provide access to the compartments. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,670 to Harlan discloses a multi-compartment pillbox with compartment size as chosen by the user, snap shut lids to close all compartments, and a boatlike structure to aid in filling each compartment. The unit may be manufactured using clear or colored plastic. The rounded bottoms in the compartments are a necessity for easy removal of pills. 
     U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0269231 to White discloses a container useful for both packaging a device and for transferring the device from the container to its place of use with a minimum amount of contamination of the user by the device. The container has a first container portion and a second container portion. One of the container portions is provided with a grip that is graspable by a user&#39;s hand and a holder for holding the device using the same portion of the container to permit that portion of the container to be gripped and used to transfer the device from the container to another location without having to directly contact the device. Corner indentations are designed to provide a convenient location to grasp the first container portion between two finger of one hand when opening or closing the container. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY 
     Although the above described containers are suitable for various purposes, they do not offer specific features that are directed to the storage, transport and easy removal of small craft products such as beads. 
     One object of the present invention is to provide a storage container which allows a person to easily organize, transport and visually distinguish many different types and colors of beads at one time. The present invention allows benders to organize components by color, giving them the flexibility to find the right sized container for every bead in their collection. 
     Another object of the prevent invention is to provide a convenient way to store bead projects safely until completion which is also transportable. 
     The present invention addresses the aforementioned concerns by providing storage containers of various sizes and an outer tray for the storage of a plurality of beads and for the separation of many kinds of beads. Multiple storage containers of various sizes are positioned in the outer tray. The tray and storage containers are made from a clear plastic material to provide visual access to a multitude of beads stored therein. 
     The storage containers have large rounded corners to easily remove small objects. 
     The containers lay on their sides so the contents are visible through the transparent container walls and the clear tray lid. The containers are oriented so that the lid of each container is not facing upwards, rather the containers rest in the tray with their lids positioned facing the user. This orientation allows the user to see through the transparent walls of the container and view the contents as opposed to looking through the lids of each container. 
     In another aspect of the invention, in order to easily extract a single container from the tray, each container has thumb scoops and grip wing features on its front and back sides. The grip wings are part of the container and the lifting force is not in the opening direction of the lid, thus keeping the lid securely dosed while lifting the container from the tray. If the lids were positioned upwards, these grip wings on the lid might cause the lid to open inadvertently and release all the contents. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a planar view of a tray with storage containers, according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a dose up view of the tray and storage containers of  FIG. 1 , according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an individual storage container of  FIG. 1  in an open state, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an individual storage container of  FIG. 1 , illustrating grip wings, according to one embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a planar view of several storage containers, illustrating grip wings and thumb scoops, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a tray  12  is formed from a polymer and configured to store a plurality of storage containers  14 , each of which is configured to independently store a particular small product. In this arrangement, a single tray  12  may be used to organize, store, transport and use a wide variety of small products, including craft products such as beads and the like. 
     For the purpose of illustrating the salient features of the present invention, tray  12  and storage containers  14  are described in conjunction with the storage of craft products, such as small colored beads. However, it is understood that the presently described tray  12  and storage containers  14  can be used with a wide variety of small craft items. 
     Tray  12  is ideally made from a sturdy polymer material and may either be opaque, translucent or clear. However, storage containers  14  are ideally made from a transparent polymer so that a user may easily identify the material inside. 
     According to the present arrangement, tray  12  may be sized to include any configuration of the various sized storage containers  14 . Tray  12  may be in any size and depth that is suitable for bead storage e.g. a depth of several inches and a dimension of 6″×6″ up to 24″×24.″ 
     For example, in one preferred embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1 , thirteen extra small sized containers  14  fill one row of tray  12 . This size may be useful for seed beads and tiny findings such as crimp beads and the like. Eight small sized containers  14  fill another row of tray  12 . This size may be useful for primary bead storage. Five medium size containers  14  fill another row in tray  12 . Three large sized containers  14  fill another row of tray  12 . These larger sizes may be useful for large beads and head pins. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a lid  15  of tray  12  and the walls of containers  14  are made of a clear transparent material such as clear polymer. Lids  16  of containers  14 , however may be either transparent or opaque. As such, the content of containers  14  can be viewed through the transparent lid  15  of tray  12  and the transparent walls of containers  14 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , each of containers  14  preferably have a top wall  22 , bottom wall  24 , two side walls  26   a ,  26   b , a lid  16  and a back wall  28 . Containers  14  are positioned in tray  12  to rest on their bottom walls  24 . Opaque lids  16  face forwards toward a front side of tray  12  as opposed to upwards towards lid  15 . As such, the contents of containers  14  can be viewed through their transparent clear plastic top wall  22  even when containers  14  are in tray  12 . Additionally, the contents of containers  14  may be viewed through each of side walls  26   a  and  26   b , bottom wall  24  and back wall  28  when they are out of tray  12 . Opaque lids  16  help to set sharp definitions between containers  14  when they are dose together in tray  12  to help users easily identify one container full of beads from another. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , as tray  12  is filled with rows of containers  14 , containers  14  are positioned so that lid  16  of one container  14  abuts back wall  28  of the adjacent container  14  in the same row. This orientation ensures that containers  14  are secured shut once tray  12  is filled with a full number of containers per row. Therefore, if tray  12  is accidentally dropped, due to the forward configuration of lids  16 , lids  16  of containers  14  remain closed and the contents are not spilled or intermingled. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3-5 ,  FIG. 5  shows a close up view of several containers  14  in tray  12 . Each of containers  14  has a grip wing  18  and thumb scoop  20  as part of container  14  formed directly into a back side (facing back side  28 ) of top wall  22 . In this context, scoop  20  allows room for the finger to fit in between containers  14  and grip wing  18  provides a ledge for the finger to press against. Also shown in  FIGS. 3-5 , each of lids  16  has a corresponding grip wing  18 A and thumb scoop  20 A as part of lid  16 , which fits into an appropriate corresponding opening of container  14 . In this arrangement container  14  and lid  16  together have two grip wings  18 ,  18 A and thumb scoops  20 ,  20 A in order to facilitate a user extracting a single container  14  from tray  12  using their fingers. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , once container  14  is extracted from tray  12  and the user desires to access its contents, lid  16  can either be opened ( FIG. 3 ) or be entirely removed ( FIG. 4 ) from container  14  in order to have access the contents of container  14 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , showing the partially opened lid  16 , lid  16  is attached to container  14  via a hinge  32 . On the hinged end of lid  16 , a projection  34  on each corner of lid  16  fits within a corresponding recess on a side wall ( 26   b ) of container  14 . On the opening end of the lid, a tongue  36  fits within a corresponding recess  38  on a side wall ( 26   a ) of container  14  in order to secure lid  16  to container  14  in a dosed position. Due to the hinged connection, lid  16  can be flipped open without completely removing lid  16  in order to have quick access to the contents of containers  14 . In this arrangement, the opening end of lid  16  by tongue  36  faces a side wall ( 26   a ) and, as such, when removing a container  14  from tray  12 , the lifting force is not in the opening direction of lid  16  so that lid  16  remains closed while container  14  is removed and the contents remain within container  14  without spilling. This arrangement is further protected from accidental opening when removing a container  14  from tray  12  because one finger of a user is pressing on grip wing  18  and thumb scoop  20  built directly into container  14  whereas the opposing finger is pressing on grip wing  18 A and thumb scoop  20 A of lid  16 , thus holding lid  16  tightly during the removal process. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , containers  14  are additionally configured to have rounded corners  30 , such as along side wall  26   a  so as to allow for easier removal of small objects within containers  14  and likewise to prevent sticking of containers  14  to one another when they are removed from and inserted into tray  12 . 
     As noted above, although such a tray  12  and containers  14  are directed in a preferred embodiment for use in storage of beads, it is understood that such tray  12  and containers  14  may likewise be used to hold temporarily strung beads, pendants, oversized beads, bottles of resin, jars of modge podge, rods of glass, glue guns, soldering iron, blocks of polymer clay and all oversized materials. 
     While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes or equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore, to be understood that this application is intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of the invention.