Patent Publication Number: US-2007108213-A1

Title: Pin bank

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      The application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/241,900 entitled “Pin Bank” filed on Nov. 2, 2005. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
      The present invention relates generally to containers and, in particular, a container apparatus for securing pins configured to permit pins to fall into a reservoir of the container apparatus but to prevent the pins from exiting the container apparatus.  
     BACKGROUND ART  
      People shopping for clothes often “try on” a selected article of clothing in a dressing room before deciding whether to purchase it. In clothing stores, new articles of clothing are sometimes pinned to maintain a folded or some other shape. Upon discovering such pins, shoppers typically remove them before trying on an article of clothing in a dressing room. Some dressing rooms include pin cushions or the like, typically mounted on a wall, for the customer to push the pin into after removing it from the article of clothing. Unfortunately, some customers are not able to properly push pins that they removed from an article of clothing into the pin cushion. Careless store employees or custodians may also inadvertently dislodge pins from the cushion. As a result, the pins fall out of the cushion and onto the floor where they become a potential hazard for shoppers, particularly those who have taken their shoes off. It would be useful to be able to provide people who are trying on clothes with a better mechanism for disposing of pins removed from articles of clothing. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view an example embodiment of an apparatus for securing pins;  
       FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 5A  is a top view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 5B  is a front view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 5C  is a bottom view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 5D  is a side view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 6  is an exploded front perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 7  is a rear perspective view of the container of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of the bracket of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 9  is a rear perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  showing the container partially detached from the bracket; and  
       FIG. 10  is a rear perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  showing the container secured to the bracket. 
    
    
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , an example embodiment of a pin securing apparatus  100  includes a container  102  with an opening  104  sized to receive pins  106  ( FIG. 5A ). In an example embodiment, the container  102  includes a front portion  108  and a back portion  110  which are fitted together. For example, the front portion  108  and the back portion  110  are secured together with an adhesive (e.g., glue) or fitted together (e.g., snap fitted). In this example embodiment, and referring also to  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the container  102  also includes a reservoir  112  for pins, and baffles (or members)  114 ,  116  and  118  between the opening  104  and the reservoir  112 . In an example embodiment, the reservoir  112  is generally located at the bottom of the container  102 . In an example embodiment, the front portion  108  is made of a substantially clear or translucent material (e.g., plastic) which allows a person to see pins or other objects inside the reservoir  112 .  
      The baffles  114 ,  116  and  118  are configured to permit pins to fall into the reservoir  112  but to prevent the pins from exiting the container  102  through the opening  104  even when the container  102  is turned upside down. In this example embodiment, the baffles  114 ,  116  and  118  define a serpentine path  120  ( FIG. 3 , shown in dashed lines) between the opening  104  and the reservoir  112 . In an example embodiment, the baffles  114 ,  116  and  118  are alternately positioned along the path  120  on opposite sides of the container  102 . In the illustrated example embodiment, the baffles  114  and  118  are integrally formed as part of the front portion  108 , and the baffle  116  is integrally formed as part of the back portion  110 . In an example embodiment, the baffles  114  and  116  include guide surfaces (for the pins) that are approximately perpendicular to each other. In an example embodiment, the baffle  118  includes a guide surface that is approximately perpendicular to the guide surface of the baffle  116 . In various embodiments, the baffles  114 ,  116  and  118  overlap obstructing a line of sight from the opening  104  to the reservoir  112 . In the illustrated example embodiment, the opening  104  is defined by two of the baffles, namely, the baffles  114  and  116 . In this illustrated example embodiment, and referring to  FIGS. 5B and 5D , the opening  104  is shaped as shown to include a lower portion  117  toward the front of the container  102  to make it easier for people to see the opening  104  and to put pins into the opening  104 . It should be understood that the number and or configuration of the baffles can vary.  
      In an example embodiment, an apparatus for securing pins includes a container including an opening sized to receive pins, a reservoir for the pins, and baffles between the opening and the reservoir, the baffles being configured to permit the pins to fall into the reservoir but to prevent the pins from exiting the container through the opening.  
      In the illustrated example embodiment, the front portion  108  and the back portion  110  are formed to facilitate being fitted together. In the illustrated example embodiment, and referring to  FIG. 4 , the front portion  108  includes edges  122  and  124  which fit (e.g., are snap-fitted and/or glued) into indented portions  126  and  128 , respectively, of the back portion  110 . Also in the illustrated example embodiment, and referring to  FIG. 6 , the front portion  108  is formed with indented portions  130  and  132  which are shaped to receive and interfit with the baffle  114  as shown.  
      In the illustrated example embodiment, and referring again to  FIG. 3 , the baffles  114 ,  116  and  118  provide scoops  134 ,  136  and  138 , respectively, that face away from the opening  104 . The scoops  134 ,  136  and  138  are configured along the serpentine path  120  to catch and prevent pins or other objects from exiting the container  102  through the opening  104  when the container  102  is turned upside down. In this example embodiment, the scoops  134 ,  136  and  138  are alternately positioned on opposite sides of the container  102 . In this example embodiment, the scoops  134 ,  136  and  138  overlap, defining turns along the serpentine path  120 .  
      In an example embodiment, an apparatus for securing pins includes a container including an opening sized to receive pins, a reservoir for the pins, a serpentine path between the opening and the reservoir, and scoops configured along the serpentine path to catch and prevent the pins from exiting the container through the opening.  
      In an example embodiment, the pin securing apparatus  100  includes a mechanism for detachably securing the container  102  to a surface (such as a wall in a dressing room). Referring to  FIG. 6 , in an example embodiment, the pin securing apparatus  100  includes a bracket  140  configured for mounting to a surface. In an example embodiment, the container  102  and the bracket  140  are formed with complementary surfaces that allow the container  102  to be detachably secured to the bracket  140 . By way of example, and referring also to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the back portion  110  includes grooves  142  and  144 , and the bracket  140  includes complementary portions that fit into the grooves, namely, tongues  146  and  148 , respectively. In the illustrated example embodiment, the bracket  140  includes apertures  150  sized for securing the bracket  140  to a wall or other surface with screws  152  or the like. After the bracket  140  is secured to a wall or other surface, and now referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the back portion  110  of the container  102  can be slid downward over the bracket  140  until the tongues  146  and  148  are seated in the grooves  142  and  144 , respectively.  
      In an example embodiment, the complementary surfaces that allow the container  102  to be detachably secured to the bracket  140  include a recessed portion and a latch member sized to fit into the recessed portion when the container  102  is secured to the bracket  140 . Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , in the illustrated example embodiment, the rear portion  110  includes a recessed portion  154 , and the bracket  140  includes a latch member  156  sized to fit into the recessed portion  154  when the container  102  is secured to the bracket  140 . In the illustrated example embodiment, the latch member  156  includes a flexible portion  158  as well as a tab portion  160 , and referring also to  FIGS. 2 and 5 C, the container  102  includes a finger indent  162 . When the container  102  is secured to the bracket  140 , the latch member  156  is seated within the recessed portion  154  of the rear portion  110 . When the container  102  is to be separated from the bracket  140 , e.g., when the reservoir  112  is close to being filled with pins, the tab portion  160  is pushed away from the container  102 . The flexible portion  158  bends in response to this force causing the latch member  156  to unseat (withdraw) from the recessed portion  154  which allows the container  102  to be slid upward and away from the bracket  140 . In an alternate embodiment, the container includes a latch mechanism instead of the bracket. It should be understood that other mechanisms for securing the container to a surface can also be employed.  
      In an example embodiment, an apparatus for securing pins includes a bracket configured for mounting to a surface, and a container configured to be detachably secured to the bracket, the container including an opening sized to receive pins, a reservoir for the pins, and a path between the opening and the reservoir, the path including a sequence of members that are angled in relation to the opening and alternately positioned on opposite sides of the container to catch and prevent the pins from exiting the container through the opening. In an example embodiment, the members overlap, defining turns along the path.  
      Although the present invention has been described in terms of the example embodiments above, numerous modifications and/or additions to the above-described embodiments would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the scope of the present invention extend to all such modifications and/or additions.