Patent Publication Number: US-2017361210-A1

Title: Integrated apparatus for storage of consumer articles using a stackable and interlocking mechanism

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/351,944 filed on Jun. 18, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and from which priority is claimed. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     In the field of packaging for storage and distribution of consumer goods including, but not limited to tools, tableware, games and other multi-component articles, there have been several packaging and storage methodologies that have been employed. Typically, such methodologies require the use of additional material (e.g., boxes, wrappers etc.) in which the consumer goods are contained. Although, the use of additional material for packaging and storage may provide ease of use and manufacturing, in many instances they require additional storage space, repackaging of the consumer articles and can create additional issues with respect to damaging the articles during transportation. 
     In addition, given the advent of technology especially as it relates to using 3D printing techniques that are based on conventional printing methods (e.g., screen printing, gravure, inkjet) that can facilitate the printing manufacturing and miniaturization of consumer articles using common material (e.g., paper, plastic, textile etc.), it is evident that prior methods for packaging consumer goods are inefficient. 
     SUMMARY 
     In some embodiments, an integrated apparatus for storage of consumer articles using a stackable and interlocking mechanism is provided. Specifically, an apparatus for storage of consumer goods is provided such that the consumer goods are a part of the stackable and interlocking mechanism so as to ensure miniaturization and stabilization of the consumer articles during transportation. Additionally, the stackable mechanism uses one or more different types of coupling (e.g., male/female coupling, serial coupling, coaxial coupling etc) among the consumer articles such that multiple articles can be deposited and patterned in a desired manner. Additionally, the stackable consumer articles have the ability to form an interlocking mechanism that allows for the storage apparatus to remain intact and stable during movement and rotation along the different axes. Such storage apparatus allows for the efficient, scalable and low-cost fabrication as it is formed using one or more of the consumer articles. Exemplary applications of such an apparatus can be found in the use of tools, houseware (e.g., tableware), electronics (e.g., cables, drives), games (e.g., chess.) and medical supplies (e.g., sterilized storage of syringes, needles etc.). 
     In some embodiments, one or more consumer articles are formed in a symmetric manner so as to create a male-female coupling that enables stacking of multiple articles. The stacking can be achieved using different patterns (e.g., cube, pyramid etc.) to ensure optimal interlocking of the storage apparatus. In some embodiments, a top element and a bottom/base element are provided so as to encase the stackable consumer articles. These elements can provide an additional layer of protection and/or stability to the apparatus. In some embodiments, one or more consumer articles are coupled using any suitable component (e.g., hinges, screws etc.) 
     In some embodiments, an integrated apparatus for storing consumer articles is disclosed comprising a plurality of consumer articles each being formed having an interlocking encasing, wherein each of the interlocking encasings is configured to be dynamically adjustable such as to enable stacking of the plurality of consumer articles. 
     In some embodiments, an integrated apparatus for storing a set of chess pieces is disclosed such as a chess box comprising a first set of chess pieces configured to be nested with a second set of chess pieces forming an interfitting coupling, wherein the second set of chess pieces has an inner surface and an outer surface defining a cavity therein with an engagement structure configured to enclose at least partially the first set of chess pieces so as to enable stacking. 
     In some embodiments, storage apparatus and consumer articles can be formed using 3D techniques thus allowing for different patterns (e.g., symmetric and asymmetric) of the storage apparatus and consumer articles. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an example of an apparatus for storage in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. 
         FIG. 2  is an example of the stacking mechanism using consumer articles in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. 
         FIG. 3  is an example of consumer articles forming a male-female coupling in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. 
         FIG. 4  is an example of consumer articles together with the top and base member of the apparatus for storage in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. 
         FIG. 5  is an example of consumer articles used to form the apparatus for storage in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. 
         FIG. 6  is an example of consumer articles in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. 
         FIG. 7  is an example of a set of consumer articles in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. 
         FIG. 8  is an example of consumer articles together with the top and base member of the apparatus for storage in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. 
         FIG. 9  shows an exploded perspective view of the assembly of the storage apparatus in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosed subject matter relates to an integrated apparatus for storage of consumer articles using a stackable and interlocking mechanism. Specifically, in some embodiments, multi-layered stacking and control of consumer articles is achieved by forming couplings (e.g., male-female couplings) among the consumer articles such that they are subsequently placed in a stacking fashion (e.g., one on top of the other). Such stacking can be employed in a symmetric, asymmetric and/or combination manner in order to form an interlocking mechanism between two or more of the stackable consumer articles, thus ensuring that the storage apparatus is stable and the consumer articles protected. In some embodiments, the consumer articles can be related to household articles, commercial articles, board games or any other suitable article. 
     Generally, storage apparatuses are manufactured separately from the consumer articles and as such require additional materials that can be costly and/or are not formed to ensure stability and safety of the articles during transportation. In addition, in many instances such storage apparatuses may be disposable, thus creating additional commercial and business considerations. For example, storing sensitive medical equipment requires the use of boxes (e.g., plastic, paper etc.) and oftentimes additional padding is used to ensure that the medical equipment is not damaged during transportation due to the fact that the storage apparatus may not be form fitting. Furthermore, the use of additional materials may also allow for possible contamination of the articles and often requires repackaging when additional transportation is needed. 
     Moreover, packaging and storing of consumer articles aims at minimizing the occupation of space and as such, the use of additional materials (e.g., boxes, bins etc.) has an adverse effect. 
     Thus, there is a need for an apparatus for storage for consumer articles that is embedded and integrated with the consumer articles and allows for the dynamic optimization and miniaturization of the storage apparatus effectively optimizing the usage of space. 
     Such a storage apparatus allows for stackable, multi-material layered placement of consumer articles and provides control and stability through the use of an interlocking mechanism. 
     The following description starts with an overview of an exemplary apparatus illustrating the operational environment of the inventive principles described herein. Further details are provided regarding the apparatus components that may be implemented in accordance with the various embodiments of the inventive principles. 
     In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the inventive principles may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosed subject matter. 
     Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals represent the same or similar elements,  FIG. 1  represents an overview of an apparatus  100  for integrated storage of consumer articles using a stackable and interlocking mechanism. In some embodiments, apparatus  100  provides a solution to the problem of packaging and storing consumer articles without the use of additional material while ensuring the stability and safety of said consumer articles during transportation or any type of movement. 
     In some embodiments, integrated storage apparatus  100  can have a top member  102  that is formed and manufactured as an additional enclosure of consumer articles  106 . In some embodiments a top member can be formed using 3D printing techniques and can be of any suitable material (e.g., wood, plastic, metal etc.) Furthermore, top member  102  may provide additional protection of consumer articles  106  (e.g., sterilized environment) and can include one or more chemical and/or physical coatings. In addition, integrated storage apparatus  100  can include a base/bottom member  104  and a top member  102 . In some embodiments, base member  104  includes one or more impressions to allow for the stable and secure placement of the consumer articles and allow for stacking of said consumer articles as will be discussed below in connection with  FIG. 4 . In some embodiments, top member  102  and base member  104  can be symmetric, have the same and/or different form and shape. In some embodiments, base member  104  and top member  102  can be formed using 3D printing techniques and can be of any suitable material (e.g., wood, plastic, metal etc.) and/or shape. 
     In some embodiments, top member  102  and base member  104  can be expandable and/or retractable based on the number and size of consumer articles  106  that form the storage apparatus. In addition, in some embodiments, top member  102  and base member  104  can include flexible impressions and/or depressions so as to allow for the stable placement of the consumer articles  106 . 
     In some embodiments, integrated storage apparatus  100  is formed by two or more consumer articles  106 . This is accomplished through a coupling of consumer articles  106  that create an interlocking mechanism and allow storage apparatus  100  to remain intact during movement along the different axes (e.g., linear movement, rotational movement etc.). In some embodiments, one or more consumer articles form an interlocking mechanism along the central axis of storage apparatus  100 . 
     In some embodiments, each of consumer articles  106  encases additional consumer articles (not shown) creating a nested interlocking coupling that can be stacked. In some embodiments, the consumer article  106  can be partially or wholly nested according to any storage space requirements. In some embodiments, the consumer articles  106  can be formed via a female-male coupling of at least two components. 
     It should be noted that the system in  FIG. 1  is merely meant to demonstrate an exemplary embodiment of an operating environment and should not be construed as limiting in any manner whatsoever. The particular configuration in  FIG. 1  can be altered in numerous ways without departing from the principles herein. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the stacking mechanism of integrated storage apparatus  100 . Specifically, consumer articles  105  and  106  form a coupling (e.g., male-female coupling) that allows them to be stacked and interlocked on multiple layers, thus creating an integrated storage apparatus. For example, consumer articles  105  and  106  can be pieces of a board game (e.g., chess) whereby a first set of pieces (e.g., white pieces  105 ) are formed as a male coupling and a second set of pieces (e.g., black pieces  106 ) are formed as a female coupling. Moreover, these pieces can be interlocked together in a nested fashion to become stackable pieces in order to form the integrated storage apparatus  100 . 
     In addition, in some embodiments, upon being interlocked in a nested fashion, consumer articles  105  and  106  can be stacked vertically, horizontally or in any suitable combination depending, for example, on the storage requirements. 
       FIG. 3  shows consumer articles  105  and  106  that form a coupling (e.g., male-female coupling) and are capable of being interlocked and subsequently stacked. In some embodiments and as discussed above, consumer articles can be game pieces (e.g., chess pieces) that are formed in a symmetric way. 
     For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , consumer articles  105  can be a set of chess pieces (e.g., white pieces) that are formed using any suitable technique such as 3D printing, molding, sculpting etc. In addition, each of consumer articles  105  are manufactured so as to be nested with consumer articles  106  forming an interlocked coupling. In some embodiments, consumer articles  105  can be encased partially or wholly by consumer articles  106  and can be stored individually and/or as a set. In some embodiments, upon disassembly consumer articles  105  (e.g., white chess pieces) can be used in conjunction with consumer articles  106  (e.g., black pieces) forming a set of chess pieces. 
       FIG. 4  shows the different members and consumer articles  105  and  106  of integrated storage apparatus  100  as discussed above in in connection with  FIGS. 1-3 . Specifically, consumer articles  105  and  106  can be any type of consumer article capable of forming a coupling such that, for example, a male part and a female part are interfitted to create a stackable member. In some embodiments, a top member  102  can be used to seal integrated storage apparatus  100 . Such top member can include depressions that allow consumer articles  105  (e.g., male part) to be placed therein in order to ensure stability of the stacked apparatus. In some embodiments, a bottom/base member  104  can be included that is formed of impressions of consumer articles such that said consumer articles can be multi-layered and placed one on top of the other in order to form a stacked interlocking mechanism. In some embodiments, members of integrated storage apparatus can be created using different techniques and materials (e.g., 3D printing). 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , consumer articles  105  and  106  can be associated with board games such as chess. Specifically, in some embodiments, consumer articles  105  can be formed as white pieces and consumer articles  106  can be formed as black pieces. Additionally, consumer articles  106  (e.g., black pieces) can be manufactured as a female part (e.g., depression) of consumer articles  105  (e.g., white pieces.) In some embodiments, consumer articles  106  (e.g., black pieces) can be formed such that they are transversely extendable (e.g., along the vertical axis) allowing for dynamic adjustment of articles  106 . As a result, in some embodiments, consumer articles  106  can have different dimensions upon nesting, through the interfitting coupling, with consumer articles  105 , thus allowing for different stacking configurations depending on storage requirements. 
       FIG. 5  shows a top view of white chess pieces (e.g., consumer articles  105 ) and black chess pieces (e.g., consumer articles  106 ) placed on a chess board  502 . As discussed previously in reference to  FIG. 4 , in some embodiments, consumer articles  106  can be extendable along their vertical axis to allow for adjustment of the interfitted coupling. As a result, in some embodiments, upon disassembly of the storage apparatus and removal of the nested consumer articles  105  and  106  the size of consumer articles  106  (e.g., black pieces) can be dynamically adjusted so that all chess pieces can be of the same height and allow for their appropriate placement on the chess board. 
     As discussed above, in some embodiments, consumer articles  105  can be white pieces of a chess game (shown in black in  FIG. 6 ). Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 6  for the game of chess, consumer articles  105  are sixteen (16) white chess pieces. In some embodiments, the white chess pieces can be manufactured using marble, concrete, wood, hard resin, soft polymer or any other suitable material. In some embodiments, the white chess pieces can have the same height so as to allow for ease of storage and manufacturing. 
     Furthermore, as discussed above, in some embodiments, consumer articles  106  can be black pieces of a chess game (shown in white in  FIG. 7 ). Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 7  for the game of chess, consumer articles  106  are sixteen (16) black chess pieces. In some embodiments, the black chess pieces can be manufactured using marble, concrete, wood, hard resin, soft polymer or any other suitable material. In some embodiments, the black chess pieces can have equal height so as to allow for ease of storage and manufacturing. In some embodiments, the black chess pieces have an inner surface and an outer surface forming a cavity that defines an engagement structure and is capable of encasing, at least partially, the white chess pieces shown in reference to  FIG. 6 . 
     In addition, in some embodiments, the black chess pieces are capable of encasing the white chess pieces shown in  FIG. 6  (e.g., consumer articles  105 ) and provide an interfitted coupling that allows nesting of the white and black chess pieces. Moreover, in some embodiments, the black pieces can be extendable along the vertical axis so as to allow for an adjustable height when nesting with the white pieces. In some embodiments, consumer articles  106  can be of the same height to allow for multi-layer stacking of the nested chess pieces. 
       FIG. 8  shows a side perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, whereby the integrated storage apparatus relates to a chess box that is formed using nested interlocked consumer articles  105  (e.g., white chess pieces), consumer articles  106  (e.g., black pieces), top member  102  and base member  104 . Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 8  white chess pieces  105  can form an interlocking coupling with black pieces  106  so as to be nested and encased by black pieces  106 . In some embodiments, white pieces can be wholly or partially encased. In some embodiments, black pieces are formed so as to encase more than half of white pieces during interlocking. 
     Furthermore, in some embodiments, base member  104  can include impressions  802  so as to form a male-female coupling with consumer articles  106  (e.g., black pieces.) In some embodiments, base member  104  can be manufactured using any suitable material such as hard resin or flexible polymers allowing for the dynamic adjustment of impressions  802 . In some embodiments, base member  104  can include a snap-fit mechanism so as to further interlock with consumer articles  106 . In some embodiments, base member  104  and top member  102  can be extendable/retractable so as to allow for different configurations of the storage apparatus depending on, at least, space requirements. 
     In addition, as shown in  FIG. 8 , in some embodiments, top member  102  can include depressions  804  so as to form a male-female coupling with consumer articles  105  (e.g., white pieces.) In some embodiments, top member  102  can be manufactured using any suitable material such as hard resin or flexible polymers allowing for the dynamic adjustment of depressions  804 . In some embodiments, top member  102  can include a snap-fit mechanism so as to further interlock with consumer articles  105 . 
       FIG. 9  shows an exploded view of the assembly of the integrated storage apparatus using consumer articles  105  and  106 . Specifically,  FIG. 9  shows the assembly of a chess storage box formed by white chess pieces  105 , black chess pieces  106 , a top member  102  and a base member  104 . Initially, each of black chess pieces  106  is placed onto base member  102  so as to couple with each impression  802 . Subsequently, each of white pieces  105  is nested within each of black chess pieces  106  creating a first stacked layer. In some embodiments, white chess pieces  105  have the same height as black pieces  106 . As a result, the white chess pieces  105  are partially encased by being interfitted with the black chess pieces  106 . In some embodiments, at least half of each of the white chess pieces  105  is disposed outside of the black chess pieces  106 . Moreover, the remaining black chess pieces and white pieces are stacked in a similar fashion creating an interlocked set of nested chess pieces providing a stable and secure placement. Finally, top member  102  is placed so as to couple each of the depressions  804  with the white chess pieces  105 , thus creating a chess storage box. As discussed above, in some embodiments, the base member  104  and top member  102  can be extendable/retractable so as to allow for different stacking configurations of the nested chess pieces. In some embodiments the white chess pieces can be of different sizes and the black chess pieces can be dynamically adjusted so as to have any suitable height. 
     The embodiments described in this disclosure can be combined in various ways. 
     Any aspect or feature that is described for one embodiment can be incorporated into any other embodiment mentioned in this disclosure. Moreover, any of the embodiments described herein may comprise a mixture of one or more material elements. Accordingly, while various novel features of the inventive principles have been shown, described and pointed out as applied to particular embodiments thereof, it should be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the apparatus described and illustrated, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize, based on the above disclosure and an understanding therefrom of the teachings of the inventive principles, that the particular apparatus described herein, and the general functionality provided by and incorporated therein, may vary in different embodiments of the inventive principles. Accordingly, the particular components are for illustrative purposes to facilitate a full and complete understanding and appreciation of the various aspects and functionality of particular embodiments of the present principles as realized in apparatus embodiments thereof. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inventive principles can be practiced in other than the described embodiments, which are presented for purposes of illustration and not limitation. 
     A number of embodiments of the disclosed subject matter have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the claims.