Abstract:
An artist&#39;s paint tube storage and transport carrying case having multiple rows of tube supporting structures wherein the tube necks are gripped and held in a desired position by resilient gripping fingers which are slidably mounted on lateral beam structures whereby the gripping fingers can be laterally adjustably positioned along the beam structures for accommodating tubes of various dimensions.

Description:
FIELD 
     This invention pertains to a paint tube storage and transport containment structure or unit in which artists can quickly and easily store or and use a multitude of paint tubes in a manner where the tubes are substantially isolated from each other, wherein the identification legend and the like on the tubes are clearly visible, wherein a simple manipulation of the tube support means provides immediate access to the tubes for use or for replacement to storage, wherein the tube holding structure is adjustable for allowing storage of tubes of varying dimensions and shapes, and wherein the tubes are properly restricted in movement within the box regardless of the posture of the unit, i.e., standing on its side, end, top or bottom. 
     PRIOR ART 
     Heretofore artists paint containers or boxes have been constructed whereby the tubes are either non-isolated, i.e., layed down and contacting each other side by side or on top of each other which allows the tubes to transfer paint drippings, paint smudges or the like from one tube to the other and create a messy situation wherein the artist&#39;s clothing or her person can be smeared with paint, or wherein the tube support means is not adjustable for accommodating a variety of tube dimensions, or the like which results in the artist having, e.g., to put larger tubes in another container. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides within a carrying box structure a number of paint tube support structures which have a multiplicity of individual tube gripping elements which are slidably mounted on the supports for being position adjustable along the supports for accommodating and holding in a substantially isolated manner multiple paint tubes of varying body sizes and shapes, and wherein the supports are pivotal between substantially horizontal and substantially vertical postures within the unit for compact storage and for easy access to the tubes for use. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be further understood from the drawings herein and the description thereof wherein the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale or in consistent proportions but are intended to depict the principles of the present invention, wherein all geometric terms such as “plane”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “upright”, etc. are in reference to the earths surface and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present tube carrying unit; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of a paint tube support with portions in cross-section and showing a paint tube in upright use position; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2  showing a screw mounting for the torsion spring type finger gripper of  FIG. 5  and with a paint tube being gripped and supported thereby but not in cross-section; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 3  and showing a mounting of the coil of a torsion spring on a gripper body; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 3  and showing a preferred torsion spring embodiment of the gripper fingers; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  in  FIG. 3  and showing a variation of the gripper fingers being affixed to the plastic gripper slide body by being imbedded therein during casting or molding of the plastic body; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged for clarity cross-sectional view of the beam taken along line  7 - 7  in  FIG. 4  and showing more clearly the guide grooves in the gripper body and the guide slot in the bottom web of the beam; 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the guide beam depicting the guide slot and with the gripper body shown in dotted line; 
         FIGS. 9 and 10  are end views of an array of support structures showing their horizontal stored position and a substantially upright functional positions; and 
         FIG. 11  is a partially sectioned side view of the present unit taken along line  11 - 11  in  FIG. 1  and showing details of a preferred support stop (positioning) structure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the drawings and with reference to the claims herein the present invention comprises an artist paint tube  11  storage and transport unit  9  having an outer containment means comprising a pair of opposing side walls  10 ,  12 , opposing front  14  and rear end walls  16 , a bottom wall  18  and a top cover wall  20  hinged at  21  to wall  16 . These walls are arranged to form a substantially rectangular outer box  22  having a longitudinal dimension  24 , a lateral dimension  26  and a vertical dimension  28 . This unit further comprises any desired number of paint tube support structures  30 ,  32 ,  34  each having a functional plane  31 ,  33 ,  35  respectively, and each extending laterally between the side walls  10 ,  12 . Each structure comprises a pair of opposing base sides  36 ,  38  each of which lie adjacent to an inner surface  37 ,  39  respectively of side walls  10 ,  12 . Each support structure further comprising pivot arms  42 ,  44  having lower ends  43 ,  45 , respectively pivotally mounted on base sides  36 ,  38 . A guide beam  47  having a guide slot  48  in its bottom extends between and is affixed at its ends  49 ,  51  to upper end portions  50 ,  52  respectively of pivot arms  42 ,  44 . The pivot points of the pivot arms on the support structures are on separate lateral axes  54 ,  56 ,  57  and are spaced longitudinally from each other and are spaced vertically from each other, whereby each support structure can be pivoted to place its functional plane  31 ,  33 , or  35  in either a substantially horizontal orientation or a substantially vertical orientation within box  22 . Laterally extending side panels  53 ,  55  provide accurate containment of the tubes when the support structures are pivoted away from their upright postures. 
     Each beam is provided with multiple paint tube grippers  58 , each gripper having a body section  60 , a mounting cavity  63  and a tube gripping section  62  affixed thereto. Each body section has a lateral dimension  64  and is mounted on a beam and slidable therealong laterally of the box. It is particularly noted that the combined lateral dimensions of all of the body sections on a single beam is substantially less than the lateral length  66  of the beam whereby the grippers  58  can be slid along the beam and whereby paint tubes of various sizes can be accommodated in close side-by-side but not necessarily contiguous arrangement on the beam. The gripping section  62  comprises laterally spaced resilient fingers  68  and their mounting means  69  lying in a gripping plane  70  and between which fingers the neck  72  of a paint tube can be pushed to forcefully and resiliently spread said fingers to frictionally hold the tubes in an upright posture on the support structure when in use. 
     It is preferred that the fingers are comprised of spring steel wire. Also, it is preferred that each pivot axis of said pivot arms is spaced from and parallel to a longitudinal axis  80  of the beam, wherein the pivot axis of the arms and said longitudinal axis lie in said functional planes which intersects the gripping plane at a substantially right angle. Further, the fingers preferably as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  comprise the free end portions  68  of a torsion spring  83 , wherein a coil portion  84  of the spring is mounted on the body section  60  by screw  61 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , a preferred stop structure comprises a shaft  86  affixed at one of its ends to the inside of the hinged cover  20  by, e.g., rivet  87  of the box, wherein an aperture  88  is provided in a portion of the beam structure of the rearward most support  34 , wherein the shaft is slidably mounted through aperture  88 , and wherein a stop shoulder  90  is provided on the other end of the shaft for stopping the opening of the cover at a desired posture generally upright. As the cover  20  is being pivoted to its closed position on the box, shaft  86  slides through aperture  88  as shown by dotted line  86 A which allows cover  20  to completely close. 
     The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications will be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.