U.S. patent application number 10/327900 was filed with the patent office on 2004-05-06 for letter tray kit.
Invention is credited to Chang, Jung-Shih.
Application Number | 20040084387 10/327900 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27814317 |
Filed Date | 2004-05-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040084387 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chang, Jung-Shih |
May 6, 2004 |
Letter tray kit
Abstract
A letter tray kit is disclosed to include two trays and an
accessory set. The trays respectively include a floor panel for
lodging papers, two side walls respectively positioned at a left
side and a right side of the floor panel, and at least one
connection portion at each of the side wall. The accessory set
includes at least two supporting members, each of which is coupled
with the connection portions of the trays respectively at a top
side and a bottom side thereof so as to set one tray vertically
apart from the other tray at a predetermined height. Each of the
trays is provided with a plurality of retaining grooves at a bottom
side thereof for detachably embedding the supporting members.
Inventors: |
Chang, Jung-Shih; (Taichung
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE
FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
|
Family ID: |
27814317 |
Appl. No.: |
10/327900 |
Filed: |
December 26, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/11 ;
211/126.2; 211/194 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B42F 7/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/011 ;
211/126.2; 211/194 |
International
Class: |
A47F 003/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 31, 2002 |
CN |
02284912.2 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A letter tray kit comprising: at least two trays, wherein each
of said trays includes a floor panel provided at a bottom side
thereof with a plurality of retaining grooves, and two side walls
disposed at a left side and a right side of said floor panel
respectively and having at least one connection portion
respectively; and at least one accessory set, wherein said
accessory set includes at least two supporting members that are
either detachably embedded into said retaining grooves of said tray
or mounted between two said trays to vertically space said trays at
a predetermined height by means of each of said supporting members
is coupled with said connection portions of two said trays at a top
end and a bottom end thereof respectively.
2. The letter tray kit as defined in claim 1, wherein said
accessory set comprises at least four said supporting members which
are rod-like; wherein each of said side walls is provided with one
said connection portion respectively at a front end and a rear end
thereof, said connection portion having an upper stacking socket
and a lower stacking socket corresponding in location to said upper
stacking socket, said upper stacking socket extending downward from
a top side of said side wall, said lower stacking socket extending
upward from a bottom side of said side wall and not communicating
with said upper stacking socket; wherein while said accessory set
mounted between said two trays, each of said supporting members has
the bottom end inserted into said upper stacking socket of one of
said two trays and the top end inserted into said lower stacking
socket of the other said tray; wherein each of said retaining
grooves is elongated for embedding one of said supporting
members.
3. The letter tray kit as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said
retaining grooves is respectively provided with at least one
mounting ledge at two elongated sides of an opening thereof,
whereby said supporting members embedded into said retaining
grooves are not subject to accidentally fall; wherein while each of
said supporting members is embedded into one of said retaining
groove, the two ends of said supporting member and two ends of said
retaining groove are provided with a spacing therebetween.
4. The letter tray kit as defined in claim 1, wherein said
accessory set is less in numbers than said trays by one; wherein
said retaining grooves are identical to said supporting members in
numbers; wherein said supporting members are respectively embedded
into one of said retaining groove.
5. The letter tray kit as defined in claim 1, wherein said
accessory sets are as twice as many as said trays minus one and
comprises said supporting members having two different sizes
identical to each other in numbers for setting one of said trays
vertically apart from the other at a predetermined height; wherein
said retaining grooves are twice as many as said supporting members
of each said accessory set and are provided with two different
sizes identical to each other in numbers for embedding said
supporting members having two different sizes.
6. The letter tray kit as defined in claim 1, wherein each said
tray is provided with at least one first matching portion at a top
side of each said side wall and at least one second matching
portion at a bottom side of each side wall; wherein each said tray
can be vertically tightly stacked upon the other said tray by
engaging said first matching portion with said second matching
portion.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to stationery, and
more particularly to a letter tray kit, which is cost-effective in
packaging and is not subject to lose accessories thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Letter trays are one of common stationery in the offices for
lodging documents in classifications and partitions. Conventional
letter trays can be vertically compactly stacked upon one another
so as to save space. A conventional combination mode of the letter
trays is to make a tray tightly engaging with a top fringe of
another tray. Lately, another combination mode is to install
accessories, such as rod members, linkages, etc., between two trays
vertically stacked above each other so as to set the two trays
apart and to lodge more documents at a tray positioned under the
other tray.
[0003] Presently, the letter tray kit is mostly sold by a package
of a plurality of trays along with accessories which are used to
support between the trays and correspond to the trays in numbers.
In order to reduce the size of the package of the letter tray kit,
the trays and the accessories are separately packaged. In addition,
to prevent the accessories from irregularly moving in the package,
manufacturers usually pack the accessories together with a small
plastic bag and then attach the small plastic bag on the letter
trays to be packed by an adhesive tape. However, the aforementioned
packaging procedure will increase the production cost.
[0004] Additionally, although presently there is a letter tray kit
composed of a plurality of trays integrally interconnected, the
aforementioned letter tray kit, which is composed of trays
vertically stacked above one another with supporting members, i.e.
accessories, is provided with not only reduced the package size
thereof but also randomized the combination modes thereof depending
on a user's decision. In other words, although the letter tray kit
is provided with the supporting members, the user doesn't have to
vertically stack the trays above one another with the supporting
members. For examples, if there is sufficient space on desktop and
papers are frequently put in and out of the letter trays, the trays
can be all together put on the desktop for use. Or if only few
papers will be lodged in the letter trays, the user can vertically
stack the trays tightly upon one another without the supporting
members so as to eliminate redundant space among the trays.
Besides, the user can randomly change the combination modes of the
letter trays according to working environment and/or the user's
requirement. Accordingly, the user has to carefully store the
accessories (supporting members), which are not in use, for future
use while they are required. However, the accessories are mostly
very small such that they are subject to lose without carefulness
or be unseen due to a panic and then it's so inconvenient that the
letter tray kit is crippled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a letter tray kit, which is provided with a simplified packaging
construction so as to be cost-effective.
[0006] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a
letter tray kit composed of a plurality of trays, which can be
either vertically stacked above one another with supporting members
or vertically tightly stacked upon one another without the
supporting members. The supporting members can be easily and
carefully stored for future use and not subject to lose.
[0007] The foregoing objectives of the present invention are
attained by the letter tray kit, which is composed of at least two
trays and at least one accessory set. The trays respectively
include a floor panel for lodging papers, two side walls
respectively positioned at a left side and a right side of the
floor panel, and at least one connection portion at each of the
side wall. The accessory set includes at least two supporting
members, each of which is coupled with the connection portions of
the trays respectively at a top end and a bottom end thereof, so as
to set one tray vertically apart from the other tray at a
predetermined height. Each of the trays is provided with a
plurality of retaining grooves at a bottom side thereof for
detachably embedding the supporting members.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a first preferred embodiment
of the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 1A is an enlarged view taken from a circle A of FIG.
1;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a tray of the first preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a combination mode in
accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another combination mode in
accordance with the first preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a combination mode in
accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another combination mode in
accordance with the second preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a third preferred embodiment
of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the tray of the third preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a combination mode in
accordance with the third preferred embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0018] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another combination mode in
accordance with the third preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, a first preferred embodiment of the
present invention provides a letter tray kit 10, which is composed
of two trays 20 and an accessory set 40. The accessory set 40
includes four supporting members 42, wherein only two supporting
members are shown in FIG. 1 for illustration.
[0020] The trays 20 are respectively made of plastic injection
molding. Each of the trays 20 includes a rectangular floor panel 21
for supporting papers, a rear wall 23 protruded upward from a rear
side of the floor panel 21, and two side walls 22 protruded upward
from a left side and a right side of the floor panel 21. A storage
space 24 is defined among the floor panel 21, the two side walls
22, and the rear wall 23. An opening 25 corresponding to the
storage space 24 is defined at a front side of the floor panel 21.
The two side walls 22 of the tray 20 are respectively provided with
a connection portion 26 at positions close to a front end thereof
and a rear end thereof. The connection portion 26 is provided with
an upper stacking socket 27 and a lower stacking socket 28 arranged
vertically collinearly to the upper stacking socket 27. The upper
stacking socket 27 extends downward from a top side of the side
wall 22. The lower stacking socket 28 extends upward from a bottom
side of the side wall 22 and is not in communication with the upper
stacking socket 27. Besides, each of the side walls 22 is provided
with a first matching portion 31, embodied as a convex granule, at
the top side close to the font end and the rear end thereof and a
second matching portion 32, embodied as a concavity, at the bottom
side thereof corresponding in location to the first matching
portion 31. As shown in FIG. 2, the two side walls 22 are provided
with four elongated retaining grooves 33. Each of the retaining
grooves 33 is provided with an opening, which faces downward and is
provided with a plurality of mounting ledges 34 at a left fringe
thereof and a right fringe thereof. Referring to FIG. 1A, the
mounting ledges 34 are slightly protruded toward a center of the
opening of the retaining groove 33.
[0021] The four rod-like supporting members 42 of the accessory set
40 are made of a metal material and are identical to one another in
size. The supporting members 42 correspond to the upper stacking
socket 27 and the lower stacking socket 28 in diameter so as to be
properly tightly inserted into the two stacking sockets 27 and 28.
Each one of the supporting members 42 in length is greater than the
two stacking sockets 27 and 28 in total deepness but is smaller
than the retaining groove 33. Furthermore, the supporting member 42
can be embedded into the retaining groove 33, as a phantom line
shown in FIG. 2, after slightly pushing through the mounting ledge
34 of the retaining groove 33 to get into the retaining groove 33
such that the supporting member 42 is held against the mounting
ledge 34 and inside the retaining groove and will not be subject to
accidentally fall. Moreover, an appropriate spacing is left between
two ends of the supporting member 42 and the retaining groove 33
for a fingertip inserting thereinto to pick up the supporting
member 42. It is to be noted that there are many structural types
of the retaining groove 33 for easily picking up the supporting
member 42. For examples, make two ends of a bottom side of the
retaining groove 33 deeper than other positions of the bottom side
of the retaining groove 33, and thereby the user can press one end
of the retaining groove 33 to make the other end raised.
Alternatively, form a larger recess at the center of the retaining
groove 33 for two fingertips picking up the supporting member
42.
[0022] While the letter tray kit 10 is in use, a combination mode
of the letter tray kit 10 is selected according to the user's
decision. One of the combination modes, as shown in FIG. 3, is to
stack the two trays 20a and 20b above each other with the four
supporting members 42 mounted between the two trays 20a and 20b.
Specifically, place the tray 20a on the desktop, and respectively
insert bottom ends of the supporting members 42 into the upper
stacking sockets 27 of the tray 20a, and then vertically stack the
tray 20b above the tray 20a by inserting top ends of the supporting
members 42 into the lower stacking sockets 28 of the tray 20b
corresponsively. Accordingly, the tray 20b is positioned at a
predetermined height above the tray 20a such that more papers can
be lodged in the tray 20a and it's more convenient to put in and
out the papers.
[0023] If the trays 20 are required to lodge few papers, it's
proper to take another combination mode, as shown in FIG. 4, of
vertically stacking the tray 20b upon the tray 20b tightly without
the supporting members 42. In other words, the tray 20a contacts
against and supports the tray 20b at top sides of the side walls 22
and the rear wall 23 thereof, and the first matching portion 31
(the convex granule) of the side walls 22 of the tray 20a
corresponsively tightly engages with the second matching portion 32
(the concavity) of the tray 20b such that the two trays 20a and 20b
are fastened to each other without irregularly moving. In the
present combination mode, the papers can be put into the storage
space 24 of the tray 20a either through the opening 25 or by
temporarily raising the tray 20b and then laying down the tray 20b
to tightly engage with the tray 20a again after the papers are put
into the tray 20a.
[0024] Referring to FIG. 4, while the trays 20 are vertically
tightly stacked upon each other without the supporting members 42
or the trays 20 are all together placed on the desktop without
vertically stacking upon each other, the supporting members 42,
which are temporarily not in use, can be embedded into the
retaining grooves 33 of a bottom side of the trays 20a, 20b.
Accordingly, the supporting members 42 can be compactly and
carefully stored so as to be not subject to lose. Besides, if the
aforementioned combination mode as shown in FIG. 3 is wanted, it's
easy to pick up the supporting members 42 from the retaining
grooves 33 and to vertically stack the trays 20a, 20b above each
other with the supporting members 42 mounted between the trays 20a,
20b.
[0025] Additionally, when manufacturers pack the letter tray kit
10, the supporting members of the accessory set 40 will not be
necessarily additionally packaged or fastened by adhesives but
directly embedded into the retaining grooves 33 of the trays, and
then put the trays into package boxes or bags such that the
packaging procedure is completed. Compared with a conventional
packaging procedure of a conventional letter tray kit, the
packaging procedure of the present invention is simplified and
cost-effective.
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, a second preferred embodiment of
the present invention shows that the letter tray kit 50 is composed
of three trays 52 and two accessory sets 56 respectively including
four supporting members 54. The three trays 52 can be vertically
stacked above one another with the two accessory sets 56 mounted
therebetween, as shown in FIG. 5. Alternatively, two of the trays
52 are vertically stacked upon each other, and then either the
other tray is vertically stacked above the two trays with one of
the accessory sets 56 as shown in FIG. 6, or the three trays 52 are
vertically tightly stacked upon one another, or the like. Likewise,
each of the trays 52 is provided with a plurality of the retaining
grooves (not shown) at the bottom side and the supporting members
54 not in use can be embedded into and stored in the retaining
grooves.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 7, a third preferred embodiment of the
present invention shows that the letter tray kit 60 is composed of
two trays 70 and two accessory sets 80a and 80b. The difference
between the present embodiment and the foregoing embodiments lies
in that each of the trays 70 is provided with eight elongated
retaining grooves 72a and 72b, as shown in FIG. 8, wherein the
retaining grooves 72a are shorter in length than the retaining
grooves 72b. Each of the accessory sets 80a and 80b includes four
rod-like supporting members 82a (82b), which are identical to each
other in length. However, the supporting members 82a are shorter
than the supporting members 82b in length. Accordingly, the user
can properly select one of the accessory sets 80a and 80b to be
interconnected with the trays 70 according to a predetermined
quantity of papers lodging on the trays 70. Specifically, the trays
70 can be vertically stacked above each other with the supporting
members 80a (shorter) mounted therebetween and then the supporting
members 80b (longer) not in use can be embedded into the retaining
grooves 72b (longer), as shown in FIG. 9, and alternatively, the
trays 70 can be vertically stacked above each other with the
supporting members 80b (longer) mounted therebetween and then the
supporting members 80a (shorter) not in use can be embedded into
the retaining grooves 72a (shorter), as shown in FIG. 10.
[0028] Finally, it is to be noted that the supporting members are
though rod-like in the foregoing embodiments of the present
invention, but the supporting members are not definitely rod-like.
For examples, the supporting members can be panel-shaped, and
accordingly, the connection portion will be corresponsively thin
matching sockets for the supporting members inserted thereinto such
that the trays are vertically stably stacked above each other with
at least two supporting members mounted between the trays.
Additionally, the retaining grooves can be provided with flat
bottoms for the pane-shaped supporting members embedded thereinto,
and thereby the objectives of the present invention are also
achieved.
* * * * *