U.S. patent application number 11/172982 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-21 for rack for storing containers.
This patent application is currently assigned to Hana Cobi Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Chang-Ho Kim.
Application Number | 20060283854 11/172982 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35994663 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060283854 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim; Chang-Ho |
December 21, 2006 |
Rack for storing containers
Abstract
A rack for storing containers is disclosed. When storing empty
food containers, a container body and a container lid are separated
and stored. The lids of food containers are stacked in a lid
storing box that is opened and closed within a casing body like a
drawer. The container bodies of the food containers are stacked and
stored in a container storing member formed at an upper side of the
casing body, so that a large number of food containers can be
stored in a shelf of a kitchen or a storing unit in safe.
Inventors: |
Kim; Chang-Ho; (Incheon,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Assignee: |
Hana Cobi Co., Ltd.
|
Family ID: |
35994663 |
Appl. No.: |
11/172982 |
Filed: |
July 5, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/23.83 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J 47/16 20130101;
A47B 81/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/023.83 |
International
Class: |
A47G 19/00 20060101
A47G019/00; B65D 21/02 20060101 B65D021/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 2, 2005 |
KR |
10-2005-0047288 |
Claims
1. A rack for storing food containers, comprising: an empty casing
body with an upper side and one side of the same being opened; a
lid storing box that is slidably engaged at the casing body and is
inserted or withdrawn into/from one opened side of the casing body
like a drawer for storing the lids of the food containers; a casing
lid body that opens and closes the lid storing box and covers an
opened upper side of the casing body; and a container storing
member that is engaged at an upper side of the casing lid body for
storing at least one container body of the food container in a
vertically stacked state and is formed in multiple rows.
2. The rack of claim 1, wherein inner and outer guide protrusions
are protruded in parallel from both sides of a bottom upper surface
of the casing body for forming a moving groove in a direction that
the lid storing box is opened and closed; and a stopper protrusion
is formed at a front end of the outer guide protrusion; a rail
protrusion is protruded from both sides of a bottom lower surface
of the lid storing box and is inserted between the inner and outer
guide protrusions and slide along the moving groove; and an escape
prevention protrusion that is protruded near a rear end of the rail
protrusion and is engaged with the stopper protrusion.
3. The rack of claim 1, wherein said container storing member is
rotatable on the casing lid body.
4. The rack of either claim 1 or claim 3, wherein said container
storing member is rotatably supported by a plurality of balls
inserted into a retainer with equivalent angles and shapes
installed at a fixture fixed at an upper surface of the casing
lid.
5. The rack of claim 4, wherein said fixture is fixed by a
plurality of engaging protrusions protruded upwards from an upper
surface of a concave part in a state that a circular protrusion
protruded from a lower side of the same is inserted in a horizontal
shape between the inner and outer circular protrusions protruded
upwards from the concave part formed downwards at the center of the
casing lid body, and inner and outer circular protrusions are
formed at an upper surface of the fixture for forming a retainer
receiving circular groove for receiving the retainer.
6. The rack of one among claims 1 through 3, wherein a cylindrical
part is protruded downwards from the center of a lower side of the
container storing member, and a plurality of assembling protrusions
are formed at a lower side of the cylindrical part and are
rotatably inserted into an assembling hole formed at the center of
the fixture, and a circular rotation member that is supported by a
plurality of balls engaged at the retainer at a surrounding portion
of the cylindrical part for thereby guiding a rotational operation
of the container storing member.
7. The rack of one among claims 1 through 3, wherein said container
fixtures formed in a pair are formed at an upper surface of the
container storing member in multiple pairs symmetrically at an
inner side of the entrance of the container body for thereby fixing
the container bodies when the container bodies of the food
containers are made upside down and are stored.
8. The rack of one among claims 1 through 3, wherein said container
fixtures formed at an upper surface of the container storing member
in multiple pairs are formed in a L-shape or an arc shape for
effectively fixing the container bodies of the food containers
having circular cross sections or rectangular sections.
9. The rack of claim 1, wherein an escape prevention protrusion is
protruded from a lower side of the casing lid body for preventing a
lid storing box from being escaped from the casing body when
opening the lid storing box.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a rack for storing food
containers that can be installed at a cooking stand of left and
right sides of a kitchen sink or an upper side of a kitchen sink or
a shelf or storing unit, and in particular to a rack for storing
food containers that is implemented in such a manner that a
container body and lid of a food container are separated, and
container bodies are stacked for storage, and container lids are
stacked for storage, so that a large number of food containers can
be stored at a limited space.
[0003] 2. Description of the Background Art
[0004] Generally, containers designed for storing foods are stored
at a shelf or a storing unit installed above a kitchen sink in a
common home.
[0005] Recently, a lid having a sealing function covers a container
body to prevent a food smell from being spread into a space of a
refrigerator when storing foods in a refrigerator.
[0006] The food container in which a sealing lid covers a container
body has an excellent function of storing foods in a sealed state.
However, when food containers are not in use, they are stored in an
engaged state between a container body and a lid for thereby
disadvantageously occupying the space of a shelf or storing unit a
lot.
[0007] Namely, in a state that a lid is engaged with a container
body, it is impossible to decrease the volume of a food container
for thereby occupying the storing space a lot. In the case that a
plurality of food containers are stacked by inserting into one
another and are arranged from an inner side to an outer side in a
storing unit, it is needed to sequentially take out the stacked
containers from the outer one to the inner one, so that many
inconvenience are caused.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
overcome the above-described problems encountered in the
conventional art.
[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
rack for storing containers. When storing empty food containers, a
container body and a container lid are separated and stored. The
lids of food containers are stacked in a lid storing box that is
opened and closed within a casing body like a drawer. The container
bodies of the food containers are stacked and stored in a container
storing member formed at an upper side of the casing body, so that
a large number of food containers can be stored in a shelf of a
kitchen or a storing unit in safe.
[0010] It is further another object of the present invention to
provide a rack for storing containers in which when container
bodies are stacked and stored in upside down shapes at the
container storing member, the container bodies can be fixed for
thereby storing a large number of container bodies in a stable
state.
[0011] It is still further another object of the present invention
to provide a rack for storing containers in which a desired
container body can be easily taken out among the container bodies
that are stacked and stored in upper and lower sides in multiple
rows using a certain unit capable of rotating the container storing
unit.
[0012] To achieve the above objects, there is provided a rack for
storing food containers, comprising an empty casing body with an
upper side and one side of the same being opened; a lid storing box
that is slidably engaged at the casing body and is inserted or
withdrawn into/from one opened side of the casing body like a
drawer for storing the lids of the food containers; a casing lid
body that opens and closes the lid storing box and covers an opened
upper side of the casing body; and a container storing member that
is engaged at an upper side of the casing lid body for storing at
least one container body of the food container in a vertically
stacked state and is formed in multiple rows.
[0013] In addition, inner and outer guide protrusions are protruded
in parallel from both sides of a bottom upper surface of the casing
body for forming a moving groove in a direction that the lid
storing box is opened and closed; and a stopper protrusion is
formed at a front end of the outer guide protrusion; a rail
protrusion is protruded from both sides of a bottom lower surface
of the lid storing box and is inserted between the inner and outer
guide protrusions and slide along the moving groove; and an escape
prevention protrusion that is protruded near a rear end of the rail
protrusion and is engaged with the stopper protrusion.
[0014] The container storing member is rotatable on the casing lid
body.
[0015] The container storing member is rotatably supported by a
plurality of balls inserted into a retainer with equivalent angles
and shapes installed at a fixture fixed at an upper surface of the
casing lid.
[0016] The fixture is fixed by a plurality of engaging protrusions
protruded upwards from an upper surface of a concave part in a
state that a circular protrusion protruded from a lower side of the
same is inserted in a horizontal shape between the inner and outer
circular protrusions protruded upwards from the concave part formed
downwards at the center of the casing lid body, and inner and outer
circular protrusions are formed at an upper surface of the fixture
for forming a retainer receiving circular groove for receiving the
retainer.
[0017] A cylindrical part is protruded downwards from the center of
a lower side of the container storing member, and a plurality of
assembling protrusions are formed at a lower side of the
cylindrical part and are rotatably inserted into an assembling hole
formed at the center of the fixture, and a circular rotation member
that is supported by a plurality of balls engaged at the retainer
at a surrounding portion of the cylindrical part for thereby
guiding a rotational operation of the container storing member.
[0018] The container fixtures formed in a pair are formed at an
upper surface of the container storing member in multiple pairs
symmetrically at an inner side of the entrance of the container
body for thereby fixing the container bodies when the container
bodies of the food containers are made upside down and are
stored.
[0019] The container fixtures formed at an upper surface of the
container storing member in multiple pairs are formed in a L-shape
or an arc shape for effectively fixing the container bodies of the
food containers having circular cross sections or rectangular
sections.
[0020] An escape prevention protrusion is protruded from a lower
side of the casing lid body for preventing a lid storing box from
being escaped from the casing body when opening the lid storing
box.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The present invention will become better understood with
reference to the accompanying drawings which are given only by way
of illustration and thus are not limitative of the present
invention, wherein;
[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a rack according
to the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a disassembled perspective view illustrating a
casing body and a lid storing tray of a rack according to the
present invention;
[0024] FIG. 3 is a disassembled perspective view illustrating a
casing lid and a container storing member of a rack according to
the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view illustrating an assembled
state of a rack according to the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a state of use
according to the present invention; and
[0027] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view illustrating a state of use
according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0028] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a rack according
to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a disassembled perspective view
illustrating a casing body and a lid storing tray of a rack
according to the present invention; FIG. 3 is a disassembled
perspective view illustrating a casing lid and a container storing
member of a rack according to the present invention; FIG. 4 is a
cross sectional view illustrating an assembled state of a rack
according to the present invention; FIG. 5 is a perspective view
illustrating a state of use according to the present invention; and
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view illustrating a state of use
according to the present invention.
[0029] In the drawings, reference numeral 1 represents a rack for
storing food containers. The food container storing rack 1 includes
an empty casing body 2 with a part of front side and upper side
among front, rear, left and right sides being opened, a lid storing
box 3 inserted or withdrawn into/from an interior of the casing
body, a casing lid body 4 for covering an upper side of the casing
body 2, and a container storing member 5 rotatably installed on the
lid casing.
[0030] A protrusion support part 22 is formed at a surrounding
portion of a bottom 21 of the casing body 2 and is protruded more
downwards as compared to a lower side of the bottom 21 with an
upper surface being concaved. Inner and outer guide protrusions 23
and 24 are formed at left and right sides of the bottom 21 with
respect to the opened front side of the casing body 2 and are
protruded in parallel forwards and backwards. A moving groove 25 is
formed between the inner and outer guides 23 and 24. A stopper
protrusion 26 is formed at each guide protrusion 24 of both sides.
Here, the stopper protrusion 26 is formed near an opened front side
of the casing body 2 so that it operates a function of controlling
an opening degree for preventing a rear end of the lid storing box
3 from not being escaped from an opened end of the casing body
2.
[0031] Next, the lid storing box 3 is engaged so that it is
inserted and withdrawn into/from the interior of the casing body 2
like a drawer. A rail protrusion 31 is formed at both lower ends of
the lid storing box 4 and is slidably inserted into the moving
groove 25 between the inner and outer guide protrusions 23 and 24
formed at both sides of the bottom 21 of the casing body 2. An
escape prevention protrusion 32 is formed at a rear end of the rail
protrusion 31 and is caught by the stopper protrusion 26 formed at
the outer guide protrusion 24.
[0032] Therefore, when the lid storing box 3 is withdrawn from the
casing body 2, the rail protrusions 31 of the lid storing box 3
slide outwards along the moving groove 25 of the casing body 2, and
the escape prevention protrusion 32 formed at the rear end of the
lid storing groove 3 is caught by the stopper protrusion 26, so
that the lid storing groove 3 is opened in a state that it is not
fully escaped from the casing body 2 with a part of the rear end of
the same being inserted into the casing body 2.
[0033] Next, the casing lid body 4 is assembled with an opened
upper side of the casing body 2 being covered by the casing lid
body 4. Inner and outer assembling protrusion pieces 41 and 42 that
are protruded downwards are assembled at a surrounding portion of
the casing lid body 4 in a construction that an upper rim 27 of the
casing body 2 is surrounded. As shown in FIG. 3, an engaging
protrusion 43 is formed at the outer assembling protrusion piece 42
at multiple portions and is protruded inwards and is elastically
engaged with the upper rim 27. In the preferred embodiment of the
present invention, the engaging protrusion 42a is formed at left
and right sides of the casing lid body 4.
[0034] A fixture 6 and a retainer 7 are sequentially assembled at
the casing lid body 4 for rotatably installing the container
storing member 5.
[0035] In addition, a concave part 43 is formed at the casing lid
body 4 with its diameter being larger than the fixture 6. An
insertion hole 44 is formed at the center of the concave part 43.
Inner and outer circular protrusions 45 and 46 are formed at a
surrounding portion of the insertion hole 44. A plurality of
engaging protrusions 47 are protruded from a surrounding portion of
the outer circular protrusion 46. The engaging protrusions are
formed with equivalent angles for elastically engaging a
surrounding portion of the fixture 6. An engaging shoulder part 47a
is formed at the engaging protrusion 47 for engaging the fixture
6.
[0036] Next, an assembling hole 61 is formed at the center of the
fixture 6. Inner and outer circular protrusions 63 and 64 are
protruded from a surrounding portion of the fixture 6 for forming a
receiving groove 62 that receives the retainer 7. In addition, a
circular protrusion 65 is protruded downwards from a lower side of
the fixture 6 and is assembled between the inner and outer circular
protrusions 45 and 46 of the casing lid body 4.
[0037] Here, the retainer 7 includes a circular plate member 71
inserted into the retained receiving groove 62 formed at the
fixture 6, a plurality of ball receiving containers 72 protruded
from a lower side of the same with equivalent angles and shapes,
and a plurality of balls 73 rotatably inserted into the ball
receiving containers 72. The upper and lower sides of the balls 73
are protruded from the upper surface of the circular plate member
71 and the lower end of each ball receiving container 72.
[0038] The container storing member 5 is rotatably installed on the
casing lid body 4. A cylindrical part 51 is protruded downwards
from a lower center of the container storing member 5 and has an
outer diameter inserted into the assembling hole 61 of the fixture
6. A plurality of assembling protrusions 52 are formed at a lower
surrounding portion of the cylindrical part 51 and are contracted
to its original state by an elastic recovering force when they are
inserted into the assembling hole 61 of the fixture 6 after they
are passed through the assembling hole 61 and then are engaged by
the assembling hole 61. The assembling protrusions 52 are not
escaped from the assembling hole 61 and are rotatable therein.
[0039] The engaging part 53 is inserted into an inner side of the
assembling protrusion 52 so that each assembling protrusion 52 of
the cylindrical part 51 is not escaped from the assembling hole 61
for thereby preventing each assembling protrusion 52 from not being
contracted.
[0040] A circular rotation member 54 having the same diameter as
the retainer 7 is formed at a lower side of the supporting member
5. The circular rotation member 54 is supported on the upper sides
of the balls 73 engaged at the retainer and is rotated on the
retainer 7 based on a rolling operation of the balls 73, so that
the container storing member 5 is rotatable on the casing lid body
4.
[0041] The container storing member 5 is designed to store the
container body 8a of the food container. A plurality of container
fixtures 55 are formed on an upper surface of the container storing
member 5 in multiple pairs symmetrically facing one another for
supporting both inner sides of an entrance portion in a state that
they are inserted into an inner side of the entrance when the
container body 8a is made upside down for stably stacking and
storing the container body 8a. As shown in FIG. 1, two pairs of
container fixtures 55a among four container fixtures 55 have
L-shaped flat cross section surfaces, and the remaining two pairs
of the container fixtures 55b have arc-shaped flat cross section
surfaces.
[0042] Here, the L-shaped container fixtures 55a are capable of
stably supporting the container body 8a having a rectangular cross
section, and the arc-shaped container fixtures 55b are capable of
stably supporting the container body 8a having a circular cross
section.
[0043] Each pair of container fixtures 55 may be integrally formed
on the upper surface of the container storing member 5 or may be
formed separately from the container support member 5 in an
assembling type.
[0044] In addition, the bottom surface of the container storing
ember 5 is formed of a curved surface that is getting lower and
lower in the direction from the center portion to the
circumferential portion. A support protrusion 56 is formed at the
outer sides of both ends of the container fixture of one side
positioned at a circumferential portion among each pair of the
container fixtures 55 for supporting one side of an entrance of the
container body 8a. Therefore, the container body 8a of which
entrance surrounds each pair of the container fixture 55 has a
smooth curved shape with an upper surface of the container storing
member 5 being smoothly curved downwards in a direction from the
center to the outer circumferential portion. However, as shown in
FIG. 6, one side of the entrance of the container body 8a is
supported by the support protrusion 56 in a horizontal shape, so
that a plurality of container bodies 8a can be stacked in a
vertical shape and are stored.
[0045] A handle 33 is formed at a front surface of the lid storing
box 3. A lid 8b of the food container is stored in a storing space
of the interior. A partition 34 is formed for partitioning the
storing space into two parts as shown in FIG. 5 for aligning the
lids 8b stored in the storing space of the lid storing box 3 in two
rows. The partition 34 is detachable and is formed in an assembling
type.
[0046] In addition, an escape prevention protrusion 48 is protruded
downwards from a lower side of the concave portion 43 of the casing
lid body 4 with a rear upper end of the lid storing box 3 being
caught by the same for preventing the lid storing box 3 from being
fully escaped when opening the lid storing box 3.
[0047] The operation of the present invention will be
described.
[0048] The food container storing rack 1 according to the present
invention is installed at an upper side of a cooking stand in which
a kitchen sink is installed or is simply placed on a shelf or a
storing unit installed above the cooking stand, for thereby storing
food containers. The rack 1 may be used for storing food containers
without lids, but may be well adapted to store the food containers
formed of the container bodies 8a capable of storing foods therein,
and lids 8b capable of sealing the container body.
[0049] When storing the food containers formed of the container
body 8a and the lid 8b, the container body 8a and the lid 8b are
separated and separately stored in the container storing member 5
and the lid storing box 3. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in the case
of the lid 8b, the lids are stacked in the storing space of the lid
storing box 3 engaged into the casing body 2 like a drawer type, so
that a larger number of the lids 8b can be stored. In the case of
the container body 8a, they are made upside down and are stored in
each pair of the container fixtures 55. In this case, when each
pair of the container fixtures formed on the upper surface of the
container storing member 5 are formed in a L-shape, as shown in
FIG. 5, the container bodies 8a having rectangular cross sections
are stacked and stored. As shown in FIG. 1, in the case that the
L-shaped container fixture 55a and the arc-shaped container fixture
55b are provided on the upper surface of the container supporting
member 5, the container bodies 8a having rectangular cross sections
are made upside down and are stacked and stored in the L-shaped
container fixture 55a in a stacked construction, and the container
bodies 8a having the circular cross sections are made upside down
and are stacked and stored in the arc-shaped container fixture 55b
in a stacked construction.
[0050] Therefore, when the container bodies 8a are made upside down
and are stacked on the upper surface of the container storing
member 5, since the container bodies 8a stacked from the upper
sides are stacked like surrounding the container bodies stacked in
the lower sides, so that it is possible to stack and store a large
number of the container bodies 8a.
[0051] Since the container bodies 8a are stacked in a vertical
shape with an inserted shape, it is possible to stably stack a
multiple number of the container bodies 8a in a pair of the
container fixtures 55. In addition, each lid 8b separated from the
container body 8a is sequentially stacked and stored in the lid
storing box 3 engaged into the casing body 2 like a drawer, so that
the lids cannot be lost.
[0052] In addition, when a user wants to take out a certain one
container body 8a among the multiple container bodies 8a stacked
and stored in the storing rack 1, the user simply rotates the
container storing member 5 in a certain direction, so that the
container bodies 8a stacked and stored in each pair of the
container fixtures 55 are rotated, whereby the user can easily find
out a desired container body and can take out the same. The lid 8b
matching with the taking-out container body 8a is searched among
the lids 8b stored in the storing space by opening the lid storing
box 3 and is taken out.
[0053] As described above, when storing the food container formed
of a container body and a lid in a set, the container body and the
lid are separated, and the container body is made upside down and
is stored in the container storing member. In this case, multiple
container bodies may be made upside down and then may be stacked
and stored. The lids separated from the container bodies are
aligned in the lid storing box engaged into the casing body like a
drawer, so that it is possible to effectively store multiple food
containers. In addition, when taking out one container body from
the multiple container bodies stacked and stored in the rack, it is
needed to rotate the container storing member for thereby fining
out a desired one. Therefore, it is easy to take out the same. It
is possible to effectively prevent the lids from being lost by
storing the same in the lid storing box. It is easy to take out a
desired one lid from the lid storing box. Multiple container bodies
and lids can be easily and quickly taken out from the rack.
[0054] As the present invention may be embodied in several forms
without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics
thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described
examples are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing
description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be
construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the
appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that
fall within the meets and bounds of the claims, or equivalences of
such meets and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the
appended claims.
* * * * *