U.S. patent application number 12/945893 was filed with the patent office on 2012-05-17 for stackable storage box.
Invention is credited to WEN-TSAN WANG.
Application Number | 20120118941 12/945893 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46046897 |
Filed Date | 2012-05-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120118941 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
WANG; WEN-TSAN |
May 17, 2012 |
STACKABLE STORAGE BOX
Abstract
A stackable storage box includes a hollow, trapezoidal box body
having a relatively larger upper side and a relatively smaller
lower side, two flexible belts each having two distal ends thereof
affixed to one of two opposing sidewalls of the box body near the
topmost edge of the box body, and two grips respectively affixed to
a middle part of each of the two flexible belts and movable with
the flexible belts between a first position where the grips are
held by the flexible belts on the inside of the box body and a
second position where the grips are held by the flexible belts on
the outside of the box body.
Inventors: |
WANG; WEN-TSAN; (Taipei
City, TW) |
Family ID: |
46046897 |
Appl. No.: |
12/945893 |
Filed: |
November 15, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
229/112 ;
229/117.09 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 25/2852 20130101;
B65D 21/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
229/112 ;
229/117.09 |
International
Class: |
B65D 5/00 20060101
B65D005/00; B65D 5/46 20060101 B65D005/46 |
Claims
1. A stackable storage box comprising: a box body; two flexible
belts each having two distal ends thereof affixed to one of two
opposing sidewalls of said box body near the topmost edge of said
box body; and two grips respectively affixed to a middle part of
each of said two flexible belts and movable with said flexible
belts between a first position where said grips are held by said
flexible belts on the inside of said box body and a second position
where said grips are held by said flexible belts on the outside of
said box body.
2. The stackable storage box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
box body is a hollow, trapezoidal container having a relatively
larger upper side and a relatively smaller lower side.
3. The stackable storage box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
grips have a semicircular cross section.
4. The stackable storage box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
grips have a rectangular cross section.
5. The stackable storage box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
grips have an oval cross section.
6. The stackable storage box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
grips have a triangular cross section.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] a) Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to storage containers and more
particularly, to a stackable storage box that facilitates
arrangement of multiple storage boxes of the same design stably in
a stack.
[0003] b) Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Due to limited living space, people usually use storage
boxers to keep personal items, such as clothes, books, magazines,
and etc. Conventional storage boxes are made of plastics by
injection molding for the advantages of light weight and low
manufacturing cost. To facilitate storage, the box body is made in
a trapezoidal shape having a relatively larger upper side and a
relatively smaller lower side and equipped with two rigid handles
at two opposite sides. Thus, multiple storage boxes can be inserted
one into another to reduce the storage space. However, when
multiple storage boxes are arranged in a stack after storage of
storage items in each storage box, the stacked storage boxes are
unstable and may be forced to fall to the floor accidentally by an
external force.
[0005] There is know another design of stackable storage box, which
comprises a collapsible rectangular box body formed of canvass,
four top horizontal rods respectively fastened to the four sides of
the box body at the top, two bottom horizontal rods respectively
fastened to two opposite sides of the box body at the bottom, and
four vertical rods respectively fastened to the box body in the
four corners. The rod members are kept spaced from one another at a
distance after installation. The rod members support the box body
in shape. Further, each vertical peripheral panel of the box body
has two crossed and diagonally extending folding lines. Through the
folding lines, the box body can be collapsed. However, when
multiple stackable storage boxes are arranged in a stack after
storage of storage items in each stackable storage box, the stacked
storage boxes are unstable and may fall to the floor
accidentally
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention has been accomplished under the
circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the
present invention to provide a stackable storage box that
facilitates arrangement of multiple storage boxes of the same
design stably in a stack, either when the storage boxes are empty
or have stored therein storage items.
[0007] To achieve this and other objects of the present invention,
a stackable storage box comprises a hollow, trapezoidal box body
having a relatively larger upper side and a relatively smaller
lower side, two flexible belts each having two distal ends thereof
affixed to one of two opposing sidewalls of the box body near the
topmost edge of the box body, and two grips respectively affixed to
a middle part of each of the two flexible belts and movable with
the flexible belts between a first position where the grips are
held by the flexible belts on the inside of the box body and a
second position where the grips are held by the flexible belts on
the outside of the box body.
[0008] Further, the grips can be configured to have a semi-circular
cross section, circular cross section, oval cross section,
rectangular cross section or oval cross section.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is an oblique top elevation of a stackable storage
box in accordance with the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates multiple empty stackable storage boxes
inserted into one another and arranged in a stack according to the
present invention.
[0011] FIG. 3 corresponds to FIG. 1 but showing the grips held on
the inside of the box body.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating multiple stackable
storage boxes inserted into one another and arranged in a stack
according to the present invention, wherein the box body of one
upper stackable storage box is supported on the grips inside of the
box body of one adjacent lower stackable storage box.
[0013] FIG. 5 illustrates two stackable storage boxes arranged in a
stack according to the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 6A is a schematic sectional view of a part of the
stackable storage box in accordance with the present invention,
showing the grip with a rectangular cross section.
[0015] FIG. 6B is a schematic sectional view of a part of the
stackable storage box in accordance with the present invention,
showing the grip with an oval cross section.
[0016] FIG. 6B is a schematic sectional view of a part of the
stackable storage box in accordance with the present invention,
showing the grip with a triangular cross section.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] Referring to FIG. 1, a stackable storage box in accordance
with the present invention is shown comprising a box body 1 that is
a hollow, trapezoidal container having a relatively larger upper
side and a relatively smaller lower side and defining therein a
storage chamber 10, two flexible belts 11 each having two distal
ends thereof affixed to one of two opposing sidewalls of the box
body 1 near the topmost edge of the box body 1, and two grips 12
respectively affixed to the middle part of each of the two flexible
belts 11.
[0018] The box body 1 consists of two sets of opposing sidewalls
and a bottom wall. The sidewalls and bottom wall of the box body 1
can be made of a paperboard or plastic board having a certain
thickness and covered with a fabric covering. Alternatively, the
box body 1 can be injection-molded from plastics. The grips 12 are
configured for grasping comfortably by the hands of a person.
Further, the grips 12 can be made having a semicircular cross
section (see FIG. 4), rectangular cross section (see FIG. 6A), oval
cross section (see FIG. 6B), triangular cross section (see FIG.
6C), or any of a variety of other shapes of cross section. The
flexible belts 11 have a sufficient length such that the flexible
belts 11 can be turned relatively to the box body 1 to hold the
grips 12 on the outside of the box body 1 (see FIG. 1), or on
inside of the box body 1 (see FIG. 3).
[0019] When the grips 12 are held on the outside the box body 1, as
shown in FIG. 1, multiple stackable storage boxes can be inserted
one into another and arranged in a stack to minimize the storage
space, as shown in FIG. 2.
[0020] Further, multiple stackable storage boxes have storage items
stored therein, the grips 12 of each stackable storage box can be
held by the respective flexible belts 11 on the inside of the
associating box body 1, as shown in FIG. 3, insert the multiple
stackable storage boxes into one another to have each upper
stackable storage box be supported on the grips 12 inside the
respective adjacent lower stackable storage box, as shown in FIGS.
4 and 5, enhancing positioning stability and saving the storage
space.
[0021] Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been
described in detail for purposes of illustration, various
modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention
is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
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