U.S. patent application number 12/958222 was filed with the patent office on 2012-06-07 for stabilized storage bin.
Invention is credited to James E. Bennett, Craig DuBois.
Application Number | 20120138617 12/958222 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46161252 |
Filed Date | 2012-06-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120138617 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
DuBois; Craig ; et
al. |
June 7, 2012 |
STABILIZED STORAGE BIN
Abstract
A relatively tall, narrow storage bin including a pivotable
stabilizing base rotatable from a stored position substantially
congruent with the base to an open stabilizing position normal to
the base and including means to secure the base in position.
Inventors: |
DuBois; Craig; (US) ;
Bennett; James E.; (US) |
Family ID: |
46161252 |
Appl. No.: |
12/958222 |
Filed: |
December 1, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/629 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B42P 2241/12 20130101;
B42F 7/145 20130101; A47B 97/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/629 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/24 20060101
B65D025/24 |
Claims
1. A stabilized storage bin, comprising: a rectangular bin element
having a bottom and four sides that is taller than it is wide, said
bin element including a pivot point at the center of the bottom and
a plurality of downwardly projecting rigid bubbles on the lower
surface; and a stabilizing element of thin material, said
stabilizing element approximately the same dimension as the bottom
of the bin, pivotably secured at the pivot point and including
openings to selectively receive the rigid bubbles to secure the
relative positions of the bin and the stabilizing element, said
stabilizing element selectively secured in the stored position
beneath the bottom and the stabilizing position at right angles to
the long dimension of the bottom.
2. A stabilized storage bin, comprising: a substantially
rectangular, relatively deep open top storage unit, including a
bottom, outwardly flared sides and ends, wherein the ends are of a
lesser dimension than the sides, said bottom including a central
pivot point and at least one downwardly protruding dimple; and a
stabilizing element pivotably secured to the bottom of the storage
unit, said element substantially congruent with the bottom, and
including at least one detent to selectively receive the dimple to
secure the relative position of the storage unit and the
stabilizing element.
3. A stabilized storage bin as in claim 2, wherein the stabilizing
element includes means to secure it in a normal position
perpendicular to the bin bottom.
4. A stabilized storage bin as in claim 2, wherein the stabilizing
element includes at least one upwardly projecting extension
preventing relative rotation between the stabilizing element and
the bin in one direction.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to storage bins, and in particular to
storage bins which are intended to be used as working units in
classrooms or libraries, and in particular to storage bins which
are intended for magazines or workbooks stored in a vertical
fashion such that the bin is tall and narrow and includes a
stabilizing element which may be positioned parallel to the bottom
of the bin for storage and normal to the bottom of the bin for
stabilization during use.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Storage bins of various sizes and shapes are well known and
utilized in classrooms and workshops to organize material for
storage and enabling the user to readily locate, remove from
storage and utilize the material. It is inherently important that
the storage devices not only contain the material but enable the
efficient storage of the material and facilitate the utilization of
the material.
[0003] A storage device including a rotating top for entirely
different purposes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,307 granted
Jan. 14, 1975 to Postel.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0004] With the above-noted prior art in mind, the present
invention is designed to provide efficient and compact storage in a
unit that can be easily removed from storage and used as a
workpiece, wherein the unit includes integral means to improve
stability during use.
[0005] The invention further provides a storage unit which is
relatively tall and thin, thereby minimizing the amount of storage
space required, while including a base member which is congruent
with the bottom of the bin during storage and through limited
rotation provides stability for the unit when it is standing
alone.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the storage unit with the
stabilizing base in the closed position.
[0007] FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the storage unit with the
stabilizing base in the closed position.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the stabilizing base.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the stabilizing base.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the base.
[0011] FIG. 6 is an end elevation view of the base.
[0012] FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the storage unit.
[0013] FIG. 8 is an end elevation view of the storage unit.
[0014] FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the storage unit.
[0015] FIG. 10 is an isometric view of the slightly modified
storage unit with the base in the stabilizing position.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0016] As seen in FIG. 1, the bin 2 includes a vertical side 4,
front end 6, rear end 8 and bottom 10. Secured to the bottom 10 at
a central location 12 is a stabilizing base, including outwardly
extending ends 14, including upwardly extending fin 16.
[0017] Reference is now had to FIG. 2, wherein the front elevation
is shown, including a label member 18 and the pivot point 12,
upwardly extending fin 16 and opposing fin 20.
[0018] The stabilizing base is seen in FIGS. 3-6 and includes a
flat flexible base element 22 (wings 14), including downwardly
protruding feet 24, a centrally located hole 26, a pair of notches
28 and a pair of bores 30, which center lines are on the same
radius as the center lines of the notches 28.
[0019] The bin itself is seen in FIGS. 7-9 and further as seen in
these views are feet 32 and downwardly extending dimple 34. The
bores 30 and the notches 28 mate with the dimple 34 to retain the
base in the closed or the extended position.
[0020] Reference is now had to FIG. 10, wherein the bin 2 is shown
with the stabilizing base 14 normal to the bottom of the bin,
providing stabilization. It is to be noted that the feet 32 forming
part of the bin are in the same plane as the feet 24 on the
stabilizing base.
[0021] Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been
disclosed for purposes of illustration, it should be understood
that various changes, modifications and substitutions may be
incorporated in the embodiment without departing from the spirit of
the invention, which is defined by the claims which follow.
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