Storage bins

• US 4,015,886 A
• Filed: 11/03/1975
• Issued: 04/05/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Chester H. Wickenberg
• Original Assignee: Chester H. Wickenberg
• Inventors: Wickenberg, Chester H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilliam, Paul R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sakran, V. N.
• Application Number:
  US05/627,849
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 312/111, 312/107, 312/198, 312/278, 312/279, 206/504, 206/509, 206/518, 211/128
• US Class Current: 312/107
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 87/00 Sectional furniture, i.e. combinations of complete furniture units , e.g. assemblies of furniture units of the same kind such as linkable cabinets, tables, racks or shelf units switchboards or switch cubicles for the distribution of electric power H02B
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/00 Show stands, hangers, or shelves characterised by their constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/005 Partitions therefore horizontally adjustable A47B57/58; constructional details of drawers A47B88/90

Abstract

A storage and display system includes a plurality of bins adapted to be stacked and interlocked in a vertical array and tier-supporting members including at least two brackets adapted to be detachably interlocking to form horizontal and vertical supporting surfaces for the bins. Each bin consists of a bottom, a substantially upstanding front wall and an upstanding rear wall. Each bottom of the bins has a front flange member and a rear flange member arranged on its outside surface. Each upstanding rear wall of the bins has an additional flange member positioned on its upper end. A first bin is positioned onto the supporting members by interengaging the front and rear flange members on the bottom of the first bin with hook-shaped projections on the brackets. A second bin is stacked above the first bin by interengaging the additional flange member on the upper end of the rear wall of the first bin with the front flange member on the bottom of the second bin and by interengaging the rear flange member on the bottom of the second bin with the supporting members. A third bin is stacked above the first and second bins by interengaging the additional flange member on the upper end of the rear wall of the second bin with the front flange member on the bottom of the third bin and by interengaging the rear flange member on the bottom of the third bin with the supporting members. A plurality of partition members is provided for dividing each of the bins into a desired number of compartments. Each of the partition members is adjustable laterally along the entire width of the bins to provide substantially infinite variations of compartment sizes.

Claims

1. A storage and display system comprising:

a plurality of bins adapted to be stacked and detachably interlocked in a vertical array;

tier-supporting means including at least two brackets adapted to be detachably interlocking to form horizontal and vertical supporting surfaces for the bins;

each of said plurality of bins consisting of a bottom, a substantially upstanding front wall and an upstanding rear wall;

each bottom of the bins having a front flange means and a rear flange means disposed on its outside surface, each upstanding rear wall of the bins having an additional flange means disposed on its upper end;

said brackets having hook-shaped projections adapted to interengage with the bins thereby detachably interlocking the bins onto the brackets;

said plurality of bins including at least three bins, a first bin of said at least three bins being positioned onto the supporting means so that the hook-shaped projections interengage with the front and rear flange means on the bottom of said first bin;

a second bin of said at least three bins being stacked above said first bin by interengaging so as to detachably interlock said additional flange means on the upper end of the rear wall of the first bin with the front flange means on the bottom of the second bin and by interengaging so as to detachably interlock the rear flange means on the bottom of the second bin with said supporting means; and

a third of said at least three bins being stacked above the first and second bins by interengaging so as to detachably interlock said additional flange means on the upper end of the rear wall of the second bin with the front flange means on the bottom of the third bin and by interengaging so as to detachably interlock the rear flange means on the bottom of the third bin with said supporting means.

2. A storage and display system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of partition members for dividing each of the bins into a desired number of separate compartments, each of the partition members being adjustable laterally along the entire width of the bins to provide substantially infinite variations of compartment sizes.

3. A storage and display system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the upstanding front wall has a flange portion with a downwardly extending section on its upper end, and wherein each of the partition members have a rear curved-portion for detachable engagement with a bottom section of the flange means on the upper end of the rear wall of the bin and a front outwardly projecting flange with a hook-shaped outer end for detachable engagement with the downwardly extending section of the flange portion on the upper end of the upstanding front wall on the bins.

4. A storage and display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front flange means on the bottom of the bins comprise a first downwardly extending flange having an end portion and a second downwardly projecting flange extending parallel thereto, the second flange being spaced at a short distance from the first flange and having a length substantially equal thereto.

5. A storage and display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear flange means on the bottom of the bins comprise a first downwardly extending flange having an end portion and a second downwardly projecting flange extending parallel thereto, the second flange being spaced at a short distance from the first flange and having a length substantially equal thereto.

6. A storage and display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additional flange means on the upper end of the rear wall of the bins comprise a flange having a top section and a downwardly extending bottom section.

7. A storage and display system comprising:

at least two bins adapted to be stacked and detachably interlocked in a vertical array;

at least one supporting bracket adapted to form horizontal and vertical supporting surfaces for the bins;

each of said at least two bins consisting of a bottom, a substantially upstanding front wall and an upstanding rear wall;

each bottom the bin having a front flange means and a rear flange means disposed on its outside surface, each upstanding rear wall of the bins having an additional flange means disposed on its upper end;

said brackets having hook-shaped projections adapted to interengage with the bins thereby detachably interlocking the bins onto the bracket;

a first bin of said at least two bins being positioned onto said at least one supporting bracket so that the hook-shaped projections interengage with the front and rear flange means on the bottom of said first bin; and

a second bin of said at least two bins being stacked above said first bin by interengaging so as to detachably interlock said additional flange means on the upper end of the rear wall of the first bin with the front flange means on the bottom of the second bin and by interengaging so as to detachably interlock the rear flange means on the bottom of the second bin with said at least one supporting bracket.

8. A storage and display system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a plurality of partition members for dividing each of the bins into a desired number of separate compartments, each of the partition members being adjustable laterally along the entire width of the bins to provide substantially infinite variations of compartment sizes.

9. A storage and display system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the upstanding front wall has a flange portion with a downwardly extending section on its upper end, and wherein each of the partition members has a rear curved-portion for detachable engagement with a bottom section of the flange means on the upper end of the rear wall of the bins and a front outwardly projecting flange with a hook-shaped outer end for detachable engagement with the downwardly extending section of the flange portion on the upper end of the upstanding front wall on the bins.

10. A storage and display system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the front flange means on the bottom of the bins comprise a first downwardly extending flange having an end portion and a second downwardly projecting flange extending parallel thereto, the second flange being spaced at a short distance from the first flange and having a length substantially equal thereto.

11. A storage and display system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the rear flange means on the bottom of the bins comprise a first downwardly extending flange having an end portion and a second downwardly projecting flange extending parallel thereto, the second flange being spaced at a short distance from the first flange and having a length substantially equal thereto.

12. A storage and display system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the additional flange means on the upper end of the rear wall of the bins comprise a flange having a top section and a downwardly extending bottom section.