Stackable storage receptacle and modular storage system made therefrom
First Claim
1. A plastic storage receptacle, comprising a body including opposed sidewalls, a rear wall, a bottom, a substantially open front and a substantially open top, said sidewalls and said rear wall each having a lower edge, an upper edge, a flange depending from said upper edge and an intermediate portion between said lower edge and said upper edge, said intermediate portion having a grid-like construction, wherein openings are provided therein;
- stacking means formed monolithically with said body for stacking said receptacle and another similar receptacle one on top of the other; and
attaching means formed monolithically with said body for releaseably attaching said receptacle to said another similar receptacle when said receptacles are stacked one on top of the other, said attaching means including a plurality of T-shaped members, each T-shaped member being pivotable between a first position in which it is not engageable with said another similar receptacle, a second position in which it is engageable with said another similar receptacle through a corresponding one of the openings therein, and a third position in which it is engageable with yet another similar receptacle arranged alongside said receptacle, at least one of said T-shaped members being pivotally attached to said flange of one of said upper edges of said body and at least another of said T-shaped members being pivotally attached to said flange of another of said upper edges of said body, each T-shaped member including a stem, a cross-bar extending generally transversely of said stem, a first live hinge positioned between said stem and said flange of a corresponding one of said upper edges, and a second live hinge positioned between said first live hinge and said crossbar and each T-shaped member depending from said flange of a corresponding one of said upper edges when said T-shaped member is in its said first position, extending around and over said flange and said corresponding one of said upper edges when said T-shaped member is in its said second position, and extending generally laterally outwardly from said flange of said corresponding one of said upper edges when said T-shaped member is in its said third position.
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Abstract
A modular storage system is made from at least two stackable storage receptacles of one-piece molded plastic construction. Each receptacle has a plurality of T-shaped locking tabs formed integrally with the basket. Each tab is adapted to pivot from an as-molded position to a position in which it releaseably engages an overhead receptacle, as well as to a position in which it releaseably engages an adjacent receptacle.
67 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A plastic storage receptacle, comprising a body including opposed sidewalls, a rear wall, a bottom, a substantially open front and a substantially open top, said sidewalls and said rear wall each having a lower edge, an upper edge, a flange depending from said upper edge and an intermediate portion between said lower edge and said upper edge, said intermediate portion having a grid-like construction, wherein openings are provided therein;
- stacking means formed monolithically with said body for stacking said receptacle and another similar receptacle one on top of the other; and
attaching means formed monolithically with said body for releaseably attaching said receptacle to said another similar receptacle when said receptacles are stacked one on top of the other, said attaching means including a plurality of T-shaped members, each T-shaped member being pivotable between a first position in which it is not engageable with said another similar receptacle, a second position in which it is engageable with said another similar receptacle through a corresponding one of the openings therein, and a third position in which it is engageable with yet another similar receptacle arranged alongside said receptacle, at least one of said T-shaped members being pivotally attached to said flange of one of said upper edges of said body and at least another of said T-shaped members being pivotally attached to said flange of another of said upper edges of said body, each T-shaped member including a stem, a cross-bar extending generally transversely of said stem, a first live hinge positioned between said stem and said flange of a corresponding one of said upper edges, and a second live hinge positioned between said first live hinge and said crossbar and each T-shaped member depending from said flange of a corresponding one of said upper edges when said T-shaped member is in its said first position, extending around and over said flange and said corresponding one of said upper edges when said T-shaped member is in its said second position, and extending generally laterally outwardly from said flange of said corresponding one of said upper edges when said T-shaped member is in its said third position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- stacking means formed monolithically with said body for stacking said receptacle and another similar receptacle one on top of the other; and
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7. A modular storage system made from a plurality of individual, substantially identical plastic receptacles stacked one on top of the other and/or side by side, each receptacle comprising a body including opposed sidewalls, a rear wall, a bottom, a substantially open front and a substantially open top, said sidewalls and said rear wall each having a lower edge, an upper edge, a flange depending from said upper edge and an intermediate portion between said lower edge and said upper edge, said intermediate portion having a grid-like construction, whereby openings are provided therein;
- stacking means formed monolithically with said body for stacking said receptacle and another similar receptacle one on top of the other; and
attaching means formed monolithically with said body for releasably attaching said receptacle to said another receptacle when said receptacle and said another receptacle are stacked one on top of the other and for releaseably attaching said receptacle to yet another receptacle when said receptacle and said yet another receptacle are arranged alongside each other, said attaching means including a plurality of T-shaped members, each T-shaped member being pivotable between a first position in which it is not engageable with an overlaying or adjacent receptacle, a second position in which it is engageable with an overlaying receptacle through a corresponding one of the openings therein, and a third position in which it is engageable with an adjacent receptacle through a corresponding one of the openings therein, at least one of said T-shaped members being pivotally attached to said flange of one of said upper edges of said body and at least another of said T-shaped members being pivotally attached to said flange of another of said upper edges of said body, each T-shaped member including a stem, a crossbar extending generally transversely of said stem, a first live hinge positioned between said stem and said flange of a corresponding one of said upper edges, and a second live hinge positioned between said first live hinge and said crossbar and each T-shaped member depending from said flange of a corresponding one of said upper edges when said T-shaped member is in its said first position, extending around and over said flange and said corresponding one of said upper edges when said T-shaped member is in its said second position, and extending generally laterally outwardly from said flange of said corresponding one of said upper edges when said T-shaped member is in its said third position. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- stacking means formed monolithically with said body for stacking said receptacle and another similar receptacle one on top of the other; and
Specification