Article storage tray

• US 6,059,109 A
• Filed: 11/09/1998
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: R.D.S. Industries
• Original Assignee: Olympia Industrial Incorporated
• Inventors: Stein, Harvey
• Primary Examiner(s): Sewell, Paul T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam, Nhan T.
• Application Number:
  US09/188,138
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 206/372, 206/373, 206/515, 206/561, 206/518, 206/505, 206/506, 206/509, 206/510, 220/735, 220/23.83, 220/555, 220/556, 220/914, 220/575, 220/507
• US Class Current: 206/373
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/06 Trays
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/36 with moulded compartments or partitions
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/00 Nestable, stackable or joinable containers; Containers of variable capacity

Abstract

An organizer tray which is insertable within the upper portion of an empty container such as a five gallon bucket for use in organizing tools and like articles typically transported by craftsmen in empty buckets. The organizer tray is provided with bottom open, arcuately shaped channels which enable the tray to be emplaced over the upper rim portion of the container for easy access to the top open storage compartments. The organizer tray can conveniently be stacked onto a tray of identical design in a stable, slightly spaced configuration. For this purpose, the tray includes a radially inwardly extending protuberance which is engagable by a spacing finger provided on a superiorly mounted tray.

Claims

1. An assemblage comprising a first and second stacked article storage tray transportable by user, said assemblage being insertable into a container having an interior wall which is generally circular in cross section at any point, the wall terminating in an upper rim portion, each of said first and second storage trays comprising:

(a) interconnected side and bottom walls defining an interior chamber, said bottom wall having an arcuate shaped recess formed therein for receiving the upper rim portion of the container;

(b) at least three spaced-apart partitions dividing said inner chamber into at least three compartments, each said partition comprising first and second spaced-apart walls defining therebetween a generally arcuate shaped channel, a selected two of said partitions being disposed in alignment with said arcuate shape recess formed in said bottom wall, said first and second spaced-apart walls having first and second ends, said first ends thereof being interconnected with said side wall;

(c) a handle defining portion disposed generally centrally of said inner interior chamber, said second ends of said first and second walls of said partitions being connected to said handle defining portion, said handle defining portion including finger receiving means for receiving of the fingers of the user;

(d) an inwardly extending protuberance formed on said side wall; and

(e) a downwardly extending protuberance engaging finger, said protuberance engaging finger of said first tray engaging said protuberance of said second tray.

2. An article storage insert tray for use with a container having any interior wall which is generally circular in cross-section at any point, the wall terminating in an upper rim portion, said tray comprising:

(a) interconnected side and bottom walls defining an interior chamber, said bottom wall having a generally arcuate shaped recess therein for receiving the upper rim portion of the container;

(b) a plurality of partitions dividing said inner chamber into a plurality of compartments, each said partition wall having a first end connected to said side wall of the container and a second end;

(c) a handle defining portion disposed generally centrally of said the interior chamber, said second end of said partition walls being connected to said central handle defining portion;

(d) an inwardly extending protuberance formed on said sidewall, said sidewall including an inwardly extending, generally arcuate shaped segment defining a concave space; and

(e) a protuberance engaging finger extending downwardly into said concave space.

3. An article storage tray for use with a container having any interior wall which is generally circular in cross-section at any point, the wall terminating in an upper rim portion, said tray being transportable by a user and comprising:

(a) interconnected side and bottom walls defining an interior chamber, said bottom wall having an arcuate shaped recess formed therein for receiving the upper rim portion of the container;

(b) a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart partitions dividing said inner chamber into a plurality of compartments at least two of said spaced apart partitions comprising;

(i) first and second spaced apart walls defining there between a generally arcuate shaped recess for receiving the upper rim portion of the container, each of said spaced apart walls of said at least two of said partitions having a first and second ends;

(ii) a handle defining portion disposed generally centrally of said interior chamber;

said first ends of said walls of said partitions being interconnected with said side wall and second ends of said walls of said partitions being connected to said handle defining portion, said handle defining portion including finger receiving means for receiving the fingers of the user; and

(iii) an inwardly extending protuberance formed on said side wall, said sidewall including an inwardly extending, generally arcuate shaped segment defining a concave space, said inwardly extending protuberance being superimposed over said concave space; and

(e) a protuberance engaging finger extending downwardly into said concave space.