Variably configurable stackable bins

• US 7,621,421 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2006
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Abraham Ohayon
• Original Assignee: Abraham Ohayon
• Inventors: Ohayon, Abraham
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick; Anthony D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hicks; Robert J
• Application Number:
  US11/328,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20070158347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 220/552, 220/533, 220/532, 220/529, 220/23.2, 220/500, 206/504, 206/505, 206/507, D21/500, D21/499
• US Class Current: 220/529
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 1/22 Boxes or like containers with side walls of substantial depth for enclosing contents B65D43/162, B65D81/02, B65D81/3813 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0213 Containers presenting a continuous stacking profile along the upper or lower edge of at least two opposite side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/04 Partitions

Abstract

Stackable bin includes a housing defining a receptacle and having two pair of opposed walls defining an opening at a front leading into the receptacle, at least one pair of which have an inward taper with respect to a central axis of the housing. A partitioning structure is removably insertable into the receptacle through the opening and partitions the receptacle into a plurality of storage compartments. The partitioning structure has an inward taper corresponding to the inward taper of the opposed walls and frictionally engages the opposed walls to hinder unintentional removal of the partitioning structure from the receptacle. The removability of the partitioning structure enables the receptacle to be selectively partitioned into smaller storage spaces than a storage space without the partitioning structure which would occupy the entire receptacle. Use of the partitioning structure would be dependent on the objects sought to be stored by the user.

Claims

1. A stackable bin, comprising:

a housing defining a receptacle and including two pair of opposed walls defining an opening at a front leading into said receptacle, at least one pair of said opposed walls having inner surfaces having an inward taper along substantially their entire length with respect to a central axis of said housing; and

a partitioning structure removably insertable into said receptacle through said opening and partitioning said receptacle into a plurality of storage compartments,

said partitioning structure having outer edges having an inward taper along substantially their entire length in correspondence with the inward taper of said inner surfaces of said at least one pair of opposed walls and frictionally engaging said inner surfaces of said at least one pair of opposed walls.

2. The stackable bin of claim 1, wherein a first one of said walls in a pair of said opposed walls has an outward facing stepped profile on an outer surface and a second one of said walls in the same pair of said opposed walls has an inward facing stepped profile on an outer surface which mates with said outward facing stepped profile to thereby enable a plurality of the bins to be mated together via said walls.

3. The stackable bin of claim 2, wherein said outward facing stepped profile includes an outer raised ledge formed on an outer surface of said first wall, said outer raised ledge extending along the entire periphery of said first wall inward from peripheral edges of said first wall, and an inner raised ledge formed on and projecting from said outer raised ledge, said inner raised ledge extending along the entire periphery of said outer raised ledge inward from peripheral edges of said outer raised ledge.

4. The stackable bin of claim 3, wherein said first wall tapers inward such that said outer raised ledge has a variable height along side edges of said first wall and a substantially constant height along front and rear edges of said first wall.

5. The stackable bin of claim 3, wherein said inward facing stepped profile includes a raised ledge formed on an outer surface of said second wall, said raised ledge of said inward facing stepped profile extending along the entire periphery of said second wall inward from peripheral edges of said second wall, and an inwardly facing indentation formed in said raised ledge of said inward facing stepped profile, said indentation extending along the entire periphery of said raised ledge of said inward facing stepped profile inward from peripheral edges of said raised ledge of said inward facing stepped profile.

6. The stackable bin of claim 5, wherein said second wall tapers inward such that said raised ledge of said inward facing stepped profile has a variable height along side edges of said second wall and a substantially constant height along front and rear edges of said second wall.

7. The stackable bin of claim 1, wherein a first wall in each of said two pair of opposed walls has an outward facing stepped profile on an outer surface and a second wall in each of said two pair of opposed walls has an inward facing stepped profile on an outer surface which mates with said outward facing stepped profile to thereby enable a plurality of the bins to be mated together vertically and horizontally via mating of said walls.

8. The stackable bin of claim 1, wherein said partitioning structure includes first and second dividers, said first divider having a slot extending rearward from a front edge and said second divider having a slot extending forward from a rear edge, said first divider being insertable into said slot in said second divider and said second divider being insertable into said slot in said first divider.

9. The stackable bin of claim 8, further comprising guide means for guiding insertion of said dividers into said receptacle.

10. The stackable bin of claim 9, wherein said guide means comprise divider guides arranged on inner surfaces of said walls, each of said divider guides comprising a pair of ribs spaced apart a distance not less than the width of an engaging one of said dividers.

11. The stackable bin of claim 8, wherein said housing includes at least one rear wall section extending between one pair of opposed walls to maintain said partitioning structure in said receptacle, said partitioning structure having a rearward contour which engages with said at least one rear wall section while maintaining a front contour of said partitioning structure flush with front edges of said walls.

12. The stackable bin of claim 8, wherein each of said dividers includes a positioning structure that retains the other of said dividers in a secure position relative thereto, said positioning structure comprising guide members spaced apart from one another to define a channel therebetween which receives the other of said dividers.

13. The stackable bin of claim 8, wherein outer edges of said dividers engaging with said at least one pair of opposed walls are tapered along substantially their entire length in correspondence with the inward tapering of said at least one pair of opposed walls.

14. A stackable bin, comprising:

a housing defining a receptacle and including two pair of opposed walls defining an opening at a front leading into said receptacle,

a first wall in each of said two pair of opposed walls having an outward facing stepped profile on an outer surface, and

a second wall in each of said two pair of opposed walls having an inward facing stepped profile on an outer surface which mates with said outward facing stepped profile to thereby enable a plurality of the bins to be mated together vertically and horizontally via mating of said walls.

15. The stackable bin of claim 14, wherein each of said walls has an inward taper along at least a portion thereof with respect to a central axis of said housing.

16. The stackable bin of claim 14, further comprising a partitioning structure insertable into said receptacle through said opening and partitioning said receptacle into a plurality of storage compartments.

17. The stackable bin of claim 14, wherein said outward facing stepped profile includes an outer raised ledge formed on an outer surface of said first wall, said outer raised ledge extending along the entire periphery of said first wall inward from peripheral edges of said first wall, and an inner raised ledge formed on and projecting from said outer raised ledge, said inner raised ledge extending along the entire periphery of said outer raised ledge inward from peripheral edges of said outer raised ledge.

18. The stackable bin of claim 14, wherein said inward facing stepped profile includes a raised ledge formed on an outer surface of said second wall, said raised ledge of said inward facing stepped profile extending along the entire periphery of said second wall inward from peripheral edges of said second wall, and an inwardly facing indentation formed in said raised ledge of said inward facing stepped profile, said inwardly facing indentation extending along the entire periphery of said raised ledge of said inward facing stepped profile inward from peripheral edges of said raised ledge of said inward facing stepped profile.

19. A stackable bin, comprising:

a housing defining a receptacle and including a plurality of side walls, said side walls defining an opening at a front end of said side walls and a rear section at a rear end of said side walls opposite said opening,

a first one of said side walls having an outward facing stepped profile on an outer surface, said outward facing stepped profile extending along the entire periphery of said first side wall inward from peripheral edges of said first side wall such that said outward facing stepped profile extends alongside said opening, alongside side walls adjacent to said first side wall and alongside said rear section, and

a second one of said side walls having an inward facing stepped profile on an outer surface which mates with said outward facing stepped profile to thereby enable a plurality of the bins to be mated together vertically and horizontally via mating of said walls, said inward facing stepped profile extending along the entire periphery of said second side wall inward from peripheral edges of said second side wall such that said inward facing stepped profile extends alongside said opening, alongside side walls adjacent to said second side wall and alongside said rear section.

20. The stackable bin of claim 19, wherein said first and second side walls taper inward from said opening to said rear section such that said outward facing stepped profile has a variable height alongside said side walls adjacent to said first side wall and a substantially constant height alongside said opening and said rear section and such that said inward facing stepped profile has a variable height alongside said side walls adjacent to said second side wall and a substantially constant height alongside said opening and said rear section.