Storage bin

• US 7,686,172 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2005
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Stevenson, Amy L., Starr, Todd C., Cline, Wyatt A., Wisnoski, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): PUROL, SARAH L
• Application Number:
  US11/057,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20060180561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 211/94.01, 211/88.01, 211/11, 211/50, 211/10, 211/71.01, D25/58, D25/121, D25/122, D25/123, D25/138, 52/365
• US Class Current: 211/94.01
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0846 Display panels or rails with elongated channels; Sliders, brackets, shelves, or the like, slidably attached therein

Abstract

A storage bin for use in conjunction with slotwall panel storage systems that can be stacked and snapped together or hung on a slotwall or slot track storage system. The storage bin includes a downwardly opening J-shaped hook and one or more upwardly opening J-shaped hooks extending from the rear wall of the storage bin. When the storage bin is engaging the top edge of the slat the upwardly opening J-shaped hook or hooks can extend into the slot forming the bottom edge of a slat without engaging the bottom edge of the slat.

Claims

1. A storage device for movable and removable mounting on a generally vertical slotwall panel having at least one slat having a top and bottom edge defined by spaced apart slots comprising:

a wall;

a downwardly opening J-shaped hook extending in a rearward direction from the wall along at least a portion of the wall to hook over the top edge of a slat;

at least one upwardly opening J-shaped hook extending in a rearward direction from the wall and spaced below the downwardly opening J-shaped hook to extend into the slot forming the bottom edge of a slat, wherein the upwardly opening J-shaped hook extends into the slot forming the bottom edge without engaging the bottom edge when the downwardly opening J-shaped hook engages the top edge;

where, in the event the storage device is bumped or displaced vertically the upwardly opening J-shaped hook engages the bottom edge before the downwardly opening J-shaped hook disengages from the top edge, and in the event the storage device is bumped or displaced pivotally upward the storage device can pivot on the downwardly opening J-shaped hook without falling off the slotwall panel to assure the storage device is not knocked or bumped off the slotwall panel, while allowing the storage device to be easily slid along or removed from a slat.

2. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the downwardly opening J-shaped hook extends along the top edge of the wall.

3. The storage device according to claim 2, wherein the downwardly opening J-shaped hook extends substantially the full width of the wall.

4. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one upwardly opening J-shaped hook is spaced upwardly from the bottom edge of the wall.

5. The storage device according to claim 4, wherein there is an upwardly opening J-shaped hook adjacent opposite edges of the wall.

6. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the wall comprises a rear wall of a bin, the bin comprising the rear wall, opposed sidewalls connected to the rear wall, a bottom wall connected to the rear wall and the sidewalls, and a front wall connected to the bottom wall and the sidewalls.

7. The storage device according to claim 6, wherein the front wall extends upwardly at an angle greater than 90°

from the bottom wall.

8. The storage device according to claim 7, wherein the front wall extends vertically less than the height of the rear wall.

9. The storage device according to claim 8, wherein the front wall is curved outwardly.

10. The storage device according to claim 6, wherein a first portion of the top edge of the sidewalls comprises an outwardly extending inwardly opening step.

11. The storage device according to claim 10, wherein the inwardly opening step extends from the top edge of the rear wall toward the front wall.

12. The storage device according to claim 11, wherein a second portion of the top edge of the sidewalls comprises an outwardly extending flange extending from the top of the inwardly opening step downwardly to the front wall.

13. The storage device according to claim 11, wherein the inwardly opening step includes a plurality of ribs extending inwardly from the top edge of the inwardly opening steps.

14. The storage device according to claim 13, wherein the bottom wall includes a plurality of feet having a projection extending outwardly from the sidewall.

15. The storage device according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of ribs on the top edge of the inwardly opening steps engage the plurality of projections on the feet to connect two storage devices when two storage devices are stacked and snapped together.

16. The storage device according to claim 12, wherein the front wall comprises a forwardly extending flange from the top edge of the front wall and a downwardly extending handle extending across the front wall.

17. The storage device according to claim 16, wherein the handle comprises rearwardly extending legs at the ends of the handle that engage the sidewalls and the outwardly extending flanges on the second portion of the sidewalls.

18. A storage bin arranged for movable and removable mounting on a member having at least one slat having a top and bottom edge defined by spaced apart slots comprising:

a bottom wall;

a rear wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall and having a downwardly opening J-shaped hook including a horizontal wall extending in a rearward direction from the top edge of the rear wall and a vertical wall extending downwardly from the distal end of the horizontal wall to form a hook to hook over the top edge of a slat, and having a pair of upwardly opening J-shaped hooks including a base extending in a rearward direction from the rear wall and an upwardly extending hook at the distal end of the base positioned adjacent opposite edges of the rear wall spaced below the downwardly opening J-shaped hook and positioned above the bottom edge of the rear wall to extend into the slot forming the bottom edge of a slat;

a pair of sidewalls extending upwardly from the bottom wall having an outwardly extending inwardly opening step extending along a first portion of the top edge of the sidewalls from the top edge of the rear wall toward the front wall, and having an outwardly extending sidewall flange extending along a second portion of the top edge of the sidewalls from the top of the inwardly opening step toward the front of the sidewall;

an outwardly curved front wall extending upwardly an angle greater than 90°

from the bottom wall a vertical height less than the height of the rear wall and including an outwardly extending front wall flange at the top of the front wall and a downwardly extending handle extending across the front wall having rearwardly extending legs at the ends of the handle that engage the sidewalls and the outwardly extending flanges on the second portion of the sidewalls;

wherein the upwardly opening J-shaped hooks extend into the slot forming the bottom edge of a slat without engaging the bottom edge when the downwardly opening J-shaped hook engages the top edge.

19. The storage bin according to claim 18, wherein the inwardly opening step includes a plurality of ribs extending inwardly from the top edge of the inwardly opening steps, and the bottom wall includes a plurality of feet having a projection extending outwardly from the sidewall, and wherein the plurality of ribs on the top edge of the inwardly opening steps engage the plurality of outwardly extending portions of the feet to connect two storage bins when two storage bins are stacked and snapped together.