Container storage assembly

• US 7,762,636 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2007
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hatco Corporation (Lanxess AG)
• Original Assignee: Hatco Corporation (Lanxess AG)
• Inventors: Veeser, Kevin, Anich, Louis S. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jayne; Darnell M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barnett; Devin
• Application Number:
  US11/839,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20090045153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 211/126, 211/126.1, 211/126.15, 211/10, 211/189, 211/13.1, 211/46, 211/134, 211/191, 219/385, 219/392, 219/394, 219/428, 312/246, 312/330.1, 312/334.1, 312/334.23, 312/334.7, 994/68, 994/83
• US Class Current: 312/330.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/407 Adjustably or detachably mounted drawers A47B88/423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 39/02 Dish-warmers; Devices to keep food hot

Abstract

A container storage assembly including a frame, a first container support coupled to the frame and having a lower container support surface and an upper container support surface, and a second container support coupled to the frame and having a lower container support surface. The assembly further includes a third container support having an upper container support surface. The third container support is coupled to the frame between the first and the second container supports. The lower container support surfaces of the first container support and the second container support define a first plane, and the upper container support surfaces of the first container support and the third container support define a second plane that is above the first plane.

Claims

1. A container storage assembly comprising:

a frame;

a first container support coupled to the frame and having a lower container support surface and an upper container support surface;

a second container support coupled to the frame and having a lower container support surface and an upper container support surface;

a third container support having a first upper container support surface and a second upper container support surface, the third container support coupled to the frame between the first and the second container supports;

wherein the lower container support surfaces of the first container support and the second container support define a first plane, the lower container support surfaces spaced apart from each other and configured to support opposing sides of a first container,

wherein the upper container support surface of the first container support and the first upper container support surface of the third container support define a second plane, the upper container support surface of the first container support and the first upper container support surface spaced apart from each other and configured to support opposing sides of a second container,

wherein the upper container support surface of the second container support and the second upper container support surface of the third container support define a third plane, the upper container support surface of the second container support and the second upper container support surface spaced apart from each other and configured to support opposing sides of a third container, and

wherein the second plane is above the first plane such that the first container support and the second container support are adapted to support the first container below the third container support on the lower container support surfaces.

2. The container storage assembly of claim 1, wherein the second and the third planes are co-planar.

3. The container storage assembly of claim 1, wherein the first, the second, and the third container supports each include a channel, wherein the channel of the first container support defines the upper and the lower support surfaces of the first container support, wherein the channel of the second container support defines the upper and the lower support surfaces of the second container support, wherein the channel of the third container support defines the first upper container support surface of the third container support, and wherein the third container support further includes a second channel that defines the second upper container support surface of the third container support.

4. The container storage assembly of claim 3, wherein the first and the second channels of the third container support are directly coupled together.

5. The container storage assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a first container having a width, the first container configured to suspend from and slide along the lower support surface of the first container support and the lower support surface of the second container support; and

a second container having a width less than the width of the first container, the second container configured to suspend from and slide along the upper support surface of the first container support and the first upper container support surface of the third container support.

6. The container storage assembly of claim 5, wherein the first container includes sidewalls that define a cavity, the first container further including a flange that extends from the sidewalls, and wherein the flange is configured to suspend the first container from the lower support surface of the first container support and the lower support surface of the second container support.

7. The container storage assembly of claim 5, wherein the width of the second container is less than about 75 percent of the width of the first container.

8. The container storage assembly of claim 1, wherein the second plane is less than 6 inches above the first plane.

9. The container storage assembly of claim 7, wherein the second plane is less than about 3 inches above the first plane.

10. The container storage assembly of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower container support surfaces of the first container support are integrally formed as a single piece.

11. A container storage assembly comprising:

a frame configured to support the container storage assembly on a base surface;

a first container support coupled to the frame;

a second container support coupled to the frame;

a first container having a width, the first container configured to suspend from the first and the second container supports at a first height above the base surface;

a third container support coupled to the frame between the first and the second container supports, the third container support having a first container support surface and a second container support surface, the first container support surface and the second container support surface of the third container support each being at a second height above the base surface, the second height greater than the first height such that the third container support is above the first container when the first container suspends from the first and the second container supports;

a second container having a width less than the width of the first container, the second container configured to suspend from the first and the third container supports at the second height; and

a third container having a width less than the width of the first container, the third container configured to suspend from the second and the third container supports at the second height.

12. The container storage assembly of claim 11, wherein the width of the second container is substantially equal to the width of the third container.

13. The container storage assembly of claim 11, wherein a total width is defined as the width of the second container plus the width of the third container, wherein the total width is equal to or less than the width of the first container.

14. The container storage assembly of claim 11, wherein, when the first container suspends from the first and the second container supports, the second container is unable to be suspended from the first and the third container supports, and the third container is unable to be suspended from the second and third container supports.

15. The container storage assembly of claim 11, wherein the second height is less than 6 inches above the first height.

16. The container storage assembly of claim 11, wherein the second height is less than 3 inches above the first height.

17. The container storage assembly of claim 11, wherein the first container includes sidewalls that define a cavity, the first container further including a flange that extends from the sidewalls, the flange of the first container configured to slide along the first and the second container supports, wherein the second container includes sidewalls that define a cavity, the second container further including a flange that extends from the sidewalls of the second container, the flange of the second container configured to slide along the first and the third container supports.