Storage enclosure

• US 8,215,728 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2009
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Waterloo Industries Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Waterloo Industries Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mehmen, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jayne, Darnell
• Assistant Examiner(s): Krycinski, Stanton L
• Application Number:
  US12/465,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20090284112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 312/295, 312/309, 312/327, 312/328, 312/323, 312/139.1, 312/290, 491/42, 491/98, 492/03, 492/04, 491/43, 491/45, 491/03, 491/63, 491/68
• US Class Current: 312/327
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/02 Boxes

Abstract

A storage enclosure includes a housing and first and second doors. The housing defines a front opening for permitting access to an interior of the housing. The first door is connected to the first and second side walls and is upwardly pivotable and inwardly slideable from a closed position covering a lower portion of the front opening to an open position uncovering the lower portion of the front opening. The second door is connected to the housing and is upwardly pivotable from a closed position covering an upper portion of the front opening to an open position uncovering the upper portion of the front opening.

Claims

1. A storage enclosure comprising:

a housing including first and second opposed side walls, a rear wall extending between rear portions of the side walls, and a top wall extending between top portions of the side walls, the side walls defining an opening for permitting access to an interior of the housing;

a movable door moveably connected to the housing, the movable door covering a lower portion of the housing interior in a closed position, with an upper edge of the closed movable door defining an upper end of the lower portion of the housing interior, the movable door being received entirely within an upper portion of the housing interior in an open position, the upper portion of the housing interior being disposed above the lower portion of the housing interior;

a pivot arm having a first end pivotally connected to a lower portion of the movable door and a second end pivotally connected to one of the first and second side walls;

a slide member pivotally connected to an upper portion of the movable door and slideably connected to the one of the first and second side walls; and

a second door moveably connected to the housing, the second door covering an upper portion of the opening in a closed position, wherein the second door secures the movable door in the closed position when the second door is in the closed position.

2. The storage enclosure of claim 1, wherein the second door is pivotally connected to the top wall.

3. The storage enclosure of claim 1, wherein the second door comprises a flange portion positioned to engage an upper edge of the movable door to prevent upward and inward opening movement of the movable door when the second door is in the closed position.

4. The storage enclosure of claim 1, wherein the second door includes a locking mechanism operable to lockingly engage the first and second side walls when the second door is in the closed position.

5. The storage enclosure of claim 1, wherein the second end of the pivot arm is pivotally connected to the one of the first and second side walls by a swivel plate.

6. The storage enclosure of claim 1, wherein the top portion of the movable door comprises a bracket extending substantially perpendicularly from a rear surface of the movable door.

7. The storage enclosure of claim 1, comprising a first pivot arm connecting a first end of the movable door to the first side wall, and a second pivot arm connecting a second end of the movable door to the second side wall.

8. The storage enclosure of claim 1, wherein the second end of the pivot arm pivotally connected to the one of the first and second side walls at a fixed location.

9. A storage enclosure comprising:

a housing including opposed side walls, a rear wall extending between rear portions of the side walls, and a top wall extending between top portions of the side walls, the side walls including front portions defining a front opening for permitting access to an interior of the housing;

a first door moveably connected to the side walls, the first door covering a lower portion of the front opening in a closed position, with an upper edge of the closed first door defining an upper end of the lower portion of the front opening, the first door being received within the interior of the housing in an open position; and

a second door moveably connected to at least one of the top wall and the side walls, the second door covering an upper portion of the front opening, above the lower portion of the front opening, in a closed position and uncovering the upper portion of the front opening in an open position;

wherein when the first door moves from the closed position to the open position, at least a portion of the first door passes through the upper portion of the front opening, and the second door blocks movement of the first door from the closed position to the open position when the second door is in the closed position, and the second door permits movement of the first door from the closed position to the open position when the second door is in the open position.

10. The storage enclosure of claim 9, wherein the top portions of the side walls and a front portion of the top wall further defining a top opening perpendicular to and continuous with the front opening, the second door covering the top opening in the closed position and uncovering the top opening in the open position.

11. The storage enclosure of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first and second doors includes a locking mechanism operable to lockingly engage the first and second side walls when the at least one of the first and second door is in the closed position.

12. The storage enclosure of claim 9, wherein the second door secures the first door in the closed position when the second door is in the closed position.

13. The storage enclosure of claim 9, wherein the second door comprises a flange portion positioned to engage an upper edge of the first door to prevent upward and inward opening movement of the first door when the second door is in the closed position.

14. The storage enclosure of claim 9, wherein the second door is hingedly connected to the top wall for pivoting movement between the closed position and the open position.

15. The storage enclosure of claim 9, further comprising a pivot arm having a first end pivotally connected to a lower portion of the first door and a second end pivotally connected to one of the first and second side walls, and a slide member pivotally connected to an upper portion of the first door and slideably connected to the one of the first and second slide walls.

16. The storage enclosure of claim 9, wherein the first door is pivotable and slideable from the closed position to the open position.

17. A storage enclosure comprising:

a housing including first and second opposed side walls, a rear wall extending between rear portions of the side walls, and a top wall extending between top portions of the side walls, the side walls defining an opening for permitting access to an interior of the housing;

a movable door moveably connected to the housing, the movable door covering a lower portion of the housing interior in a closed position, with an upper edge of the closed movable door defining an upper end of the lower portion of the housing interior, the movable door being received entirely within an upper portion of the housing interior in an open position, the upper portion of the housing interior being disposed above the lower portion of the housing interior;

a pivot arm having a first end pivotally connected to a lower portion of the movable door and a second end pivotally connected to one of the first and second side walls;

a slide member pivotally connected to an upper portion of the movable door and slideably connected to the one of the first and second side walls; and

a second door moveably connected to the housing, the second door partially covering the opening in a closed position, wherein the second door comprises a flange portion positioned to engage an upper edge of the movable door to prevent upward and inward opening movement of the movable door when the second door is in the closed position.