Method for stacking receptacles

• US 6,026,553 A
• Filed: 05/05/1998
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ortronics Incorporated (Legrand SA), Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micro Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Brunelle, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEREK, JOSEPH C
• Application Number:
  US09/073,134
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 206/503, 206/504, 206/507, 206/509, 206/511, 220/4.26, 220/4.27, 220/23.4, 29/428
• US Class Current: 29/428
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 21/0209 stackable or joined together one-upon-the-other in the upright or upside-down position B65D21/0234, B65D21/0235 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

The invention, in one embodiment, is a method for stacking receptacles. The method comprises stacking a first receptacle on a second receptacle; and inverting the stacked first and second receptacles to engage the first and second receptacles.

Claims

1. A method for stacking receptacles, comprising:

stacking a first receptacle on a second receptacle; and

inverting the stacked first and second receptacles together to extend an engaging member responsive to gravity from the second receptacle to engage a slot in the first receptacle, said slot being obliquely disposed to a surface of the first receptacle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein stacking the first receptacle on the second receptacle includes aligning the first receptacle with the second receptacle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein stacking the first receptacle on the second receptacle includes placing the aligned first receptacle on the second receptacle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein stacking the first receptacle on the second receptacle includes placing the first receptacle on the second receptacle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein inverting the stacked first and second receptacles includes manually inverting the stacked first and second receptacles.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein stacking the first receptacle on the second receptacle comprises vertically aligning the first receptacle with the second receptacle before placing the first receptacle on the second receptacle.

7. A method for stacking a first receptacle and a second receptacle, each of the first and second receptacles including (a) a body having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first and second surfaces include a slot obliquely disposed relative thereto in parallel relation whose openings are vertically aligned, and (b) a pin reciprocal within the second slot, the method comprising:

stacking a first receptacle on a second receptacle; and

inverting the stacked first and second receptacles together to extend the pin and engage the first and second receptacles.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein stacking the first receptacle on the second receptacle includes aligning the first receptacle with the second receptacle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein stacking the first receptacle on the second receptacle includes placing the aligned first receptacle on the second receptacle.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein stacking the first receptacle on the second receptacle includes placing the first receptacle on the second receptacle.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein inverting the stacked first and second receptacles includes manually inverting the stacked first and second receptacles.