Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Attorney Docket No. 020872-6074-W001 ACC
0257 PCA2
STORAGE SYSTEM AND CONTAINER FOR SAME
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present disclosure relates to storage systems, and more
particularly to wall-
mounted storage containers for tool accessories and the like.
[0002] Hand tools, power tools, and associated accessories such as
batteries, tool bits,
sockets, accessories, fasteners, and the like, may be moved frequently between
a storage space
and a work space. One aspect of accessibility is a user's ability to quickly
store an object and
remove the object from storage.
SUMMARY
[0003] In one independent aspect, a storage container includes a first
container portion
including a first side; a second container portion including a second side,
and a support feature
configured to engage a wall support system. The second side is pivotably
coupled to the first
side of the first container portion by a hinge. The second container portion
and the first container
portion are pivotably movable between a closed position and an open position.
The support
feature includes a first partial mounting portion and a second partial
mounting portion. The first
partial mounting portion is positioned on the first container portion, and the
second partial
mounting portion is supported for movement relative to the first partial
mounting portion. The
second partial mounting portion is movable between a stowed position and an
extended portion.
The first partial mounting portion and the second partial mounting portion
cooperate to provide a
mounting interface configured to engage a support member while the second
partial mounting
portion is in the extended position.
[0004] In another independent aspect, a storage system includes a panel
secured to a support
surface and a storage container removably supported on the panel. The panel
includes a plurality
of cleats spaced apart from one another. The storage container includes a
first container portion
including a first side, a second container portion including a second side,
and a support feature
engageable with the cleats. The second side is pivotably coupled to the first
side of the first
container portion by a hinge. The second container portion and the first
container portion are
pivotably movable between a closed position and an open position. The support
feature includes
1
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-07-12
Attorney Docket No. 020872-6074-W001 ACC
0257 PCA2
a first partial mounting portion and a second partial mounting portion. The
first partial mounting
portion is positioned on the first container portion. The second partial
mounting portion is
supported for movement relative to the first partial mounting portion, and the
second partial
mounting portion is movable between a stowed position and an extended portion.
The first
partial mounting portion and the second partial mounting portion cooperate to
provide a
mounting interface to engage at least one of the cleats while the second
partial mounting portion
is in the extended position.
[0005] In yet another independent aspect, a storage container includes: a
first container
portion; a second container portion; a hinge coupling a first side of the
first container portion and
a second side of the second container portion for pivoting movement about a
pivot axis, a latch
releasably securing the first container portion and the second container
portion in the closed
position, a first partial mounting portion positioned on the first container
portion, and a second
partial mounting portion supported on the hinge for pivoting movement relative
to the first
partial mounting portion and the second container portion. The first container
portion and the
second container portion are pivotably movable between a closed position and
an open position.
The second partial mounting portion is movable between a stowed position and
an extended
position. The first partial mounting portion and the second partial mounting
portion cooperate to
form a mounting interface while the first container portion and the second
container portion are
in the closed position and the second partial mounting portion is in the
extended position. The
mounting interface is configured to engage the wall support system.
[0006] Other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent by
consideration of the detailed
description and accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage container.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a support panel.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a storage system including the
support panel of FIG. 2
supporting storage containers.
2
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-07-12
Attorney Docket No. 020872-6074-W001 ACC
0257 PCA2
[0010] FIG. 4 is a side view of the storage container of FIG. 1, with a
coupling feature in a
stowed position.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a side view of the storage container of FIG. 1, with a
coupling feature in a
second position.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a side view of the storage container of FIG. 1, with a
coupling feature in a
third position.
[0013] FIG. 7 is a side view of the storage container of FIG. 1, with a
coupling feature in an
extended position.
[0014] Before any embodiments of the disclosure are explained in detail,
it is to be
understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the
details of construction and
the anungement of components set forth in the following description or
illustrated in the
following drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of
being practiced or of
being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the
phraseology and
terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be
regarded as limited.
.. The use of "including," "comprising" or "having" and variations thereof
herein is meant to
encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as
additional items. The
terms "mounted," "connected" and "coupled" are used broadly and encompass both
direct and
indirect mounting, connecting and coupling. Further, "connected" and "coupled"
are not
restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings, whether direct
or indirect. Terms
.. of degree, such as "substantially," "about," "approximately," etc. are
understood by those of
ordinary skill to refer to reasonable ranges outside of the given value, for
example, general
tolerances associated with manufacturing, assembly, and use of the described
embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a storage system 10 including a storage
container 100 (FIG. 1)
.. that is engageable with and supported by a support panel 200 (FIG. 2). In
the illustrated
embodiment, the panel 200 supports two containers 100, but it is understood
that fewer or more
containers could be supported on the panel 200. Each container 100 engages the
panel 200
3
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-07-12
Attorney Docket No. 020872-6074-W001 ACC
0257 PCA2
independently of the other containers 100, and can be removed from the panel
200 independently
of the other containers 100.
[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, the panel 200 includes a plurality of cleats
204 which are
generally aligned and spaced apart from one another. The cleats 204 protrude
from the surface
of the panel 200. The panel 200 may be secured to a support surface or wall
(e.g., by one or
more fasteners). In the illustrated embodiment, the panel 200 is shown as a
rail having a single
row of six cleats 204a-204f aligned with one another in a direction parallel
to a longitudinal axis
208 of the rail 200; in other embodiments, the panel may have fewer or more
cleats, and/or may
have multiple rows of cleats. Additionally (or alternatively), multiple panels
and/or rails may be
secured to the support surface adjacent the illustrated rail 200. In the
illustrated embodiment, the
rail 200 includes extension features 226 positioned on each edge, and adjacent
rails have
complementary extension features to facilitate alignment and interconnection
between adjacent
rails.
[0017] In the illustrated embodiment, the cleats 204 have a generally
octagonal shape.
Stated another way, in the illustrated embodiment each cleat 204 includes four
inclined edges
220 that are oriented at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis 208
of the rail 200 and that
substantially form a diamond shape. In other embodiments, the cleat 204 may
have a profile that
is a different shape (e.g., hexagonal, rectangular, an irregular polygonal
shape, a curvilinear
shape), and/or the cleat 204 may have a different number of inclined edges.
Each of the cleats
.. 204 is separated from an adjacent cleat by a gap or space 216. In the
illustrated embodiment,
partial gaps are located between the outermost cleats and the associated end
of the rail 200, and
the outermost cleats 204 will be spaced apart from a cleat of an adjacent
panel or rail by the same
distance as adjacent cleats 204 of the same rail 200. In the illustrated
embodiment, the storage
container 100 is supported within a gap 216 between two adjacent cleats 204.
Other attachments
and/or objects (not shown) may be located within the gaps 216 to engage one or
more cleats 204.
[0018] Referring again to FIG. 1, the container 100 includes a first
container portion 104 and
a second container portion 108 that are joined together by a hinge 112. In the
illustrated
embodiment, the first container portion 104 and the second container portion
108 are
substantially similar to one another, and the container is a clamshell-type.
In other embodiments,
4
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-07-12
Attorney Docket No. 020872-6074-W001 ACC
0257 PCA2
the container portions may have different shapes¨for example, one portion may
provide an
internal compartment for storage, and another portion may provide a lid for
covering the internal
compartment. In the illustrated embodiment, the hinge 112 is positioned
adjacent a first side
(e.g., a rear side 116) of the first container portion 104 and a first side
(e.g., a rear side 120) of
the second container portion 108, and the container portions 104, 108 are
pivotable relative to
one another about a hinge 112 between a closed portion and an open position.
In the closed
position, a second side (e.g., a front side 134 ¨ FIG. 3) of the first
container portion 104 is
adjacent a second side (e.g., a front side 136) of the second container
portion 108. In the open
position, the second sides 134, 136 of the container portions 104, 108 are
spaced apart from one
another. In the illustrated embodiment, the first container portion 104 and
the second container
portion 108 can be releasably secured to one another in the closed position by
a latch 140. In
other embodiments, the container 100 may include a handle.
[0019] In the illustrated embodiment, the first container portion 104
includes first lugs 142
and the second container portion 108 includes second lugs 144 aligned with the
first lugs 142.
The hinge 112 includes a pin 146 extending through the first lugs 142 and the
second lugs 144
along a pivot axis 148 about which the container portions 104, 106 pivot
relative to one another.
In other embodiments, the first container portion 104 and the second container
portion 108 may
be coupled to one another in a different manner.
[0020] The container 100 also includes a support feature 152 for coupling
the container 100
to the support panel 200. The support feature 152 includes a first partial
mounting portion 156
and a second partial mounting portion 160. The first partial mounting portion
156 is positioned
on one side of the first container portion 104 (e.g., the rear side 116). In
the illustrated
embodiment, the first partial mounting portion 156 is formed integrally with
the rear side 116. In
other embodiments, the first partial mounting portion 156 may be coupled to
the rear side 116 in
a different manner. The second partial mounting portion 160 is supported for
pivoting
movement relative to the first partial mounting portion 156 between a stowed
position (FIG. 4)
and an extended position (FIG. 7). In the illustrated embodiment, the second
partial mounting
portion 160 is supported for pivoting movement on the hinge pin 146.
5
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-07-12
Attorney Docket No. 020872-6074-W001 ACC
0257 PCA2
[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the first partial mounting portion 156
includes a first flange 162,
and the second partial mounting portion 160 includes a collar 164 and a second
flange 168
protruding from the collar 164. In the illustrated embodiment, the collar 164
is coupled to and
movable relative to the hinge pin 146. The collar 164 is both pivotable about
the pivot axis 148
and is also slidable in a direction parallel to the pivot axis 148. While in
the stowed position
(shown in FIG. 4), the second partial mounting portion 160 is positioned
adjacent and coupled to
the first partial mounting portion 156 (FIG. 6). In the illustrated
embodiment, the second partial
mounting portion 160 slides a first distance DI in a direction parallel to the
pivot axis 148, as
shown in FIG. 5. The second partial mounting portion 160 is then rotated about
the pivot axis
148, as shown in FIG. 6. In some embodiments, the second partial mounting
portion 160 is
rotated so that the second flange 168 is diametrically opposite the first
partial mounting portion
156. As shown in FIG. 7, the second partial mounting portion 160 then slides a
second distance
D2 in a direction parallel to the pivot axis 148 to the extended position.
[0022] As shown in FIG. 6, the first partial mounting portion 156
includes a first edge 176
oriented at an acute angle relative to the pivot axis 148. The second partial
mounting portion 160
includes a second edge 180 oriented at an acute angle relative to the pivot
axis 148. In the
extended position, the first edge 176 and the second edge 180 are positioned
at the same location
along the pivot axis 148. As a result, the first edge 176 and the second edge
180 are positioned
to engage the angled edges of adjacent cleats 204 (FIG. 2) of the panel 200
when the support
feature 152 is positioned in the gap 216 between the cleats 204. The container
100 can be
coupled to the panel 200 by aligning the support feature 152 between two
cleats 204 and moving
the container 100 downwardly until the first edge 176 and the second edge 180
engage the cleats
204.
[0023] In some embodiments, the collar 164 includes two portions 164a,
164b, and each side
of the collar portions 164a, 164b includes protrusions (e.g., castellations
184a, 184b) that extend
parallel to the pivot axis 148. Similarly, at least one of the lugs 142, 144
includes slots (e.g.,
castellations 188a, 188b) that are complementary with the collar castellations
184a, 184b. In the
stowed position, one of the collar castellations 184a engages a first one of
the lug castellations
188a. In the extended position, other collar castellations (e.g.,
castellations 184b protruding from
an opposite side of the collar portions 164a, 164b) engage one of more second
lug castellations
6
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-07-12
Attorney Docket No. 020872-6074-W001 ACC
0257 PCA2
188b. The depth of the castellations 184a, 188a may correspond to the first
distance Dl, and the
depth of the castellations 184b, 188b may correspond to the second distance
D2. The
engagement of the collar castellations 184a, 184b and lug castellations 188a,
188b inhibits
undesired rotation, requiring a user to translate the second partial mounting
portion 160 along the
axis 148 before rotating it. In some embodiments, a detent may be provided to
inhibit undesired
translational movement of the second partial mounting portion 160 along the
axis 148.
[0024] Although aspects of the disclosure have been described in detail
with reference to
certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the
scope and spirit of
one or more independent aspects as described.
7
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-07-12
