US20080128428A1 - Container with removable divider - Google Patents

Abstract

In one aspect, a storage device including a container has a first side wall, a second side wall, a bottom wall, and an indentation. The first and second side walls each have a pair of guide members forming a guide track. The storage device further includes a divider having a first end, a second end, a wall extending along a plane between the first and second ends, and a bump. The first and second ends each have a flange extending substantially perpendicular to the wall of the divider sized so as to fit within a corresponding one of the guide tracks. The divider is removeably insertable within the container such that the bump of the divider extends into the indentation of the container.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Containers are used in a wide variety of applications. In particular, industrial and retail applications require numerous containers to store and organize inventory including products and components. In a manufacturing application, the production of a single item may include, for example, the assembly of thousands of parts that are stored at various stations or locations along an assembly line. Similarly, in retail applications, particularly with respect to on-line or mail-order retailers, inventory may be stored in containers within a warehouse or other storage facility. In many applications, containers for parts and inventory are often stored in shelves, conveyors or carousels, which can be used to move the containers and allow a single user to have access to a high number of containers without moving from a station. Often, a single container is divided into separate compartments in order to hold different parts or products.
• Due to changes in product design and fluctuations and change in inventory, storage systems making use of containers are frequently altered. Accordingly, containers have been made which use removable dividers to create different compartments of varying sizes within a container in a manner that allows the configuration of the container to be easily altered when necessary. Any removable dividers used in such containers should be secure enough so that they do not unintentionally become dislodged because it could result in inventory problems that can be detrimental to a production line or the like.
• Current designs for containers and accompanying removable dividers are unable to meet the needs of customers in being both easily configurable and re-configurable yet able to prevent unintentional movement of the dividers within the container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to a storage device. The storage device includes a container having a first side wall, a second side wall, a bottom wall, and an indentation. The first and second side walls each have a guide track formed by pair of guide members with bases affixed to the side walls and ends spaced apart from the side walls. The bases are spaced apart from each other at a first distance and the ends are spaced apart from each other at a second distance that is less than the first distance. The storage device further includes a divider having a first end, a second end, a wall extending along a plane between the first and second ends, and a bump projecting from a portion of the divider. The first and second ends each have a flange extending substantially perpendicular to the wall of the divider and sized so as to fit within a corresponding one of the first and second guide tracks. A portion of the flange has a width that is greater than the second distance. The wall of the divider has a thickness that is less than the second distance. The flanges are removeably insertable within the guide tracks such that the bump of the divider extends into the indentation of the container.
• Preferably, the first flange and second flange are slideable within the guide tracks such that the divider can be inserted and removed from the container by sliding engagement of the first and second flanges with the corresponding guide tracks. Further preferably, the extension of the bump into the indentation restricts the sliding engagement between the first and second flanges with the corresponding guide tracks such that a threshold force is necessary to remove the divider from the container.
• Preferably, each of the flanges has a triangular cross section such that each flange has an outside surface adjacent to one of the first and second side walls the container and a first and second inside surface that extends between the outside surface of the flange and the wall of the divider. The first and second guide members of each guide track are preferably angled toward each other so as to substantially contact the first and second inside surfaces, respectively, of the corresponding flange.
• Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a divider for use with a container. The divider includes a wall portion sized to fit within an interior cavity of the container such that the divider extends between a first and second side wall of the container. The divider also includes a first end and a second end. The first end and the second end each include a flange extending substantially perpendicular to the wall of the divider. Each flange is adapted to slideably engage a corresponding one of a first guide track affixed to a first side wall and a second guide track affixed to a second side wall of the container. Further, the first end includes a projection adapted to engage an indentation formed in the first side wall.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a storage device having a container and a removable divider assembled partially therewith according to an aspect of the present invention;
• FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a container in accordance with an aspect of the invention;
• FIG. 3 is a front plan view of a divider in accordance with an aspect of the invention;
• FIG. 4 is a side plan view of a divider in accordance with an aspect of the invention;
• FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a guide track included in a container in accordance with an aspect of the invention;
• FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of a divider having a flange inserted within a guide track formed on a container;
• FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a divider having a flange according to an aspect of the invention; and
• FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a portion of a container wall having a guide track according to an aspect of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts, there is shown inFIG. 1 a storage device according to an exemplary embodiment. The storage device includes acontainer10, which includes left andright side walls12,14, abottom wall16, afront wall18, and aback wall20. As used in the present disclosure, directional terms such as front, back, top, bottom, left and right are used in exemplary fashion only, for clarity of the description of the preferred embodiments shown in the drawing figures, and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, unless specifically stated.
• Thewalls12,14,16,18,20 are arranged to form aninterior portion22, theside walls12,14 being substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to thefront18 and back20 walls. The size and shape ofcontainer10 can vary with the intended use of the storage device. Such variances can include the overall volume of theinterior portion22 and the height, width and depth ofcontainer10, among others. Preferably,front wall18 includes ahandle24 to facilitate removal ofcontainer10 from any storage means associated withcontainer10, including shelves, conveyors, and carousels. The handle may be decorative to provide a pleasing appearance or features specific to a particular manufacture. Further, it is preferred thatcontainer10 be made in sizes corresponding to commercially-available shelves, conveyors, and carousels such thatcontainer10 can be more easily used therewith.
• Divider60 is provided for use withcontainer10 and is sized so as to extend across the width ofcontainer10 fromleft side wall12 to right14 side wall generally perpendicularly thereto. Alternatively, divider can be adapted to extend across the length ofcontainer10, fromfront wall18 toback wall20.Divider60 is structured so as to formdistinct compartments22a,22bwithincontainer10 whendivider60 is fully assembled intocontainer10. Multiple dividers can be supplied to form a desired number of compartments depending on the application of storage device and the contents thereof. As shown inFIG. 1, divider includes awall62,left edge64,right edge66,bottom edge68 andtop edge70. Preferably,divider60 extends from thebottom wall16 ofcontainer10 to a point near the top of left12 and right14 side walls.
• Top edge70 ofdivider60 preferably includes aflange72 that extends outwardly fromwall62 generally toward thefront18 or back20 walls ofcontainer10.Flange72 increases the rigidity ofdivider60, particularly with respect to bending ofdivider60, which can causedivider60 to become dislodged fromcontainer10. Further, flange72 aides in removal ofdivider70 from the storage device by providing a feature onto which a user ofcontainer10 can grasp.Flange72 may also be angled downward, which can facilitate the insertion of product into the container and also provide alabel area77.Label area77 provides a location to which a label, which may relate to the contents of the container or the particular division thereof, and can be affixed such that it is visible by a user.
• Bottom edge68 ofdivider60 is structured to contactbottom wall16 of container. Preferably,bottom wall16 ofcontainer10 includes anesting trough25 in the form of a groove made inbottom wall16. Nestingtrough25 preferably extends from the junction ofbottom wall16 andleft side wall12 to the junction ofbottom wall16 andright side wall14, and has an appropriate width to receivebottom edge68 ofdivider60 therein.Bottom edge68 ofdivider60 preferably extends into nestingtrough25 at a sufficient depth to securely holdbottom edge68 therein. For example, nestingtrough25 can be structured to allowbottom edge68 ofdivider60 to extend therein at a depth of about 0.063 inches. The extension ofbottom edge68 ofdivider60 intonesting trough25 provides added stiffness to wall62 of divider to resist bending thereof and to prevent items held withincontainer10 from passing betweenbottom edge68 ofdivider60 andbottom wall16 ofcontainer10 from one compartment to another.
• Divider60 is primarily secured in a position withincontainer10 by including aflange74 on each of the left64 and right66 edges ofdivider60 that substantially mate with aguide track26 formed on each of the left12 and right14 side walls ofcontainer10.Guide track26 preferably extends from thebottom wall16 of container to near thetop edge15 of container. Preferably,guide track26 extends to a point just belowtop edge70 ofdivider60 whendivider60 is assembled withcontainer10. As shown inFIGS. 5 and 6,guide track26 is formed by a pair of guide members28a,28b, that extend outwardly from a side wall (shown asright side wall12, inFIG. 5) ofcontainer10. Each guide member28a,28bincludes a base30 and an end32. Base30 is formed whereguide member28 attaches to sidewall12 and the end32 is spaced apart at an appropriate distance therefrom.Guide track26 is formed such that guide members28a,28bare spaced further apart from one another at the bases than at the ends, as illustrated by distances d1 and d2 betweenbases30a,30band ends32a,32b, respectively, wherein distance d1 is greater than distance d2. As shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, this is achieved by forming guide members28a,28bso as to angle toward each other, creating a triangular cross-section. Preferably, the guides stop angling forward, one another near the end, i.e., they may bend at points40aand40b. Other arrangements are possible for guide track including rectangular and semi-circular.FIG. 8 illustrates another potential wall and guidetrack arrangement26.
• As shown inFIG. 1,flange74 extends from each ofleft end64 andright end66 ofdivider60 and is structured to slideably engageguide track26. As shown inFIG. 6, this engagement is achieved by formingflange74 with a cross section that substantially matches that ofguide track26 such thatflange74 fits between guide members28aand28b. Preferably, at least most of the interior surfaces of guide members28a,28bcontact interior faces76a,76bofflange74. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 6,flange74 has a substantially triangular cross section so as to substantially match the cross section formed by guide members shown inFIG. 5. Distance d2 between ends32a,32bof guide members28a,28bis greater than the thickness ofwall62 ofdivider62 such thatwall62 extends outwardly fromguide track26.Flange74 is structured to have a width greater than distance d2 such thatflange74 is secured withinguide track26 in both the front-back and left-right directions. As shown inFIG. 6, ends32a,32bof guide members28a,28bcan extend outwardly substantially parallel to one another so as to contact a portion ofwall62 ofdivider60. This arrangement facilitates the alignment of left64 and right66 ends with the corresponding guide tracks26 during assembly ofdivider60 withcontainer10.FIG. 7 illustrates another potential divider andflange arrangement74.
• By providing aflange74 on bothleft edge64 andright edge66 ofdivider60 and corresponding guide tracks26 on bothleft wall12 andright wall14 ofcontainer10 as described herein,divider60 helps to prevent left12 and right14 side walls from bending outwardly during use. For example, if a container without such a divider were filled, the contents thereof may exert pressure on the walls of the container, causing the sides to bend outwardly. However,divider60, when secured to theside walls12,14 ofcontainer10, as discussed herein, creates an inward force between theside walls12,14 to help maintain their position. This feature also helps to retaindivider60 withincontainer10 by retaining left andright edges64,66 ofdivider60 within guide tracks26 in the presence of an outward force acting on theside walls12,14 ofcontainer10.
• Projection80 is formed ondivider60 such that it aligns with anindentation34 formed oncontainer10 whendivider60 is positioned withincontainer10. In the alternative, an indentation can be formed ondivider60, with the mating projection formed oncontainer10. As shown inFIG. 6,projection80 is formed on outside surface78 offlange74, andindentation34 is formed oninterior surface27 ofguide track26. Alternatively,indentation34 can be formed on either one or both of guide members28a,28b,projection80 being formed on either or both interior faces76a,76bofflange74. Yet further, theindentation34 extend completely or partially through the material, i.e., completely or partially throughwall12. A hole is particularly advantageous for manufacturing purposes.
• Preferably, guide members28a,28bare formed so as to exert a force on interior faces76a,76bofflange74. This can be accomplished, for example, by forming guide member28asuch that the angle formed by the intersection of guide member28aandinterior surface27 ofguide track26 is less than the angle formed by the intersectioninterior face76aand exterior face78 offlange74. The pressure exerted by guide member28aoninterior face76aofflange74 helps to retaindivider60 in its position withincontainer10. For example, this pressure may create a frictional force betweenflange74 andguide track26 that restricts the sliding motion therebetween. Additionally, the pressure betweenflange74 andguide track26 helps to maintainprojection80 withinindention34.Indentation34 andprojection80 are formed so as to increase the force necessary to removedivider60 fromcontainer10. The amount of force necessary to removedivider60 fromcontainer10 will vary with the materials used as well as the amount of pressure that exists betweenflange74 andguide track26. Similarly, the amount of additional force which is required by includingprojection80 andindentation34 will vary based on the shapes thereof and the materials from whichside walls12,14 andprojection80 are made. Generally, the amount of force required to removedivider60 fromcontainer10 should be such thatdivider60 does not inadvertently become dislodged during use of the container, while being such that it can quickly and easily removed by a human when desired. As mentioned above, indentation can take the form of a hole that extends through eitherside walls12,14 or guide members28a,28bdepending on the configuration thereof.
• Flange74 may be formed with a tapered leadingend82. As shown inFIG. 1, leadingend82 is preferably tapered inwardly in the front-to-back direction towardwall62 and outwardly in the left-to-right direction toward the correspondingedge64 or66 ofdivider60. This helps the user of the storagedevice insert flange74 intoguide track26, particularly when a pressure-fit is formed therebetween.
• Groove36 may be formed fromtop edge15 ofcontainer10 aboveindentation34 inside walls12,14. Groove preferably extends intoside walls12,14 at a distance approximately equal to the distance at which bump80 extendsform divider60.Groove36 is structured such thatbump80 can slide therein during assembly ofdivider60 intocontainer10 to reduce wear to bump80 andside walls12,14 from friction therebetween.Groove36 terminates at distance aboveindentation34 so as to not interfere with the fit ofbump80 intoindentation34 and the effect achieved thereby.
• A plurality ofdividers60 can be provided for use with asingle container10. In such an embodiment, all dividers may be substantially identical, and a corresponding number of substantially identical pairs of guide tracks26 (as shown inFIG. 1.) are formed along left12 and right14 side walls. This allows the user of the storage device to dividecontainer10 into a desired number or configuration of separate compartments as desired.
• Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (25)

1. A storage device, comprising:

a container having a first side wall, a second side wall, and an indentation, the first and second side walls each having a guide track formed by pair of guide members with bases affixed to the side walls and ends spaced apart from the side walls, the bases being spaced apart from each other at a first distance and the ends being spaced apart from each other at a second distance that is less than the first distance; and

a divider having a wall, a first flange, a second flange, and a projection, a portion of each flange having a width that is greater than the second distance, and wherein the wall of the divider has a thickness that is less than the second distance;

wherein each flange is removeably insertable within a corresponding one of the first and second guide tracks such that the projection extends into the indentation of the container.

2. The storage device ofclaim 1, wherein the divider can be inserted and removed from the container by sliding engagement of the first and second flanges with the corresponding guide tracks.

3. The storage device ofclaim 2, wherein the extension of the projection into the indentation restricts the sliding engagement between the first and second flanges with the corresponding guide tracks such that a threshold force is necessary to remove the divider from the container.

4. The storage device ofclaim 1, wherein the flange includes a tapered bottom end.

5. The storage device ofclaim 1, wherein the indentation is formed on the first side wall of the container.

6. The storage device ofclaim 5, wherein the indentation is formed between the first and second guide members associated with the first side wall.

7. The storage device ofclaim 1, further including a groove formed in the first side wall from a top of the first side wall to a point above the indentation, the groove having a depth that is substantially equal to a height of the projection.

8. The storage device ofclaim 1, wherein the indentation is formed on the first side wall and extends therethrough so as to form a hole therein.

9. The storage device ofclaim 1, wherein the projection is formed on the first end of the divider.

10. The storage device ofclaim 1, wherein the indentation is formed on one of the guide members.

11. The storage device ofclaim 10, wherein the projection is formed on the flange of the divider.

12. The storage device ofclaim 1, wherein the bottom wall of the container includes a groove extending between the first and second side walls, wherein the groove is aligned with the guide tracks such that the wall of the divider extends into the groove when the divider is inserted within the container.

13. A storage device, comprising:

a container having a first side wall, a second side wall, and an indentation, the first and second side walls each having a guide track formed by pair of guide members with bases affixed to the side walls and ends spaced apart from the side walls, the bases being spaced apart from each other at a first distance and the ends being spaced apart from each other at a second distance that is less than the first distance; and

a divider having a substantially planar wall, a first flange, a second flange, and a projection, the first and second flanges each having a triangular cross-section formed by an outside surface, a first inside surface, and a second inside surface, wherein the outside surface has a width that is greater than the second distance, the inside surfaces extend between the outside surface and the wall of the divider, and the wall of the divider has a thickness that is less than the second distance; and

wherein each flange is removeably insertable within a corresponding one of the first and second guide tracks such that the projection of the divider extends into the indentation of the container.

14. The storage device ofclaim 13, wherein each one of the pair of guide members of each guide track are angled toward each other so as to respectively contact the first and second inside surfaces of the corresponding flange.

15. The storage device ofclaim 14, wherein the first and second guide members include a portion thereof that extends toward the interior of the container in a direction substantially parallel to the first and second side walls.

16. The storage device ofclaim 13, wherein each flange forms a pressure-fit with the corresponding one of the first guide track and second guide track.

17. A divider for use with a container, the divider comprising:

a wall portion sized to fit within an interior cavity of the container such that the divider extends between a first and second side wall of the container;

a first flange;

a second flange; and

a projection adapted to engage an indentation formed in the first side wall of the container;

wherein each flange is adapted to slideably engage a corresponding one of a first guide track affixed to the first side wall and a second guide track affixed to the second side wall of the container.

18. The divider ofclaim 17, wherein each flange includes a tapered bottom portion.

19. The divider ofclaim 17, wherein the engagement of the projection with the indentation restricts the sliding engagement between the first and second flanges with the corresponding guide tracks such that a threshold force is necessary to slide the flange within the guide track.

20. The divider ofclaim 18, wherein each flange has a triangular cross section adapted to fit within a triangular area defined by the guide track.

21. A storage device, comprising:

a container having a first side wall and a second side wall, the first and second side walls each having a guide track formed by pair of guide members with bases affixed to the side walls and ends spaced apart from the side walls, the bases being spaced apart from each other at a first distance and the ends being spaced apart from each other at a second distance that is less than the first distance;

a divider having a wall, a first flange and a second flange, each flange being removeably insertable within a corresponding one of the first and second guide tracks, a portion of each flange having a width that is greater than the second distance, and wherein the wall of the divider has a thickness that is less than the second distance; and

a projection adapted to extend into an indentation formed in the storage device so as act in retaining the divider within the container.

22. The storage device ofclaim 21, wherein the projection is formed on the divider and the indentation is formed on the container.

23. The storage device ofclaim 22, wherein the indentation is formed in one of the side walls so as to extend therethrough, forming a hole therein.

24. The storage device ofclaim 22, wherein the indentation is formed in one of the side walls so as not to extend completely therethrough.

25. The storage device ofclaim 21, wherein the indentation is formed on the divider and the projection is formed on the container.

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