Utility assembly and coupling mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10703534-B2
Application number	US-201715826232-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2017
Priority date	May 2, 2016
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns a coupling mechanism for detachably attaching two or more utility modules to one another, utility assembles, mobile carriers and other attachable modules and articles.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A coupling mechanism configured for readily detachably attaching a first utility module to a second utility module, the coupling mechanism comprising:
a female coupler at a face of one of the first utility module and the second utility module, the female coupler having a depressed locking location configured with a depressed surface, at least two sidewalls, and at least two locking ribs extending along a sliding path, and having an open edge facing in a first direction, wherein the at least two locking ribs extend substantially parallel to the sliding path;
a male coupler at a face of the other one of the first utility module and the second utility module, the male coupler having a projecting locking location disposed in register with the depressed locking location and configured with at least one locking tongue extending along the sliding path at a second direction, opposite to the first direction, and configured for arresting engagement at a space between the at least two locking ribs and depressed surface; and
at least one locking member for arresting the first utility module with respect to the second utility module and preventing sliding displacement along the sliding path,
wherein the at least two locking ribs extend at side edges of the depressed locking location and extend above the depressed surface and spaced from a bottom end of the at least two sidewalls.

2. The coupling mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the female coupler is configured at the top face of the first utility module, and wherein the male coupler is configured at the bottom face of the second utility module.

3. The coupling mechanism of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the locking tongue and locking rib are configured with a slanting surface at corresponding orientation along the sliding path.

4. The coupling mechanism of claim 1 , wherein one or both of a front edge of the projecting locking location and a corresponding front edge of the depressed locking location are slanted for gliding positioning of the second utility module into arrested engagement with the first utility module.

5. The coupling mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first utility module is configured for detachably attaching one or more second utility modules thereto.

6. The coupling arrangement of claim 1 , wherein at least one locking latch arresting location is configured at a top face of one of the first utility module and the second utility module and at least one locking latch configured at a bottom face of the other of the first utility module and the second utility module, such that the at least one locking latch being axially displaceable between a projecting position in which it interlocks with the at least one locking latch arresting location for arresting the first utility module with respect to the second utility module and preventing sliding displacement along the sliding path, and a retracted position in which sliding displacement of the first utility module with respect to the second utility module along the sliding path is permitted.

7. A coupling mechanism configured for readily detachably attaching a first utility module to a second utility module, the coupling mechanism comprising:
a female coupler at a face of one of the first utility module and the second utility module, the female coupler having a depressed locking location configured with at least one locking rib extending above a depressed surface and along a sliding path, and having an open edge facing in a first direction, wherein the at least one locking rib extends substantially parallel to the sliding path;
a male coupler at a face of the other one of the first utility module and the second utility module, the male coupler having a projecting locking location disposed in register with the depressed locking location and configured with at least one locking tongue extending along the sliding path at a second direction, opposite to the first direction, and configured for arresting engagement at a space between the locking rib and depressed surface; and
at least one locking member for arresting the first utility module with respect to the second utility module and preventing sliding displacement along the sliding path,
wherein the female coupler includes two locking ribs that each extend at a respective side edge of two neighboring depressed locking locations, the locking ribs disposed substantially parallel to the sliding path.

8. The coupling arrangement of claim 7 , wherein at least one locking latch arresting location is configured at a top face of one of the first utility module and the second utility module and at least one locking latch configured at a bottom face of the other of the first utility module and the second utility module, such that the at least one locking latch being axially displaceable between a projecting position in which it interlocks with the at least one locking latch arresting location for arresting the first utility module with respect to the second utility module and preventing sliding displacement along the sliding path, and a retracted position in which sliding displacement of the first utility module with respect to the second utility module along the sliding path is permitted.

9. A coupling mechanism for a utility assembly that comprises at least a first utility module and at least a second utility module, the coupling mechanism being configured between the first utility module and the second utility module; one of a top face of the first utility module and a bottom face of the second utility module includes at least one depressed locking location configured with a locking rib, and at least one locking latch arresting location; and the other one of the top face of the first utility module and a bottom face of the second utility module includes at least one projecting portion with a locking tongue disposed in register with the at least one depressed locking location, and at least one locking latch disposed in register with the at least one locking latch arresting location; and wherein at a locked position the bottom face at least partially rests over the top face, and the at least one projecting tongue is arrested by the corresponding at least one locking rib and the at least one locking latch is arrested by corresponding at least one locking latch arresting location, and further wherein disengaging the second utility module from the first utility module is facilitated by disengaging the at least one locking latch from the at least one locking latch arresting location, such that engaging the first and second utility modules into the locked position is provided by sliding the second utility module with respect to the first utility module along a sliding path defined by at least one of the at least one locking rib and the at least one locking tongue, wherein the at least one locking latch is spring biased and configured for normally projecting from a face of the respective first or second utility module.

10. The coupling mechanism of claim 9 , wherein (i) the at least one locking rib extends substantially parallel to the sliding path, (ii) the at least one locking rib extends substantially perpendicular and intersects the sliding path, (iii) a single locking rib extends at rear end of a depressed locking location and substantially perpendicular to the sliding path, (iv) wherein two locking ribs extend at side edges of a depressed locking location and disposed substantially parallel to the sliding path, or (v) two locking ribs each extend at a respective side edge of two neighboring depressed locking locations, the locking ribs disposed substantially parallel to the sliding path.

11. The coupling mechanism of claim 9 , further comprising a

Assignees

• Keter Plastic Ltd
• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Brunner Yaron
• Squiers Grant T
• Hoppe Christopher S
• Hyma Steven W

Classifications

• B65H2701/533

  Storage compartments for accessories · CPC title

• B65D2255/00

  Locking devices · CPC title

• B65D21/0228

  Containers joined together by screw-, bayonet-, snap-fit or the like, (B65D21/0211, B65D21/0231 take precedence) · CPC title

• B65D21/0223 Primary

  the closure and the bottom presenting local co-operating elements, e.g. projections and recesses (B65D21/0222 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D21/0209

  stackable or joined together one-upon-the-other in the upright or upside-down position (B65D21/0234, B65D21/0235 take precedence) · CPC title