Shelving system with interlocking containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9867482-B1
Application number	US-201615006404-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 26, 2016
Priority date	Jan 30, 2013
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for storage containers that may be used with a storage assembly. The storage assembly can include a shelf system and multiple containers. The shelf system can include multiple shelves, where a shelf includes multiple holes. Each container can include multiple slots and multiple tabs. The tabs of one container can be configured to be inserted through the holes of a shelf into the slots of another container.

First claim

Therefore, at least the following is claimed:

1. A storage assembly, comprising:
a shelf comprising a hole and an end extending past a back panel of a first container to attach the shelf to a vertical surface disposed behind the back panel;
the first container comprising a bottom panel disposed on the shelf and a tab extending from the back panel of the first container;
a second container comprising a slot; and
the tab of the first container being configured to extend through the hole and be inserted into the slot of the second container, thereby anchoring the first container and the second container to the shelf.

2. The storage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the back panel of the first container comprises a bottom edge and a top edge, and the tab extends from the bottom edge.

3. The storage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second container further comprises:
a right quarter-circle tab attached to a right side panel flap of the second container;
a left quarter-circle tab attached to a left side panel flap of the second container;
a right slot positioned along a right side edge of the second container; and
a left slot positioned along a left side edge of the second container.

4. The storage assembly of claim 3 , wherein:
the right quarter-circle tab of the at least one of the second container is configured to be inserted into a right slot of the first container; and
the left quarter-circle tab of the at least one of the second container is configured to be inserted into a left slot of the first container.

5. The storage assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first container comprises:
a right quarter-circle tab attached to a right side panel flap of the first container, the right quarter-circle tab configured to be inserted into a right top panel aperture of the first container; and
a left quarter-circle tab attached to a left side panel flap of the first container, the left quarter-circle tab configured to be inserted into a left top panel aperture of the first container.

6. The storage assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first container or the second container is formable from a blank marked by a plurality of score lines.

7. The storage assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a divider configured to be inserted into at least one of the first container or the second container, wherein the divider, when inserted, subdivides an interior of the first container or the second container into a plurality of chambers.

8. A storage system, comprising:
a shelf comprising a hole and an end extending past a first back panel of a first container and a second back panel of a second container to attach the shelf to a vertical surface disposed behind the first back panel and the second back panel;
the first container comprising a slot matching a size and location of the hole; and
the second container comprising:
a bottom panel disposed on the shelf and
a tab configured to be inserted through the hole of the shelf into the slot of the first container to interlock the first container and the second container with the shelf.

9. The storage system of claim 8 , wherein:
the slot of the first container is a first slot;
the tab of the second container is a first tab;
the first container further comprises a second slot; and
the second container further comprises a second tab attached to a side flap configured to fold around the shelf to insert the second tab into the second slot to further interlock the first container and the second container with the shelf.

10. The storage system of claim 8 , wherein the slot of the first container is located on the top of the first container and the tab of the second container is located on the bottom of the second container.

11. The storage system of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first container or the second container comprises a divider configured to divide an interior of the first container or the second container into a plurality of compartments.

12. The storage system of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first container or the second container comprises cardboard.

13. A shelving system comprising:
a first storage container comprising a first tab;
a shelf comprising:
a hole configured to fit a portion of the first tab of the first storage container, and
an end extending past a back panel of the first storage container to attach the shelf to a vertical surface disposed behind the back panel;

the first storage container comprising a bottom panel disposed on the shelf, the back panel, and the first tab extending from at least one of the bottom panel and the back panel such that the first tab is configured to extend through the hole of the shelf; and
a second storage container comprising a slot positioned along a second edge of the back panel and configured to receive the first tab of the first storage container.

14. The shelving system of claim 13 , wherein the first storage container comprises a divider that divides the first storage container into a plurality of chambers.

15. The shelving system of claim 13 , wherein the first container or the second storage container comprises cardboard.

16. The shelving system of claim 13 , wherein the second storage container further comprises:
a right quarter-circle tab attached to a right side panel flap of the second storage container;
a left quarter-circle tab attached to a left side panel flap of the second storage container;
a right slot positioned along a right side edge of the second storage container; and
a left slot positioned along a left side edge of the second storage container.

17. The shelving system of claim 16 , wherein:
the right quarter-circle tab of the second storage container is configured to be inserted into a right slot of the first storage container; and
the left quarter-circle tab of the second storage container is configured to be inserted into a left slot of the first storage container.

18. The shelving system of claim 13 , wherein the first storage container comprises:
a right quarter-circle tab attached to a right side panel flap of the first container, the right quarter-circle tab configured to be inserted into a right top panel aperture of the first container; and
a left quarter-circle tab attached to a left side panel flap of the first container, the left quarter-circle tab configured to be inserted into a left top panel aperture of the first container.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Ikeno Hirotoshi
• Eikawa Shigeo
• Ochida Shigeo

Classifications

• A47F5/112

  hand-folded from sheet material · CPC title

• B65D5/0005

  of variable capacity · CPC title

• A47F5/116

  Shelving racks · CPC title

• A47B55/06

  made of cardboard, paper, or the like {(travelling wardrobes A47B61/06)} · CPC title

• A47F5/114

  in the form of trays with a base · CPC title