GB2037572A - Wall mounted storage system - Google Patents

Abstract

A storage system comprises a wall tile (1) and a container (8, 13, 17 18, 19,). The tile (1) and container (8, 13, 17, 18, 19,) each have engagement portions (3, 9, 16) which are mutually engageable to permit releasable mounting of the container (8, 13, 17, 18, 19,) on the tile (1). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A storage system This invention relates to storage systems and more particularly to a storage system in which a container is mountable on a wall tile.

Kitchen tidy systems which mount on a wall are known to us and such systems normally comprise a range of dishes, racks, hooks, etc. integrally moulded onto a panel intended to be mounted on a wall. Storage containers for liquid and granular materials, for example jars ortins, are known to be sold in sets marked or capable of being marked with their contents, and such containers are sometimes marketed with shelving arrangements on which the containers can be stored.

The present invention seeks to provide a particularly convenient and versatile storage arrangements in which one or more containers can be supported by a wall tile and permits a system of wall tiles and containers to be built up in accordance with storage requirements.

According to the invention there is provided a storage system comprising a wall tile and a container, wherein the tile and container each have an engagement portion which are mutually engageable to permit releasable mounting of the container on the tile when the tile is mounted on a wall.

A plurality of engagement portions may be provided on the tile to permit selective positioning of the container by engagement with a selected engagement portion on the tile. The engagement portions may be provided in one or more rows.

A plurality of engagement portions may be provided on the container to permit engagement with a plurality of the engagement portioons on the tile.

The engagement portion(s) on the tile may comprise a projection or a recess shaped for retentive co-operating engagement with a projection or recess on an article to be supported thereby, The projection(s) may be provided with a hole or slot for engagement with a rod or tongue or other engagement portion provided on an article to be supported. In one advantageous form the container is provided with one or more tongue or rod-like projections which extend from one side in the direction of its base and the tile is provided with one or more slotted projections which permit the container to be hung therefrom.

lnorderthattheinvention and its various 6ther preferred features may be understood more easily, an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings in which: Figure lisa plan view of a tile suitable for use in the storage system in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tile of Figure 1 taken on the line B-B of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a side view of the tile of Figure 1, showing a portion in cross-section taken on the line A-A of Figure 1, Figure 4 is an over plan view of a container suitable for use with the tile of Figures 1 - 3 to form a storage system in accordance with the invention, Figure 5 is a side view of the container illustrated in Figure 4, Figure 6 is a front view of the container of Figures 4and5, Figure 7 is a side view of a lid for the container of Figures 4 to 6, Figure 8 is an under plan view of the lid of Figure 7, Figure 9 is a front view of a shallow tray or soap dish forming a container suitable for use with the tile of Figures 1-3 to form a storage system in accordance with the invention, Figure 10 is an over plan view of the soap dish of Figure 9, Figure 11 is a rear view of the soap dish of Figures 9 and 10.

Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the soap dish of figures 9-11 taken on the line X-X of Figure 9, Figure 13 is a front view of an alternative size of container similar to Figure 6, Figure 14 is a deep tray of similar construction to the shallow tray of Figure 10, Figure 15 is an over plan view of a grill useable with the tile of Figures 1-3 from a storage system in accordance with the invention, Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line Y-Y of Figure 15, Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view showing an assembly of containers on a tile, Figure 18 is a top plan view of a tile clip, Figure 19 is an end eview taken from below the tile clip as illustrated in Figure 18, Figure 20 is a hook useable with the tile of Figures 1-3 or for hooking over the edge of one of the containers previously described, Figure 21 is a side view of the hook of Figure 20 taken from the right, Figure 22 is a schematic illustration showing six containers, two of each of three different sizes hanging on a pair of wall tiles to form a storage system in accordance with the invention, Figure 23 shows five storage containers including four of one size and one of a different size supported by th rree tiles to form a storage system in accordance with the invention, Figure 24 shows a kitchen tidy storage system in accordance with the invention which comprises three tiles with various containers mounted thereon to form a storage system in accordance with the invention.

In the drawings of Figures 1-3 a wall tile 1, is moulded in a plastics material and is of hollowed-out form as can be seen more easily from Figure 2. The hollow moulding is reinforced by two integral ribs 2, which extend between opposite corners of the tile.

The outer surface of the tile is provided with six projections 3, arranged in three rows of two which are space across the tile. The projections are provided with a through slot 4 which extends in the same general direction therethrough as the outer face of the tile, but has a surface facing the outer surface of the tile which is inclined relative thereto to enhance engagement of a container therewith. Between the projections 3 in the upper and lower rows as illustrated in Figure 1, there are provided recess holes 5, for receiving fixing screws for securing a tile to the wall. Each edge of the tile is provided at spaced positions with a recess 6, in its back edge and a 'V' shaped projection is provided adjacent the recess 6, on the inner surface of the tile for engagement by a tile clip for joining the tile to an adjacent tile in sideby-side disposition.

Figures 4-6 show a container 8, of substantially rectangular cross-section having a projection 9, on its back face and at the top of the container which projection is of substantially hooked shape having a portion which extends in a direction substantially towards the bottom of the container. This latter portion is tapered and has cross-sectional dimensions substantially equal to the cross-sectional dimensions of the recess 6, provided in the tile land permits co-operating engagement therewith to enable the container 8, to be hung from the tile. As will be apparent from the drawings the container is shaped at its front corners to provide inwardly curved corner recesses 1 which extend from the bottom of the container to a position approximately half-way up the container.These recesses form finger-holds for facilitating handling of the containers. This particular container has a height equal to the height of a tile and a width equal to half the width of a tile so that two such containers can be hung side by side from top projections of the tile.

Figures 7 and 8 show a lid 12, for closing the container 8. The lid may be provided with a sealing ring or gasket to facilitate sealing of the container.

A complete range of different types of container can be employed with the tiles of Figures 1 to 3 to provide storage systems in accordance with the invention. Figures 9 to 12 show a shallow tray or soap dish 13, which is provided at its back edge with a split supporting flange 14, which has cut-outs 15, spaced apart by the same distance as the projections 3 on the tile and of a size which provides a clearance fit around the projections. The back of the tray is provided with a pair of spaced projections similar to projections 9 in Figure 5, which serve to enable the soap dish to be supported on two projections 3, in a tile.

Figure 13 shows a container 17, of width equal to the tile of Figures 1 to 3 and of height equal to the height of the tile. This container is of similar construction to the container of Figures 4 to 6 and it will be appreciated that various different sizes of container can be provided. The container of Figure 13 is provided with two projections such as 9 in Figure 5 which are spaced apart by a distance equal to the spacing of the slots 4 in a tile and permit the containerto be hung therefrom.

Figure 14 shows a deep tray 18 of similar construction to the shallow tray of Figure 12.

Figures 15 and 16 show a grill 19, of width equal to the width of a tile which is provided with two spaced projections similar to the projection 9 in Figure 5 which enable the grill to be hung from two projections 3 in the tile of Figures 1 to 3. The grill is provided with several different shaped holes for enabling retention of, for example, tools, toothbrushes etc.

Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view showing two tiles 1 supported in side-by-side disposition and supporting a grill 19, a deep tray 18 and a shallow tray 13.

Figures 18 and 19 show a clip 21 suitable for joining together two tiles in edge-to-edge configuration.

The clips are substantially of "U" form, the inner surfaces of the arms of the "U" having notches 22 for co-operation with the "V" shaped projections of the tile. The clips enable a plurality of tiles to be connected one to another in side-by-side disposition to provide a rigid secure assembly which can be offered up to the wall. In addition to joining the tiles together the clips ensure accurate spacing of the tiles.

Figures 20 and 21 show a hook suitable for engagement either with a projection 3 on a tile or for hooking over the edge of a container. Figures 22, 23, and 24 show schematic illustrations of containers arranged on a plurality of tiles. In Figure 22 one tile is shown as supporting a pair of containers 8 and an adjacent tile is shown supporting four containers of a size not previously illustrated. Figure 23 shows one tile supporting a container 17 positioned between two tiles which each support a pair of containers 8.

Figure 24 shows 3 adjacently disposed tiles, the middle tile supporting a deep tray 18, the left hand tile supporting on its upper projections a grill 19 and on its lower projections a shallow tray 13 and the right-hand tile supporting shallow trays on both its upper and its lower projections.

All the parts have been previously described are advantageously moulded from a plastics material, for example, A.B.S. or H.1 styrene. It will be appreciated that variety of different types and styles of containers are possible and also that various accessories can be provided with projections for engagement with the slot in the projections 3 of the tiles.

Although the preferred embodiment described employs a tile with a projection having a slot for receipt of a tongue provided on the outer surface of a container to be supported, tiles may alternatively be provided with a shaped recess slot or a hole for receipt of a tongue or rod provided on the outer surface of a container to be supported. Another possibility is that the tile could be provided with one or more projections and the containers could be provided with one or more projections adapted for supporting engagement with the projections on the tiles.

The invention is not restricted to the type of cooperating engagement between tile and container that is employed, as any suitable arrangement could be employed.

Although the preferred embodiment is moulded in plastics, it could be formed from any other suitable material. In this context it is quite possible for the tile to be moulded from ceramics.

Claims (12)

1. A storage system comprising a wall tile and a container, wherein the tile and container each have an engagement portion which are mutually engage able to permit releasabie mounting of the container on the tile when the tile is mounted on a wall.

2. A storage system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of engagement portions are provided on the tile to permit selective positioning of the container by engagement with a selected engagement portion on the tile.

3. A storage system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the engagement portions are situated in one or more rows.

4. A storage system as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein a plurality of engagement portions are provided on the container to permit engagement with a plurality of engagement portions on the tile.

5. A storage system as claimed in any one of the preceding claim(s) wherein the engagement portion(s) on the tile each comprise a projection shaped for retentive co-co-operating engagement with a projection or recess on a container to be supported thereby.

6. A storage system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the projection(s) are provided with a hole or slot for engagement with a rod or tongue provided on the container.

7. A storage system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the tongue(s) or rod(s) extend from one outer side of the container in the direction of its base.

8. A storage system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the engagement portion(s) on the tile each comprise a recess shaped for retentive co-operating engagement with a projection on a container to be supported thereby.

9. A storage system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein a plurality of engagement portions are provided on the tile and a plurality of containers each with engagement portions which are mutually engageable with one or more of the engagement portions on the tile are of a size which permits simultaneous mounting on the tile.

10. A storage system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the tile is provided with through holes for receiving fixing screws.

11. A storage system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising a plurality of said wall tiles having edge formations permitting connection one to another in edge to edge disposition by means of clip.

12. A storage system substantially as described herein with reference to, or as illustrated in, the drawings.