GB2175795A

GB2175795A - Storage rack

Info

Publication number: GB2175795A
Application number: GB08613024A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Michael Cooke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-05-29
Filing date: 1986-05-29
Publication date: 1986-12-10
Also published as: GB2175795B; GB8613024D0; GB8513523D0

Abstract

A readily dismantleable storage rack, and a kit of parts for making such a storage rack, in which the storage rack comprises at least one container supporting tray (1), the or each tray (1) being supported by at least two legs (2), each leg comprising a main leg portion (5) having at one end an axially projecting peg (6), and at its other end a socket (8), the cross section of the peg (6) being smaller than the cross section of the main leg portion so that a lip (7) is formed between the peg (6) and the main leg portion (5), the internal cross section of the socket (8) being slightly greater than the cross section of the peg (6) and less than the cross section of the main leg portion (5) so that the peg (6) of one leg (2) will fit snugly into the socket (8) of a similar leg (2), the container supporting tray (1) including bores (4). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Storage rack Field of the Invention This invention relates to a storage rack, which can be readily dismantled, but can also be built up into a larger storage system. It is of particular use for storing a plurality of different types of small items.

Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a readily dismantleable storage rack, comprising at least one container supporting tray, the or each tray being supported by at least two legs, each leg comprising a main leg portion having at one end an axially projecting peg, and at its other end a socket, the cross section of the peg being smaller than the cross section of the main leg portion so that a lip is formed between the peg and the main leg portion, the internal cross section of the socket being slightly greater than the cross section of the peg and legs than the cross section of the main leg portion, so that the peg of one leg will fit snugly into the socket of a similar leg, the container supporting tray including bores through which may be inserted the leg pegs, the cross section of the bores being slightly greater than the cross section of the projecting peg, but less than the cross section of the main leg portion, so that a peg on one leg may be inserted into the bore, and the base of the tray rests on the lip on the leg, the or each container supporting tray including a plurality of container holes; the storage rack being arranged for use with containers having a first zone of a cross section larger than the container holes, and a second zone, lower than the first zone of cross section smaller than the holes so that such a container, in use, may be supported in a hole by virtue of the differential cross section.

The advantage of this storage rack is that it can be used with just one container supporting tray supported by legs, but can be built up by adding further legs and container supporting trays in a rack formation to build a comprehensive storage system.

The containers are easily removed from the container supporting tray but may be used to keep many different small items separate.

The storage rack may include just two wide based legs to support each tray but in most cases, at least three legs will be required to support each tray.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a kit of parts for making the storage rack with suitable containers for use with the system. However, the invention is particularly useful if the holes in the container supporting tray are made to be round and of a diameter similar to the diameter of a standard yoghurt pot. Dairy products such as yoghurt, cream cheese, cottage cheese and cream are all sold in very similar (standard) sized pots and most households could easily save empty pots. This system would find a very effective way of using these otherwise wasted pots.

Alternatively, the holes in the container support tray may be square or rectangular and may be used with the square pots used by nurseries for storing seedlings. In this case the storage rack may provide a very compact storage system for growing seedlings.

It will be appreciated that a storage rack may be designed to hold any commercially readily available containers. For instance, a storage rack to hold a large number of tiny components may be designed which accommodates the small pots in which cream and milk are sold to accompany cups of coffee and tea sold in cafes and restaurants. This provides a very effective way of using these otherwise wasted plastic containers.

The legs may be of any cross section but are preferably cylindrical. For ease of manufacture the main leg portion is preferably of constant cross section and the peg is of a smaller constant cross section.

The storage rack may be made of a light wood or may be made of moulded plastics. In the case of the seedling storage unit the rack may be used of papier mache similar to the type used by gardeners for storing seedlings. For more expensive applications, the whole rack may be made of pressed stainless steel.

Conveniently the legs may be made of wooden dowel but it will be appreciated that they may be made of any strong and rigid material.

The storage rack system provides a compact and economical method of storing a plurality of small components ensuring that they are all kept tidy and sorted. Thus the racks would be very useful in a storeroom or workshop. Alternatively, the storage rack may be made of a smaller size to be placed on a window sill of a kitchen, for example, with small plants held in the containers.

Brief Description of the Drawings A storage rack in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a container supporting tray; Figure 2 is an enlarged cross section taken through line A-A of Fig. 1, with legs in place; and Figure 3 is a section through line D-D of Fig. 1, with containers in place.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment A storage rack to be described is a small rack primarily for use on a window sill using standard yoghurt pot type containers.

The storage rack comprises two identical container supporting trays 1 and eight identical legs 2.

The container supporting trays are made of thin wood with six container holes 3 drilled out of them. At each corner of the container supporting tray 1 is a small bore 4 for accommodating the legs 2.

The bores could equally be arranged anywhere on the tray 1 but it is convenient to situate them at the corners.

Each leg comprises a wooden cylinder having a main leg portion 5 of constant cross section with an axially projecting peg 6 also of constant diameter. The diameter of peg 6 is smaller than the diameter of the main leg portion 5 so that a lip 7 is formed between the peg and the main leg portion 5.

At the other end of each leg 2 is a socket having a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the peg 6.

In use the peg 6 of a leg 2 is inserted into a bore 4 of a container supporting tray. The base of the tray 1 rests on the lip 7 of the leg 2. When an extra container supporting tray is to be placed on top of the first tray 1 extra legs 2 are placed over the projecting pegs 6 with the sockets 8 fitted snugly over the peg 6.

If, in some cases, the containers for placing in the container holes 3 are particularly deep then legs of a different length are required between two adjacent container supporting trays. This can conveniently be achieved by using two legs 2 fitted together with the peg 6 within the socket 8 of the top leg.

Fig. 3 shows two different types of yoghurt pots 9 and 10 in place in the container supporting tray. The first type 9 tapers gradually from the top of the container to the bottom of the container. The other type of conventional yoghurt pot has a flange or lip 11 formed around its top edge which rests around the periphery of the hole 3 in the container supporting tray. It will be appreciated that the containers used may be of many varying shapes and the container support trays do not have to be rectangular, they can be of any shape according to the proposed use.

Claims

1. A readily dismantleable storage rack, comprising at least one container supporting tray, the or each tray being supported by at least two legs, each leg comprising a main leg portion having at one end an axially projecting peg, and at its other end a socket, the cross section of the peg being smaller than the cross section of the main leg portion so that a lip is formed between the peg and the main leg portion, the internal cross section of the socket being slightly greater than the cross section of the peg and less than the cross section of the main leg portion, so that the peg of one leg will fit snugly into the socket of a similar leg, the container supporting tray including bores through which may be inserted the leg pegs, the cross section of the bores being slightly greater than the cross section of the projecting peg, but less than the cross section of the main leg portion, so that a peg on one leg may be inserted into the bore, and the base of the tray rests on the lip on the leg, the or each container supporting tray including a plurality of container holes; the storage rack being arranged for use with containers having a first zone of a cross section larger than the container holes, and a second zone, lower than the first zone of cross section smaller than the holes so that such a container, in use, may be supported in a hole by virtue of the differential cross section.

2. A kit of parts for making a readily dismantleable storage rack comprising, at least one container supporting tray; and, for each tray, at least two tray supporting legs, each leg comprising a main leg portion having at one end an axially projecting peg, and at its other end a socket, the cross section of the peg being smaller than the cross section of the main leg portion so that a lip is formed between the peg and the main leg portion, the internal cross section of the socket being slightly greater than the cross section of the peg and less than the cross section of the main leg portion, so that the peg of one leg will fit snugly into the socket of a similar leg, the container supporting tray including bores through which may be inserted the leg pegs, the cross section of the bores being slightly greater than the cross section of the projecting peg, but less than the cross section of the main leg portion, so that a peg on one leg may be inserted into the bore, and the base of the tray rests on the lip on the leg, the or each container supporting tray including a plurality of container holes; in use, the kit being used to make up a storage rack arranged for use with containers having a first zone of a cross section larger than the container holes, and a second zone, lower than the first zone of cross section small than the holes so that such a container, in use, may be supported in a hole by virtue of the differential cross section.

3. A kit of parts according to claim 2, also comprising a set of containers, each having a first zone with a cross section larger than the container holes, and a second zone, lower than the first zone, having a cross section smaller than the container holes.

4. A storage rack according to claim 1, or a kit of parts according to claim 2, in which the container holes of the or each tray are round in cross section and of a diameter ar ranged to support a standard dairy product pot.

5. A storage rack according to claim 1, or a kit of parts according to claim 2, in which the container holes of the or each tray are square or rectangular in cross section arranged to be used with gardeners seedling pots.

6. A storage rack according to claim 1, or a kit of parts according to claim 2, in which the container holes of the or each tray are adapted to support individual miniature cream or milk pots.

7. A container or kit of parts in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, in which the storage rack is made of wood, papier mache, moulded plastics or pressed stainless steel.

8. A container or kit of parts in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, in which the or each tray is supported by four legs arranged at corners of the tray.

9. A container or kit of parts in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, in which each leg is cylindrical with the main leg portion of constant cross-section and the peg of smaller constant cross section.

10. A readily dismantleable storage rack or a kit of parts for making such a storage rack arranged substantially as described herein, with reference to, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.