GB2335136A

GB2335136A - Storage cupboard with movable storage space

Info

Publication number: GB2335136A
Application number: GB9800223A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Malcolm Stuart Grey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-01-08
Filing date: 1998-01-08
Publication date: 1999-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 2018-01-08
Also published as: GB2335136A8; GB9800223D0; GB2335136B

Abstract

A storage cupboard, particularly for canned foodstuffs, has fixed shelves around at least two sides of a primary storage space and which forms a cavity 20 into which is received a pivoting goods support arrangement 26 (eg wire baskets) which may be mounted on the cupboard door 16 or independently of it. Supports 26 may be wider spaced than the fixed shelves to allow tall items to be stored. In one embodiment (Fig 4) support 26 is arranged to slide outward from the cavity during the first part of its movement, which allows narrower fixed shelves to be used. The fixed shelving may include electronic sensors for absence of items so as to allow stock control.

Description

Storage cupboard 2335136 The invention relates to a storage cupboard, for

example a storage cupboard for use in a domestic kitchen.

It is a particular problem that the items stored in a domestic kitchen storage cupboard are hardly ever used in strict rotation, with the result that some items may be overlooked for a considerable length of time and, in the case of certain perishables, can become unfit for human consumption. This can be not only wasteful but injurious to the health of people in the household concerned if they consume tinned foodstuffs for example which have deteriorated, and yet the reason why this problem exists is very simple; in a conventional food storage cupboard such items are often overlooked for the simple reason that they are hidden from view at the back of the cupboard by the positioning of similar items in front of them.

According to the invention, a storage cupboard has a primary storage space and a secondary storage space at least partly located within said primary space, the primary storage space being constituted by a plurality of shelves each of which is shaped so that it skirts at least two of the interior three walls of the cupboard to form a central cavity for the reception of a hinged carrier member which constitutes the secondary storage space, the arrangement being such that, in use of the cupboard, when said hinged carrier member has been moved outwards from its normally stowed position, it reveals items stored within the primary space. The hinged carrier member may itself be provided with shelves, but in this case the spaces between the shelves will preferably be relatively deep so that these can accommodate items of relatively greater depth.

The cupboard may be provided with a hinged door in which case the carrier member may either be carried on the interior surface of the door or be separately hinged.

One way of carrying out the invention is described in detail below with reference to drawings which illustrate, by way of example only, several specific embodiments, in which:- Figure 1 is a front view of a domestic food storage cupboard embodying the invention, Figure 2 is a section on the line 2 - 2 in Figure 1, and Figures 3 and 4 are views similar to Figure 2 which illustrate possible modifications which will be referred to.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the storage cupboard there illustrated is for use in a domestic kitchen and is intended mainly for the storage of tinned foodstuffs, breakfast cereals and the like. As shown, the cupboard has three upstanding walls 10,12 and 14 and a hinged door 16.

A primary storage space within the cupboard is constituted by five equally spaced apart shelves 18 each of which is shaped in such a way that it skirts the interior three walls 10,12 and 14 to form a central cavity 20 which extends between upper and lower walls 22 and 24 of the cupboard. A secondary storage space within the cupboard is constituted by a carrier member 26 which is secured to the interior surface of the hinged door 16. The arrangement is such that, in use of the cupboard, when the door has been opened to move the carrier member outwards from its normally stowed position (in which, as shown, it virtually fills the available space within the cavity 20) it reveals items stored within the primary storage space. If the items stored in the primary storage space are tinned foodstuffs, there may be a single row of tins extending around the three outer edges of each shelf, as shown (and for the sake of simple illustration, the tins in the example are all of one particular standard size, but in actual practice may not necessarily be so). The result of this general arrangement can be expected to be the elimination of waste because every tin of food is likely to be clearly seen every time the cupboard door is opened. The foodstuffs may still not be consumed in strict rotation but, in normal circumstances#, a householder will tend to use the items in view within a reasonable length of time. Efficient stock control can therefore be facilitated.

The carrier member 26, which constitutes the secondary storage space, is shown in the illustrated example to be formed as a wire basket construction with only two shelves 28 and 30. It is intended for the storage of relatively lightweight and greater height items and is shown in the drawings to contain cartons of breakfast cereals and the like, together with other items of greater height than tinned foodstuffs, for example sauce bottles and the like which are not usually stored in quantity in the way in which tinned soups and beans for example are stored.

Thus there is provided a storage cupboard which it is thought will combat the tendency for items such as soups and beans to be overlooked through being hidden from view. However, various modifications may be made. For example, in Figure 3 there is illustrated an arrangement generally similar to that just described but in which the shelves in the primary storage space have been slightly differently shaped to suit the fact that the cupboard is of a lesser depth than that illustrated in the previously described embodiment. In this further example it will be seen that there have been assembled two rows of tins at the back of the cupboard. Whilst this may seem to be slightly at variance with what has been stated previously, that is to say that all the contents of the primary storage space should be on view when the carrier member has been moved outwardly of its normally stowed position, this further illustration of loading the cupboard may be thought a reasonable compromise to utilise more space for the accommodation of tinned foodstuffs because whenever a tin is removed from the front row of tins, the tin immediately to the rear of it will clearly be seen.

In Figure 4 there is illustrated a further possible modification in which, in order to provide more single row storage space for standard size tins, an inner wall and one side wall of the hinged carrier member can accommodate rows of tins on narrow shelves 28 with raised lips 30 along their edges. As shown, the carrier member in this case is not simply hinged but is slidably mounted on the longer leg of an angle member 32 itself pivotable about the axis about which the door 16 is hinged. Also as shown, the shelves within the primary storage space have been shaped to suit the stepped shape of one side wall of the carrier member.

The arrangement is such that, from a fully stowed position in which it virtually fills the cavity 20, the carrier member can be withdrawn to reveal the contents of the primary storage space by an initial outwards sliding movement on the angle member 32, followed by a pivotal movement of said angle member.

It will be understood that in any arrangement in which the carrier member is separately hinged rather than being carried on the interior surface of the door, the door could be hinged at one side of the cupboard and the carrier member hinged at the other side. It will also be understood that in any arrangement in which the door and carrier member are separately hinged, it would be possible for the opening of the door to effect at least an initial outward movement of the carrier member.

In any of the illustrated constructions it will be understood that the shelves 18 which constitute the primary storage space,' although being of generally similar shape to produce the cavity 20, may not necessarily be identical. For example, in the Figure 3 arrangement, where at one side the shelves become narrower towards the front of the cupboard, one or more of the shelves could be cut back to produce one or more double height spaces near the front of the cupboard for accommodating relatively tall items such as bottles of vinegar and sauces. Furthermore, although it is thought preferable for the shelves constituting the primary storage space to be shaped so that they skirt the interior three walls of the cupboard, as illustrated in the examples, they could be shaped so that they skirt only two walls.

In a still further modification of the embodiments described, the locations for the tins could be labelled with the names of different types of foodstuffs (that is to say soups, beans, tinned fruits and the like) or shelves exclusively for soups, for example, could have certain numbers of spaces labelled with the names of particular soups (that is to say tomato, asparagus, mushroom and so on). In this way, by checking which designated spaces are vacant, it would be relatively easy to note which items need to be replenished each week. It will also be understood that a storage cupboard embodying the invention may also lend itself ideally to the introduction of a system whereby, on the fitment of electronic sensors to the individual spaces on the shelves, the need for replenishment of certain items can be noted electronically, the sensors being actuated by the removal of the items concerned from their allotted spaces. Such a system could be introduced in order to assist a housewife to prepare her weekly shopping list. However, in a more sophisticated system, a list of the items needing to be replenished could be transmitted directly to a retail establishment having an electronic terminal for compiling their customers requirements in this way for collection or delivery.

Claims

1. A storage cupboard having a primary storage space and a secondary storage space at least partly located within said primary space, the primary storage space being constituted by a plurality of shelves each of which is shaped so that it skirts at least two of the interior three walls of the cupboard to form a central cavity for the reception of a hinged carrier member which constitutes the secondary storage space, the arrangement being such that, in use of the cupboard, when said hinged carrier member has been moved outwards from its normally stowed position, it reveals items stored within the primary space.

2. A storage cupboard according to claim 1, in which shelves in the primary storage space are shaped so that, adjacent the hinge of the carrier member, there is formed a relatively narrow area (for the location of single rows of tins on each shelf) and so that, at the back of the cupboard, there is formed an area of relatively greater depth (for the location of two or more rows of similar tins on each shelf).

3. A storage cupboard according to either one of the preceding claims, in which the hinged carrier member is itself provided with shelves.

4. A storage cupboard according to claim 3, in which the spaces between the shelves of the hinged carrier member are relatively deep so that these can accommodate items of relatively greater depth.

5. A storage cupboard according to any one of the preceding claims, provided with a hinged door, the carrier member being carried either on the interior surface of the door or by being separately hinged.

6. A storage cupboard according to claim 5, in which the door and carrier member are separately hinged, the arrangement being such that the opening of the door effects at least an initial outward movement of the carrier member.

7. A storage cupboard according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the locations for the tins are labelled with the names of different items of foodstuffs, or in which shelves exclusively for a particular type of tin have certain numbers of spaces labelled with particular names of such items, the arrangement being such that, in this way, by checking which designated spaces are vacant, it is relatively easy to note which items need to be replenished.

8. A storage cupboard according to any one of the preceding claims, in which electronic sensors are located in the individual spaces on the shelves, the arrangement being such that the cupboard can be electrically connected in a system whereby the need to replenish certain items can be noted electronically.

9. A storage cupboard constructed, arranged and adapted to be used substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

q Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A storage cupboard having a primary storage space and a secondary storage space at least partly located within said primary space, the primary storage space being constituted by a plurality of shelves each of which is shaped so that it skirts the three interior walls of the cupboard to form a central cavity for the reception of a hinged carrier member which constitutes the secondary storage space, the arrangement being such that, in use of the cupboard, when said hinged carrier member has been moved outwards from its normally stowed position, it reveals items stored within the primary space and located adjacent the three interior walls of the cupboard.

3. A claims, so that, of said from, thE is opened storage cupboard according to either one of the preceding in which shelves in the primary storage space are shaped remote from the hinge of the carrier member, the edges shelves are curved to follow, and to be closely spaced arc struck by the movement of said carrier member as it or closed.

4. A storage cupboard according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the hinged carrier member is itself provided with shelves.

5. A storage cupboard according to claim 4, in which the spaces between the shelves of the hinged carrier member are relatively deep so that these can accommodate items of relatively greater depth.

6. A storage cupboard according to any one of the preceding claims, provided with a hinged door, the carrier member being carried either on the interior surface of the door or by being separately hinged.

7. A storage cupboard according to claim 6, in which the door and carrier member are separately hinged, the arrangement being such that the opening of the door effects at least an initial outward movement of the carrier member.

8. A storage cupboard according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the locations for the tins are labelled with the names of different items of foodstuffs, or in which shelves exclusively for a particular type of tin have certain numbers of spaces labelled with particular names of such items, the arrangement being such that, in this way, by checking which designated spaces are vacant, it is relatively easy to note which items need to be replenished.

11 9. A storage cupboard according to any one of the preceding claims, in which electronic sensors are located in the individual spaces on the shelves, the arrangement being such that the cupboard can be electrically connected in a system whereby the need to replenish certain items can be noted electronically.

10. A storage cupboard constructed, arranged and adapted to be used substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.