US3750892A - Stackable tray for temporarily storing documents or other items - Google Patents

Stackable tray for temporarily storing documents or other items Download PDF

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Publication number
US3750892A
US3750892A US00200490A US3750892DA US3750892A US 3750892 A US3750892 A US 3750892A US 00200490 A US00200490 A US 00200490A US 3750892D A US3750892D A US 3750892DA US 3750892 A US3750892 A US 3750892A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
tray
recesses
runners
trays
thereunder
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US00200490A
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English (en)
Inventor
W Grosse
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Individual
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Individual
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Publication of US3750892A publication Critical patent/US3750892A/en
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B42—BOOKBINDING; ALBUMS; FILES; SPECIAL PRINTED MATTER
    • B42F—SHEETS TEMPORARILY ATTACHED TOGETHER; FILING APPLIANCES; FILE CARDS; INDEXING
    • B42F7/00—Filing appliances without fastening means
    • B42F7/10—Trays
    • B42F7/12—Stacked trays
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47B—TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE
    • A47B87/00—Sectional furniture, i.e. combinations of complete furniture units, e.g. assemblies of furniture units of the same kind such as linkable cabinets, tables, racks or shelf units
    • A47B87/02—Sectional furniture, i.e. combinations of complete furniture units, e.g. assemblies of furniture units of the same kind such as linkable cabinets, tables, racks or shelf units stackable ; stackable and linkable
    • A47B87/0207—Stackable racks, trays or shelf units
    • A47B87/0261—Independent trays
    • A47B87/0269—Independent trays without separate distance holders
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D21/00—Nestable, stackable or joinable containers; Containers of variable capacity
    • B65D21/02—Containers specially shaped, or provided with fittings or attachments, to facilitate nesting, stacking, or joining together
    • B65D21/0235—Containers stackable in a staggered configuration

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT 52 us. c1. 211/128 220/97 B A like stackable with rays 51 1111.01 13 6511 21/02 upright siair'like mss-wise slack 58 Field 61 Search 211/126 128 10 rangememsthemy having 21 1/1 1 220/97 R 97 B D ses for interlocking engagement with the walls ofa similar tray thereunder in a stack, said recesses, allowing [56] References Cited the building of cross-wise stack arrangements of such trays with front access openings facing in two or three UNITED STATES PATENTS or four different directions.
  • This invention relates to an oblong stackable storage tray of the kind (herein called the kind defined) made of synthetic plastics material and used for temporarily holding letters or files or other documentary items, comprising a base, side walls, a rear wall substantially shorter than the side walls, front wall portions leaving an access opening to facilitate taking hold of items in the tray, and runners which are on the underside of the base and which serve also as locating abutment co-operating with the side walls of another similar tray thereunder when the trays are stacked and which have recesses for engagement with the rear wall of an other similar tray thereunder when the trays are stacked in a stair-like arrangement.
  • Trays of the kind defined are known. Therein it is also possible that their runners or comparable portions upon the underside of the base have several recesses so that the trays can be placed interlockingly one upon another in various stairs-like arrangements. Such trays are conventionally used on desks for example for holding letters. It is also possible to arrange the individual trays alternatingly displaced through ismsmassa es several of the trays have their access openings towards one side and the other trays have their access openings at the side lying diametrically opposite thereto. Thus a stack of such trays can be used in common from two working positions lying opposite to one another. However, then a stair-like arrangement and the advantages connected therewith of an easier access for taking hold of items in the trays are not achievable.
  • the invention is therefore intended to provide an improved tray of the kind defined of which the field of practical utility is extended and which also can be used from two working positions with the advantages of a stairs-like stacking arrangement, namely with the improved access thereby afforded for taking hold of the contents of the trays.
  • the said further recesses are arranged so that when the tray is placed interlockingly cross-wise upon a similar tray thereunder the front portion of the upper tray extends upwardly substantially further than its rear portion from the lower tray.
  • the trays should be stacked cross-wise above one another as asymmetrically as possible so that the free space between the access opening of a lower tray and the side wall of the tray lying immediately thereabove is as great as possible.
  • each runner has a pair of said further recesses for engagement of the tray with each of the two side walls of a similar tray thereunder when the trays are stacked in a cross-wise arrangement.
  • FIG. 1 shows a storage tray in plan view
  • FIG. 2 shows a detail view to an enlarged scale in section on the line II II in FIG. 1,
  • FIG. 3 is a partly sectional view of two trays stacked one upon the other in a stairs-like arrangement
  • FIG. 4 is a view of two trays stacked one upon the other in a cross-wise arrangement
  • FIG. 5 is a perspective view of two modified trays stacked one upon the other in a cross-wise arrangement and FIG. 6 is a front view of one of the trays according to FIG. 5.
  • the storage trays represented in. the drawings consist of synthetic plastics material and have a substantially oblong base 1, two side walls 2 and 3 extending in the lengthwise direction of the tray, a rear wall 4, and a front with a wide front access opening 5.
  • On the underside of the base 1 extending lengthwise complementary to the side walls 2 and 3 are runners 6 which come into abutment against the inner sides of the side walls of another similar tray thereunder to serve as guides during the stacking of trays one upon another.
  • runners 6 are arranged somewhat displaced towards the middle of the tray with respect to the side walls 2 and 3, as is shown in FIG. 2. Further there are cross-ribs 7 formed on the underside of the base between the two runners 6.
  • each of the side walls 2 and 3 is, as shown in FIG. 2, of substantially U-shaped formation so that the tray can be slidably guided in a support (not shown) as a drawer.
  • each two narrow recesses 9 and 10 which lie one behind the other and with which one tray can engage upon the rear wall 4 of a similar tray thereunder in either of two different stair- Iike arrangements, one of which is shown in FIG. 3.
  • the runners 6 have in addition a pair each of wider recesses 11 of which the width is suited to the width of the upper margin 8 of the side walls 2 and 3 and of which the spacing is such that in the manner shown in FIG. 4 the recesses 11 can engage upon the side walls 2 and 3 of a similar tray thereunder in a cross-wise arrangement. Because of this cross-wise stacking arrangement there is available above the front access opening of each tray in the direction of the arrow 12 (FIG. 4) a free space which corresponds at least to the free space in the direction of the arrow 13 (FIG. 3) in the stair-like stacking arrangement, so that with the cross-wise arrangement there exist the same advantages with respect to improved access for taking hold of the contents of a tray, and additionally there is the advantage of the stack of trays being usable from different sides.
  • FIGS. 1 TO 4 In the form of construction according to FIGS. 1 to 4 the clear width of the base of the tray amounts to 325 X 247 mm, the interior clear height is 45 mm and the wall thickness is 2 mm.
  • FIG. 3 there is indicated in broken lines a sheet of paper 14 of DIN-A4 Format (210 mm X 297 mm. Forwardly to the front access opening 5 over the full width the base 1 rises with an inclined portion at a gentle angle a of approximately 12, and the inclined portion 15 begins at a distance 16 from the front edge of the region covered by the inserted sheet of paper 14 of DIN-A4 Format.
  • the trays can advantageously be used and carried as single trays. Moreover, they can be used as slidable drawers in a supporting frame.
  • a stackable office tray for the temporary storage of documents comprising a substantially rectangular base with two longer sides and two shorter sides; two side walls extending upwardly from said longer sides of said base; a rear wall extending upwardly from one of said shorter sides; a front access opening on the other of said shorter sides; and two runners on the under side of said base adjacent and parallel to said longer sides of said base, said tray being stackable in a vertical stack with a similar tray thereunder and said runners having side faces extending in longitudinal direction and adapted to engage faces of the side wall of the similar tray thereunder for holding the two trays in the vertical stack against displacement in longitudinal direction and in a direction transverse thereto, said tray being also stackable in a stair-like stack with a similar tray thereunder and said runners having further at least one pair of first recesses adapted to be engaged with the rear wall of a similar tray thereunder while said side faces of said runners engage faces of the side wall of the similar tray for holding the two trays in the stair-like stack against displacement in longitudinal direction and in direction transverse thereto,
  • each of said four second recesses are arranged for holding said upper tray against displacement in longitudinal direction thereof relative to said lower tray.
  • each of said runners is provided with a pair of first recesses arranged spaced from each other in longitudinal direction of the runner adjacent said rear wall.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Stackable Containers (AREA)
  • Sheet Holders (AREA)
US00200490A 1970-12-05 1971-11-19 Stackable tray for temporarily storing documents or other items Expired - Lifetime US3750892A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE19702059960 DE2059960A1 (de) 1970-12-05 1970-12-05 Stapelbarer Papierablagekasten

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3750892A true US3750892A (en) 1973-08-07

Family

ID=5790117

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00200490A Expired - Lifetime US3750892A (en) 1970-12-05 1971-11-19 Stackable tray for temporarily storing documents or other items

Country Status (10)

Country Link
US (1) US3750892A (it)
AT (1) AT312557B (it)
CA (1) CA949004A (it)
CH (1) CH524511A (it)
DE (1) DE2059960A1 (it)
DK (1) DK131555B (it)
FR (1) FR2117122A5 (it)
GB (1) GB1367519A (it)
IT (1) IT953140B (it)
NL (1) NL7116483A (it)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4062452A (en) * 1976-06-30 1977-12-13 Kole Enterprises, Inc. Document filing apparatus
US4333573A (en) * 1980-05-23 1982-06-08 Holoubek Verne R Stackable tray
US5184726A (en) * 1990-07-16 1993-02-09 Spectrum International, Inc. File box column
WO1998038047A1 (en) * 1997-02-28 1998-09-03 Subtle Difference Industries Corporation Storage unit and shelf construction therefor
US20040129655A1 (en) * 2002-11-13 2004-07-08 Mario Balzarini Stackable container, paper holder or the like
US20080099498A1 (en) * 2006-10-30 2008-05-01 Horst-Werner Maier-Hunke Sheet material dispenser
US20090108722A1 (en) * 2007-10-25 2009-04-30 Hickey Charles P Under-Cabinet Tray
US20090152811A1 (en) * 2006-07-13 2009-06-18 Lockheed Martin Corporation Mailpiece container for stacking mixed mail and method for stacking mail therein
US20100078400A1 (en) * 2008-09-26 2010-04-01 Chun-Yuan Chang Quick-assembly laminating file tray
US8997993B2 (en) 2011-07-27 2015-04-07 E.M.I. Enterprises, Inc. Stackable envelope trays
US20210298503A1 (en) * 2020-03-31 2021-09-30 Foley Engineering, Llc Serving tray apparatus and method of using same

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2120603A (en) * 1982-05-21 1983-12-07 Arthur Headley Creighton Desk top printer stand
DE9208887U1 (de) * 1992-07-03 1992-10-01 Schoeller-Plast S.A., Romont Flaschenkasten für versetzte Stapelungen im Stapelverbund
ITBG940004A1 (it) * 1994-01-28 1995-07-28 Rado Gorup Mobile a ripiani modulari e sovrapponibili
GB9901930D0 (en) * 1999-01-28 1999-03-17 Avery Dennison Office Products A tray

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US647388A (en) * 1899-10-25 1900-04-10 William I Evans Photographic washing-tray.
US1207279A (en) * 1916-02-07 1916-12-05 Winfield S Crum Basket-runner.
FR1332225A (fr) * 1963-02-16 1963-07-12 Cie D Electroformage Et Plasti Classeur superposable, à plusieurs positions, sans liaison
US3152698A (en) * 1963-04-18 1964-10-13 Edker Pope Co Tray rack adapter
US3214056A (en) * 1963-05-17 1965-10-26 Box Theodor Plastic stacking case
FR2003042A1 (it) * 1968-03-01 1969-11-07 Hansmann Robert

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US647388A (en) * 1899-10-25 1900-04-10 William I Evans Photographic washing-tray.
US1207279A (en) * 1916-02-07 1916-12-05 Winfield S Crum Basket-runner.
FR1332225A (fr) * 1963-02-16 1963-07-12 Cie D Electroformage Et Plasti Classeur superposable, à plusieurs positions, sans liaison
US3152698A (en) * 1963-04-18 1964-10-13 Edker Pope Co Tray rack adapter
US3214056A (en) * 1963-05-17 1965-10-26 Box Theodor Plastic stacking case
FR2003042A1 (it) * 1968-03-01 1969-11-07 Hansmann Robert

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4062452A (en) * 1976-06-30 1977-12-13 Kole Enterprises, Inc. Document filing apparatus
US4333573A (en) * 1980-05-23 1982-06-08 Holoubek Verne R Stackable tray
US5184726A (en) * 1990-07-16 1993-02-09 Spectrum International, Inc. File box column
WO1998038047A1 (en) * 1997-02-28 1998-09-03 Subtle Difference Industries Corporation Storage unit and shelf construction therefor
US20040129655A1 (en) * 2002-11-13 2004-07-08 Mario Balzarini Stackable container, paper holder or the like
US20090152804A1 (en) * 2006-07-13 2009-06-18 Lockheed Martin Corporation Mailpiece container for stacking mixed mail and method for stacking mail therein
US8079588B2 (en) 2006-07-13 2011-12-20 Lockheed Martin Corporation Mailpiece container for stacking mixed mail and method for stacking mail therein
US20090152811A1 (en) * 2006-07-13 2009-06-18 Lockheed Martin Corporation Mailpiece container for stacking mixed mail and method for stacking mail therein
US9359164B2 (en) * 2006-07-13 2016-06-07 Lockheed Martin Corporation Mailpiece container for stacking mixed mail and method for stacking mail therein
US20090159481A1 (en) * 2006-07-13 2009-06-25 Lockheed Martin Corporation Mailpiece container for stacking mixed mail and method for stacking mail therein
US20090162185A1 (en) * 2006-07-13 2009-06-25 Lockheed Martin Corporation Mailpiece container for stacking mixed mail and method for stacking mail therein
US8261515B2 (en) 2006-07-13 2012-09-11 Lockheed Martin Corporation Mailpiece container for stacking mixed mail and method for stacking mail therein
US8231002B2 (en) 2006-07-13 2012-07-31 Lockheed Martin Corporation Mailpiece container for stacking mixed mail and method for stacking mail therein
US20080099498A1 (en) * 2006-10-30 2008-05-01 Horst-Werner Maier-Hunke Sheet material dispenser
US20090108722A1 (en) * 2007-10-25 2009-04-30 Hickey Charles P Under-Cabinet Tray
US20100078400A1 (en) * 2008-09-26 2010-04-01 Chun-Yuan Chang Quick-assembly laminating file tray
US8997993B2 (en) 2011-07-27 2015-04-07 E.M.I. Enterprises, Inc. Stackable envelope trays
US20210298503A1 (en) * 2020-03-31 2021-09-30 Foley Engineering, Llc Serving tray apparatus and method of using same
US11589697B2 (en) * 2020-03-31 2023-02-28 Foley Engineering, Llc Serving tray apparatus and method of using same

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AT312557B (de) 1974-01-10
NL7116483A (it) 1972-06-07
CA949004A (en) 1974-06-11
GB1367519A (en) 1974-09-18
IT953140B (it) 1973-08-10
DK131555B (da) 1975-08-04
DE2059960A1 (de) 1972-06-22
FR2117122A5 (it) 1972-07-21
CH524511A (de) 1972-06-30
DK131555C (it) 1975-12-29

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