WO1997035770A1

WO1997035770A1 - A storage receptacle

Info

Publication number: WO1997035770A1
Application number: PCT/NZ1997/000034
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter James Howard
Original assignee: Howard, Maicel, June
Priority date: 1996-03-22
Filing date: 1997-03-20
Publication date: 1997-10-02
Also published as: AU2182197A

Abstract

A storage receptacle for use in a milking installation to provide storage for veterinary products and/or drugs. The storage receptacle has a housing (10) with mountings (35) for suspension of the housing (10) from a fixture or structure. A movable bin (11) is located within the housing. The bin is mounted (20) to be movable such that at least part thereof can move down from within the housing through open bottom (B) to assume an open position to thereby permit access to items located within the bin via the open top (T) of bin (11). The housing can include an external storage area (22). A quick release latching (27, 28) maintains the bin in a closed position within the housing.

Description

A STORAGE RECEPTACLE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a storage receptacle means which is primarily but not exclusively intended for use in a milking installation.

In a milking installation such as a milking shed or parlour, milking personnel need to have ready access to veterinary products and drugs for the treatments of animals suffering, for example, from mastitis. These can include syringes, ampoules, bottles of liquid drugs and the like all which must be stored in conditions which are dry, not open to contamination, yet at the same time should be readily accessible to the farmer and his staff.

The farmer thus usually keeps the drugs well away from the area in which the animals are actually being milked so that they cannot become exposed to dirt, waste materials and water. This, however, represents an inconvenience when milking is taking place as the farmer or his staff must leave the milking area to obtain whatever is required to treat the animal and then return to the milking area to carry out the treatment. In addition to being inconvenienced there is a time wasting factor.

SUBSTITUTE SHEE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is thus to provide a storage receptacle means which can be used for example in a milking installation to provide a means for storing such things as drugs in a manner which provides ready access yet prevents exposure of the drugs to deleterious elements such as dirt, waste materials and water.

Broadly in one aspect of the invention there is provided a storage receptacle means comprising a housing adapted for suspension from a fixture or structure, a bin means located within the housing, said bin means mounted to be movable such that at least part thereof can move down from within the housing to assume an open position to thereby permit access to items located within the bin means.

In a preferred form of the invention, the bin means is mounted to move about a pivot axis. Quick release latching means can be provided to maintain the bin means within the housing. Preferably the bin means is partitioned. In a preferred form the bin means locates within the housing in such a manner that seals to prevent the ingress of harmful materials and moisture are not required. According to one form of the invention, the housing includes at least one external storage area.

The housing preferably includes a pair of mounting means for the attachment or coupling thereto of suspension means such that the housing can be suspended above or adjacent a work area. The housing can also include a cover or roof part which is profiled to divert water, waste or other materials away from the part of the housing in which the bin means is located and from which the bin means extends when moved to the open position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of the invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the invention as shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional side with the bin in the open position of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2,

Figure 4 is an end elevation view of the invention as shown in Figures 1 to 3,

SUB Figure 5 is a side elevation view of a further form of the invention with the bin in the open position, and

Figure 6 is a rear perspective view of the invention as shown in Figure 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The drawings in the following description describe only preferred forms of the invention. The physical size and proportions of the storage receptacle means according to the present invention can be adapted to particular end requirements dependant for example on the type of storage required and the amount of storage space needed. For example, in some situations a single storage receptacle means may be used for a whole milking shed installation whereas in other situations a farmer may require a plurality of storage receptacle means to be spaced strategically throughout the milking installation. The illustrated forms of the invention are thus by way of example which is illustrative of the invention.

It is envisaged that the storage receptacle means according to the invention will be made from a suitable plastics material. Thus it is envisaged that the product can be manufactured by using, say, a rotational moulding process or injection moulding.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET The storage receptacle means comprises a housing 10 and a bin 11 which is located within the housing 10 and is able to drop down from the housing into an open position. In its simplest form the housing can comprise a roof 12, end walls 13 and side walls 14 and have an open bottom B through which the bin 11 is positioned within the housing 10.

The bin includes a floor 15, side walls 16, end walls 17 and 18 and open top T. In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 4 the end wall 18 is located at an angle so that when the bin is engaged within the housing in the closed position, the lower most edge of the wall 18 fits closely with the lower terminal edge of adjacent end wall 13 of the housing 10.

Internally the bin 11 can be configured as required for the end purpose. In the illustrated form it includes two internal partitions 19.

In its simplest form the bin 11 is pivotally mounted about pivot axis 20 adjacent end wall 17. A stop means 21 is provided within the housing so that when the bin 11 is lowered, there is a definite fully opened position as illustrated. In the illustrated form in Figures 1 to 4 stop means 21 is a cross piece extending between walls 14 and which engages with the top edge of walls 16 of the bin. In

SUBSTITUTE SHEET Figures 5 and 6 the stop means 21 is a cross piece extending between walls 14 at the lower end of end wall 13 adjacent the pivot mounting of the bin 11.

In the preferred form of the invention a quick release latch mechanism (not shown in Figures 1 to 4) is provided to latch the bin in the closed position. This quick release latching mechanism can include a part which can be grabbed by the user to simultaneously release the latch pull the bin about the pivot axis 20 to the open position. Alternatively the bin can be held by an interference fit between, say, the lower end of wall 18 of the bin and the adjacent housing end wall 13.

With the arrangement shown in Figures 5 and 6 the quick release mechanism is in part achieved by a transverse groove 27 which extends adjacent to the end wall 18 of the bin 11. Extending parallel to but spaced from the end wall 13a of the housing 10 is a lip 28. In this arrangement the side walls 16 of bin 11 have a pair of elongate slots 29 through which engages pivot element 20.

Adjacent the groove 27 is a finger recess 31. The user places his or her fingers in the finger recess 31 and pivots the bin upwardly in the direction of the arrow A shown in Figure 4. This movement causes relative movement between the pivot element 20 and slots 29 so that the end wall 18 of the bin 11 clears the lip 28. Upon the bin locating within the housing 10 a forward pressure (relative to wall 13a) is applied so as to move end wall 18 toward wall 13a so that the groove 27 can latch over the lip 28 (see dotted detail). This holds the bin in a closed position.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other latching arrangements between the distal end of the bin 11 and the housing 10 can be used to hold the bin 11 in the closed position within housing 10.

For further security a lock cylinder 32 can be mounted in a side wall 14 of housing 10, this lock cylinder being key operable so that a locking tab 33 can be moved between a locking position (which prevents the bin 11 from being lowered out of the housing 10) and a non-locking position which does not interfere with the normal opening and closing operation of the bin 11.

Projecting from one or each end of the housing 10 there is preferably provided an external storage area 22. This can be formed as shown by a partial extension of each side wall 14 of the housing 10 and end wall 23 extending therebetween. In the preferred form shown in Figures 1 to 4 the floor 24 is formed by slats or as shown in Figure 5 has drainage opening(s) 34 so that any water or moisture accumulating therein can drain away.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET In the intended end use of the storage receptacle means according to the invention the end storage part(s) 22 can be used for storing spray cans which do not need to be stored in a dry and moisture free environment.

Extending from roof 12 of housing 10 are mountings 25. These can be simply provided with openings 26 in which the end of a suspension means can be engaged or coupled. It is intended that the housing be suspended by the suspension means from, say, the milk line of a milking installation. The suspension means can be simply lengths of flexible material such as string or rope but in a more sophisticated arrangement substantially rigid suspension rods (adjustable in length) can be anchored at one end to the milk line (say, via a clamp or the like) and via a threaded end thereof bolted to the mounting 25.

In the arrangement shown in Figures 5 and 6 the mounting arrangement is formed by a pair of substantially U-shaped brackets 35, the legs 36 of which are fastened to the side walls 14 of housing 10. The cross piece 37 of the inverted U-shaped bracket is formed with a concave portion 38. A clamping bracket 39 is attachable using mechanical fastenings (eg nut and bolt or a bolt threading into a threaded bore of the U-shaped bracket) thereby enabling, say, a milk line or other conveniently positioned conduit to

B T SHEET be clamped by the interaction of the U-shaped bracket and the mounting bracket in a conventional clamping arrangement.

In the preferred use of the storage receptacle means, the housing 10 is suspended so that it is located above the head of the people milking the animals. Thus when the worker requires a drug for, say, treatment of mastitis, the worker will simply reach up and pull downwardly the bin 11 so as to gain access to the drugs and syringes and then close the bin when the appropriate selection has been made. Thus the worker can, with the minimum of movement away from the milking position, quickly carry out the required treatment.

In one form of the invention the storage receptacle means can be suspended by quick release suspension means so that at the end of milking and prior to washing down of the installation, the storage receptacle means can be removed to safe storage prior to the next milking session.

The invention is open to modification as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. For example while the housing 10 is shown with a flat roof 12, a more preferred form of the invention may be to have the roof profiled so as to have a curve and preferably an overhang in order that any water or moisture impinging thereof is drained away from the sides of the housing. Also the bin 11 does not need to be mounted so that it downwardly pivots though this is at this time. the preferred arrangement. The bin could be mounted by, say, arms whereby the bin could be entirely pulled down from within the confines of the housing 10.

The bin 10 should fit as closely as possible within the sides and ends of the housing 10 so that it is difficult for any moisture to gain access to the inside of the housing. By doing so, the need for more complex constructions having seals can be avoided. By the use of the high sided bin 11 closely fitting within and enclosed by housing 10 it is believed that moisture, dirt and other waste materials will not be able to gain access to the inside of the bin and thereby contaminate or otherwise damage drugs and veterinary equipment located within the bin.

The invention thus provides a storage receptacle means which can be used within the milking shed environment and thereby overcome the need for a worker to move away from a working installation to gain materials and equipment for treatment of an animal.

Claims

1. A storage receptacle comprising a housing (10) adapted (35) for suspension from a fixture or structure, a bin means (11) which in a closed position is located within the housing, said bin means (11) being mounted (20) to be movable such that at least part thereof can move down from within the housing (10) to assume an open position to thereby permit access to items located within the bin means (11).

2. A storage receptacle comprising a housing (10) having a cover or roof part (12) and mounting means (35) for suspension of the housing with the cover or roof part (12) uppermost from a fixture or structure, the housing (10) further having an opening (B) below the cover or roof part (12), there being a bin (11) located within the housing, said bin having an open top (T) which locates adjacent the cover or roof part (12) when the bin (11) is in a closed position in the housing (10), said bin (11) being pivotally mounted (20) such that it can be lowered to an open position where a part of the bin (11) projects from the housing opening (B) such as to permit access through the open top (T) of the bin to items located within the bin.

BSTITUTE SHEET

3. A storage receptacle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bin means (11) is mounted to move about a fixed axis (20).

4. A storage receptacle as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein there is provided quick release latching means (27, 28) to maintain the bin (11) in said closed position within the housing (10).

5. A storage receptacle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the bin (11) is partitioned (19).

6. A storage receptacle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the bin (11) locates within the housing (10) in such a manner that seals to prevent the ingress of harmful materials and moisture are not required.

7. A storage receptacle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the housing (10) includes at least one external storage area (22).

8. A storage receptacle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the housing (10) includes a pair of mounting means (25) for the attachment or coupling thereto of suspension means such that the housing (10) can be suspended above or adjacent a work area.

9. A storage receptacle as claimed in claim 2 wherein the cover or roof part (12) is profiled to divert water, waste or other materials away from the part of the housing (10) in which the bin (11) is located and the opening from which the bin (11) extends when moved to the open position.

10. A storage receptacle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further including locking means (32) for locking the bin (11) in the closed position.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET