Patent Application
20160270577
1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to storage devices and, specifically, to an efficient belt storage unit.
2. Description of the Background Art
Numerous storage devices have been proposed for storing small personal items. These include storage devices in which variously shaped drawers, trays or storage bins are vertically arranged or stacked and individually movable to open positions to access the contents thereof by pivoting about a vertical axis. Such storage cabinets that have circular or round trays, drawers or storage bins are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Design Patent No. 693,154 and International Patent No. WO9905907. Such bins or trays can be almost any shape including square, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,663,608 and U.S. Pat. No. 405,003, pie-shaped as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,429,290; U.S. Pat. No. 8,636,327; U.S. Pat. No. 2,541,848 and U.S. Pat. No. 655,275, rectangular as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1383259 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,705,655, pentagonal as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 321,037 or any other odd shape as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,498,471.
While U.S. Design Patent No. 693,154 and International Patent No. WO9905907 show circular trays or bins arranged in only a single column it is also known to integrate multiple columns to provide multiple sets of vertically stacked bins or drawers, including four stacked columns as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 405,003 and U.S. Pat. No. 509,773, six stacked columns as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 655,275 and eight stacked columns as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,541,848 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,383,259.
While none of the known cabinets or storage bins are specifically designed to store rolled up belts, U.S. Patent Publication No. US/20120241400 published on Sep. 27, 2012 suggests that the rotating storage rack can accommodate a number of different items including a “rolled-up belt”. However, the storage rack is more in the nature of a rotating “Lazy Susan” type construction rather than individually movable bins, drawers or trays each for accommodating another rolled-up belt.
In order to overcome the disadvantages in the prior art devices, it is an object of the invention to provide a belt storage unit that is efficient for storing a predetermined number of belts while occupying a minimal footprint;
It is another object of the invention to provide a belt storage unit as in the previous objects which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a belt storage unit as in the previous objects that is convenient to use.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a belt storage unit of the type on the discussion that can be vertically securely stacked to increase the belt storage capacity.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a belt storage unit in which the belt receiving compartments are shaped and dimensioned to readily receive typically sized belts that are rolled up without excess volume to conserve space and maximize the number of belts that can be received in a cabinet of a predetermined size.
In order to achieve the above objects, as well as others that will become apparent hereinafter the present invention contemplates a single vertical housing or column of belt storage units or a plurality of similar belt storage units integrally connected and stackable to allow a user to customize the footprint as well as the height of the storage unit or units to accommodate a desired number of rolled up belts for a given amount of support surface area. Each vertical column of the belt storage unit comprises a plurality of belt receiving compartments. Each compartment is generally in the shape of a right circular cylinder having a substantially circular cross section and uniform horizontal cross section. The belt storage unit has a generally circular bottom wall centered on an axis defined by the vertically stacked belt receiving compartments. Each compartment is formed of a bottom wall, a generally circular peripheral wall and an open top and all are pivotally mounted for independent pivoting to move a selected compartment off the axis of the unit to provide substantially unfettered access to the compartment interior from the top opening. Each compartment is dimensioned to receive a rolled up belt that receives conventional belts and belt buckles. In a presently preferred embodiment, the compartments form interior circular spaces approximately 5″ in diameter with a height of approximately 2.125″ high and dimensioned to accommodate most typical belts without loss of space or volume in order to maximize the number of compartments within a given footprint and vertical height cabinet or storage unit.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate the improvements and advantages that derive from the present invention upon reading the following detailed description, claims, and drawings, in which:
Referring to the Figures, in which identical or similar parts are designated by the same reference or numeral throughout, and first referring to
The belt storage unit 10 shown in
In a presently preferred embodiment the storage unit 10 includes belt-receiving compartments 22 including five stacked bins or compartments 20a-20e that are preferably at least partially transparent to allow a user to view the contents thereof.
Belt sizes generally correspond to the length of the strap measured to the buckle to the mid hole which is where a belt should normally be fastened allowing for slightly higher or lower waist trousers and natural variations in waist circumference. Waist sizes typically range 34-36 inches. Belt widths also range in size. However, formal belts typically range from 1″ (24 mm) to 1.25″ (32 mm). Buckles typically have a height or width greater than the width of the belt, typically by 5-10%. The bins or compartments 10a, 10b preferably have a height h within 1-1.5″. When rolled up, such belts can define an outer diameter of 3.5-4.5″, so the diameters d of the bins or compartments are preferably within the range of 3-5″.
Referring to
Each of the compartments are individually hinged, each hinge 26 consisting of a vertical channel or bore 26a along a sidewall 24b and a vertical post or rod 26b that defines a hinge axis Ah. Each vertical line or column is provided with a vertical post, at the lateral side of the unit generally spaced from the connecting support 14 to allow the units to pivot outwardly sufficiently to provide full access to the compartments within the bins or drawers through the top openings.
The hinge 26 for each housing is arranged within a transverse plane TP and offset an angle a approximately 90° from a front-facing direction F (
Referring to
Referring to
Suitable engaging or locking members, including magnets, (not shown) may be provided within the cover 16 to provide additional retention or engagement of an additional storage unit 10′ mounted or stacked on a lower unit.
Referring to
The belt storage unit in accordance with the invention, therefore, is an efficient unit that minimizes footprint as well as space for a given number of rolled up belts, that is expandable to accommodate any number of belts and is easy and convenient to use and may be free standing or mounted on a wall surface.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
