The present invention relates to a design for a modular system for gear, tools, tackle and other items.
Storage systems are as useful as they are old. For ages, the ability to consolidate, carry and organize items has served a critical part of our day-to-day lives. From toolboxes to backpacks, storage systems are ubiquitous, and coupling storage with organization is a tremendous advantage.
While the concept of storage is very well known, oftentimes there are limitations in the utility and versatility as currently employed in the known art. Many, if not all, storage products are limited in use and scope as defined by their design. Specialized storage products are often only useful for one type of product, limiting their utility, or have pre-defined sizes which restrict use. This leads to added expense in the form of specialized products required for individual types of products (which are generally more expensive), as well as added expense in a user having to utilize multiple products to store many types of gear. The below invention seeks to address these concerns and more.
The consequence of these issues is the inherent ineffectiveness of the current state of the art for gear transport. A solution which provides a simple way to effectively provide an adaptable, modular storage system has yet to be developed. All of the above aspects of the current state of gear storage lead to an increased need for a revised method of implementation with minimized cost and complexity, all of which the present invention addresses.
The disclosed invention provides a simple, innovative and effective apparatus for avoiding these problems. The proposed invention of a modular storage system is thus a novel, needed and functional answer to the problems in the field relating to storage systems and their use.
In the present invention, a storage system is built with a modular rail system designed to permit various attachments to be affixed thereto, ensuring that the storage system is never obsolete. This combination of features leads to independent, adaptable, customizable gear storage contained within an innovative system unlike any other available in the present state of the art.
One object of the invention is to provide a new modular rail-based storage system.
An additional object of this invention is to provide a new modular rail-based storage system with corresponding attachments.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new modular rail-based storage system that can accommodate a highly varied type of gear.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new modular rail-based storage system that can accommodate a large amount of gear.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a new modular rail-based storage system that is easy to attach and detach attachments thereto.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a new modular rail-based storage system that securely retains attachments.
Other objects and advantages of this invention shall become apparent from the ensuing descriptions of the invention.
An improved apparatus for storing a wide assortment of articles in the form of a modular rail system and corresponding attachments which can be quickly attached and detached from said modular rail system, as well as remaining secure when attached.
The accompanying drawings and figures illustrate embodiment(s) of this invention. However, it is to be understood that these embodiments are intended to be neither exhaustive, nor limiting of the invention. They are but examples of some of the forms in which the invention may be practiced.
Without any intent to limit the scope of this invention, reference is made to the figures in describing the various embodiments of the invention.
Attached to, and generally a component part of, retainer rail 101, is attachment plate 102. In some embodiments, attachment plate 102 is configured to generally run along substantially the entire length of retainer rail 101, meaning that the length of both will be substantially the same, but some variation in length may be advantageous in application and or execution, so small variations in the length of either should be considered part of the claimed invention. An exemplary embodiment, for example, may have a slightly longer dimension of one or the other of retainer rail 101 to add flexibility in mounting detachable attachments 201, or attachment plate 102 to add in stability to mounting surface/storage vessel 300. Further, in an exemplary embodiment, attachment plate 102 is cast as an integral part of retainer rail 101, meaning they are a single extruded, molded or cast piece, however, having these components cast separately would also be encompassed in the claimed invention.
Retainer rail 101 and attachment plate 102 are, in an exemplary embodiment, made from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) for various reasons. In addition to its properties of durability and flexibility, TPU provides a natural and highly effective form of friction between retainer rail 101 and the mating orifices 202 of detachable attachments 201, discussed infra. This material choice has been discovered in this application to have distinct structural and operational effects on the invention, namely, helping to prevent unwanted movement of detachable attachments 201 along retainer rail 101. This is due to TPU having slight amounts of deformity under pressure, which, when coupled with detachable attachments 201, proves to “dig in” or “bite” into the TPU to some small degree, helping to prevent unwanted sliding of detachable attachments 201.
Attachment plate 102 would also have to have a depth sufficient to permit the amounting of attachment plate 102 to mounting surface/storage vessel 300, which is going to be in proportion to the depth of retainer rail 101. This ratio would, in an exemplary embodiment, be a minimum of 4:1 to permit sufficient surface area of attachment plate 102 to be adhered, welded, sewn or otherwise attached to mounting surface/storage vessel 300. The mounting surface/storage vessel 300 can also have the attachment plate 102 affixed on any planar surface of mounting surface/storage vessel 300, such as the front, sides, back, interior, lid, etc., essentially any surface on the mounting surface/storage vessel 300.
Alternatively, or in conjunction with these properties which help keep detachable attachments 201 positioned, retainer rail 101 can be shaped to have alternating ridges as seen in
Retainer rail 101 and attachment plate 102 are thus designed to receive and attach to at least one detachable attachment 201 such as those seen in
The engagement of less than the full length of retainer rail 101 is a significant point, since in an exemplary embodiment, having a length of TPU retainer rail 101 on either side of detachable attachment 201 helps to keep detachable attachment stationary, since the edges of mating orifice 202 tend to lodge or “bite” into the TPU material on either side of mating orifice 202, aiding in the transient positioning of detachable attachment 201, as discussed supra.
In an exemplary embodiment, storage vessel 300 would also be employed, upon which at least one said attachment plate 102 is affixed to, and further wherein at least one of first opposite end 103 or second opposite end 104 of said retainer rail 101/301 is not attached to storage vessel 300, thus leaving at least one end of retainer rail 101/301 exposed and accessible as seen in the Figs. This allows the open end of retainer rail 101/301 to be utilized to slide on mating orifice 202 of detachable attachment 201.
Other features can be employed as well, such as placing caps at the terminal ends of first opposite end 103 or second opposite end 104 of retaining rail 101 to prevent the escape of the attached detachable attachments 201. Covering retainer rail 101 with fabric may also be employed to increase the friction coefficient and/or dampen the motion and movement of detachable attachments 201 along retainer rail 101.
Conversely, or in conjunction with, the terminal ends of first opposite end 103 and/or second opposite end 104 can be conically-shaped at their ends in order to facilitate the placing of detachable attachments 201 onto retainer rail 101. Similarly, the corresponding ends of detachable attachments 201 can have chamfered mating orifices 202 employed to ease the transition onto retainer rail 101.
A storage vessel 300 is but one example of what the system 100 can be used with. Modular rail and attachment system 100 can also simply be attached to a flat plate, or mounting surface. An example of such a flat surface is storage vessel 300, but could just as easily be a wall, boat hull, cooler, or any suitably-sized substantially-planar surface.
In another exemplary embodiment, attachment and retainer system 100 can be employed with more than one system 100 to create sets of modular storage attachment points. In one example, as is seen in
In any configuration, detachable attachments 201 are designed to have multiple uses, but generally will have at least three edges 205, forming functional plate 203. Upon at least one of at least three edges 205 is found the mating orifice 202 that attaches to rail system 100. Other edges 205 can contain a wide variety of variable components, or additional mating orifices 202, if desired for flexibility.
In some cases, detachable attachments 201 may have a variation in assembly whereby mating orifice 202 is not centered relative to attachment plate 102.
Variations on retainer rail 101 and attachment plate 102 are also presented as part of the invention, wherein relief points, such as ridges and valleys, can be cast in either retainer rail 101 and/or first face 703 or second face 704 of attachment plate 102 to create different attachment modes. Examples of these can be found in
The above variations can also be coupled with another modification to detachable attachment 201. Such an example is seen in
It should also be noted that a variation may also include a version of the invention as seen in
In operation, then, this apparatus very efficiently permits a user to slide on and off a fully variable number and type of detachable attachments 201 via their mating orifice 202 onto retaining rail 101 of mounting surface/storage vessel 300 for easy transport of a multitude of items via a single storage device.
Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined herein.
This application is a continuation of, and claims priority to, U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/297,234, filed on 7 Jan. 2022, and is continuation of, and claims priority to, U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/223,008, filed on 18 Jul. 2021, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63297234 | Jan 2022 | US | |
63223008 | Jul 2021 | US |