Patent Application
20120181907
Where space is at a premium such as in city apartments, smaller homes and dorm rooms, there is a continuing quest to define and use more storage space.
According to an embodiment shown herein, a storage unit has a top, a bottom, and a carousel upon which the bottom rotates thereupon. A plurality of drawers is disposed symmetrically between the bottom and the top. Each drawer has a pentagonal shape having a front wall, a pair of front side walls each of which extends from the front wall and are parallel to each other, a pair of back side walls each of which extends from a front side wall and converges towards an other of the back side walls and a back wall attaching to each of the back side walls. Each back side wall of one drawer contacts an adjacent side wall of an adjacent drawer and the back walls of the drawers define a space.
According to a further embodiment shown herein, a storage unit has a carousel, a plurality of drawers disposed upon the carousel, each drawer having a first geometry such that each drawer is in close registration with the first geometry of each adjacent drawer if the adjacent drawers are closed, and a plurality of intermediate units, each unit disposed between adjacent drawers, each the intermediate unit having a second geometry.
According to a still further embodiment shown herein, a storage unit has a circular track, a rotatable bottom disposed above the track, and a plurality of drawers disposed upon the bottom. Each drawer has a first geometry such that each drawer is in close registration with the first geometry of each adjacent drawer if the adjacent drawers are closed. A plurality of intermediate units is disposed between adjacent drawers and has a second geometry. The bottom has a wheel disposed therein riding in the track and which is disposed behind the intermediate storage unit and between adjacent drawers.
According to a still further embodiment shown herein, a storage unit has a base having a several faces. A first drawer occupies a first face of the base. A second drawer occupies a diametrically opposite second face of the base relative to the first face. A first rectangular compartment occupies a third face of the base wherein the third face is perpendicular to the first face and the second face and wherein the rectangular compartment defines a race for both the first drawer and the second drawer. A first triangular compartment occupies a fourth face of the base wherein the fourth face is disposed between the third face and the second face.
The various features described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:
Referring to
Each drawer 25 has a front portion 35 connected to two parallel front side portions 40, two back side portions 45 that converge towards each other from the front side portions 40 and a back portion 50 that connects to the two back side portions 45. In the embodiment shown there are four drawers 45. Other embodiments in which more than four or less than four drawers are contemplated herein. The front portion 35 of each drawer 25 has a handle 55 (or the like) for manipulation of the drawer 25 inwardly and outwardly.
The octagonal shape of the bottom portion 20 mimics the shape of the top portion 15.
The bottom portion has four intermediate units 30 mounted thereon. Intermediate units 30 are formed in the shape of a trapezoid having a longer front face 60, which may be open, a shorter back face 65 and two side faces 70 that converge towards the back face 65. A bottom 75 and a top 80 connect the faces 60, 65, 70. Each intermediate unit is mounted to the bottom portion 20 by glue or screws or the like. Alternatively, each of the faces 65, 70 may be mounted in grooves 71 in the top portion 15 and bottom portion 20 (see
Each intermediate unit 30 has a fold down flap or door 85 extending from a living hinge 90, like a piece of plastic or fabric, for covering the front face 60. A retaining wall 95 extends across the front face 60 to prevent items stored therein (not shown) from falling out when the door 85 is opened. Each door 85 may be secured shut by means of hook and lock fastener 100 or the like.
Referring to
Referring to
The trapezoidal shape of each intermediate unit 30 and the cooperating shapes of the back side portions 45 of each drawer 25 provide a storage unit 10 that is compact, utilizing as much of the space within the storage unit 10 as possible. The carousel feature allows a user to rotate the storage unit 10 and access any remote drawer 25 or intermediate unit 30 making the storage unit 10 ideal for areas where remote access is limited like under beds, cabinets, stairs and tables (not shown) for example. Each intermediate unit 30 may also be a simple nook 140 or open space between the drawers 25.
Referring now to
The two drawers 200 are disposed at diametrically opposite faces 265 of the base 205 and have a width W that extends a width of the each face 265. The drawers 210, 215 slide in and out of the base 205 and, if closed extend a diameter of the base. The two rectangularly-shaped compartments 220, 225 each extend along an edge 275 that is perpendicular to the face 265 of the base 205 and back to sides 270 of the two drawers 210, 215. The rectangularly-shaped compartments 220, 225 and the triangularly-shaped compartments 230, 235, 240, and 245 form a race 272 in which the drawers 210, 215 travel.
Each triangularly-shaped compartment 230, 235, 240, and 245 is disposed on a face of the base and between a drawer 210, 215 and a rectangular compartment 220, 225. For instance, triangularly-shaped compartment 230 is disposed between drawer 215 and rectangularly-shaped compartments 220; triangularly-shaped compartment 235, is disposed between drawer 210 and rectangularly-shaped compartments 220; triangularly-shaped compartment 240, is disposed between drawer 210 and rectangularly-shaped compartments 225; and, triangularly-shaped compartment 245, is disposed between drawer 215 and rectangularly-shaped compartments 225.
The bottom 280 of the base 205 has a plurality of concentric rings 285 that mate with a plurality of concentric rings 290 disposed on a platform 295. The base 205 and the platform 295 are made of a plastic material which allows the base to rotate to slide around on the mating concentric rings 285, 290.
Although a combination of features is shown in the illustrated examples, not all of them need to be combined to realize the benefits of various embodiments of this disclosure. In other words, a system designed according to an embodiment of this disclosure will not necessarily include all of the features shown in any one of the Figures or all of the portions schematically shown in the Figures. Moreover, selected features of one example embodiment may be combined with selected features of other example embodiments.
The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this disclosure. The scope of legal protection given to this disclosure can only be determined by studying the following claims.
