System and apparatus for holding an item in storage
An item holder is provided for use with a perforated panel having a shank with a support arm extending outwardly from a first end and a catch located at a second end. The catch comprises a curved cantilevered strap projecting from the second end and having a stop tab located at a strap end positioned above, but spaced away from the second end. In another embodiment, a system for supporting an item on a vertically oriented structure is provided including a substantially planar board having a plurality of spaced perforations, where each perforation is defined by at least an internal top edge and an internal bottom edge of the board. An item holder is with a slot defined through the underside of the cantilevered strap between a top portion of the shank and the second end of the cantilevered strap so that when the item holder is located within one of the plurality of perforations, the slot engages the internal bottom edge of the board. A tool holder is also provided that includes at least one disk-shaped flexible member having an aperture. The flexible member comprises a plurality of fingers capable of resiliently deflecting to grip a portion of the tool when axially inserted therethrough in one direction so that the tool is held in an upright position by the flexible member.
This application is a continuation-in-part application of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/054,835, filed on Jan. 23, 2002.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to storage and organizational systems and devices, and more particularly to storage and organizational systems and devices for storing home and garden tools or the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn modern American suburbia, the garage has become the storage receptacle for a myriad of items that are necessary for work and recreation. The need for this storage space has become so acute that many suburban dwellings contain a 3-car garage even though the occupants own only two vehicles. Although, in many instances a recreational vehicle or boat occupies the third bay; in most cases, that extra space is utilized for storage and as a work area. Items such as sports equipment, gardening implements, and work shop related items, e.g., screwdrivers, hammers, wrenches, hand and power tools, and other implements for home, vehicle, or garden repair and maintenance are generally stored in the garage.
There are a number of systems for storing relatively small and lightweight articles known in the art. For example, pegboard or perforated panel systems are known for hanging articles in a vertical or horizontal orientation using pegboard hooks that are removably attached to a perforated panel. Shelving may also be provided on pegboards using the same or similar structures for securing and supporting the shelf to the pegboard. Prior art perforated panel systems (known as “pegboards”) typically comprise a pressed composite board material with regularly spaced circular perforations into which hooks may be inserted for the storage or display of tools, instruments, and other articles. Changing the locations of the stored articles requires that the hooks or shelf-supports be removed completely from their respective supporting holes in the pegboard, and then reinserted into other holes. After a period of use, the holes tend to become worn and enlarged, and eventually become unable to retain the hooks. Also, the hooks are easily misplaced or lost. These pegboard systems are also aesthetically unattractive, especially after many years of use.
A wide variety of useful fasteners for holding items to walls are also well known in the art. When attaching items to a perforated wall or pegboard, however, the available fasteners are much fewer in number, and those that are available have many severe drawbacks. Those who use pegboards are also familiar with the frustration and irritation associated with an insecure hook. Such fasteners often pull off the pegboard and get lost or damaged, especially when only one or two items are held. The typical pegboard fastener is a straight single or double bar, usually extending from about two inches to about six inches from the pegboard. A pegboard fastener of this type usually has a pair of bent rod-like offset hooked portions at its top. These offset hooked portions are inserted into horizontally adjacent holes, by a pivoting action, to situate the top tip of the hooked portions behind the wallboard while allowing the lower part of the fastener to rest against the front surface of the wallboard.
While the use of a pair of hooked portions may inhibit rotation of the pegboard fastener, it does not avoid the frustration experienced when the pegboard fastener itself is pulled off the pegboard along with the item being removed. Those who encounter such fasteners or holders for hanging items experience frustration and irritation when attempting to remove the item from the fastener, since the bottom portion of the fastener is easily pulled away from the wall surface, i.e., there is no provision for fixing it to the pegboard.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a storage system which allowed ease of accessibility to tools, such as gardening implements, while maximizing the use of garage space, in an aesthetically satisfying manner. It would also be advantageous to have a storage system that could be mounted directly to the walls of a typical garage or tool shed, thereby allowing effective use of available space while removing sports equipment, gardening implements, and work shop related items from the floor space of the garage or a tool shed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn one embodiment of the invention, an item holder for use with a perforated panel is provided comprising a shank having a support arm extending outwardly from a first end and a catch located at a second end. The catch comprises a curved cantilevered strap projecting from the second end and having a stop tab located at a strap end positioned above, but spaced away from the second end.
In another embodiment, a system for supporting an item on a vertically oriented structure is provided including a substantially planar board having a front surface, a rear surface, and a plurality of spaced perforations, where each perforation is defined by at least an internal top edge and an internal bottom edge of the board. An item holder is provided that comprises a shank having a support arm extending outwardly from a first end and a catch located at a second end. The catch comprises a curved cantilevered strap projecting from the second end and having a stop tab located at a strap end positioned above, but spaced away from the second end. A slot is defined through the underside of the cantilevered strap between a top portion of the shank and the second end of the cantilevered strap so that when the item holder is located within one of the plurality of perforations, the slot engages the internal bottom edge of the board. In a further embodiment of the invention, a tool holder is provided that includes at least one disk-shaped flexible member having an aperture. The flexible member comprises a plurality of fingers capable of resiliently deflecting to grip a portion of the tool when axially inserted therethrough in one direction so that the
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- tool is held in an upright position by the flexible member.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully disclosed in, or rendered obvious by, the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which are to be considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts and further wherein:
This description of preferred embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description of this invention. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness. In the description, relative terms such as “horizontal,” “vertical,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing figure under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and normally are not intended to require a particular orientation. Terms including “inwardly” versus “outwardly,” “longitudinal” versus “lateral” and the like are to be interpreted relative to one another or relative to an axis of elongation, or an axis or center of rotation, as appropriate. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. The term “operatively connected” is such an attachment, coupling or connection that allows the pertinent structures to operate as intended by virtue of that relationship. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described, suggested, or rendered obvious by the written description or drawings for performing the recited function, including not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Adjacent to lower panel-catch 49 is a lock-release latch 50, including a lock-release cantilever 54 that projects from an end of inner wall 35. A lock-release tab 56 is positioned at the free end of lock-release cantilever 54. A recessed wall 58 is positioned in spaced relation to lock-release cantilever 54, so as to provide a recess within shelf-bracket 30 into which lock-release cantilever 54 may deflect.
Referring to
Referring to
Once item holder 20 is fully assembled, it may be positioned anywhere on perforated panel 8 in the following manner. Each panel-catch 48, 49 of each shelf-bracket 30 is positioned in coaxial aligned relation with a corresponding set of four perforations 9 in perforated panel 8. In this position, lock-release tab 56 is positioned in confronting relation to the front surface of perforated panel 8, directly above the perforation 9 with which its corresponding lower panel-catch 49 is aligned. Once in this position, item holder 20 is moved toward perforated panel 8 until upper panel-catches 48 enter, pass through, and occupy their respective perforation 9. As this occurs, lower panel-catches 49 enter, pass through, and occupy their respective perforations 9. At the same time, lock-release tab 56 engages the front surface of perforated panel 8 directly adjacent to the perforation 9 that is occupied by lower panel-catch 49.
Once in this position, item holder 20 is moved toward perforated panel 8 until the outer surface of inner wall 35 engages the outer surface of perforated panel 8. In this position, panel-catches 48 and 49 are fully inserted within perforations 9, and lock-release latch 50 is deflected inwardly, toward recessed wall 58 of shelf-bracket 30. Item holder 20 is then moved downwardly, so that lock-tabs 52 move across the edge of perforated panel 8 that defines perforation 9, and into engagement with the rear surface of perforated panel 8 (as shown in
Item holder 20 may be used as a conventional shelf with various items being placed on top support surface 63. However, items may also be held beneath shelf 26, or on hooks 80 that are directly supported by perforated panel 8, so as to advantageously store additional items. Referring to
Catch 86 comprises a stop tab 88 and a cantilevered strap 92 that are located adjacent to a top portion 87 of shank 82. Stop 88 includes a nose 93, a pair of inclined surfaces forming a ramp 94, and a shoulder surface 95 so as to form a wedge-shaped tab. A first end 96 of cantilevered strap 92 projects outwardly from shoulder surface 95 and a second end 97 of cantilevered strap 92 projects outwardly from top portion 87 of shank 82, so that cantilevered strap 92 comprises a curved profile. Cantilevered strap 92 may have a variety of cross-sectional shapes, e.g., rectangular, circular, elliptical, etc., so long as a fully elastic spring is created by the structure of the strap. A transverse slot 98 is defined through the underside of cantilevered strap 92 between top portion 87 of shank 82 and second end 97 of cantilevered strap 92. Slot 98 is sized and shaped to accept a portion of lower flange 71 of receptacle 68.
Hook 80 may be assembled to any perforation 9 within perforated panel 8, as shown in
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Item holder 20 may also comprise a shelf 126 including a hand tool holder 130 that supports hand tools, e.g., screwdrivers, nut drivers, awls, pliers, hand socket wrenches, etc., in an upright, vertical orientation, so as to improve the esthetics and accessibility of the tools (
More particularly, tool holder 130 is positioned within shelf 126, and comprises a top 132, a bottom 134, and a plurality of tubes 138 that are positioned between top 132 and bottom 134. A pair of disk-shaped flexible tool support members 140 are positioned in top 132 and bottom 134, and within each tube 138. Each disk-shaped flexible tool support member 140 comprises a plurality of resilient fingers 141, with each finger often comprising a triangular shape having a tip 142 and a base 143. Each finger 141 is oriented so that its tip 142 is directed radially inwardly toward the central axis of tube 138. Fingers 141 are normally arranged in coplanar relation to one another. A radially extending space or gap 144 is defined between each finger 141, along their respective lengths, with tips 142 positioned in spaced relation to one another and in coaxial relation to a longitudinal axis of each tube 138. A central aperture 145 is defined by tips 142.
When a tool, e.g., screwdriver 129 in
Referring to
Hook 80 may also be assembled to receptacle 147 in the following manner. Hook 80 is arranged adjacent to bracket receptacle 147 such that support arm 84 is directed away from the outer surface of perforated panel 8 and cantilevered strap 92 is arranged in coaxially aligned, confronting relation to slot 69. Ramp 94 of stop 88 is then depressed, deflecting cantilevered strap 92 such that the underside of stop 88 moves toward the top portion of shank 82. Once in this position, hook 80 is moved toward slot 69 until shoulder surface 95 engages the front surface of upper flange 70 and the upper edge of lower flange 71 engages slot 98. Once in this position, pressure is released from ramp 94 so as to allow cantilevered strap 92 to spring back towards its original, undeflected position and thereby engage the edges of upper flange 70 and lower flange 71 that define slot 69. In order to remove hook 80 from bracket receptacle 147, it is only necessary to grip shank 82 and move it toward stop 88, once again deflecting cantilevered strap 92, and disengaging the edge of lower flange 71 from slot 98. Once cantilevered strap 92 is deflected, hook 80 may be withdrawn from slot 69.
Referring to
Post bracket 148 may have a plurality of outwardly projecting posts, hooks, clamps, or a magnetic strip 160 (shown in
Referring to
Basket 182 is formed from a resilient polymer, and comprises a curved shell 183 having lower support tabs 190 projecting downwardly from a bottom surface and latch ears 192 projecting outwardly from the upper corner portions. To assemble basket 182 to perforated panel 8, latch ears 192 are deflected inwardly by pressing on the side walls of basket 182, while tabs 190 are inserted into respective holes 9. Basket 182 is then pivoted on tabs 190 until latch ears 192 are received within corresponding perforations 9. Once latch ears 192 are inserted within perforations 9, basket 182 is released, allowing latch ears 192 to spring outwardly into engagement with perforated panel 8.
It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limited only to the particular constructions herein disclosed and shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications or equivalents within the scope of the claims.
Claims
1-7. (Cancelled).
8. A system for supporting an item on a vertically oriented structure comprising, in combination:
- a substantially planar board having a front surface, a rear surface, and a plurality of spaced perforations wherein each perforation is defined by at least an internal top edge and an internal bottom edge of said board;
- a shelf including a support surface, a nose positioned along one longitudinal edge, a flange positioned along another longitudinal edge in spaced parallel relation to said nose, and a receptacle projects downwardly from said support surface between said nose and said flange comprising a slot defined between an upper flange that projects downwardly from said support surface and a lower flange that projects upwardly from an end of a channel-shaped wall that is arranged in spaced relation to said upper flange; and
- an item holder comprising a shank having a support arm extending outwardly from a first end and a catch located at a second end wherein said catch comprises a curved cantilevered strap projecting from said second end and having a stop tab located at a strap end positioned above, but spaced away from said second end wherein a slot is defined through the underside of said cantilevered strap between a top portion of said shank and said second end of said cantilevered strap so that when said item holder is located between said upper flange and said lower flange of said receptacle, said slot engages said lower flange.
9. A system holder according to claim 8 wherein said slot extends longitudinally along the length of said receptacle, with said upper flange and said lower flange arranged in coplanar spaced relation to one another.
10. A system according to claim 8 wherein said stop includes inclined surfaces that form a nose at a front end and a shoulder surface at a rear end so as to form a wedge-shaped tab.
11. A system holder according to claim 10 wherein said first end of said cantilevered strap projects outwardly from said shoulder surface and a second end of said cantilevered strap projects outwardly from a top portion of said shank.
12. A system for supporting an item on a vertically oriented structure comprising, in combination:
- a substantially planar board having a front surface, a rear surface, and a plurality of spaced perforations wherein each perforation is defined by at least an internal top edge and an internal bottom edge of said board;
- a bracket receptacle comprising a base having an upper flange projecting downwardly from a top portion and a lower flange projecting upwardly from a bottom portion so as to define a slot therebetween; and
- an item holder comprising a shank having a support arm extending outwardly from a first end and a catch located at a second end wherein said catch comprises a curved cantilevered strap projecting from said second end and having a stop tab located at a strap end positioned above, but spaced away from said second end wherein a slot is defined through the underside of said cantilevered strap between a top portion of said shank and said second end of said cantilevered strap so that when said item holder is located within said slot, and between said upper flange and said lower flange of said bracket receptacle, said slot engages said lower flange.
13. A system according to claim 12 wherein said slot extends longitudinally along the length of said bracket receptacle, with said upper flange and said lower flange arranged in coplanar spaced relation to one another.
14. A system according to claim 12 wherein said stop includes inclined surfaces that form a nose at a front end and a shoulder surface at a rear end so as to form a wedge-shaped tab.
15. A system according to claim 14 wherein said first end of said cantilevered strap projects outwardly from said shoulder surface and a second end of said cantilevered strap projects outwardly from a top portion of said shank.
16. A tool holder comprising at least one disk-shaped flexible member having an aperture, said flexible member comprising a plurality of fingers capable of resiliently deflecting to grip a portion of said tool when axially inserted therethrough in one direction so that said tool is held in an upright position by said flexible member.
17. A tool holder according to claim 16 comprising two disk-shaped flexible members arranged in coaxial spaced apart relation to one another.
18. A tool holder according to claim 17 wherein said tool holder is positioned within a shelf, and comprises a top, a bottom, and a plurality of tubes that are positioned between top and bottom.
19. A tool holder according to claim 18 wherein each of said disk-shaped flexible members are positioned in top and bottom, and within each tube.
20. A tool holder according to claim 19 wherein each of said plurality of resilient fingers comprising a triangular shape having a tip and a base.
21. A tool holder according to claim 19 wherein each finger is oriented its tip is directed radially inwardly toward a central axis said tube.
22. A tool holder according to claim 19 wherein said plurality of fingers are arranged in coplanar relation to one another.
23. A tool holder according to claim 19 wherein said plurality of fingers define a plurality of radially extending gaps therebetween, with said tips positioned in spaced relation to one another and in coaxial relation to a longitudinal axis of said tube.
24. A tool holder according to claim 20 wherein said aperture is defined by said tips.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 12, 2004
Publication Date: Mar 3, 2005
Inventors: Alan Winig (Wynnewood, PA), Richard Winig (Villanova, PA), James Eldon (Barto, PA)
Application Number: 10/963,237