Storage System

Abstract

A self assemblable storage unit that is particularly suitable for organizing and storing sports equipment comprising: a pair of end-pieces having a base end and a top end wherein each end-piece is wider at its base end than at its top end, and a plurality of connecting rods for spanning between and connecting the pair of end pieces.

Description

The present invention is directed to providing modular furniture that may be configured to specific needs, and is particularly useful for storing and organizing sports equipment and the like.

BACKGROUND

Objects take up space. Cupboards, closets, shelving units, lockers, trunks and cases of various types, henceforth storage furniture are widely used for storing and organizing items of various kinds. Storage furniture are generally fabricated from wood or metal. This makes them heavy and difficult to move about. Conventional storage furniture units require large warehouses for their storage prior to distribution, unless assembled by carpenters on site.

Many items, but particularly sports equipment, are particularly difficult to store. Balls are effectively unstackable and sports articles such as tennis racquets, studded football boots, skis, hockey sticks and the like, do not stack well and are difficult to organize.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,278 to Craft et al. entitled “Sports equipment storage rack” and incorporated herein by reference, describes a storage rack that is designed for storing sports equipment. The rack described therein consists of a top shelf connected to a bottom shelf by a plurality of risers. The main storage space is between the two shelves, but hooks are also provided for hanging items. A net is optionally provided around the risers to convert the lower part of the sports equipment storage rack into a basket. Such a net or basket helps contain small objects, balls, shoes and the like, preventing them from sliding off or rolling away. The rack is fabricated from injection molded/extruded plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene material. Optionally, the upper shelf has retaining bumps for holding a skateboard for example.

Since the storage rack described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,278 is fabricated from plastic it is inherently lighter than conventional furniture, which makes it more portable. It is typically vended as a flat packed kit for self assembly in the home and thus takes up minimal space in do-it-yourself stores and other vending outlets. To hold items such as hockey sticks that have a height greater than the length of the vertical risers thereof, holes may be provided through the top shelf, so that the handles of such equipment can poke through. Thus U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,278 essentially describes a two shelf variation of the multiple shelf self-assembly, tough plastic modular shelving systems that are referred to in the background section thereof and which have been available on the market for some years now. Indeed such systems often come with hook units and other accessories. Typically such shelving units come with four or five shelves and if a purchaser would merely assemble the first couple of shelves of such a modular shelving system, perhaps to use the second shelf as a low table, he would come up with a “sports equipment storage rack” substantially as described and claimed in the above referenced patent, albeit without the bumps on the top shelf for holding a skateboard or holes therethough for hockey sticks, cricket bats, tennis raquet handles, as provided in preferred embodiments.

It has been found that the sports equipment storage racks described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,278 have a number of limitations. It will be appreciated for example, that the required sports equipment varies considerably between sports. For example, many sports use long handled ‘bats’, including hockey sticks, croquet mallets, golf clubs, snooker cues and the like. The appropriate bats vary in shape and size between different sports. Furthermore, the number of bats required for different sports may vary somewhat, and the number of bats owned by specific sportsmen may vary considerably. Indeed, many sportsmen, particularly high school kids and other amateurs, may own equipment appropriate for a range of sports. To hold long items such as bats, golf umbrellas, skis and the like, three solutions are proposed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,278. Firstly, holes may be provided through the upper shelf allowing the handles of such long items to poke through, one handle per hole; secondly, a large aperture may be provided through one end of the upper shelf and most/all handles may be clustered together, passing through the aperture and protruding thereabove; thirdly, the items may protrude through the sides of the rack, perhaps through the space between the side netting and the upper shelf. All three of these solutions have obvious and serious limitations, and limited practicability. For example, unless the purchaser is extraordinarily lucky, no pre-fabricated set of holes in the upper lid will be likely to provide a solution for the needs of the individual sportsman. The sportsman may theoretically drill appropriate holes through the top shelf himself for the handles of his/her specific equipment, but personal individualization using machine tools rather defeats the object of prefabricated, self-assemblable furniture. The aperture optionally provided at one end is also a problematic solution in that lightweight, plastic sports racks having tall equipment protruding from one end are unstable and easily over-balanced. If, on the other hand, the third solution is implemented and a number of golf clubs or hockey sticks are carefully arranged to protrude through opposite sides of the rack, the weight can be distributed carefully and the sports storage rack can be stabilized. However, such a solution is undesirable as the hedgehog-like result of sideways protruding ski poles, golfing umbrellas, snooker cues and the like would take up more room than is generally desirable, and sideways protruding handles, or worse, pointed ends, are dangerous and may trip up or even impale careless sportsmen or other passers by.

Thus despite the solution described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,278, there is still a need for a lightweight, modular, self assembly type sports storage furniture that can be used for storing a wide range of items of various shapes and sizes and particularly sports equipment. The present invention addresses this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an aim of embodiments of the invention to provide a sturdy sports equipment storage solution that can accommodate a wide range of items.

It is a further aim of the invention that such a sport equipment storage solution is stable and unlikely to tip over, whether empty or loaded with equipment.

It is a yet further aim that the sports solutions be constructed from components that are vendible in kit form for easy transportation to vending outlets and from such vending outlets to the home, locker-room, etc.

It is a still further aim of the invention that such sports equipment storage solutions be modular, and adaptable to specific requirements of specific users.

It is a still further aim of preferred embodiments of the invention, that they are vendible in flat packs for self assembly by user without requiring special tools.

It is a still further aim of the invention that such sports equipment storage solutions are easily dismantled to be themselves stored, perhaps between seasons, when junior sportsmen grow up or when owners relocate.

In accordance with the invention a self assemblable storage unit is provided comprising: a pair of end-pieces, each having a base end and a top end and being wider at its base end than at its top end, and a plurality of connecting rods for spanning between and connecting the pair of end pieces.

Preferably each of the end-pieces has at least two rows of sockets thereon; each of said rows comprising at least two sockets, and each of said sockets being configured to couplingly engage an end of one of said plurality of connecting rods.

Typically, the end-pieces are fabricated from a material comprising a polymeric resin, which is typically selected from the group of polyethylene, polypropylene, PTFE and polystyrene, the material typically further comprising additives selected from the list of colorants, fillers and plasticizers.

Preferably each of said end-pieces has an A-shaped construction comprising a top, a pair of legs that diverge outwards from the top towards feet at their bases, and a cross bar connecting the pair of legs.

Typically, each of said connecting rods is fabricated from a material comprising a polymeric resin that is typically selected from the group of polyethylene, polypropylene, PTFE and polystyrene and may include additives selected from the list of colorants, fillers and plasticizers.

In some embodiments the length of the connecting rods may be varied. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of connecting rods comprises at least one weak point for facilitating shortening thereof. In another embodiment, the plurality of connecting rods each comprise interconnecting sub sections that serve as extension pieces for increasing the length thereof.

Typically, each of said plurality of connecting rods has a constant cross section.

Preferably at least one of said plurality of connecting rods has ends having D shaped cross sections for engaging corresponding D shaped sockets in said end-pieces.

In preferred embodiments, the self assemblable storage unit further comprises at least a first shelving section that engages at least two connecting rods.

Optionally the at least one accessory selected from the group comprising holders, hooks, clasps, shelf sections and seats is provided.

Optionally, the at least one accessory is attachable to at least one of said end-pieces.

Optionally the at least one accessory is attachable to at least one of said connecting rods.

Optionally the self assemblable storage unit further comprises at least one wire spanning between the pair of end-pieces.

Preferably, the self assemblable storage unit comprises two wires for spanning between said pair of end-pieces.

Optionally and preferably, end-pieces are adapted to couplingly engage netting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, purely by way of example, to the accompanying drawings.

With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention; the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice. In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic isometric projection of a self assemblable storage unit in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the self assemblable storage unit of FIG. 1 showing the subcomponents thereof;

FIG. is a schematic isometric projection of a modular, extendable coupling rod in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an isometric projection of a backpack suspended from a holder attached to the top of a end-piece of the self assemblable storage unit of claim 1;

FIG. 5 is an isometric projection of a backpack suspended from a hook attached to an external socket in the end-piece of the self assemblable storage unit of claim 1;

FIG. 6 is an isometric projection showing a footstool coupled to the right side end-piece of the self assemblable storage unit of claim 1;

FIG. 7 shows a ball-net for holding footballs and the like, that is coupled to hooks on end-pieces and on edges of shelving sections;

FIG. 8 shows a double self assemblable storage unit consisting of two single self assemblable storage units couopled along a mutualcenter wall, and

FIG. 9 shows how a pair of crossed wires tensioned between legs of left and right end units can provide increased rigidity to the self assemblable storage unit. Similar pieces are numbered the same way throughout.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a self assemblable storage unit 10 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention is schematically shown, fully assembled and in blown up views respectively.

The self assemblable storage unit 10 is constructed from a pair of A shaped end-pieces (left and right) 12L, 12R coupled by connecting rods 14A-14F.

Each end-piece 12 is generally A-shaped, and includes a top end 16 front and back legs 18F, 18B that diverge from the top end 16 towards the front and back feet 20F, 20B. Usefully, at least one of the front and back feet 20F, 20B is provided with a leveling screw, and preferably at least legs in opposite corners are provided with leveling screws. It will be appreciated that the feet 20F, 20B may be equipped with rubber pads to prevent slippage, or with casters to enable to the self assemblable storage unit 10 to be wheeled about, trolley fashion.

A cross bar 22 spanning between the front and back legs 18F, 18B provides rigidity. Because of the divergent nature of the legs 18F, 18B, the width of the end pieces 12L, 12R of the storage unit 10 are wider at the base 24 than at their top ends 16. As a consequence of this feature, the self assemblable storage unit 10 is particularly stable, and is more resistant to capsizing rather than the rectangular type racks with vertical sides of the prior art.

Left and right end-pieces 12L, 12R may be molded from a polymer resin by injection molding for example, and may usefully be identical, symmetrical components so that one mold can be used for both 12L and 12R.

The connecting rods 14A, 14F span between the end-pieces 12L, 12R and couple to sockets 26 on the end pieces. Each socket 26 may be a female socket into which the (male) end 28 of a connecting rod 14 may be inserted. Alternatively/additionally the socket 26 may include a protrusion that fits into the end of the connecting rod 14. Where end 28 of rod 14 fits into socket 26, the socket 26 may go through the end piece 12 from one side thereof to the other, or may be a blind hole going only part way. Various locking means as known, such as clasps, pins, screw threads and the like, may be provided to secure end 28 of rod 14 to socket 26.

End-pieces 12L, 12R of the specific embodiment shown in FIG. 1 has five rows of sockets 26, each row including two sockets 26. Only three rows of sockets 26 are used for connecting ends 28 of rods 14. The other sockets 26 are unused. By providing more sockets than utilized, connecting rods 14 can be moved up and down and repositioned in optimal positions for positioning, supporting and organizing the specific sport goods and other items to be stored. Indeed, connecting rods 14 may be provided in adjacent rows to provide a sloping stand for display purposes or for supporting shoes, for example.

The embodiment shown is one example only. In general, end pieces of the invention will include at least two rows of sockets thereon, each row comprising at least two sockets, so that the connecting rods 14 coupling the end-pieces will typically be are arranged in pairs of front and back rods.

Elongated sports equipment such as skis, snooker cues, hockey sticks, croquet mallets, tennis racquets and the like, can be stored substantially upright between front and back connecting rods. Since the separation of the connecting rods 14 increases towards the base 28, it is easy to ensure that the center of gravity of the storage unit 10 remains between the front and back feet 20F, 20B, even when loaded with a large number of pieces of elongated sports equipment, particularly if the equipment is positioned with the handles thereof protruding upwards, as is the instinctive way for storing bats and the like.

In some embodiments the length of the connecting rods 14 may be varied. In one such embodiment, each of the plurality of connecting rods 14 provided includes scorings there around, for facilitating them being sawn through or snapped to shorten, thereby allowing the length of the connecting rods 14 to be shortened and the overall length of the self assemblable storage unit 10 to be shortened. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3 each connecting rod 140 may comprise interlocking sections 142, 144 and be extended by addition of one or more extension pieces. Indeed, in other embodiments the connecting rods may be telescopic, but typically connecting rods 14 will have constant cross sections and may simply be lengths of tubing or other extrusions. However, connecting rods 14 may alternatively be fabricated in a closed mold or turned from timber.

Although, the connecting rods 14 may have circular cross section, it has been found that if at least one of the connecting rods, or at least the ends thereof, and the corresponding sockets are provided with D shaped cross sections having a flat edge, extra rigidity is provided. It will be appreciated that for ease of assembly, all connecting rods of any specific embodiment are preferably interchangeable and thus have similar cross sections.

Shelves may be provided, and are useful for storing clothing, boots, boxes of sports accessories and other items. Preferably, the shelves consist of standard shelving sections 30A, 30B, 30C provided with cut outs on undersurface thereof 32 for engaging the connecting rods 14. Each shelving section 30 typically fits onto a pair of connecting rods 14 and a number of shelving sections 30 can be aligned side by side to provide shelving sections that span the whole length of the self assemblable storage unit 10. Alternatively, a portion of the connecting rods 14 may be left bare, so that elongated items such as hockey sticks etc. can extend vertically through the space between the back 14A and front 14B connecting rods of the top row . . .

Where the connecting rods 14 have curved upper sections, as is the case for both cylindrical and D-shaped rods as described hereinabove, the cutouts 34 on the undersurface 32 of the shelving sections 30 may have arcuate edges and are typically semicircular in shape. Since the separation of the front and back connecting rods 14 in each row is constant, and the number of rows is limited—even where a plurality of rows of sockets 26 are provided at different heights and the user can configure the self assemblable storage unit 10 to specific needs—only a small number of such cutouts 34 are required to fit all possibilities. If the shelving sections 30 are provided with cutouts 34 along both pairs of parallel edges and can be turned through 90° each shelving length 30 can easily accommodate sufficient cutouts 34 to engage any pair of connecting rods 14.

Accessories such as holders 40, hooks 42, racks 44, trays 46 clasps, boxes and shelf sections 30 of various shapes and sizes may be included in the self assemblable storage unit 10 kits as provided, or be separately purchasable as additional accessories for retrofitting thereto. The accessories may be provided with ends 46 that couple onto sockets 26 not occupied by connecting rods 14, or may have cutouts 34 engaging the connecting rods 14, or may be coupled to the end-pieces and/or connecting rods by other means such as hooks 36 that hook onto the connecting rods 14, or eyes for engaging hooks or tabs protruding from the end-pieces 12. Additionally, such accessories may simply screw or tie onto the end-pieces 12 or connecting rods 14.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a backpack 150 may be hung onto holder 40, or as shown in FIG. 6, may be suspended from hook 42.

With reference to FIG. 6, a foot stool 48 may be appended to outer surface of end-piece 12. Footstool 48 may be used for sportsman to place a foot thereupon when doing up his/her bootlaces, or me even serve as a stool for sitting upon.

Each or some of shelving sections 30 may include one or more storage compartments and may have depth, being storage boxes or trays.

Typically, the end-pieces 12, connecting rods 14 and accessories 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 are fabricated from a polymeric resin, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, PTFE or polystyrene, for example, usually with additives such as pigments for coloring, fillers and plasticizers.

The end units 12R, 12L, and, perhaps edges of shelving sections 30 (See FIG. 7) may include protrusions 50 (or holes) for fixing netting 52 thereto, for holding balls 54 and the like.

Since the self assemblable storage unit 10 is wider at the base 24 than at the top 16, it is particularly stable and be freestanding and need not be positioned against and coupled to a wall for additional support. With reference to FIG. 8, particularly, where the self assemblable storage unit 10 is frequently moved or where heavy equipment is stored, one or more wires 56, 58 may be provided to span between the pair of end-pieces. Such wires 56, 58 are kept in tension and prevent the connecting rods being dislodged from their sockets. Most preferably, two such wires 56, 58 cross each other, to provide greater rigidity. The end-pieces 12 may include holes 52 (or sockets) for engaging the ends of such wires 46, 58.

Referring now to FIG. 9, where sockets 26 are provided on both inner and outer surface of end-pieces 12 or are through holes there through, but the ends 28 of connecting rods 14 only go half the way through end pieces 12, two storage units 10A, 10B of the invention may be coupled together around a common end-piece serving as a center leg 12C, thereby providing a double storage unit 100. Double storage unit 100 may be vended as a double storage unit kit or may be constructed ad hoc from two single modular storage unit kits—such as shown in FIG. 2. Indeed, three or more storage units may be coupled together to form elongated storage units of any desired length.

Thus the present invention is capable of a number of variations and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and includes both combinations and sub combinations of the various features described hereinabove as well as variations and modifications thereof, which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.

In the claims, the word “comprise”, and variations thereof such as “comprises”, “comprising” and the like indicate that the components listed are included, but not generally to the exclusion of other components.

Claims

1. A self assemblable storage unit comprising:

a pair of end-pieces, each end piece having a base end and a top end and being wider at its base end than at its top end, and

a plurality of connecting rods for spanning between and connecting the pair of end pieces.

2. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 1, wherein each end-piece of said pair of end-pieces has at least two rows of sockets thereon; each row comprising at least two sockets; each of said sockets configured to couplingly engage an end of one of said plurality of connecting rods.

3. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 1, wherein said end-pieces are fabricated from a material comprising a polymeric resin.

4. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 3, wherein said polymeric resin is selected from the group of polyethylene, polypropylene, PTFE and polystyrene.

5. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 3, wherein said material further comprises additives selected from the list of colorants, fillers and plasticizers.

6. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 1, wherein each of said end-pieces has an A-shaped construction comprising a top, a pair of legs that diverge from the top towards their feet, and a cross bar.

7. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 1, wherein said connecting rods are fabricated from a material comprising a polymeric resin.

8. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 7, wherein said polymeric resin is selected from the group of polyethylene, polypropylene, PTFE and polystyrene.

9. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 7, wherein said material further comprises additives selected from the list of colorants, fillers and plasticizers.

10. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 1, wherein said plurality of connecting rods comprise at least one weak point for facilitating shortening.

11. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 1, wherein said plurality of connecting rods comprise interconnecting sub sections for varying length of said rods.

12. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of connecting rods has a constant cross section.

13. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of connecting rods has ends having D shaped cross sections for engaging corresponding D shaped sockets in said end pieces.

14. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 1, further comprising at least a first shelving section that engages at least two connecting rods.

15. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 1, further comprising at least one accessory selected from the group comprising holders, hooks, clasps, shelving section, boxes, trays, and seats.

16. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 13, wherein said at least one accessory is attachable to at least one of said end-pieces.

17. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 13, wherein said at least one accessory is attachable to one of said connecting rods.

18. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 1 further comprising at least one wire spanning between said pair of end-pieces.

19. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 1 further comprising two wires for spanning between said pair of end-pieces.

20. The self assemblable storage unit of claim 1 wherein said end-pieces are adapted to couplingly engage netting.