Device for storage of articles

Abstract

Device for the storage of articles, comprising a frame and at least one receptacle that can be detachably fitted on the said frame, such that the frame (110) has at the top a carrying handle (120) and on either side of the handle suspension devices are provided, on each of which a receptacle (130, 131) can be hung, such that the receptacles can be removed from the suspension device by being lifted out.

Description

[0001] The present invention concerns a device for the storage of articles, comprising a frame and at least one receptacle that can be detachably fitted on the said frame.

[0002] From the state of the prior art a device of the type mentioned above has for example become known, which comprises various receptacles that can be detachably fitted to a frame so that a variety of articles can be sorted and placed in the individual receptacles where they are stored separately. The device is also so designed that if needs be two or more receptacles can be used, since its structure is modular. For example, a device of this type is used as a laundry sorter. The known device according to DE 196 24985.6 A1 is equipped with wheels and can therefore be rolled along as a whole. The individual receptacles of the device are accessible via flaps that can be swung down.

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a device for the storage of articles, of the type described above, which is made to be portable as a whole and whose structure is particularly simple.

[0004] In contrast to the previously known device described above, the device according to the invention is not moved from one place to another by being rolled along, but by being carried. For this purpose, a carrying handle is fitted at the top end area of the frame.

[0005] Besides, the device according to the invention is very simply constructed and so designed that if it is desired to transport only a single receptacle separately, this can be detached from the device very simply by lifting it upwards. In addition, the receptacles of the device according to the invention are preferably so designed that they can also be opened very easily when the receptacles are on the frame. For example, each receptacle of the device can be provided with rods positioned in each case at the top end area of the receptacle. The receptacle can be suspended on the frame by hanging the two rods on the hanging device of the frame. The receptacles can be opened very simply, for example by lifting only one rod, the outermost, off the hanging device while the other rod remains in the hanging device and the receptacle is then open at the top, so that articles can be thrown or placed in it.

[0006] In the device according to the invention, the receptacles are preferably pouches or bags, but may also be boxes, cartons or suchlike. This means that in essence receptacles can be considered which have a flexible outer covering as is the case with pouches or bags, or otherwise receptacles with a rigid outer shell, such as cartons. The receptacles can consist of textile materials or plastic or cardboard or leather or other suitable materials.

[0007] As suspension devices for the receptacles, wire yokes are preferably used. These are preferably fitted opposite one another respectively on the two sides of the handle, so that two receptacles can be suspended on the device.

[0008] A preferred further development of the invention provides that each receptacle has two rods in its upper end area, so that when in each case only the outer rod is removed from the hanging yoke in the manner described, the receptacle can be opened, and when the receptacle as a whole is to be removed by lifting it upwards, both rods are lifted off the hanging yoke.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment, the suspension device, which is for example a wire yoke, can comprise ends that plug into the handle and can be attached to the handle by means of these. For this, the said plug-in ends are curved in such a way as to ensure a simple, form-enclosing connection between the suspension device and the handle. On the side facing away from the handle, the suspension device has ends into which the rods carrying the receptacle are preferably laid.

[0010] The frame of a device according to the invention is preferably also constructed very simply and consists, for example, of rods or tubes which are bent to one side to form foot portions that rest on the ground. These foot portions can merge into sections of the frame that extend upwards and to the top end area of which the handle is attached. Furthermore, the foot portions preferably first extend outwards and then, in further sections, in the longitudinal direction of the frame. As already said, the receptacles can for example be made as bags or sacks and preferably have a relatively elongated shape. For this, the receptacles maybe shaped such that when they are closed, their width increases from the top downwards as viewed from the end side of the frame. When the receptacle is opened by taking the outer rod off the hanging device of the frame, the outer rod essentially swings out and away from the frame, and preferably also somewhat downwards, to create an opening large enough to permit articles to be thrown or placed in the holding space of the receptacle. Accordingly, the receptacle can be opened and closed very simply, by just one movement of the hand. Likewise, for example when the receptacle is filled with articles, it can be grasped and simply lifted upwards by only one movement of the hand, to be carried away.

[0011] A device according to the invention with two such receptacles is preferred. In principle, however, the frame can also be so constructed that only one receptacle or, on the contrary, more than two receptacles are suspended on it, without going beyond the scope of the principle according to the invention. Preferably, the receptacles hanging on the suspension device terminate a certain distance above the bottom end of the frame and the ground, so that they are not in contact with the ground and cannot be soiled by such contact.

[0012] According to a preferred variant, the frame can be made very simply by inclining the tubular or rod sections extending upwards at an angle slightly deviating from the vertical, so that the two sections extending upwards converge towards the top. At the upper end the handle can be pushed onto the two sections and joined thereto by friction force locking. At the lower end, the two upward-reaching sections can be bent round so that they merge seamlessly into the sections bent essentially horizontally to form the foot portions.

[0013] The subordinate claims relate to preferred further developments of the solution provided by the invention for the objective set. Other advantages of the invention will emerge from the detailed description given below.

[0014] Claims 15 to 18 concern a variant of the device according to the invention, in which instead of a framed there is a holding component that can be fixed to a wall. In this case too a suspension device can be fixed to the holding component, in the form of a wire yoke or suchlike, which can be constructed in exactly the same way as for the variant of the invention described earlier. In this variant a receptacle can again be suspended or if necessary removed completely from the holding component, the type of container being of exactly the same structure as those in the variant of the invention described above, with the frame. In this variant of the invention that can be fixed to a wall, as a rule only one receptacle is present and consequently there is only one suspension device for this receptacle. As with the variant described earlier, the receptacle can have at the top two horizontal rods, so that when only one rod is taken off the suspension device (wire yoke) the receptacle is opened, while when both rods are taken off the receptacle can be taken away. Instead of the handle used for carrying the frame in the variant described earlier, in this variant of the invention the holding component attached to the wall is present and remains on the wall permanently. The receptacle, however, can be removed from the said holding component and taken away. A particular advantage is also that the device according to this variant constitutes a supplement of the variant of the device described earlier with the frame, and the receptacles for both variants can be designed in the same way and can therefore be used interchangeably with both variants of the device.

[0015] Below, the present invention will be described in greater detail with reference to example embodiments illustrated in the attached drawings, which show:

[0016] FIG. 1: Perspective overall view of a device according to the invention for the storage of articles

[0017] FIG. 2: Side view of the device shown in FIG. 1, seen from the end at the side

[0018] FIG. 3: Further view of the device according to the invention, seen from a direction at 90° to the viewing direction of FIG. 2

[0019] FIG. 4: View of the device according to the invention, seen from the top

[0020] FIG. 5: Enlarged detail in the upper area of the handle of the device

[0021] FIG. 6: Perspective view of the handle and, separately, the yoke attached thereto

[0022] FIG. 7: View to clarify the connection between the upper end area of the frame and the handle

[0023] FIG. 8: Perspective view of a frame according to an alternative variant of the invention

[0024] FIG. 9: Perspective view of an alternative device according to the invention for the storage of articles, which can be fixed to the wall

[0025] FIG. 10: Enlarged perspective detail view of the alternative device shown in FIG. 9

[0026] Reference will first be made to FIG. 1. The perspective representation shows an overall view of the device according to the invention for the storage of articles of the most varied kinds. The device as a whole is indexed 100 and is suitable, for example, for holding laundry or other household articles, but is not limited to such applications. The device comprises a frame 110 which consists essentially of a tube with several bends, whose shape can also be seen in FIG. 2. The tubular frame 110 is bent so as to have two foot portions 111, 112, which extend essentially horizontally and support the frame on the ground. Connected to the foot portions 111, 112 are, respectively, vertical tube sections 113, 114 that extend almost perpendicularly, i.e. inclined inwards at a slight angle away from the vertical and extending upwards such that they converge and are closest together just under the handle, as can be seen in FIG. 3. The upper end area of these tube sections 113, 114 are connected to the handle 120 by adhesive bonding or by a locking connection. This friction force joint between the handle 120 and the upper ends of the tube sections 113, 114 of the frame is such that it cannot come apart when the handle and the device 100 as a whole are lifted.

[0027] In place of the embodiment described above, the frame 110 can also be constructed somewhat differently, in particular the vertical tube can be made in two or more parts to achieve a smaller packaging size. The frame 110 then consists of several tube sections joined together, preferably by means of tube connectors made from plastic into each end of which the individual tube sections can be inserted in corresponding recesses. For example, tube connectors can also be used which, besides the function of joining two tube sections together, also fulfil the function of a support foot like the support area 117 shown in FIG. 1, so that at these points secure contact with the ground is ensured, for example with a contact area such that the tube section 111 of the foot portion does not rest directly on the ground there.

[0028] The holders for the articles to be stored are two respective bags or pouches 130, 131 which, as can be seen in FIG. 1, can be detachably held on either side of the handle 120 on the frame 110 (see also FIG. 2).

[0029] To attach the two bags or pouches 130, 131, which can be made of different materials such as textile, leather, plastic, paper, cardboard or suchlike, at the upper end areas of each bag are provided in each case two parallel rods 141, 142; 143, 144 which can each be hung in parts of a yoke 150, 151. For their part, the two yokes 150, 151 can be attached to the handle 120 by inserting their ends. This can be understood more clearly from the enlarged detailed view shown in FIG. 5. The insertion of the ends of the yokes 150, 151 into the handle 120 will be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0030] FIG. 6 shows one of the yokes 150, represented in perspective view detached from the handle 120. As can be seen, where insertion into the handle 120 takes place the yoke 150 has several bends. The yoke 150 is for example bent from wire such that on the handle side there are two sections 152, 153 which extend approximately horizontally towards one another and end a distance apart, leaving a free space 154 between the two ends of the yoke to be inserted. Starting from these horizontal sections 152, 153 the yoke is in each case first bent upwards by about 90° so that in the mounted position it has sections 155, 156 that extend approximately vertically. At the end of those sections the two ends of the yoke area again bent horizontal through 90° and then extend in horizontal sections 157, 158 backwards towards the handle. After this, the two ends of the yoke 150 are again bent about 90° upwards to form vertical end sections 159, 162 of the yoke, which are inserted into the handle 120.

[0031] As can also be seen from FIG. 6, the handle 120 is provided in two places with slots or holes 122, 123 and on both sides of these two holes there are in each case pairs of parallel guide webs 124, 125 that extend from the bottom upwards. As can be seen from FIG. 5, the ends of the wire yoke 150 shown in FIG. 6 are inserted into the slots or holes 122, 123 of the handle 120 such that the vertical sections 159, 162 are within the handle and the vertical sections 155, 156 of the wire yoke 150 that come after the double bend extend downwards between the pairs of parallel guide webs 124, 125. This structure of the joint between the wire yoke 150 and the handle 120 ensures that when the handle 120 and along with it the device as a whole are lifted, the wire yokes 150, 151, each shaped the same as the other, cannot come loose from their connection to the handle 120.

[0032] The hanging ends 160 of the wire yokes 150, 151 bent to form curves on the side facing away from the handle 120 are shaped such that contact points are formed for the rods 140, 142 in four areas of the wire yoke 150, these areas being indexed 163, 164, 165 and 166 in FIG. 6. These four sections of the wire yoke all extend parallel to one another, such that the two areas 163, 164 and the two areas 165, 166 are respectively closer to one another and between the areas 164, 165 there is a larger distance, where the wire yoke 150, viewed from above, is bent approximately into a U shape 167 extending inwards in the direction towards the handle.

[0033] However, the wire yoke 150 can be shaped more simply than in the example embodiment shown in FIG. 6, while fulfilling the same purpose in principle. For example it is sufficient to have just one hanging area instead of the hanging ends 160, 161, with the wire yoke 150 straight on this side such that, for example, the aforesaid approximately U-shaped form of the wire yoke with the U-section 167 bent inwards when seen from above is no longer present. The wire yoke 150 would then extend straight and instead of the aforesaid four contact areas 163, 164, 165, 166 of the wire yoke for the rods 140, 142, there would only be two such areas, which could for example be on the outside, such as the contact areas 163, 166 in the drawing of FIG. 6.

[0034] The connection of the handle 120 to the upper ends of the tubular section 113, 114 will be described below with reference to FIG. 7. This pictures the upper end of a tubular section 113 and the handle 120 attached to the said tubular section 113, which are shown here in cross-section. It can be seen that the tubular section 113 has on one side a tongue or lip 170 formed from the material and directed outwards at a slightly oblique angle. The handle 120 is provided on both sides with circular-cylindrical recesses 171, 172 into which, respectively, the upper ends of the tubular sections 113, 114 can be inserted. Within the recesses 171, 172 there is in each case a tongue 173, 174 extending obliquely from below upwards and radially inwards, whose upper end is free and which, when the tubular sections 113 and 114 are inserted, engages with the tongue 170 of the tubular section projecting outwards from the latter behind the inward-projecting tongues 173, 174 in the recess 171, 172, so that a connection is produced which, in the manner of a barb, prevents the tube section 113, 114 from being pulled back out of the handle 120. As can be seen from FIG. 7, the tubular section also has in each case, for example approximately circumferentially opposite the tongue 170, a slit 175 that cooperates with corresponding elements projecting radially into the recess 171, 172 (not shown) to ensure that each tubular section is prevented from rotating within the recess of the handle.

[0035] FIGS. 1 to 5 show in each case a position in which the two bags 130, 131 are each suspended by means of their rods 141, 142 and 143, 144 respectively, in the yokes 150, 151 and in which both bags 130, 131 are closed. Either of the bags can now be opened very simply by lifting the respective outermost rod 142 or 143 out of the curved hanging end 160 (see FIG. 5) or 161. This opens the bag, but the bag remains on the frame because the respective inner rod, for example 141 in the case of the right-hand bag in FIG. 5, remains on the yoke 150.

[0036] If it is desired to remove one of the two bags 130, 131 entirely from the frame 110, this can also be done quite simply by picking up the bag under both rods 141, 142 and lifting it off the yoke 150. As can be seen from FIG. 1 or FIG. 5, the two rods 141, 142 of each of the two bags are in each case joined to the material of the bag 130, 131, for example by pushing the rods 141, 142 through correspondingly sized, seamed passages at the top end of the bag material.

[0037] Thus, when necessary both bags 130, 131 can be separately opened to put in or take out the stored articles, and both bags 130, 131 can each be separately taken off the frame 110 of the device 100. At the same time, by gripping the handle 120, the entire device 100 with the two bags 130, 131 or if needs be with only one bag or no bags at all, can be transported elsewhere. Thanks to its foot portions 111, 112, the frame of the device with its bags will stand securely.

[0038] FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of an alternative variant of the invention, in which the frame 110 of the device has a somewhat different structure. As can be seen, here too the frame 110 has respective vertical sections 113, 114 extending upward, which are, however, not exactly vertical but inclined towards one another convergently towards the handle 120 and are joined to the handle for example by insertion of the tube ends. At the top this variant device of FIG. 8 is essentially no different from the variant described earlier. However, the foot portions 111, 112 of the frame are constructed rather differently. In this case they each extend transversely relative to the main width direction of the two receptacles 130, 131, which are not shown in FIG. 8 so that the frame 110 can be seen better. Viewed from the side, this structure of the feet 111, 112 gives in each case an approximately T-shaped arrangement of a foot portion 111, 112 respectively with a vertical tube section 113, 114. Such a frame according to FIG. 8 also stands securely. Only the process of making the frame is somewhat different, and compared with the variant of FIG. 1 this may have advantages in terms of manufacturing technique.

[0039] FIGS. 9 and 10 show another variant of a device according to the invention for the storage of articles, which the manufacturer can offer on the one hand as an alternative and on the other hand also as a supplement to a device as described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. In the device according to FIG. 9 there is no frame that rests on the ground but rather, a holding component 10 formed in principle as a plate-like wall attachment that can be fixed to a wall, for example by screwing or suchlike. As can be seen by comparing FIGS. 9 and 1, the same receptacles, i.e. bag-like or pouch-shaped ones, can be used in both cases. In FIG. 9 the receptacle is indexed 30. Likewise, the suspension device 50 for the receptacle 30 can in principle be a wire yoke of structure similar to that of the wire yoke 150 described earlier that served as the suspension device for the receptacles 130, 131 in the variant according to FIGS. 5 and 6. However, in the variant according to FIG. 9 only one such suspension device 50 for only one receptacle 30 is present. The wire yoke serving as the suspension device can in principle, however, be bent in exactly the same way as in the earlier variants, so that the suspension device, which can be seen better in the detailed representation of FIG. 10, is curved up in the area facing away from the holding component 10 to form hanging ends or a hanging area 60. This suspension device 50 can be plugged into the holding component 10 and for that purpose has insertion ends 59, 62 like those of the variants described earlier. This has the advantage that the suspension device 50 used in the variant having the frame according to FIGS. 1 and 5, can also be used for the variant of the device that can be wall mounted according to FIG. 9.

[0040] The receptacle 30 can also be made like the example embodiments of the two receptacles 130, 131 described earlier, so that as can be seen in FIG. 9 the receptacle 30 too has two rods 41, 42 at the top, from which the receptacle can be suspended by placing them on the suspension device 150. Likewise, the receptacle 30 is opened in the same way by taking only the front (outer) rod 42 off the suspension device 50.

Claims

1. Device for the storage of articles, comprising a frame and at least one receptacle that can be detachably fitted on this frame,

characterised in that

at the top, the frame (110) has a carrying handle (120) and on either side of the said handle suspension devices (150, 151) are provided, from each of which a receptacle (130, 131) can be hung, such that the receptacles can be removed by lifting them upwards out of the suspension device.

2. Device for the storage of articles according to claim 1,

characterised in that

the receptacles are in the form of pouches (130, 131), bags, boxes or cartons.

3. Device for the storage of articles according to claim 2,

characterised in that

the suspension devices (150, 151) are in each case yokes made from wire or suchlike, which can each be attached opposite one another on either side of the handle (120).

4. Device for the storage of articles according to claim 1,

characterised in that

the receptacles (130, 131) each have at their upper end rods (141, 142; 143, 144) which respectively allow the container (130, 131) to be hung by being positioned on the suspension devices (150, 151).

5. Device for the storage of articles according to claim 4,

characterised in that

each receptacle has two rods (141, 142 or 143, 144), and when the respective outermost rod (142, 143) only is removed from the hanging yoke (150, 151), the receptacle (130, 131) can be opened.

6. Device for the storage of articles according to claim 1,

characterised in that

the suspension device (150, 151) has insertion ends on the side facing the handle, by means of which it can be attached to the handle.

7. Device for the storage of articles according to claim 1,

characterised in that

the suspension device (150, 151) has hanging ends (160, 161) bent upwards on the side facing away from the handle.

8. Device for the storage of articles according to claim 1,

characterised in that

the frame (110) is at least partially tubular or rod-shaped and the handle (120) can be plugged onto the respective upper ends of tube or rod sections (113, 114) of the frame that extend upwards, and can be attached thereto by friction force locking.

9. Device for the storage of articles according to claim 1,

characterised in that

the frame (110) has tubular or rod-like bent foot portions (111, 112), which when viewed from the end side, extend from the upward-reaching sections (113, 114) first outwards and then, in further sections, longitudinally, such that the respective sections of the tubular or rod-shaped frame merge into one another.

10. Device for the storage of articles according to claim 8,

characterised in that

the frame has upward-reaching sections (113, 114) and at the lower ends thereof in each case foot portions (111, 112) connected thereto, such that each of the upward-reaching sections (113, 114) forms with one foot portion (111, 112) an approximately T-shaped arrangement, and the feet (111, 112) extend transversely relative to the receptacles (130, 131).

11. Device for the storage of articles according to claim 10,

characterised in that

sections (111, 112) of the foot portions extend essentially horizontally and rest on the ground in some areas (116, 117).

12. Device for the storage of articles according to claim 1,

characterised in that

the receptacles (130, 131) are formed as bags or sacks and have a relatively elongated shape, such that when closed, the width of the receptacles increases from top to bottom when viewed from the end side of the frame.

13. Device for the storage of articles according to claim 4,

characterised in that

the receptacles (130, 131) can be hung on the suspension devices (150, 151) by means of the rods (141, 142; 143, 144) and the suspended receptacles end a certain distance above the lower end of the frame (110) and the ground.

14. Device for the storage of articles according to claims 10,

characterised in that

seen from the bottom upwards, the upward-reaching, preferably tubular or rod-like sections (113, 114) of the frame are directed convergently.

15. Device for the storage of articles, comprising a holding component that can be fixed to a wall, to which is attached at least one suspension device onto which at least one receptacle can be hung,

characterised in that

the suspension device is a hanging yoke (50) and the receptacle (30) has two rods (41, 42) that enable the receptacle (30) to be hung, by each being laid on the suspension device (50).

16. Device for the storage of articles according to claim 15,

characterised in that

the holding component (10) is a plate-like, wall-mounted component and the suspension device (50.) has insertion ends on the side facing the holding component (10), by means of which it can be attached to the holding component.

17. Device for the storage of articles according to claim 15,

characterised in that

the receptacle (30) is made according to any of claims 2, 5 or 12.

18. Device for the storage of articles according to claim 15,

characterised in that

the suspension device has hanging ends (60) bent upwards on the side facing away from the holding component (10).