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Storage and organization system for articles

Storage and organization system for articles description/claims

This is a divisional application of Petitioner's earlier U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/058,832, entitled A STORAGE AND ORGANIZATION SYSTEM FOR ARTICLES, and filed on Feb. 16, 2007.

Organization and storage of tools and other small articles at home and in the work place can be challenging. This is especially true when the articles must be stored in a manner that provides quick and easy access. Such storage systems should provide neat organization and the flexibility of short or long-term storage. Moreover, such storage systems are often times used in a garage or workshop, which necessitates a heightened level of durability in order to provide a long useful life.

The ubiquitous storage system, commonly found in garages and workshops, includes one or more sheets of perforated board or “pegboard” that is secured to a wall. A plurality of small wire hangers are used to support tools and various articles from the pegboard. Small diameter hooks at the rearward ends of the hangers are shaped so that they may be passed through the openings in the pegboard and then rest against the backside of the pegboard when the forward end portion of the hanger is in place, closely adjacent the front surface of the pegboard. Unfortunately, such systems are not very durable due to the pressed composite board material used to fabricate the pegboards. Over time, the diameter of the pegboard openings begins to expand and create an ill-fitting connection for the hangers. Moreover, the apertures of standard pegboard are round, which permit rotation of the hanger within the openings, creating a fairly unstable platform for the storage of heavy or unbalanced articles.

Another serious disadvantage to the use of pegboard, and similar storage systems, is the fact that the pegboard itself must be secured in a spaced relationship with a mounting surface in order for the hangers to be secured with the pegboard. Most such systems pass the mounting end of the hangers completely through the pegboard and then utilize the rearward surface of the pegboard as a bracing surface for the mounting end of the hanger. Accordingly, this requires that spacers be used when mounting the pegboard to an operating surface, such as a garage wall. The spacers are typically positioned behind the pegboard, along the peripheral edge and sporadically throughout the middle portions of the pegboard, depending upon the size of the pegboard. Unfortunately, wherever a spacer is used, an aperture is filled with a fastener that passes through the spacer on the opposite side of the pegboard. The use of such small spacers creates instability in the pegboard material, causing it to wobble when articles are coupled with or removed from the pegboard. Where spacers are used that are too short, an insufficient space between the backside of the pegboard and the mounting surface is provided to accommodate the mounting end of the hanger. Accordingly, the system must be disassembled and each of the short spacers must be replaced with taller spacers.

Another disadvantage of using prior art storage systems, such as pegboard, is the inflexibility of their use. These prior art systems are designed to hang vertically, in a spaced relationship with a wall or other mounting surface. Due to the mechanical nature in which most hangers are passed through the pegboard apertures and brace themselves against the rearward surface of the pegboard, prior art storage systems cannot be positioned horizontally to support and store a wide range of articles. Accordingly, such storage systems are inappropriate for use in designing portable storage systems. This, combined with the typically flimsy nature of pegboard, further contributes to the fact that the pegboard materials are not used as horizontal shelves that can be, in turn, secured to vertically mounted sections of pegboard.

Accordingly, what is needed is a new storage system for articles that is modular and flexible in design, durable enough to withstand repeated, long-term use, and simple enough to use for a wide range of different applications.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary, and the foregoing Background, is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

The storage system of the present invention is generally provided with a support panel having first and second surfaces, a peripheral edge portion, and a plurality of evenly spaced sockets. At least one support member is also provided, having at least one mounting post that extends outwardly from one end of the support member. The mounting post is shaped and sized to be at least partially received within at least one of the plurality of sockets in the support panel. In a preferred embodiment, the mounting post is provided with at least one nodule that extends outwardly from a side portion of the mounting post. The nodule is shaped and sized so that it may be releasably receivable within a recess formed within an interior sidewall of the support panel socket. In this manner, the support member snaps in place, adjacent the first surface of the support panel. The support member may be easily removed by pulling the support member until the mounting post is extracted from the socket. The support member may then be repositioned to any other socket in the support panel. In a preferred embodiment, the mounting post and socket are shaped to have a polygonal cross-section so that rotation of the mounting post within the socket is limited.

In one preferred embodiment, the storage system is provided to be modular in construction, providing at least one side socket that extends into the peripheral edge portion of the support panel. A second support panel is provided in a similar construction to the first support panel and includes at least one mounting post that extends from the peripheral edge portion of the second support panel. The side socket and the side mounting post are shaped and sized to be releasably engagable with one another, permitting the support panels to be securely coupled to one another in an edge-to-edge fashion when secured to an operating surface. Openings may be formed transversely through the side socket and the side mounting post in such a manner that the openings align with one another when the post is disposed within the socket. In this manner, a mounting aperture is provided to receive a fastener that will secure the two panels to the operating surface.

In another embodiment, a second support panel that is constructed in a manner similar to the first support panel may be provided in a narrow but elongated shape. One or more side mounting posts may be provided to extend outwardly from the peripheral edge portion of the second support panel. This arrangement permits the second support panel to be releasably secured to the first support panel in a generally perpendicular orientation. This arrangement provides for a modular shelf to support various articles. In still another embodiment, the support member is provided with an upper mounting post that extends from an upper edge portion of the support member and is sized and shaped to be at least partially received within at least one socket formed in the second support panel, such that the support member extends in a generally perpendicular fashion from the support panel. A mounting post extending from the rearward edge of the support member may be coupled within a socket in the first support panel when the second support panel is secured to the first face of the first support panel, serving as a brace for the shelf that is formed by the second support panel. Sockets may be formed in the support member for receiving the mounting posts of other support members, which will be utilized to individually support various articles.

In another preferred embodiment, a first elongated sleeve is coupled to one end of the support member and is provided with an inner cavity that is in open communication with an open upper end portion of the sleeve. Accordingly, the support member may be coupled with the support panel in a manner that permits the sleeve to hold various articles, including the handle portion of a fishing rod. Additional sleeves may be coupled in a generally parallel fashion with the sides of the first sleeve to receive additional articles for storage. In a different embodiment, the mounting post may extend outwardly from a lower end portion of the first elongated sleeve so that the sleeve may be secured to a horizontally disposed platform, having one or more sockets that are positioned to receive the mounting post. The support panel may also be provided in an elongated, slender shape, having a mounting post that extends outwardly from a first end of the peripheral edge portion of the support panel. The mounting post may be releasably received within a handle socket formed in the platform, permitting the support panel to be used as a handle to move and reposition the platform. A base may also be provided with an upper bearing surface that is rotatably received within a recess formed in the lower surface of the platform. In this arrangement, a “lazy Susan” is provided.

These and other aspects of the present system and method will be apparent after consideration of the Detailed Description and Figures herein. It is to be understood, however, that the scope of the invention shall be determined by the claims as issued and not by whether given subject matter addresses any or all issues noted in the Background or includes any features or aspects recited in this Summary.

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention, including the preferred embodiment, are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the storage system of the present invention;

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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