US20120118941A1

US20120118941A1 - Stackable storage box

Info

Publication number: US20120118941A1
Application number: US12/945,893
Authority: US
Inventors: Wen-Tsan Wang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-11-15
Filing date: 2010-11-15
Publication date: 2012-05-17

Abstract

A stackable storage box includes a hollow, trapezoidal box body having a relatively larger upper side and a relatively smaller lower side, two flexible belts each having two distal ends thereof affixed to one of two opposing sidewalls of the box body near the topmost edge of the box body, and two grips respectively affixed to a middle part of each of the two flexible belts and movable with the flexible belts between a first position where the grips are held by the flexible belts on the inside of the box body and a second position where the grips are held by the flexible belts on the outside of the box body.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to storage containers and more particularly, to a stackable storage box that facilitates arrangement of multiple storage boxes of the same design stably in a stack.
b) Description of the Prior Art
Due to limited living space, people usually use storage boxers to keep personal items, such as clothes, books, magazines, and etc. Conventional storage boxes are made of plastics by injection molding for the advantages of light weight and low manufacturing cost. To facilitate storage, the box body is made in a trapezoidal shape having a relatively larger upper side and a relatively smaller lower side and equipped with two rigid handles at two opposite sides. Thus, multiple storage boxes can be inserted one into another to reduce the storage space. However, when multiple storage boxes are arranged in a stack after storage of storage items in each storage box, the stacked storage boxes are unstable and may be forced to fall to the floor accidentally by an external force.
There is know another design of stackable storage box, which comprises a collapsible rectangular box body formed of canvass, four top horizontal rods respectively fastened to the four sides of the box body at the top, two bottom horizontal rods respectively fastened to two opposite sides of the box body at the bottom, and four vertical rods respectively fastened to the box body in the four corners. The rod members are kept spaced from one another at a distance after installation. The rod members support the box body in shape. Further, each vertical peripheral panel of the box body has two crossed and diagonally extending folding lines. Through the folding lines, the box body can be collapsed. However, when multiple stackable storage boxes are arranged in a stack after storage of storage items in each stackable storage box, the stacked storage boxes are unstable and may fall to the floor accidentally

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a stackable storage box that facilitates arrangement of multiple storage boxes of the same design stably in a stack, either when the storage boxes are empty or have stored therein storage items.
To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a stackable storage box comprises a hollow, trapezoidal box body having a relatively larger upper side and a relatively smaller lower side, two flexible belts each having two distal ends thereof affixed to one of two opposing sidewalls of the box body near the topmost edge of the box body, and two grips respectively affixed to a middle part of each of the two flexible belts and movable with the flexible belts between a first position where the grips are held by the flexible belts on the inside of the box body and a second position where the grips are held by the flexible belts on the outside of the box body.
Further, the grips can be configured to have a semi-circular cross section, circular cross section, oval cross section, rectangular cross section or oval cross section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an oblique top elevation of a stackable storage box in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates multiple empty stackable storage boxes inserted into one another and arranged in a stack according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 corresponds to FIG. 1 but showing the grips held on the inside of the box body.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating multiple stackable storage boxes inserted into one another and arranged in a stack according to the present invention, wherein the box body of one upper stackable storage box is supported on the grips inside of the box body of one adjacent lower stackable storage box.

FIG. 5 illustrates two stackable storage boxes arranged in a stack according to the present invention.

FIG. 6A is a schematic sectional view of a part of the stackable storage box in accordance with the present invention, showing the grip with a rectangular cross section.

FIG. 6B is a schematic sectional view of a part of the stackable storage box in accordance with the present invention, showing the grip with an oval cross section.

FIG. 6B is a schematic sectional view of a part of the stackable storage box in accordance with the present invention, showing the grip with a triangular cross section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a stackable storage box in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a box body 1 that is a hollow, trapezoidal container having a relatively larger upper side and a relatively smaller lower side and defining therein a storage chamber 10, two flexible belts 11 each having two distal ends thereof affixed to one of two opposing sidewalls of the box body 1 near the topmost edge of the box body 1, and two grips 12 respectively affixed to the middle part of each of the two flexible belts 11.
The box body 1 consists of two sets of opposing sidewalls and a bottom wall. The sidewalls and bottom wall of the box body 1 can be made of a paperboard or plastic board having a certain thickness and covered with a fabric covering. Alternatively, the box body 1 can be injection-molded from plastics. The grips 12 are configured for grasping comfortably by the hands of a person. Further, the grips 12 can be made having a semicircular cross section (see FIG. 4), rectangular cross section (see FIG. 6A), oval cross section (see FIG. 6B), triangular cross section (see FIG. 6C), or any of a variety of other shapes of cross section. The flexible belts 11 have a sufficient length such that the flexible belts 11 can be turned relatively to the box body 1 to hold the grips 12 on the outside of the box body 1 (see FIG. 1), or on inside of the box body 1 (see FIG. 3).
When the grips 12 are held on the outside the box body 1, as shown in FIG. 1, multiple stackable storage boxes can be inserted one into another and arranged in a stack to minimize the storage space, as shown in FIG. 2.
Further, multiple stackable storage boxes have storage items stored therein, the grips 12 of each stackable storage box can be held by the respective flexible belts 11 on the inside of the associating box body 1, as shown in FIG. 3, insert the multiple stackable storage boxes into one another to have each upper stackable storage box be supported on the grips 12 inside the respective adjacent lower stackable storage box, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, enhancing positioning stability and saving the storage space.
Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A stackable storage box comprising:

a box body;

two flexible belts each having two distal ends thereof affixed to one of two opposing sidewalls of said box body near the topmost edge of said box body; and

two grips respectively affixed to a middle part of each of said two flexible belts and movable with said flexible belts between a first position where said grips are held by said flexible belts on the inside of said box body and a second position where said grips are held by said flexible belts on the outside of said box body.

2. The stackable storage box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said box body is a hollow, trapezoidal container having a relatively larger upper side and a relatively smaller lower side.

3. The stackable storage box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said grips have a semicircular cross section.

4. The stackable storage box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said grips have a rectangular cross section.

5. The stackable storage box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said grips have an oval cross section.

6. The stackable storage box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said grips have a triangular cross section.