US3822924A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Modular storage unit and structures formed therefrom
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-03-02
•
Granted: 1974-07-09
•
Expires: 1993-03-02
Abstract
Abstract A modular knock-down storage unit, usable alone or with one or more similar units, comprises rectangular wall members or panels, each bevelled and grooved along certain edges to accommodate removable locking strips which secure adjacent panels together. A given unit may comprise four, five or six panels. Each panel is provided with several rows of regularly spaced dowel-receiving holes therethrough which are available to support optionally usable long dowels inside the unit between opposite walls thereof which serve as space dividers. The dowel-receiving holes are also available to support optionally usable short dowels outside the unit which serve to secure adjacent units together in horizontal, vertical, back-to-back and other arrangements. Small drawers are provided for insertion in a unit, being slidably supported therein on long dowels.
Inventors
- 👤 D Lust
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 15:04
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47B; A47B87/00; A47B87/02; A47B87/0284; A47B47/00; A47B47/0025; A47B47/0041; A47B87/0276
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
In a modular storage unit usable individually or in combination with at least one other similar storage unit: a plurality of wall members defining sides of said unit and having inner surfaces and outer surfaces and mating side edges, a plurality of dowel holes through each wall member between said inner and outer surfaces thereof for accommodating first dowels for securing one unit to another unit and for accommodating second space-dividing and supporting dowels between opposite inner wall surfaces within each of said units, some of said dowel holes in opposite wall members in said unit being in registry with each other, and means for releasably securing adjacent pairs of wall members in said unit together, said means comprising grooves in the outer surface of each wall member, each groove being parallel and adjacent to a mating side edge, and said means further comprising a locking strip flush-mounted with respect to the outer surfaces of its associated wall members and having projections for slidably engaging the adjacent grooves in adjacent pairs of wall members in said unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
177 words
In a modular storage unit usable individually or in combination with at least one other similar storage unit: a plurality of wall members defining sides of said unit and having inner surfaces and outer surfaces and mating side edges, a plurality of dowel holes through each wall member between said inner and outer surfaces thereof for accommodating first dowels for securing one unit to another unit and for accommodating second space-dividing and supporting dowels between opposite inner wall surfaces within each of said units, some of said dowel holes in opposite wall members in said unit being in registry with each other, and means for releasably securing adjacent pairs of wall members in said unit together, said means comprising grooves in the outer surface of each wall member, each groove being parallel and adjacent to a mating side edge, and said means further comprising a locking strip flush-mounted with respect to the outer surfaces of its associated wall members and having projections for slidably engaging the adjacent grooves in adjacent pairs of wall members in said unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A storage unit according to claim 1 wherein each wall member is bevelled along the inner surface at a mating side edge.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A storage unit according to claim 2 wherein said dowel holes are arranged in rows.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
A storage unit according to claim 2 wherein said bevelled mating side edges of adjacent wall members meet along an interface and wherein the associated grooves slope toward said interface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A storage unit according to claim 4 including a relieved portion between each groove and an associated side edge and wherein each locking strip comprises flat outer sides which are flush-mounted in their associated relieved portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
A storage unit according to claim 1 including at least one of said first dowels.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A storage unit according to claim 1 including at least one of said seCond dowels.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A storage unit according to claim 1 including at least one of said first and at least one of said second dowels.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
A storage unit according to claim 8 including at least two of said second dowels disposed in spaced apart relationship in a common plane to define a drawer support and including a drawer slidably mounted on and supported by said second dowels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
A storage unit according to claim 9 wherein said drawer comprises side panels having guide slots in the outer sides thereof and wherein said unit comprises at least some of said first dowels for engagement with said guide slots.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
86 words
A storage unit according to claim 9 including at least another of said second dowels disposed above, parallel to and intermediately of said two second dowels to serve as a drawer, and wherein said drawer is slidably mounted between said other second dowel and said two second dowels and supportable by the latter, said drawer being provided with stop means for engaging said other second dowel when said drawer is partially withdrawn from said unit and tilted downwardly to prevent said drawer from being withdrawn further.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A storage unit according to claim 11 wherein said drawer comprises a rear panel which comprises said stop means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a modular storage unit: a plurality of wall members defining sides of said unit, each wall member having an inner surface and an outer surface and at least two oppositely disposed wall members each being provided with at least one dowel receiving hole extending therethrough between said surfaces, said dowel hole in one wall member being in registry with that in said opposite wall member, each of said plurality of wall members having a bevelled side edge which mates with a bevelled side edge in an adjoining wall member, each wall member being provided with a locking groove parallel to each bevelled side edge, locking means for releasably securing each adjacent pair of wall members together, said locking means being flush-mounted with respect to its associated wall members and comprising a pair of projections, each projection being releasably engaged with a locking groove in one of said wall members and at least one space dividing dowel having its ends releasably secured in registering dowel holes in oppositely disposed wall members.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a modular storage unit: a plurality of wall members defining sides of said unit, each wall member having an inner surface and an outer surface and at least two oppositely disposed wall members each being provided with at least one dowel receiving hole extending therethrough between said surfaces, said dowel hole in one wall member being in registry with that in said opposite wall member, each of said plurality of wall members having a bevelled side edge which mates with a bevelled side edge in an adjoining wall member, each wall member being provided with a locking groove parallel to each bevelled side edge, locking means for releasably securing each adjacent pair of wall members together, said locking means being flush-mounted with respect to its associated wall members and comprising a pair of projections, each projection being releasably engaged with a locking groove in one of said wall members and at least one space dividing dowel having its ends releasably secured in registering dowel holes in oppositely disposed wall members.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
A unit according to claim 13 including at least one dowel receiving hole in each of said plurality of wall members, each hole being in registry with a hole in an oppositely disposed wall member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
A unit according to claim 14 including a plurality of regularly arranged dowel receiving holes in each wall member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
180 words
In a modular storage unit: a plurality of rectangular wall members defining at least four sides of said unit, each wall member having an inner surface and an outer surface and at least two of said wall members each being provided with at least one dowel receiving hole extending therethrough between said surfaces, said dowel hole in one wall member being in registry with those in an opposite wall member, each wall member having at least two opposite side edges which are bevelled toward said inner surface, each bevelled side edge in one wall member mating with a bevelled side edge in an adjoining wall member, each wall member being provided with at least two locking grooves in its outer surface, each of said grooves being parallel to and spaced from an associated one of said side edges, and a plurality of flush-mounted locking means for releasably securing each adjacent pair of wall members together, each of said locking means comprising a pair of projections, each projection being releasably engaged with a locking groove in one of said wall members.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
180 words
In a modular storage unit: a plurality of rectangular wall members defining at least four sides of said unit, each wall member having an inner surface and an outer surface and at least two of said wall members each being provided with at least one dowel receiving hole extending therethrough between said surfaces, said dowel hole in one wall member being in registry with those in an opposite wall member, each wall member having at least two opposite side edges which are bevelled toward said inner surface, each bevelled side edge in one wall member mating with a bevelled side edge in an adjoining wall member, each wall member being provided with at least two locking grooves in its outer surface, each of said grooves being parallel to and spaced from an associated one of said side edges, and a plurality of flush-mounted locking means for releasably securing each adjacent pair of wall members together, each of said locking means comprising a pair of projections, each projection being releasably engaged with a locking groove in one of said wall members.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
A unit according to claim 16 including at least one dowel having its ends releasably secured in registering dowel holes in oppositely disposed wall members, said dowel serving as a space divider within said unit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
A unit according to claim 16 including at least one dowel receiving hole in each of said wall members, each hole being in registry with a hole in an oppositely disposed wall member.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
A unit according to claim 11 including a plurality of regularly arranged dowel receiving holes in each wall member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
112 words
In a storage structure: a plurality of modular storage units, each unit comprising a plurality of wall members and means for releasably securing each adjacent pair of wall members in said unit together along their adjacent side edges, said means including grooves in said wall members parallel to said adjacent side edges, said means further comprising a flush-mounted locking strip for each pair of adjacent side edges and slidably engageable with the grooves associated with said pair of adjacent side edges, each wall member having a plurality of dowel holes therethrough, and at least one dowel releasably engaged with dowel holes in adjacent walls of adjacent units to secure adjacent units together.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
112 words
In a storage structure: a plurality of modular storage units, each unit comprising a plurality of wall members and means for releasably securing each adjacent pair of wall members in said unit together along their adjacent side edges, said means including grooves in said wall members parallel to said adjacent side edges, said means further comprising a flush-mounted locking strip for each pair of adjacent side edges and slidably engageable with the grooves associated with said pair of adjacent side edges, each wall member having a plurality of dowel holes therethrough, and at least one dowel releasably engaged with dowel holes in adjacent walls of adjacent units to secure adjacent units together.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
34 words
A structure according to claim 20 wherein said storage unit is generally cubical in shape and wherein at least one of said units includes a rear wall member having a plurality of holes therethrough.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
A structure according to claim 21 further including at least one other dowel releasably engaged with dowel holes in oppositely disposed walls of at least one unit to serve as a space divider or support.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
137 words
In a storage unit: at least three modular storage units, each unit comprising a plurality of wall members and means for releasably securing each adjacent pair of wall members in said unit together along their adjacent side edges, said means including grooves in said wall members parallel to said adjacent side edges, said means further comprising a flush-mounted locking strip for each pair of adjacent side edges and slidably engageable with the grooves associated with said pair of adjacent side edges, each wall member having a plurality of dowel holes therethrough, at least one dowel releasably engaged with dowel holes in adjacent walls of two adjacent units and at least one other dowel releasably engaged with dowel holes in adjacent walls of two other adjacent units, the axes of said dowels being disposed transversely to each other.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
137 words
In a storage unit: at least three modular storage units, each unit comprising a plurality of wall members and means for releasably securing each adjacent pair of wall members in said unit together along their adjacent side edges, said means including grooves in said wall members parallel to said adjacent side edges, said means further comprising a flush-mounted locking strip for each pair of adjacent side edges and slidably engageable with the grooves associated with said pair of adjacent side edges, each wall member having a plurality of dowel holes therethrough, at least one dowel releasably engaged with dowel holes in adjacent walls of two adjacent units and at least one other dowel releasably engaged with dowel holes in adjacent walls of two other adjacent units, the axes of said dowels being disposed transversely to each other.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-07-08 | 1978-01-07 | 1978-07-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-07-08 | 1982-01-07 | 1982-07-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-07-08 | 1986-01-07 | 1986-07-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |