Mesh container, system using mesh containers and method for making mesh containers

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a container comprising a first piece of mesh material and at least one separate second piece of mesh material. The first piece of mesh is bent to form a bottom wall and a first pair of sidewalls. The second piece of material forms a second pair of sidewalls. When the pieces are joined together, a basket portion with an upwardly-extending opening is formed. The basket portion may further include a runner portion that may be a separate rail connected to the basket portion, thus forming a drawer. When the container is used with a drawer system including a frame, the runner portion is slidably received in a pair of frame runners. This allows the drawer to move with respect to the frame between retracted and extended positions. The present invention is also directed to a method for making such containers.

We claim as our invention:  
     
         1 . A container comprising: 
 a first piece of mesh material forming a bottom wall and first and second spaced apart sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom wall; and    a second piece of mesh material formed separate from said first piece of mesh material, said second piece of mesh material including third and fourth sidewalls, said second piece of mesh material being joined to said first piece of mesh material to form a basket portion.    
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said basket portion includes open corners between said first and second sidewalls and said third and fourth sidewalls.  
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said third and fourth sidewalls each include extensions for overlapping said first and second sidewalls and for forming closed corners between said third and fourth sidewalls and said first and second sidewalls.  
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 3 , wherein said closed corners are curved.  
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said basket portion further includes a runner portion at the top thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 5 , for use with a frame, said container being moveable with respect to said frame between retracted and extended positions.  
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6 , wherein said frame further includes a pair of runners each having a gap therein for slidably receiving said runner portion.  
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 5 , wherein said runner portion is a rail separately formed from said basket portion and welded thereto.  
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 5 , wherein said runner portion extends about the entire perimeter of said basket portion.  
     
     
         10 . A container comprising: 
 a first piece of mesh material forming a bottom wall and first and second spaced apart sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom wall;    a second piece of mesh material formed separate from said first piece of mesh material; and    a third piece of mesh material formed separate from said first piece of mesh material; said second and third pieces of mesh material being joined to said bottom wall to form a pair of bottom seams and said second and third pieces of mesh material being joined to said first and second sidewalls to form a plurality of generally vertically-extending side seams, said first, second and third pieces of mesh material being joined to form a basket portion.    
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 10 , wherein said basket portion further includes a runner portion.  
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein said basket portion further includes an upper section bent to extend outwardly from the remainder of said basket portion, said runner portion comprising a rail having a curved portion defining an opening for receiving said upper section of said basket portion.  
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein said rail further includes a rail extension angularly offset from said curved portion, said rail extension being welded to said basket portion after said curved portion is compressed.  
     
     
         14 . A method of forming a container comprising the following steps: 
 forming a first piece of mesh material;    bending said first piece of mesh material into a bottom wall and first and second spaced apart sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom wall;    forming a second piece of mesh material, separate from said first piece of mesh material, to include third and fourth sidewalls; and    connecting said first piece of mesh material to said second piece of mesh material to form a basket portion with an upwardly-extending opening.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , furthering including the steps of forming a third piece of mesh material separate from said first and second pieces of mesh material, wherein said steps of forming said second and third pieces of mesh material include the steps of forming each of said second and third pieces of mesh material with a central portion and a pair of mesh extensions on both sides of said central portion and bending said extensions to be angularly offset from said central portion.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , furthering including the steps of overlapping said mesh extensions with said first and second sidewalls and connecting said mesh extensions to said first and second sidewalls.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of connecting said first piece of mesh material to said second piece of mesh material further includes the step of welding.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further including forming a runner portion on the top of said basket portion.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of forming said runner portion further includes the step of forming a rail separate from said basket portion and connecting said rail to said basket portion.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of connecting said rail to said basket portion further includes the step of welding.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of connecting said mesh extensions to said first and second sidewalls further includes the step of welding.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of connecting said first piece of mesh material to said second piece of mesh material further includes the step of using a fixture to support said first and second pieces of mesh material, said fixture including an electrode for supporting said first and second pieces of mesh material.