Stackable modular container having hinged bottom doors for collecting and storing materials

Abstract

A storage bin system is provided that is frameless and comprises stackable, modular bins each having a door in its bottom. The individual bins can be stacked with all bins above the bottom bin in a stack having their bottom door initially open, permitting bottom to top loading of the bins in the stack. As a lower bin is filled, the bottom doors of a second bin stacked immediately above it are closed, causing material inserted at the top of the bin stack to be collected in the second bin. Adapters are provided that hang on the top edges of the lower bin to receive and support the second bin stacked above the first bin. The bins may be used for storing many types of things including recyclable waste, toys and dirty clothes.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A vertically stackable bin for holding material, a plurality of the bins being stacked on top of each other, each bin comprising: 
 a front wall, a rear wall and a pair of opposite side walls, all formed of self supporting material, and each wall has a top edge and a bottom edge; and    a closure mounted in the bottom of the bin that is closed to hold the material in the bin, and the closure is opened to permit material inserted into the bin to pass through the bin.    
     
     
         2 . The invention in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising means to receive and support a second bin stacked on top of the first bin.  
     
     
         3 . The invention in accordance with  claim 2  wherein when a plurality of bins are stacked on each other to hold material, the closure of a first, bottom most bin is closed and the closure of the upper bins are opened.  
     
     
         4 . The invention in accordance with  claim 3  wherein when a bin in the plurality of stacked bins is full the closure of a bin stacked immediately on top of the full bin are closed and subsequent material inserted into the plurality of stacked bins is contained in the bin the closure of which has just been closed, and this is repeated until all bins are full of material.  
     
     
         5 . The invention in accordance with  claim 4  wherein material to be inserted into the plurality of stacked bins is inserted in the top bin in the stack and the bins are filled in a bottom-to-top manner.  
     
     
         6 . The invention in accordance with  claim 5  further comprising a ledge on the bottom edge of each bin, the ledge supporting the bin closure when it is in its closed position to support the weight of material in the bin.  
     
     
         7 . The invention in accordance with  claim 6  further comprising an aperture through a wall of a bin, and a force is applied through the aperture to cause a closure to be placed in its closed position.  
     
     
         8 . The invention in accordance with  claim 7  wherein the closure of a bin comprises a pair of doors that are movably connected to the bottom edge of two opposing walls of the bin, and there is an aperture through each of the two opposing walls through each of which the force is applied to push door to its closed position.  
     
     
         9 . The invention in accordance with  claim 8  further comprising hinges that cause the doors to be movably connected to the bottom edge of two opposing walls of the bin.  
     
     
         10 . The invention in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the means to receive and support a second bin stacked on top of the first bin comprises means that are placed on the edges of the walls of a first bin to receive and support the second bin.  
     
     
         11 . The invention in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising a ledge on the bottom edge of each bin, the ledge supporting the bin closure when it is in its closed position to support the weight of material in the bin.  
     
     
         12 . The invention in accordance with  claim 11  wherein the means to receive and support a second bin stacked on top of the first bin comprises means that are placed on the top edges of the walls of a first bin to receive and support the second bin.  
     
     
         13 . The invention in accordance with  claim 12  further comprising an aperture through a wall of a bin, and a force is applied through the aperture to cause a closure to be placed in its closed position.  
     
     
         14 . The invention in accordance with  claim 13  wherein the closure of a bin comprises a pair of doors that are movably connected to the bottom edge of two opposing walls of the bin, and there is an aperture through each of the two opposing walls through each of which the force is applied to push door to its closed position.  
     
     
         15 . The invention in accordance with  claim 14  further comprising hinges that cause the doors to be movably connected to the bottom edge of two opposing walls of the bin.  
     
     
         16 . The invention in accordance with  claim 6  wherein the means to receive and support a second bin stacked on top of the first bin comprises means that are placed on the top edges of the walls of a first bin to receive and support the second bin.  
     
     
         17 . A storage bin for holding material, each bin comprising: 
 a front wall, a rear wall and a pair of opposite side walls, all formed of self supporting material, and each wall has a top edge and a bottom edge; and    doors mounted in the bottom of the bin to two opposing walls, the doors being closed to hold the material in the bin, and the doors being opened to permit material inserted into the bin to pass through the bin.    
     
     
         18 . The invention in accordance with  claim 17  further comprising a ledge on the bottom edge of the walls of each bin, the ledge supporting the bin doors when they are in their closed position to support the weight of material in the bin.  
     
     
         19 . The invention in accordance with  claim 18  further comprising an aperture through each of the last mentioned two opposing walls through which a force is applied to push a door to its closed position.  
     
     
         20 . The invention in accordance with  claim 19  wherein when a plurality of bins are stacked on each other to hold material to be stored, the doors of a first, bottom most bin are closed and the doors of the upper bins are opened, and wherein when a bin in the plurality of stacked bins is full the doors of a bin stacked immediately on top of the full bin are closed and subsequent material inserted into the plurality of stacked bins is contained in the bin the doors of which have just been closed, and this is repeated until all bins are full of material.