Side-access toy container

Abstract

A container and method for storage and retrieval of children's toys and other items. The container includes an opening at the top and one or more hand port openings on the side walls. The hand port openings and walls may be transparent or translucent. An adult places the items through the top opening for storage and a child can then easily reach through a hand port to retrieve a desired item. The container allows for easy storage and organization of items, as well as easy retrieval by a child.

1 ) A container for storing items, comprising: 
 a container having a top side with a top opening proximal to or on the top side, a floor side, one or more enclosing side walls, having one or more transparent or translucent side walls or closeable access hand ports, and    where the hand ports are formed on the side walls no higher than about three feet from the floor side, and the top opening is no higher than about six feet from the floor side.    
   
   
       2 ) The container of  claim 1  where one or more of the enclosing side walls and one or more of the hand ports are translucent or transparent.  
   
   
       3 ) The container of  claim 1  where one or more of the side walls are made of mesh material arrayed on a frame.  
   
   
       4 ) The container of  claim 3  where the frame is collapsible from a first open configuration to a second, collapsed configuration.  
   
   
       5 ) The container of  claim 4 , where the frame of the container includes telescoping frame members or hinged frame members adapted to allow the frame to collapse.  
   
   
       6 ) The container for storing items of claim of  claim 1  where at least one access port is self-closing.  
   
   
       7 ) The container for storing items of  claim 6  where at least one of the self-closing hand ports is a slit opening, a spring-tensioned door or an opening hemmed with elastic material.  
   
   
       8 ) The container for storing items of  claim 1 , that further includes a rotating plate on the floor side, whereby the rotating plate will support items placed through the top opening and the plate may be rotated by a user to bring an closer to the user when reaching though a hand port.  
   
   
       9 ) The container for storing items of  claim 1  where the container further comprises 
 a base, vertical frame members and side wall panels, the base having affixments adapted to receive the vertical frame members, the vertical frame members having attachment points to receive the side wall panels, whereby the vertical frame members may be inserted into the slots of the base and the side walls may be inserted into the grooves to assemble the container.    
   
   
       10 ) The container of  claim 19 , where the attachment points are grooves, the affixment points are slots and the side wall panels are rigid.  
   
   
       11 ) A method for using a container to hold and dispense items to a child, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a container having a top side with a top opening proximal to or on the top side, a floor side, one or more enclosing side walls, having one or more transparent or translucent side walls or closeable access hand ports, and where the hand ports are formed on the side walls no higher than about three feet from the floor side, and the top opening is no higher than about six feet from the floor side,    inserting one or more items through the top opening,    reaching through a hand port and retrieving an item that was inserted though the top opening.    
   
   
       12 ) The method of  claim 11  where one or more of the enclosing side walls and one or more of the hand ports are translucent or transparent.  
   
   
       13 ) The method of  claim 11  where one or more of the side walls are made of mesh material arrayed on a frame.  
   
   
       14 ) The method of  claim 13  where the frame is collapsible from a first open configuration to a second, collapsed configuration.  
   
   
       15 ) The method of  claim 14 , where the frame of the container includes telescoping frame members or hinged frame members adapted to allow the frame to collapse.  
   
   
       16 ) The method for storing items of claim of  claim 11  where at least one access port is self-closing.  
   
   
       17 ) The method for storing items of  claim 16  where at least one of the self-closing hand ports is a slit opening, a spring-tensioned door or an opening hemmed with elastic material.  
   
   
       18 ) The method for storing items of  claim 11 , that further includes a rotating plate on the floor side, whereby the rotating plate will support items placed through the top opening and the plate may be rotated by a user to bring an closer to the user when reaching though a hand port.  
   
   
       19 ) The method for storing items of  claim 11  where the container further comprises 
 a base, vertical frame members and side wall panels, the base having affixments adapted to receive the vertical frame members, the vertical frame members having attachment points to receive the side wall panels, whereby the vertical frame members may be inserted into the slots of the base and the side walls may be inserted into the grooves to assemble the container.    
   
   
       20 ) The method of  claim 19 , where the attachment points are grooves, the affixment points are slots and the side wall panels are rigid.