Utility bag assembly for transporting and organizing small items

Abstract

A portable storage assembly is disclosed. The assembly can include a carrying case having body panels that enclose a main storage volume. At least one of the body panels can have an opening and a cover that is selectively positioned in an open position to allow access to the storage volume and a stowed position to cover the opening. A storage unit can be disposed in the main storage volume. The storage unit can have a holder and plural members that each define a storage volume for small items. The members can be received by the holder and accessible through the opening so that the small items can be placed in and removed from the storage volumes without removal of at least the holder from the carrying case.

1 . A portable storage assembly, comprising: 
 a carrying case having body panels that enclose a main storage volume, at least one of the body panels having an opening and a cover that is selectively positioned in an open position to allow access to the storage volume and a stowed position to cover the opening; and    a storage unit disposed in the main storage volume, the storage unit having a holder and plural members that each define a storage volume for small items, the members received by the holder and are accessible through the opening so that the small items can be placed in and removed from the storage volumes without removal of at least the holder from the carrying case.    
   
   
       2 . The storage assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein an interior of the cover forms a stop surface that, in the stowed position of the cover, exerts inward force on the members to reduce movement of the members with respect to the holder during transport of the storage assembly.  
   
   
       3 . The storage assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the inward force maintains a relationship of the members with the holder so that a portion of the holder corresponding to each member closes an open top of the member.  
   
   
       4 . The storage assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein during access of the storage volume of each member, the member is at least partially removed from the carrying case.  
   
   
       5 . The storage assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the storage unit is a drawer assembly, the members are drawers and the holder is a frame, and the drawers are slidably received in corresponding receptacles of the frame.  
   
   
       6 . The storage assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein each receptacle includes a ceiling surface that is disposed above and closes an opening of the corresponding drawer.  
   
   
       7 . The storage assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the storage unit is a bin assembly, the members are bins and the holder is a frame, and the bins are pivotally mounted to the frame and received in corresponding receptacles of the frame.  
   
   
       8 . The storage assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein each receptacle includes a ceiling surface that is disposed above and closes an opening of the corresponding bin.  
   
   
       9 . The storage assembly according to  claim 1 , further including a container assembly having a plurality of containers and corresponding straps that are secured within the carrying case and wherein each container is retained in the carrying case by the corresponding strap.  
   
   
       10 . The storage assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the straps are elastic members.  
   
   
       11 . The storage assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the opening is in a side body panel of the carrying case.  
   
   
       12 . The storage assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein an end body panel of the carrying case has an opening for accessing a portion of the main storage volume located behind the storage unit relative to the opening of the side body panel.  
   
   
       13 . The storage assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second storage unit disposed in the main storage volume, the second storage unit having a holder and plural members that each define a storage volume for small items, the members received by the holder and are accessible through a second opening in one of the body panels of the carrying case so that the small items can be placed in and removed from the storage volumes without removal of at least the holder of the second storage unit from the carrying case.  
   
   
       14 . A portable storage assembly, comprising: 
 a carrying case having body panels that enclose a main storage volume, at least one of the body panels having an opening and a cover that is selectively positioned in an open position to allow access to the storage volume and a stowed position to cover the opening; and    a storage unit disposed in the main storage volume, the storage unit having a holder and plural members that each define a storage volume for small items, the members received by the holder; and    wherein an interior of the cover forms a stop surface that, in the stowed position of the cover, exerts inward force on the members to reduce movement of the members with respect to the holder during transport of the storage assembly.    
   
   
       15 . The storage assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the inward force maintains a relationship of the members with the holder so that a portion of the holder corresponding to each member closes an open top of the member.  
   
   
       16 . The storage assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein during access of the storage volume of each member, the member is at least partially removed from the carrying case.  
   
   
       17 . The storage assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the storage unit is a drawer assembly, the members are drawers and the holder is a frame, and the drawers are slidably received in corresponding receptacles of the frame.  
   
   
       18 . The storage assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein each receptacle includes a ceiling surface that is disposed above and closes an opening of the corresponding drawer.  
   
   
       19 . The storage assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the storage unit is a bin assembly, the members are bins and the holder is a frame, and the bins are pivotally mounted to the frame and received in corresponding receptacles of the frame.  
   
   
       20 . The storage assembly according to  claim 19 , wherein each receptacle includes a ceiling surface that is disposed above and closes an opening of the corresponding bin.  
   
   
       21 . A method of storing small items, comprising: 
 opening a cover of a carrying case to allow access to an interior of the carrying case through an opening;    opening a member that defines a storage volume and is at least partially received by a holder, the holder disposed within the carrying case;    placing the small items in the storage volume; and    closing the member and the cover such that, in the closed positions, the cover maintains the closed position of the member with respect to the holder.