Storage bin and frame system

Abstract

An open topped storage bin and frame system which allows for various widths of storage bins to be interchangeable and allow for each storage bin to pivot from a closed position within the frame to an open position where the open top is exposed outwardly of the frame. The bin may be provided with a lid. The upper surface of the storage bin and lid has a middle forward flat shape and front and rear upwardly curved portions forming stops. The frame includes at least one pair of vertically spaced, horizontal rods. Inward rotation of the bin is arrested when the front upwardly curved portion of the bin and lid comes into contact with the upper rod. Outward rotation of the bin is arrested when the rear upwardly curved portion of the bin and lid comes into contact with the upper rod.

1 . A storage bin and frame system comprising a frame having vertically spaced apart upper and lower bin support members, which are parallel and horizontally disposed 
 and at least one receptacle for pivotable, releasable mounting between said members, each said receptacle having a rigid floor and rigid side walls interconnected by rigid front and rear walls thereby defining an interior storage cavity, accessed through an open top,    a pivot mount formed in the underside of said floor, said pivot mount formed so as to rotatably mate with said lower bin support member when said receptacle is mounted between said upper and lower bin support members, wherein said pivot mount permits said receptacle to be pivoted outwardly from said frame about said lower bin support member, said pivot mount releasably interlocking with said lower bin support member so as to inhibit said receptacle sliding horizontally outward relative to said lower bin support member,    wherein at least one pair of said upper and lower bin support members in said frame provide support for multiple said receptacles mounted laterally side-by-side between said pair.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said pivot mount includes an elongate recess formed across said underside of said floor adjacent and parallel to said front wall of said receptacle for mounting onto an elevated surface of correspondingly elongate said lower bin support member.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising a lid mountable onto upper edges of said receptacle, wherein said lid conforms to the shape of said upper edges so as to not interfere with said rotation while said receptacle is pivoted outwardly.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein said upper edges of said receptacle include upper edges of said side walls and said lid, and wherein said upper edges of said side walls including said lid are arcuate; wherein upper edges of said receptacle are formed as front and rear stops protruding upwardly from said receptacle so as to engage said upper bin support member when said receptacle is rotated about said pivot mount and said lower bin support member between respectively a closed position wherein access to said cavity is occluded by said frame and an open position wherein said receptacle is pivoted forwardly to provide access to said cavity in front of said frame, and wherein said pivot mount releasably mounts vertically down onto said lower bin support member so as to releasably mate thereon and to thereby release vertically from said mating, whereupon, once vertically released from said mating, said receptacle is horizontally manually translatable outwardly from between said upper and lower bin support members, 
 wherein said upper edges of said receptacle, other than said front and rear stops, do not interfere with said upper bin support member when said pivot mount is mounted on said lower bin support member, and wherein, said upper edges of said receptacle including said rear stop do not interfere with said upper bin support member when said pivot mount is said vertically released from said mating and during said manual translation outwardly from between said upper and lower bin support members.    
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein when said recess is mounted on said lower bin support member, said receptacle has an axis of rotation extending along said recess, and wherein a first radius extending from said axis of rotation to said upper edge of said side walls including said lid and perpendicular to said axis of rotation is shorter than a second radius extending from said axis of rotation to uppermost edges of said stops and perpendicular to said axis of rotation, and wherein the length of said second radius is greater than the distance from said axis of rotation to a lowermost surface of said upper bin support member and wherein the length of said first radius is less than or equal to the distance between said axis of rotation and said lowermost surface of said lower bin support member whereby said receptacle may be pivoted about said axis of rotation between said open and closed positions and wherein said front and rear stops limit a rotational range of motion of said receptacle so as to sweep out only between said open and closed positions.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein a linear distance between a lowermost surface of said floor and said upper edges of said receptacle other than said front stop is less than or equal to the distance between said upper and lower bin support members so that, once said vertically released from said mating, said receptacle may be slid out from between said upper and lower bin support members.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein said upper and lower bin support members are upper and lower rods.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said upper edges of said receptacle include upper edges of said side walls, and wherein said upper edges of said side walls are arcuate; wherein upper edges of said receptacle are formed as front and rear stops protruding upwardly from said receptacle so as to engage said upper bin support member when said receptacle is rotated about said pivot mount and said lower bin support member between respectively a closed position wherein access to said cavity is occluded by said frame and an open position wherein said receptacle is pivoted forwardly to provide access to said cavity in front of said frame, and wherein said pivot mount releasably mounts vertically down onto said lower bin support member so as to releasably mate thereon and to thereby release vertically from said mating, whereupon, once vertically released from said mating, said receptacle is horizontally manually translatable outwardly from between said upper and lower bin support members, 
 wherein said upper edges of said receptacle, other than said front and rear stops, do not interfere with said upper bin support member when said pivot mount is mounted on said lower bin support member, and wherein said upper edges of said receptacle including said rear stop do not interfere with said upper bin support member when said pivot mount is said vertically released from said mating and during said manual translation outwardly from between said upper and lower bin support members.    
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein when said recess is mounted on said lower bin support member, said receptacle has an axis of rotation extending along said recess, and wherein a first radius extending from said axis of rotation to said upper edge of said side walls and perpendicular to said axis of rotation is shorter than a second radius extending from said axis of rotation to uppermost edges of said stops and perpendicular to said axis of rotation, and wherein the length of said second radius is greater than the distance from said axis of rotation to a lowermost surface of said upper bin support member and wherein the length of said first radius is less than or equal to the distance between said axis of rotation and said lowermost surface of said lower bin support member whereby said receptacle may be pivoted about said axis of rotation between said open and closed positions and wherein said front and rear stops limit a rotational range of motion of said receptacle so as to sweep out only between said open and closed positions.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein a linear distance between a lowermost surface of said floor and said upper edges of said receptacle other than said front stop is less than or equal to the distance between said upper and lower bin support members so that, once said vertically released from said mating, said receptacle may be slid out from between said upper and lower bin support members.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said upper and lower bin support members are upper and lower rods.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said mating includes a male/female coupling between said pivot mount and said lower bin support member.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising a lid mountable onto upper edges of said receptacle, wherein said lid conforms to the shape of said upper edges so as to not interfere with said rotation while said receptacle is pivoted outwardly.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said upper edges of said receptacle include upper edges of said side walls and said lid, and wherein said upper edges of said side walls including said lid are arcuate; wherein upper edges of said receptacle are formed as front and rear stops protruding upwardly from said receptacle so as to engage said upper bin support member when said receptacle is rotated about said pivot mount and said lower bin support member between respectively a closed position wherein access to said cavity is occluded by said frame and an open position wherein said receptacle is pivoted forwardly to provide access to said cavity in front of said frame, and wherein said pivot mount releasably mounts vertically down onto said lower bin support member so as to releasably mate thereon and to thereby release vertically from said mating, whereupon, once vertically released from said mating, said receptacle is horizontally manually translatable outwardly from between said upper and lower bin support members, 
 wherein said upper edges of said receptacle, other than said front and rear stops, do not interfere with said upper bin support member when said pivot mount is mounted on said lower bin support member, and wherein said upper edges of said receptacle including said rear stop do not interfere with said upper bin support member when said pivot mount is said vertically released from said mating and during said manual translation outwardly from between said upper and lower bin support members.    
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein when said recess is mounted on said lower bin support member, said receptacle has an axis of rotation extending along said recess, and wherein a first radius extending from said axis of rotation to said upper edge of said side walls including said lid and perpendicular to said axis of rotation is shorter than a second radius extending from said axis of rotation to uppermost edges of said stops and perpendicular to said axis of rotation, and wherein the length of said second radius is greater than the distance from said axis of rotation to a lowermost surface of said upper bin support member and wherein the length of said first radius is less than or equal to the distance between said axis of rotation and said lowermost surface of said lower bin support member whereby said receptacle may be pivoted about said axis of rotation between said open and closed positions and wherein said front and rear stops limit a rotational range of motion of said receptacle so as to sweep out only between said open and closed positions.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein a linear distance between a lowermost surface of said floor and said upper edges of said receptacle other than said front stop is less than or equal to the distance between said upper and lower bin support members so that, once said vertically released from said mating, said receptacle may be slid out from between said upper and lower bin support members.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein said upper and lower bin support members are upper and lower rods.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said upper and lower bin support members are part of a vertically spaced apart array of parallel horizontal elongate members mounted in said frame, and wherein a plurality of said receptacles are mountable between adjacent pairs of said members of said array.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein said upper support member of said pair also serves as said lower support member of a second said pair so that said upper support member of a first said pair is a common member which is also said lower support member of a second said pair adjacent said first said pair.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein said upper and lower bin support members are upper and lower rods.