Compact storage unit

Abstract

The compact storage unit includes a case having front, rear, top, bottom and opposing side walls made of hard plastic, preferably by injection molding. The case has a substantially rectangular or substantially square cross section. The front wall folds up and snaps shut on the top wall. The case houses a plurality of plastic slide trays. The trays are also made of hard plastic. Each tray supports a plurality of storage containers, each storage container having a plurality of bins, each bin having an individual snap lid. The trays slide out revealing the containers for easy access. A lip extends upward from the rear edge of the tray to engage the containers so that the containers are drawn out of the case when the tray is pulled out.

1 . A compact storage unit, comprising:
 a case defining an enclosure, the case having front, rear, bottom, top, and opposing side walls, the front wall being pivotally attached to the bottom wall;   opposing pair of ribs extending from the opposing sidewalls, the pairs of ribs defining grooves extending from front to back of the enclosure, the grooves being spaced apart and aligned vertically;   a plurality of trays slidable in the grooves; and   a plurality of elongate storage containers supported side-by-side on each of the trays.   
   
   
       2 . The compact storage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein each said storage container has a plurality of partition walls dividing the storage container into a plurality of storage compartments. 
   
   
       3 . The compact storage unit according to  claim 2 , wherein each said storage compartment has a lid pivotally attached thereto, the storage compartment lids being independently operable to provide independent access to each said individual storage compartment. 
   
   
       4 . The compact storage unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising a living hinge pivotally attaching each said lid to its corresponding said storage container. 
   
   
       5 . The compact storage unit according to  claim 1 , wherein each said tray comprises a planar member extending between the opposing sidewalls of said case and between the front and back walls of said case, each said tray having a rear edge and a lip extending upwardly across the rear edge, the storage containers mounted on each said tray bearing against the lip when the tray is pulled forward from said case. 
   
   
       6 . The compact storage unit according to  claim 1 , further comprising a flap pivotally extending from the front wall and mating snap fasteners disposed on the flap and the top wall, whereby the flap is foldable onto the top wall, the snap fasteners mating to fasten the front wall in a closed position. 
   
   
       7 . A compact storage unit, comprising:
 a case defining an enclosure having an open front and a pair of sidewalls having a plurality of vertically aligned, spaced apart tracks disposed thereon;   a front wall pivotally attached to the case, the front wall being pivotal upward to close the open front of the enclosure;   a latch extending from the front wall, the latch being removably fastened to the enclosure;   a plurality of trays slidably mounted on the tracks; and   a plurality of elongate storage containers supported side-by-side on the trays, each of the trays having a plurality of storage containers supported thereon, each of the storage containers having partition walls dividing the storage containers into a plurality of storage compartments, each of the storage compartments having an independently operable lid and a living hinge pivotally attaching the lid to the corresponding storage container.   
   
   
       8 . The compact storage unit according to  claim 7 , wherein said case, said front wall said trays, and said storage containers are all made from plastic.