Box holding system

Abstract

A system for holding nested boxes features a rack including a support, a pair of generally parallel vertical members mounted to the support and a number of generally parallel horizontal members extending between the pair of vertical members. The system also features a box holder assembly including a base featuring a hook portion and a channel. The hook portion of the box holder assembly engages one of the horizontal members of the rack. A fixed arm is attached to the base. An adjustable arm features a sliding section positioned in the channel of the base. A spring urges the adjustable arm towards the fixed arm so that the fixed arm and the adjustable arm engage the nested boxes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An assembly for holding nested boxes on a rack having upper and lower generally horizontal members, each box featuring a lid and a bottom joined by a living hinge where first and second notches are defined between the top and bottom of each box on opposite sides of the living hinge when each box is in an unfolded configuration, the assembly comprising:
 a) a generally planar base featuring a channel formed along a back side of a middle portion of the base;   b) a fixed arm attached to the base and featuring a fixed arm guide that extends from the base in a direction generally perpendicular to a primary plane of the base;   c) an adjustable arm featuring a sliding section, including a wire lower portion and a wire upper portion joined to the lower portion by a generally U-shaped portion with said wire upper and lower portions sliding within the channel of the base, an adjustable arm guide attached to the sliding section and positioned generally parallel to the fixed arm guide and perpendicular to the primary plane of the base, and a generally vertical wire segment connected between the wire upper and lower portions of the sliding section;   d) a spring urging said adjustable arm guide towards said fixed arm guide so that the fixed arm guide is adapted to engage the first notches of the nested boxes and the adjustable arm guide is adapted to engage the second notches of the nested boxes, where the spring features an end portion that is fastened to the base and a coiled portion that passes through a generally vertical plane defined by the wire upper and lower portions of the sliding section and where the coiled portion is positioned around the generally vertical wire segment of the adjustable arm;   e) a hook portion extending from a top edge portion of the base and adapted to engage a top side of the upper generally horizontal member of the rack;   f) a shelf portion extending from a bottom edge portion of the base, said shelf wire adapted to engage an underside of the lower generally horizontal member of the rack; and   g) a skirt portion extending down from the shelf portion.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the base features a slot formed in the middle portion of the base, and the end portion of the spring features a hook portion that engages the slot. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2  wherein the spring is formed from a strip of metal. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the base includes a plurality of tabs that form the channel. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of tabs are bent to form the channel. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the shelf portion extends back from the back side of the base. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6  wherein said skirt portion is adapted for gripping by fingers of a user to remove or reposition the assembly on a rack. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the fixed arm includes a fixed arm outwardly extending portion with said fixed arm guide mounted to the fixed arm outwardly extending portion, a generally horizontal fastening portion secured to the outwardly extending portion and the base and a generally vertical fastening portion secured to the generally horizontal fastening portion and the base. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8  wherein the fixed arm outwardly extending portion, generally horizontal fastening portion and generally vertical fastening portion are formed from a single piece of wire. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein a stop is formed on each of the distal ends of the fixed arm guide and the adjustable arm guide. 
     
     
         11 . A system for holding nested boxes, each box featuring a lid and a bottom joined by a living hinge where first and second notches are defined between the top and bottom of each box on opposite sides of the living hinge when each box is in an unfolded configuration, the system comprising:
 a) a rack including:
 i. a support adapted to rest on a generally horizontal surface; 
 ii. a pair of generally parallel vertical members mounted to said support; 
 iii. upper and lower generally horizontal members extending between said pair of vertical members; 
   b) a box holder assembly including:
 i. a generally planar base featuring a channel formed along a back side of a middle portion of the base; 
 ii. a fixed arm attached to the base and featuring a fixed arm guide that extends from the base in a direction generally perpendicular to a primary plane of the base; 
 iii. an adjustable arm featuring a sliding section, including a wire lower portion and a wire upper portion joined to the lower portion by a generally U-shaped portion with said wire upper and lower portions sliding within the channel of the base, an adjustable arm guide attached to the sliding section and positioned generally parallel to the fixed arm guide and perpendicular to the primary plane of the base, and a generally vertical wire segment connected between the wire upper and lower portions of the sliding section; 
 iv. a spring urging said adjustable arm guide towards said fixed arm guide so that the fixed arm guide is adapted to engage the first notches of the nested boxes and the adjustable arm guide is adapted to engage the second notches of the nested boxes, where the spring features an end portion that is fastened to the base and a coiled portion that passes through a generally vertical plane defined by the wire upper and lower portions of the sliding section and where the coiled portion is positioned around the generally vertical wire segment of the adjustable arm; 
 v. a hook portion extending from a top edge portion of the base and engaging a top side of the upper generally horizontal member of the rack; 
 vi. a shelf portion extending from a bottom edge portion of the base and engaging an underside of the lower generally horizontal member of the rack; and 
 vii. a skirt portion extending down from the shelf portion; 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the base includes a plurality of tabs that are bent to form the channel. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the shelf portion extends back from the back side of the base. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the base and the hook, shelf and skirt portions of the base are all constructed from a single piece of metal bent to form the hook, shelf and skirt portions. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the fixed arm includes a fixed arm outwardly extending portion with said fixed arm guide mounted to the fixed arm outwardly extending portion, a generally horizontal fastening portion secured to the outwardly extending portion and the base and a generally vertical fastening portion secured to the generally horizontal fastening portion and the base. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11  wherein a stop is formed on each of the distal ends of the fixed arm guide and the adjustable arm guide. 
     
     
         17 . An assembly for holding nested boxes, each box featuring a lid and a bottom joined by a living hinge where first and second notches are defined between the top and bottom of each box on opposite sides of the living hinge when each box is in an unfolded configuration, the assembly comprising:
 a) a base featuring a channel;   b) a fixed arm attached to the base and featuring a fixed arm guide;   c) an adjustable arm featuring a sliding section positioned in the channel of the base and an adjustable arm guide positioned generally parallel to the fixed arm guide; and   d) a spring urging said adjustable arm guide towards said fixed arm guide so that the fixed arm guide is adapted to engage the first notches of the nested boxes and the adjustable arm guide is adapted to engage the second notches of the nested boxes.   
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 17  wherein the base features a slot and the spring features a hook portion that engages the slot and a coiled portion that engages the adjustable arm. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 18  wherein the spring is formed from a strip of metal. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 17  wherein the base includes a plurality of tabs that form the channel.