Storage rack

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to storage racks and, more particularly, to such a storage rack, which comprises a plurality of trays pivoted to a pivot shaft, and a plurality of flat accessories boxes selectively and detachably fastened to the trays for keeping accessories.

2. Description of the Related Art:

Various storage boxes are known for keeping accessories and small items. These storage boxes commonly comprise a box body defining a plurality of compartments for keeping different accessories, and a cover hinged to the box body. Several storage boxes may be joined, forming a storage rack.

There is known a loose-leaf type storage rack, which comprises a pivot shaft, a plurality of trays, and a plurality of flat accessories boxes mounted in the trays. The trays each have a plurality of knuckles respectively pivotally coupled to the pivot shaft such that the trays are arranged in a stack and can be turned about the pivot shaft together or respectively relative to one another. Positioning structure (not shown) is provided between the pivot shaft and the knuckles such that the trays can be respectively positioned in the desired angular position after having been turned about the pivot shaft. This design of loose-leaf type storage rack is functional. However, because the flat accessories boxes are available in only one single size, the user cannot arrange different sizes of flat accessories boxes in the trays to provide different combinations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a storage rack, which enables the user to arrange the accessories boxes in the trays subject to provide different combinations. To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, the storage rack comprises a pivot shaft, a plurality of trays molded from plastics and respectively pivoted to the pivot shaft, a plurality of flat accessories boxes molded from plastics and respectively detachably carried in the trays, and a positioning structure adapted to secure the flat accessories boxes to the trays, wherein the positioning structure comprises a plurality of recessed locating holes disposed at a bottom side of each of the flat accessories boxes, and a plurality of locating blocks provided at a top side of each of the trays and adapted to engage the recessed locating holes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

<ul id="ul0001" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a storage rack according to the present invention.</li><li>FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the storage rack according to the present invention.</li><li>FIG. 3 is an exploded view in an enlarged scale of a part of the present invention.</li><li>FIG. 4 is an assembly view of FIG. 3.</li><li>FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.</li><li>FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4.</li><li>FIG. 7 is another exploded view of the storage rack according to the present invention.</li><li>FIG. 8 is still another exploded view of the storage rack according to the present invention.</li><li>FIG. 9 is still another exploded view of the storage rack according to the present invention.</li></ul>

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, a storage rack is shown comprising a pivot shaft <b>40</b>, a plurality of trays <b>10;20;30</b>, and a plurality of flat accessories boxes <b>12;22;32</b> mounted in the trays <b>10;20;30</b>. The trays <b>10;20;30</b> each have a plurality of knuckles <b>11;21;31</b> respectively pivotally coupled to the pivot shaft <b>40</b> such that the trays <b>10;20;30</b> are arranged in a stack and can be turned about the pivot shaft <b>40</b> together or respectively relative to one another. Positioning structure (not shown) is provided between the pivot shaft <b>40</b> and the knuckles <b>11;21;31</b> such that the trays <b>10;20;30</b> can be respectively positioned in the desired angular position after having been turned about the pivot shaft <b>40</b>. The flat accessories boxes <b>12;22;32</b> have different sizes, i.e., a tray <b>10;20;30</b> can carry one big-size flat accessories box <b>12</b> (see FIG. 2), two medium-size flat accessories boxes <b>22</b> (see FIG. 7), or four small-size flat accessories boxes <b>32</b> (see FIG. 8).

Referring to FGS. 2~6, each tray <b>10;20;30</b> has at least two locating blocks <b>50</b> upwardly disposed at the top and arranged at right angles; each flat accessories box <b>12;22;32</b> has a plurality of recessed bottom locating holes <b>51</b> corresponding to the locating blocks <b>50</b> at the tray <b>10;20;30</b>. Because the trays <b>10;20;30</b> and the flat accessories boxes <b>12;22;32</b> are molded from plastics, the locating blocks <b>50</b> are springy, and the recessed bottom locating holes <b>51</b> are slightly expansible. When put the flat accessories boxes <b>12;22;32</b> in the trays <b>10;20;30</b>, the respective locating blocks <b>50</b> are respectively press-fitted into the respective recessed bottom locating holes <b>51</b>, thereby causing the flat accessories boxes <b>12;22;32</b> to be respectively firmly secured to the trays <b>10;20;30</b>. The friction force between the respective flat accessories boxes <b>12;22;32</b> and the respective trays <b>10;20;30</b> is sufficient to firmly secure the into the respective recessed bottom locating holes <b>51</b>, thereby causing the flat accessories boxes <b>12;22;32</b> to the trays <b>10;20;30</b>, and the flat accessories boxes <b>12;22;32</b> do not fall from the trays <b>10;20;30</b> when turning the trays <b>10;20;30</b> about the pivot shaft <b>40</b>.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 7, and 8, each tray <b>10;20;30</b> has two oval through holes <b>13;23;33</b> symmetrically disposed near two opposite lateral sides. The user can insert a finger through the oval through holes <b>13;23;33</b> to push the flat accessories boxes <b>12;22;32</b> upwardly away from the trays <b>10;20;30</b> in direction reversed to the bonding direction between the locating blocks <b>50</b> and the recessed bottom locating holes <b>51</b>. Therefore, the recessed bottom locating holes <b>51</b> can be smoothly disengaged from the locating blocks <b>50</b> without damaging the locating blocks <b>50</b>.

Referring to FIG. 7, the tray <b>20</b> carrying two medium-size flat accessories boxes <b>22</b> is seen after opening of the tray <b>10</b> carrying one big-size flat accessories box <b>12</b> from the other trays. The medium-size flat accessories boxes <b>22</b> are about one half of the size of one big-size flat accessories box <b>12</b>. Every medium-size flat accessories box <b>22</b> has a plurality of bottom locating holes <b>51</b> disposed adjacent to three of the four sides thereof and connected to corresponding locating blocks <b>50</b> at the tray <b>20</b>.

Referring to FIG. 8, the tray <b>30</b> carrying four small-size flat accessories boxes <b>32</b> is seen after opening of the tray <b>10</b> carrying one big-size flat accessories box <b>12</b> with the tray <b>20</b> carrying two medium-size flat accessories boxes <b>22</b>. The small-size flat accessories boxes <b>32</b> are about one half of the size of one medium-size flat accessories box <b>22</b>. Every small-size flat accessories box <b>32</b> has a plurality of recessed bottom locating holes <b>51</b> disposed adjacent to two of the four sides thereof and connected to corresponding locating blocks <b>50</b> at the tray <b>30</b>.

Referring to FIG. 9, one medium-size flat accessories box <b>22</b> and two small-size flat accessories boxes <b>32</b> can be carried in one tray <b>20</b>. By means of the recessed bottom locating holes <b>51</b> at the flat accessories boxes <b>12;22;32</b> and the locating blocks <b>50</b> at the trays <b>10;20;30</b>, the flat accessories boxes <b>12;22;32</b> can detachably and selectively set in the trays <b>10;20;30</b>.

A prototype of storage rack has been constructed with the features of the annexed drawings of FIGS. 1~9. The storage rack functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.