Modular case for holding articles

ABSTRACT

A modular case is designed to hold articles and is formed by fitting together various panels of the standardized size and design. The panels are held together by retaining slots and retaining projections. A plurality of shelves are slidably disposed in the V-shaped grooves of the panels. One or more doors are pivoted to the panel by a plurality of pivoting lugs, each having an inclined guide face enabling the doors to swivel automatically. Certain retaining projections and retaining slots are provided with arcuate side walls to enhance the retaining effect. The rear panels have two wavy longitudinal sides to minimize the swaying of two rear panels which are joined together side by side.

INFORMATION

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIGS. 1-8, a modular case embodied in the present invention is formed of three upright side panels , two upright rear panels , two top panels , two bottom panels , a plurality of shelves , and a plurality of doors .

The upright side panels are identical in construction and dimension. Each upright side panel is provided in the rear longitudinal side wall with a plurality of retaining projections which are arranged at an interval. The upright side panel is provided in the front longitudinal side wall with a plurality of pivoting lugs , each being provided at the top thereof with an inclined guide face . The upright side panel is provided in two ends of the side wall of the longitudinal top end with a first retaining slot . Located between the two first retaining slots are a plurality of second retaining slots arranged at an interval. The upright side panel is provided in two ends of the side wall of the longitudinal bottom end with a first retaining slot . Located between the two first retaining slots are a plurality of second retaining slots arranged at an interval.

The two upright rear panels are identical in construction. Each upright rear panel is corresponding in length to the upright side panels and is provided in the two longitudinal side margins of an inner side thereof with a plurality of retaining slots corresponding in location to the retaining projections of the upright side panels . The upright rear panel is provided in the side wall of two longitudinal ends thereof with two first retaining slots located at two ends of the side wall, and a plurality of second retaining slots arranged at an interval between the two first retaining slots . The upright rear panels are fitted together with the upright side panels such that the retaining projections of the upright side panels are retained in the retaining slots of the upright rear panels , as illustrated in FIG. .

The two top panels are identical in construction to each other. Each top panel is provided in the side wall of a left side, a right side, and a rear side thereof with two first retaining projections located at two end edges of the side wall, and two second retaining projections located between the two first retaining projections . The top panels are fitted with the longitudinal top ends of the upright side panels such that the two first retaining projections are retained in the two first retaining slots of the upright side panels , and that the two second retaining projections are retained in the second retaining slots of the upright side panels .

The two bottom panels are identical in construction to each other and to the top panels . Each bottom panel is provided in the side wall of a left side, a right side, and a rear side thereof with two first retaining projections located at two end edges of the side wall, and two second retaining projections located between the two first retaining projections . The bottom panels are fitted with the longitudinal bottom ends of the upright side panels such that the two first retaining projections are retained in the two first retaining slots of the upright side panels , and that the two second retaining projections are retained in the second retaining slots of the upright side panels .

The modular case of the present invention is provided with a hollow interior which is formed and defined by two upright side panels , one upright rear panel , the top panel , and the bottom panel . The hollow interior can be divided into a plurality of compartments by means of a plurality of shelves , each having two retaining edges opposite to each other and having a V-shaped cross section. The inner side of the upright side panels is provided with a plurality of grooves , which are arranged at intervals and have a V-shaped cross section. The retaining edges of the shelves are slidably received in the grooves of the upright side panels . The V-shaped retaining edges of the shelves and the V-shaped grooves of the upright side panels serve to increase contact area between the shelves and the upright side panels , thereby enhancing the loading capacity of the shelves . The compartments may be provided with a door , which is provided with two pivoting lugs . The door is pivoted to the upright side panels by two pivots which are put through the pivoting lugs of the door and the pivoting lugs of the upright side panels , as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The pivoting lugs of the door are provided with an inclined guide face , which comes in contact with the inclined guide face of the pivoting lug of the upright side panel . By virtue of the guiding actions of the inclined guide faces and , the pivoting end of the door is bound to swivel in a direction toward the upright side panels , thereby causing the door to close the compartment automatically time after time.

The upright rear panels are provided with two wavy longitudinal sides . When two upright rear panels are joined together side by side, the two wavy longitudinal sides match perfectly, as shown in FIG. . The wavy longitudinal sides serve to avert the swaying of the upright rear panels .

As shown in FIG. 8, the first retaining projections of the top panels are provided with two arcuate side walls . The first retaining projection is retained in the first retaining slot of the upright side panel such that the arcuate side walls of the first retaining projection come in contact with two arcuate side walls of the first retaining slot of the upright side panel . The engagement of the arcuate side walls can hold more securely the first retaining projection and the first retaining slot together as compared with an engagement of the straight side walls.

As shown in FIG. 9, the preferred embodiment of the present invention further comprises at least one drawer , which is provided in two outer side walls with a rib having a V-shaped cross section and corresponding to the V-shaped grooves of the upright side panels . The drawer is disposed between the two shelves such that the ribs are slidably received in the grooves of the upright side panels .

The embodiment of the present invention described above is to be regarded in all respects as being illustrative and nonrestrictive. Accordingly, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without deviating from the spirit thereof. The present invention is therefore to be limited only by the scopes of the following claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in combination.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic plan view of the rear of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a partial enlarged view of the side wall of the rear longitudinal side of the upright side panels of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a sectional schematic view of the retaining portions of the upright side panel and the upright rear panel of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows an exploded view of a door and an upright side panel of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a partial enlarged view of the pivoting of the door of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows a partial exploded view of the top panel and the upright side panel of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of a drawer of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

CLAIMS

1. A modular case for holding articles comprising: at least three upright side panels of a geometric form and identical in construction and in dimension, each of the upright side panels having a plurality of retaining projections in a rear longitudinal side wall thereof and a plurality of retaining slots in a longitudinal top end wall and a longitudinal bottom end wall thereof, each of the upright side panels having a plurality of grooves arranged at intervals in an inner side thereof, each of the upright side panels having a plurality of pivoting lugs arranged at intervals in a front longitudinal side wall thereof; at least two upright rear panels identical in geometric form to said upright side panels and identical in construction to each other, the upright rear panels having a plurality of retaining slots in two longitudinal side margins at an inner side thereof corresponding in location to the retaining projections of the rear longitudinal side wall of the upright side panels, the upright rear panels further having a plurality of retaining slots in a longitudinal top end wall and a longitudinal bottom end wall thereof, each of the upright rear panels is fitted to two of said upright side panels such that the retaining projections of the rear longitudinal side walls of the two upright side panels are retained respectively in the retaining slots of the two longitudinal side margins of the inner side of the upright rear panel; at least two top panels of a geometric form and identical in construction to each other, the top panels having a plurality of retaining projections in three side walls thereof corresponding in location to the retaining slots of the longitudinal top end wall of the upright side panels and the retaining slots of the longitudinal top end wall of the upright rear panels, each of the top panels being fitted to two of the upright side panels and to one of the upright rear panels such that the retaining projections of said top panel are retained respectively in the retaining slots of the longitudinal top end walls of the upright side panels and the retaining slots of the longitudinal top end wall of the upright rear panel; at least two bottom panels identical in geometric form to the top panels, the bottom panels being identical in construction to each other, the bottom panels having a plurality of retaining projections in three side walls thereof corresponding in location to the retaining slots of the longitudinal bottom end wall of the upright side panels and the retaining slots of the longitudinal bottom end wall of the upright rear panels, each of the bottom panels being fitted to two of said upright side panels and to one of the upright rear panels such that the retaining projections of the bottom panel are respectively retained in the retaining slots of the longitudinal bottom end walls of the upright side panels and the retaining slots of the longitudinal bottom end wall of the upright rear panel; a plurality of shelves slidably disposed in said grooves of said upright side panels; and at least one door having a plurality of pivoting lugs at one end thereof and fastened pivotally with one of the upright side panels such that the pivoting lugs of the door are pivoted with the pivoting lugs of the upright side panels, each of said grooves of the upright side panels having a V-shaped cross section, said plurality of shelves having a retaining edge in opposite sides thereof corresponding in cross section to said grooves, the retaining edges of said shelves being slidably disposed respectively in said grooves, each of said plurality of pivoting lugs of the upright side panels having an inclined guide face, said pivoting lugs of the door having an inclined guide face, the doors being pivoted to the upright side panels such that said inclined guide face of the pivoting lugs of the door contacts the inclined guide face of the pivoting lugs of the upright side panels so as to urge the door to swivel automatically toward the upright side panels, each of the upright rear panels having two wavy longitudinal sides on opposite sides thereof, the retaining projections of the top panels having two arcuate side walls opposite to each other, the retaining slots of the longitudinal top end wall of the upright side panels having two arcuate side walls opposite to each other, the retaining projections of the top panels being retained respectively in the retaining slots of the longitudinal top end wall of the upright side panels such that the arcuate side walls of the retaining projections are in contact with the arcuate side walls of the retaining slots.

2. The modular case of claim 1, further comprising: at least one drawer having a rib in two opposite outer side walls corresponding in cross section and location to said grooves of the upright side panels, the drawer being disposed between two of the shelves such that the ribs of the drawer are respectively slidably received in said grooves of the upright side panels.

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