Side-access toy container

Abstract

A container and method for storage and retrieval of children's toys and other items. The container includes an opening at the top and one or more hand port openings on the side walls. The hand port openings and walls may be transparent or translucent. An adult places the items through the top opening for storage and a child can then easily reach through a hand port to retrieve a desired item. The container allows for easy storage and organization of items, as well as easy retrieval by a child.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to containers and more particularly to an easily accessible container used for storing children's toys and other items and a method for employing the container. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Anyone who has children or toddlers understands that they scatter toys and keepsakes about the home. A child may take a toy or several toys then drop them after moving on to another diversion. Toys are soon scattered about the house, leaving an adult with the daily task of collecting and returning the items to a shelf or drawer or toy box. [0003] The return and collection of children's toys or other items presents two difficulties. Collected items must first be sorted and then placed in their different storage locations. The storage locations must then also be accessible to the child for further use. With a standard toy box having a lid, a child must be physically developed enough to lift the lid and rummage through the toys piled in the ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] A rotating plate, sometimes called a lazy Susan, can be placed on the floor to allow a child to reach through one hand port and move the rotating plate to bring a toy or item closer to that hand port, allowing wider access.

[0015] In this manner a container and method for using it makes it easy and convenient for an adult to collect the scattered toys and other belongings of a child and simply pour them through the top opening to store them. The child is likewise provided with a convenient container to locate and retrieve their toys and other items. The container allows for easy storage and organization of children's toys and other possessions by an adult while providing easy location and retrieval by a child.

Problems solved by technology

The return and collection of children's toys or other items presents two difficulties.

Storing these same items in drawers presents analogous problems.

Kellogg however has a single opening that does not allow access to items except from the top, like an ordinary toy box.

Peska, however, would not be suitable as a repository for children's belongings.

Not only does Hillis describe a container with opaque sides, a user cannot see the interior items, it is a rigid box that would be more difficult to transport and store.

These configurations however are not suitable for addressing the problem addressed by the present invention however.

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