Storage cabinet

Abstract

A locker includes a housing. The housing has a drawer that slides into or out of the housing. A carousel is connected to the drawer and a tray is disposed on the carousel. A pivot is connected to the housing and the turntable, and includes an extension received in a guide slot of the turntable. The turntable and tray rotate by movement of the extension of the pivot along the guide slot of the turntable in response to linear movement of the drawer into and out of the housing. The locker may also include rolling elements interposed between the carousel and the drawers. When the drawer is moved into or out of the housing, the items received on the tray rotate to enable a user to view different sides of the items presented based on the position of the drawer while implementing a conventional storage configuration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to a locker, and in particular, but not limited to, a locker having a turntable that rotates in response to linear movement of a drawer of the locker, thereby enabling a user to store and view items in the locker in different directions. Background Art

[0002] Lockers have been known for many years. Conventional lockers can generally be divided into two types: static lockers (which have no moving parts) and dynamic lockers (which have movable parts). Typical examples of static lockers include bookshelves, crates and bins, while dynamic lockers may include drawers and doors that can be moved into the storage space of the locker. Although known lockers are suitable for certain applications, they still have some disadvantages.

[0003] For example, some types of items stored in a locker may need to be arranged in order and presented to the user at the same time, which is impossible for traditional designs. A non-limiting example is the storage of vinyl records. The vinyl record is enclosed in a protective sleeve with a spine and a front surface, wherein the spine contains identification information about the vinyl record in the protective sleeve, and the front surface usually contains a cover pattern and other information. Many vinyl record enthusiasts like to check the cover pattern on the front surface and flip through the records when browsing records in retail stores or record stores. However, private collections of records are usually stored as only the spine is visible. Naturally, this arrangement of the record with only the spine visible prevents the user from appreciating the front cover pattern, and deprives the user of the overall experience of flipping through the record when selecting the next record to be played. In addition, the storage method of the record with only the spine visible may make it more difficult to find the desired record. The same problem also exists in other types of common storage items.

[0004] Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a locker that overcomes the shortcomings of existing lockers.

[0005] Application Contents

[0006] The present application generally relates to equipment, systems and methods for rotating items in a locker in response to linear movement, so that users can view both sides of items. In more detail, the locker of the type described in the present application may include a housing having a drawer that slides in or out of the housing or otherwise moves linearly. The locker may also include a turntable that is connected to the drawer and may include a slot or hole. The locker may also include a pivot that includes a first end and a second end, the first end being rotatably connected to the housing, the second end having a protrusion or protrusion that is accommodated in the hole and connected to the turntable. When the drawer slides in or out of the housing, the pivot drives the turntable to rotate. A tray for storing items may be arranged on the turntable and configured to rotate with the turntable. In addition, as described above, the locker may include a roller, a wheel or a bearing arranged between the drawer and the turntable to support the weight of the items, and also enable the turntable to rotate around a vertical axis in response to the linear movement of the drawer.

[0007] In some non-limiting examples, the storage cabinet (more specifically, the tray of the storage cabinet) is configured to receive and store vinyl records. The tray may include sides, arms, bookends or other similar structures arranged along the selected boundaries of the tray to enable viewing of the vinyl records while also enabling the vinyl records to remain upright and securely placed on the tray. When the drawer is contained within the housing, the vinyl records are placed on the tray and arranged in a conventional configuration, i.e., the spine faces outward and away from the housing. When the drawer slides in or out of the housing, the turntable and tray rotate simultaneously with the movement of the drawer until the drawer is fully extended from the housing, with the front surface of the vinyl records facing outward and away from the housing. This orientation enables a user to view the front surface of the vinyl records and flip through the records as in a record store.

[0008] In view of the above, one or more embodiments of a locker device can be summarized as comprising: a housing, a drawer, a tray, and a pivot. The drawer is connected to the housing and configured to slide into or out of the housing. The tray is disposed on the drawer. The pivot is connected to the housing and has an extension connected to the tray, and the tray is configured to rotate in response to movement of the drawer into or out of the housing by movement of the extension.

[0009] The pivot may also include a first pivot arm rotatably connected to the second pivot arm, the first pivot arm being connected to the housing and the second pivot arm being connected to the tray.

[0010] The length of the first pivot arm may be greater than the length of the second pivot arm.

[0011] The tray may rotate approximately 90 degrees throughout the travel of the drawer into and out of the housing.

[0012] The tray may further include a first arm and a second arm opposite to the first arm, the first arm and the second arm being spaced apart from an inner surface of the housing to provide a space for rotational movement of the tray inside the housing.

[0013] The storage cabinet may further comprise a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the pivot and the tray, including rollers, wheels or ball bearings.

[0014] The drawer may be configured to slide from a retracted position within the housing to a fully extended position outside the housing only in response to an initial force applied thereto by a user.

[0015] One or more embodiments of a locker device can be summarized as comprising: a base, a drawer, a tray, and a pivot. The drawer is configured to move linearly relative to the base. The tray is disposed on the drawer. The pivot is connected to the base and the tray, and the pivot is configured to rotate the tray in response to the linear movement of the drawer.

[0016] The locker apparatus may further include a rotating plate disposed between the tray and the drawer, the tray being connected to the rotating plate, and the rotating plate being connected to the pivot.

[0017] The pivot may include a first pivot arm rotatably connected to the base and a second pivot arm rotatably connected to the first pivot arm, the second pivot arm including an extension connected to the tray.

[0018] The pivot may include a projection coupled to the tray, wherein linear movement of the drawer is configured to cause rotation of the tray via movement of the projection.

[0019] The locker apparatus may further include at least one rotating support interposed between the pivot and the tray, including at least one of a roller, a wheel, and a ball bearing.

[0020] The tray may include at least one arm configured to rotate with the tray.

[0021] The pivot may be configured to rotate the tray within a range of greater than or equal to 75 degrees and less than or equal to 105 degrees throughout a range of linear movement of the drawer.

[0022] One or more embodiments of a locker device can be summarized as including: a housing, a drawer, a tray, and a pivot. The drawer can be connected to the external support structure, and the drawer includes a plate body, and the plate body is configured to move linearly relative to the drawer. The tray is disposed on the plate body. The pivot includes a first link and a second link, the first link is connected to the drawer, and the second link is rotatably connected to the first link and connected to the tray at a pivot point. The second link also includes an extension member, which is connected to the tray and deviates from the pivot point. The first link and the second link are configured to move relative to each other in response to the linear movement of the plate body relative to the drawer, and the position of the extension member is changed and the rotational movement of the tray is caused by the movement of the second link.

[0023] The locker device may further include a turntable connected to the plate, wherein the tray is disposed on the turntable, and the pivot is connected to the turntable and configured to rotate the turntable in response to linear movement of the plate.

[0024] The plate body may include a hole, the projection being received in the hole and configured to move along the hole in response to linear movement of the plate body.

[0025] The pivot may be configured to rotate the tray concurrently with linear movement of the plate relative to the drawer.

[0026] The tray may be configured to receive at least one item, wherein when the plate is received in the drawer, a minor surface of the at least one item faces outward and away from the drawer. A major surface of the at least one item faces outward and away from the drawer in response to the plate extending from the drawer.

[0027] The tray may be configured to rotate within the drawer in response to initial linear movement of the plate.

[0028] Embodiments of the present application will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The present application will be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings, which are for illustration purposes only. These non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments are described with reference to the following drawings, and unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals refer to the same parts in each view. In some drawings, the size and relative position of the elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the shapes of various elements are selected, enlarged and positioned to improve the readability of the drawings. In other drawings, the size and relative position of the elements in the drawings are accurately drawn to scale. In order to facilitate identification of the drawings, the drawn elements can select specific shapes. The drawings are not intended to describe all aspects of the teachings disclosed in the present application, nor are they intended to limit the scope of the present application.

[0030] Figure 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a storage cabinet according to the present application in a retracted position.

[0031] Figure 2 For along Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the locker as shown along line AA.

[0032] Figure 3A-3C for Figure 1 An isometric view of a locker showing that a tray of the locker is rotated from a retracted position of the locker to an extended position of the locker in response to linear movement of a drawer of the locker.

[0033] Figure 4A-4C for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a storage cabinet showing that the pivot of the storage cabinet causes the tray to rotate in response to the linear movement of the drawer.

[0034] Figure 5 for Figure 1 Isometric view of the pivot of the locker.

[0035] Figure 6A-6F It is a schematic diagram of an implementation scheme of the pivot of the storage cabinet according to the present application.

[0036] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of an implementation scheme of a storage cabinet according to the present application.

[0037] Figure 8A-8C is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a storage cabinet showing a rotating assembly located at the bottom of the storage cabinet.

[0038] Fig. 9 for Fig. 8A Front cross-sectional view of a storage cabinet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Those skilled in the art will understand that the content of this application is only exemplary and not limiting. With the help of this application, those skilled in the art can easily think of other implementations of the system, device and method disclosed in this application.

[0040] Each of the features and teachings disclosed in the present application can be used alone or in combination with other features and teachings to provide locker devices, systems and methods. With reference to the accompanying drawings, typical examples of utilizing multiple of these additional features and teachings alone or in combination are further described. This detailed description is intended only to teach those skilled in the art to implement other details of various aspects of the teachings of the present application, and is not intended to limit the scope of protection claimed in the present application. Therefore, the feature combinations disclosed in the specification may not be necessary to implement the broadest teachings, but are only for describing specific typical examples of the teachings of the present application.

[0041] In addition, the various features of the typical examples can be combined in ways that are not specifically explicitly listed to provide other usable embodiments of the teachings of the present application. It is also clearly noted that for the purpose of original disclosure and limiting the subject matter claimed, all numerical ranges or entity group identifiers disclose all possible intermediate values ​​or intermediate entities. It is also clearly noted that the sizes and shapes of the components shown in the drawings are designed to help understand how to implement the teachings of the present application and are not intended to limit the sizes and shapes shown in the examples in certain embodiments. In some embodiments, the sizes and shapes of the components shown in the drawings are accurately drawn to scale and are intended to limit the sizes and shapes of the components.

[0042] Although some non-limiting examples of storage cabinets for storing vinyl records will be described below, particularly for storing protective sleeves or cases containing vinyl records, it should be understood that the concepts of the present application can be equally applied to the storage of other items and are not limited to the storage of vinyl records. In addition, although the storage cabinets in the examples below have dimensions that are generally conducive to the storage and display of vinyl records, the storage cabinets can also adopt a variety of different dimensions, and the selection of dimensions for a specific application depends on a variety of factors, including but not limited to the size, shape and weight of the stored items, and the desired or advantageous degree of rotation of other movements of the items to orderly arrange and display the items in the storage cabinet.

[0043] Figure 11 is a front isometric view of an embodiment of a storage cabinet 100 according to the present application when it is in a retracted position. The storage cabinet 100 includes a shell 102, and the shell 102 can be set to a variety of sizes, including but not limited to a cube or other cubes or rectangular parallelepipeds. A drawer 104 is connected to the shell 102 and is configured to slide in or out of the shell 102, as described below. In one embodiment, the drawer 104 is connected to the opposite left side wall 106A and right side wall 106B of the shell 102 by a drawer sliding assembly 126, and the main body 108 of the drawer 104 is spaced apart from the bottom inner surface 110 of the shell 102 by the drawer sliding assembly 126. In addition, the other side walls 106C of the shell 102 (including the top side wall, the bottom side wall and the rear side wall) are connected to the left side wall 106A and the right side wall 106B to provide a hollow space 105. As Figure 1 As shown, the hollow space 105 is open at the front side of the housing 102 to allow the drawer 104 to slide into or out of the housing 102. The dimensions of the body 108 can be set as a generally horizontal and flat plate terminating in an end surface 112, and the end surface 112 extends vertically from the body 108 toward the bottom inner surface 110 of the housing 102. In one embodiment, the end surface 112 contacts or is in close proximity (i.e., less than 0.25 inches in this article) to the bottom inner surface 110 of the housing 102.

[0044] The locker 100 also includes a tray 114, which is rotatably connected to the drawer 104. As described in more detail below, the tray 114 is configured to store one or more items, and is further configured to rotate in response to the linear movement of the drawer 104 into and out of the housing 102. In a preferred embodiment, the one or more items stored in the tray 114 can be vinyl records, or more specifically, can be a cover for accommodating and protecting vinyl records. However, as described above, in some embodiments, the one or more items can be any selected items. The tray 114 includes a base 116 and a first arm 118A and a second arm 118B arranged in pairs. The first arm 118A and the second arm 118B are connected to the base 116. The first arm 118A and the second arm 118B are arranged oppositely on both sides of the base 116, and each of the first arm 118A and the second arm 118B can be spaced apart from the inner surface 120 of the side walls 106A, 106B, 106C of the housing 102. In one embodiment, the first arm 118A and the second arm 118B are spaced apart from at least the inner surface 120 of the left side wall 106A and the right side wall 106B of the housing 102 so that the first arm 118A and the second arm 118B within the housing 102 rotate therewith during the rotation of the tray 114 in response to the movement of the drawer 104.

[0045] The tray 114 also includes a rear wall 122, which can be connected to the base 116, or to the first arm 118A, the second arm 118B, or to any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the height of the rear wall 122 relative to the base 116 is less than the height of the first arm 118A and the second arm 118B, and in some examples, is less than half the height of the first arm 118A and the second arm 118B. In some embodiments, the heights of the first arm 118A, the second arm 118B, and the rear wall 122 are the same or different. In addition, the base 116 of the tray 114 is generally horizontal and flat, but the base 116 may be provided with a notch 124. The notch 124 can be provided as a set of continuous linear depressions on the base 116, the notches 124 being equally spaced from each other throughout the base 116 and extending generally from the rear wall 122 toward the front of the base 116. Many other variations are possible, including a series of discontinuous and irregularly shaped depressions at selected intervals, small protrusions (i.e., bumps, ridges, etc.), or any combination thereof. In operation, the first arm 118A, the second arm 118B, and the rear wall 122 help to retain one or more items in the tray 114 during operation of the storage cabinet 100.

[0046] Figure 2 For along Figure 1 1. As described above, the drawer 104 is connected to the left side wall 106A and the right side wall 106B of the housing 102 by the drawer slide assembly 126. In some embodiments, the drawer slide assembly 126 can be a light-closing drawer slide assembly of conventional type and configuration. The base 116 of the tray 114 is at least partially connected to the drawer 104 by the pivot 128, which will be described below with reference to at least Figure 4A-4C as well as Figure 5To describe in more detail.The shell 102 further includes a groove 130 arranged in its rear side wall (or, back to the side wall) 106C, and the groove 130 is configured to match the corresponding structure installed on the wall or other supporting structure (also can be referred to as an external supporting structure), so that the locker 100 can be installed to the wall or other supporting structure. In one embodiment, the shell 102 is flush with the wall or other supporting structure, to improve the overall aesthetics of the locker 100. In addition, in some embodiments, the cube, cube or cuboid shape of the shell 102 can make a plurality of lockers 100 adjacent to each other and contact installation, for example, formed as a locker array composed of one or more rows and / or one or more columns of lockers 100. In other words, the locker 100 is modular, so that a plurality of lockers 100 can be stacked up and down and / or joined together by being connected side by side. The locker 100 can also be integrated as a part of other furniture. Such an arrangement increases the storage capacity, while also providing the desired aesthetics for the storage of articles.

[0047] Figure 3A-3C The tray 114 of the storage cabinet 100 is shown in response to the linear movement of the drawer 104 from Figure 1 and Figure 3A Rotate to the retracted position shown Figure 3C The extended position is shown, and the corresponding rotation process of one or more items stored on the tray 114.

[0048] from Figure 3A Initially, the locker 100 is shown in a retracted position (similar to Figure 1 ) and the drawer 104 is completely contained within the housing 102, which means that the body 108 of the drawer 104 is contained within the space 105 in the housing 102, and the end surface 112 of the drawer 104 is flush or recessed relative to the outer surface of the left side wall 106A and the right side wall 106B of the housing 102. One or more items 132 are stored on the tray 114 and are also located within the housing 102. Figure 3A In the retracted position shown, the first side 134 of each item 132 faces outward and away from the housing 102. In some embodiments, the first side 134 can be the spine of a record sleeve. In further embodiments, the first side 134 can be a secondary surface of one or more items 132, having a surface area less than the surface area of ​​at least one other primary side.

[0049] In operation, turn Figure 3B , the user pushes the end surface 112 of the drawer 104 to release the drawer slide assembly 126 ( Figure 2In some embodiments, the drawer slide assembly 126 can store mechanical energy (e.g., via a spring, roller, etc.) so that the drawer 104 slides out of the housing 102 in response to an initial pressing force provided by a user. More specifically, Figure 3B The drawer 104 is shown in Figure 3A Retracted position shown and Figure 3C The drawer 104 is shown in the fully extended position, wherein the tray 114 begins to rotate as an initial pressing force is applied to the end surface 112 of the drawer 104. In embodiments where the drawer slide assembly 126 does not include an energy storage function, the drawer 104 may also include a handle or other similar structure that enables a user to apply a continuous pulling force (i.e., a duration longer than the initial pressing force) to extend the drawer 104 and rotate the tray 114. When the drawer 104 begins to slide out of the housing 102, the tray 114 begins to rotate in coordination with the linear movement of the drawer 104. Figure 3B As shown, at least part or all of the tray 114 is configured to rotate within the housing 102 in response to the initial movement of the drawer 104 away from the housing 102. Such rotation is achieved at least in part by allowing the tray 114 to align with the side walls 106A, 106B, 106C ( Figure 1 ) are spaced apart, as described herein.

[0050] Steering Figure 3C, which shows the locker 100 and drawer 104 in a fully extended position. In this position, the drawer 104 is extended from the housing 102 to the maximum extent, corresponding to the maximum extension range of the drawer slide assembly 126. In addition, in some embodiments, the tray 114 completes a 90-degree rotation in response to the movement of the drawer 104. When the drawer 104 is extended from the housing 102, this rotation of the tray 114 causes the major surface 136 of one or more items 132 stored in the tray 114 to face outward and away from the housing 102. The major surface 136 can be a surface of the one or more items 132 with the largest surface area relative to other minor surfaces. In an embodiment where the one or more items are record sleeves, the first side or minor surface 134 can be a ridge containing some identifying information, and the major surface 136 is a front and back cover that may contain some cover graphics, song listings, and other features. The rotation of the tray 114 aligns the major surface 136 in a direction facing the user, allowing the user to flip through the records and view the cover graphics or other information, similar to how a customer views records in a record store. At the same time, when the drawer 104 is retracted into the housing 102 by force from the user, the records are stored in the fully retracted position with the spine (i.e., the first side or minor surface 134) facing outward in the conventional orientation. Thus, the storage cabinet 100 enables a conventional storage configuration while the user can browse through the records in an enjoyable manner and more quickly select the record they wish to play based on the information provided on the major surface 136.

[0051] In some embodiments, when the storage cabinet 100 and the drawer 104 are in the fully extended position, the second arm (or, right arm) 118B faces outward and toward the user. The height of the second arm or right arm 118B can be less than the first arm 118A ( Figure 1 ) to enable a user to more easily view the major surface 136. The reduced height of the second arm 118B is Figure 3C The height of the second arm 118B may be the same as, greater than, or less than the height of the rear wall 122 of the tray 114 ( Figure 1 ), and is smaller than the first arm 118A ( Figure 1 )’s height.

[0052] As described above, by reversing the above process, the drawer 104 and the storage cabinet 100 can be returned to Figure 3A 104 is moved back into the housing 102 until the drawer slide assembly 126 ( Figure 2 ) engagement. The reset force provided by the user also stores mechanical energy in the drawer slide assembly 126 ( Figure 2), for example by sliding the drawer assembly ( Figure 2 ) is equipped with a spring, roller, etc. so that the drawer 104 can be released at a later time by a subsequent initial pressing force.

[0053] Figure 4A-4C is a schematic diagram of the storage cabinet 100, which shows the pivot 128 ( Figure 2 ) The operation of rotating the tray 114 in response to the linear movement of the drawer 104. Specifically, Figure 4A-4C Corresponds to Figure 3A-3C The operation of the locker 100 is shown in FIG. Figure 4A Corresponds to Figure 3A In the retracted position, Figure 4B Corresponds to Figure 3B The middle extended position in Figure 4C Corresponds to Figure 3C to the fully extended position.

[0054] from Figure 4A Initially, the storage cabinet 100 includes a turntable 140, which is connected to the drawer 104 and configured to rotate relative to the drawer 104. The storage cabinet 100 may include one or more rotation supports 142 (which may also be referred to as rolling elements 142 herein) disposed between the turntable 140 and the drawer 104 to reduce the friction generated when the turntable 140 rotates relative to the drawer 104. In some embodiments, the rotation support 142 may include one and / or at least two rings, rollers, wheels, bearings or ball bearings. The base 116 of the tray 114 is located on the turntable 140 and may be connected to the turntable 140. Therefore, the tray 114 rotates in response to the rotation of the turntable 140, and vice versa.

[0055] refer to Figure 5 The pivot 128 is described in more detail. In brief, the pivot 128 may include a first pivot arm 128A and a second pivot arm 128B that are rotatably connected to each other. The first pivot arm 128A is connected to the housing 102, and the second pivot arm 128B is connected to the turntable 140. The second pivot arm 128B may include a first extension 144A and a second extension 144B. The first extension 144A is disposed in a hole 146 of the turntable 140 and is connected to the turntable 140. The second extension 144B is rotatably connected to a central pivot point on the bottom side of the turntable 140. Figure 4AAs shown, the hole 146 of the turntable 140 can have a shape corresponding to the range of movement of the first protrusion 144A with the rotation of the tray 114. In some embodiments, such a shape is a curve extending approximately 90 degrees (i.e., between 85 degrees and 95 degrees) so that the first protrusion 144A can move a corresponding amount (i.e., 90 degrees or approximately 90 degrees) in response to the rotation of the tray 114. In one embodiment, the hole 146 can have various selected shapes that enable the first protrusion 144A to move. In addition, the two ends of the hole 146 can limit excessive rotation by contacting the first protrusion 144A. In some embodiments, at Figure 4A In the retracted position shown, the pivot arms 128A, 128B may at least partially overlap one another.

[0056] Steering Figure 4B When the user provides an initial force to release the drawer slide assembly 126 and the drawer 104 begins to extend from the housing 102, the pivot arms 128A, 128B ( Figure 4A ) begins to extend and expand, causing the first extension 144A to change position and move along the hole 146. Since the first extension 144A is connected to the turntable 140 but deviates from the central pivot point corresponding to the second extension 144B, the change in position of the first extension 144A causes the rotation of the turntable 140. That is, the first extension 144A of the second pivot arm 128B of the pivot 128 moves in response to the linear movement of the drawer 104, and the turntable 140 and the tray 114 rotate in response to the movement of the first extension 144A, achieving the movement or expansion of the pivot arms 128A, 128B of the pivot 128.

[0057] As described above, the rotation of the turntable 140 causes the rotation of the tray 114, which in turn causes the reference Figure 3A-3C The rotation of one or more items 132 on the tray described. In one embodiment, the first extension 144A may include rollers, bearings, a protective coating, or some other similar structure to reduce friction between the first extension 144A and the wall defining the hole 146 of the turntable 140. In addition, the rotation support 142 can reduce the friction associated with the rotation of the turntable 140, so that the drawer extends out of the housing 102 and the tray 114 rotates only in response to the initial pressing force provided by the user and the mechanical energy stored in the drawer slide assembly 126.

[0058] at last, Figure 4CThe storage cabinet 100 and drawer 104 are shown in a fully extended position. In this position, the first extension 144A of the second pivot arm 128B of the pivot 128 reaches the other end of the hole 146, thus completing its travel path along the hole 146. In addition, as shown in FIG. Figure 4A-4C As shown, the first pivot arm 128A and the second pivot arm 128B of the pivot 128 are Figure 4A At least part of the overlapping position in Figure 4C The tray 114 may be configured to have a fully extended position without any overlap to accommodate the linear movement of the drawer 104 from the retracted position to the fully extended position. In the fully extended position of the pivot 128, the angle between the first pivot arm 128A and the second pivot arm 128B may be greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees. The base 116 of the tray 114 may also have at least one curved portion 148 (or at least one curved corner). Figure 4A-4C The rotation of the tray 114 is schematically illustrated by the rotation of the curved portion 148 of the base 116 of the tray 114. As shown by the change in position of the curved portion 148, the tray 114 completes a 90 degree rotation, allowing one or more items 132 ( Figure 3C )'s major surface 136 is arranged away from the housing 102 and toward the user.

[0059] In one embodiment, the hole 146 can be a curve extending greater than or less than 90 degrees, or can have different shapes that enable the first extension 144A to move within the entire linear range of movement of the drawer 104. In some non-limiting examples, the linear movement of the drawer 104 can cause a 45 degree and / or 75 degree rotation of the tray 114, and the hole 146 can have a similar shape accordingly. In addition, the linear movement of the drawer 104 can cause a 105 degree and / or 135 degree and / or 180 degree rotation of the tray 114. The shape of the hole 146 and the rotation of the tray 114 can also be selected within a range such as between 75 degrees and 105 degrees (including the endpoint values ​​and all intermediate values). Many other variations are feasible and expected herein.

[0060] In some embodiments, the turntable 140 can be a structure independent of the drawer 104 and the tray 114. Alternatively, the turntable 140 can be formed as an integral part of the tray 114, and the turntable 140 and the drawer 104 are mounted together by a rotating support 142 disposed therebetween. Alternatively, the turntable 140 can be formed as an integral part of the drawer 104, and the tray 114 is mounted on its combination. In another embodiment, the turntable 140 can be omitted, and the tray 114 is configured to cooperate with the rotating support 142 and rotate directly on the drawer 104 without providing a separate turntable. In view of the above, the pivot 128 enables the tray 114 to rotate simultaneously in response to the linear movement of the drawer 104 into and out of the housing 102 to provide at least some of the advantages described herein. In some embodiments, the amount of rotation of the tray 114 can generally correspond to the amount of linear movement of the drawer 104 relative to the housing 102.

[0061] Figure 5 1 is an isometric view of one or more embodiments of the pivot 128. In some embodiments, the pivot 128 can include two pivot arms, namely a first pivot arm 128A and a second pivot arm 128B, and the dimensions of the first pivot arm 128A and the second pivot arm 128B can be set to be a generally horizontal and flat metal link. The first pivot arm 128A includes a first end 150 and a second end 152, and the second end 152 is disposed opposite to the first end 150. The second pivot arm 128B includes a first end 154 and a second end 156, and the second end 156 is disposed opposite to the first end 154. In some embodiments, the length between the first end 150 and the second end 152 of the first pivot arm 128A is greater than the length between the first end 154 and the second end 156 of the second pivot arm 128B. The first pivot arm 128A and the second pivot arm 128B can each be selected to have a different length. The first end 150 of the first pivot arm 128A is connected to the housing 102, and more specifically, to the bottom inner surface 110 ( Figure 1 ). The second end 152 of the first pivot arm 128A is rotatably connected to the first end 154 of the second pivot arm 128B. As described above, the first extension 144A and the second extension 144B on the second pivot arm 128B can be connected to the bottom side of the turntable 140 ( Figure 3A ). This connection method can advantageously achieve fixed mechanical connection and / or rotation through fasteners 158 (which can be screws, bolts, etc.).

[0062] In some embodiments, the second extension 144B is located near the outer peripheral edge of the second pivot arm 128B at the second end 156 of the second pivot arm 128B (i.e., within 0.25 inches herein). The first extension 144A can be located between the first end 154 and the second end 156 of the second pivot arm 128B, and in some embodiments, near the center of the second pivot arm 128B. The first extension 144A and the second extension 144B can be sized as a tube extending away from the second pivot arm 128B, i.e., configured to accommodate the fastener 158 to facilitate connecting the first extension 144A and the second extension 144B to the turntable 140. In addition, the second pivot arm 128B can be spaced apart from the first pivot arm 128A by at least one spacer or washer 160 to prevent the first pivot arm 128A and the second pivot arm 128B from interfering with each other during movement of the pivot 128 and also to facilitate movement of the pivot 128.

[0063] Figure 6A-6F Other variations of the anticipated pivot 128 are schematically shown. Fig. 6A In the embodiment of the storage cabinet 200A shown, the pivot 202A may include more than two pivot arms, such as at least three pivot arms 204A. The pivot arms 204A may have the same or different lengths and are generally connected to each other, and as shown in the reference pivot 128 and Figure 5 Connected to the multiple parts of the locker 200A as described. Figure 6B In the embodiment of the locker 200B shown, pivot 202B may include pin 204B, which is contained in a series of holes 206B in a turntable or drawer 208B. The hole 206B may be arranged to be a roughly curved shape or layout corresponding to the rotation amount of a plurality of parts of the locker 200B. In the embodiment of the locker 200C, pivot 202C may include a pin or extension 204C contained in a corresponding channel 206C in a turntable or drawer 208C. The channel 206C includes a first channel and a second channel, and the first channel may be curved and its radius of curvature corresponds to the rotation of some parts of the locker 200C. The second channel is continuous and straight, to further support a plurality of parts of the pivot 202C.

[0064] In the embodiment of the storage cabinet 200D, the pivot 202D may include only a single pivot arm, which includes a guide 204D, which is accommodated in a curved channel 206B in a drawer or turntable 208D disclosed in the present application. The radius of curvature of the curved channel 206B may be between 45 degrees and 60 degrees (including the end value). Fig. 6EThe arrangement of the locker 200E shown is similar to Fig.6D The storage cabinet 200D, for example, has a single pivot arm and the extension 204E is received in a curved slot 206E in a turntable or drawer 208E. However, the radius of curvature of the curved slot 206E is or is approximately 90 degrees, as described in other embodiments herein. Therefore, Fig. 6E The locker 200E can be similar to the reference Figure 1-Figure 5 The locker 100 shown and described has a single pivot arm except for the pivot 202E. In the embodiment of the locker 200F, the locker 200F may include a pivot 202F including two pivot arms and one or more extensions 204F that move along a continuous and straight guide slot 206F in a drawer or turntable 208F. Therefore, at least some embodiments of the lockers herein (including at least the locker 200F) are not configured for rotational motion, but rather to achieve at least some of the advantages described herein with linear motion.

[0065] Other configurations of lockers are also contemplated herein. For example, Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a storage cabinet 300 according to the present application. The storage cabinet 300 may be similar to the storage cabinet 100 described herein, for example, including a housing (also referred to as a base), a drawer, a tray, and a pivot, unless otherwise specified. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram taken along the bottom end 302 of the storage cabinet 300 showing the rotating assembly 304 . Figure 7Another example of a drawer slide assembly 306 is also provided, and the drawer slide assembly 306 is connected to the drawer 308 to achieve linear movement of the drawer 308. The rotating assembly 304 includes a pivot 310, a turntable 312, and a tray 314. The pivot 310 includes a first pivot arm 310A and a second pivot arm 310B, and the tray 314 is connected to the turntable 312. The first pivot arm 310A is connected to the tray 314 at its opposite two end positions through a protrusion 316, and the tray 314 is placed on the turntable 312 to reduce friction during the rotation of the tray 314. The second pivot arm 310B includes a first end and a second end, and the first end is fixedly connected to the storage cabinet 300, for example, to the bottom plate (not shown in the figure) of the storage cabinet 300. The second end is opposite to the first end and is rotatably connected to the first pivot arm 310A in a manner close to or adjacent to one end of the first pivot arm 310A and offset from the center of the first pivot arm 310A. Therefore, when the drawer 308 slides out of the storage cabinet 300, the first pivot arm 310A and the second pivot arm 310B are unfolded, so that the extension 316 moves and causes the rotation of the tray 314. Therefore, the rotating assembly 304 of the embodiment of the present application has two pivot arms 310A, 310B and two extensions 316, and the extensions 316 are respectively connected to the relative outer sides of the tray 314 (in some embodiments, connected to the turntable 312, or connected to the tray 314 and the turntable 312), instead of being arranged near the middle of the tray 314 as in the previous example.

[0066] Figure 8A-8C Schematic diagrams of the bottom end 402 of the storage cabinet 400 when it is in a fully retracted, partially extended and fully extended configurations, respectively. Fig. 9 4 is a front cross-sectional view of the storage cabinet 400. The storage cabinet 400 can be similar to the storage cabinets 100, 300 described herein, unless otherwise noted. In some embodiments, the storage cabinet 400 can omit a separate turntable or disk (Lazy Susan Assembly). For example, referring to Fig. 8A and Fig. 9, the storage cabinet 400 may include a rotating assembly, the rotating assembly including a link assembly 404 connected to a rotating plate 406 (also referred to as a plate body). The link assembly 404 includes a first link 404A and a second link 404B (which may also be referred to as pivot arms 404A, 404B herein), and the rotating plate 406 is connected to a tray 408 of the storage cabinet 400. In one embodiment, a ring plate or gasket 410 may be provided between the rotating plate 406 and the drawer 412 of the storage cabinet 400. In addition, the rotating plate 406 may be rotatably connected to the drawer 412 via the ring plate 410. In some examples, the ring plate 410 may be replaced by a bearing assembly or some other similar device described herein, thereby facilitating the rotation of the rotating plate 406 relative to the drawer 412.

[0067] The first link 404A includes a first end 414A and a second end 414B, wherein the first end 414A is fixedly connected to the housing 416 of the locker 400 (in some embodiments, it may be the bottom cover of the housing 416), and the second end 414B is opposite to the first end 414A. The second link 404B includes a first end 418A and a second end 418B, wherein the first end 418A is rotatably connected to the second end 414B of the first link 404A, and the second end 418B is opposite to the first end 418A and rotatably connected to the rotating plate 406. In one embodiment, the second end 418B of the second link 404B can be connected to the rotating plate 406 via a bearing 420 or other rollers, wheels, etc., so that the connection position between the second end 418B and the rotating plate 406 is a pivot point 421. In one embodiment, the pivot point 421 is provided with a bearing 420, which is respectively disposed between the second link 404B and the drawer 412 and between the drawer 412 and the rotating plate 406. The second link 404B further includes a protrusion 422, which is received in an opening 424 of the rotating plate 406 and connected to the rotating plate 406, and the opening 424 has a selected size and shape.

[0068] Steering Figure 8B and Figure 8C When the drawer 412 is extended from the housing 416 by the drawer slide assembly 426, the fixed end and the rotatable connection end of the link assembly 404 (i.e., the first end 414A of the first link 404A and the pivot point 421) cause the links 404A and 404B to unfold and extend relative to each other, thereby changing the extension member 422 ( Fig. 9 ) position, or move the protruding member 422. The protruding member 422 is connected to the rotating plate 406 ( Fig. 9), when the position of the protruding piece 422 changes, the rotating plate 406 and the tray 408 connected to the rotating plate 406 rotate. Therefore, the embodiment of the present application envisions a storage cabinet that can rotate the tray on the drawer of the storage cabinet without using a disc or a turntable, thereby reducing complexity and manufacturing costs, and bringing other benefits.

[0069] In view of the above, the present application provides a locker that enables users to view both sides or covers of items stored in the locker. Such a setting is particularly advantageous when the two sides or covers of the items have different characteristics or identification features. In a non-limiting example, if the items in the locker are protective covers for vinyl records, the concept of the present application enables the traditional storage configuration to be realized with the spine facing outward, while presenting the front surface by rotation to display the cover pattern. Therefore, in addition to traditional storage, the concept of the present application is also conducive to users viewing the cover pattern on the front surface and flipping through the records like in a record store. The lockers described herein are modular, they can be stacked or otherwise arranged, further increasing the storage capacity, and the overall visual appearance is concise, stylish and beautiful.

[0070] In the above description, many specific details are proposed to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present application. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present application can be implemented without using these specific details. In other cases, well-known structures related to the technology are not described in detail to avoid unnecessarily confusing the description of the embodiments of the present application.

[0071] Certain words and phrases used in the application documents are explained as follows. In this document (including the claims), the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" include plural meanings unless the context otherwise states. Any features and elements described herein may be singular, for example, a mold may refer to a mold. The terms "include" and "comprise" and their derivatives represent unlimited inclusion. The phrases "related to..." and "associated with..." and their derivatives may mean including, included, interconnected with, including, included, connected to or connected with..., connected to or connected with..., connected with..., coordinated with..., staggered, juxtaposed, adjacent to..., joined to or joined with..., having, having a certain attribute, etc. This application also provides other definitions of certain words and phrases.

[0072] The use of ordinal numbers such as first, second, third, etc. does not necessarily imply a sense of order but may simply be used to distinguish multiple instances of behavior or similar structures or materials.

[0073] Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms have meanings clearly associated with the present application, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term "herein" refers to the specification, claims and drawings associated with the present application. The phrases "in one embodiment", "in another embodiment", "in various embodiments", "in certain embodiments", "in other embodiments" and their derivatives refer to one or more features, structures, functions, limitations or characteristics of the present application, and are not limited to the same or different embodiments, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, the term "or" is an inclusive "or" operator, equivalent to the phrase "A or B, or both" or "A or B or C, or any combination thereof", and the list of additional elements is also treated similarly. In addition, throughout the application documents, the meanings of "one", "an" and "the" include singular and plural meanings.

[0074] Generally, unless otherwise specified, the materials used to implement the present invention and / or its components can be selected from suitable materials, such as composite materials, ceramics, plastics or plastic composites, metals, polymers, wood, cardboard, wood laminates or composites, wood veneers on any such materials, etc.

[0075] For the purpose of explanation, the foregoing uses specific terms and formulas to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these specific details are not necessary for implementing the present application. The embodiments are selected and described to best explain the principles of the present application embodiments and their practical applications, thereby enabling other persons skilled in the art to utilize the disclosed embodiments and to utilize various modified embodiments suitable for the intended specific application. Therefore, the foregoing description is not intended to be exhaustive, nor is it intended to limit the present application to the disclosed precise form, and it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations are possible according to the above teachings.

[0076] The terms "top", "bottom", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and other similar derivatives are used only for discussion based on the orientation of components in the drawings. These terms do not limit the possible orientations explicitly disclosed, implicitly disclosed or inherently disclosed in this application, and any part of the embodiments of this application can be arranged in any orientation unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0077] As used herein, the relative terms "substantially," "approximately," and other similar derivatives are interpreted to include general error ranges or manufacturing tolerances due to slight differences and variations in manufacturing. Unless otherwise specified, such general error ranges or manufacturing tolerances do not exceed plus or minus 5% of the value, quantity, quality, or size. It should be further understood that any specific dimensions of components or features provided herein are only used for illustration with reference to the various embodiments described herein, and therefore, this application explicitly includes dimensions larger or smaller than the stated dimensions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0078] The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide other embodiments. All U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications, and non-patent publications cited in this application document and / or application form, including U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 247,311 filed on September 23, 2021, are all incorporated herein by reference. Various aspects of the embodiments may be modified as needed to apply the concepts of each patent, application, and disclosure to provide other embodiments.

[0079] These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above detailed description. In general, the terms used in the claims should not be interpreted as limiting the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification or claims, but should be interpreted to include all possible embodiments, together with the full scope of equivalents to the claims. Therefore, the breadth and depth of the disclosed embodiments should not be limited by any of the above embodiments, but should be limited only by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A locker, characterized in that: include: Support structure; a drawer connected to the support structure and configured to slide relative to the support structure; a tray disposed on the drawer; as well as A pivot is connected to the support structure, the pivot having an extension connected to the tray, the tray being configured to rotate by movement of the extension in response to movement of the drawer relative to the support structure.

2. The locker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pivot includes a first pivot arm rotatably connected to the second pivot arm, the first pivot arm being connected to the support structure and the second pivot arm being connected to the tray.

3. The locker according to claim 2, characterized in that: The length of the first pivot arm is greater than the length of the second pivot arm.

4. The locker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tray rotates approximately 90 degrees throughout the travel of the drawer relative to the support structure.

5. The locker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tray includes a first arm and a second arm opposite the first arm, the first arm and the second arm being spaced apart from an inner surface of the support structure to provide space for rotational movement of the tray on the support structure.

6. The locker according to claim 1, characterized in that: Further including: A plurality of rolling elements, disposed between the pivot and the tray, include rollers, wheels or ball bearings.

7. The locker according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drawer is configured to slide from a retracted position on the support structure to a fully extended position extended from the support structure only in response to an initial force applied thereto by a user.

8. A locker, characterized in that: include: base; a drawer configured for linear movement relative to the base; a tray disposed on the drawer; as well as A pivot is connected to the base and the tray, wherein the pivot is configured to rotate the tray in response to linear movement of the drawer.

9. The locker according to claim 8, characterized in that: Further including: A rotating plate is disposed between the tray and the drawer, the tray is connected to the rotating plate, and the rotating plate is connected to the pivot.

10. The locker according to claim 8, characterized in that: The pivot includes a first pivot arm rotatably connected to the base and a second pivot arm rotatably connected to the first pivot arm, the second pivot arm including an extension connected to the tray.

11. The locker according to claim 8, characterized in that: The pivot includes a protrusion connected to the tray, and the linear movement of the drawer is configured to cause the tray to rotate via movement of the protrusion.

12. The locker according to claim 8, characterized in that: Further including: At least one rotational support, interposed between the pivot and the tray, includes at least one of a roller, a wheel, and a ball bearing.

13. The locker according to claim 8, characterized in that: The tray includes at least one arm configured to rotate with the tray.

14. The locker according to claim 8, characterized in that: The pivot is configured to rotate the tray within a range of greater than or equal to 75 degrees and less than or equal to 105 degrees throughout the range of linear movement of the drawer.

15. A locker, characterized in that: include: shell; a drawer connectable to an external support structure, the drawer comprising a plate configured to move linearly relative to the drawer; a tray, which is disposed on the plate body; and A pivot, comprising a first link and a second link, wherein the first link is connected to the drawer, the second link is rotatably connected to the first link and is connected to the tray at a pivot point; the second link also includes a protrusion, the protrusion is connected to the tray and deviates from the pivot point; the first link and the second link are configured to move relative to each other in response to the linear movement of the plate body relative to the drawer, and the position of the protrusion is changed and the rotational movement of the tray is caused by the movement of the second link.

16. The locker according to claim 15, characterized in that: Further including: A turntable is connected to the plate body, the tray is disposed on the turntable, and the pivot is connected to the turntable and configured to rotate the turntable in response to the linear movement of the plate body.

17. The locker according to claim 15, characterized in that: The plate body includes a hole, the protrusion is received in the hole and is configured to move along the hole in response to linear movement of the plate body.

18. The locker according to claim 15, characterized in that: The pivot is configured to rotate the tray concurrently with linear movement of the plate relative to the drawer.

19. The locker according to claim 15, characterized in that: The tray is configured to receive at least one object, wherein when the plate is received in the drawer, a minor surface of the at least one object faces outward and away from the drawer; and a major surface of the at least one object faces outward and away from the drawer in response to the plate extending from the drawer.

20. The locker according to claim 15, characterized in that: The tray is configured to rotate within the drawer in response to initial linear movement of the plate.

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