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US 11,952,167 B2Granted
Utility assembly and coupling mechanism
AssigneesMilwaukee Electric Tool Corporation, Keter Plastic Ltd.
InventorsYaron Brunner, Grant T. Squiers, Christopher S. Hoppe, Steven W. Hyma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure concerns a coupling mechanism for detachably attaching two or more utility modules to one another, utility assembles, mobile carriers and other attachable modules and articles.
Claims16
A container assembly comprising:
- a first container comprising:
- a first lid pivotally attached to the first container;
- a first female coupler at a top face of the first lid;
- a first front face, a first side face, an second side face opposite the first side face, the first front face, the first side face, and the second side face collectively partially defining a storage compartment;
- a first corner extending between the first front face and the first side face, and a second corner extending between the first front face and the second side face;
- a first corner bumper extending outward from the first corner;
- and
- a second corner bumper extending outward from the second corner;
- wherein the first corner bumper defines an outer surface that extends past and faces away from each of the first front face and the first side face, and wherein the second corner bumper defines an outer surface that extends past and faces away from each of the first front face and the second side face;
- and
- a first locking latch arresting location;
- and
- a second container comprising:
- a male coupler extending from a bottom face of the second container, the male coupler configured to slidingly engage with the first female coupler of the first container, wherein the first female coupler and male coupler engage each other when the first and second containers are slid with respect to each other;
- a second lid pivotally attached to the second container;
- and
- a locking latch positionable in a locked position engaging the first locking latch arresting location thereby limiting sliding displacement of the first container with respect to the second container;
- wherein the first female coupler comprises two sidewalls, a back wall, and a first rib, the back wall located between the two sidewalls, the two sidewalls and the back wall projecting above a depressed surface of the top face of the first lid, and the first rib extending away from the back wall in a first direction towards the first front face of the first container;
- wherein the second container comprises a second female coupler at a top face of the second lid, the second female coupler comprising two sidewalls, a back wall, and a second rib, the back wall located between the two sidewalls, the two sidewalls and the back wall projecting above a depressed surface of the top face of the second lid, and the second rib extending away from the back wall towards a front face of the second container and the first front face of the first container;
- and
- wherein the first container defines a width axis parallel to the first front face of the first container and the second container defines a width axis parallel to the first front face of the first container, wherein the width axis of the second container is approximately one-half the width axis of the first container.
18 more elements
A container assembly comprising:
- a first container comprising:
- a first lid pivotally attached to the first container;
- a first female coupler at a top face of the first lid;
- a first front face, a first side face, an second side face opposite the first side face, the first front face, the first side face, and the second side face collectively partially defining a storage compartment;
- a first corner extending between the first front face and the first side face, and a second corner extending between the first front face and the second side face;
- a first corner bumper extending outward from the first corner;
- and
- a second corner bumper extending outward from the second corner;
- wherein the first corner bumper defines an outer surface that extends past and faces away from each of the first front face and the first side face, and wherein the second corner bumper defines an outer surface that extends past and faces away from each of the first front face and the second side face;
- and
- a first locking latch arresting location;
- and
- a second container comprising:
- a male coupler extending from a bottom face of the second container, the male coupler configured to slidingly engage with the first female coupler of the first container, wherein the first female coupler and male coupler engage each other when the first and second containers are slid with respect to each other;
- a second lid pivotally attached to the second container;
- and
- a locking latch positionable in a locked position engaging the first locking latch arresting location thereby limiting sliding displacement of the first container with respect to the second container;
- the first container comprising a plurality of female couplers including the first female coupler, the plurality of female couplers at the top face of the first lid, the first container comprising a second locking latch arresting location;
- and
- the container assembly comprising a third container comprising:
- a second male coupler extending from a bottom face of the third container, the second male coupler configured to slidingly engage with one of the plurality of female couplers of the first container, wherein the second male coupler and the at least one of the plurality of female couplers engage each other when the first and second containers are slid with respect to each other;
- a third lid pivotally attached to the third container;
- a third female coupler at a top face of the third lid, the third female coupler comprising two sidewalls, a back wall, and a first rib, the back wall located between the two sidewalls, the two sidewalls and the back wall projecting above a depressed surface of the top face of the third lid, and the first rib extending away from the back wall towards a front face of the third container and the front face of the first container;
- and
- a second locking latch positionable in a locked position engaging the second locking latch arresting location thereby limiting sliding displacement of the third container with respect to the first container.
22 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.