Granted Patent B2

US 12,350,812 · App. 17/667,216 · Granted Jul 8, 2025

Inventors: Christopher S. Hoppe (Cedarburg, WI); Matthew Vargo (Milwaukee, WI); Yaron Brunner (Kibbutz Gvat, IL)

Assignees: Milwaukee Electronic Tool Corporation; Keter Plastic LTD.

B25H3/022

Abstract

Claims (41)

1. A storage device system, comprising:

a soft-sided storage device comprising:

flexible sidewalls;

a rigid bottom member coupled to the flexible sidewalls, the flexible sidewalls and the rigid bottom member collectively defining a storage compartment; and

a rigid bottom surface defined by the rigid bottom member; and

a rigid storage device comprising:

an upper surface; and

a plurality of connection recesses, each connection recess of the plurality of connection recesses comprising a first wing extending in a first direction and a second wing extending in a second direction opposite the first direction, the first wing and the second wing each offset and extending above a lower surface of the respective female coupler, the first wing and the second wing configured for arresting engagement with the rigid bottom surface of the soft-sided storage device, each of the first wing and the second wing defining a surface that faces downward towards and is parallel to a recessed surface of the respective connection recess.

2. The storage device system of claim 1 , the plurality of connection recesses comprising two rows of connection recesses each parallel to a front of the rigid storage device, wherein each of the two rows of connection recesses comprises two connection recesses of the plurality of connection recesses.

3. The storage device system of claim 2 , comprising a handle coupled to the front of the rigid storage device.

4. The storage device system of claim 1 , comprising a latch assembly operable to secure the soft-sided storage device and the rigid storage device together, the latch assembly actuating between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, wherein the latch assembly obstructs movement of the rigid storage device relative to the soft-sided storage device when in the locked configuration.

5. The storage device system of claim 4 , the latch assembly comprising:

a locking aperture defined by the upper surface of the rigid storage device;

a latch member coupled to the soft-sided storage device, the latch member configured to be received in the locking aperture; and

a biasing element that biases the latch member into the locking aperture when the rigid storage device and the soft-sided storage device are coupled together in the locked configuration.

6. The storage device system of claim 1 , the plurality of connection recesses comprising a first connection recess configured to engage with two distinct projections extending from the rigid bottom surface of the soft-sided storage device.

7. A storage device system, comprising:

a soft-sided storage device including a rigid bottom;

a rigid storage device including a top that interfaces with the bottom of the soft-sided storage device; and

a latch assembly operable to secure the soft-sided storage device and the rigid storage device together, the soft-sided storage device and the rigid storage device being carryable as a coupled unit;

wherein one of the bottom or the top includes a projection and the other of the bottom or the top defines a recess configured to receive the projection, and wherein the projection is configured to engage the other of the bottom or the top defining the recess to interface the rigid storage device and the soft-sided storage device, and

wherein the projection defines two channels arranged to receive and engage two wings formed by the other of the bottom or the top defining the recess, and wherein a first channel of the two channels is defined at least in part by a first projection portion extending from the projection, the first projection portion defining a first surface that faces towards and is parallel to one of the bottom or the top, and wherein a first wing of the two wings defines a second surface that faces towards and is parallel to the other of the bottom or the top, the first surface and the second surface interfacing when the soft-sided storage device and the rigid storage device are secured together.

8. The storage device system of claim 7 , wherein the latch assembly includes a latch member supported on one of soft-sided storage device or the rigid storage device, and wherein the latch member is configured to selectively engage a latch aperture defined by the other of the soft-sided storage device or the rigid storage device to secure the soft-sided storage device and the rigid storage device together.

9. The storage device system of claim 8 , wherein the channels receive the wings in a first direction and inhibits the soft-sided storage device from being disconnected from the rigid storage device except in a second direction opposite the first direction, and wherein the latch member engages the latch aperture to inhibit movement of the projection relative to the wings in the second direction.

10. The storage device system of claim 9 , wherein the first and second directions are parallel to a top surface of the top.

11. The storage device system of claim 8 , wherein the latch assembly includes a biasing member arranged to bias the latch member into engagement with the latch aperture when the rigid storage device and the soft-sided storage device are connected.

12. The storage device system of claim 7 , wherein the soft-sided storage device further includes a handle, and wherein the coupled unit of the soft-sided storage device and the rigid storage device are carryable by the handle.

13. The storage device system of claim 12 , wherein the handle is positioned above a center of gravity of the coupled unit of the soft-sided storage device and the rigid storage device.

14. A storage device system, comprising:

a rigid storage device comprising an upper surface; and

a soft-sided storage device comprising:

flexible sidewalls;

a rigid bottom member coupled to the flexible sidewalls, the flexible sidewalls and the rigid bottom member collectively defining a storage compartment; and

a rigid bottom surface defined by the rigid bottom member; and

a plurality of projections extending from the rigid bottom surface, each of the plurality of projections comprising a first projection portion extending from the projection in a first direction and a second projection portion extending from the projection in a second direction opposite the first direction, the first projection portion and the second projection portion each offset and extending below the rigid bottom surface, the first projection portion and the second projection portion configured for arresting engagement with the upper surface of the rigid storage device, each of the plurality of projections defining a first channel between the first projection portion and the rigid bottom surface and a second channel between the second projection portion and the rigid bottom surface, each of the first projection portions and the second projection portions defining a surface that faces upward towards and is parallel to the rigid bottom surface.

15. The storage device system of claim 14 , the rigid bottom member extending along a longitudinal axis, each of the first channel and the second channel extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rigid bottom member.

16. The storage device system of claim 14 , comprising a latch assembly operable to secure the soft-sided storage device and the rigid storage device together, the soft-sided storage device and the rigid storage device being carryable as a coupled unit.

17. The storage device system of claim 12 , the latch assembly comprising:

a latch member coupled to the soft-sided storage device; and

a locking aperture defined by the upper surface of the rigid storage device, the locking aperture configured to receive the latch member, wherein the latch assembly obstructs movement of the rigid storage device relative to the soft-sided storage device when the latch member is received in the locking aperture.

18. The storage device system of claim 17 , the plurality of projections comprising two rows of projections each parallel to a front of the soft-sided storage device, wherein each of the two rows of projections comprises two projections of the plurality of projections.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (400)