US 12,330,838 B2
Lockable shelves and methods
Mahlon Tucker Daniels, Holly Springs, NC (US); and Richard Daniel Johnson, Fuquay Varina, NC (US)
Assigned to Bell and Howell, LLC, Durham, NC (US)
Filed by Bell and Howell, LLC, Durham, NC (US)
Filed on Jun. 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/837,323.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/210,758, filed on Jun. 15, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0396396 A1, Dec. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. B65D 21/02 (2006.01); B65D 25/04 (2006.01); G06Q 10/0836 (2023.01)
CPC B65D 21/0204 (2013.01) [B65D 25/04 (2013.01); G06Q 10/0836 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A self-locking assembly comprising:
one or more shelves comprising:
dividers to define storage bays that are adjacent to each other in a lateral direction, wherein adjacent storage bays are spaced apart from each other by one of the dividers positioned therebetween; and
a lock contained within each storage bay; and
one or more storage units having a width that is a same as, or smaller than, a width of at least one of the storage bays, each of the one or more storage units comprising:
an upper surface configured to transport one or more items supported thereon; and
an interlocking feature configured to engage with the lock of one of the storage bays to resist removal of each storage unit from a corresponding one of the storage bays;
wherein each storage unit is configured for insertion within and removal from a corresponding one of the storage bays in a longitudinal direction;
wherein the lock comprises a protrusion installed adjacent to and in contact with one of the dividers, each protrusion extending within a corresponding storage bay in which the protrusion is installed in the longitudinal direction; and
wherein the interlocking feature comprises a recess formed on a lateral edge of the storage unit, the recess having a substantially similar shape to the protrusion, so that the protrusion is configured to fit, partially or entirely, within the recess.