US 5,466,058 · Granted 1995-11-14
The Modular Cube Storage Patent That Made Mix-and-Match Furniture Real
Imagine storage cubes that lock together like puzzle pieces instead of wobbling on top of each other. This patent covers a system where identical box-shaped units snap into place using beveled edges with tabs and notches, so you can stack them however you want—with shelves, drawers, or hanging doors—without them shifting or falling apart.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a stackable modular storage unit made from four identical rectangular panels that lock together using beveled miter joints with interlocking tabs and notches. What's protected here is the specific method of joining these panels edge-to-edge with grooves for molding reinforcement, the internal channel system for adjustable shelves, and the way multiple units can be fastened to adjacent units through their side walls to create a stable stacked configuration. The design also includes the ability to add doors and drawer inserts within this locked framework.
Why it matters
This patent represents a shift in furniture design from fixed, single-piece construction to modular, customer-configurable storage. By locking units together through their structural edges rather than relying on gravity or external fasteners alone, it enabled consumers to build custom storage solutions without special tools or assembly expertise. The interlocking tab-and-notch system meant the structure remained stable even when heavily loaded, which made modular storage practical for serious home and office use rather than just temporary shelving.
Real-world use
Every time you stack cube storage units in a closet, dorm room, or office and they stay perfectly aligned without sliding around, you're benefiting from the interlocking edge system this patent locked down.
Original USPTO abstract
A modular storage system is formed from a plurality of stackable cube-shaped or rectangular-shaped units. Each unit is locked to another adjacent unit with fasteners inserted through their side walls. Each cube modular unit is formed by four identical rectangular panels which face each other in a box-like configuration without a lid or bottom, There are a plurality of tabs and notches in the beveled surface of the abutting edges of each panel. The beveled top edge of each panel mates with the beveled bottom edge to form a miter joint and to allow the complementary tabs and notches in the edges to lock together to prevent lateral displacement. There are a pair of grooves near each edge to allow for a curved molding to slide into to lock the edges of the panels together. The inside wall of each panel has a series of channels to allow shelves to be positioned in the body of the cube. A hanging door can be placed in the front of the cube to conceal the shelving. Drawer inserts can be placed in the interior along the channels to form a multi-drawer chest.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 5,466,058
- Filing date
- 1994-08-15
- Grant date
- 1995-11-14
- Assignee
- One Two One Systems, Inc.
- Inventor(s)
- CHAN; SHIU C.
- CPC class
- F16B12/46
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