Over the Door Storage Assembly

Abstract

A storage container capable of holding one or more removable bins is attached to a mounting bracket which is, in turn, removably mounted to a support member, such as a spine or riser. The spine can be mounted onto a pantry door or other support structure. A lock is provided that is operable in a locked position to prevent the mounting bracket from being removed from the spine.

1 . A kitchen storage system comprising:
 an over-the-door support structure defining at least one mounting location;   a mounting bracket removably attachable to the support structure at the at least one mounting location;   a storage container mounted to the support structure via the mounting bracket; and   a lock operable in a locked position to prevent the mounting bracket from being removed from the support structure.   
   
   
       2 . The storage system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the mounting location comprises an aperture extending through the support structure, and the bracket comprises a protrusion extending into the aperture to removably mount the storage container to the spine. 
   
   
       3 . The storage system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a gap defined between the storage container and the support structure, wherein the gap is decreased as the mounting bracket is removed from the support structure. 
   
   
       4 . The storage system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the lock is movable between a locked position whereby the lock is disposed within the gap to prevent the gap from being reduced to a size that permits removable of the bracket, and an unlocked position whereby the lock does not interfere with the reduction of the gap to a size that permits removal of the bracket. 
   
   
       5 . The storage system as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the gap is disposed between an upper rim of the storage container and the spine and the lock is removed from the gap when the lock is in the unlocked position. 
   
   
       6 . The storage system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the mounting bracket is rotated with respect to the support structure to remove the mounting bracket from the support structure, and the lock prevents the rotation of the mounting bracket when in the locked position. 
   
   
       7 . The storage system as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the lock is disposed in the gap when in the locked position to prevent the rotation of the mounting bracket. 
   
   
       8 . The storage system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the lock is carried by the mounting bracket and movable within the bracket to the locked position. 
   
   
       9 . The storage system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the lock moves in a direction parallel to the support member between an unlocked position that does not prevent removal of the bracket from the support member and the locked position. 
   
   
       10 . The storage system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the lock is carried by the support member. 
   
   
       11 . The storage system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the support member comprises a vertically elongate spine and the mounting location comprises an aperture extending through the spine. 
   
   
       12 . The storage system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the lock is mounted to the bracket and slidable along the bracket between the locked and unlocked positions. 
   
   
       13 . A storage system comprising:
 a spine defining at least one mounting location;   a storage container coupled to a mounting bracket that is, in turn, removably attached to the mounting location to define a gap between the storage container and the spine, the gap allowing the container to rotate relative to the spine to remove the bracket from the spine; and   a lock configured to be placed in a locked position wherein the lock is disposed between the spine and the container in the gap to prevent rotation of the container relative to the spine.   
   
   
       14 . The storage system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the at least mounting location comprises an aperture and the mounting bracket comprises a protrusion configured to extend into the aperture to couple the storage container to the spine. 
   
   
       15 . The storage system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the lock is carried by the mounting bracket and movable between an unlocked position whereby the lock does not interfere with rotation of the container relative to the spine, and the locked position. 
   
   
       16 . The storage system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the lock comprises a neck having a distal end, and the distal end has a thickness at least equal to that of the gap, and wherein the distal end slides through the gap such that the neck is disposed in the gap when the lock is in the locked position. 
   
   
       17 . The storage system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the lock is mounted to the spine. 
   
   
       18 . The storage system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the spine is vertically elongate and comprises a plurality of vertically spaced mounting locations. 
   
   
       19 . A storage system comprising:
 a support member defining at least one mounting location;   a storage container removably mounted to the support member at the mounting location, wherein the storage container can be moved in a predetermined direction when removing the storage container from the support member; and   a lock configured in a locked position to prevent movement of the storage container in the predetermine direction, thereby preventing the storage container from being removed from the support member.   
   
   
       20 . The storage system as recited in  claim 19 , further comprising a mounting bracket removably mounted to the support member, and the storage container is attached to the mounting bracket, wherein the mounting bracket moves in the predetermined direction to remove the storage container, and the lock is configured in the locked position to prevent movement of the bracket in the predetermined direction, thereby preventing the storage container from being removed from the support member.