Safety storage unit

Abstract

A safety storage unit including a set of two or more storage compartments arranged adjacent one another, each storage compartment moveable between an open position and a closed position, first guide means attached to either the storage compartments or the storage unit and means for linking the guide means such that the linking means is moveable through the first guide means when one of the storage compartments is opened and wherein only one storage compartment is fully open at any one time.

1 . A safety storage unit including:
 a set of two or more storage compartments arranged adjacent one another, each storage compartment moveable between an open position and a closed position;   first guide assembly attached to either the storage compartments or the storage unit;   means for linking the first guide assembly such that the means for linking is moveable through the first guide assembly when one of the storage compartments is opened and wherein only one storage compartment is fully open at any one time.   
     
     
         2 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 1  wherein the means for linking is of a predetermined length to ensure that only one storage compartment is fully open at a time. 
     
     
         3 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 1  further including a second guide assembly located at a distance from the first guide assembly; wherein the means for linking links the second guide assembly to the first guide assembly and is moveable through the second guide assembly when one of the storage compartments is opened. 
     
     
         4 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 3  wherein the second guide assembly is housed within or attached to a support structure and the first guide assembly is attached to the storage compartments. 
     
     
         5 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 4  wherein the support structure is a rear panel of the safety storage unit or a projection attached to or forming part of the rear panel of the safety storage unit. 
     
     
         6 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 4  wherein the support structure is a post extending between a top panel and a bottom panel of the safety storage unit. 
     
     
         7 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 1  wherein each storage compartment has a front panel, a rear panel, side panels and a bottom panel. 
     
     
         8 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 7  wherein the first guide assembly includes a guide attached to the rear panel of each storage compartment. 
     
     
         9 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 7  wherein the first guide assembly includes a guide attached to a rear side of the front panel of each storage compartment. 
     
     
         10 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 7  wherein the first guide assembly includes a first set of guides and a second set of guides, such that the first set of guides and second set of guides are attached to the rear side of the front panel of the storage compartments adjacent respective side edges of each front panel, the means for linking is arranged as first means for linking and second means for linking, the first means for linking each guide in the first set of guides and the second means for linking each guide in the second set of guides, such that upon opening a storage compartment the first means for linking moves through the first set of guides and the second means for linking moves through the second set of guides. 
     
     
         11 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 10  further including a second guide assembly attached to or forming part of a frame of the safety storage unit, the second guide assembly including a first set of guides through which the first means for linking passes and a second set of guides through which the second means for linking passes. 
     
     
         12 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 1  wherein the means for linking is a loop of material and each end of the loop of material is secured at a location removed from any one of the storage compartments. 
     
     
         13 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 1  wherein the means for linking has a portion substantially the same length as the full outward extension of one of the storage compartments that has no tension when all storage compartments are in the closed position. 
     
     
         14 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 11  wherein the guides of the first guide assembly and the second guide assembly are any one of a pulley, a hook, an eyelet, an eye bolt. 
     
     
         15 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 1  wherein the set of storage compartments is a set of drawers. 
     
     
         16 . A safety storage unit including:
 a set of two or more storage compartments arranged adjacent one another, each storage compartment moveable between an open position and a closed position;   means for linking the storage compartments together whereby:
 when one of the storage compartments is in a fully open position, the or each of the other storage compartments is retained by the means for linking against being moveable a substantial extent away from a closed position towards an open position of the or each of the other storage compartments; and 
 when one of the storage compartments is in the fully open position and upon movement of the or one of the other storage compartments away from a closed position towards the open position of the or each of the other storage compartments the means for linking causes the fully open storage compartment to move from the fully open position towards the closed position. 
   
     
     
         17 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 16  further comprising a first guide assembly attached to either the storage compartments or the storage unit. 
     
     
         18 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 16  wherein the means for linking has a predetermined length to ensure that only one storage compartment is fully open at a time. 
     
     
         19 . A safety storage unit according to  claim 17  further including a second guide assembly correspondingly attached to either the storage unit or to the storage compartments, wherein the means for linking links the second guide assembly to the first guide assembly.