System for attaching accessories to a shelf

• US 20060260518A1
• Filed: 04/23/2004
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: HL Display AB (Ratos AB)
• Original Assignee: HL Display AB (Ratos AB)
• Inventors: Josefsson, Borje, Cuhna, Pedro, Lindström, Jan, Hildingsson, Michael, Ahlund, Bengt
• Application Number:
  US10/553,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20060260518A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 108/61
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/005 Partitions therefore horizontally adjustable A47B57/58; constructional details of drawers A47B88/90
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0068 Shelf extensions, e.g. fixed on price rail
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/204 specially adapted to be attached to a shelf or the like

Abstract

A system for fixing accessories, such as shelf dividers, feed devices, holders for information carriers etc. to a shelf, to which self a number of accessories may be fixed detachably in various different positions along the length of the shelf. The system includes at least one accessory provided with a foot, and a clamping device, which includes a channel element, extending in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the shelf and presenting an open longitudinal side for forming an open channel, a actuable holding member, extending along the channel element for holding at least one foot in the channel and a control member for transferring the holding member between a holding position, in which the foot is held in a fixation position in the channel and a release position at which the foot is freed.

Claims

1. A system for fixing accessories, such as shelf dividers, feed devices, holders for information carriers, etc. a shelf, to which shelf a number of accessories can be fixed detachably in various positions along the length of the shelf, comprising at least one accessory having a foot and a clamping device, which latter comprises a channel element extending parallel with the longitudinal direction of the shelf and having an open longitudinal side for forming an open channel, an actuable holding member, extending along the channel element, for holding at least one foot in the channel, and a control member for transferring the holding member between a holding position, in which the foot is held in a fixation position in the channel, and a release position, in which the foot is freed, wherein an elastic member which allows the foot to be guided into and/or out from its fixation position in the channel even when the holding member is in its holding position.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, in which the holding member is configured to prevent displacement of the foot in the longitudinal direction of the channel when the holding member is in its holding position.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, in which the holding member comprises an elongated member which extends in the longitudinal direction of the channel element and which is disposed in the channel such that it can be rotated or bent about an axis parallel with the longitudinal direction of the channel.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3, in which the elongated element is constituted by a leaf spring constituting the elastic element, which allows the foot to be guided into and/or out from its fixation position in the channel even when the holding member is in its holding position.

5. The system as claimed in claim 3, in which the elongated element has a plurality of tongues, disposed one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the element, which constitute means for preventing displacement of the foot in the longitudinal direction of the channel.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, in which the control member comprises an elongated actuating member, which extends parallel with the longitudinal direction of the channel and which is disposed rotatably, about an axis parallel with the longitudinal direction of the channel, between a passive position and an active position, in which active position the actuating member bears against the holding member and presses this toward its holding position.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, in which the control member comprises a lever for manually transferring the actuating member between its passive and active position.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, in which an elastic member, which allows the foot to be guided into and/or out from its fixation position in the channel even when the holding member is in its holding position, is disposed on the foot of the accessory.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, in which the foot of the accessory has a flange, which, in the mounted position, juts into the channel and extends parallel with the longitudinal direction of the channel.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, in which the foot comprises engagement members, which are disposed on the flange and which interact with corresponding engagement members disposed on the channel element in order to stabilize the accessory.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, in which the engagement members of the foot comprise a bead projecting from the flange, which bead extends parallel with the longitudinal direction of the flange and, in the mounted position, juts into a corresponding groove present in one of the walls of the channel element.

12. The system as claimed in claim 10, in which the engagement members of the foot comprise a groove which is made in the flange, parallel with the longitudinal direction of the flange, and which, in the mounted position, receives a projecting bead disposed on one of the walls of the channel element.

13. The system as claimed in claim 1, in which the channel element has a supporting surface, which, when the channel element is mounted on a shelf, is substantially parallel with the shelf plane and somewhat depressed in relation to the shelf plane, and in which the accessory foot has a supporting part, which is arranged to bear against the supporting surface without jutting up above the shelf plane.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1, in which the channel element is constituted by an elongated molding, which is designed to be fastened to the front edge of the shelf or in a groove formed in the shelf.

15. A clamping device for a system as claimed in claim 1, comprising a channel element having an open longitudinal side for forming a channel, a holding member, extending along the channel element, for holding at least one accessory foot in the channel, and a control member for transferring the holding member between a holding position, in which the foot is held in a fixation position in the channel, and a release position, in which the foot is freed, wherein the holding member comprises an elongated element, which is elastic to allow the accessory to be guided into and/or out from the channel even when the holding member is in its holding position.

16. The clamping device as claimed in claim 15, in which the elongated elastic element is constituted by a leaf spring, which is disposed in the channel such that it can be rotated or bent about an axis extending parallel with the longitudinal direction of the channel.

17. The clamping device as claimed in claim 15, in which the elongated elastic element has a plurality of tongues, disposed one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the element, which prevent displacement of the accessory foot when the holding member is in its holding position.

18. An accessory for a system as claimed claim 1, comprising a foot having a flange, which is designed to jut into an open channel of the system and extends substantially parallel with the longitudinal direction of the shelf, wherein the foot comprises engagement members, which are disposed on the flange and which are configured to interact with corresponding engagement members in the channel in order to stabilize the accessory.

19. The accessory as claimed in claim 18, in which the engagement members of the foot comprise a bead projecting from the flange, which bead extends parallel with the longitudinal direction of the flange and is designed to, in the mounted position, jut into a corresponding groove in one of the walls of the channel.

20. The accessory as claimed in claim 18, in which the engagement members of the foot comprise a groove which is made in the flange, parallel with the longitudinal direction of the flange, and which, in the mounted position, receives a projecting bead disposed on one of the walls of the channel.

21. The accessory as claimed in claim 18, in which the foot comprises a supporting part, which projects substantially perpendicularly from the flange at its upper edge and which is arranged to bear against a supporting surface on the channel element without jutting up above the shelf plane, which supporting surface is substantially parallel with the shelf plane and depressed in relation thereto.

22. The accessory as claimed in claim 18, in which the foot is provided with an elastic member.

23. The accessory as claimed in claim 18, in which the accessory is constituted by a shelf divider comprising a divider wall which is configured to, in the mounted position, jut up from the shelf plane and extend at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the shelf, the foot projecting from one of the edges of the divider wall.

24. The accessory as claimed in claim 18, in which the accessory is constituted by a feed device.

25. A shelf comprising a system as claimed in claim 1.

26. A shelf comprising a clamping device as claimed in claim 15.

27. The shelf as claimed in claim 25, in which the channel element is fastened to the front edge of the shelf.

28. The shelf as claimed in claim 25, in which the channel element is received in a groove formed in the shelf.

29. The shelf as claimed in claim 25, in which the channel element is formed by the shelf.