HORIZONTALLY MOUNTED SHELF ASSEMBLY AND ACCESSORIES THEREFOR

• US 20080053931A1
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Newbould, Peter J., Thompson, Craig, Pihlstrom, Russell G., Bries, James L., Babic, Ivana
• Granted Patent: US 8,596,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 211/88.01
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/067 Horizontal rails as suspension means in a cantilever arrangement suspension fittings for cabinets to be hung on walls A47B95/008
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 1/175 Stretch releasing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 1/09 Holders for drinking glasses, tooth brushes, hair brushes, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2201/02 Connections to a wall mounted support

Abstract

A horizontally mounted shelf assembly includes an elongated support rail, at least one accessory slidaby connected with the support rail, and at least one stretch releasing adhesive strip arranged between the support rail and the wall for securing the shelf assembly to the wall. Each accessory may also be separately mounted on the wall using stretch releasing adhesive strips.

Claims

1. A horizontally wall mountable shelf assembly, comprising:

(a) an elongated support rail;

(b) at least one accessory transversely movably connected with the support rail; and

(c) at least one stretch releasing adhesive strip arranged between the support rail and the wall for securing the shelf assembly to the wall.

2. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the elongated support rail includes a body portion and a pair of leg portions extending at an angle from the ends of the body portion, thereby to space the body portion from the wall when the shelf assembly is mounted on the wall.

3. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the elongated support rail includes back plate portions at the ends of the leg portions, the back plate portions having generally planar surfaces opposite the leg portions and further wherein the at least one stretch releasing adhesive is arranged on the back plate planar surfaces.

4. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the back plate portions are pivotally connected with the leg portions.

5. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the accessory includes a front retaining wall portion, a shoulder portion, and a rear retaining wall portion arranged to define an elongated mounting channel for mounting sliding engagement with the support rail.

6. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the distance between the front retaining wall portion and the rear retaining wall portion increases in the direction away from the shoulder portion.

7. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the end of the rear retaining wall portion is arranged adjacent the front retaining wall portion, and the front and rear retaining wall portions form a snap fit with the support rail.

8. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the accessory is a unitary hook including a bottom portion extending outwardly from the front retaining wall portion.

9. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the accessory is a unitary shelf structure configured to hold a single container of liquid, the shelf structure including a bottom wall portion extending outwardly from the front retaining wall portion.

10. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the accessory is a unitary tray including a support portion extending outwardly from the front retaining wall portion configured to hold a bar of soap.

11. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the accessory is a unitary hook including a pair of spaced raised regions defining a recessed region there between configured to hold a conventional razor.

12. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the accessory is a unitary toothbrush holder including spaced top and bottom shelf portions extending outwardly from the front retaining wall portion, the top shelf portion containing at least one opening for receiving the handle of a toothbrush.

13. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the stretch releasing adhesive strip is a double-sided adhesive strip including a non-adhesive pull tab at one end, and wherein when the support rail is mounted horizontally on a vertical wall surface, the non-adhesive pull tab extends outwardly beyond the end of the back plate portions, whereby the non-adhesive pull tab is accessible to a user wishing to stretch remove the adhesive strip from the wall surface.

14. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 13, further comprising a cover plate removably connected with the back plate portions, whereby when the cover plate is connected with the back plate portions, the cover plate serves to conceal the non-adhesive pull tab portion of the stretch releasing adhesive strip.

15. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the support rail and accessory are formed of an injected molded synthetic plastic material.

16. An accessory to be adhesively mounted on a wall surface using a stretch releasing adhesive strip including a non-adhesive pull tab, the accessory comprising a front retaining wall portion, a shoulder portion, and a rear retaining wall portion arranged to define an elongated channel between the front retaining wall portion and the rear retaining wall portion.

17. An accessory as defined in claim 16, wherein the front retaining wall portion extends in overlapping relation with both the rear wall retaining portion and the non-adhesive pull tab of the stretch releasing adhesive strip, thereby to conceal the non-adhesive pull tab when the accessory is mounted on a wall surface.