Bracket and shelf

• US 5,297,486 A
• Filed: 08/14/1991
• Issued: 03/29/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wolters, Gregory T., Kane, Edmund J., Herrmann, Robert S., Gilbert, Donald C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US07/744,938
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 108/108, 108/157, 248/250, 248/222.4, 248/243, 248/467, 248/205.3
• US Class Current: 108/108
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/028 characterised by support bracket location means, e.g. fixing means between support bracket and shelf
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/062 for glass shelves
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/067 Supporting elements
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/02 by shelves

Abstract

A shelf assembly has a shelf support bracket and a shelf panel supported by the bracket. A fastening stud projects from the shelf panel into a figure eight shaped aperture in the support bracket. The fastening stud slides relative to the fastening aperture and has a resilient, compressible bushing for latching engagement with the fastening aperture. In one embodiment, the rear edge of the shelf panel is positioned in an open sided channel member of the support bracket. In another embodiment, a spring clip is substituted for the fastening stud and projects from the shelf panel into a fastening aperture in the support bracket, the fastening aperture having a lip for latching engagement with the spring clip.

Claims

1. A shelf assembly comprising:

a shelf support bracket having a support surface to receive and support a shelf panel;

a shelf panel abutting said support surface and supported by said support bracket;

a fastening stud projecting from one of said support bracket and said shelf panel toward the other of said support bracket and said shelf panel, said other of said support bracket and said shelf panel having a corresponding fastening aperture defined therein, said fastening aperture being generally figure eight shaped with a large portion adapted to receive said fastening stud, with a small portion adapted to receive said fastening stud from said large portion and to release said fastening stud to said large portion, and with a throat extending between and interconnecting said large portion and said small portion; and

a resilient, compressible bushing circumscribing said fastening stud, said bushing being sized to compress between said fastening stud and said fastening aperture when in said small portion, whereby said shelf panel is securely fastened to said support bracket, said throat having smoothly curved, opposing convex surfaces facilitating compression of said bushing as said stud and bushing are slid from said large portion, through said throat, to said small portion, said opposing convex surfaces defining a pair of opposed shoulders between said throat and said small portion to resist withdrawal of said fastening stud with said bushing, from said small portion.

2. The shelf assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said shelf panel is glass, said fastening stud is a metal member, and said fastening stud is bonded to said glass shelf panel.

3. The shelf assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said fastening stud is generally cylindrical with a shaft extending to a head.

4. The shelf assembly defined in claim 3 wherein said head is generally circular, defines a lip which circumscribes said shaft, is sized for slip fit through said large portion of said fastening aperture, and is sized larger than said small portion of said fastening aperture.

5. The shelf assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said fastening aperture is located in said support surface of said support bracket and wherein said fastening stud projects from said shelf panel and aligns with and engages said fastening aperture.

6. The shelf assembly defined in claim 5 wherein:

said fastening aperture is a first fastening aperture and is positioned near a first end of said support bracket;

a second of said fastening apertures is located in said support surface and is spaced from said first fastening aperture along said support surface; and

one of said fastening studs projects from said shelf panel and aligns with and engages each said fastening aperture.

7. The shelf assembly defined in claim 6 wherein:

said shelf panel has two opposing ends;

one of said shelf support brackets is located near each said end;

each said support bracket is an elongated member; and

said support brackets are generally parallel to each other.

8. The shelf assembly defined in claim 7 wherein each said support bracket has a second end opposite said first end and said second end is adapted to releasably connect with a generally vertical wall surface.

9. The shelf assembly defined in claim 1 wherein:

said support bracket is an elongated member with an open sided channel member near a first end;

said shelf panel has a rear edge positioned in said channel member; and

said fastening aperture is oriented so that said first portion is away from said first end of said support bracket.

10. The shelf assembly defined in claim 9 wherein said channel member has two flange portions extending in the same general direction from opposing edges of a web portion, a first of said two flange portions being connected with said support bracket and the second of said two flange portions being adjacent said shelf panel, and spaced from said support bracket.

11. The shelf assembly defined in claim 10 wherein said support bracket has an anchor stud adjacent said support surface and projecting away from said shelf panel and wherein said first flange portion of said channel member has a corresponding anchor aperture adapted for slip fit engagement with said anchor stud.

12. The shelf assembly defined in claim 11 wherein;

said shelf panel has two opposing ends;

said support bracket is an elongated member;

one of said support brackets is located near each said opposing end of said shelf panel; and

said support brackets are generally parallel to each other.

13. The shelf assembly defined in claim 12 wherein said fastening aperture is located in said support surface of said support bracket and wherein said fastening stud projects from said shelf panel and aligns with and engages said fastening aperture.

14. The shelf assembly defined in claim 13 wherein each said support bracket is adapted for releasable engagement with a generally vertical wall surface.

15. The shelf assembly defined in claim 13 wherein said shelf panel is glass, said fastening stud is a metal member, and said fastening stud is bonded to said glass shelf panel.

16. A panel assembly comprising:

a support bracket adapted to support a panel next to a generally vertical surface;

a panel supported by said support bracket;

a fastening stud projecting from one of said support bracket and said panel toward the other of said support bracket and said panel, said other of said support bracket and said panel having a corresponding fastening aperture defined therein, said fastening aperture being generally figure eight shaped with a large portion adapted to receive said fastening stud, with a small portion adapted to receive said fastening stud from said large portion and to release said fastening stud to said large portion, and with a throat extending between and interconnecting said large portion and said small portion; and

a resilient, compressible bushing circumscribing said fastening stud, said bushing being sized to compress between said fastening stud and said fastening aperture when in said small portion, whereby said panel is securely fastened to said support bracket, said throat having smoothly curved, opposing convex surfaces facilitating compression of said bushing as said stud and bushing are slid from said large portion, through said throat, to said small portion, said opposing convex surfaces defining a pair of opposed shoulders between said throat and said small portion to resist withdrawal of said fastening stud with said bushing, from said small portion.

17. The assembly defined in claim 16 wherein said panel is glass, said fastening stud is a metal member, and said fastening stud is bonded to said glass panel.

18. The assembly defined in claim 16 wherein said fastening stud is generally cylindrical with a shaft extending to a head.

19. The assembly defined in claim 18 wherein said head is generally circular, defines a lip which circumscribes said shaft, is sized for slip fit through said large portion of said fastening aperture, and is sized larger than said small portion of said fastening aperture.

20. The assembly defined in claim 16 wherein said fastening aperture is located in a support surface of said support bracket and wherein said fastening stud projects from said panel and aligns with and engages said fastening aperture.

21. The assembly defined in claim 20 wherein:

said fastening aperture is a first fastening aperture and is positioned near a first end of said support bracket;

a second of said fastening apertures is located in said support surface and is spaced from said first fastening aperture along said support surface; and

one of said fastening studs projects from said panel and aligns with and engages each said fastening aperture.

22. The assembly defined in claim 21 wherein:

said panel has two opposing edges;

one of said support brackets is located near each said edge;

each said support bracket is an elongated member; and

said support brackets are generally parallel to each other.

23. The assembly defined in claim 22 wherein each said support bracket has a second end opposite said first end and said second end is adapted to releasably connect with the generally vertical wall surface.

24. The assembly defined in claim 22 wherein each said support bracket has a second side opposite said support surface, said second side being adapted to connect with the generally vertical wall surface.