Shelving system

• US 5,406,894 A
• Filed: 11/04/1993
• Issued: 04/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Wolters, Gregory T., Kane, Edmund J., Herrmann, Robert S., Gilbert, Donald C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US08/147,827
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 108/108, 108/107, 108/157, 248/250, 248/243, 248/467, 248/205.3, 248/221.3, 248/221.4, 248/220.2
• 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 panel;

a shelf support bracket having a support surface receiving and supporting said shelf panel, said support surface having a fastening aperture facing said shelf panel; and

a spring clip fixed to said shelf panel, said spring clip having a stiff, flexibly resilient member projecting toward said support bracket, extending into said fastening aperture, and releasably snap-fastening said shelf panel and said support bracket together.

2. The shelf assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said member of said spring clip has a catch, said fastening aperture has a cooperating lip, and said catch engages said lip.

3. The shelf assembly defined in claim 2 wherein said spring clip is a generally U-shaped member having a pair of said members extending in the same general direction from opposing ends of a bight portion, said spring clip being fixed to said shelf panel at said bight portion.

4. The shelf assembly defined in claim 3 wherein said shelf panel is glass, said spring clip is a metal member, and said spring clip is bonded to said glass shelf panel.

5. The shelf assembly defined in claim 3 wherein said shelf panel has two opposing ends and wherein one of said shelf support brackets is located near each said opposing end of said shelf panel.

6. The shelf assembly defined in claim 5 wherein:

each said support bracket is an elongated member that extends along and abuts a surface of said shelf panel;

said support brackets are generally parallel to each other;

a pair of said fastening apertures is located in said support surface of each of said support brackets; and

one of said spring clips aligns with and engages each said fastening aperture.

7. The shelf assembly defined in claim 3 wherein said support bracket is an elongated member that extends along and abuts a surface of said shelf panel, said support bracket has a first end and an opposing second end, said support bracket has an open sided channel member near said first end, and wherein said shelf panel has an edge positioned in said channel member.

8. The shelf assembly defined in claim 7 wherein said channel member has two flange portions extending in the same general direction from opposing edges of a web portion and a first of said two flange portions is connected with said support bracket.

9. A shelf assembly comprising:

a shelf panel;

a shelf support bracket having a support surface receiving and supporting said shelf panel and having a fastening aperture, said support bracket being an elongated member that extends along and abuts a surface of said shelf panel, said support bracket having a first end and an opposing second end, said support bracket also having an open sided channel member near said first end, said channel member having 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, opposite said support bracket, said support bracket having an anchor stud adjacent said support surface and projecting away from said shelf panel, said first flange portion of said channel member having a corresponding anchor aperture adapted for slip fit engagement with said anchor stud, said shelf panel having a rear edge positioned in said channel member; and

a generally U-shaped spring clip connected with said shelf panel, said spring clip having a pair of stiff, flexibly resilient, and elongated members projecting toward said support bracket for latching engagement with said fastening aperture to fasten said shelf panel and said support bracket together, said elongated members extending in the same general direction from opposing ends of a bight portion, said spring clip being connected with said shelf panel at said bight portion, each said elongated member having a projecting portion forming a catch for latching engagement with said fastening aperture, said fastening aperture having a lip for latching engagement with said catch.

10. The shelf assembly defined in claim 9 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.

11. The shelf assembly defined in claim 10 wherein said fastening aperture is located in said support surface of said support bracket and wherein said spring clip projects from said shelf panel and aligns with and engages said fastening aperture.

12. A shelf assembly comprising:

a support bracket having a support surface, having an open sided channel member near a first end, and having a fastening aperture spaced from said channel member;

a shelf panel supported on said support surface, said shelf panel having a rear edge, said rear edge being positioned in said channel member; and

a fastening member connected with said shelf panel, said fastening member engaging said fastening aperture and fastening said support bracket and said shelf panel together.

13. The shelf assembly defined in claim 12 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.

14. The shelf assembly defined in claim 13 wherein said fastening member is a stiff, flexibly resilient member projecting toward said support bracket.

15. The shelf assembly defined in claim 14 wherein said fastening member has a catch, said fastening aperture has a cooperating lip, and said catch engages said lip.

16. The shelf assembly defined in claim 13 wherein said fastening member has a shaft portion and has a resilient, compressible bushing circumscribing said shaft portion and wherein said fastening aperture is generally figure eight shaped and is adapted for sliding engagement with said fastening member.

17. The shelf assembly defined in claim 16 wherein said fastening aperture:

has a first portion, sized for slip fit engagement with said fastening member;

has a second portion, sized smaller than the outer dimension of said bushing;

has a throat portion, said throat portion extending between said first and second portions and being sized smaller than said second portion; and

is oriented so that said first portion is away from said channel member.

18. The shelf assembly defined in claim 17 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.

19. The shelf assembly defined in claim 18 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 has a corresponding anchor aperture adapted for slip fit engagement with said anchor stud.

20. The shelf assembly defined in claim 18 wherein:

said shelf panel has two opposing ends;

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

each said support bracket is an elongated member; and

said support brackets are generally parallel to each other.

21. The shelf assembly defined in claim 18 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 has a corresponding anchor aperture adapted for slip fit engagement with said anchor stud.

22. A shelf assembly comprising:

a support bracket having a support surface for receiving and supporting a shelf panel, having an open sided channel member near a first end, and having a fastening aperture;

a shelf panel supported on said support surface, said shelf panel having a rear edge, said rear edge being positioned in said channel member, said channel member having 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, opposite said support bracket; and

a fastening member connected with said shelf panel, said fastening member being a stiff, flexibly resilient, and elongated member projecting toward said support bracket, said fastening member also being a generally U-shaped spring clip having a pair of said elongated members extending in the same general direction from opposing ends of a bight portion, said spring clip being connected with said shelf panel at said bight portion, said fastening member also having a projecting portion forming a catch for latching engagement with said fastening aperture, said fastening aperture having a lip for latching engagement with said catch, said fastening member being received in said fastening aperture and fastening said support bracket and said shelf panel together.

23. The shelf assembly defined in claim 22 wherein said shelf panel has two opposing ends and wherein one of said shelf support brackets is located near each said opposing end of said shelf panel.

24. The shelf assembly defined in claim 23 wherein:

each said support bracket is an elongated member that extends along and abuts a surface of said shelf panel;

said support brackets are generally parallel to each other;

a pair of said fastening apertures is located in said support surface of each said support bracket; and

one of said spring clips aligns with and engages each said fastening aperture.