Shelf with movable barrier

• US 6,390,310 B1
• Filed: 08/03/1999
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated
• Inventors: Insalaco, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDERSON, GERALD A
• Application Number:
  US09/366,157
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 312/137, 312/139.1, 312/140.4, 312/323, 312/249.12, 312/249.13, 211/90.03, 211/106, 211/119.003, 211/181.1, 211/183, 211/184, 211/134, 108/27, 108/55, 543/0
• US Class Current: 211/134
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/02 Shelves movable shelves coupled to doors A47B96/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0087 movable around an axis
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/132 Adjustable partition panels for displaying articles
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/137 having wheels

Abstract

This invention is directed to a shelf assembly having a shelf, a mounting block and a barrier member. The shelf has a first edge. The mounting block is attached to the first edge. A barrier member is adapted to be attached to the mounting block. The barrier member is capable of being oriented in at least two positions with respect to the shelf. The two positions include an article retaining position and an article access position.

Claims

1. A shelf assembly comprising:

a shelf having a first edge;

a mounting block attached to the first edge of the shelf, the mounting block having a shoulder portion that extends over the first edge; and

a barrier member adapted to be attached to the mounting block, the barrier member capable of being oriented in at least two positions with respect to the shelf, the positions including an article retaining position and an article access position, the barrier member including a securement portion capable of engaging the shoulder when the barrier member is in the article retaining position.

2. The shelf assembly of claim 1 wherein the barrier member comprises an elongated rod formed into a rectangular shape and a plurality of spaced apart rods extending between a lower portion of the barrier member and an upper portion of the barrier member.

3. The shelf assembly of claim 2 wherein the barrier member is formed from rods having two different diameters.

4. The shelf assembly of claim 2 wherein the barrier member further comprises an engagement member adapted to be movably secured to the mounting block.

5. The shelf assembly of claim 4 wherein the mounting block includes a channel adapted to receive a portion of the engagement member.

6. The shelf assembly of claim 5 wherein the mounting block includes an inverted J-shaped portion extending over the first edge of the shelf.

7. The shelf assembly of claim 6 wherein the engagement member includes a U-shaped portion capable of extending over the J-shaped portion of the mounting block.

8. The shelf assembly of claim 7 wherein the first edge comprises two spaced apart rods extending in parallel to one another and connected by a plurality of traversely extending rods.

9. The shelf assembly of claim 8 wherein the mounting block includes a portion extending between the two spaced apart rods.

10. The shelf assembly of claim 9 further comprising a locking element extending between the two spaced rods and into an aperture within the mounting block.

11. The shelf assembly of claim 10 wherein the channel angles upward from a lower portion of the mounting block towards the first edge of the shelf and an upper portion of the mounting block.

12. A shelf assembly comprising:

a shelf having a first edge;

a first mounting block attached to the shelf, the first mounting block including a channel, the mounting block having a shoulder portion that extends over the first edge; and

a barrier member having a first engagement member, the engagement member adapted to be pivotably attached within the channel of the first mounting block the barrier member including a securement portion capable of engaging the shoulder when the barrier member is in the artic retaining position.

13. The shelf assembly of claim 12 wherein the channel angles upward from a lower portion of the first mounting block towards the first edge of the shelf and an upper portion of the first mounting block.

14. The shelf assembly of claim 13 further comprising a second mounting block and the barrier member further comprising a second engagement member.

15. The shelf assembly of claim 14 wherein the barrier member is formed from rods having two different diameters.

16. The shelf assembly of claim 14 wherein the first and second mounting blocks have first and second shoulder portions that extends over the first edge of the shelf.

17. The shelf assembly of claim 16 wherein the first and second engagement members have first and second U-shaped portions capable of being secured to the first and second shoulder portions, respectively.

18. The shelf assembly of claim 17 wherein the first edge comprises two spaced apart rods extending in parallel to one another and connected by a plurality of traversely extending rods.

19. The shelf assembly of claim 18 wherein the first and second mounting blocks include a portion extending between the two spaced apart rods.

20. The shelf assembly of claim 19 further comprising first and second locking elements extending between the two spaced rods and into apertures within the first and second mounting blocks.