Convertible shelving unit

• US 6,679,189 B1
• Filed: 01/23/2002
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William F. Henningfeld
• Original Assignee: William F. Henningfeld
• Inventors: Henningfeld, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US10/054,780
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 108/1, 108/106, 108/107, 108/13, 108/17, 211/42, 211/43, 211/150, 211/2
• US Class Current: 108/106
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/05 with panels on a separate frame, e.g. a metal frame
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/04 with means for adjusting the inclination of the shelves

Abstract

A convertible shelving unit with adjustable shelves includes an adaptable shelving system which allows a user to arrange the shelving into horizontal and cradling positions.

Claims

1. A convertible shelving unit having adaptable shelves;

said shelving unit comprising a frame including two sidewalls, each shelf including two wall parts, each of said wall parts having first and second end edges, said first wall part being joined at its said first edge to said first end edge of second wall part forming with said wall part a general right angle to each other, each of said frame sidewalls carrying laterally spaced retainers, each retainer being locatable at selected vertically spaced locations along the supporting sidewalls, each shelf having a first operative position with said first wall part resting upon said retainers to locate said wall part in a horizontally supportive position between said frame side walls, each shelf having another operative position with said first wall part and said second wall part resting upon said retainers to locate said wall parts in a cradle supportive position.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said second wall part of each shelf includes a catch part at its said second end edge, said catch overlying said retainers when said shelf is in said other position.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said retainers at each side wall are off set vertically and said shelf in its other operative position resting upon said offset retainers with its said first wall part being supported by the uppermost off set retainer and its said second wall part being supported by the lowermost offset retainer.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said frame includes a bottom wall, said sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom wall, and a removable back wall extending between said sidewalls.

5. The assembly of claim 1 and wheels supporting said frame.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each said shelf is inverted when in its said another operative position in relation to its said first operative position.

7. A convertible shelving unit having adaptable shelves, said shelving unit comprising a frame including two sidewalls, each shelf including two wall parts, each of said wall parts having first and second end edges, said first wall part being joined at its said first edge to said first end edge of second wall part forming with said wall part a general right angle to each other, said second wall part of each shelf including a catch part at its said second end edge, each of said frame sidewalls carrying laterally spaced retainers, each retainer being selectively locatable at a plurality of vertically spaced locations along the supporting sidewalls, each shelf having three positions carried by said retainers including:

a first position in which said retainers are horizontally aligned, said first wall part carried horizontally by said retainers;

a second position in which said retainers are horizontally aligned, said shelf supportively positioned inverted from said first position, said first and second wall parts carried by said retainers to position said shelf in a cradle supportive position, said catch overlying one of said retainers; and

a third position in which said retainers at each side wall are off set vertically, said shelf supportively positioned, its said first wall part supported by each uppermost retainer, its said second wall part supported by each lowermost retainer, said catch overlying said lowermost offset retainer.