Shelving system

• US 6,976,598 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2003
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zackary Engel
• Original Assignee: Zackary Engel
• Inventors: Engel, Zackary
• Primary Examiner(s): NOVOSAD, JENNIFER ELEANORE
• Application Number:
  US10/371,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20030189021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 211/187, 211/175, 211/151, 211/90.02, 211/209, 211/207, 108/107, 108/108, 248/241, 248/244
• US Class Current: 211/187
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 46/005 by displacement in a vertical plane; by rotating about a horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 51/00 Cabinets with means for moving compartments up and down for cabinets with parts rotating about a horizontal axis A47B46/005; for show or display A47F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/06 with means for adjusting the height of the shelves A47B57/04, A47B57/30 take precedence

Abstract

The present disclosure provides enhanced storage systems that facilitate efficient storage of, and access to, a variety of items and products. Exemplary systems according to the present disclosure include Mechanisms that permit reliable and efficient repositioning of one or more shelves, thereby enhancing utilization and efficiencies associated therewith. Shelving systems facilitate synchronized vertical motion of shelving units, e.g., based on coordinated pulley/cable systems, and advantageously include spring designs that facilitate controlled vertical motion of shelving units, e.g., based on fluid movement and/or discharge from the spring design. Shelves and/or shelving units may be readily repositioned at elbow or eye level, and repositioned at their respective initial positions in an efficient and advantageous manner. The shelving systems may be original manufacture units or may be designed for use in retrofitting existing shelving systems.

Claims

1. A shelving system comprising:

(a) a first upright support and a second upright support positioned in a spaced side-by-side relation;

(b) a first shelf support member movably mounted with respect to said first and second upright supports, said first shelf support member being horizontally slidable and vertically translatable with respect to said first and second upright supports;

(c) a second shelf support member movably mounted with respect to said first and second upright supports, said second shelf support member being vertically translatable with respect to said first and second shelf support members;

(d) first shelves supported by said first shelf support member; and

(e) second shelves supported by said second shelf support member;

(f) first and second spring members mounted with respect to said first and second upright support members, respectively;

wherein said first shelf support member is adapted to be horizontally slidable such that said first shelves move out of a vertically stacked orientation with respect to said second shelves;

wherein movement of said first shelves along a vertical axis is automatically translated to an opposite movement of said second shelves along said vertical axis; and

wherein said first and second spring members include at least three spring segments separated by interpositioned box elements, and wherein said spring segments include an inner spring structure and an outer sleeve element that is adapted to control the rate of air passage therethrough.

2. A shelving system according to claim 1, wherein said first shelves and second shelves are selected from the group consisting of shelving members, hanging rods, drawers, bins and combinations thereof.

3. A shelving system according to claim 1, further comprising first and second pairs of pulleys mounted with respect to said first and second upright supports, and cables cooperating with said first and second pairs of pulleys;

wherein said pairs of pulleys and cables automatically translate vertical motion between said first shelves and said second shelves.

4. A shelving system according to claim 1, wherein said second shelf support member is horizontally slidable with respect to said first and second upright supports.

5. A shelving system according to claim 1, wherein said outer sleeve element is fabricated from a material that exhibits sufficient resilience to shrink and extend as said first and second shelves vertically translate with respect to the first and second upright supports.

6. A shelving system according to claim 1, wherein said first shelf support member includes a pair of wheels that facilitate horizontal movement of said first shelf support member with respect to said first and second upright supports, and wherein said box elements are configured and dimensioned to receive said wheels in connection with said horizontal movement.

7. A shelving system according to claim 6, wherein said box elements include structure for detachably locking said wheels therewithin.

8. A shelving system comprising:

(a) at least two upright supports;

(b) a first slide mechanism adapted for horizontal and vertical motion relative to at least one of said at least two upright supports, said first slide mechanism associated with at least one shelf; and

(c) a second slide mechanism adapted for horizontal and vertical motion relative to at least one of said at least two upright supports, said second slide mechanism associated with at least one shelf;

wherein said first and second slide mechanisms permit said shelves to be repeatedly repositioned relative to each other in a clockwise or counterclockwise rotational manner.

9. A shelving system according to claim 8, wherein said first slide mechanism is movably mounted relative to a first of said at least two upright supports, and said second slide mechanism is movably mounted relative to a second of said at least two upright supports.

10. A shelving system according to claim 9, wherein said shelves are supported in a cantilevered fashion relative to said first and second slide mechanisms.

11. A shelving system according to claim 8, wherein each of said first and second slide mechanisms includes a sliding frame and one or more telescopic members.

12. A shelving system according to claim 8, wherein said clockwise or counterclockwise rotational movement of said shelves is based on the following repeatable sequence of movements:

sliding horizontally outward relative to said upright supports;

moving vertically in a first direction relative to said upright supports;

sliding horizontally inward relative to said upright supports; and

moving vertically in a second direction opposite to said first direction.

13. A shelving system according to claim 8, wherein each of said first and second slide mechanisms is associated with a plurality of shelves.

14. A shelving system according to claim 8, wherein each of said shelves is selected from the group consisting of shelving members, hanging rods, drawers, bins and combinations thereof.

15. A shelving system according to claim 8, wherein said first slide mechanism includes a first sliding frame and one or more telescopic members movably mounted with respect to a first upright support, and a second sliding frame and one or more telescopic members movably mounted with respect to a second upright support, and said second slide mechanism includes a first sliding frame and one or more telescopic members movably mounted with respect to said first upright support, and a second sliding frame and one or more telescopic members movably mounted with respect to said second upright support.

16. A shelving system according to claim 8, further comprising at least one pulley system that translates motion between said first slide mechanism and said second slide mechanism.

17. A shelving system comprising:

(a) at least two upright supports;

(b) at least one slide mechanism movably mounted with respect to said upright supports;

said at least one slide mechanism being adapted for both horizontal and vertical motion relative to said upright supports; and

(c) a spring system positioned within at least one of said upright supports for dampening movement of said slide mechanism, said spring system including a plurality of spring segments and at least one box element positioned between adjacent spring segments for receiving and vertically translating said at least one slide mechanism relative to said upright supports.

18. A shelving system according to claim 17, wherein said spring system is positioned within a channel formed in said upright support.

19. A shelving system according to claim 17, wherein each of said plurality of spring segments includes an internal spring structure and an outer sleeve structure.

20. A shelving system according to claim 17, wherein said outer sleeve structure is fabricated from a resilient flexible material.

21. A shelving system according to claim 17, wherein said outer sleeve structure possesses an undulating, baffled or accordion configuration.

22. A shelving system according to claim 17, wherein said spring system exerts a spring force on said slide mechanism, and wherein said spring force is related to the degree to which fluid passes through said outer sleeve structure.

23. A shelving system according to claim 17, wherein said slide mechanism includes a wheel element, and wherein said at least one box element is configured and dimensioned to receive said wheel element.

24. A shelving system according to claim 23, wherein said at least one box element is structured to guide said wheel into alignment with a wheel-receiving portion of said box element.

25. A method for repositioning a first shelf relative to a second shelf, comprising:

(a) providing at least two upright supports with the first shelf and the second shelf in an initial position with the first shelf positioned above the second shelf;

(b) moving the first shelf outward relative to the at least two upright supports such that the first shelf can move downward past the second shelf;

(c) moving the first shelf downward relative to the second shelf such that the first shelf assumes a position below the second shelf;

(d) moving the first shelf inward relative to the at least two upright supports;

(e) moving the second shelf outward relative to the at least two upright supports such that the second shelf can move downward past the first shelf; and

(f) moving the second shelf downward relative to the first shelf such that the second shelf assumes a position below the first shelf.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

(g) moving the second shelf inward relative to the at least two upright supports.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the first and second shelves are supported by slide mechanisms that are adapted for horizontal and vertical motion relative to said at least two upright supports.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein a spring system is positioned within at least one of said upright support members to dampen movement of said slide mechanisms.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the spring system includes a plurality of spring segments and at least one box element positioned between adjacent spring segments for receiving and vertically translating one of said slide mechanisms.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein each of said first and second shelves constitute a plurality of individual shelving units.

31. A method for repositioning a first shelf relative to a second shelf, comprising:

(a) providing at least two upright supports with the first shelf and the second shelf in an initial position with the first shelf positioned below the second shelf;

(b) moving the first shelf outward relative to the at least two upright supports such that the first shelf can move upward past the second shelf;

(c) moving the first shelf upward relative to the second shelf such that the first shelf assumes a position above the second shelf;

(d) moving the first shelf inward relative to the at least two upright supports;

(e) moving the second shelf outward relative to the at least two upright supports such that the second shelf can move upward past the first shelf; and

(f) moving the second shelf upward relative to the first shelf such that the second shelf assumes a position below the first shelf.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

(g) moving the second shelf inward relative to the at least two upright supports.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the first and second shelves are supported by slide mechanisms that are adapted for horizontal and vertical motion relative to said at least two upright supports.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein a spring system is positioned within at least one of said upright support members to dampen movement of said slide mechanisms.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the spring system includes a plurality of spring and at least one box element positioned between adjacent spring segments for receiving and vertically translating one of said slide mechanisms.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein each of said first and second shelves constitute a plurality of individual shelving units.