Vertically mounted shelf assembly and accessories therefor

• US 7,931,160 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Newbouild, Peter J., Pihlstrom, Russell G., Bries, James L., Stickrod, Jon E., Cirulli, Pasquale, Thompson, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Jayne; Darnell M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Krycinski; Stanton L
• Application Number:
  US11/849,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20080053935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 211/90.2, 211/87.01, 211/90.01, 211/90.04, 211/95, 211/103, 211/107, 211/119.003, 211/119.009, 211/189, 211/190, 211/175, 211/207, 211/208, 211/113, 211/126.5, 211/126.1, 248/121, 248/242, 248/243, D65/31, D65/49, 108/1, 108/2, 108/4, 108/5, 108/6, 108/8
• US Class Current: 211/90.02
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/08 consisting of grooved or notched ledges, uprights or side walls A47B57/265 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 73/00 Bottle cupboards; Bottle racks
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/1408 regularly perforated
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 1/09 Holders for drinking glasses, tooth brushes, hair brushes, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/281 Accessories for showers or bathing douches, e.g. cleaning devices for walls or floors of showers A47K3/30, A47K3/38, A47K3/40 take precedence

Abstract

A wall mountable shelf assembly includes an elongated support rail, at least one accessory slidably connected with the support rail, and at least one stretch releasing adhesive strip arranged between the support rail and the wall for securing the shelf assembly to the wall.

Claims

1. A vertically mounted shelf assembly, comprising:

(a) an elongated support rail;

(b) at least one accessory movably connected with the support rail; and

(c) at least one stretch releasing adhesive strip arranged between the support rail and a wall for securing the shelf assembly to the wall;

wherein the stretch releasing adhesive strip is a double-sided adhesive strip including a non-adhesive pull tab at one end, and when the support rail is mounted vertically on a wall surface, the non-adhesive pull tab extends outwardly beyond the top of the support rail; and

further comprising a cover plate removably connected with the top of the support rail, whereby when the cover plate is connected with the support rail, the cover plate conceals the non-adhesive pull tab portion of the stretch releasing adhesive strip.

2. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the accessory is rotatably connected with the support rail such that the accessory is rotatable in a plane parallel with a front face of the support rail.

3. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the accessory is a unitary shelf structure configured to hold a single container of liquid, the shelf structure including a bottom wall portion, a back wall portion, and a foot portion.

4. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein the foot portion of the shelf structure contains an opening sized to receive a cap of the single container of liquid.

5. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein the bottom wall portion defines a first end at an intersection with the foot portion and a second end opposite the first end, and further wherein when the support rail is vertically oriented, the bottom wall portion is arranged at an angle with respect to the support rail in which the second end is spatially above the first end.

6. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the accessory is a caddy configured to hold a plurality of containers, the caddy including a bottom wall portion, a front wall portion, a rear wall portion, and a pair of opposed side wall portions.

7. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the accessory is a tray configured to hold a bar of soap.

8. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the accessory is a tray configured to hold a single bottle of liquid and the tray has a front wall including recessed regions configured to hold a conventional razor.

9. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, further comprising a second stretch releasing adhesive strip including a non-adhesive pull tab at one end and arranged between a bottom of the support rail and the wall surface, wherein the non-adhesive pull tab portion of the second stretch releasing adhesive strip extends outwardly below the bottom of the support rail.

10. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 9, further comprising a second cover plate removably connected with the bottom of the support rail, whereby when the second cover plate is connected with the support rail, the second cover plate conceals the non-adhesive pull tab portion of the second stretch releasing adhesive strip.

11. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the support rail and accessory are formed of an injected molded synthetic plastic material.

12. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one accessory includes:

a first accessory provided as a unitary shelf structure configured to hold a single container of a liquid;

a second accessory provided as a caddy configured to hold a plurality of containers; and

a third accessory provided as a tray configured to hold a bar of soap;

wherein the first, second, and third accessories differ from one another in terms of shape and size.

13. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the stretch releasing adhesive strip includes an adhesive surface directly in contact with the support rail.

14. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the stretch releasing adhesive strip is moisture resistant such that the stretch releasing adhesive strip maintains a holding power in the presence of water.