Shelving systems and components therefor

• US 8,424,466 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2008
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kirk J. Botkin
• Original Assignee: Kirk J. Botkin
• Inventors: Botkin, Kirk J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V
• Application Number:
  US12/525,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20100000449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,909 Days
• Field of Search: 108/42, 108/44, 108/47, 108/108, 108/106, 108/152, 108/110, 211/187, 248/243, 248/235, 248/245, 248/244, 248/250, 248/246
• US Class Current: 108/42
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/545 clamped in discrete positions, e.g. on tubes with grooves or holes shelf supports being cantilever brackets A47B57/562
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/06 Brackets or similar supporting means for cabinets, racks or shelves A47B96/022 takes precedence; aspects of adjusting height or inclination A47B57/00 ; brackets for the display of articles A47F5/08
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/067 Horizontal rails as suspension means in a cantilever arrangement suspension fittings for cabinets to be hung on walls A47B95/008
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 25/06 Clothes hooks; Clothes racks; Garment-supporting stands with swingable or extending arms with lockable hooks E05B69/02

Abstract

A shelf apparatus includes first and second upstanding posts each having a plurality of horizontally-extending grooves in an external surface thereof, the grooves spaced vertically from one another. First and second shelf support clamps are supported by the first and second posts, respectively. The clamps each have a clamp body received only partially about its corresponding post, and the clamps each include a horizontally-extending protuberance such as a rib received in one of the grooves of its respective post. The apparatus further includes first and second shelf brackets supported by the first and second clamps, respectively, and a shelf supported by the first and second shelf brackets.

Claims

1. A shelf apparatus, comprising:

a generally horizontally extending rail having first channel region for receipt of a first puck, the first channel region having a first opening with a vertical dimension, and a second channel region for receipt of a second puck, the second channel region having a second opening with a vertical dimension;

a first upstanding post having a plurality of horizontally-extending grooves in an external surface thereof, said grooves spaced vertically from one another, and said first puck attached to the first upstanding post and engaged within said first channel region so as to mount the first upstanding post to the rail, said first puck insertable into and removable from engagement with said first channel region by a pivotal motion of said first puck, and said first puck having a vertical dimension when engaged with said first channel region that is greater than the vertical dimension of said first opening so that horizontal removal of said first puck from said first channel region out of said first opening, without pivotal motion of said first puck, is prevented;

a second upstanding post having a plurality of horizontally-extending grooves in an external surface thereof, said grooves spaced vertically from one another, and said second puck attached to the second upstanding post and engaged within the second opening region so as to mount the second upstanding post to the rail, said second puck insertable into and removable from engagement with said second channel region by a pivotal motion of said second puck, said second puck having a vertical dimension when engaged with said second channel region that is greater than the vertical dimension of said second opening so that horizontal removal of said second puck from said second channel region out of said second opening, without pivotal motion of said second puck, is prevented;

a first shelf support clamp supported by said first upstanding post, the first shelf support clamp having a clamp body received only partially about said first upstanding post, said first shelf support clamp further including a horizontally-extending rib portion received in one of said grooves of said first upstanding post;

a second shelf support clamp supported by said second upstanding post, the second shelf support clamp having a clamp body received only partially about said second upstanding post, the second shelf support clamp further including a horizontally-extending rib portion received in one of said grooves of said second upstanding post;

a first shelf bracket supported by said first shelf support clamp;

a second shelf bracket supported by said second shelf support clamp; and

a shelf supported by said first and second shelf brackets.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said first and second upstanding posts have a generally rectangular cross section.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said first and second shelf support clamps each define a generally rectangular channel, and wherein said posts are received in said channels.

4. The shelf apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second support clamps each define a slot for receiving a portion of said first and second brackets, respectively.

5. The shelf apparatus of claim 1, wherein said grooves defined in said first and second posts only partially circumscribe the periphery of said posts.

6. The shelf apparatus of claim 5, wherein said posts each have a generally rectangular cross section, and wherein said grooves are defined in only one face of said posts.

7. The shelf apparatus of claim 6, wherein said first and second support clamps each define a rib, with said ribs each received in one of said grooves.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said first puck has an upper rib sized and dimensioned to interfit within an upper trough defined within said first channel region when said first puck is engaged in said first channel region; and

said second puck has an upper rib sized and dimensioned to interfit within an upper trough defined within said second channel region when said second puck is engaged in said second channel region.

9. A shelf support clamp for mounting on a shelf support post having a substantially horizontal groove, the shelf support clamp comprising:

a clamp body defining an interior channel for receipt about the shelf support post, the interior channel including a top opening, a bottom opening, and a side opening, the interior channel defined by first and second generally vertical sidewalls extending generally parallel to one another and connected by a generally vertical end wall perpendicular thereto;

said clamp body defining a tapered slot for cooperation with a bracket to be supported by the clamp body, wherein the tapered slot is defined by a first receiver element connected to an exposed end face of the first sidewall and a second receiver element connected to an exposed end face of the second sidewall;

said first receiver element including a first wall portion extending axially with respect to the first sidewall and a second wall portion extending transversely to the first sidewall, the first receiver element defining a first slot portion between the first wall portion and the second wall portion, with the first slot portion inclined relative to vertical and extending outwardly from an uppermost portion of the first receiver element to a lowermost portion of the first receiver element;

said second receiver element including a first wall portion extending axially with respect to the second sidewall and a second wall portion extending transversely to the second sidewall, the second receiver element defining a second slot portion between the first wall portion and second wall portion of the second receiver element, with the second slot portion inclined relative to vertical and extending outwardly from an uppermost portion of the second receiver element to a lowermost portion of the second receiver element; and

said clamp body further defining a protuberance into said interior channel for receipt within the groove of the shelf support post.

10. A combination comprising:

a shelf support clamp of claim 9; and

a shelf support bracket supported by said shelf support clamp, with the shelf support bracket having a tapered opening defined between a first bracket wall and a second bracket wall, wherein the first bracket wall is received in the first slot portion and the second bracket wall is received in the second slot portion.

11. A combination comprising:

a shelf support post; and

a shelf support clamp of claim 9 supported on said shelf support post.

12. The combination of claim 11, wherein:

said post comprises at least one substantially horizontal groove; and

said protuberance is received in said groove.

13. The combination of claim 11, also comprising:

a shelf support bracket supported by said shelf support clamp.

14. The combination of claim 13, also comprising:

a shelf attached to said bracket.

15. A shelf apparatus, comprising:

a rail mounted on a wall, said rail including an elongate channel having a first channel region for receiving a first puck, said first channel region having a first opening with a vertical dimension, and a second channel region for receiving a second puck, said second channel region having a second opening with a vertical dimension;

a first post member supported by said rail, the first post member including said first puck engaged in said first channel region and insertable into and removable from engagement with said first channel region by a pivotal motion of said first puck, a downwardly-depending arm connected to said first puck, and a portion attached to said arm and contacting said wall at a position below said rail, and wherein said first puck has a vertical dimension when engaged with said first channel region that is greater than the vertical dimension of said first opening so that horizontal removal of said first puck from said first channel region out of said first opening, without pivotal motion of said first puck, is prevented;

a second post member supported by said rail, the second post member including said second puck engaged in said second channel region and insertable into and removable from engagement with said second channel region by a pivotal motion of said second puck, a downwardly-depending arm connected to said second puck, and a portion attached to said arm and contacting said wall at a position below said rail, and wherein said second puck has a vertical dimension when engaged with said second channel region that is greater than the vertical dimension of said second opening so that horizontal removal of said second puck from said second channel region out of said second opening, without pivotal motion of said second puck, is prevented; and

at least one shelf supported by said first and second post members.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, also comprising:

a first support clamp supported on said first post member and a first bracket supported by said first support clamp;

a second support clamp supported on said second post member and a second bracket supported by said second support clamp; and

wherein said shelf is attached to said first and second brackets.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, also comprising:

a first support clamp supported on said first post member;

a second support clamp supported on said second post member;

one or more shelf support members supported by said first and second support clamps; and

wherein said shelf is supported by said one or more shelf support members.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said one or more shelf support members includes first and second brackets supported by said first and second support clamps, respectively.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said one or more shelf support members includes a single shelf support element extending between and supported by said first and second support clamps.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

said first puck has an upper rib sized and dimensioned to interfit within an upper trough defined within said first channel region when said first puck is engaged in said first channel region; and

said second puck has an upper rib sized and dimensioned to interfit within an upper trough defined within said second channel region when said second puck is engaged in said second channel region.