Horizontally mounted shelf assembly and accessories therefor

• US 8,596,473 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2007
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• 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: Newbould, Peter J., Babic, Ivana, Thompson, Craig, Bries, James L., Pihlstrom, Russell G.
• Primary Examiner(s): RODDEN, JOSHUA E
• Application Number:
  US11/849,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20080053931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,282 Days
• Field of Search: 211/88.01, 211/119, 211/90.03, 211/119.009, 211/119.011, 211/106.01, 211/70.6, 211/85.29, 211/66, 211/85.12, 211/87.01, 211/90.01, 211/119.003, 211/134, 211/60.1, 211/63, 211/64, 211/65, 211/68, 211/69.9, 211/70.2, 211/70.5, 211/70.7, 211/70.8, 211/123, 248/205.3, 248/214, 248/215, 248/220.21, 248/225.21, 248/235, 248/244, 248/245, 248/250, 248/683, D65/67, D65/69, D65/71, D65/72
• US Class Current: 211/88.01
• 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 1/175 Stretch releasing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 1/09 Holders for drinking glasses, tooth brushes, hair brushes, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2201/02 Connections to a wall mounted support

Abstract

A horizontally mounted shelf assembly includes an elongated support rail, at least one accessory slidaby connected with the support rail, and at least one stretch releasing adhesive strip arranged between the support rail and a wall for securing the shelf assembly to the wall. Each accessory may also be separately mounted on the wall using stretch releasing adhesive strips.

Claims

1. A horizontally wall mountable shelf assembly, comprising:

(a) an elongated support rail including a body portion and a first back plate portion, the body portion defining opposing ends and extending between the opposing ends to define a length direction of the support rail, the support rail further defining a width direction transverse to the length direction, wherein the first back plate portion is connected to one of the opposing ends, and further wherein a size of the back plate portion in the width direction is greater than a size of the body portion in the width direction;

(b) at least one accessory transversely movably connected with the body portion, each accessory including a front retaining wall portion, a shoulder portion, and a rear retaining wall portion arranged to define an elongated mounting channel for mounting sliding engagement with the body portion, the front retaining wall portion having a bottom portion opposite the shoulder portion and the rear retaining wall portion terminating at a free end opposite the shoulder portion, wherein a distance between the front retaining wall portion and the rear retaining wall portion increases in a direction away from the shoulder portion to define an enlarged opening to the channel between the bottom portion and the free end such that the accessory is configured for mounting to the body portion by sliding the body portion into the channel via the opening, and further wherein upon assembly of the accessory over the body portion;

the front retaining wall portion extends adjacent a front surface of the body portion and the rear retaining wall portion extends adjacent a back surface of the body portion,

a size of the rear retaining wall portion in the width direction and a size of the front retaining wall portion in the width direction are greater than the size of the body portion in the width direction such that upon assembly, the body portion abuts the shoulder portion and the bottom portion and the free end are below the body portion; and

(c) at least one stretch releasing adhesive strip arranged between the first back plate portion and a wall for securing the shelf assembly to the wall.

2. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the elongated support rail further includes a pair of leg portions extending at an angle from the opposing ends, respectively, of the body portion, thereby to space the body portion from the wall when the shelf assembly is mounted on the wall.

3. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein the first back plate portion is at an end of a first one of the leg portions, wherein the elongated support rail includes a second back plate portion at an end of a second one of the leg portions, the back plate portions having generally planar surfaces opposite the leg portions and further wherein the at least one stretch releasing adhesive is arranged on the back plate planar surfaces.

4. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the free end of the rear retaining wall portion is arranged adjacent the front retaining wall portion, and the front and rear retaining wall portions form a snap fit with the support rail.

5. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the accessory is a unitary hook including the bottom portion extending outwardly from the front retaining wall portion.

6. 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 the bottom portion extending outwardly from the front retaining wall portion.

7. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the accessory is a unitary tray including a support portion extending outwardly from the front retaining wall portion which is configured to hold a bar of soap.

8. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the accessory is a unitary hook including a pair of spaced raised regions defining a recessed region there between which is configured to hold a conventional razor.

9. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the accessory is a unitary toothbrush holder including spaced top and bottom shelf portions extending outwardly from the front retaining wall portion, the top shelf portion containing at least one opening for receiving the handle of a toothbrush.

10. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the stretch releasing adhesive strip is a double-sided adhesive strip including a non-adhesive pull tab at one end, and wherein when the support rail is mounted horizontally on a vertical wall surface, the non-adhesive pull tab extends outwardly beyond an end of the first back plate portion, whereby the non-adhesive pull tab is accessible to a user wishing to stretch remove the adhesive strip from the wall surface.

11. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 10, further comprising a cover plate removably connected with the first back plate portion, whereby when the cover plate is connected with the first back plate portion, the cover plate serves to conceal the non-adhesive pull tab of the stretch releasing adhesive strip.

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

14. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the rear retaining wall portion comprises a base section adjacent to the shoulder portion and a tail section extending from the base section in a direction opposite to the shoulder portion, the base section and the tail section having a combined planar outer surface, and the base section having a material thickness greater than the tail section.

15. A shelf assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the front retaining wall portion extends from a plane of the body portion at an angle when the assembly is secured to the wall.

13. A horizontally wall mountable shelf assembly comprising:

(a) an elongated support rail including a body portion and a back plate portion at an end of the body portion;

(b) at least one accessory transversely movably connected with the body portion, each accessory including a front retaining wall portion, a shoulder portion, and a rear retaining wall portion arranged to define an elongated mounting channel for mounting sliding engagement with the body portion, wherein a distance between the front retaining wall portion and the rear retaining wall portion increases in a direction away from the shoulder portion;

(c) at least one stretch releasing adhesive strip arranged between the back plate portion 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 wherein when the support rail is mounted horizontally on a vertical wall surface, the non-adhesive pull tab extends outwardly beyond an end of the back plate portion, whereby the non-adhesive pull tab is accessible to a user wishing to stretch remove the adhesive strip from the wall surface; and

(d) a cover plate removably connected with the back plate portion, whereby when the cover plate is connected with the back plate portion, the cover plate extends over a front surface of the back plate portion and serves to conceal the non-adhesive pull tab of the stretch releasing adhesive strip.