Rack shelving unit

• US 9,027,767 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2012
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Scherzer, Michael J., Buckley, Thomas I., D'Ovidio, Mario
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener, Joshua J
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARNETT, DEVIN K
• Application Number:
  US13/662,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20140116973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 211/187, 211/189, 211190-193, 108106-107, 108109-110, 108180-181, 10814711-14712, 10814714-14715, 108/147.17, 248/235, 248/239, 248/250
• US Class Current: 211/134
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features related to dismountability or building-up from elements A47B43/00, A47B45/00 take precedence; features for adjusting shelves or partitions A47B57/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/0083 with four vertical uprights for units mainly made of wood or plastic A47B47/045
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/021 Racks or shelf units A47B47/03 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/028 with crossbars
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/06 with means for adjusting the height of the shelves A47B57/04, A47B57/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/34 the grooved or notched parts being the side walls or uprights themselves
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/40 consisting of hooks coacting with openings ladder type A47B57/36
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/50 characterised by shape or orientation of opening, e.g. keyhole-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/021 Structural features of shelf bases
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/1441 Horizontal struts
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/00 Show stands, hangers, or shelves characterised by their constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/01 made of tubes or wire A47F5/0807 takes precedence foldable or adjustable A47F5/13
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener

Abstract

A rack shelving unit includes front and rear beams, and one or more tie bars extending between the front and rear beams to form a shelf frame with the front and rear beams which can support a shelf. The tie bar can include flexible sidewalls that can flex laterally away from each other as the shelf is loaded to increase the compressive force of a compression retainer coupling the tie bar to the front and rear beams.

Claims

1. A rack shelving unit comprising:

a front beam;

a rear beam spaced rearward of the front beam;

a tie bar extending between the front and rear beams to form a shelf frame with the front and rear beams, wherein the tie bar has an inverted U-shaped body comprising a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a bight connecting the first and second sidewalls,

wherein the first sidewall and second sidewall are flexible;

compression retainers coupling the tie bar to the front and rear beams with a compressive force, the compression retainers having a protruding element provided on each of the first and second sidewalls and keyhole slots provided on each of the front and rear beams; and

a shelf resting upon the front beam and the rear beam;

wherein the tie bar has an unassembled state and an assembled state;

wherein the tie bar is prevented from being fastened to the front and rear beams in the unassembled state and is configured to be coupled to the front and rear beams when the first and second sidewalls are compressed by enabling the protruding elements to be inserted within the respective keyhole slots;

wherein the tie bar is prevented from being removed from the front and rear beams in the assembled state wherein the protruding elements can not be removed from the respective keyhole slots; and

the tie bar is configured to be removed from the front and rear beams when the first and second sidewalls are compressed by enabling the protruding elements to be removed from the respective keyhole slots; and

wherein in the assembled state, the first and second sidewall are configured to flex laterally away from each other as the shelf is loaded to increase the compression of the protruding elements and respective keyhole slots into each other and increase the compressive force of the compression retainers.

2. The rack shelving unit from claim 1, wherein the inverted U-shaped body defines a channel having an opening oriented away from the shelf.

3. The rack shelving unit from claim 2, wherein the first sidewall depends from the bight at a first obtuse angle relative to a plane defined by the bight, and the second sidewall depends from the bight at a second obtuse angle relative to the plane defined by the bight.

4. The rack shelving unit from claim 2, wherein the first sidewall comprises a first flange extending away from the opening and the second sidewall comprises a second flange extending away from the opening, wherein the first and second flanges abut each of the front and rear beams in the assembled state.

5. The rack shelving unit from claim 4, wherein the protruding elements comprise:

a first pair of compression fasteners provided on the first flange; and

a second pair of compression fasteners provided on the second flange.

6. The rack shelving unit from claim 1, wherein the keyhole slots comprise:

a first pair of keyhole slots in the front beam; and

a second pair of keyhole slots in the rear beam.

7. The rack shelving unit from claim 6, wherein the protruding elements comprise:

a first pair of fasteners slidably coupling the first sidewall of the tie bar to the first pair of keyhole slots; and

a second pair of fasteners slidably coupling the second sidewall of the tie bar to the second pair of keyhole slots.

8. The rack shelving unit from claim 7, wherein corresponding fasteners are pre-fixed to the respective first and second sidewalls, and the first and second sidewalls are configured to flex laterally toward each other to fit the fasteners within the respective keyhole slots.

9. The rack shelving unit from claim 8, wherein the fasteners comprise rivets.

10. The rack shelving unit from claim 1, further comprising multiple tie bars extending between the front and rear beams to form the shelf frame.

11. The rack shelving unit of claim 1, wherein the tie bar has the same shape in the assembled state and the unassembled state.

12. The rack shelving unit of claim 1, wherein the tie bar is coupled to the front and rear beams without the use of tools.

17. The rack shelving unit from claim 6, wherein the protruding elements comprise:

a first pair of fasteners slidably coupling the first sidewall of the tie bar to the first pair of keyhole slots; and

a second pair of fasteners slidably coupling the second sidewall of the tie bar to the second pair of keyhole slots.

18. The rack shelving unit from claim 7, wherein corresponding fasteners are pre-fixed to the respective first and second sidewalls, and the first and second sidewalls are configured to flex laterally toward each other to fit the fasteners within the respective keyhole slots.

13. A rack shelving unit comprising:

a front beam;

a rear beam spaced rearward of the front beam;

a tie bar, the tie bar having an inverted U-shaped body comprising a bight and a pair of flexible sidewalls extending from the bight, and

configurable between an unassembled state, a compressed state wherein the sidewalls are compressed toward each other, an assembled state, and a loaded state wherein the flexible sidewalls are flexed away from each other, and wherein the tie bar is coupled with and extends between the front and rear beams to form a shelf frame with the front and rear beams;

compression retainers coupling the tie bar to the front and rear beams with a compressive force, the compression retainers each having a protruding element provided on each of the first and second sidewalls and keyhole slots provided on each of the front and rear beams;

wherein the tie bar is prevented from being fastened to the front and rear beams in the unassembled state, and prevented from being removed from the front and rear beams in the assembled state wherein the protruding elements can not be removed from the respective keyhole slots;

wherein the tie bar is coupled to the front and rear beams when in the compressed state by enabling the protruding elements to be inserted within the respective keyhole slots, and is removed from the front and rear beams when in the compressed state by enabling the protruding elements to be removed from the respective keyhole slots;

wherein the flexible sidewalls are flexed away from each other when a load is applied to the bight.

14. The rack shelving unit of claim 13, wherein the shape of the tie bar is the same in the assembled state and the unassembled state.

15. The rack shelving unit of claim 13, wherein the tie bar is coupled to the front and rear beams without the use of tools.

16. The rack shelving unit from claim 13, wherein the keyhole slots comprise:

a first pair of keyhole slots in the front beam; and

a second pair of keyhole slots in the rear beam.

19. The rack shelving unit from claim 13, further comprising multiple tie bars extending between the front and rear beams to form the shelf frame.