Telescoping shelf divider

• US 6,685,037 B1
• Filed: 07/18/2002
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Southern Imperial Incorporated (FFR DSI Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Southern Imperial Incorporated (FFR DSI Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zadak, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Stodola, Daniel P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Novosad, Jennifer E.
• Application Number:
  US10/198,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20040011754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 211/184, 211/59.2, 211/181.1, 211/43, 211/90.02, 211/88.02, 211/106, 211/41.5, 206/529, 206/561, 206/534, 108/60, 108/61
• US Class Current: 211/184
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/58 with means for adjusting partitions horizontally book-ends A47B65/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/588 by means of shelf bottoms with apertures co-operating with tongues or pins
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0056 made of tubes or wire

Abstract

An adjustable divider assembly generally includes a front divider and a rear divider. The front divider comprises a front frame, a plurality of front posts, and a front clip. The rear divider comprises a rear frame, a plurality of rear posts, and a rear clip. The front and rear dividers are selectively adjustable relative to each other and are connected to each other by way of the front and rear clips. The front clip has a vertically oriented slot that is sized and positioned to receive one of the plurality of rear posts, while the rear clip also has a vertically oriented slot that is sized and positioned to receive one of the plurality of front posts.

Claims

1. An adjustable divider assembly for a shelf comprising:

a front divider comprising a front frame, a plurality of front posts, and a front clip, the front frame including two vertically spaced horizontally extending members, the plurality of front posts being vertically oriented and connected to the horizontally extending members;

a rear divider comprising a rear frame, a plurality of rear posts, and a rear clip, the rear frame including two vertically spaced horizontally extending members, the plurality of rear posts being vertically oriented and connected to the horizontally extending members; and

the front and rear dividers being selectively adjustable relative to each other and being connected to each other by way of the front and rear clips, the front clip having a vertically oriented slot sized and positioned to receive one of the plurality of rear posts and the rear clip having a vertically oriented slot sized and positioned to receive one of the plurality of front posts;

wherein the front clip is attached to the front posts, and the rear attached to the rear posts; and

wherein the front clip is attached to one of an upper half and a lower half of the front posts, and the rear clip is attached to the other of one of an upper half and a lower half of the rear posts.

2. The adjustable divider assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of front posts are connected to a side of the front divider and the plurality of rear posts are connected to a side of the rear divider, the plurality of front and rear posts being connected on corresponding sides of the front and rear dividers.

3. An adjustable divider assembly for a shelf comprising:

a front divider comprising a front frame, a plurality of front posts, and a front clip, the front fame including two vertically spaced horizontally extending members, the plurality of front posts being vertically oriented and connected to the horizontally extending members;

a rear divider comprising a rear frame, a plurality of rear posts, and a rear clip, the rear frame including two vertically spaced horizontally extending members, the plurality of rear posts being vertically oriented and connected to the horizontally extending members;

the front and rear dividers being selectively adjustable relative to each other and being connected to each other by way of the front and rear clip, the front clip having a vertically oriented slot sized and positioned to receive one of the plurality of rear posts and the rear clip having a vertically oriented slot sized and positioned to receive one of the plurality of front posts; and

wherein the vertical slot of the front clip faces forwardly and the vertical slot of the rear clip faces rearwardly.

4. The adjustable divider assembly of claim 3, wherein moving the front and rear dividers away from each other connects the front and rear dividers by way of the front and rear clips, and wherein moving the front and rear dividers towards each other disconnects the front and rear dividers for relative adjustment.

5. An adjustable divider assembly for a shelf comprising:

a front divider comprising a front frame, a plurality of front post, and a front clip, the front frame including two vertically spaced horizontally extending members, the plurality of front posts being vertically oriented and connected to the horizontally extending members;

a rear divider comprising a rear frame, a plurality of rear posts, and a rear clip, the rear frame including two vertically spaced horizontally extending members, the plurality of rear posts being vertically oriented and connected to the horizontally extending members;

the front and rear dividers being selectively adjustable relative to each other and being connected to each other by way of the front and rear clip, the front clip having a vertically oriented slot sized and positioned to receive one of the plurality of rear posts and the rear clip having a vertically oriented slot sized and positioned to receive one of the plurality of front posts;

wherein the horizontally extending members of the front frame are vertically spaced a distance greater them the horizontally extending members of the rear frame are vertically spaced; and

wherein the front divider telescopically receives the rear divider.

6. An adjustable divider assembly for a shelf comprising:

a front divider comprising a front frame, a plurality of front posts, and a front clip, the front frame including two vertically spaced horizontally extending members, the plurality of front posts being vertically oriented and connected to the horizontally extending members;

a rear divider comprising a rear frame, a plurality of rear posts, and rear clip, the rear frame including two vertically spaced horizontally extending members, the plurality of rear posts being vertically oriented and connected to the horizontally extending members;

the front and rear dividers being selectively adjustable relative to each other and being connected to each other by way of the front and rear clips, the front clip having a vertically oriented slot sized and positioned to receive one of the plurality of rear posts and the rear clip having a vertically oriented slot sized and positioned to receive one of the plurality of front posts; and

wherein the front frame and the rear frame are aligned in a common plane when the front and rear dividers are connected.

7. The adjustable divider assembly of claim 6, wherein the plurality of front posts and the plurality of rear posts are aligned in a common plane when the front and rear dividers are connected.

8. An adjustable divider assembly for a shelf having regularly spaced mounting apertures, the adjustable divider assembly comprising:

a first divider having a first frame and a plurality of vertically oriented first posts connected to a side of the first frame;

a second divider having a second frame and a plurality of vertically oriented second posts connected to a side of the second frame;

the second frame sized to be received within the first frame for telescopic adjustment of the first and second dividers relative to each other; and

the first and second frames being aligned in a common plane when the front and rear dividers are connected, and the plurality of front posts and the plurality of rear posts being aligned in a common plane when the first and second dividers are connected.

9. The adjustable divider assembly of claim 8, further comprising a first clip attached to the first divider and a second clip attached to the second divider, the first clip having a vertically oriented slot positioned to selectively receive one of the plurality of second posts, and the second clip having a vertically oriented slot positioned to selectively receive one of the plurality of first posts.

10. The adjustable divider assembly of claim 9, wherein the first and second clips are vertically spaced apart.

11. The adjustable divider assembly of claim 9, wherein the first clip is positioned adjacent an end of the first divider that receives the second divider, and wherein the second clip is positioned adjacent an end of the second divider that enters the first divider.

12. The adjustable divider assembly of claim 9, wherein the vertical slot of the first clip opens towards the second clip, and wherein the vertical slot of the second clip opens towards the first clip.

13. The adjustable divider assembly of claim 9, wherein the first clip is attached on a first side of the first divider and the second clip is attached on a second side of the second divider, the second side opposing the first side.

14. The adjustable divider assembly of claim 9, wherein the first and second clips include a generally U-shaped hook member defining the vertically oriented slots.

15. The adjustable divider assembly of claim 14, wherein the first and second clips are of a resilient material, and the hook members define a throat to the vertically oriented slots, the throat sized smaller than a diameter of the first and second posts.

16. The adjustable divider assembly of claim 8, further comprising a first bracket attached to a bottom edge of the first frame and a second bracket attached to a bottom edge of the second frame, the first and second brackets having a prong sized to extend through an aperture in the shelf to connect the first and second dividers to the shelf, the bottom edge of the second frame being split into first and second portions adjustable relative to each other to adjust the relative position of the first and second brackets for clamping the divider assembly to the shelf.

17. An adjustable divider assembly for a shelf having regularly spaced mounting apertures, the adjustable divider assembly comprising:

a first divider having a first wire frame and a plurality of first posts connected to the first wire frame, the first wire frame forming a generally rectangular shape having an open side;

a second divider having a second wire frame, a plurality of second posts connected to the second wire frame, the second wire frame forming a generally rectangular shape sized to be received within the first wire frame via the open side;

the first and second dividers being telescopically oriented and adjustable relative to one another;

a first bracket attached to a bottom edge of the first wire frame and a second bracket attached to a bottom edge of the second wire frame, the first and second brackets having a prong sized to extend through an aperture in the shelf to connect the first and second dividers to the shelf; and

the bottom edge of the second wire frame being split into first and second portions adjustable relative to each other to adjust the relative position of the first and second brackets.

18. The adjustable divider assembly of claim 17, wherein the first portion of the bottom edge is spaced vertically below the second portion of the bottom edge.

19. The adjustable divider assembly of claim 17, wherein the first and second dividers are aligned in a common plane when connected.

20. The adjustable divider assembly of claim 17, further comprising a first clip attached to at least one of the first posts and having a slot sized and positioned to receive one of the second posts, and a first clip attached to at least one of the first posts and having a slot sized and positioned to receive one of the second posts.