Shelving system

• US 9,883,755 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2017
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPG International, LLC (SPG International Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: SPG International, LLC (SPG International Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Gonzalez, Arturo, Kessell, Steven M., Potter, Michael D., Foster, III, Jerry Vance
• Primary Examiner(s): NOVOSAD, JENNIFER ELEANORE
• Application Number:
  US15/675,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20170340142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 179 Days
• Field of Search: 211 8701, 211 9001, 211 9002, 211 9004, 211193, 211103, 211 9401, 211189, 211117, 248214, 24822611, 2482274, 2482281, 2482286, 248245, 248250, 2483161, 248242, 248241, 248243, 248235, 248247, 248248, 24822042, 24822043
• 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 47/022 with cantilever shelves
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/045 Cantilever shelves
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/30 with means for adjusting the height of detachable shelf supports
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/402 Hooks attached to a member embracing at least two sides of an upright, e.g. an angle bracket
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/485 Straight pins
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/565 using screw means
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 95/008 Suspension fittings for cabinets to be hung on walls
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/027 Cantilever shelves
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/028 characterised by support bracket location means, e.g. fixing means between support bracket and shelf
• 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 96/061 Cantilever brackets
• 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: A47B 96/068 Very short brackets, quickly attachable or detachable to a vertical support surface
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/07 adjustable in themselves
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/14 Bars, uprights, struts, or like supports, for cabinets, brackets, or the like aspects of adjusting height or inclination of shelves or brackets A47B57/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/1408 regularly perforated
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/08 secured to the wall, ceiling, or the like; Wall-bracket display devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/0892 Suspended show stands, e.g. secured to the ceiling by means of cords or chains suspended shelves A47B43/003; uprights A47B96/14, e.g. secured to both ceiling and floor A47B96/1425
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/103 Display shelving racks with the uprights aligned in only one plane

Abstract

A shelving system includes a plurality of horizontal support members, each horizontal support member having a length; a plurality of wall supports, each wall support including a first surface on which at least a portion of a horizontal support member rests; a plurality of brackets, each bracket attachable to the horizontal support members at different positions along the length of the horizontal support member; a plurality of vertical support members, each vertical support member coupled to at least one bracket; and a shelf attached to at least two of the plurality of vertical support members.

Claims

1. A shelving system comprising:

a shelf;

a support assembly to support the shelf comprising

first and second vertical support posts, each vertical support post having a height and first and second opposed surfaces that face away from each other and a third surface that is orthogonal to and extends between the first and second opposed surfaces, and

a plurality of support pins fixed to each vertical support post of the first and second vertical support posts and spaced along the height of each vertical support post and extending away from at least one of the surfaces of the first and second opposed surfaces on each vertical support post; and

a pair of bracket assemblies, each bracket assembly configured such that in an assembled state of the shelving system each bracket assembly is coupled with an associated vertical support post of the first and second vertical support posts and each bracket assembly comprising

a first bracket comprising a pair of spaced-apart parallel flanges, each flange formed as a planar surface, each first bracket configured such that in an assembled state of the shelving system each flange is positioned adjacent one of the surfaces of the first and second opposed surfaces of the associated vertical support post, wherein each planar surface of the pair of planar surfaces includes at least one aperture configured to releasably engage at least one selected support pin of the plurality of support pins on the associated vertical support post, each aperture formed as a slot with an open end, and a surface orthogonal to and extending between the pair of spaced-apart parallel flanges, wherein the orthogonal surface is configured such that in the assembled state of the shelving system the orthogonal surface contacts and extends across the third surface of the associated vertical support post, and

second bracket configured such that in the assembled state of the shelving system the second bracket is associated with and cooperates with the first bracket to support the shelf, the second bracket being separable from the associated first bracket, the second bracket comprising a first coupling portion configured to removably couple the shelf with the associated vertical support post and a second support portion extending from the first coupling portion and configured to support the shelf, wherein the second bracket is configured such that in an assembled state of the shelving system the second bracket hinders movement of the shelf in a direction orthogonal to a plane coincident with the third surface of the associated vertical support post.

2. The shelving system of claim 1 comprising two second brackets, wherein each bracket assembly of the pair of bracket assemblies is configured such that in the assembled state of the shelving system one second bracket of the two second brackets is positioned proximate to one surface of the first and second opposed surfaces of the associated vertical support post and the other second bracket of the two second brackets is positioned proximate to the other surface of the first and second opposed surfaces of the associated vertical support post.

3. The shelving system of claim 2 comprising two shelves and wherein the support assembly is configured such that in the assembled state of the shelving system the two shelves are supported adjacent one another at the same height on the associated vertical support post by one bracket assembly of the pair of the bracket assemblies, and each second bracket of the two second brackets is positioned to support one shelf of the two shelves that are supported adjacent one another.

4. The shelving system of claim 1, wherein in the assembled state of the shelving system the first bracket of each bracket assembly of the pair of bracket assemblies is configured to couple the associated vertical support post to a support surface.

5. The shelving system of claim 1, wherein the first coupling portion and the second support portion of the second bracket are formed from a single piece of material.

6. The shelving system of claim 1, wherein the second bracket is configured such that in the assembled state of the shelving system the shelf is fixed to the second support portion of the second bracket.

7. The shelving system of claim 1, wherein each bracket assembly is configured such that in the assembled state of the shelving system a top side of the second bracket does not extend above a top side of the associated first bracket.

8. The shelving system of claim 1, wherein each bracket assembly of the pair of bracket assemblies is configured such that in the assembled state of the shelving system a top side of the shelf does not extend above a top side of each of the first brackets.

9. The shelving system of claim 1, wherein each bracket assembly of the pair of bracket assemblies is configured such that in the assembled state of the shelving system the second bracket is configured to support a bottom side of the shelf above the at least one aperture engaged with the at least one selected support pin of the plurality of support pins.

10. The shelving system of claim 1, wherein each of the planar surfaces of the first bracket includes a plurality of apertures, each aperture formed as a slot with an open end and configured to releasably engage a selected support pin of the plurality of support pins on the associated vertical support post.

11. A shelving system comprising:

a support assembly to support a shelf, wherein the support assembly has a plurality of support pins fixed to the support assembly and spaced along a height of the support assembly; and

a support bracket assembly configured to be coupled to the support assembly and to the shelf, the support bracket assembly comprising

a pair of first support brackets, each first support bracket comprising a pair of spaced-apart parallel planar surfaces and a third surface orthogonal to and between the spaced-apart pair of planar surfaces, each planar surface of the spaced-apart parallel planar surfaces including at least one aperture configured to releasably engage a selected support pin of the plurality of support pins, the at least one aperture formed as a slot with an open end, and

a pair of second support brackets, each second support bracket of the pair of second support brackets configured such that in an assembled state of the shelving system each second support bracket is associated with and cooperates with one of the first support brackets of the pair of first support brackets to support the shelf, wherein each second support bracket is separable from the associated first support bracket, each second support bracket comprising a first coupling portion configured to removably couple the shelf to the support assembly and a second support portion extending from the first coupling portion and configured to support the shelf, and wherein the second support portion is configured such that in the assembled state of the shelving system the second support portion hinders movement of the shelf in a direction orthogonal to a plane coincident with the third surface of the associated first support bracket, and wherein the second support portion is configured such that in the assembled state of the shelving system the second support portion supports a bottom of the shelf above at least one of the selected support pins of the plurality of support pins.

12. The shelving system of claim 11, wherein the support assembly comprises a pair of vertical support posts and the plurality of support pins are fixed to and spaced along a height of each vertical support post of the pair of vertical support posts.

13. The shelving system of claim 11, wherein each second bracket of the pair of second brackets is configured such that in the assembled state of the shelving system the shelf is fixed to the second support portion of each second support bracket of the pair of second support brackets.

14. The shelving system of claim 11, wherein the support bracket assembly is configured such that in the assembled state of the shelving system a top side of each second support bracket does not extend above a top side of the associated first support bracket.

15. The shelving system of claim 11, wherein the support bracket assembly is configured such that in the assembled state of the shelving system a top side of the shelf does not extend above a top side of each of the first support brackets.

16. The shelving system of claim 11, wherein the support assembly comprises a pair of vertical support posts, each vertical support post of the pair of vertical support posts having first and second opposed surfaces that face away from each other and a third surface orthogonal to and between the opposed first and second surfaces, wherein each planar surface of the spaced-apart parallel planar surfaces of each first support bracket is configured such that in an assembled state of the shelving system each planar surface is positioned adjacent one surface of the first and second opposed surfaces of an associated vertical support post, and wherein the third surface of each of the first support brackets is configured such that in an assembled state of the shelving system the third surface contacts and extends across the third surface of the associated vertical support post.

17. The shelving system of claim 16, wherein the pair of first support brackets is configured such that in an assembled state of the shelving system the pair of support brackets couples the pair of vertical support posts to a support surface.

18. The shelving system of claim 11, wherein each planar portion of the pair of spaced-apart planar portions of each first support bracket of the pair of first support brackets includes more than one aperture, each aperture formed as a slot with an open end and configured to releasably engage a selected support pin of the plurality of support pins.