FLUE SPACER

Abstract

A flue spacer, suitable for providing a flue space in a storage rack, having a transversely extending spacer surface, a first leg extending from a first end of the spacer surface, a first tab extending from the first leg, a second leg extending from a second end of the spacer surface, a second tab extending from the second leg, and at least one resilient member between the first and second tabs. The resilient member is adapted to allow the first and second tabs to be moved towards one another and apply a restoring force to urge the first and second tabs away from one another. The first and second tabs are adapted to attach the spacer surface to at least two storage rack uprights such that the spacer surface is offset from the storage rack uprights to form a vertical flue space within the storage rack.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to spacers that create flue space. More specifically, the present invention relates to spacers that attach to uprights of storage racks to create flue space.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Storage racks are widely used in industrial and commercial settings. In these settings, it is desirable to maximize the space offered by these racks. This is accomplished by placing pallets or boxes close to each other, oftentimes such that they occupy the entire shelf space, leaving little or no space between the pallets or boxes. This practice can make the stored boxes or pallets especially susceptible to fire damage.

In a typical setting where storage racks are used, such as a warehouse, smoke detectors and overhead sprinkler systems are commonly employed as fire safety and containment systems. Several factors can affect the effectiveness of these systems. For example, to maximize the effectiveness of the sprinkler system in containing a fire, the fire needs to reach the sprinkler heads as quickly as possible in order to extinguish the fire before it builds up too much heat and intensity. Similarly, the benefits of smoke detectors can best be utilized if smoke triggers the detectors in the early stages of a fire. Additionally, water from the overhead sprinkler system needs to freely flow through the shelves to contain a fire that has broken out at any shelving level and to prevent it from spreading to other storage racks. When stored goods are closely and tightly spaced on a shelf, the effectiveness of the fire safety and containment systems are reduced because smoke cannot rise, fire cannot dissipate, and water cannot freely flow to the fire. This is particularly problematic in storage facilities that store large numbers of boxes because boxes can be packed together to form a relatively tight seal against rising smoke and descending water.

Efforts have been made to address this problem. In certain storage environments, fire codes require the surface area of each shelf to have a certain amount of open area—generally fifty percent of the surface area. These open areas serve two primary purposes. First, the open areas allow a fire that has broken out on a lower rack level to travel upwards and to release heat in the process. Thus, the fire progresses upwards towards overhead sprinklers to activate the sprinklers, rather than laterally through the rack. Second, the open areas of each shelf allow water from the overhead sprinkler system to flow downward to the lower rack levels once the fire has been detected. One system that meets these fire code regulations is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,944 to Kircher et al. entitled “Storage Rack Shelving,” and U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,243 to Henning et al. entitled “Perforated Decking,” which are incorporated herein by reference. Kircher et al. discloses a corrugated deck for use as shelving with a plurality of apertures forming open areas comprising fifty percent of the surface area of each deck.

While the fifty percent open area regulation provides a useful mechanism to address fire safety and containment, some fire codes, such as foreign fire codes, may not require shelves with a fifty percent open area in all storage environments. In some storage environments, a lower percentage of open area may be allowed, while in others, there may be no requirement for open areas in the shelves.

Another system that has been employed to address the fire safety issue in storage racks is the use of vertical flue spaces. Flue spaces are gaps or openings left in the storage rack structure that form a vertical passage that allows fires to spread vertically to the sprinklers and water to flow down to lower rack levels. The sizes and locations of such flue spaces are typically dictated by local or national fire codes, fire protection standards and/or insurance requirements. there are two common types of flue space: “transverse” flue spaces, which are usually located at every rack upright and are perpendicular to the rack rows (i.e., they extend from the front of the shelving space to the back of the shelving space); and “longitudinal” flue spaces, which run parallel to the rack rows, and may be located between back-to-back rows or may even be formed by aisles between the racks. Typical flue spaces are required to be six inches wide, and fire inspectors and codes often allow the space between the rack uprights to form a portion of this width.

While flue spaces are commonly required, they are typically provided by simply stacking the boxes or other stored goods towards one upright, leaving the required flue space at the other end. This is shown in FIGS 1A-1C, which illustrate top and front views of a typical set of storage racks, and an isometric view of a similar storage rack. In FIGS 1A-1B, there are two racks 102, which are positioned back-to-back with an aisle 104 on either side. Each rack 102 includes a number of vertical uprights 106 that support horizontal crossbars 108. As shown in FIG. 1C, typical uprights have front faces 118 having “teardrop” holes 120, and lateral faces 122 that have square holes 124. Shelves 110 are mounted on the crossbars 108 between each set of uprights 106 to form separate storage spaces 111 on the racks 102. Boxes 112 or other stored goods are stored within the storage spaces 111. As shown, in common practice, a transverse flue space 114 is formed within each storage space 111 by simply stacking the boxes 112 towards one end of the storage space 111. This leaves a transverse flue space having width “w,” which, as shown, is partially formed by the gap between the uprights 106. To promote proper box stacking, the shelves 110 may extend only up to the edge of the desired flue space 114, making it more difficult to obstruct the flue space 114. In fact, when rack manufacturers are informed of the size of the articles being stored, they often size the racks to fit a specific number of articles, but leave a sufficiently wide transverse flue space.

In addition to transverse flue spaces, the storage racks 102 may have a longitudinal flue space 116 formed between them. In some cases, wires, straps or meshes have been stretched between adjacent rear uprights 106 to prevent boxes or other goods from extending into this longitudinal flue space. Such attempts to maintain the longitudinal flue space have been marginally successful because such devices tend to bend or buckle when boxes are pressed against them.

While the foregoing flue space system is simple and inexpensive, it suffers from a number of problems. Primarily, it is not uncommon for boxes to be positioned to partially or fully obstruct the flue space. Furthermore, even when the boxes are properly stacked, they can deform over time and ultimately lean into, and possibly obstruct, the flue space.

Some efforts have been made to address these problems. One such effort is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,294 to Petter entitled “Spacer Rack for Smoke Detection,” which is incorporated herein by reference. Petter discloses an open wire mesh column that extends from the front to the back of a pallet storage rack to create a vertical passageway through which smoke can travel. However, the Petter system suffers from a number of shortcomings. For example, the Petter system is large and bulky. The size and complexity of the system makes it difficult to implement. In addition, the system must be set up on an empty storage rack. Thus, the Petter system would either have to be set up prior to using the storage rack or after emptying the items already on the storage rack in order to retrofit those racks. Additionally, the Petter system requires the wire mesh columns to penetrate through each shelving layer to form the passageway. Thus, the system would require extensive modification of the storage rack shelves where storage racks with continuous shelves are used.

It is believed that another effort to address the problem with conventional flue spaces provided relatively complex welded crossbars that were mounted to the front face of each front upright (i.e., the surface facing the aisle 104), and the rear face of each rear upright (i.e., the surface facing the longitudinal flue space 116). In addition to being relatively difficult to manufacture, and thus expensive, it is understood that these crossbars were difficult to install on a common rack system, particularly where the rack was already loaded with boxes or other goods.

Therefore a need still exists for an economical and functional flue spacer system that will address the fire safety issue in storage racks and allow retrofitting to filled storage racks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, a flue spacer for providing a flue space in a storage rack is provided. The exemplary flue spacer has a transversely extending spacer surface, a first leg extending from a first end of the spacer surface, a first tab extending from the first leg, a second leg extending from a second end of the spacer surface, a second tab extending from the second leg, and at least one resilient member between the first and second tabs. The resilient member is adapted to allow the first and second tabs to be moved towards one another and apply a restoring force to urge the first and second tabs away from one another. The first and second tabs are adapted to attach the spacer surface to at least two storage rack uprights such that the spacer surface is offset from the storage rack uprights to form a vertical flue space within the storage rack.

In another aspect, another flue spacer for providing flue space in a storage rack is provided. The exemplary flue spacer has a transversely extending spacer surface, a first leg extending from a first end of the spacer surface, a first tab associated with the first leg such that it is movable relative to the spacer surface and adapted to engage a first storage rack upright, a second leg extending from a second end of the spacer surface, a second tab associated with the second leg and adapted to engage a second storage rack upright, and at least one resilient member between the first tab and the spacer surface. The resilient member is adapted to allow the first tab to be moved towards the second tab, and to apply a restoring force to urge the first tab away from the second tab. The first and second tabs are adapted to attach the spacer surface to the first and second storage rack uprights such that the spacer surface is offset from the storage rack uprights to form a vertical flue space within the storage rack.

In another aspect, a shelving system is provided. The exemplary shelving system has at least two storage rack uprights, at least one shelf suspended on the storage rack uprights, and a flue spacer. The flue spacer has a transversely extending spacer surface, a first leg extending from a first end of the spacer surface, a first tab associated with the first leg, a second leg extending from a second end of the spacer surface, a second tab associated with the second leg, and at least one resilient member between the first and second tabs. The resilient member is adapted to allow the first and second tabs to be moved towards one another and apply a restoring force to urge the first and second tabs away from one another. The first and second tabs are adapted to attach the spacer surface to the storage rack uprights such that the spacer surface is offset from the storage rack uprights to form a vertical flue space adjacent the shelf,

The foregoing aspects are exemplary only, and not intended to limit the claimed invention. Other variations on the foregoing will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after studying the present disclosure and practicing the inventions described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are described in the following exemplary drawing figures:

FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate a typical storage rack system.

FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate one embodiment of a flue spacer of the present invention comprising a generally straight surface.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate the embodiment of a flue spacer as shown in FIG. 2 attached to the uprights of a storage rack.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a flue spacer having the spacer surface formed as a bent surface.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate the embodiment of a flue spacer as shown in FIG. 4 installed in a storage rack.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a flue spacer having the spacer surface formed as a plate.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a flue spacer having the spacer surface formed as a mesh.

FIG. 8A and 8B illustrate the embodiment of a flue spacer as shown in FIG. 7 installed in a storage rack.

FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate embodiments of remotely-installable attachment devices in the form of tabs and removable tabs, respectively.

FIGS. 10A-10C illustrate three views of another embodiment of a remotely-installable attachment device in the form of a removable tab.

FIG. 11 illustrates a top view of alternative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment of a spring-loaded flue spacer of the present invention.

FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate two isometric views of an alternative embodiment of the invention having a spring-loaded tab.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a system for providing flue spaces in storage racks. Because a typical storage facility can contain hundreds of storage racks, one preferred embodiment of the invention is simple to install, inexpensive to manufacture, and does not consume a large portion of the valuable storage space. In addition, the preferred embodiment preferably can be easily retrofitted into existing storage racks that already are filled with items. While it is most preferred for embodiments of the present invention to satisfy one or more of these objectives, it will be understood that this is not strictly necessary of all embodiments of the invention, and the statement of these objectives is not intended to limit the claimed invention in any way.

FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate a typical storage rack commonly used in industrial and commercial settings. The storage racks are made up of vertical uprights 106 and shelves 110 that form storage spaces 111 in which items, such as boxes, can be stacked. The shelves can be solid shelves or shelves with apertures that form open areas, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,401,944 and 7,156,243. Additionally, the shelves 110 of each storage rack level can be made of one continuous shelf or can be made of multiple shelf pieces, as shown. Oftentimes, these shelves are filled to capacity so that the items being stored are so tightly packed that there is little or no space within the storage rack and the surface area of the shelf is almost entirely covered. Even where the user intends to leave a vertical flue space, such spaces can be difficult to create or maintain in practice, can become blocked. This lack of flue spaces can diminish the effectiveness of fire detection and containment systems if a fire starts in the storage rack. The flue spacer of the present invention addresses this problem by providing and maintaining a flue space within the storage rack.

Referring now to FIGS. 2A-2C, the details of one embodiment of a flue spacer 200 of the present invention are described in greater detail. The spacer 200 has a spacer surface 202 and two legs 204 that extend from the spacer surface 202. The spacer surface 202 has a generally linear shape with a circular profile, but other shapes may be used. Also, this embodiment is intended to extend transversely from the front of the storage rack 102 to the back, thus forming a transverse flue space. However, this design may be modified such that the spacer 200 is located at the back of the rack to form a longitudinal flue space. Each of the legs 204 has an attachment element 206 for attaching the spacer surface 202 to an upright 106 of the storage rack. In this embodiment, the attachment elements are slotted holes for use with respective fasteners. Any suitable fastener may be used. Examples of fasteners generally known in the art include, but are not limited to, screws and bolts. A preferred fastener is a self-tapping screw, such as those commonly known as “Tek Screws.”

As noted above, the flue spacer 200 may be made with any suitable shape. To this end, the spacer 200 may be formed, cast, or assembled in any known manner. One preferred way to form the spacer of FIG. 2 is to begin with a tubular rod, such as 0.75 inch diameter galvanized tubular steel conduit. The rod is flattened at each end, and holes and/or slots are formed into the legs to form the attachment elements 206. The legs 204 are formed by bending the tubular rod into the desired shape. In a preferred embodiment, the legs 204 are sized to offset the spacer surface 202 by about 3 inches or more from the uprights 106 to which the legs 204 attach. Also in a preferred embodiment, the flue spacer 200 has a length of about 49 to 50 inches from end to end.

FIGS. 3a and 3b illustrate the flue spacer 200 of FIG. 2 attached to the vertical uprights 108 of a storage rack 102. Once attached, the spacer surface 202 is offset from the uprights 108, thus forming a vertical flue space 300 within the storage rack. The flue spacer surface 202 supports the items 302 in storage and keeps them from obstructing the flue space 300. The number of spacers 200 installed per shelf level of the storage rack can be selected based on the size of the items in storage. Fewer, taller items may require fewer flue spacers 200, and more, shorter items may require more flue spacers 200. Of course, it is not strictly necessary to provide flue spacers 200 for every level of stacked items on each shelf. Additionally, since the flue spacers 200 are installed within each shelf level, the spacer does not need to penetrate through the shelf levels and will thus not interfere with the placement of the shelves in the storage rack. This feature of the invention also aids with retrofitting pre-existing storage racks.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a flue spacer 400 having the spacer surface 402 formed as bent or curved surface. Like the previous embodiment, the flue spacer 400 also has two legs 404, and an attachment element 406 associated with each leg 404. One benefit of this embodiment is that it can be used to support more layers of items in storage. For example, a single bent spacer surface 402 can support the tops of one row of boxes, and simultaneously support the bottoms of another row of boxes that are stacked on the other boxes. By supporting more layers, fewer spacers need to be implemented per layer of shelves in the storage rack. FIGS. 5A and 5B are end and front views of this embodiment of a flue spacer 400 installed in a storage rack. As shown, two flue spacers 400 are used to support three levels of boxes 502, 504, 506 to create a flue space 500.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flue spacer 600 with a spacer surface 602 formed as a plate, and FIG. 7 illustrates a flue spacer 700 with a spacer surface 702 formed as a mesh. In these two embodiments, the spacer has four legs 604 and 704, respectively (although three legs or more than four legs may be suitable). In the illustrated embodiments, the legs 604, 704 have attachment elements to mount them to the uprights 106, such as hooks that fit into corresponding openings 124 in the lateral faces 122 of the uprights 106. Of course, other attachment elements may be used instead, such as holes and fasteners, or tabs. The use of a plate or mesh as the spacer surface can provide more supporting surface area. For example, the embodiments of FIG. 7 is shown installed in a storage rack in FIGS. 8A and 8B (side and top views, respectively). Here, the flue spacer 700 supports three rows of boxes 802, 804, 806 to create a flue space 800. These embodiments might also be useful where multiple smaller or irregular items are being stored on the shelf.

Embodiments of the present invention may be assembled or attached to storage racks in any suitable manner. In a preferred embodiment, such as the embodiment of FIG. 2, the flue spacer 200 has simple holes 206 and/or slots through which screws or other fasteners pass to install the spacer 200 (see FIG. 2C). These holes 206 may be pre-drilled or made during the installation process. Most preferably, the attachment elements are adapted to engage the lateral surfaces 122 of the uprights, which simplifies their installation because an installer need not reach behind the rack to install them. This is particularly preferred with respect to the leg 204 that mounts to the rear upright 106, because access to the front face 118 of the rear upright is typically obstructed by an adjacent rack or wall.

The foregoing embodiment is preferred when the shelves are not already filled with boxes or other stored goods because, at that time, an installer can relatively easily attach both legs 204 to the storage rack uprights 106. This embodiment might, however, be somewhat more difficult to install when the shelves are already filled or partially-filled. As such, another embodiment of the invention replaces one of the holes 206 with a remotely-installable attachment device that can be firmly attached to the back upright 106 from a distance.

Examples of remotely-installable attachment devices are shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 in the form of hooks that drop into holes 124 on the lateral faces 122 of the uprights 106. Additional embodiments of remotely-installable attachment devices are shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B in the form of tabs. FIG. 9A illustrates a tab 902 formed into one spacer leg 904 of a flue spacer 900. FIG. 9B illustrates a tab 906 that can be attached to a hole 910 in a spacer leg 912 of another flue spacer 908. The tab 906 can be attached to the spacer leg by screws, rivets, a friction fit, welding, or any other suitable mechanism or process. In the shown embodiment, the tab 906 is removable, and is attached to the hole 910 by a threaded shaft 914 and suitable fastener 916, such as a hexagonal nut or a wingnut.

Any suitable tab shape may be used. In the embodiment of FIG. 9A, the tab 902 comprises a single rectangular protrusion that can fit into a standard-sized hole in an upright. In the embodiment of FIG. 9B, the tab 906 comprises a pair of rectangular protrusions that fit into adjacent holes in a upright.

FIGS. 10A-10C illustrate another tab 1000 of the present invention, in which FIG. 10A is a plan view, FIG. 10B is a cutaway view as seen along line I-I of FIG. 10A, and FIG. 10C is a cutaway view as seen along line II-II of FIG. 10A. The tab 1000 comprises a base plate 1002 that is formed into a pair or tab protrusions 1004 at one end, and a collar 1006 at the other end. The tab protrusions are shaped to fit into the holes 124 on the lateral faces of the rack uprights 106, and may be modified depending on the particular shape and spacing of these holes 124. The collar 1006 is shaped to slip over the end of one flue spacer leg 204. Although it is not strictly necessary to firmly hold the collar 1006 onto the leg 204, if this is desired, a rib or protrusion (not shown), or other locking means, may be located within the collar 1006 to engage the leg 204 to hold it firmly in place. The collar 1006 may also be friction fit, fastened, welded, clamped, or otherwise attached to the end of the leg 204.

Additional and alternative shapes and sizes of tabs may be provided to fit into standard support openings, as will be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. In one preferred embodiment, tabs 906 are provided with flue spacers as an adapter kit for installing the flue spacer in tight spaces or on shelves that already have boxes stored on them.

The tabs 900, 902 and 1000 attach the spacer 200 to the rack upright 106 by sliding into corresponding holes therein. These tabs are particularly useful for retrofitting storage racks that already have items stored on the shelves because an installer can simply reach the flue spacer back behind the stored goods and slide the tabs into holes in the uprights to secure the back of the flue spacer, all without having to remove the goods or climb into the shelf space. Once the rear tab is inserted, the installer can attach the front spacer leg using a fastener, hook, tab, or other attachment device.

Referring now to FIG. 11, another embodiment of the invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, two storage racks 1102, 1102′ are adjacent one another, and the flue spacer 1104 has been modified to extend transversely across both racks 1102, 1102′. Here, one flue spacer leg 1106 is attached to the aisle-side upright 1108 (i.e., the upright adjacent the aisle, as opposed to the upright adjacent the adjacent rack) of one storage rack 1102, and the other leg 1106′ is attached to the aisle-side upright 1108′ of the other storage rack 1102′. Using this construction it is not necessary to remotely install the back leg of each flue spacer, potentially easing installation when boxes or goods are already on the racks, and fewer parts are required to fully equip the facility with flue spacers. Other than being adapted to extend across two racks, the flue spacer 1104 is the same as described previously herein. If desired, the spacer 1104 may also include a brace (which may be a separate part, an attached part, or simply and curved central portion of the flue spacer 1112, as shown in the lower embodiment) that abuts one or both of the two center uprights 1110, 1110′ to help prevent the longer flue spacer 1104 from bending should the boxes or other goods press against it.

Referring now to FIG. 12, the present invention also provides an embodiment of a flue spacer that is adapted to be installed without tools. In this embodiment, the flue spacer 1200 comprises a spacer surface 1202 and a pair of legs 1204 that extend from the spacer surface and terminate at respective tabs 1206. The tabs 1206 are adapted to fit into corresponding holes on vertical uprights, as shown previously herein. In this embodiment, the spacer surface 1202 comprises a first member 1202a that is telescopically positioned over a second member 1202b such that the two members 1202a, 1202b can be moved relative to one another to increase and decrease the distance between the tabs 1206. A spring 1208 is provided to bias the two members 1202a, 1202b apart. If necessary, the two members 1202a, 1202b may have non-circular profiles or other features (such as a tab on the outer member 1202a that protrudes into a groove on the inner member 1202b) to prevent them from rotating relative to one another. The flue spacer 1200 is installed by inserting one of the tabs 1206 into the rear vertical upright holes, compressing the spring 1208 (such as by pressing back on one of the telescoping members 1202a, 1202b), positioning the other tab 1206 into the front vertical upright holes, and releasing the compressing force on the spring 1208. When the compressing force is released, the spring 1208 extends the two members 1202a, 1202b and locks the tabs 1206 into their respective holes. When installed, the spring 1208 may be fully extended, or may still exert a restoring force that urges the tabs 1206 away from one another and into engagement with the holes.

A number of variations on the foregoing embodiment will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. For example, the spring 1208 may be replaced by a turnbuckle or other axial positioning device that is manually expanded to lock the tabs 1206 into their respective holes. The telescoping members 1202a, 1202b may also be replaced by adjacent sliding members or a linkage (such as a trapezoidal 4-bar linkage). These and other variations are included in the present invention.

A further variation of a spring-loaded flue spacer is illustrated in FIGS. 13A and 13B. In this embodiment, the flue spacer 1300 comprises a spacer surface 1302 and legs 1304, such as described previously herein. A spring-loaded tab 1306 is affixed to one of the legs 1304, and the other leg (not shown) is provided with a fixed tab, such as those shown in FIGS. 2A-C, 9A-B, or 10A-C. In the shown embodiment, the spring-loaded tab 1306 comprises a sleeve 1308 that slides over a flattened end portion 1310 of the leg 1304. The tab 1306 and leg 1304 are connected by a spring 1312, which hooks onto corresponding structures on the tab 1306 and leg 1304. The spring 1312 is arranged to bias the tab 1306 away from the flue spacer 1300, as shown in FIG. 13A. Applying a compressive force to the tab 1306 or the flue spacer 1300 moves the tab 1306 towards the flue spacer 1300, as shown in FIG. 13B, to reduce the total distance between the spring-loaded tab 1306 and the fixed tab on the second leg (not shown) at the other end of the flue spacer 1300. This embodiment is installed by inserting the spring-loaded tab 1306 into rear vertical support holes, compressing the spring 1312, inserting the other tab into front vertical support holes, and releasing pressure to allow the spring 1312 to contract and hold the flue spacer in place.

A number of variations on the foregoing embodiment are envisioned and will be apparent with practice of the present invention and upon review of the present disclosure. For example, spring-loaded tabs may be provided on both ends of the flue spacer, or other kinds of spring (or other resilient material, such as elastomer), may be used. The spring arrangement also may be modified. For example, the leg may be provided as a spring-loaded member that pivots relative to the spacer surface. This embodiment may use a mechanical pivot between the leg and the spacer surface in conjunction with a spring that biases the leg into the engaged position, or the spacer surface itself may be flexible enough to act as a spring. In the latter case, the user can install the flue spacer by inserting the rear tab into a rear vertical support hole, flexing the support surface to fix the front tabs into a front vertical support hole, and releasing the flue spacer to lock it into place.

It should be understood that the foregoing embodiments are exemplary only, and other embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the teachings provided herein. For example, any type of fastening mechanism may be used to install the spacers, and the spacers can take any suitable shape. Spacers may be installed in any suitable pattern to obtain the desired flue space volume, and may be made larger or smaller, or attached with shims, to provide smaller or larger flue spaces, if necessary or desired. Also, the spacers may be installed by attaching them to the shelves or horizontal or angled rack elements, rather than the uprights. The claimed invention is limited only by the following claims.

Claims

1. A flue spacer for providing a flue space in a storage rack, the flue spacer comprising:

a transversely extending spacer surface;

a first leg extending from a first end of the spacer surface;

a first tab extending from the first leg;

a second leg extending from a second end of the spacer surface;

a second tab extending from the second leg;

at least one resilient member provided between the first and second tabs, the resilient member being adapted to allow the first and second tabs to be moved towards one another and apply a restoring force to urge the first and second tabs away from one another;

wherein the first and second tabs are adapted to attach the spacer surface to at least two storage rack uprights such that the spacer surface is offset from the storage rack uprights to form a vertical flue space within the storage rack.

2. The flue spacer of claim 1, wherein the spacer surface comprises a tubular rod, and the first and second legs comprise bent and flattened end portions of the tubular rod.

3. The flue spacer of claim 1, wherein the spacer surface comprises a generally linear surface.

4. The flue spacer of claim 3, wherein the generally linear surface has a circular profile.

5. The flue spacer of claim 1, wherein the first tab is slidably attached to the first leg, and the resilient member comprises a spring connecting the first tab to the first leg.

6. The flue spacer of claim 1, wherein the spacer surface comprises a first member and a second member telescopically positioned within the first member, and the resilient member comprises a spring positioned between the first member and the second member.

7. (canceled)

8. A flue spacer for providing a flue space in a storage rack, the flue spacer comprising:

a transversely extending spacer surface;

a first leg extending from a first end of the spacer surface;

a first tab associated with the first leg such that it is movable relative to the spacer surface, the first tab being adapted to engage a first storage rack upright;

a second leg extending from a second end of the spacer surface;

a second tab associated with the second leg, the second tab being adapted to engage a second storage rack upright;

at least one resilient member provided between the first tab and the spacer surface, the resilient member being adapted to allow the first tab to be moved towards the second tab, and to apply a restoring force to urge the first tab away from the second tab; and

wherein the first and second tabs are adapted to attach the spacer surface to the first and second storage rack uprights such that the spacer surface is offset from the storage rack uprights to form a vertical flue space within the storage rack.

9. The flue spacer of claim 8, wherein the spacer surface comprises a tubular rod, and the first and second legs comprise bent and flattened end portions of the tubular rod.

10. The flue spacer of claim 8, wherein the spacer surface comprises a generally linear surface.

11. The flue spacer of claim 10, wherein the generally linear surface has a circular profile.

12. The flue spacer of claim 8, wherein the first tab is slidably attached to the first leg, and the resilient member comprises a spring connecting the first tab to the first leg.

13. The flue spacer of claim 12, wherein the first tab comprises a sleeve that slidably fits over a flattened end portion of the first leg, and the spring is connected to the sleeve at a first end of the spring, and to the flattened end portion of the first leg at a second end of the spring.

14. (canceled)

15. A shelving system comprising:

at least two storage rack uprights;

at least one shelf suspended on the storage rack uprights; and

a flue spacer comprising: a transversely extending spacer surface, a first leg extending from a first end of the spacer surface, a first tab associated with the first leg, a second leg extending from a second end of the spacer surface, a second tab associated with the second leg, and at least one resilient member provided between the first and second tabs, the resilient member being adapted to allow the first and second tabs to be moved towards one another and apply a restoring force to urge the first and second tabs away from one another, wherein the first and second tabs are adapted to attach the spacer surface to the at least two storage rack uprights such that the spacer surface is offset from the storage rack uprights to form a vertical flue space adjacent the at least one shelf.

16. The flue spacer of claim 15, wherein the spacer surface comprises a tubular rod, and the first and second legs comprise bent and flattened end portions of the tubular rod.

17. The flue spacer of claim 15, wherein the spacer surface comprises a generally linear surface.

18. The flue spacer of claim 15, wherein the first tab is slidably attached to the first leg, and the resilient member comprises a spring connecting the first tab to the first leg.

19. The flue spacer of claim 15, wherein the spacer surface comprises a first member and a second member telescopically positioned within the first member, and the resilient member comprises a spring positioned between the first member and the second member.

20. (canceled)