ADJUSTABLE SHELVING SYSTEM
An adjustable shelving storage system for use in industrial, commercial and home settings were available space is limited, the storage system having supports arms with a unique bracket for releasable attachment to side rail uprights whereby the support arms may be reversed for flat storage when not used. The system is provided in wall-mounted, floor mounted and mobile versions.
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This application is a non-provisional application filed under U.S.C. §111(a) claiming priority of the provisional application Ser. No. 60/430,516 filed Dec. 3, 2002.
BACKGROUNDNumerous heavy duty shelving systems have been provided in prior art that are adapted to include rigid frames having rigid shelving. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as hereinafter described.
SUMMARYThe present invention is directed to an adjustable shelving system that satisfies these needs for an economical, heavy-duty, adjustable shelf system for industrial, commercial, and home use that provides easy adjustment of shelving, easy storage of unused shelves, and a mobile optional. A shelving system having features of the present invention comprises a rigid shelf frame support having side rail tubes and removable support arms that may be releasably attached in pairs along both a front and back side of the side rail tubes. A pair of support arms have mounted thereon a shelf Each support arm has a J-shaped bracket at one end thereof with a pin mounted on the bracket. One of each pair of support arms has a J-shaped bracket with a unique shaped pin. Both the pin and the shaped pin are received by one of a series of regularly placed orifices in each generally square-shaped side rail tube. The J-shaped bracket fits about three sides of the generally square-shaped side rail tube thereby firmly supporting the support arm and attached shelf once in position.
The shelf can be a flat shelf, lipped shelf, a basket or the like. In use, one of the pair of support arms having a shaped pin is inserted manually whereby the shaped pin locks into place in the side rail tube orifice and pivots therein for ease of attachment of the second support arm of the pair having a pin mounted on the bracket. This system enables the user to attach one of the pair of support arms, with the shaped pin, to the side rail and then attach the second support arm without having the first support arm fall out of place.
The side rail tubes, in actual use conditions of high carbon, heat treated steel, have spaced apart pin receiving orifices placed at regular intervals in two sides of each side rail tube enabling the shelving system to be placed on both a front and back side of the side rail tubes. In actual use conditions, the side rail tubes are generally square shaped although other shapes could be utilized. Other resilient materials could also be used.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.
Understanding of the invention will be enhanced by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts in the several views and in which:
Understanding of the invention will be further enhanced by referring to the following illustrative but non-limiting example.
An adjustable rigid shelving storage system for use in industrial, commercial and home settings where available floor space is limited, the storage system having supports arms with a unique bracket for releasable attachment to side rail uprights whereby the support arms may be reversed for flat storage when not used. The adjustable shelving storage system is provided in wall-mounted, floor mounted and mobile versions. Additionally, a plurality of these systems may be nested together for storage thereof.
Turning now to the drawings, in which like reference characters refer to corresponding elements throughout the several views,
J-shaped bracket 30, 30′ shown in detail in
J-shaped bracket 30,30′, shown in detail at
Attachment of J-shaped bracket 30, 30′ a first at a first end 21 of each support arm 26,26′, permits the support arm 26, 26′ to be supported on three sides when in its position of use thereby providing a strong base of support for the support arm 26, 26′. J-shaped bracket 30, at a first end of each support arm 26,26′, may be released from attachment to the side rail and reversed such that the formerly left side is attached to the right side rail, and vice versa, such that the attached shelf or the like hangs downwardly in a generally vertical , out-of-the-way position, as indicated by support arm 26 in
Adjustable shelving storage system 10 may be mounted on a base 46 with or without wheels 40 as illustrated in
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. For example, a combination of these systems may be used in a setting where shelf storage is needed, such as a garage, display area, and industrial areas.
Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention.
Claims
1-9. (canceled)
10. A shelf assembly for attachment to first and second side rails, wherein each side rail comprises at least one orifice, the shelf assembly comprising:
- a first support arm and a second support arm, wherein each support arm extends between a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is attachable to one of the first and the second side rails;
- a locking bracket at the second end of each of the support arms comprising at least one inner surface configured to wrap around at least a portion of the side rail when the support arm is attached to the side rail;
- a pin extending from the at least one inner surface of each of the locking brackets, wherein the pin is sized as a function of the at least one orifice of the side rail for use in attaching the support arm to the side rail, wherein the pin extending from the locking bracket of the first support arm is longer than the pin extending from the locking bracket of the second support arm; and
- at least one shelf attachable to the first and the second support arms.
11. The shelf assembly according to claim 10, wherein the longer pin extending from the locking bracket of the first support arm terminates at a cap portion with a neck portion adjacent the cap portion, wherein the neck portion has a smaller cross-section than the cap portion.
12. The shelf assembly according to claim 10, wherein the locking bracket maintains the pin within the side rail when the support arm is attached to the side rail.
13. The shelf assembly according to claim 10, wherein the pin of the first support arm and the pin of the second support arm are aligned along the same axis.
14. The shelf assembly according to claim 10, wherein each pin extends in the same direction.
15. The shelf assembly according to claim 10, wherein the pin is aligned along an axis orthogonal to the support arm.
16. The shelf assembly according to claim 15, wherein the pin of the locking bracket of the support arm is located a distance away from the support arm and in a plane parallel thereto.
17. The shelf assembly according to claim 10, wherein the at least one inner surface of the locking bracket of each of the first and the second support arms comprises:
- a first inner surface from which the pin extends; and
- a second inner surface parallel to the first inner surface.
18. The shelf assembly according to claim 17, wherein an edge of the second inner surface is angled, such that when the support arm is attached to one of the first and the second side rails, a user may lift up on the first end of the support arm to allow release of the pin from the at least one orifice of the side rail.
19. A method for adjustment of a shelving system, wherein the shelving system comprises a first side rail and a second side rail, wherein each side rail comprises at least one orifice, the method comprising:
- providing a shelf assembly, wherein the shelf assembly comprises: a first support arm and a second support arm, wherein each support arm extends between a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is attachable to one of the first and the second side rails; a locking bracket at the second end of each of the support arms comprising at least one inner surface configured to wrap around at least a portion of the side rail when the support arm is attached to the side rail; a pin extending from the at least one inner surface of each of the locking brackets, wherein the pin is sized as a function of the at least one orifice of the side rail, wherein the pin extending from the locking bracket of the first support arm is longer than the pin extending from the locking bracket of the second support arm; and at least one shelf attached to the first and the second support arms; and
- attaching the shelf assembly to the first and the second side rails, wherein attaching the shelf assembly comprises receiving the longer pin of the locking bracket of the first support arm within the at least one orifice of the first side rail, and then, subsequently, receiving the pin of the locking bracket of the second support arm within the at least one orifice of the second side rail.
20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the longer pin extending from the locking bracket of the first support arm terminates at a cap portion with a neck portion adjacent the cap portion, wherein the neck portion has a smaller cross-section than the cap portion, wherein receiving the longer pin of the locking bracket of the first support arm within the at least one orifice of the first side rail comprises positioning the cap portion of the longer pin of the locking bracket of the first support arm within the at least one orifice of the first side rail such that the shelf assembly pivots about the neck portion of the longer pin of the locking bracket of the first support arm.
21. The method according to claim 20, wherein after the cap portion of the longer pin of the locking bracket of the first support arm is positioned within the at least one orifice of the first side rail, the shelf assembly is partially supported by the first side rail.
22. The method according to claim 19, wherein receiving the longer pin of the locking bracket of the first support arm within the at least one orifice of the first side rail comprises inserting a portion of the longer pin of the locking bracket of the first support arm partially within the at least one orifice of the first side rail, wherein receiving the pin of the locking bracket of the second support arm within the at least one orifice of the second side rail comprises inserting the pin of the locking bracket of the second support arm within the at least one orifice of the second side rail, and further wherein a remainder of the longer pin of the locking bracket of the first support arm is inserted within the at least one orifice of the first side rail when inserting the pin of the locking bracket of the second support arm within the at least one orifice of the second side rail.
23. A method of arranging adjustable shelving systems comprising:
- providing a first and a second adjustable shelving system, wherein each of the first and the second adjustable shelving systems comprises:
- a first side rail and a second side rail, each of the first and the second side rails extending between an upper end and a bottom end;
- at least one cross piece interconnecting the first side rail and the second side rail such that the first side rail is substantially parallel to the second side rail defining a plane in which the first and the second side rails lie;
- at least one shelf assembly attachable to the first and the second side rails in at least a storage position and a use position, wherein the at least one shelf assembly is movably attached to the first and the second side rails and hangs downwardly in a generally vertical position when in the storage position, and wherein the at least one shelf assembly is movably attached to the first and the second side rails and extends generally horizontally from the first and the second side rails when in the use position; and
- a first elongated base element and a second elongated base element, each of the first and the second elongated base elements extending between a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the bottom end of the first side rail is attached towards the proximal end of the first elongated base element, wherein the bottom end of the second side rail is attached towards the proximal end of the second elongated base element, wherein the distance between the distal end of the first elongated base element and the distal end of the second elongated base element is adjustable;
- adjusting the distance between the distal end of the first elongated base element and the distal end of the second elongated base element to be greater than the distance between the proximal end of the first elongated base element and the proximal end of the second elongated base element such that the adjustable shelving system is in a configuration that allows the first and the second adjustable shelving systems to be nested together;
- attaching the at least one shelf assembly of the first adjustable shelving system to the first and the second side rails of the first adjustable shelving system in the storage position; and
- nesting the second adjustable shelving system together with the first adjustable shelving system such that the first and the second adjustable shelving systems are adjacent each other.
24. An adjustable shelving system comprising:
- a first side rail and a second side rail, each of the first and the second side rails extending between an upper end and a bottom end;
- at least one cross piece interconnecting the first side rail and the second side rail such that the first side rail is substantially parallel to the second side rail defining a plane in which the first and the second side rails lie;
- at least one shelf assembly attachable to the first and the second side rails in at least a storage position and a use position, wherein the at least one shelf assembly is movably attached to the first and the second side rails and hangs downwardly in a generally vertical position when in the storage position, and wherein the at least one shelf assembly is movably attached to the first and the second side rails and extends generally horizontally from the first and the second side rails when in the use position; and
- a first elongated base element and a second elongated base element, each of the first and the second elongated base elements extending between a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the bottom end of the first side rail is attached to the first elongated base element, wherein the bottom end of the second side rail is attached to the second elongated base element, wherein each of the first and the second elongated base elements is adjustable to an angle greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees from the plane defined by the first and the second side rails so as to allow multiple adjustable shelving systems to be nested together.
25. The adjustable shelving system of claim 24, wherein each of the first and the second elongated base elements is adjustable to an angle greater than 90 degrees and less than 150 degrees from the plane defined by the first and the second side rails so as to allow multiple adjustable shelving systems to be nested together.
26. The adjustable shelving system according to claim 24, wherein the first elongated base element is adjustably coupled and orthogonal to the first side rail, and wherein the second elongated base element is adjustably coupled and orthogonal to the second side rail.
27. The adjustable shelving system according to claim 24, wherein the system further comprises:
- means for attaching the at least one shelf assembly to the first and the second side rails when in the storage position; and
- means for attaching the at least one shelf assembly to the first and the second side rails when in the use position.
28. The adjustable shelving system according to claim 24, wherein the at least one cross piece of the adjustable shelving system comprises:
- a first cross piece interconnecting the first side rail and the second side rail, wherein the first cross piece is coupled to the first side rail and the second side rail closer to the bottom ends than the upper ends thereof; and
- a second cross piece interconnecting the first side rail and the second side rail, wherein the second cross piece is coupled to the first side rail and the second side rail closer to the upper ends than the bottom ends thereof.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 27, 2010
Publication Date: Oct 21, 2010
Applicant: Innovative Tools & Technologies, Inc. (Saint Paul, MN)
Inventor: Bryan Thomas Johnson (Vadnais Heights, MN)
Application Number: 12/767,889
International Classification: A47B 96/02 (20060101);