Shelf divider system

Abstract

A shelf divider system comprising: an elongated slide member having a longitudinally extending channel formed therein, said slide member being positioned at a rear edge portion of a shelf such that said slide member extends longitudinally along said rear edge portion of said shelf and such that said channel faces forwardly across an upper surface of said shelf; and a divider member having a divider panel, said panel being disposed in an upright plane and extending forwardly over the upper surface of said shelf; wherein said divider member is retained on said slide member and wherein the divider member is slidable along said channel.

Description

SCOPE OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a shelf divider, and in particular, to a shelf divider system for mounting to a wall or office partition.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Shelf dividers are known to provide partitions between different types of articles on a single shelf. Examples of shelf dividers are shown in U.S. Design Pat. No. 285,152 to Smith and U.S. Design Pat. No. 308,394 to Smith. These shelf dividers comprise: (i) a panel; and (ii) a structure for maintaining the panel in an upright plane when resting on the upper surface of a shelf. A user places the shelf divider on the upper surface of a shelf at the desired location in order to serve as a partition between different types of articles.

Another example of a known shelf divider is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,705,477 to Narkis et al. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of Narkis et al., the shelf divider comprises a divider panel having a pair of tabs extending from the panel's lower edge. This pair of tabs can be inserted into a corresponding pair of slots appearing at various longitudinal locations along the shelf.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To at least partially overcome the disadvantages of previously known shelf dividers, the present invention provides a shelf divider system which comprises a shelf and a divider member which is mounted to a slide member positioned at an edge portion of the shelf, wherein the divider member is slidable along the slide member to any desired longitudinal location along the shelf.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved shelf divider system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelf divider system wherein the divider panel can be adjusted to any desired longitudinal location along a shelf.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a shelf divider system wherein the divider panel resists being moved from its position extending in a direction normal to the front and rear edge portions of the shelf.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a shelf divider system, wherein the divider panel is securely mounted to the shelf and is not easily removed from the shelf by accidental physical contact.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a shelf divider system wherein the divider panel is, when desired, easily detachable from the shelf.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelf divider system wherein the divider panel is, when desired, easily mounted to the shelf.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a shelf divider system which provides a mechanism for preventing articles stored on the upper surface of the shelf from contacting a wall or office partition to which the shelf is mounted.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelf divider system wherein the mechanism for allowing the divider panel to slide is protected from being damaged.

In one aspect the present invention provides a shelf divider system comprising: a shelf comprising a forward edge portion, a rear edge portion, two side edge portions, an upper surface and a lower surface; an elongated slide member having a longitudinally extending channel formed therein, said slide member being positioned at one of said edge portions of said shelf such that said slide member and its channel extends longitudinally along said edge portion at which said slide member is positioned, a divider member having a generally planar divider panel and a coupling member, the coupling member coupling the divider member to the slide member in a plurality of different positions longitudionally along the channel with in each of these positions the divider member supported on the upper surface with the divider panel disposed in an upright plane extending away from the slide member over the upper surface and generally normal to the upper surface, the channel having an access opening thereinto open outwardly away from said edge portion at which said slide member is positioned and inwardly over the upper surface, inside the channel inwardly from the access opening the channel extending above the access opening, the coupling member carrying a finger member projecting generally upwardly to a distal end which finger member extends though the access opening and upwardly into the channel above the access opening to secure the coupling member in the channel, the finger member engaging the channel member at locations longitudinally spaced along the channel member to maintain the upright plane of the divider panel at a relatively fixed angulation relative the channel and the upper surface.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a shelf divider system comprising: a shelf comprising a forward edge portion, a rear edge portion, two side edge portions, an upper surface and a lower surface; an elongated slide member having a longitudinally extending channel formed therein, said slide member being positioned at one of said edge portions of said shelf such that said slide member extends longitudinally along said edge portion at which said slide member is positioned, and such that said channel faces away from said edge portion at which said slide member is positioned; a divider member having a divider panel, said panel being disposed in an upright plane and extending over the upper surface of said shelf; and a finger attached to the divider member, wherein the finger projects generally upwardly; wherein said slide member has an elongated longitudinally extending tab projecting generally downwardly over a portion of the channel. The finger attached to the divider member and the tab on the slide member cooperate to mount the divider member to the slide member, and allow the divider member to easily slide along the channel.

In a preferred embodiment, the edge portion at which said slide member is positioned is the rear edge portion of said shelf.

The divider member is preferably detachable from the slide member. Specifically, the divider member can be detached from the slide member by pivoting the divider member such that the attached finger passes underneath the tab of the slide member and is removed from the channel.

The divider member preferably also comprises a laterally projecting foot member which rests on the upper surface of the shelf and supports the divider member such that the divider panel is maintained in an upright plane.

In one preferred embodiment, the shelf is mounted to an office partition such that the slide member of the shelf divider system is adjacent to a rear edge of the surface of the partition and acts as a stop mechanism to prevent articles on the shelf from contacting the surface of the partition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further aspects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shelf divider system in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the shelf divider system is mounted to an office partition;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are bottom and top pictorial views, respectively, of the divider member shown in FIG. 1 with an attached finger;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the shelf divider system shown in FIG. 1, where the divider member is in the process of being mounted to the slide member;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the circled region of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the shelf divider system shown in FIG. 1, where the divider member has been mounted to the slide member;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the circled region of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a shelf divider system in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a shelf divider system in accordance with a third embodiment mounted in a cabinet;

FIG. 10 is a view the same as FIG. 5 but of a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a view the same as FIG. 7 but of the fourth embodiment of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a view the same as FIG. 11 but of a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Throughout all the drawings in the disclosure, similar parts are indicated by the same reference numerals.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference is made to FIGS. 1 to 10 which show preferred embodiments of the present invention.

In a first preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 to 7, a shelf 10 is mounted to an office partition 12 by a first pair of brackets 40 attached to the rear edge portion 18 of the shelf 10 and extending between two removable covers 14 of the office partition 12 for connection to an internal framework of the office partition 12. A pair of angled support members 16 extend diagonally from the front edge portion 44 of the shelf 10. A second pair of brackets 42 are attached to the upper end of the angled support members 16 and extend inwardly above the removable cover 14 for connection to an internal framework of the office partition 12.

The first and second pair of brackets 40 and 42 used for mounting the shelf 10 to the office partition 12 are shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. A first pair of brackets 40 is attached to the rear edge portion 18 of the shelf. A second pair of brackets 42 is attached to the angled support member 16. The partition 12 shown in FIG. 1 is of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,760 to Edwards issued Apr. 18, 1995 with a vertical post 11 at each end spanned by pairs of horizontal beams 13 on each outer side of the post 11. Both the first and second pair of brackets 40 and 42 are adapted to clamp onto the horizontal beams 11 for mounting the shelf 10 to the office partition 12. Specifically, each bracket 40, 42 comprises an upper jaw 46 and a lower jaw 48. The upper jaw 46 and lower jaw 48 clamp onto the horizontal beams 13 of the internal framework of the office partition 12 such that the beams 13 are positioned in between the upper jaw 46 and the lower jaw 48. Thus, the shelf 10 is securely mounted to the office partition 12.

The shelf 10 has a front edge portion 44, a rear edge portion 18, and two side edge portions 50. The length of the shelf 10 between each of the edge portions 50 is not particularly limited. Similarly the width of the shelf 10 between the front edge portion 44 and the rear edge portion 18 is not particularly limited. The shelf divider system of the present invention can be designed to accommodate shelves of any length. The shelf 10 has a flat upper surface 52 and a flat lower surface 54.

The rear edge portion 18 includes an elongated slide member 20 which extends longitudinally along the rear edge portion 18. A divider member 22 is mounted to the slide member 20 and rests on the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the divider member 22 in greater detail. The divider member 22 includes a divider panel 24, and a laterally projecting foot member 26. In the preferred embodiment, the divider member 22 is manufactured from a single metal sheet. The metal sheet is bent at a 90° angle about a fold line 25 to define the divider panel 24 and the laterally projecting foot member 26 on each side of the fold line with a bottom edge of the divider panel 24 joined to a side edge of the foot member 26. At the rear end of the foot member 26, the sheet is bent up at a 90° angle about a fold line 27 to form a back wall 56 with a rear edge of the foot member 26 joined to a lower edge of the back wall 56. When the divider member 22 is placed on the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10, as shown in FIG. 1, the foot member 26 rests flat on the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10 and supports the divider member 22 such that the divider panel 24 is disposed in an upright plane. Secured to the bottom of the front member 26 as by adhesive are two slider plates 80 each preferably of low friction plastic material which serve the purpose of assisting the front member 26 to the slid over the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10.

The back wall 56 and a finger carrying member 70 mounted to the back wall 56 together form a coupling member for coupling the divider member to the slide member. The finger carrying member is best seen in side view in FIG. 7 is an extruded member having a U-shaped clamp portion formed from a forward arm 71 and a rearward arm 72 joined by an upper bight 73 and adapted to fixedly receive the back wall 56 between its forward arm 71 and rear arm 72 as in a friction fit against removal. The rear arm 72 carries a finger member 28 which is joined at a front end to the rear arm 72 and extends upwardly and rearwardly therefrom to a distal end 75 forming a gap 58 rearward of the finger member 28 and forward of the rear arm 72.

The finger member 28 projects generally upwardly when the divider member 22 is placed on the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10 with the divider panel 24 disposed in an upright plane.

FIGS. 4 to 7 illustrate how the divider member 22 is securely mounted to the slide member 20. As best seen in FIGS. 5, the slide member 20 has a rear wall 60, a top wall 62 and a tab 32 of the slide member 20. The rear wall 60 is attached to and extends upwardly from the rear edge portion 18 of the shelf 10 above the upper surface 52. The slide member is bent at a 90° angle between the rear wall 60 and the top wall 62. The top wall 62 extends horizontally forwardly away from the rear edge portion 18 spaced above the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10. The slide member 20 is bent at a 90° angle between the top wall 62 and a front wall or tab 32 projects generally vertically downwardly to a lower distal end 33. An access opening 34 is provided between the lower distal end 33 of the tab 32 and the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10. The slide member 20 defines a longitudinally extending channel 30 therein. The channel 30 is formed inside the slide member 20 bounded by the upper surface 52, the rear wall 60, the top wall 62 and the tab 32. The access opening 34 of the channel 30 opens outwardly. The channel 30 faces away from the rear edge portion 18 out the opening 34 and inwardly across the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10. As seen in FIG. 6, inside the channel, inwardly from the access opening 34 the channel extends above the access opening upwardly past the distal end of the tab 32.

To mount the divider member 22 to the slide member 20, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the divider member 22 is tilted and moved rearwardly such that the finger member 28 is inserted underneath the tab 32 through the opening 34 and into the channel 30 with the tab 32 to become received in the gap 58 between the finger member 28 and the back wall 56. To finish mounting the divider member 22 to the slide member 20, the divider member 22 is then pivoted clockwise as seen to the position shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the divider member 22 rests on the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10 with the foot member 26 on the upper surface 52. The finger member 28 on to the divider member 22 cooperates with the tab 32 of the slide member 20 to securely mount the divider member 22 to the slide member 20. The tab 32 is received preferably in a snug fit, into the gap 58 between the finger 28 and the back wall 56 of the divider member 22. In this configuration, the divider panel 24 is maintained normal to the rear edge portion 18 as well as generally vertical, and while securely mounted to the slide member 20, resists being moved from normal to the rear edge portion 18.

The finger carrying member 70 with the finger member 78 and it's associated gap 58 are shown to extend longitudinally on the back wall member that is with the finger member engaging the channel at longitudinally spaced locations along the channel to maintain the upright right plane of the divide panel at a relatively fixed angulation relative the channel and the upper surface. Providing increased length of longitudinal engagement between the tab 32 of the slide member 20 and the finger carrying member 70 is advantageous in maintaining the divider panel 24 to extend forwardly normal to the slide member 20 even if there may be a slip fit of the tab 32 within the gap 58. The interaction of the tab 32 and the finger member 28 and the gap 58 may be characterized as a removable clip structure. The divider member 22 may be located in any one of a plurality of different positions longitudinally along the slide member 20. The engagement of the finger carrying member 70 with the slide member 20 may preferably in the use position of FIGS. 6 and 7 permit the divide member 22 to be slid longitudinally relative the slide member 20 to any position along the slide member 20. Alternatively, when in the temporary raised position of FIGS. 6 and 7 the finger carrying member 70 and the slide member 20 may engaged so as to prevent longitudinal sliding and the divide member 22 must be tilted to assume the temporary raised position of FIGS. 4 and 5 in which the divider member 27 may side longitudinally relative the slide member 20 for repositioning.

The divider member 22 is present on the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10 and mounted to the slide member 20. The foot member 26 rests flat on the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10 such that the divider panel 24 is disposed in an upright plane. The divider member 22 is mounted to the slide member 20 such that the divider panel 24 extends forwardly over the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10 in a direction normal to the rear edge portion 18 of the shelf 10.

While mounted to the slide member 20, the longitudinal location of the divider member 22 can be manually adjusted by sliding the divider member 22 along the slide member 20. For example, the divider member 22 can be moved from the middle longitudinal location shown in FIG. 1 to a right hand longitudinal location simply by manually sliding the divider member 22 to the right.

Advantageously, the shelf divider system of the present invention allows for the divider member 22 to be slid to any desired longitudinal location along the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10. Further, the cooperation between the finger 28 member and the tab member 32 securely mount the divider member 22 to the slide member 20 such that the divider member 22 is not susceptible to being accidentally knocked off of the shelf 10. The finger member 28 and the tab 32 cooperate to also prevent the divider panel 24 from being moved from its position of extending in a direction normal to the rear edge portion 18 of the shelf 10.

If desired, even though the divider member 22 is securely mounted on the slide member 20, the divider member 20 can also be easily detached from the slide member 20. Beginning at the position shown in FIG. 6, the divider member 22 is manually pivoted to the position shown in FIG. 4, such that the finger member 18 can pass through the opening 34 underneath the tab 32 of the slide member 20, and the divider member 22 is thus removed from the channel 30.

The shelf divider system of the present invention allows for both easy mounting of the divider member 22 to the slide member 20 and easy detachment of the divider member 22 from the slide member 20.

An advantage of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is that the slide member 20 serves as an effective rear stop mechanism at the rear edge portion 18 of the shelf 10. As seen in FIG. 1, the slide member 20 extends upwardly above the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10 along the rear of the shelf 10 presenting a forwardly directed stop surface. An article such as a book which may be placed on the upper surface 52 of shelf 10 and slide rearwardly will come to engage the tab 32 of the slide member 20 with the tab 32 acting as a forwardly directed surface of as a stop shoulder. This prevents articles on the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10 from contacting, for example, the surface of an office partition 12 to which the shelf 10 is mounted, as in FIG. 1, as can be advantageous to prevent books and the like on the shelf being pushed rearwardly into potentially damaging contact with the cover 14.

In the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the slide member 20 is positioned at the rear edge portion 18 of the shelf 10. The slide member 20 when located is along the rear edge portion as contrasted with along the front edge portion of the shelf, has the advantage that the rear edge portion is less exposed and therefore, less likely to be damaged by physical contact as by dropping heavy books on the like on top of the slide member 20. Furthermore, the presence of articles such as books on the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10 provides additional protection to the slide member 20 on the rear edge portion from physical contact. A similar slide member 20 to that shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 could in another embodiment be placed along the forward edge portion 44.

Reference is made to FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrating another embodiment of the invention which is the same as the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 however in which the back plate member 26 includes inner leg portion 90, a horizontal flange 91 which extends rearwardly to a downwardly extending rear tab 93. The back plate member 26 with inner leg portion 90, its top flange 91 and rear tab 92 serve as a coupling member or finger member which is received in the channel 30 by tilting the divide member 22 from the temporary raised portion of FIG. 10 to the rear position of FIG. 11. The rear tab 92 may preferably flare rearwardly at its lower end such that the width between the front surface of the inner leg portion 90 and the rear surface of the rear tab 92 will exceed the width of the channel 30 between the tab 32 and the rear wall 60 to provide a friction fit against longitudinally sliding in the use position. As seen in FIGS. 10 and 11 the back plate member 26 provides finger member in the form of an outwardly and downwardly open hook member with the back plate member 26 forming an inner leg portion 90 merging with the top flange 90 as a bight portion from which an outer leg, the rear tab 92, extends downwardly.

FIG. 12 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in a view the same as FIG. 11 in which the back plate member 26 is bent to form an inwardly and downwardly open hook member with the back plate member 26 having an outer leg portion 94 with a bight portion 94 extending inwardly to an inner leg portion 96. In FIG. 12 the guide member 20 may also be characterised as a hook member with an outer support leg portion, the rear wall 60; a bight portion, the top wall 62, and an inner leg, the tab 32, with the access opening 34 between the inner leg and the upper surface 52. Further modification of the guide member 20 and the finger member may be provided, as for example with the embodiment of FIG. 12 modified to eliminate the bight portion 95 and the inner leg portion 96 and the channel 30 merely having a width between the tab 32 and the rear wall 60 equal to the width of the outer leg portion 94.

FIG. 8 illustrates a second preferred embodiment of the shelf divider system of the present invention. The embodiment of FIG. 8 has a construction of the slide member 20 and the divide member 22 identical to that in the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7. As illustrated in FIG. 8, two or more divider members 22 can be mounted to the same slide member 20, thus dividing the shelf 10 into three or more separate sections. In FIG. 8, the two divider members 22 have been positioned one at a left hand longitudinal location and the other at a middle longitudinal location. FIG. 8 differs from FIG. 1 in that brackets 64 are attached to the two side edge portions 50 of the shelf 10. Each side bracket 64 has a back edge 66 from which a pair of tabs 68 extend. These tabs 68 are adapted to be engaged into corresponding slots 67 provided in the posts 11 on each end of the office partition laterally of the cover panels 14 as seen in FIG. 2 to which the shelf 10 may be mounted. Such tab and slot arrangements are well known and slot carrying channels may for example be mounted to building walls, in cabinets, or other furniture items.

Whereas the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7 is adapted for off-modular connection between posts 11 of the partition, the embodiment of FIGS. 8 is for modular connection spanning longitudinally between the posts 11.

Reference is made to FIG. 9 which schematically shows a pictoral view of a storage cabinet 80 having two forward open horizontal upper shelves 81 and 82 and a filing drawer 83 therebelow adopted to be slid horizontally between an extended position as shown and a retracted storage position not shown within the confines of the cabinet 80. Four divider members 22 in accordance with the invention are schematically illustrated as coupled to the cabinet 80 via four corresponding guide member 20. On the top shelve 81 a first guide member 20 extends along one side edge of the shelf 81 with its divide member 22 to the slideable forwardly and rearwardly. Another guide member 20 extends along a rear edge of the shelf 85 with its divider member 22 to be slidable laterally side to side. The drawer 83 has a bottom support surface 85 with one guide member 20 extending along a side edge of the bottom surface 85 and its divider member 22 slidable forwardly and rearwardly and another guide member 20 extending along a forward edge of the bottom surface 85 with its divider member 22 slidable laterally side to side.

The finger member 28 may have many different forms than that shown in the various embodiments. It may be attached to the divider member 22 by various methods including welding, an adhesive, screws or the like. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the finger 28 is attached to the back wall 56 of the divider panel 22.

Although this disclosure has described and illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to these particular embodiments. Rather, the invention includes all embodiments that are functional or mechanical equivalents of the specific embodiments and features that have been described and illustrated herein. Many modifications and variations will now occur to those skilled in the art. For a definition of the invention, reference is made to the following claims.

Claims

1. A shelf divider system comprising:

a shelf comprising a forward edge portion, a rear edge portion, two side edge portions, an upper surface and a lower surface;

an elongated slide member having a longitudinally extending channel formed therein, said slide member being positioned at one of said edge portions of said shelf such that said slide member and its channel extends longitudinally along said edge portion at which said slide member is positioned,

a divider member having a generally planar divider panel and a coupling member,

the coupling member coupling the divider member to the slide member in a plurality of different positions longitudionally along the channel with in each of these positions the divider member supported on the upper surface with the divider panel disposed in an upright plane extending away from the slide member over the upper surface and generally normal to the upper surface,

the channel having an access opening thereinto open outwardly away from said edge portion at which said slide member is positioned and inwardly over the upper surface,

inside the channel inwardly from the access opening the channel extending above the access opening,

the coupling member carrying a finger member projecting generally upwardly to a distal end which finger member extends though the access opening and upwardly into the channel above the access opening to secure the coupling member in the channel,

the finger member engaging the channel member at locations longitudinally spaced along the channel member to maintain the upright plane of the divider panel at a relatively fixed angulation relative the channel and the upper surface.

2. The shelf divider system according to claim 1, wherein the elongated slide member is along the rear edge portion, the slide member rising to a height above the upper surface and presenting a forwardly directed stop shoulder a height above the upper surface and along the rear edge portion.

3. The shelf divider system according to claim 1, wherein the divider member is slidable along the channel.

4. The shelf divider system according to claim 1, wherein the finger member is slidable longitudionally within the channel for movement of the divider member from one of the positions to another of the positions without disengagement of the finger member from the channel.

5. The shelf divider system according to claim 1,

wherein said divider member is detachable from said slide member.

6. The shelf divider system according to claim 1,

wherein said divider member is detachable from said slide member by relative manual pivoting of the divider member relative the channel about an axis parallel the longitudional of the channel to move the finger member downwardly in the channel and out through the access opening.

7. The shelf divider system according to claim 1,

wherein said divider member is movable relative the shelf and its slide member between a position for use as a divider and a temporary raised position by relative manual pivoting of the divider member relative the channel about an axis parallel the longitudional of the channel to raise the end of the divider panel remote from channel upwardly off the upper surface and move the finger member downwardly in the channel and partially out through the access opening,

wherein in the temporary raised position the finger member is slidable longitudionally within the channel for movement of the divider member longitudionally from one of the positions to another of the positions without fully removing the finger member from the channel.

8. The shelf divider system according to claim 7, wherein in the position for use as a divider the finger member is engaged within the channel against movement longitudionally.

9. The shelf divider system according to claim 1, wherein said divider member further comprises a foot member projecting laterally from the divider panel for engagement with the upper surface to support the divider panel in the upright plane generally normal to the upper surface.

10. The shelf divider system according to claim 1, wherein said divider member further comprises a back wall member projecting laterally relative the divider panel and carrying the coupling member.

11. The shelf divider system according to claim 9, wherein said divider member further comprises a back wall member extending upwardly from a rear of the foot member and projecting laterally relative the divider panel,

the back wall member carrying the coupling member.

12. The shelf divider system according to claim 11, wherein the divider member is formed by bending a thin planar sheet of metal,

a bottom edge of the divider panel joined to a side edge of the foot member at a first fold line and an end edge of the foot member joined to a lower edge of the back wall member at a second fold line.

13. The shelf divider system according to claim 11, wherein said back wall member extends upwardly to an upper edge forming the finger member.

14. The shelf divider system according to claim 12, wherein back wall member is a generally planar member which extends upwardly to an upper edge,

said coupling member comprising an elongate U- shaped member with a downwardly open longitudionally extending slotway therein between a forward arm and a rearward arm to receiving the upper edge of the back wall member in the slotway and with the finger member extending upwardly and rearwardly from the rear arm.

15. The shelf divider system according to claim 14, wherein the said coupling member comprises is formed as an extrusion of constant cross-sectional shape normal its longitudional.

16. The shelf divider system according to claim 15, wherein the said coupling member is extruded from a material selected from the group consisting of plastic and nylon.

17. The shelf divider system according to claim 1, wherein said shelf is an element of office furniture selected from the group consisting of an office partition and a slidable drawer in a filing cabinet.

18. The shelf divider system according to claim 1, wherein said shelf divider system comprises two or more divider members for each shelf.

19. The shelf divider system according to claim 1, wherein the slide member comprises a hook member having an outer support leg portion, an upper bight portion and an inner tab leg portion,

a lower end of the support leg portion secured to the shelf and extending upwardly to merge with the bight portion which extends inwardly of the edge portion and from which the tab leg portion extends downwardly toward the upper surface inwardly of the edge portion, inwardly from the support leg portion with a lower end of the tab leg portion spaced from the upper surface forming the access opening therebetween.

20. The shelf divider system according to claim 19, wherein the finger member forms an outer leg portion of a hook member having an upwardly opening defined on an outerside by the finger member which merges into a bight portion from which an inward leg portion extends upwardly on the innerside of the channelway, the tab leg portion extending downwardly into the channelway and received in the channelway when the finger member is received in the channel.

21. The shelf divider system according to claim 17, wherein the elongated slide member is along the rear edge portion, the tab arm portion presenting a forwardly directed stop shoulder a height above the upper surface and along the rear edge portion adabted to engage articles slid rearwardly along the upper surface of the shelf from being slid rearwardly past the slide member.

22. A shelf divider system comprising:

a shelf comprising a forward edge portion, a rear edge portion, two side edge portions, an upper surface and a lower surface;

an elongated slide member having a longitudinally extending channel formed therein, said slide member being positioned at one of said edge portions of said shelf such that said slide member extends longitudinally along said edge portion at which said slide member is positioned, and is such that said channel faces away from said edge portion at which said slide member is positioned;

a divider member having a divider panel, said panel being disposed in an upright plane and extending over the upper surface of said shelf; and

a finger attached to said divider member, said finger projecting generally upwardly;

wherein said slide member has an elongated longitudinally extending tab projecting generally downwardly over a portion of said channel;

wherein said finger and said tab cooperate to mount the divider member to the slide member; and

wherein the divider member is slidable along the channel.