Expandable Storage System
The presently disclosed subject matter is directed towards expandable storage units. Such units may be in a form of shelving units or closets. A closet in accordance with the disclosed subject matter comprises two side walls with at least two fixed shelves extending there between and an extension assembly associated with a respective side wall and comprising a support wall fixed with at least one retractable shelf and slidingly supported by a shelf opening configured at the respective side wall. The arrangement is such that the support is displaceable about a substantially vertical plain with respect to the respective side wall, between a retracted position extending near the respective side wall, and an extracted position wherein the support wall is displaced away from the respective side wall.
The presently disclosed subject matter relates to storage systems and more particularly to closets wherein the effective storage space may be changed per demand.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENTLY DISCLOSED SUBJECT MATTERModular storage systems and modular shelving are well known in the art and are typically design for reconfiguring at different shapes or to change the effective shelving space.
Examples of adjustable storage shelving are described e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,183, U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,312, U.S. Pat. No. 6,345795.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,183 is directed to an adjustable storage rack with vertically adjustable arms that are horizontally extensible and retractable to facilitate placement of material on or removal of material from the rack, especially where an overhead crane is used for this purpose.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,312 is directed to a two piece, lengthwise telescopically adjustable, shelf adapted to be mounted between vertical structural members or studs in a building. The lengthwise adjustability permits use of the shelf arrangement in spite of wide variations in the center-to-center spacing between the structural members.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,795 is directed to a shelf bracket for supporting and adjustably attaching shelving to vertically support structure comprises an elongate member having opposite end portions, and an open U-shaped shelf supporting channel along a lower edge thereof One of the end portions of the elongate member includes structure arranged to adjustably attach the bracket to vertical support structure. An inverted U-shaped shelf retaining channel extends along an upper edge of the elongate member. The open U-shaped shelf supporting channel functions to receive and support shelving when inserted therein, and the inverted U-shaped shelf retaining channel functions to snap fit over and thereby retain such shelving.
Hereinafter in the specification and claims the term closet is used in its broad sense to define a closet, a cupboard, a wardrobe, etc., used for any domestic or non-domestic purpose, for the storage of any sort of goods, e.g. linens, household supplies, clothing, books, foodstuff, crockery, utensils, and the like.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENTLY DISCLOSED SUBJECT MATTERAccording to the presently disclosed subject matter there is disclosed a shelving system comprising a first extension assembly and second extension assembly. Each of the first and second extension assemblies comprises a support wall integrally fitted with at least one shelf. The at least one shelf of the first extension assembly and at least one shelf of the second extension assembly coextend and are configured for sliding displacement with respect to one another, such that the displacement of one of the support walls entails retraction/extraction of the shelves with respect to each other.
According to the present disclosed subject matter there is further disclosed a closet comprising two side walls; an extension assembly associated with at least one of the respective side walls and comprising a support wall fixed with at least one retractable shelf and slidingly supported by a shelf opening configured at the respective side wall; said support wall being displaceable about a substantially vertical plain with respect to the respective side wall, between a retracted position extending near the respective side wall, and an extracted position wherein the support wall is displaced away from the respective side wall.
Any one or more of the following features and designs may be characterized in the shelving unit and or closet subject of the present disclosure:
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- At the extracted position the retractable shelf at least partially extends between the respective side wall and the support wall, depending on the extent to which the support wall has been displaced from the respective side wall, to a maximum corresponding with the length of the retractable shelf;
- The side walls extend parallel to one another, and according to one particular example are vertically extending;
- The closet comprises one wall and the closet is further mounted on a fixed wall;
- One of the extension assemblies comprised in the system is stationary;
- One of the extension assemblies comprised in the system is stationary and forms part of a wall structure of the room, shed, a closet etc. fitted with at least one shelve;
- The at least two fixed shelves are substantially horizontal;
- The at least one retractable shelf is parallel to the fixed shelves;
- The at least one support wall is substantially parallel to the respective side wall;
- At the retracted position the at least one retractable shelf blends with a corresponding one of the at least two fixed shelves;
- At the extracted position at least one retractable shelf coextends with a corresponding one of the at least two fixed shelves;
- At the retracted position the at least one support wall extends adjacent or at least partially embedded into the respective side wall. According to a particular configuration, the at least one support wall is fully received and extends flush with an outside surface of the respective side wall;
- A stopper assembly is provided to prevent unintentional detachment of the extension assembly from the closet;
- The closet may be fitted with one or two extension assemblies, each associated with a respective side wall thereof;
- The closet may be fitted with one or more doors for concealing one or more compartments of the closet or the extension assembly at its extracted position;
- The closet comprises at least two fixed shelves extending between the side walls;
- There may be an uneven number of number of fixed shelves and retractable shelves and further, the shelves may be slidingly displaceable over or within one another;
- The retractable shelves are wider than the fixed shelves, the latter being slidably received within the former, retractable shelves;
- Top and bottom walls of the closet may constitute fixed shelves;
- At least one of the side walls is inclined.
In order to understand the presently disclosed subject matter and to see how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The closet 20 illustrated in
Cabinet compartment 22 is a solid cabinet comprising a first sidewall 30, a parallel second sidewall 32, a top wall 36 and a bottom wall 38 interconnecting between the sidewalls and a back wall 40 (
Provided within the cabinet compartment 22 there are four shelves 50A-50D secured to the inner faces of the sidewalls 30 and 32, respectively (e.g. as seen in
The extension assemblies 24A and 24B each comprise a support wall 60 which in the present example is in the form of an inverted U-like frame integrated with four shelves designated 64A, 64B, 64C, and 64D parallelly extending and being substantially horizontal. As can be seen in the drawings, the legs 66 of the frame of support wall 60 extend down to the floor surface, thus supporting the extension assembly with further support provided thereto by the retracable shelves 64A-64D fixedly secured thereto and having their opposite ends (i.e. free ends) slidingly received and supported within respective shelve openings formed in the respective sidewall 30 and 32, said shelve openings designated 70A, 70B, 70C, and 70D, respectively and are to configured for slidingly though firmly supporting the respective retractable shelves 64A-64D. It is further noticed that the sidewalls 30 and 32 (only sidewall 30 is fully apparent in the figures) are configured with a groove 76 configured for fully accommodating the sidewall, namely frame 60 of the respective extension assembly 24 at its fully retracted position, as illustrated for example in
As can best be seen in
In accordance with yet a modification of the disclosed subject matter (not shown), the retractable shelves may be wider than the fixed shelves, the latter being slidably received within the former, retractable shelves. As such, the section of the fixed shelves is of smaller dimensions than the section of the retractable shelves and is adapted for sliding accommodation therewithin.
The length of the retrackable shelves 64A-64D is approximately half the width of the fixed shelves 50A-50D such that at the fully retracted position, whilst both the extension assemblies 24A and 24B are at their retracted position, the respective retrackable shelves extend approximately through half width of the fixed shelves 50A-50D, as illustrated in
It is further noticed for example in
The arrangement is such that the closet 20 is configurable between a fully retracted position (
It is also appreciated that the term closet in accordance with the present disclosed subject matter may be a fixed cabinet fitted with only one apparent sidewall, e.g. another sidewall being a fixed wall of a room, and not being provided with an extension assembly as discussed hereinabove.
Furthermore, the number of retractable shelves does not necessary have to correspond with the number of shelves within the cabinet compartment, however at least two retractable shelves constitute an advantage in support and stabilization of the extension assembly and further provide for smooth and even (parallel) retraction of the extension assembly.
Turning now to
In the example of
Unlike the previous example, in the present example the extension assembly generally designated 120 comprises a support wall 124 in the form of a flat support wall from which a pair of fixed retractable shelves extend 126A and 126B corresponding with shelves 108A and 108B of the cabinet compartment 104 and having a substantially inverted U-like cross-section slidingly received within a corresponding shelf opening 130 (seen best on the right sidewall 115 of the cabinet compartment 104).
The arrangement is such that the extension assembly 120 is slidably displaceable along arrowed line 140 between a fully retracted position (not shown) and a fully extracted, deployed position, not shown either and however being suitable for arresting at any mid position as illustrated in
Further noticed, the free ends of the retractable shelves 126A and 126B are fitted with a stopper member 154 to prevent unintentional detachment of the extension assembly 120 from the cabinet compartment 104.
For sake of easy sliding displacement of the extension assembly 120, suitable friction reducing shoes/pads may be provided or rollers 160A, at a bottom surface 160 of the support wall 124.
Unlike the previous example, in the example of
In
In accordance with the example of
Whilst not illustrated, the closet 200 of
Turning now to the example illustrated in
The presently disclosed subject matter is further directed to a shelving system as illustrated in
As can be seen in the drawings, each of the shelves 464A-464E have their free ends slidingly receiving and supporting through respective shelve openings 477 (seen in
The sum of the lengths of any of the two corresponding and coextending shelves is approximately the length of the respective shelve member such that at the fully retracted position, the respective retractable shelves extend approximately over the length of the shelve members, as illustrated in
Any of the shelves 464 and 480 may have a closed rectangle shape, a U-like cross-section, an L-like cross-section and the like.
The arrangement is such that the first extension assembly and at least one shelf of the second extension assembly coextend and are slidably displaceable along arrowed line 440 between a fully retracted position (
As seen in
While there have been shown several embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, it is to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the presently disclosed subject matter, Mutatis Mutandis.
Claims
1. A closet comprising:
- a. two side walls with at least two fixed shelves extending there between;
- b. an extension assembly associated with a respective side wall and comprising a support wall fixed with at least one retractable shelf and slidingly supported by a shelf opening configured at the respective side wall;
- said support wall being displaceable about a substantially vertical plain with respect to the respective side wall, between a retracted position extending near the respective side wall, and an extracted position wherein the support wall is displaced away from the respective side wall.
2. A closet in accordance with claim 1, wherein at the extracted position the retractable shelf at least partially extends between the respective side wall and the support wall.
3. A closet in accordance with claim 1, wherein the side walls extend parallel to one another.
4. A closet in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least two fixed shelves are substantially horizontal.
5. A closet in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one retractable shelf is parallel to the fixed shelves.
6. A closet in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one support wall is substantially parallel to the respective side wall.
7. A closet in accordance with claim 1, wherein at the retracted position the at least one retractable shelf is received within a corresponding one of the at least two fixed shelves.
8. A closet in accordance with claim 1, wherein at the extracted position at least one retractable shelf coextends with a corresponding one of the at least two fixed shelves.
9. A closet in accordance with claim 1, wherein at the retracted position the at least one support wall extends adjacent the respective side wall.
10. A closet in accordance with claim 1, wherein at the retracted position the at least one support wall is at least partially embedded into the respective side wall.
11. A closet in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one support wall is fully received and extends flush with an outside surface of the respective side wall.
12. A closet in accordance with claim 1, wherein a stopper assembly is provided to prevent unintentional detachment of the extension assembly from the closet.
13. A closet in accordance with claim 1, wherein the closet is fitted with at least one extension assemblies, wherein the at least one extension assemblies is associated with a respective side wall thereof
14. A closet in accordance with claim 1, wherein the closet may be fitted with one or more doors for concealing one or more compartments of the closet or the extension assembly at its extracted position.
15. A closet in accordance with claim 1, wherein the closet comprises at least two fixed shelves extending between the side walls.
16. A closet in accordance with claim 1, wherein the retractable shelves and the fixed shelves are slidingly displaceable over or within one another.
17. A shelving system comprising a first extension assembly and second extension assembly, each of the first and second extension assemblies comprises a support wall integrally fitted with at least one shelf, the at least one shelf of the first extension assembly and at least one shelf of the second extension assembly coextend and are configured for sliding displacement with respect to one another, wherein displacement of one of the support walls entails retraction/extraction of the shelves.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 23, 2011
Publication Date: Apr 25, 2013
Inventor: Efraim Haimoff (Mevasereth Zion)
Application Number: 13/805,509
International Classification: A47B 45/00 (20060101); A47B 96/02 (20060101);