HEAVY DUTY SHELVING ASSEMBLY
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to an apparatus comprising a heavy duty shelving assembly. The apparatus comprises shelving assemblies that may be used to store relatively heavy objects such as vehicle components, athletic weights, or the like. The apparatus comprises a plurality of vertical columns including column members that are selectively coupled to one another, a plurality of horizontal supports that extend between the column members, and a plurality of shelves that are positioned on the horizontal supports. The apparatus may also include a center brace extending between opposing horizontal supports. The horizontal supports include a truss portion connected to a support portion; the truss portion distributes the downward forces applied to the support portion by the shelves. The design of the apparatus and the truss increases the downward forces that may be applied to the shelf, thereby increasing the weight capacity of the shelves and the apparatus. The column members are configured for selective coupling by incorporating a main portion that comprises a plurality of apertures and a coupling portion that extends outward from the main portion such that it may accept at least part of a main portion of an adjacent column member. The coupling portion further comprises one or more engagement tabs that are configured to engage the apertures of an adjacent column member. In at least one embodiment, the engagement tabs are formed through stamping, thereby minimizing or entirely eliminating areas where stress can concentrate when the apparatus is under load. This feature reduces or eliminates the potential of a partial failure when the apparatus is under load.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/538,363, filed on Jul. 28, 2017, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUNDShelving assemblies are used to store objects and can be located in a garage, a kitchen, or other position inside or outside of a building. In some circumstances, shelving assemblies may be used to store relatively heavy objects, such as vehicle components, athletic weights, or the like. Conventional shelving assemblies generally include shelves that are supported on vertical columns by support members that extend between the vertical columns, and the shelves may rest on top of the support members. The construction of the support members may limit the amount of weight that may be supported by each of the shelves, which may limit storage capacity and/or the types of objects that can be stored on the shelving assembly.
To support relatively heavy items on the shelves, some shelving assembles may include support members including reinforcements, or may include support members formed from heavy gage steel, which may increase the weight of the shelving assembly. The use of heavy gage steel and/or reinforcements may thus increase manufacturing and shipping costs of the shelving assembly. Additionally, the increased weight of the shelving assembly may make it difficult for a user to assemble and/or transport the shelving assembly.
Accordingly, a need exists for shelving assemblies that are capable of storing relatively heavy objects.
Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
Various embodiments of the present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. The term “or” is used herein in both the alternative and conjunctive sense, unless otherwise indicated. The terms “illustrative” and “exemplary” are used to be examples with no indication of quality level. And terms are used both in the singular and plural forms interchangeably. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
As used herein, the vertical direction (i.e., the +/− Z-direction as depicted) refers to the upward/downward direction of components of the shelving assembly. The longitudinal direction (i.e., the +/− X-direction as depicted) refers to the forward/rearward direction of components of the shelving assembly and is transverse to the vertical direction. The lateral direction (i.e., the +/− Y-direction as depicted) refers to the cross-wise direction of components of the shelving assembly and is transverse to the vertical direction and the longitudinal direction.
I. Exemplary Shelving AssemblyShelving assemblies are configured to store objects, and in some circumstances it is desirable to store relatively heavy objects on the shelving assembly. In embodiments, heavy-duty shelving assemblies include vertical columns including column members that are selectively coupled to one another, and horizontal supports that extend between the column members. Shelves are positioned on the horizontal supports and may rest on a support portion of the horizontal supports. The horizontal supports include a truss portion connected to the support portion that distributes the downward forces applied to the support portion by the shelves, thereby increasing the downward forces that may be applied to the shelf and increasing the weight capacity of the shelves.
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Each of the column members 114 may have a thickness t1 at the main portion 116, and the flanges 112 of the coupling portion 120 may extend outward from the main portion 116 by a distance that corresponds to the thickness t1. The flanges 112 of the coupling portion 120 may also be co-planar with the main portion 116 of the column member 114. In this way, the coupling portions 120 may accept at least a part of a main portion 116 of an adjacent column member 114 selectively nested within the coupling portion 120.
The coupling portions 120 include one or more engagement tabs 122 that extend inward and which are configured to engage apertures 130 of an adjacent column member 114. When part of the main portion 116 of one column member 114 is nested within the coupling portion 120 of an adjacent column member 114, engagement between the engagement tabs 122 and the apertures 130 of the adjacent column member 114 may selectively couple the column members 114 to one another. While in the embodiment depicted in
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The gap g1 of the vertical portion 134 is larger than the thickness t2 of the engagement tab 122 such that, when installed to the vertical column 110, the engagement tab 122 may be positioned within the vertical portion 134 of the column member 114. In embodiments, each of the engagement tabs 122 may include an end tab 123 that extends outward from the engagement tab 122, such that when the engagement tab 122 is positioned within the vertical portion 134 of the column member 114, movement of the engagement tab 122 with respect to the aperture 130 is restricted in both the lateral and the longitudinal directions. In this manner, the engagement tabs 122 may selectively couple column members 114 to one another.
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In the embodiment depicted in
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The upper portion 154 generally includes the upper engagement tab 151 and the lower portion 160 generally includes the lower engagement tab 153, and the upper portion 154 and the lower portion 160 are spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction. The upper portion 154 and the lower portion 160 are generally co-planar with one another such that the upper engagement tab 151 and the lower engagement tab 153 may engage the apertures 130 (
The support portion 156 extends inward from the upper portion 154 and is configured to support the shelf 140 (
The truss portion 158 of the horizontal support 150 extends outward and downward from the inward edge 157 of the support portion 156 toward the lower portion 160 of the horizontal support 150. While the embodiment shown in
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As the truss portion 158 extends outward and downward from the inward edge 157 of the support portion 156, the truss portion 158 may transfer downward forces applied to the inward edge 157 of the support portion 156 to the lower engagement tab 153 through the lower portion 160 of the horizontal support 150. By transferring downward forces applied to the inward edge 157 to the lower engagement tab 153, the horizontal support 150 may support relatively higher weights as compared to configurations in which the support portion is cantilevered inward to support a shelf.
In particular and without being bound by theory, as the inward edge 157 of the support portion 156 is spaced apart from the engagement tabs 152, downward forces applied at the inward edge 157 would apply a moment evaluated at the engagement tabs 152 in configurations in which the support portion were cantilevered. As the truss portion 158 extends outward from the inward edge 157 to the lower portion 160 (which includes the lower engagement tab 153), downward forces applied to the inward edge 157 may be transmitted through the truss portion 158 to the lower engagement tab 153, thereby reducing the moment evaluated at the engagement tabs 152. In this way, by including a truss portion 158 extending between the inward edge 157 and the lower portion 160, the horizontal supports 150 may sustain greater downward forces as compared to a horizontal supports that do not include a truss portion 158.
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Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
Claims
1. A storage assembly apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of vertical columns;
- at least one shelf positioned transversally with respect to the plurality of vertical columns; and
- wherein at least one of the vertical columns comprises a plurality of column members that are coupled to one another, at least one of the column members further comprising: a main portion; and a coupling portion that is disposed adjacent to one end of the main portion, wherein the coupling portion extends outward from the main portion in a lateral direction such that the coupling portion is configured to receive a section of a main portion of a second column member that is adjacently disposed to the coupling portion.
2. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 1, wherein the column member has a generally L-shaped cross-section.
3. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 1, wherein the main portion defines a main portion thickness, and
- wherein the coupling portion is configured to receive the section of the main portion of the second column member by extending laterally from the main portion by a distance that corresponds to the main portion thickness.
4. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 3, wherein the section of the main portion of the second column member is nested within the coupling portion.
5. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling portion is integrally formed with the column member such that the coupling portion and the main portion.
6. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 4, wherein the main portion comprises a plurality of apertures disposed along a vertical direction, and
- wherein the coupling portion further comprises one or more engagement tabs that extend inward from the coupling portions, the one or more engagement tabs being configured to engage one or more of the plurality of apertures when the section of the main portion of the second column member is nested within the coupling portion.
7. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more engagement tabs are formed by a stamping process such that the one or more engagement tabs are integrally formed with the coupling portion.
8. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 7, wherein the main portion comprises a plurality of apertures disposed along the vertical direction, each aperture further comprising:
- a vertical portion that defines a first gap;
- a horizontal portion that is transversally oriented with regards to the vertical portion and that defines a second gap; and
- wherein a second gap height is larger than an engagement tab height such that the one or more engagement tabs are configured to be disposed within the horizontal portion.
9. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 8, wherein a first gap width is larger than an engagement tab thickness such that the one or more engagement tabs are configured to be disposed within the vertical portion of the column member.
10. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 9, wherein each of the one or more engagement tabs comprises an end tab that extends outward such that, when the one or more engagement tabs are disposed within the vertical portion, a movement of the one or more engagement tabs becomes restricted in the lateral direction and a longitudinal direction that is transversally oriented to the lateral direction.
11. A storage assembly apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of vertical columns that comprise a plurality of apertures along a vertical direction;
- at least one shelf positioned transversally with respect to the plurality of vertical columns; and
- a plurality of horizontal support elements, at least one of the horizontal support elements being adjacently disposed to the at least one shelf and to two of the plurality of vertical columns, the horizontal support element further comprising: an upper portion that extends in the vertical direction and that comprises an upper engagement tab configured to engage a first aperture of the plurality of apertures; a support portion that extends in a horizontal direction with respect to the storage assembly apparatus, the support portion being configured such that the at least one shelf may be disposed on the support portion; a truss portion extending downward from the support portion; and a lower portion disposed below the upper portion and that comprises a lower engagement tab configured to engage a second aperture of the plurality of apertures.
12. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 11, wherein the support portion extends in an inward direction towards an inward edge that defines a transition point where the horizontal support element transitions between the support portion and the truss portion.
13. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 12, wherein the truss portion extends, with respect to the storage assembly apparatus, in outward and downward directions from the inward edge toward the lower portion.
14. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 11, wherein the support portion, the truss portion, and the lower portion are integrally formed.
15. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 11, wherein each horizontal support element comprises a center brace aperture configured to receive a center brace extending between the horizontal support element and a second horizontal support element that is disposed directly opposite to the horizontal support element.
16. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 15, wherein the center brace aperture is centrally located along the horizontal support element.
17. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 11, wherein the upper portion and the lower portion are generally coplanar with one another such that the upper engagement tab and the lower engagement tab concurrently engage the first aperture comprising the plurality of apertures and the second aperture comprising the plurality of apertures.
18. A storage assembly apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of vertical columns that comprise a plurality of apertures along a vertical direction, wherein at least one of the vertical columns comprises a plurality of column members that are coupled to one another, the vertical column further comprising a first column member that comprises: a main portion; and a coupling portion that is disposed adjacent to one end of the main portion, wherein the coupling portion extends outward from the main portion in a lateral direction such that the coupling portion is configured to receive a section of a main portion of a second column member that is adjacently disposed to the coupling portion;
- at least one shelf positioned transversally with respect to the plurality of vertical columns; and
- a plurality of horizontal support elements, at least one of the horizontal support elements being adjacently disposed to the at least one shelf and to two of the plurality of vertical columns, the horizontal support element further comprising: an upper portion that extends in the vertical direction and that comprises an upper engagement tab configured to engage a first aperture of the plurality of apertures; a support portion that extends in a horizontal direction with respect to the storage assembly apparatus, the support portion being configured such that the at least one shelf may be disposed on the support portion; a truss portion extending downward from the support portion; and a lower portion disposed below the upper portion and that comprises a lower engagement tab configured to engage a second aperture of the plurality of apertures.
19. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 18, wherein the horizontal support element, the first column member, and the second column member have a length that is equal to or shorter than the length of the at least one shelf.
20. The storage assembly apparatus of claim 19, wherein the coupling portion comprises one or more engagement tabs that are configured to engage one or more apertures of a plurality of apertures of the second column member; and
- wherein the upper engagement tab and the lower engagement tab are engaged to two apertures of the plurality of apertures of the second column member.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 30, 2018
Publication Date: Jan 31, 2019
Inventor: Zhi Qiang LU
Application Number: 16/048,798