Book Support and Attachment Device
The present disclosure relates to a book support and an attachment device that can be used to attach a book support to a shelf. A base plate is provided which rests on a shelf, and an upright extends from the shelf. Tongues are provided at each end of the base plate which are capable of clamping the shelf. The tongues extend from the base plate at an acute angle to the base plate, such that folding the tongues out to a direction perpendicular to the base plate makes the tongues urge inwards. The tongues may have a proximal portion and a distal portion wherein the distal portion is directed at an even more acute angle to the base plate. The attachment device can be attached to shelf boards having relatively wide manufacturing tolerances in terms of thickness.
The present disclosure relates to a book support comprising a base plate, configured to rest on a shelf, a plate shaped upright rising upwards from the base plate, and an attachment device, configured to fix the base plate to the shelf. The disclosure further relates to an attachment device that can be integrated in such a book support or together with another device, and to a system including a shelf and such an attachment device.
BACKGROUNDA book support of the initially mentioned kind is disclosed for instance in US-767037, showing a sheet metal book support with an attachment provided as a clip that is configured to clasp a shelf. One problem associated with such book supports is how to make them easily and reliably attachable to a shelf.
SUMMARYOne object of the present disclosure is therefore to provide a book support that can be easily and reliably attached to a shelf by a user. This object is achieved by means of a book support as defined in claim 1. More specifically in a book support of the initially mentioned kind, the attachment device comprises a tongue at each end of the base plate. The tongues extend downwards from the plane of the base plate and are flexible about an axis that is perpendicular to the plane of the upright, and each tongue forms an acute angle with the base plate. This allows a shelf to be clamped in between the tongues where the clamping force is applied in parallel with the plane of the base plate and the main surface of the shelf on which the base plate rests. Compared to where a clip is used to clasp the shelf at one end of the base plate, the attachment becomes very reliable without the need to apply a great force.
Each tongue may have a proximal tongue portion forming an angle with the base plate in the range between 75°-85°, and a distal tongue portion forming an angle with the proximal portion in the range between 95°-105°. This provides a book support which can accommodate greater mutual tolerances between the thickness of the shelf board and the length of the tongue, as a thicker board may simply make the tongue flex a little bit more and may make the lower corner of the shelf rest on a location of the distal portion of the tongue.
At the corner between each tongue and the base plate, an outward extending arc may be provided that connects the base plate to the tongue and provides a spring function that allows a greater tongue flexibility and reduces any lifting of the end of the base plate when the tongue is flexed outwards.
Each distal tongue portion may be substantially parallel with the base plate and a corner may be formed between the proximal and distal portions of the tongue.
Further, the end of each tongue may comprise a downwards directed tip that provides a grip to facilitate attaching of the book support.
The book support may be formed in one piece in injection moulded plastic. A suitable material is polycarbonate, PC.
An attachment device of the above defined type may be used in other applications than book supports, and is generally configured to fix a base plate to a shelf. The attachment device comprises a tongue at each end of the base plate, wherein the tongues are bent out of the plane of the base plate and being flexible about the axis about which the tongues are bent, and wherein each tongue forms an acute angle with the base plate. Such an attachment device may thus be used for other purposes, typically for storing different items.
It is also considered a combination of a shelf board and an attachment device, wherein the attachment device is configured to fix a base plate to the shelf. The attachment device comprises a tongue at each end of the base plate, wherein the tongues project out of the plane of the base plate and are flexible about the axis about which the tongues are bent. Each tongue forms an acute angle with the base plate, and has a proximal tongue portion, forming an angle with the base plate in the range between 75°-95°, and a distal tongue portion forming an angle with the proximal portion in the range between 95°-105°, wherein, when the attachment device is attached to the shelf board, the distal portion of each tongue rests on a corner of the board.
The present disclosure relates e.g. to book supports that are used to divide bookshelves into different sections, and to support a book at the end of a line of books standing on a shelf.
As is also illustrated in
As shown in
Thus, thanks to the illustrated configuration, the bottom corner of the shelf will rest either in the corner between the proximal 17 and distal 19 tongue portions or on a location along the distal portion 19, depending on the shelf thickness. This allows a relatively large tolerance of the shelf thickness. A reliable and wobble-free attachment can still be provided. The combination of angles 23, 25 in between the base plate 5 and the proximal portion 17, and between the proximal 17 and distal 19 tongue portions, may be such that, in the unflexed/relaxed position, the distal tongue portion 19 is substantially parallel with the base plate 5.
Further, thanks to the arrangement with tongues at both ends of the base plate, the book support disclosed here is suitable for being produced in injection moulded plastic, which is significantly less expensive than producing a sheet metal book support. For instance, the support may be produced in polycarbonate, PC, which also allows for the provision of a transparent book support. Also, as the attachment device provides a firm connection to the shelf board, it is possible as illustrated in
The present disclosure is not restricted to the examples given above, and may be varied and altered in different ways within the scope of the appended claims. For instance, although in the described example, the upright rises perpendicularly from the base plate, a deviation from this direction is possible while retaining the desired function.
Claims
1. A book support comprising a base plate, configured to rest on a shelf, a plate shaped upright rising upwards from the base plate, and an attachment device, configured to fix the base plate to the shelf, characterized by the attachment device comprising a tongue at each end of the base plate, wherein the tongues extend downwards from the base plate and being flexible about an axis that is perpendicular to the plane of the upright, and wherein each tongue forms an acute angle with the base plate.
2. A book support according to claim 1, wherein each tongue has a proximal tongue portion forming an angle with the base plate in the range between 75°-85°, and a distal tongue portion forming an angle with the proximal portion in the range between 95°-105°.
3. A book support according to claim 1, wherein, at the corner between each tongue and the base plate, an outward extending arc is provided that connect the base plate to the tongue.
4. A book support according to claim 2, wherein, in a relaxed position, each distal tongue portion is substantially parallel with the base plate.
5. A book support according to claim 2, wherein a corner is formed between the proximal and distal portions of the tongue.
6. A book support according to claim 1, wherein the distal end of each tongue comprises a downwardly directed tip.
7. A book support according to claim 1, wherein the book support is formed in one piece in injection molded plastic.
8. A book support according to claim 7, wherein the book support is made in polycarbonate, PC.
9. An attachment device configured to fix a base plate to a shelf, wherein the attachment device comprises a tongue at each end of the base plate, wherein the tongues are bent out of the plane of the base plate and being flexible about the axis about which the tongues are bent, and wherein each tongue forms an acute angle with the base plate.
10. A combination of a shelf board and an attachment device, wherein the attachment device is configured to fix a base plate to the shelf, the attachment device comprising a tongue at each end of the base plate, wherein the tongues are bent out of the plane of the base plate and being flexible about the axis about which the tongues are bent, wherein each tongue forms an acute angle with the base plate, each tongue has a proximal tongue portion, forming an angle with the base plate in the range between 75°-85°, and a distal tongue portion forming an angle with the proximal portion in the range between 95°-105°, wherein when the attachment device is attached to the shelf board, the distal portion of each tongue rests on a corner of the board.
11. A book support comprising a base plate configured to rest on a shelf, a plate shaped upright rising upwards from the base plate, and an attachment device, configured to fix the base plate to the shelf, the attachment device comprising a tongue at each end of the base plate that extend downwards from the base plate and is flexible about an axis that is perpendicular to the plane of the upright, and an outward extending arc between each tongue and the base plate that connects the base plate to the tongue.
12. A book support according to claim 11, wherein each tongue has a proximal tongue portion forming an angle with the base plate in the range between 75°-85° and a distal tongue portion forming an angle with the proximal portion in the range between 95°-105°.
13. A book support according to claim 11, wherein, in a relaxed position, each tongue comprises distal tongue portion that is substantially parallel with the base plate.
14. A book support according claim 11, wherein the tongue is comprised of proximal and distal portions with a corner formed between them.
15. A book support according to claim 11, wherein a distal end of each tongue comprises a downwardly directed tip.
16. A book support according to claim 11, wherein the book support is formed in one piece in injection molded plastic.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 30, 2017
Publication Date: Apr 18, 2019
Inventors: Peter NILSSON (Västervik), Johan ANDERSSON (Västervik)
Application Number: 16/090,267