Shelving system with integrated lighting

An illuminated shelving system comprising:

• a shelf;
• at least two spaced heightwise extending supports including first and second supports formed from an electrically conductive material, the first support having a first shelf bracket and the second support having a second shelf bracket, the shelf brackets extending forwardly of their respective supports and founed from an electrically conductive material, the shelf brackets being, electrically connected directly to, their respective supports and being receptive to a shelf placed on the shelf supports to support the shelf;
• an electrical power supply connected across the supports;
• a light source attached to the underside of the shelf, the light source being connected in circuit with the shelf brackets to complete the lighting circuit;
• the shelf being formed from an electrically conductive material;
• the electrical connection between the light source and shelf bracket comprising a portion of the underside of the shelf having a first electrically conductive surface mounted thereto, the first electrically conductive surface being electrically insulated from the shelf and being positioned to electrically couple to the first shelf bracket, one of he light source leads being electrically connected to the first conductive surface;
• the other light source lead being electrically connected to a conductive portion of the shelf;
• the underside of the shelf having an exposed second electrically conductive portion, the second conductive portion being adapted to be electrically coupled directly to an electrically conductive portion of the second shelf bracket, whereby the light source and power source are electrically connected by placement of the shelf on the shelf brackets with the first conductive surface and second conductive portion in contact, respectively, with the first and second shelf brackets.

An illuminated shelving system comprising:

• a shelf;
• at least two spaced heightwise extending supports including first and second supports formed from an electrically conductive material, the first support having a first shelf bracket and the second support having a second shelf bracket, the shelf brackets extending forwardly of their respective supports and formed from an electrically conductive material, the shelf brackets being electrically connected directly to their respective supports and being receptive to a shelf placed on the shelf supports to support the shelf;
• an electrical power supply connected across the supports;
• a light source attached to the underside of the shelf, the light source being connected m circuit with the shelf brackets to complete the lighting circuit;
• wherein the first and second supports and the shelf supports are jacketed by a frangible layer of non-conductive material and where the configuration of the supports and brackets causes portions of the supports and brackets to mechanically interfere to cause portions of the non-conductive layers to be disrupted, when the brackets are attached to their supports, thereby electrically connecting the supports and brackets.

An illuminated shelving system comprising:

• a shelf;
• at least two spaced heightwise extending supports including first and second supports formed from an electrically conductive material, the first support having a first shelf bracket and the second support having a second shelf bracket, the shelf brackets extending forwardly of their respective supports and formed from an electrically conductive material, the shelf brackets being electrically connected directly to their respective supports and being receptive to a shelf placed on the shelf supports to support the shelf;
• an electrical power supply connected across the supports to supply electrical power along the length and through the conductive material of the supports, whereby the structural supports may provide a sole electrical pathway to deliver power to the shelf brackets;
• a light source attached to the underside of the shelf, the light source having leads connected in circuit with the shelf brackets to complete the lighting circuit;
• the electrical connection between the light source and shelf bracket comprising one lead being electrically connected to the conductive material of one of the shelf brackets and another lead being electrically connected to the conductive material of the other of the shelf brackets, whereby the shelf brackets may comprise the sole electrical pathway to deliver power from the supports to the light source.