Shelving system with removable shelves
AssigneeChicago Display Marketing Corporation
InventorRobert P. Sparkowski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shelving system including a pair of upright members, a plurality of cross-members extending between the upright members, and a plurality of shelves. Each shelf includes a plurality of first wire members defining a support surface, as well as at least two second wire members defining a support channel. Portions of the second wire members are upturned and define first and second engagement members. During assembly, each shelf is lowered onto a cross-member until the support channel engages the cross-member, whereupon the engagement members receive a respective upright member and thereby prevent rotation of the shelf about the cross-member.
Claims21
A shelving unit comprising:
- a first upright member;
- a second upright member spaced from the first upright member;
- a plurality of laterally extending and vertically spaced-apart cross-members coupled to at least one of the first upright member and the second upright member;
- and
- a plurality shelves, each shelf supported by a respective one of the plurality of cross-members and defining a support surface extending forwardly and rearwardly away from the respective cross-member, each shelf including a first engagement member extending at an angle relative to the support surface and engaging the first upright member, and a second engagement member extending at an angle relative to the support surface and engaging the second upright member, the first and second engagement members cooperating to substantially prevent rotation of the shelf about the cross-member.
A shelving unit comprising:
- a first upright member;
- a second upright member spaced a distance L from the first upright member;
- a plurality of cross-members coupled to at least one of the first upright member and the second upright member, each cross-member vertically spaced a distance H from adjacent cross-members;
- and
- a plurality of removable and interchangeable shelves, each shelf supported by a respective one of the cross-members and defining a support surface that extends forwardly and rearwardly away from the cross-member, each shelf also including a first engagement member and a second engagement member each of which extends at an angle relative to the support surface for engagement with a respective one of the uprights to substantially prevent rotation of the shelf about the cross-member, the first engagement member spaced apart from the second engagement member by a distance D that is greater than the distance L but less than the square root of the sum of the distance L squared and the distance H squared.
A method of installing a shelf into a shelving unit having a first upright, a second upright spaced a distance from the first upright, and a plurality of vertically spaced-apart cross-members positioned between the first and second uprights, the shelf defining a support surface and a support channel facing in an opposite direction as the support surface, and including a first engagement member on a first end of the shelf and a second engagement member on a second end of the shelf, the method comprising:
- positioning the shelf at an angle relative to the cross-member between the first and second upright members and between two vertically adjacent cross-members, such that the first engagement member is below the second engagement member;
- aligning the first and second engagement members with the first and second uprights, respectively;
- rotating the shelf to move the first and second engagement members into engagement with the first and second uprights, respectively, until the support channel receives a lower one of the adjacent cross-members, wherein engagement between the engagement members and the uprights substantially prevents rotation of the shelf about the cross-member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.