Movable shelf device for a van
OwnerAlb D. Butzkeinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A movable shelf device for a van for positioning an easily accessible shelf unit in a van. The movable shelf device for a van includes a rail attached to a bottom surface of a top wall of a vehicle. A shelving unit has a bottom wall, a pair of lateral side walls, an upper wall, and a back wall, a plurality of panels extending between and attached to the lateral side walls. The panels each defining a shelf. A plurality of rods are attached to and extend upwardly from the upper wall of the shelving unit. Each of a plurality of pairs of wheels is rotatably coupled to one of the rods. Each of the pairs of wheels is positioned in the rail. The shelving unit may be moved along the rail away from and in front of a side door of a van.
Claims6
A shelving apparatus for a van type vehicle having a relatively large inner compartment including a top wall, a back wall and a pair of side walls, at least one side door being positioned in one of said side walls, said apparatus comprising:
- a rail being attached to a bottom surface of said top wall of said vehicle;
- a shelving unit having a bottom wall, a pair of lateral side walls, an upper wall, and a back wall, a plurality of panels extending between and being attached to said lateral side walls, each of said panels being orientated generally parallel with said bottom wall and defining a shelf;
- a plurality of rods being attached to and extending upwardly from said upper wall of said shelving unit;
- each of a plurality of pairs of wheels being rotatably coupled to one of said rods, each of said pairs of wheels being positioned in said rail;
- and
- wherein said shelving unit may be moved along said rail away from and in front of said side door.
A shelving apparatus for a van type vehicle having a relatively large inner compartment including a top wall, a back wall and a pair of side walls, at least one side door being positioned in one of said side walls, said apparatus comprising:
- a rail being attached to a bottom surface of said top wall of said vehicle, said rail being elongated and having a first end and a second end, said rail including a base section and a pair of side sections extending down from opposite edges of said base section, each of said side sections having a flange thereon, said flanges extending toward each other such that a channel is defined between said flanges, said base having a plurality of apertures therethrough, wherein fasteners may be extended through said apertures for fastening said rail to said top wall;
- a shelving unit having a bottom wall, a pair of lateral side walls, an upper wall, and a back wall, a plurality of panels extending between and being attached to said lateral side walls, each of said panels being orientated generally parallel with said bottom wall and defining a shelf, each of said panels, bottom wall and lateral side walls having a front edge positioned opposite of said back wall, each of a plurality of lips being coupled to and extending along a length of said front edges of said panels and a front edge of said bottom wall, each of said lips extending upwardly, an upper portion of each of said front edges of said lateral sides being arced toward said back wall such that said upper wall has a width generally less than half a width of said bottom wall;
- a plurality of rods being attached to and extending upwardly from said upper wall of said shelving unit, each of said rods being spaced from each other and being located generally adjacent to said back wall;
- each of a plurality of pairs of wheels being rotatably coupled to one of said rods, each of said pairs of wheels being positioned in said rail such that said rod extends through said channel, each of said wheels having a rotational axis orientated generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said rail, each of said wheels of a pair of wheels being positioned on one of said flanges;
- and
- wherein said shelving unit may be moved along said rail away from and in front of said side door.
A shelving system comprising:
- a van type vehicle having a relatively large inner compartment including a top wall, a back wall and a pair of side walls, at least one side door being positioned in one of said side walls:
- a rail being attached to a bottom surface of said top wall of said vehicle, said rail being elongated and having a first end and a second end, said rail including a base section and a pair of side sections extending down from opposite edges of said base section, each of said side sections having a flange thereon, said flanges extending toward each other such that a channel is defined between said flanges, said base having a plurality of apertures therethrough, wherein fasteners may be extended through said apertures for fastening said rail to said top wall;
- a shelving unit having a bottom wall, a pair of lateral side walls, an upper wall, and a back wall, a plurality of panels extending between and being attached to said lateral side walls, each of said panels being orientated generally parallel with said bottom wall and defining a shelf, each of said panels, bottom wall and lateral side walls having a front edge positioned opposite of said back wall, each of a plurality of lips being coupled to and extending along a length of said front edges of said panels and a front edge of said bottom wall, each of said lips extending upwardly, an upper portion of each of said front edges of said lateral sides being arced toward said back wall such that said upper wall has a width generally less than half a width of said bottom wall;
- a plurality of rods being attached to and extending upwardly from said upper wall of said shelving unit, each of said rods being spaced from each other and being located generally adjacent to said back wall;
- each of a plurality of pairs of wheels being rotatably coupled to one of said rods, each of said pairs of wheels being positioned in said rail such that said rod extends through said channel, each of said wheels having a rotational axis orientated generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said rail, each of said wheels of a pair of wheels being positioned on one of said flanges;
- and
- wherein said shelving unit may be moved along said rail away from and in front of said side door.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.