Reinforced locking shelf support
AssigneeTenn-Tex Plastics, Inc.
InventorThomas R. Marsh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Shelf supports are provided that comprise a body member, a finger, a shelf flange, a stem holder and a metal stem. The body member may include a lower body portion and an upper body portion, where the upper body portion may have an inner opening formed therein. The shelf flange may extend from a front face of the lower body portion, and the finger may extend downwardly from adjacent the top of the opening towards the shelf flange. Typically, the finger is dimensioned to be collapsibly received within the inner opening. The stem holder may include a cavity for receiving at least part of the stem, and at least part of the stem extends from a back face of the body member so that it may be received within an aperture on the wall to which the shelf support is to be mounted.
Claims22
A shelf support, comprising:
- a body member having a front face and a back face, wherein the body member includes a lower body portion and an upper body portion, and wherein the upper body portion includes an inner opening formed therein;
- a shelf flange extending from the front face of the lower body portion of the body member;
- a finger extending downwardly from adjacent the top of the opening towards the shelf flange, wherein the finger is dimensioned to be collapsibly received within the inner opening;
- a stem holder having a cavity formed therein extending from at least one of the front face or the back face of the body member;
- and
- a metal stem that is received at least partly within the cavity in the stem holder, wherein at least a portion of the stem extends from the back face of the body member;
- wherein the stem holder extends from the back face of the body member, and wherein the stem holder encases substantially the entire stem.
A shelf support for locking an edge of a shelf in place adjacent a side wall, the shelf support comprising:
- a body member having a lower body portion and a middle body portion that meet at a first resilient junction, and an upper body portion that meets the middle body portion at a second resilient junction, wherein the lower body portion and the middle body portion together form a first obtuse angle on a front face of the body member, wherein the middle body portion and the upper body portion together form a second obtuse angle on a back face of the body member, wherein the body member includes an aperture in its lower body portion, and wherein the upper body portion includes an inner opening formed therein;
- a downwardly extending finger that connects to the upper body portion at a third resilient junction adjacent the top of the opening, wherein the finger is dimensioned to be collapsibly received within the opening;
- a shelf flange extending from the front face of the lower body portion of the body member;
- a stem holder having a cavity formed therein, wherein the stem holder extends from the front face of the lower body portion of the body member, and wherein a top surface of the stem holder engages a lower surface of the shelf flange such that the stem holder acts to reinforce the shelf flange;
- and
- a metal stem having first and second ends, wherein the first end of the stem is disposed within the cavity in the stem holder, wherein the second end of the stem extends from the back face of the lower body portion of the body member and wherein the stem passes through the aperture in the lower body portion of the body member.
A shelf support, comprising:
- a substantially straight body member having a front face and a back face, wherein the body member includes a lower body portion and an upper body portion, and wherein the upper body portion includes an inner opening formed entirely therein, the back face of the body member adapted to abut and overlie an adjacent wall;
- a shelf flange extending from the front face of the lower body portion of the body member;
- a finger extending downwardly from adjacent the top of the opening towards the shelf flange, wherein the finger is dimensioned to be collapsibly received within the inner opening;
- a stem holder having a cavity formed therein extending from at least one of the front face or the back face of the body member, the stem holder extending from the back face of the body member;
- and
- a metal stem that is received at least partly within the cavity in the stem holder, wherein at least a portion of the stem extends from the back face of the body member;
- wherein the stem holder encases substantially the entire stem.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.