US 6,581,788 B1 · Shelf and bracket assembly

Abstract

A shelf and bracket item holder where the item holder is supported upon a planar panel. The shelf has two end edges and two shelf-brackets which include a substantially circumferential flange, a receptacle portion for receiving one of the end edges of the shelf, and an upper panel catch and a lower panel catch projecting outwardly from a same side of the circumferential flange in aligned spaced relation to one another. A cantilevered lock-release latch is positioned adjacent to the lower panel-catch so as to project from an end of the circumferential flange toward the lower panel-catch. When each of the upper and lower panel-catches are inserted through and occupy a corresponding one of the perforations in the panel such that each of the lock-release tabs of the lock-release latches engages the outer surface of the perforated panel thereby deflecting the lock-release latches away from the perforated panel, the shelf and brackets are moved relative to the perforated panel. This movement causes the lock-tabs to engage the rear surface of the perforated panel and the lock-release tabs of the lock-release latches to slide along the front surface and slip into the respective perforations occupied by the lower panel catches. This, in turn, allows the lock-release latches to spring-back and the lock-release tabs to enter the perforations occupied by their respective lower panel catches so as to secure the bracket in locked engagement with the perforated panel.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A shelf and bracket assembly to be supported upon a panel having a plurality of spaced perforations, the assembly comprising:

a shelf having two end edges;
and
two shelf-brackets each including;
a substantially circumferential flange,
a receptacle portion for receiving one of said end edges of said shelf,
an upper panel-catch and a lower panel-catch projecting outwardly from a side of said circumferential flange in aligned spaced relation to one another, each of said upper panel-catch and said lower panel-catch (i) having a lock-tab projecting toward an outer surface of said circumferential flange, and (ii) being sized so as to be received within one of said plurality of spaced perforations;
and
a lock-release latch comprising a cantilevered beam including a lock-release tab positioned at a free end thereof, and adjacent to said lower panel-catch.

5 more elements

A shelf and bracket assembly comprising:

a planar panel having a front surface, a rear surface, and a plurality of perforations;
a shelf having two end edges;
and
two shelf-brackets each including;
a substantially circumferential flange,
a receptacle portion for receiving one of said end edges of said shelf,
an upper panel catch and a lower panel catch projecting outwardly from a side of said circumferential flange in aligned spaced relation to one another, each of said upper panel-catch and said lower panel-catch having (i) a lock-tab projecting toward an outer surface of said circumferential flange and (ii) being sized so as to be received within one of said plurality of spaced perforations;
and
a lock-release latch comprising a cantilevered beam including a lock-release tab positioned at a free end thereof, and adjacent to said lower panel-catch;
whereby when each of said upper and lower panel-catches are inserted through and occupy a corresponding one of said perforations such that each of said lock-release tabs of said lock-release latches engages an outer surface of said perforated panel thereby deflecting said lock-release latches away from said perforated panel, said shelf and brackets are moved relative to said perforated panel causing said lock-tabs to engage said rear surface of said perforated panel and said lock-release tabs of said lock-release latches to slide along said front surface and slip into the respective perforations occupied by said lower panel catches thereby allowing said lock-release latches to spring-back and said lock-release tabs to enter the perforations occupied by their respective lower panel catches so as to secure said bracket in locked engagement with said perforated panel.

7 more elements

In a storage system of the type including a planar panel having a plurality of spaced perforations that are adapted to receive fasteners for holding items on said panel, the improvement comprising:

a shelf having two end edges and being supported upon said perforated panel by two shelf-brackets wherein each of said shelf-brackets comprises;
(i) a substantially circumferential flange forming an outer surface,
(ii) a receptacle portion for receiving one of said end edges of said shelf,
(iii) an upper panel catch and a lower panel catch projecting outwardly from a side of said circumferential flange in aligned spaced relation to one another, each of said upper panel-catch and said lower panel-catch having a lock-tab projecting toward said outer surface;
and
(iv) a lock-release latch comprising a cantilevered beam including a lock-release tab positioned at a free end thereof, and being positioned adjacent to at least one of said upper panel-catch and said lower panel-catch.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Shelf and bracket assembly

Life of this patent

Shelf and bracket assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18