Shelving connector
AssigneePro-Mart Industries, Inc.
InventorAzad Sabounjian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sleeve for a shelving unit has two halves joined together to form two support tabs extending outward from opposing sides of the sleeve as the sleeve clamps around a post having grooves into which a rib on the sleeve fits to hold the parts relative to the post. The support tabs have a retaining flange offset from the sleeve. A first collar part fastened to a shelf fits over half the sleeve and fits into that offset so that a slot in the first collar part fits over one of the support tabs to clamp them to the post and support the first collar part and shelf. The retaining flange keeps the collar part from moving off the support tab. A second collar part with a second slot may fit over the other support tabs to support a second shelf or to further clamp the sleeve to the post.
Claims29
A sleeve for use with a shelving connector having a collar part configured to encircle a portion of a post having an outer surface with grooves at regular intervals along a length of the post, the collar part connected to a shelf, the collar part having a frusto-conical inner surface configured to wedge the sleeve against the post during use in order to position the sleeve, collar part and shelf along a length of the post, comprising:
- a sleeve having first and second interlocking parts which when interlocked form:
- (a) an inner surface defining a central cylindrical passage extending along a longitudinal axis of the sleeve and configured to conform to and abut the outer surface of the post, the inner surface having at least one rib extending from the inner surface located and configured to mate with a groove in the post;
- and
- (b) an outer surface having a generally frusto-conical shape;
- each first and second interlocking sleeve part having first and second outwardly extending support tabs each extending outward from a different one of two opposing sides of the sleeve part with first and second retaining flanges extending from the respective first and second support tabs and extending along but offset from the outer surface of the sleeve, the offset being sufficient to allow a portion of the collar part to fit snugly between the first or second retaining flange and abut the support tab associated therewith;
- and
- a locking tab extending from one of the first and second sides and a recess formed in the other of the first and second sides with the recess configured to receive the locking tab and prevent relative movement of the first and second sleeve parts along the longitudinal axis.
A connector assembly for use with a post having a cylindrical cross-section of diameter D and a plurality of grooves at predetermined intervals and a wedging inner sleeve and outer collar part to position a shelf along a longitudinal axis of the post, the connector comprising:
- a sleeve having a frusto-conical outer surface with a first, small sleeve end and a second, larger sleeve end with both ends encircling the longitudinal axis during use, the sleeve having a cylindrical interior passage sized to fit around the post during use and having at least one inwardly extending rib configured to fit within one of the grooves of the post during use, the sleeve formed of first and second interlocking sleeve halves each having a smaller top and a larger bottom joined by two opposing sides, each sleeve half including:
- a locking tab extending from one side and a recess in the other side configured to receive the locking tab from the other sleeve half;
- first and second support tabs extending radially outward from each side at a bottom portion of the sleeve, each support tab having a retaining flange extending therefrom along but offset from the adjacent outer surface of the sleeve half in the direction of the top of the sleeve half, the support tab being configured so that one support tab of each sleeve is located adjacent the corresponding support tab of the other sleeve when the locking tab engages the locking recess to form first and second pairs of support tabs;
- at least one first collar part connected to the shelf, the first collar part having an interior surface forming about half of a frusto-conical shape and sized to fit over and mate with the outer frusto-conical surface of the sleeve, the first collar part having a first slot therein located to fit over the first pair of adjacent support tabs and restrain them from moving apart during use, a portion of the collar part adjacent the first slot configured to fit into the offset between the retaining flange and the adjacent part of the sleeve as the first slot fits over the first pair of adjacent support tabs during use, the first collar part having two opposing distal ends extending along an axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis during use.
A kit for a shelving unit having at least two, generally horizontal shelves connected to at least three generally vertical posts, the kit comprising:
- at least three posts each having a longitudinal axis and a cylindrical cross-section along the portion of a length of the posts at which the shelves are to be connected, each post having a plurality of grooves therein at predetermined locations which grooves are orthogonal to the longitudinal axis;
- at least six sleeves each having a cylindrical interior surface with at least one inwardly extending rib, the cylindrical surface configured to abut the post and encircle the longitudinal axis during use with the rib configured and located to fit in one of the grooves in the post during use, each sleeve having a frusto-conical exterior surface, each sleeve further having first and second support tabs extending radially outward from a bottom portion of opposing sides of each sleeve a short distance, each first and second support tab having an upwardly extending retaining flange extending along an exterior surface of the sleeve and offset therefrom by the support tab from which the retaining flange extends;
- at least two shelves, each shelf having at least three first-collar parts located around a periphery of the shelf and facing outward from the shelf, each first-collar part having a frusto-conical interior surface smaller at the top and wider at the bottom and extending around an arc of about 180° along a first-collar part axis which coincides with the longitudinal axis during use, each first-collar part having a first slot therein extending parallel to the first-collar part axis, each first slot having a closed end and two opposing sides opening onto a bottom of the first-collar part in which the first slot is located, each first-collar part and its first slot sized so the first-collar part fits between one of the retaining flanges and exterior surface of the sleeve while the sides of the first slot fit on opposing sides of one of the first support tabs from which the retaining flange extends, with the first slot and first support tab configured so that the first slot fits snuggly over the first support tab;
- at least six second-collar parts each having a frusto-conical interior surface that is smaller at the top and wider at the bottom and extending around an arc of about 180° along the first-collar part axis which coincides with the longitudinal axis during use, each second -collar part having a second slot therein with a closed end and two opposing sides opening onto a bottom of the second-collar part in which the second slot is located with the second slot extending parallel to the first-collar part axis during use, the first-collar part and second-collar parts interlocking to define a generally cylindrical interior passage, each second-collar part and its second slot sized so the second-collar part fits between one of the retaining flanges and exterior surface of the sleeve from which the retaining flange extends while the sides of the second slot fit on opposing sides of the second support tab from which the retaining flange extends, with the second slot and second support tab configured so that the second slot fits snuggly over the second support tab.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.