Shelf unit
AssigneeGRK Manufacturing Company
InventorsGary R. Kilday, Doug A. Liming
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shelf unit has a modular, interlocking design and eliminates the need for hardware components. The shelf unit includes first and second side pieces each including first and second rails and first, second, and third rungs extending between the first and second rails. First and second shelf-supporting connectors attach with the first rungs of the first and second side pieces and the second rungs of the first and second side pieces, respectively, via interlocking slots. A first shelf is positioned atop the first shelf-supporting connector and a second shelf is positioned atop the second shelf-supporting connector.
Claims12
A shelf unit comprising:
- first and second shelves, each oriented horizontally;
- first and second side pieces, each including a top and a bottom, the first and second side pieces each including first and second rails and first, second, and third rungs extending between the first and second rails, the third rungs being adjacent the tops, and the first, second, and third rungs each including a first slot, wherein the first side piece is angled acutely relative to the shelves at a first angle and the second side piece is angled acutely relative to the shelves and toward the first side piece at a second angle such that the tops of the first and second side pieces are adjacent to each other;
- first and second shelf-supporting connectors, the first shelf-supporting connector attaching with the first rungs of the first and second side pieces and the second shelf-supporting connector attaching with the second rungs of the first and second side pieces, the first and second shelf-supporting connectors each including first and second angled slots, wherein the first angled slots are each angled acutely relative to the shelves at the first angle and the second angled slots are each angled acutely relative to the shelves at the second angle, wherein the first angled slot of the first shelf-supporting connector interlocks with the first slot of the first rung of the first side piece and the second angled slot of the first shelf-supporting connector interlocks with the first slot of the first rung of the second side piece, and wherein the first angled slot of the second shelf-supporting connector interlocks with the first slot of the second rung of the first side piece and the second angled slot of the second shelf-supporting connector interlocks with the first slot of the second rung of the second side piece;
- and
- a first top connector attaching with the third rungs of the first and second side pieces, the first top connector including first and second angled slots, wherein the first angled slot of the first top connector is angled acutely relative to the shelves at the first angle and interlocks with the first slot of the third rung of the first side piece, and the second angled slot of the first top connector is angled acutely relative to the shelves at the second angle and interlocks with the first slot of the third rung of the second side piece;
- wherein the first shelf is positioned atop the first shelf-supporting connector and the second shelf is positioned atop the second shelf-supporting connector.
A shelf unit comprising:
- first and second shelves, each oriented horizontally;
- first and second side pieces, each including a top and a bottom,
- the first and second side pieces each including first and second rails and first, second, and third rungs extending between the first and second rails, the third rungs being adjacent the tops, and the first, second, and third rungs each including a first slot, wherein the first side piece is angled acutely relative to the shelves at a first angle and the second side piece is angled acutely relative to the shelves and toward the first side piece at a second angle such that the tops of the first and second side pieces are adjacent to each other, wherein the first and second angles are each between 45 degrees and 80 degrees and are equal to each other;
- first and second shelf-supporting connectors, the first shelf-supporting connector attaching with the first rungs of the first and second side pieces and the second shelf-supporting connector attaching with the second rungs of the first and second side pieces, the first and second shelf-supporting connectors each including first and second angled slots, wherein the first angled slots are each angled acutely relative to the shelves at the first angle and the second angled slots are each angled acutely relative to the shelves at the second angle, wherein the first angled slot of the first shelf-supporting connector interlocks with the first slot of the first rung of the first side piece and the second angled slot of the first shelf-supporting connector interlocks with the first slot of the first rung of the second side piece, and wherein the first angled slot of the second shelf-supporting connector interlocks with the first slot of the second rung of the first side piece and the second angled slot of the second shelf-supporting connector interlocks with the first slot of the second rung of the second side piece;
- and
- a first top connector attaching with the third rungs of the first and second side pieces, the first top connector including first and second angled slots, wherein the first angled slot of the first top connector is angled acutely relative to the shelves at the first angle and interlocks with the first slot of the third rung of the first side piece, and the second angled slot of the first top connector is angled acutely relative to the shelves at the second angle and interlocks with the first slot of the third rung of the second side piece;
- wherein the first shelf is positioned atop the first shelf-supporting connector and the second shelf is positioned atop the second shelf-supporting connector.
A shelf unit comprising:
- first and second shelves, each oriented horizontally;
- first and second side pieces, each including a top and a bottom, the first and second side pieces each including first and second rails and first, second, and third rungs extending between the first and second rails, the third rungs being adjacent the tops, and the first, second, and third rungs each including a first slot, wherein the first side piece is angled acutely relative to the shelves at a first angle and the second side piece is angled acutely relative to the shelves and toward the first side piece at a second angle such that the tops of the first and second side pieces are adjacent to each other, wherein the first and second angles are each between 45 degrees and 80 degrees;
- first and second shelf-supporting connectors, the first shelf-supporting connector attaching with the first rungs of the first and second side pieces and the second shelf-supporting connector attaching with the second rungs of the first and second side pieces, the first and second shelf-supporting connectors each including first and second angled slots, wherein the first angled slots are each angled acutely relative to the shelves at the first angle and the second angled slots are each angled acutely relative to the shelves at the second angle, wherein the first angled slot of the first shelf-supporting connector interlocks with the first slot of the first rung of the first side piece and the second angled slot of the first shelf-supporting connector interlocks with the first slot of the first rung of the second side piece, and wherein the first angled slot of the second shelf-supporting connector interlocks with the first slot of the second rung of the first side piece and the second angled slot of the second shelf-supporting connector interlocks with the first slot of the second rung of the second side piece;
- and
- a first top connector attaching with the third rungs of the first and second side pieces, the first top connector including first and second angled slots, wherein the first angled slot of the first top connector is angled acutely relative to the shelves at the first angle and interlocks with the first slot of the third rung of the first side piece, and the second angled slot of the first top connector is angled acutely relative to the shelves at the second angle and interlocks with the first slot of the third rung of the second side piece;
- wherein the first shelf is positioned atop the first shelf-supporting connector and the second shelf is positioned atop the second shelf-supporting connector, wherein a length of the first shelf is greater than a length of the first shelf-supporting connector, and a length of the second shelf is greater than a length of the second shelf-supporting connector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.