CN105266412B

CN105266412B - Adjustable shelf and method of use

Info

Publication number: CN105266412B
Application number: CN201510290743.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 德迪·达特; 菲利普·狄茨; 巴特·斯托尔斯
Original assignee: De DiDate
Current assignee: De DiDate
Priority date: 2014-05-29
Filing date: 2015-05-29
Publication date: 2020-08-21
Anticipated expiration: 2035-05-29
Also published as: CN105266412A

Abstract

A U-shaped adjustable shelving system comprising a plurality of interconnected shelf sections including a rear shelf section, a right side shelf section and a left side shelf section. The right and left shelf portions are coupled to the rear shelf portion by a sliding dovetail arrangement to allow the right and left shelf portions to be adjusted relative to the rear shelf portion to change the width of the adjustable shelving system. The length of the rear shelf portion is adjusted to substantially match the width of the space in which the shelving system is to be installed. The adjustable shelving system includes support risers for supporting the shelving system above a surface. The adjustable shelf can be easily installed in a variety of storage cabinets and allows access to small containers such as those used for herbs and spices.

Description

Adjustable shelf and method of use

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a partial continuation of us patent application No. 13/829,491 filed on 3/14/2013 by Dedee Dart, claiming priority of us provisional patent application No. 61/619,278 filed on 4/2/2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to shelving. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved adjustable shelf for cabinets and storage compartments and the like.

Background

It is common to provide a number of small hand-held jars and containers in the kitchen that are variously utilized in cooking, such as salting, spices, herbs and other ingredients. These small containers cannot be stored in conventional storage cabinets without wasting a lot of space on the cabinet or attempting to stack the containers vertically in a cluttered manner, often resulting in even empty space on two stacked containers. In addition, the depth of most conventional bins results in difficulty in accessing the containers stored behind the bins.

It is common to store these small containers in the same cabinet as the tall containers, further complicating this problem. This type of storage makes the small container visually vulnerable. Because of these problems, it is not easy for a person cooking to find the ingredients in a small container when needed, and often purchases the same ingredients because they are unaware that they have collected the ingredients in a cabinet.

Some modern cabinets are provided with shelves that are easily adjustable to various heights. However, even if the shelf can be adjusted to a shorter height so as not to waste space when storing small containers, this still has the undesirable effect that the containers are not easily placed. If small containers are stored on a low shelf such as this, any containers not in front of the shelf will be visually hidden. The container will be difficult to remove when needed (a person has to move any container in front of the container outside the cabinet to place and access the container). Time is wasted and frustrated when attempting to place one or more desired containers.

Various devices have been used in an attempt to address these problems. For example, spice racks have become common. However, these racks typically take up a significant amount of counter space. Even though they may be placed in a cabinet, only containers of a certain predetermined size are allowed to be placed therein. Such as 7,237,686, most of the designs of the U.S. patent are not adjustable and therefore do not maximize the storage capacity of individual cabinets or bins. Other designs, such as U.S. patent No. 4,025,137, use telescoping sections to adjust the size of the cabinet. However, this design also leaves a lot of wasted space. None of the designs according to the prior art devices allow a user to easily adjust the shelves to meet different sized bins, are easy to manufacture and install, and maximize the ability to store various shapes of small size containers in an accessible manner.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved adjustable shelf and method of using the same. The improved adjustable shelf should be structurally simple and easy to manufacture and install in existing cabinets and bins. Should allow the shelf to be quickly adjusted to a variety of sizes. In addition, the improved adjustable shelf should maximize storage space and utilize space that is otherwise wasted or inaccessible.

Disclosure of Invention

Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved adjustable shelf that can be used in existing bins. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an improved adjustable shelf that may be configured to engage in a cabinet, and that is simple in construction and allows for easy manufacturing.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an improved adjustable shelf is provided that includes two substantially identical shelf sections.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the two shelf portions may be slidably engaged.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an improved shelf may include one or more slide bars (slides) configured to slide on an end of one shelf portion and then allow ends of other shelf portions to be inserted therethrough.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the adjustable shelf may also be provided with an insert.

According to still another aspect of the invention, the adjustable shelf may further include a plurality of serrations on each shelf portion to allow a user to break off any unwanted portions.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method of using an improved adjustable shelf may include placing the shelf in a cabinet or storage cabinet. The method may further comprise using two or more adjustable shelves to cooperate to allow maximum use of space. The method may also include adjusting the width of the shelf outwardly or inwardly (by using serrations to break off unwanted portions). The method may further comprise readjusting the width of the shelf to accommodate different cabinets or bins as desired.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an improved adjustable shelf may include a stabilizing wing on each shelf portion to assist in telescoping the two shelf portions and limiting vertical movement of the shelf portions relative to each other.

These and other aspects of the invention can be realized in an improved adjustable shelf for storing fragrance containers and the like, as shown and described in the following figures and associated description.

Drawings

A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description when considered in connection with the following illustrative figures. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements or acts throughout the drawings. Various embodiments of the present invention are shown and described with reference to the numbered figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a portion of an improved adjustable shelf according to the present invention;

FIG. 2A illustrates a side perspective view of a portion of the adjustable shelf of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B illustrates a side perspective view of the shelf portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of connecting two shelf portions to form a complete shelf according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the adjustable slide bar seen in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a fully assembled improved adjustable shelf according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of the shelf of FIG. 5 as adjusted in width;

FIG. 7 illustrates a top perspective view of the improved adjustable shelf illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 illustrates a top perspective view of the adjustable shelf of FIG. 5 as it is adjusted in width outwardly;

FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of three adjustable shelves mounted in a storage cabinet according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 illustrates top and side views of another embodiment of a U-shaped shelving system in accordance with the principles of the invention;

FIG. 11 illustrates a top exploded view and a side exploded view of yet another embodiment of a U-shaped shelving system in accordance with the principles of the invention;

FIG. 12 illustrates top and side views of the U-shaped shelving system of FIG. 11 in an assembled form;

FIG. 13 illustrates a perspective front side view of yet another embodiment of a U-shaped shelving system in accordance with the principles of the invention;

FIG. 14 illustrates a perspective rear side view of the U-shaped shelving system illustrated in FIG. 13;

FIG. 14A illustrates a partial side view of the U-shaped shelving system illustrated in FIG. 14;

FIG. 15 illustrates a perspective bottom rear view of the U-shaped shelving system illustrated in FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 illustrates a perspective top side view of the shelf portion of the U-shaped shelving system illustrated in FIG. 13;

FIG. 17 illustrates a perspective bottom side view of the shelf portion illustrated in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 illustrates a perspective side view of a riser assembly of the U-shaped shelving system illustrated in FIG. 13;

FIG. 19 illustrates a front side view of a plurality of the U-shaped shelving system of FIG. 13 arranged in a storage cabinet;

fig. 20 is a top side plan view of an alternative embodiment of a U-shaped shelf according to the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 21 is a bottom side plan view of the U-shaped shelf shown in fig. 20.

Fig. 22 is a perspective bottom side view of the U-shaped shelf shown in fig. 20 and 21 in a partially unassembled form.

Fig. 23A and 23B are top and bottom side plan views of the rear shelf portion of the U-shaped shelf shown in fig. 20 and 21 in an unassembled form.

FIG. 24 is a perspective bottom side view of two portions of the rear shelf portion of the U-shaped shelf shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 in unassembled form.

Fig. 25 is a perspective side elevational view of the stacking arrangement of the U-shaped shelves shown in fig. 20 and 21 in an unassembled form.

It is to be understood that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims. The illustrated embodiments achieve various aspects and objects of the present invention. It will be understood that it is not possible to clearly show each element and aspect of the invention in a single figure, so that a plurality of figures are provided to more clearly show each individual detail of the invention. Similarly, not every embodiment need achieve all of the advantages of the invention. The elements and acts in the figures are shown simplified and not necessarily rendered necessary in accordance with any particular order or embodiment.

Detailed Description

The present invention and the figures are discussed below with reference to the numerals provided therein to enable one skilled in the art to practice the invention. The drawings and embodiments are examples of various aspects of the invention and are not intended to narrow the scope of the claims. Unless otherwise indicated, the words and phrases in the specification and claims are intended to have a meaning that is obvious, ordinary and customary to those skilled in the relevant art. Note that the inventors can author their own vocabulary. As a word composer of their own, the inventors expressly choose to use only the clear, ordinary meaning of the terms in the description and the claims, unless they expressly state otherwise, then further expressly set forth a "special" definition of the terms and explain how it differs from the clear, ordinary meaning. Without intending to make such a clear statement to apply a "special" limitation, the inventors intend and expect a simple, clear, and ordinary meaning to be applied to the interpretation of the specification and claims.

The inventors also noted a standard specification for english grammar. Thus, if a noun, term or phrase is intended to further describe a feature, an explanation or a reduction in scope in some way, such noun, term or phrase will expressly include additional, descriptive terms or other modifications according to standard specification in the English grammar. Without the use of such capacitive, descriptive terms or modifiers, it is intended that such terms, terms or phrases provide a clear, ordinary and accustomed english meaning to those skilled in the relevant art as set forth above.

Furthermore, the inventors are fully aware of 35U.S.C § 112,

6 criteria and applications of the specific clause. Thus, use of the words "function," "means," "step" in the detailed description and claims of this invention is not intended to somehow indicate that reference 35u.s.c § 112 is intended,

6 to define the invention. In contrast, if an attempt is made to reference 35u.s.c § 112,

6, then the claims will expressly and distinctly state the exact phrases "means for … …" or "means for … …" and special functions (e.g., "means for filtering"), without further recitation of such phrases in structure, material, or acts of supporting the functions. Thus, even when the claims recite "an apparatus for … …" or "a step for … …," if the claims also recite any structure, material, or acts that support the apparatus or steps, or acts that perform the recited functions, it is clear that the inventors do not intend to refer to 35 u.s.c.112,

clause 6. Furthermore, even though reference is made to 35U.S.C § 112,

the terms 6 are intended to define the claimed invention, and also mean that the invention is not limited to the specific structures, materials, or acts described in the illustrated embodiments, but additionally includes any and all structures, materials, or acts for performing the required functions, such as described in alternative embodiments or forms of the invention, or known existing or later developed, equivalent structures, materials, or acts for performing the required functions.

In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various aspects of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the relevant art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown or discussed more broadly in order to avoid obscuring the invention. In many cases, the description of the operations is sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to practice the various forms of the invention, particularly when the operations are implemented in software. It should be noted that there are many different and alternative structures, devices, and techniques that may be applied to the disclosed invention. Accordingly, the full scope of the invention is not limited to the examples described below.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a shelf portion generally designated 10. Two such shelf sections (mirror images of each other) may be joined together to make an improved adjustable shelf according to the principles of the present invention (as discussed and illustrated below in fig. 5). The shelf portion 10 may be formed of molded plastic, plywood, composite, or other suitable material known to those skilled in the art in view of this disclosure.

The shelf portion 10 may be substantially "L" shaped and include two portions, a side portion 16 and a rear portion 22. The side portions 16 abut the side walls of the cabinet or bin when installed, while the rear portion 22 abuts the rear wall of the cabinet or bin when installed. As shown in fig. 1, the side portion 16 has a length x. The length x may be any desired length and may be configured to correspond to the average size of a typical household cabinet. For example, the side 16 may have an overall length (10 inches) of about 25.4cm (the overall length of the shelf being the length x of the side 16 plus the width W2 of the rear 22) for installation in many kitchen cabinets. Another desirable standard length for the side portion 16 may be about 40.6cm (16 inches). The width W1 of the side portion 16 may vary as desired depending on the container to be stored. Further, the width W2 of the back portion 22 may be greater than the width W1 of the side portions 16. This may allow larger containers such as those storing salt to be stored in the back and smaller containers such as those storing dried herbs and spices to be stored in the side. According to an aspect of the invention, W2 may be approximately twice the width W1.

As shown in fig. 1, the side portion 16 also has a thickness T. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the thickness may vary. For example, the shelf may only need to be able to support small loads (such as dry herbs and spices to be placed on the shelf). Where the side portions 16 have a thickness T, the rear portion 22 may have a thickness of about 1/2T. Thus, when the rear portions 22 of the two shelf portions 10 are engaged, they may have a thickness approximately equal to T. The rear portion 22 also has a length y. The length y may also vary depending on the desired size. According to one aspect of the invention, the length y may be approximately 35.5cm (14 inches). The rear portion 22 may also include serrations 27 and stabilizing wings 34 (both discussed below), the serrations 27 allowing portions of the rear portion 22 to be easily broken to achieve a desired length. While the corner 35 of the "L" is preferably curved, it should be understood that it could also be a right angle as shown in phantom in FIG. 1.

Turning now to fig. 2A and 2B, a perspective side view of the shelf portion 10 according to the present invention is shown. The stabilizing wing 34 may be located on the posterior portion 22 opposite the side portion 16 and may have a length W1 that is approximately equal to the width of the side portion 16. The stabilizing wings 34 assist in aligning the two shelf sections 10 by substantially preventing one section from sliding vertically relative to the other section to form a complete adjustable shelf according to the present invention. Fig. 2A and 2B also present another view of the thickness T of the side portion 16 relative to the thickness 1/2T of the back portion 22.

Turning now to fig. 3, there is shown a perspective view of two shelf sections (generally designated 10a and 10b, respectively) prior to their assembly together to form an adjustable shelf according to the present invention. In this figure, the shelf is provided with two slide bars 42. To install the shelf, the user will slide the slide bar 42 onto one end of the rear portion 22a of the shelf portion 10a (with the understanding that the user can slide one slide bar on each shelf portion or two slide bars on both shelf portions). Next, the user will flip the other shelf portion 10b such that the rear portion 22b of the shelf portion 10b is aligned substantially parallel to the rear portion 22a of the first shelf portion 10 a. Then, the user slides the rear portion 22b of the shelf portion 10b by means of the slide bar 42 on the rear portion 22a of the shelf portion 10a to form an adjustable shelf according to the principles of the present invention. The

shelf sections

10a and 10b are releasably and movably attached.

Turning now to fig. 4, a perspective view of one aspect of the present invention is shown that allows two shelf sections (fig. 3) to be more securely fastened together. These are sliding bars 42. As discussed below, the slide bar 42 is placed on the rear portion 22a of the shelf portion, which then mates with another shelf portion to form a complete adjustable shelf according to the present invention. The shelf may be provided with a single slide bar, two slide bars or more slide bars, and preferably two slide bars. The slider may have a height of about T (i.e., the thickness of the two rear portions when placed together or 2 x 1/2T). Slide bar 42 may also have a width of approximately W2 for each shelf portion. The slider bar may be made of a resilient material such as rubber or a more rigid and flexible material such as plastic, metal or other suitable material.

Referring now to fig. 5, there is illustrated a perspective view of a shelving assembly in accordance with the invention, generally designated 100. The two shelf portions (generally designated 10a and 10b, respectively) are assembled together by slidably engaging the

rear portions

22a and 22b thereof. The slide bar 42 is used to keep the shelf portion engaged. Stabilizing

wings

34a, 34b, one on each shelf portion, serve to substantially prevent non-parallel movement of the two shelf portions relative to each other, e.g., prevent vertical sliding movement relative to each other. Thus, the stabilizing

wings

34a and 34b can stably engage the two

telescopic shelf portions

10a, 10 b. The complete shelf may comprise two

sides

16a, 16b and one rear 55 (two

rear portions

22a, 22b comprising two shelf portions, respectively).

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous modifications that can be made in accordance with the present invention. The completed shelf 100 is generally "U" shaped to maximize the useful front edge of the shelf. This improved shelf allows a large number of containers to be placed in the "front row" where they are easily visible and accessible. The shelf also makes use of the rearmost face of the bin, which is typically the least accessible and visually imperceptible portion of the bulk material. The front central recess 58 formed by the shelf faces the cabinet door so that the user can reach and remove his/her desired container without having to "dig" and move the other containers. The groove 58 creates a front edge on the shelf that has a length that is greater than the front edge of many standard shelves. In addition, the shelf allows the two sections to telescope to adjust the width of the shelf according to the width of the cabinet. The shelf may be adjusted inwardly or outwardly as shown by arrow A, B in fig. 5.

Those skilled in the art will also understand how an adjustable shelf according to the present invention will be simple to manufacture. The two shelf portions are preferably formed from a single mold and placed together. This greatly simplifies the manufacturing process and the mounting process. In addition, the various components of the adjustable shelf may be allowed to pack more closely.

Turning to fig. 6, a front perspective view of the shelf of fig. 5 is shown as it is adjusted to a smaller width. The shelf portion 10a has moved in the direction indicated by the arrow a, while the shelf portion 10B has moved in the direction indicated by the arrow B. As the shelf portion moves in this manner, the overall width of the completed shelf decreases. It will be appreciated that the slide bar 42 is slidable along the rear of the shelf and is movable with adjustment of the shelf. After the shelf has been adjusted, the provided slide bar 42 is easily adjusted to the desired position.

The width of the shelf is reduced in the manner shown in fig. 6, leaving

extensions

64a and 64b at the ends of the

rear portions

22a and 22b, respectively. The serrations 27 may be provided to allow the user to easily break off these excess portions. As shown in fig. 6, the serrations 27 may only be present to some extent by the material. Thus, serrations 27 may be visible on the top side of shelf portion 10a, but not visible on the top of shelf portion 10 b. It will be understood that shelf portion 10b may also include serrations 27 (although not shown). It will also be appreciated that the serrations may be configured to be entirely or partially realized by material, so long as the serrations enable a user to easily break off unwanted protrusions without the need for additional tools.

Fig. 7 shows a top perspective view of the inwardly adjusted shelf according to fig. 6. In addition, the serrations 27 (visible on the shelf portion 10 a) allow the user to easily break the

extensions

64a and 64b to achieve the proper width of the shelf for installation in its particular cabinet. For example, the serrations 27 may be spaced apart by 2.54cm (1 inch). It may also be desirable to space the serrated portions closer together to achieve more accurate mounting, or farther apart to allow for greater adjustment of shelf width.

Turning now to fig. 8, a top perspective view of the shelf of fig. 5 is shown with the shelf expanded. The shelf portion 10a has moved outward as indicated by arrow a, and the shelf portion 10B has moved outward as indicated by arrow B. As the

shelf sections

10a and 10b move away from each other, they continue to telescope and are held together by the slide bar 42. Such movement will increase the overall width of the completed shelf 100, allowing the shelf to be adjusted to have a width that is wider than the width y of a single shelf portion.

When the two

shelf portions

10a and 10b are adjusted outward as shown in fig. 8, a space 70 is created where the two shelf portions no longer completely overlap each other. The space would have a depth of 1/2T. It may be desirable to fill this space so that the shelf has one continuous thickness along the entire length of the completed shelf 100, and so that all containers will be placed at the same height. Accordingly, the adjustable shelf may be provided with an extension insert 74. The extension insert 74 may have a width W2 that is approximately the same as the rear portion 22 of the shelf and a thickness 1/2T that is approximately the same as the depth of the space or gap 70. The insert may also be provided with serrations 67 to allow the user to easily adjust the length of the insert. For example, if the shelf extends outward a short amount, the user may break off a small portion of the extension insert 74 and place it in the space or void 70, as indicated by arrow 78. If the shelf extends outward a greater amount, the user may break the equivalent amount of the two portions of the extension insert, etc., and place it in the space 70. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the extension insert is not necessary or required for the shelf to perform its proper function.

Fig. 9 shows a practical application of the adjustable shelf according to the invention. There is shown a cabinet or bin 82 having a plurality of

adjustable shelves

100a, 100b and 100c according to the present invention. In some cases where a single adjustable shelf may be desired, it may be preferable to use two or more adjustable shelves in cooperation (e.g.,

shelves

100a and 100 b). Fig. 9 shows how the adjustable shelf allows the fragrances and herbs to be in shorter containers (such as those on shelf 100 a) to be stored on the adjustable shelf, with all containers in a readily visible and accessible "front row". Similarly, when the shelves are placed with additional vertical spacing (such as shelf 100b), fragrances and herbs can also be easily stored in taller containers. Shelf 100b also illustrates the advantage of having a wider width along the rear of the shelf. In this way, narrower herb and spice containers can be placed on the sides of the shelf, and wider containers (such as those of salt) can be placed on the back of the shelf.

The

adjustable shelves

100a, 100b, and 100c attached to the storage cabinet or cabinet 82 may be released or secured (e.g., attached using nails, screws, glue, or other more permanent fasteners). As shown in fig. 9, the adjustable shelves are attached to the storage bins 82 by standard shelf pegs. Many storage cabinets may be equipped with shelf pegs and pre-drilled holes 93 that allow for adjustment of the shelf as a preferred embodiment. The adjustable shelf may also be held in place by wooden pins, tie rods, hooks, nails, screws, and the like.

The adjustable shelf 100 of the present invention is easily movable to allow for easy and quick readjustment. For example, if it is desired to move the adjustable shelf to a different cabinet or cupboard, the adjustable shelf 100 may be quickly removed and the two shelf sections may telescope inward or outward to the width of the new cabinet. The adjustable shelf 100 is then attached to the new storage bin.

As shown in fig. 10, another embodiment of a U-shaped laterally adjustable shelf, generally designated 200, includes two L-shaped

shelf portions

202 and 204. The shelf portion 202 has an elongated rear portion 206 forming a first rear shelf and a forwardly extending side portion 208 forming a first side shelf suspending the first rear portion 206 at a right angle. The shelf portion 204 also has an elongated rear portion 210 forming a second rear portion configured to engage the first rear portion 206 and a forwardly extending side portion 212 suspending the second rear portion 210 at a right angle to form a second side shelf opposite the first side shelf. The two

back portions

206 and 210 fit closely together in a sliding wedge arrangement to slidably engage each other for adjusting the space between the

side portions

208 and 212. As shown, the bottom side of the back portion 206 defines a size and shape of an elongated trapezoidal-shaped channel 214 to receive a corresponding trapezoidal-shaped protrusion 216 formed along the top surface of the second side back portion 210. The elongated trapezoidal shaped channel 214 extends the length of the rear portion 206 and is centrally disposed relative to the rear portion 206. The trapezoidal-shaped protrusion 216 spans the length of the second rear portion 210 of the shelf portion 204.

For illustrative purposes, the protrusion 216 of the L-shaped shelf portion 204 does not fully engage the channel 214 of the L-shaped shelf portion 208. In use, the shelf portion 204 will slide onto the shelf portion 202 until the distance D between the outer edges of the

sides

208 and 212 is slightly less than the interior width of the cabinet in which the shelf 200 will be installed. Assuming that the cabinet has a rectangular configuration, the length of the rear portion 206 is substantially equal to (i.e., slightly less than) the rear width of the cabinet in which the shelf 200 is to be installed. If the width of the cabinet is less than the length of the rear portion 206, the end 218 of the rear portion is cut to length and the shelf portion 204 is slid over the rear portion 206 in the direction of arrow A until the outer edge 220 of the shelf portion 204 is adjacent the end 218. The thicknesses of the

back portions

206 and 210 are such that when combined they have an overall combined thickness that is substantially the same as the thickness of the

side portions

208, 212. It should also be noted that the length of the sides 208 of the shelf portion 204 is substantially less than the length of the rear portion 206 of the shelf portion 202 as indicated by the inner edge 222. This causes the shelf portion 204 to slide substantially the length of the shelf portion 206 in the direction of arrow a so that only the length of the rear portion 206 needs to be adjusted to meet a storage cabinet having a smaller interior width than the length of the rear portion 206.

Referring now to FIG. 11, another embodiment of a U-shaped shelving system in accordance with the principles of the invention is illustrated generally at 300. The shelving system 300 is shown in exploded form and includes a pair of oppositely configured

side shelves

302 and 304 and an elongated rear shelf 306. The three-piece construction of the shelving system 300 is particularly advantageous for packaging purposes because the three

portions

302, 304 and 306 can be packaged together in a single elongated box having a width that is slightly wider than the widest portions of the

side shelves

302, 304 and slightly longer than the length of the rear shelf 306.

The rear shelf 306 has a similar configuration to the rear portion 206 shown in fig. 10, with an elongate channel 308 extending along the length of the rear shelf 306 and forming a recessed portion of the dovetail connection between the rear shelf 306 and the

rear shelves

302, 304. Thus, each

side shelf

302, 304 includes a trapezoidal shaped

protrusion

310, 312, respectively. Each

protrusion

310, 312 is oriented perpendicular to the long axis of the

respective side shelf

302, 304 and is configured to engage the channel 308 of the rear shelf 306. The

projections

310, 312 define

elongate recesses

314, 317, and each

recess

314, 317 has a depth equal to the thickness of the rear shelf 306 such that a top surface 318 of the shelf 308 is substantially flush with

top surfaces

320, 322 of the

side shelves

302, 304, respectively. In addition, the resulting abutting engagement of the

side walls

324, 326 with the edge 328 and the engagement of the dovetails 310, 312 with the groove 308 prevent tilting movement of the

side shelves

302, 304 relative to the rear shelf 306. If the storage cabinet in which the shelving system 300 is installed is narrower than the length of the rear shelf 306, the rear shelf 306 may be cut to have a width that is approximately the same (e.g., slightly smaller) as the interior of the storage cabinet.

As shown in fig. 12, when assembling the

side shelves

302, 304 and the rear shelf 306, it may be necessary to remove a portion 330 of the rear shelf 306 from the rear shelf 306 by cutting to adjust the overall width W of the shelving system 300. When seams 308, 309 are formed between

shelves

302, 304, and 306,

top surfaces

310, 311, and 312 of

shelves

302, 304, and 306, respectively, are substantially coplanar with respect to one another and form a substantially continuous surface, and surfaces 310, 311, and 312 are substantially flush and continuous at seams 308, 309.

Referring now to fig. 13, 14, another embodiment of a U-shaped shelving system in accordance with the principles of the invention is illustrated generally at 400. The shelving system includes a rear shelf 402 and two

side shelves

404, 406, the two

side shelves

404, 406 being adjustably mounted to the rear shelf 302 so as to be separately and independently slidable relative to the rear shelf 402. This allows the entire width of the shelving system 400 to be adjusted to fit within storage bins of various sizes. A pair of risers (riser)408, 410 are removably attached to the

respective side shelves

404, 406 to provide a self-supporting shelving unit 400 that can be placed within a cabinet without requiring support from the storage cabinet.

The rear shelf 402 has a generally trapezoidal cross-sectional shape, and the angled sidewalls 412, 414 are configured to engage and be retained in similar trapezoidal-shaped

recesses

416, 418 formed in the rear portions of the

side shelves

406, 408, respectively. The

recesses

416, 418 mate with the rear shelf 402 with a slight friction fit to allow the components to slide and thereby be adjustable relative to each other to maintain the relative positions of the components when placed in a desired position.

The rear shelf 402 is provided with a plurality of removable portions 420 separated from each other by perforations 422. Perforations 422 are located at discrete locations along the length of rear shelf 402 and are oriented to span rear shelf 402. The removable portion 420 is disposed away from each

end

424, 426 of the rear shelf 402 by perforations 422 separated at discrete intervals, such as every 1/2 inches or every inch. For example, perforations 422 may be separated from end 424 by 1 inch, and the first perforations are separated from end 1/2 inches. The perforations 422 at the opposite ends 426 of the rear shelf 402 may then be 1 inch apart from each other, and the first perforations and ends 1 inch apart from each other. In this way, the length of the rear shelf 402 may be adjusted to a length of one-half inch spacing by breaking the rear shelf 402 along the perforations 422, even if the perforations 422 are spaced at 1 inch intervals, which allows the length of the rear shelf 402 to best match the interior width of the storage cabinet in which the shelving system 400 is to be installed.

Risers

408, 410 include a pair of

legs

430, 432 and 434, 436 and

cross members

438, 440, respectively. As described in more detail herein, the upper ends of

legs

430, 432, 434, 436 are configured to be movably attached to the upper sides of

side shelves

404, 406, respectively, and

cross members

408, 410 are movably attached to the lower ends of

legs

430, 432 and 434, 436. As shown in fig. 14, a cross-beam, such as cross-beam 440, is configured to mate with top

lateral edges

442, 444 of

side shelves

404, 406, respectively, such that multiple shelving systems 400 may be stacked upon one another in a stable and secure manner. Each of the

side shelves

404, 406 includes an

outer side wall

446, 448, respectively, the

outer side wall

446, 448 extending upwardly from a

top surface

450, 452, respectively, of the

side shelf

404, 406. The side walls provide a dual purpose, including abutment of items placed on the shelves without sliding on the edges of the shelves when the shelves are placed where there are no adjacent storage cabinet walls, and also allow stacking of the shelves 400 as described herein. A notch or recess 454, 456 (see also fig. 14A) is formed in the top edge of each

side wall

446, 448, respectively. When positioned adjacent the

respective side wall

446, 448, the cross beams 438, 440 engage the

respective cutouts

454, 456 to prevent the cross beams 438, 440 from sliding forward or rearward relative to the

side shelves

404, 406.

As also shown in fig. 14A, the cross beam 440 engages the side walls 448, and more particularly, engages the cut-outs 454. The lower end of the cross beam 440 is provided with a downwardly extending wall 458 oriented across the side walls 448. Accordingly, the wall 458 is positioned within the cutout 454, thereby preventing the cross-beam 440, and the associated stacked shelving system, from moving relative to the shelving system 400 when positioned therein.

Referring now to FIG. 15, the underside of the shelving system 400 is shown. Each of the rear shelf 402,

side shelves

404, 406 is a molded article, such as by injection molding or other plastic molding processes known in the art. To reduce material weight and consumption while maintaining the rigidity and strength of the assembly, each

shelf

402, 404, 406 includes a top surface panel or plate, a plurality of peripheral side walls, and a plurality of transverse support ribs formed beneath the top surface panel between the peripheral side walls of each

shelf

402, 404, 406. Thus, for example, the side shelf 404 includes a top surface panel 460 forming a top surface of the shelf 404 and downwardly extending peripheral side walls 462-466 defining a periphery of the shelf 404. A plurality of cross support ribs 468 are located between the side walls 462-466 and are integrally formed with the underside of the top surface panel 460 and the peripheral side walls 462-466 to provide rigidity and strength to the shelf 404. Some of the support ribs 468 are oriented perpendicular to the long axis of the shelf 404. Others are oriented parallel to the long axis of the shelf 404 and some are oriented at an angle to the long axis of the shelf 404 to intersect each other in a similar X-pattern.

In addition, a pair of

notches

482, 484 are formed in the underside of shelf 404, the pair of

notches

482, 484 being adjacent peripheral sidewall 462, being configured to mate with and attach to

upper ends

486, 488 of riser 408 by a friction fit. The riser is coupled to the bottom of the shelf 404 adjacent the peripheral sidewall 462 to maximize the space between the riser 408 and the riser 406.

As shown in fig. 16 and 17, the three

shelves

402, 404, and 406 forming the shelving system 400 are engaged with one another in a slidably adjustable manner, and the

side shelves

404, 406 define trapezoidal shaped grooves or

channels

416, 418, respectively, oriented perpendicular to the long axes of the

shelves

404, 406. Each

channel

416, 418 is defined by a planar bottom surface and inwardly sloping sidewalls.

Channels

416, 418 are positioned adjacent the ends of each side wall to position the rear shelf 402 proximate the ends of the

side shelves

404, 406. The rear shelf 402 also has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape to substantially match the shape of the

recesses

416, 418. By providing an interference fit between the rear shelf 402 and the

channels

416, 418, the

side shelves

404, 406 may be adjusted inwardly toward the center of the rear shelf 402 to substantially match the width of the storage cabinet or cabinet in which the shelves are mounted. If the width of such a cabinet or cupboard is less than the length of the rear shelf 402, one or more perforations 420 may be broken to disengage the rear shelf 402 to shorten the length of the rear shelf 402. Once installed, the fastener retaining members 492 attached to the bottom of the rear shelf 402 may be used to secure the rear shelf, thereby securing the shelving system 400 to the rear wall of a storage cabinet or cabinet in which the shelving system is installed.

As shown in fig. 18, riser 408 (having the same structure as riser 410 to be interchangeable) includes a pair of

legs

430, 432 and a cross-beam 438. The

legs

430, 432 have the same structure. Each

leg

430, 432 has a C-shaped cross-section transverse to the

support ribs

493, 494. The end of each

leg

430, 432 has a rectangular projection 495, the rectangular projection 495 being of a size smaller than the size of the cross-section of the leg to be received within a similarly shaped recess in the top surface of the beam 438. An interference fit is formed between the protrusion 495 and the groove so that the

legs

430, 432 are movably attached to the cross beam. Similarly, rectangular shaped projections 496 are formed on opposite ends of the

legs

430, 432 to mate with the undersides of the side shelves previously described.

Beam 438 comprises an elongated member having an upper wall 497 that is perpendicular to downwardly extending side wall 498. The ends of the rails define lower grooves 499, the lower grooves 499 defining a wall 458, the wall 458 being configured to mate with the previously described cut-outs in the side walls of the side shelf, and the wall 498 abutting the inner surfaces of the side walls of the side shelf. Thus, each end of the cross-beam defines an offset recess such that the wall portion 458 may engage the cutout of the side shelf while the wall 498 abuts the side wall of the shelf. This provides for stable engagement of the cross beams 438 with the side shelves when stacking the shelving system of the invention, while also maximizing the surface area for storage of the side shelves.

Accordingly, the shelving system 400 of the invention is configured for use within a storage cabinet or cabinet, either alone or in combination with additional shelving systems 400. As shown in fig. 19, a plurality of shelving systems 400 are installed in the storage cabinet 500. In this embodiment, eight shelving systems 400 are installed, four on the bottom of the cabinet 500 and four on the upper shelf 502. By adjusting the width of each shelving system 400 as previously described such that the combined width of the two shelving systems 400 is substantially equal to the overall interior width of the storage cabinet 500, the shelving systems 400 may span the entire width of the storage cabinet 500 even though a single shelving system 400 may not be wide enough. While the shelving system 400 is shown stacked two-tiered, additional shelving systems 400 may be stacked within the storage cabinet if additional shelving systems 400 are to be installed within the storage cabinet.

The

shelving systems

300, 400 illustrated in fig. 11-19 basically include three shelf sections including two side shelves and a rear shelf. The side shelf is slidably coupled to the rear shelf having a dovetail arrangement. In the case of the shelving system 300, recessed portions included in the dovetail arrangement of recessed portions are formed on the underside of the rear shelf, and corresponding dovetail projections are formed on the top side of each side shelf. In the shelving system 400, a recessed portion of a dovetail arrangement is formed in each side shelf, and the rear shelf itself forms a corresponding convex portion of the dovetail arrangement. The width of the dovetail shape is between about one-half and three-quarters of the shelf width to provide a strong structural engagement between adjacent sections. Also, the length of each dovetail is between about one tenth and one half of the dovetail width, again providing a strong structural and rigid joint between adjacent sections. These dovetail arrangements provide a physical connection between the shelf portions and provide a substantially continuous and coplanar U-shaped shelf surface between all three shelf portions.

Fig. 20 and 21 illustrate an alternative embodiment of a U-shaped shelf, generally designated 500, in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The U-shaped shelf includes a rear shelf portion 502 and two side shelf portions 504, 506, the two side shelf portions 504, 506 being adjustably mounted to the rear shelf 502 so as to be separable and independently slidable with respect to the rear shelf 502. In addition, rear shelf 502 includes a plurality of interlocking

shelf portions

510 and 518 coupled together to form rear shelf 502. This allows the entire width of the shelving system 500 to be adjusted to fit within multiple sized bins.

The rear shelf 502 has a generally trapezoidal cross-sectional shape with the sloped

side wall portions

522, 524 configured to engage and be retained in similarly trapezoidal-shaped

recesses

526, 528 formed in the rear portions of the

side shelves

506, 508, respectively. The

grooves

526, 528 mate with the rear shelf 502 with a slight friction fit to allow the assemblies to slide and thereby be adjustable relative to each other, helping to maintain the relative positions of the assemblies when placed in a desired position. Further, the fixtures (security tab)530-533 in the

side shelves

506, 508 are configured to engage the bottoms of the adjacent shelf portions 510-518 (depending on the width of the shelf 500) to retain the side shelf 502 relative to the

side shelves

506, 508. Thus, each ring 530-533 is coplanar or at least parallel to the top surface of the channel within which the rear shelf is secured, and includes a protrusion 535 for engaging the bottom surface of the rear shelf. Since the ring 530 + 533 can be bent, the ring 530 + 533 is bent downward as the rear shelf slides on the side shelf, because the wall forming the rear shelf passes the protrusion 535 and then returns to its original position to rest within the groove in the bottom surface of the adjacent portion to be temporarily retained in the adjacent portion with respect to the side shelf (see fig. 22).

As shown in fig. 22, 23A, 23B, rear shelf 502 may be separate from

side shelves

506, 508 to allow for width adjustment of shelf 500 to fit substantially within a storage cabinet having a similar width. By separating the

side shelves

506, 508 from the rear shelf 502, one or more interlocking shelf portions 510 can be added or removed 518 to effectively change the width of the shelf 500 upon reconfiguration. Each of the interlocking

shelf portions

510 and 515 and 518 includes a dovetail-shaped extension on one end and a similarly configured dovetail-shaped recess on the opposite end. The central portion 514 is provided with a dovetail groove at both ends for interlocking with the dovetail extension of one of the other interlocking

portions

510 and 515 and 518. A pair of

end caps

520, 521 have a dovetail-shaped extension at one end for coupling to adjacent interlocking shelf portions and have a panel for covering each end of rear shelf 502. Optionally, end caps 520, 521 may be integrally formed with

outermost shelf portions

518, 510, respectively, such that

shelf portions

518, 510 form the outermost ends of shelf 502. Each of the sections 510-518 may have different longitudinal lengths (e.g., 1/2 inches, 1 inch, 4 inches, and 6 inches). By bonding at least some of the multiple sections together, a rear shelf 502 having a desired width may be achieved. For example, if the interior width of the bin is 18.5 inches, various combinations of interlocking

shelf portions

510 and 518 may be combined to form a rear shelf that is slightly less than 18.5 inches. When the

side shelves

506, 508 are coupled to the rear shelf 502 of appropriate construction, the resulting U-shaped shelf 500 will be configured to fit appropriately within the cabinet and substantially span the interior width of the cabinet.

As shown in fig. 24, the central portion 514 and adjacent portions 513 are configured to be temporarily coupled together while providing a rigid, stable connection when coupled. Each dovetail groove 530-532 has a trapezoidal shape and is defined by a top wall 533 forming a top surface of the shelf 500, inwardly sloping

sidewalls

534, 536, and a transversely extending inner wall 537 extending from an end of the inwardly sloping

sidewalls

534, 536. A similarly shaped dovetail extension 538 having a trapezoidal shape extends from the end wall 540 of the adjacent portion 513. The extension 538 includes a top surface 542 spaced from the top surface of the shelf a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the top wall 533, outwardly sloping

side walls

544, 546 and an end wall 548 extending between adjacent ends of the

side walls

544, 546. Thus, when extensions 538 are fully inserted into grooves 531, respectively,

top surfaces

550, 552 of

portions

513, 514 are substantially flush. Further, to hold the sections together, and to provide a strong friction fit, the downwardly extending ring 554 is positioned closest, with the ring 554 adjacent each side of the dovetail groove. Each ring 554 is suspended relative to the top of the shelf portion and includes a tapered protrusion 556 adjacent its proximal end. A groove 558 is provided in end wall 540 of portion 513 at a location corresponding to dovetail extension 538. When section 513 is coupled to section 514 (as opposed to the position shown), protrusion 556 engages with recess 558 to tilt

sections

513, 514 relative to each other to effect frictional engagement between the central and adjacent sections to temporarily lock the two

sections

513, 514 together.

As shown in fig. 25, a plurality of

legs

601 and 608 are coupled between a pair of shelves 500 according to the principles of the present invention. The top legs 601-604 have a shorter length than the legs 605-608. This enables additional customization of the shelving unit 600 and the desired spacing between shelves. The

legs

601 and 608 may be interchangeable such that the

shorter leg

601 and 604 may be placed on the bottom and the

longer leg

605 and 608 may be interconnected between the top shelf and the bottom shelf 500. To stabilize the

legs

605, 608, interlocking

beams

610, 612 are joined between the corresponding

legs

605, 608 such that the

legs

605, 606 and the

legs

607, 608 cannot expand. The ends of the

legs

601 and 608 are coupled to grooves formed in the top and bottom surfaces of the shelf 500 by a friction fit. Thus, the upper ends of

legs

601 and 608 are configured to be movably attached to the underside of

side shelves

506, 508, and

cross members

610, 612 are movably attached to the lower ends of each pair of

legs

605 and 608, respectively. The bottoms of the

legs

601 and 608 are configured to mate with the top grooves of the

side shelves

506, 508, respectively, such that multiple shelving systems 500 can be stacked upon one another in a stable and secure manner.

Accordingly, the shelving units 500 of the invention are configured for use within a storage cabinet or cabinet, either alone or in combination with additional shelving units 500. As shown in fig. 25, a plurality of shelf units 500 may be stacked. The adjustability of the rear shelves allows the width of each shelving unit 500 to be customized to the interior width of a particular cabinet or storage bin. Accordingly, the shelf unit 500 may span the width of almost any size of the storage cabinet 500. In addition, since the individual portions of the rear shelf 502 are interchangeable, the shelving system 500 may be configured for one storage bin, removed and reconfigured for installation in another storage bin by adding or removing an adjustable portion of the rear shelf 502. Although the shelving systems 500 are arranged to be stacked two levels high, if additional shelving systems 500 are desired, additional shelving systems 500 may be stacked and mounted within the storage cabinet.

The shelving system 500 illustrated in fig. 25 basically includes three shelf sections including two side shelves and one rear shelf. The side shelf is slidably coupled to the rear shelf by a dovetail arrangement. The length of the rear shelf may be adjusted and other lengths reconfigured by adding or removing portions of the rear shelf.

Accordingly, an improved adjustable shelf and method of using the improved adjustable shelf is disclosed. In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. However, various modifications and changes may be made, including combinations of elements of the various illustrated embodiments, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims. The specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined by the claims and their equivalents rather than by the examples described.

For example, the steps recited in any method or process claims may be executed in any order and are not limited to the specific order presented in the claims. Furthermore, the components and/or elements recited in any apparatus claims may be assembled or otherwise operationally configured in a variety of permutations and are therefore not limited to the specific structure recited in the claims.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. Any benefit, advantage, or solution to any element or problem that may cause or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or component of any or all the claims.

As used herein, the term "consisting essentially of is intended to cover additional elements or functions that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed invention. With respect to the U-shaped shelf of the present invention, the basic and novel features of the present invention include a three piece U-shaped shelf with side shelves slidably adjustable relative to a rear shelf that is easily adjustable in length to provide a U-shaped shelf that can be configured to different widths. Thus, "consisting essentially of means including not only those components specifically enumerated, but also individual or additional components that do not materially alter the specifically enumerated function or element.

The terms "comprises," "comprising," "has," "having," "includes," "including," or any other variation of such terms, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, composition or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, composition or apparatus. Other combinations and/or variations of the above-described structures, arrangements, applications, proportions, elements, materials or components used in the practice of the present invention, and those not specifically recited, may be varied or otherwise particularly adapted to specific environments, manufacturing specifications, design parameters or other operating requirements without departing from the general principles of the same.

Claims

1. An adjustable shelving system, comprising:

a first elongated shelf forming a rear shelf surface, the first elongated shelf including a plurality of locking shelf portions selectively attachable and removable from one another and having at least two different lengths for adjusting an overall length of the first elongated shelf;

a second elongated shelf oriented perpendicular to the first elongated shelf, a distal end portion of the second elongated shelf coupled to a first end of the first elongated shelf, and the second elongated shelf forming a left shelf surface extending from the first elongated shelf;

a third elongated shelf oriented perpendicular to the first elongated shelf and parallel to the second elongated shelf, a distal end portion of the third elongated shelf coupled to the second end of the first elongated shelf, and the third elongated shelf forming a right side shelf surface from the first elongated shelf, the first, second, and third elongated shelves forming a substantially U-shaped shelf, and each of the rear, left, right side shelf surfaces being in substantially continuous and substantially coplanar alignment,

wherein the first elongate shelf has a generally trapezoidal shaped cross-section, the second elongate shelf defines a first transversely extending trapezoidal channel for slidably receiving a first end of the first elongate shelf, and the third elongate shelf defines a second transversely extending trapezoidal channel for slidably receiving a second end of the first elongate shelf.

2. The adjustable shelving system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of locking shelf portions includes at least one of a protrusion and a groove for coupling to an adjacent shelf portion of the plurality of locking shelf portions.

3. The adjustable shelving system of claim 2, wherein the protrusion comprises a dovetail-shaped protrusion extending from a first end of the locking shelf portion, wherein the recess comprises a dovetail-shaped recess formed in a second end of the locking shelf portion, wherein the protrusion and the recess are of similar size and shape.

4. The adjustable shelving system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of locking shelf portions include a central portion and a plurality of interconnecting side portions configured for coupling to the central portion and interconnecting to one another.

5. The adjustable shelving system of claim 4, wherein some of the plurality of interconnected sides have different lengths.

6. The adjustable shelving system of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of interconnected sides includes a dovetail-shaped protrusion depending from a first end and a dovetail-shaped groove formed in a second end for coupling to an adjacent shelf portion of the plurality of locking shelf portions, wherein the dovetail-shaped protrusion and the dovetail-shaped groove are of similar size and shape.

7. The adjustable shelving system of claim 6, further comprising a pair of end caps, each end cap including an end wall having a width approximately equal to the width of the first elongated shelf and a dovetail projection configured to attach to a corresponding dovetail groove of an adjacent shelf portion of the plurality of locking shelf portions.

8. The adjustable shelving system of claim 6, further comprising at least one ring depending downwardly from each of the plurality of locking shelves proximate the second end and proximate the dovetail groove.

9. The adjustable shelving system of claim 8, wherein the at least one ring further comprises a protrusion extending outwardly therefrom, wherein the adjustable shelving system further comprises a groove formed in an abutting end of an adjacent shelf portion of the plurality of locking shelf portions for engagement with the protrusion to impart a bias between the ring and the adjacent shelf portion.

10. The adjustable shelving system of claim 1, further comprising at least one securing member formed in each of the second and third elongated shelves having protrusions formed thereon for engaging and retaining adjacent shelf portions of the first elongated shelf to temporarily secure the first elongated shelf to each of the second and third elongated shelves.

11. The adjustable shelving system of claim 3, wherein a first combined thickness of the first and second elongated shelves along the first channel is approximately equal to a thickness of the second elongated shelf at a proximal end thereof, wherein a second combined thickness of the first and third elongated shelves along the second channel is approximately equal to a thickness of the third elongated shelf at a proximal end thereof.

12. The adjustable shelving system of claim 1, wherein the length of the first elongated shelf is adjusted to substantially match a desired length by adding or removing one of the at least a portion of the plurality of locking shelf portions of the rear shelf.

13. The adjustable shelving system of claim 1, further comprising a first upwardly extending sidewall along at least a portion of an outer edge of the second elongated shelf and a second upwardly extending sidewall along at least a portion of an outer edge of the third elongated shelf.

14. The adjustable shelving system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of legs, each leg removably coupled to an underside of one of the second elongated shelf portion and the third elongated shelf portion.

15. The adjustable shelving system of claim 14, further comprising a cross beam removably coupled to and between a pair of the plurality of legs attached to each of the second and third elongated shelves.

16. The adjustable shelving system of claim 14, wherein some of the plurality of legs have different lengths to vary the placement height of the adjustable shelf.

17. A U-shaped adjustable shelving system comprising:

a rear shelf portion defining an upper rear shelf surface and having a generally trapezoidal cross section along substantially an entire length of the rear shelf portion and including a plurality of locking shelf portions selectively attachable and removable from one another and having at least two different lengths for adjusting the entire length of the rear shelf portion;

a right side shelf portion having a connecting portion and defining a generally trapezoidal recess oriented to intersect a long axis of the right side shelf portion, the recess proximate a distal end thereof for receiving a first end of the rear shelf portion and defining an upper right side shelf surface extending perpendicular to the rear shelf portion and substantially coplanar with the upper rear shelf surface;

a left side shelf portion having a connecting portion and defining a generally trapezoidal groove oriented to intersect a long axis of the left side shelf portion, the groove proximate a distal end thereof for receiving a second end of the rear shelf portion and defining an upper left side shelf surface extending perpendicular to the rear shelf portion and substantially coplanar with the upper rear shelf surface, the right side shelf portion and the left side shelf portion being slidably adjustable relative to the rear shelf portion with a friction fit, the rear shelf portion, the right side shelf portion and the left side shelf portion forming a generally U-shaped shelf, and each of the upper rear shelf surface, left side shelf surface and right side shelf surface being substantially continuous.

18. The adjustable shelving system of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of locking shelves includes at least one of a protrusion and a groove for coupling to an adjacent shelf portion of the plurality of locking shelf portions, wherein the protrusion includes a dovetail-shaped protrusion extending from a first end of a locking shelf portion, wherein the groove includes a dovetail-shaped groove formed in a second end of the locking shelf portion, wherein the protrusion and the groove are of similar size and shape.

19. The adjustable shelving system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of locking shelf portions include a central portion and a plurality of interconnecting side portions configured for coupling to the central portion and interconnecting to one another, wherein some of the plurality of interconnecting side portions have different lengths.