AU2001100180B4 - Aluminium shelf strengthener - Google Patents

Description

SHELF STRENGTHENER TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to a shelving and particularly to a shelf strengthener applied to the edge of a shelf and in particular but not limited to a shelf strengthener extruded from aluminium.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Shelving has a tendency to sag or deflect under load. This may become permanent. This is a particularly common problem in do it yourself household shelving. Shelving is expensive and it would be desirable to strengthen shelving so that less expensive shelving could be installed to perform as well as more robust shelving. The common method used to stop sagging and strengthen shelving is to provide posts or brackets under the shelving at spaced intervals.

This requires the use of additional material, fasteners and installation as well as using space under the shelving that might be put to better use for storage.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative to the prior art that does not require the use of additional supports.

The standard way of constructing shelving is to use 16mm thick melamine faced particle board or medium density fibreboard (MDF), supported on a wall cleat or timber fixed to an existing wall around all three sides.

The front edge of the shelving is not usually supported, when the shelf is loaded over a period of time the shelving material has a tendency to sag or deflect. If the front edge is supported it is normally a piece of timber nailed to the edge of the shelf to give extra support to the shelf, while this is an 3 improvement, load can still deflect the shelving over time and the strengthening is only as strong as the fixing method from the strengthening timber to the shelf.

When using coloured Melamine, with no edge timber to help support the shelf, the options to cap the visible end grain of particle board is to use an iron on edging or small strip of timber. Whichever method is used to mask end grain, the melamine must be cut or routed to a near perfect finish with no chip or this will show up in the finished result. This form of edge finishing is time consuming.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a shelf strengthener where the end grain of the front of the shelf material can be cut straight off the saw blade and the user does not have to worry about chipping and damage to the front edge.

OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION In one broad form the present invention resides in a strengthened shelf comprising a panel of shelving material having a peripheral edge including a front edge, the front edge having a strengthening rail of rigid material extending along and over a marginal edge section of the front edge of the panel, the rail being generally F-shaped in profile having side by side longitudinally extending channels separated by an intermediate flange, the front edge of the panel fitting into an upper one of said channels above said intermediate flange.

Preferably, the intermediate flange is fastened to the panel to secure the rail to the panel.

4 Preferably, the rail channels are defined by an upper edge flange extending along an upper side of the panel, a lower edge flange with return flange and the intermediate flange, the intermediate flange extending along an underside of the panel opposite the upper edge flange and terminating at a distance from the front edge of the panel greater than the width of the lower edge flange.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the present invention may be more readily understood and be put into practical effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred forms of the present invention and wherein:- Figure 1 is a section through a shelf strengthener according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating application of the present invention to shelving; and Figure 3 is a section though typical shelving according to the present invention.

METHOD OF PERFORMANCE Referring to the drawings there is illustrated shelving employing a shelf panel 10 and an edge strengthener 11, the edge strengthener comprises an extruded rail of rigid material having at least two channels 12 and 13 defined by an upper edge flange 14, a lower edge flange 15, a return flange 16 and an intermediate flange 17. The front edge 18 of the panel 10 fits into the channel 12 and can be retained by spaced fasteners 19 at intervals shown at The panel 10 is supported in the usual way such as by timber 21 along the other three edges. The panel in the example is 16 mm melamine or MDF.

In the example The edge strengthener is 70 mm wide and 3 mm thick, the upper and lower edge flanges 14 and 15 are 16 mm wide, the intermediate flange 17 is 27 mm wide and the return flange is 7 mm wide. The flanges are 1.6 mm thick. The inside width of the channel 12 is 17 mm for a 16 mm panel.

The front face 22 may be decorated, for example it may have shallow grooves at mm spacing. Small indents may be provided at spaced intervals along the intermediate flange 17 to enable a drill start for the fasteners 19.

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example many variations and modification will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims.

Claims (4)

1. A strengthened shelf comprising a panel of shelving material having a peripheral edge including a front edge, the front edge having a strengthening rail of rigid material extending along and over a marginal edge section of the front edge of the panel, the rail being generally F-shaped in profile having side by side longitudinally extending channels separated by an intermediate flange, the front edge of the panel fitting into an upper one of said channels above said intermediate flange.

2. A strengthened shelf according to claim 1 wherein the intermediate flange is fastened to the panel to secure the rail to the panel.

3. A strengthened shelf according to claim 1 wherein the rail channels are defined by an upper edge flange extending along an upper side of the panel, a lower edge flange with return flange and the intermediate flange, the intermediate flange extending along an underside of the panel opposite the upper edge flange and terminating at a distance from the front edge of the panel greater than the width of the lower edge flange.

4. A strengthened shelf substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATE this 14 th day of February, 2002 SCOTT EVAN POWELL By his Patent Attorneys INTELLPRO