ES2601787T3 - Reinforced metal shelving for modular shelving structures - Google Patents

Abstract

A reinforced metal shelf for modular shelving structures, comprising a main support plate (2) with an upper surface (3), a lower surface (4) and a peripheral edge (5) folded inwards. wherein said folded edge (5) has a pair of longitudinal sections (6 ', 6' ') that are joined together by a pair of cross sections (7', 7 ''), said folded edge (5) having the at least a first outer vertical wall (10) substantially perpendicular to said main plate (2) and at least a second intermediate horizontal wall (12) substantially perpendicular to the first (10), at least one reinforcing member (8) being provided substantially elongate, which is adapted to be associated with said lower surface (4) in a substantially central transverse position, said reinforcing member (8) having opposite ends (9 ', 9' ') that are adapted to be tied to said sections longitudinal (6 ', 6' '), and anchoring means (17) for detachable anchoring to said main plate (2), wherein said reinforcing member (8) is a metal section bar with an upper surface (22 ) adapted to contact said super inner surface of said support plate (2) and a lower surface (23) adapted to contact a respective intermediate horizontal wall (12) of said longitudinal sections (6 ', 6' '), wherein said reinforcing member ( 8) has a length (z) substantially equal to or slightly less than the width (w) of the support plate (2), which allows it to be attached at both of said opposite ends (9 ', 9' ') to said longitudinal sections (6 ', 6' ') and with a height (h) that is substantially constant along its entire length (z), in which each longitudinal section (6', 6 '') of said folded edge (5 ) also has a third inner vertical wall (11) parallel and inwardly displaced with respect to said first outer vertical wall (10), said reinforcing member (8) having a substantially W-shaped cross section defined by said face bottom (23) and by a pair of lateral fins (24, 25) and wherein said inner vertical wall (11) of each of said longitudinal sections (6 ', 6' ') has a substantially central recess (21), each of said end portions (9', 9 '') being adapted to be introduced into a recess ( 21) respective of each longitudinal section (6 ', 6' '), characterized in that said pair of lateral fins (24, 25) is designed to abut against said lower surface (4) of said support plate (2), the height (h) of said reinforcement member (8) being equal to the minimum distance (d) between the upper free margin (26) of said interior vertical walls (11) of said longitudinal sections (6 ', 6' ') and said lower surface (4) of said support plate (2).

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Reinforced metal shelf for modular shelving structures Field of the invention

The present invention finds application, in general, in the civil or industrial furniture industry and, in particular, refers to a reinforced metal shelf for modular shelving structures.

Prior art

It is known that the modular metal racks, either of the type of light work for domestic and office use or of the type of industrial use for industrial warehouses comprise a plurality of vertical pillars, with one or more racks fixed to them.

The shelves have a substantially horizontal support surface with folded peripheral edges that have means for mooring the pillars, which can be either the screw and nut type or the interlocking type.

The shelves are tied to the pillars in the corners, so that, when mounted, the individual shelves act as fixed beams at both ends.

Any local load on the support plate causes a substantially central deflection or deflection tension, which consequently deforms the shelf and, if the maximum design load is exceeded, can even lead to plastic deformation of the material or even failure. .

In particular, in shelves of the prior art, the folded edge is often deformed in the central areas of the longer sections, thus leading to flexion, which not only affects the aesthetic quality, but also reduces the ability to load and can start a tension crack.

Document US2010 / 0077781 describes a refrigerator box shelf with a top wall with peripheral edges folded twice, all of which are provided with exterior vertical walls and intermediate horizontal walls. A reinforcing member having a lower portion, stepped symmetrical portions and lateral wing portions is fixed to the lower side of the upper wall.

Document NL7204417 describes a metal plate rack with an upper wall and a reinforcing member with a W-shaped cross section secured to the lower edge of the upper wall and with a lower wall fixed to the lower side of the upper wall.

Description of the invention

The object of the present invention is to solve the above drawbacks, by providing a reinforced metal shelf for modular shelving structures, which ensures high strength and relative cost efficiency.

A particular object is to provide a reinforced metal shelf for modular shelving structures having an increased load capacity compared to prior art shelves with the same length.

Another object is to provide a reinforced metal shelf for modular shelving structures that prevents deformation of the edges and prevents degradation of aesthetic quality.

These and other objects, as explained below, are fulfilled by a reinforced metal shelf for modular shelving structures, as defined in the claim.

This particular configuration will increase the loading capacity of the shelf and, in particular, will prevent the longitudinal sections of the edge from bending and deforming in the central line.

The advantageous embodiments of the invention are obtained in accordance with the dependent claim.

Brief description of the drawings

Other features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the detailed description of a preferred, non-exclusive embodiment of the shelf according to the invention, which is described as a non-limiting example with the help of the drawings. annexes, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shelf structure comprising a shelf of the invention.

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Figure 2 is a perspective view of a shelf of the invention.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side view of the shelf of Figure 2 taken along a transverse plane. Figure 4 is a front view of the shelf of Figure 2 taken along a longitudinal plane.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of a detail of the shelf of Figure 2. Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

With reference to the figures mentioned above, a shelf of the invention will be used, generally designated by the number 1, in a known modular shelving structure, not shown here, in addition to one or more similar and / or traditional shelves.

The shelving structure is preferably a light metal structure intended for domestic or office use.

As shown in Figure 1, the shelf structure S comprises at least four substantially vertical 1, 1 ', 1' 'pillars, not all of which are necessarily formed in accordance with the present invention, which are moored in their areas of corner of the M-pillars, in a substantially horizontal position, and in relation to vertical deviation.

A shelf 1 of the invention comprises a main support plate 2 with an upper surface 3 and a lower surface 4, which are substantially flat and parallel, and a peripheral edge 5 folded inwards with a pair of longitudinal sections 6 ', 6' 'substantially parallel and mutually joined by a pair of opposite cross sections 7', 7 '', that is, parallel to each other and orthogonal to the longitudinal sections 6 ', 6' '.

The longitudinal sections 6 ', 6' 'are substantially similar and the cross sections 7', 7 '' are therefore substantially similar. Therefore, for simplicity, both the longitudinal sections and also the cross sections, and their parts, will be designated by the corresponding number without the superscript.

According to a peculiar feature of the invention, the shelf 1 comprises at least one substantially transverse reinforcement member, which is adapted to be stably and detachably associated with the bottom surface 4 of the support plate 2.

As shown more clearly in Figure 2, the reinforcing member 8 is placed in a substantially central position with respect to the support plate 2, although other configurations may be provided, with multiple reinforcing members associated with the bottom surface 4 in positions deviated

In particular, the reinforcing member 8 has a length z substantially equal to or less than the width w of the support plate 2, allowing it to be attached at both opposite ends 9 ', 9' 'to the longitudinal sections 6 of the edge 5.

As shown in Figure 3, each longitudinal section 6 of the folded edge 5 can have an exterior vertical wall 10 substantially perpendicular to the main support plate 2, and an interior vertical wall 11, which are parallel and transversely deflected.

The inner wall 11 is preferably shorter than the outer wall 10 and is joined thereto by a substantially horizontal wall 12, that is, a wall substantially perpendicular to the other two.

Also, as is known in the art, the outer wall 10 may have one or more holes 13 and / or grooves 14 in the corner portions of the edge 5, which are adapted to be aligned with holes F and / or corresponding grooves in the M-pillars, allowing the shelf structure S to be mounted using appropriate screw connection members V or the like.

Conveniently, both cross sections 7 of the edge 5 may be substantially formed as the longitudinal sections 6 with holes 15 and / or respective grooves 16, to allow connection with the M-pillars.

Naturally, the screw connection members V can be replaced by interlocking means or the like, in typical modular rack configurations.

The substantially horizontal wall 12 of each longitudinal section 6 is equipped with anchoring means 17 for detachable anchoring of the reinforcing member 8 to the support plate 2.

Preferably, the anchoring means 17 are of the screw coupling type or the like, which comprise the

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minus a through hole 18 formed in each of the horizontal walls 12 of the longitudinal sections 6 and are adapted to be aligned with corresponding through or blind seats 19 formed at the ends 9 ', 9' 'of the reinforcing member 8.

Therefore, with screws 20 inserted into the mutually aligned pairs of holes 18 and seats 19, the reinforcing member 8 may be held in forced contact with the bottom surface 4 of the support plate 2, as shown in Figure 4 and, in more detail, in Figure 5, thereby improving the reinforcing effect.

In an alternative arrangement, not shown, the anchoring means may be of a type that does not involve screw coupling, for example interlocking or interference adjustment means.

Figure 6 shows that the inner vertical wall 11 of each longitudinal section 6 has a substantially central recess 21, to receive a respective end 9 ', 9' 'of the reinforcing member 8 and to retain it in an orthogonal direction to the support plate 2.

Preferably, the reinforcing member 8 is a metal section bar having an upper surface 22 adapted to contact the inner surface 4 of the support plate 2 and a lower face 23 adapted to contact the substantially horizontal wall 12 of the longitudinal sections 6.

In particular, the presence of recesses 21 will allow the reinforcement member 8 to be positioned with its lower face 23 butt resting on the horizontal walls 12 of the longitudinal sections 6.

Therefore, the longitudinal sections 6 will be reinforced particularly at the points where flexions or plastic deformations occur on shelves of the prior art.

In the preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, which is shown in the figures, the reinforcing member 8 has a substantially box-like shape, with a substantially W-shaped cross section, which has lateral fins 24, 25 designed to abut against the lower surface 4 of the support plate 2.

It has been found that this arrangement is particularly effective because the presence of the fins 24, 25 increases the contact surface between the reinforcement member 8 and the support plate 2, thereby increasing the resistance opposite by the reinforcing member 8 and, therefore, the load capacity of the shelf 1.

Furthermore, due to the W-shape, the reinforcing member 8 is particularly light and free from any risk of adhesion or deflection of its side walls.

Additionally, the reinforcing member 8 will have a substantially constant height h, close to the minimum distance d, which is also constant, along its entire length z, between the upper free margin 26 of the inner vertical wall 11 of the sections longitudinal 6 and the inner surface 4 of the support plate 2.

Therefore, the longitudinal sections 6 will act as glides for sliding insertion of the reinforcement member 8 to the conveniently arranged position.

Particularly, the reinforcing member 8 can be placed against the lower surface 4 of the support plate 2, the ends 9 ', 9' 'being inserted later in the glues defined by the longitudinal sections 6 to be carried by sliding to the recesses 21, the seats 19 being aligned with the holes 18 on the edge 5.

Finally, when the screws are alienated 20, the horizontal walls 12 will be forced in contact with the upper surface 23 of the reinforcing member 8.

The description above clearly shows that the invention satisfies the intended objects and particularly meets the requirement of providing reinforced metal shelving for a modular shelving structure.

The shelf of the invention is susceptible to a number of changes and variants, within the inventive concept described in the appended claims. All its details can be replaced by other technically equivalent parts and the materials may vary depending on different needs, without departing from the scope of the invention.

In particular, the dimensions of the shelf can be selected according to needs, without any particular limitation. By way of example and without limitation, the shelf can have a length l ranging from 50 cm to 150 cm and a width w ranging from 30 cm to 80 cm. For example, the flat size of the shelf can be 90 cm x 40 cm or 90 cm x 60 cm.

Although the shelf has been described with particular reference to the attached figures, the numbers referred to

in the description and in the claims they are only used for the purpose of better intelligibility of the invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope claimed in any way.

Claims (2)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 1. A reinforced metal shelf for modular shelving structures, comprising a main support plate (2) with an upper surface (3), a lower surface (4) and a peripheral edge (5) folded inwards. wherein said folded edge (5) has a pair of longitudinal sections (6 ', 6' ') that are joined together by a pair of cross sections (7', 7 ''), said folded edge (5) having the at least a first outer vertical wall (10) substantially perpendicular to said main plate (2) and at least a second intermediate horizontal wall (12) substantially perpendicular to the first (10), at least one reinforcing member (8) being provided substantially elongated, which is adapted to be associated with said lower surface (4) in a substantially central transverse position, said reinforcing member (8) having opposite ends (9 ', 9' ') that are adapted to be tied to said sections longitudinal (6 ', 6' '), and anchoring means (17) for detachable anchoring to said main plate (2), wherein said reinforcing member (8) is a metal section bar with an upper surface (22 ) adapted to contact said surface inside said support plate (2) and a lower surface (23) adapted to contact a respective intermediate horizontal wall (12) of said longitudinal sections (6 ', 6' '), wherein said reinforcing member (8 ) has a length (z) substantially equal to or slightly less than the width (w) of the support plate (2), which allows it to be attached at both of said opposite ends (9 ', 9' ') to said longitudinal sections ( 6 ', 6' ') and with a height (h) that is substantially constant along its entire length (z), in which each longitudinal section (6', 6 '') of said folded edge (5) it also has a third inner vertical wall (11) parallel and inwardly displaced with respect to said first outer vertical wall (10), said reinforcing member (8) having a substantially W-shaped cross section defined by said lower face (23) and by a pair of lateral fins (24, 25) and wherein said inner vertical wall (11) of each of said longitudinal sections (6 ', 6' ') has a substantially central recess (21), each of said end portions (9', 9 '') being adapted to be introduced into a respective recess (21) of each longitudinal section (6 ', 6' '), characterized in that said pair of lateral fins (24, 25) is designed to abut against said lower surface (4) of said support plate (2), the height being ( h) of said reinforcing member (8) equal to the minimum distance (d) between the upper free margin (26) of said interior vertical walls (11) of said longitudinal sections (6 ', 6' ') and said lower surface (4) of said support plate (2). 2. A shelf according to claim 1, characterized in that said anchoring means (17) comprise at least one through hole (18) formed in said substantially horizontal wall (12) of said longitudinal sections (6 ', 6' ') and adapted to be aligned with corresponding seats (19) formed at the ends (9', 9 '') of said reinforcing member (8) for the passage of anchoring means (17) of the screw type or the like.