GB2281193A - Shelf structure - Google Patents

Abstract

A shelf structure includes a shelf member and an upright member disposed at a corner of the shelf member, where the shelf member (10) has flange formations (13, 14) at its edges adjacent the corner and the upright member (11) has portions inclined to one another to face said flange formations; wherein for each of the facing flange formations and portions of the upright member there are provided two pairs of mutually inter-engagable projections and openings (30, 31; 15, 16) and (32, 33; 17, 18) which support the shelf member relative to the upright member. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Shelf Structure Description of the Invention This invention relates to a shelf structure comprising at least one shelf member and a number of upright members disposed at corners of the shelf member to support the shelf member. More particularly the invention relates to the establishment of a connection between a shelf member and an upright member for such a structure.

Shelf structures are known wherein shelf members are secured to the upright members by bolts. The upright members are each provided with a plurality of apertures for such bolts, spaced from one another so that a shelf structure can be assembled with a number of shelf members at a desired vertical spacing from one another to suit the articles which are going to be put on the shelves. When correctly assembled and all the bolts tightened, such a shelf structure can be rigid and have a high load carrying capacity but the erection thereof using a large number of bolts is fiddly and time consuming.

It is broadly the object of the present invention to provide a shelf structure which can be assembled rapidly and conveniently but which also achieves high rigidity and load bearing capacity.

According to the present invention, we provide an assembly comprising a shelf member and an upright member disposed at a corner of the shelf member the shelf member having upwardly oriented flange formations at its edges adjacent the corner and the upright member having portions inclined to one another to face said flange formations, wherein for each of said facing flange formations and portions of the upright member there are provided two pairs of mutually interengaging projections and openings which support the shelf member relative to the upright member.

Preferably the projection of each pair of projections and openings extends generally parallel to the surface of the member whereon it is provided, engaging in an opening afforded by the other member.

According to another aspect of the invention, we provide a shelf structure comprising at least one shelf member and a number of upright members disposed at corners of the at least one shelf member, wherein the connection between the at least one shelf member and each upright member is afforded by an assembly according to the first aspect of the invention.

In a shelf structure according to the invention, because there are four interengaging projection and opening formations supporting the shelf member relative to the upright members at the corners of the shelf member, the shelf member is supported relative to the upright member with a high degree of rigidity and load carrying capacity. At the same time, projections and openings can be easily engaged without the necessity of using tools or separate fastening elements such as bolts, so the shelf structure is readily assembled and dismantled.

Preferably the upright member has two projections extending from each of said portions thereof, said projections being upwardly spaced from one another (i.e. spaced lengthwise of the upright member) and the shelf member has two openings associated with each flange portion of the shelf member facing said portions of the upright member, to receive said projections.

Preferably the projections are constituted by tags pressed out of the upright member, so as to be spaced from the respective surfaces of the portions thereof and to extend upwardly generally parallel thereto.

Preferably said openings are constituted by portions pressed out of flange formations of the shelf member said portions being spaced from the surfaces of the flange portions so that said tags can engage between said portions and surfaces.

Preferably of said two projections one is longer than the other so that it is able to engage with its opening before the other projection engages with its respective opening. This renders it easier to assemble the shelf structure, since it is easier to engage one projection of each pair with an opening rather than try to engage both projections of each pair with their respective openings simultaneously. Once one projection has been engaged, it acts as a guide and facilitates engagement of the other projection.

Preferably the or each shelf member is square or rectangular in plan view, and the portions of each upright member lie perpendicular to one another.

Each upright member is preferably a generally L-section member.

Each of the upright members may have associated therewith a cover element which has a cross-sectional shape engageable with the upright member to secure it thereto. Preferably such a cover element is engageable with the upright member by being slidden onto it in the direction lengthwise of the upright member. Such a cover element, when fitted, conceals the pressed-out tags forming the projections on the upright member and considerably improves the appearance of the assembled shelf structure.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shelf structure according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating one corner of a shelf and an associated part of an upright member of the shelf structure, and the formations for engagement therebetween; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the upright member and its cover element.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a shelf structure which comprises four shelf members 10 each of which is of rectangular shape in plan view, supported at their corners by upright members 11 three of which are clearly visible in the drawing and the fourth of which has only its extreme upper end visible. The shelves 10 are of sheet metal e.g. steel, and the upright members 11 are also of metal such as steel, for example rolled to the configuration described hereafter.

One of the corners of one of the shelves 10 is shown in Figure 2. The shelf comprises a deck 12 and downwardly extending flanges along each edge of the deck, the two flanges at the illustrated corner of the shelf being identified as 13, 14. The flanges are disposed at right angles to one another, as the shelf is rectangular in plan view. The flange 13 is provided with two formations 15, 16 spaced vertically from one another and constituted by portions of the flange 13 pressed outwardly therefrom so as to be spaced from the surface of the flange and, as viewed in plan, provide an opening between it and the surface of the flange. The flange 14 is similarly provided with pressed out formations 17, 18 of the same configuration as the 14, 15, 16.

One of the upright members 11 is shown in Figures 2 and 3. In crosssectional shape, Figure 3, it is generally L-shaped having limbs 20, 21 at right angles to one another so as to afford surfaces 22, 23 facing the surfaces of the flanges 13, 14 on the shelf member. The ends of the limbs 20, 21 have respective laterally displaced portions 24, 25 and inturned lips 26, 27.

Each of the limbs 20, 21 of the upright member is provided with pairs of forfnations for engagement with the formations 15, 16, 17, 18 on a shelf 10.

The formations on the upright member are arranged in groups each of a pair of such formations spaced in the upwards direction (i.e. lengthwise of the upright member) from other such pairs of formation. In Figure 2, a pair of such formations on the limb 22 of the upright member is indicated at 30, 31 and a pair of such formations on the limb 23 of the upright member is indicated at 32, 33.

Further such pairs of formations are indicated generally at 34, 35. In each such group of formations, the formations as 30, 32 are level with one another and the formations as 31, 33 are level with one another.

Each of the formations 30 to 33 comprises a tag pressed out of the material of the upright member so as to remain connected to the upright member at its lower end and to extend upwardly and spaced from the respective surface 22, 23 of the upright member. The spacing of such tags from the respective surfaces 22, 23 is such that the tags are able to engage in the opening defined by the formations 15 to 18 provided on the shelf. The tags constituting the lower formations 31, 33 in each group of formations are longer than the tags constituting the upper formations as 30, 32 in each group.

When the projecting tag formations 30 to 33 are engaged with the formations 15 to 18 on a shelf, the shelf is supported by the upright member in relatively rigid manner with a substantial load bearing capacity. The fact that the lower projections 31, 33 are longer than the upper projections 30, 32 renders it easier to engage the projections on an upright member with the openings afforded by the formations 15 to 18 on a shelf, since the longer projections 31, 33 can be engaged with the lowermost formations 16, 18 without having simultaneously to align the upper projections 30, 32 with the formations 15, 17. When the lower projections 31, 33 have been engaged, they act as guides to facilitate engagement of the upper projections 30, 32 with the shelf.

For improving the appearance of a shelf structure as above described, each of the upright members 11 has a cover element 40. The cross sectional of the cover element 40 corresponds to that of the upright member 11, comprising limbs 41, 42 at right angles to one another, the limbs ending in laterally displaced portions 43, 44 and inturned lips 45, 46. The configuration of the cover element is such that an end of the element can be engaged with an end of an upright member and then slid lengthwise into engagement therewith for the full extent of the upright member.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (14)

1. An assembly comprising a shelf member and an upright member disposed at a corner of the shelf member, the shelf member having upwardly oriented flange formations at its edges adjacent the corner and the upright member having portions inclined to one another to face said flange formations, wherein for each of said facing flange formations and portions of the upright member there are provided two pairs of mutually interengaging projections and openings which support the shelf member relative to the upright member.

2. An assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the projection of each pair of projections and openings extends generally parallel to the surface of the member whereon it is provided, and engages in an opening afforded by the other member.

3. An assembly according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the upright member has two projections extending from each of said portions thereof, said projections being upwardly spaced from one another, and the shelf member has two openings associated with each flange portion of the shelf member facing said portions of the upright member, to receive said projections.

4. An assembly according to Claim 3 wherein the projections comprise tags pressed out of the upright member so as to be spaced from the respective surfaces of the portions thereof and to extend upwardly generally parallel thereto.

5. An assembly according to Claim 4 wherein said openings are constituted by portions pressed out of the flange formations of the shelf member, said pressed out portions being spaced from the surfaces of the flange formations so that said tags can engage between said portions and surfaces.

6. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein of said two projections one is longer than the other so that it is able to engage with its opening before the other projection engages with its respective opening.

7. A shelf structure comprising at least one shelf member and a number of upright members disposed at corners of the at least one shelf member, wherein the connection between the at least one shelf member and each upright member is afforded by an assembly according to any one of the preceding claims.

8. A shelf structure according to Claim 7 wherein the or each shelf member is square or rectangular in plan view, and the portions of each upright member lie perpendicular to one another.

9. A shelf structure according to Claim 8 wherein each upright member is a generally L-section member.

10. A shelf structure according to any one of Claims 7 to 9 wherein each of the upright members has a respective cover element associated therewith, said cover element having a cross-sectional shape engageable with the upright member to secure it thereto.

11. A shelf structure according to Claim 10 wherein said cover element is engageable with the upright member by relative sliding movement in the direction lengthwise of the upright member.

12. A shelf structure according to Claim 10 or Claim 11 wherein said cover element conceals said projections and openings.

13. An assembly, or a shelf structure incorporating an assembly, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. Any novel feature or combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.