GB2328606A

GB2328606A - Cardboard CD rack

Info

Publication number: GB2328606A
Application number: GB9718328A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark William Eastcott
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-08-30
Filing date: 1997-08-30
Publication date: 1999-03-03
Also published as: WO1999011158A1; AU8818098A; GB9718328D0

Abstract

A CD rack has upright side panels 1, 2 which are received in slots in shelf members 3. The front portions of the shelf members 3 are located in notches (11) in the side panels and they slope downwardly to be supported at the rear by a flap (15). Each flap has a tab (16) which locates in a slot (14) in the shelf member immediately below. A top member 4 is provided by a modified shelf member with a front wall (20), a top wall (21) covering the top edges (9) of the side panels 1 and 2, and a rear wall (22). Again the rear wall (22) has a tab (23) which locates in a rear slot in the top member. A front panel 5 fills the gap beneath the bottom shelf member and is engaged with the side walls 1 and 2 by means of complementary slots.

Description

STORAGE RACK TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a rack for storing items in a vertical stack, particularly (without prejudice to the generality) compact discs in cases.

BACKGROUND Storage racks presently on the market for use with compact discs come in a range of shapes and materials. The most popular tend to be formed of metal or wood.

The present invention seeks to provide a new and inventive form of storage rack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention proposes a storage rack which comprises a pair of spaced generally planar upright side panels having front and rear edges and a set of transverse shelf members containing slots to receive the side panels.

The front portions of the shelf members are preferably located in notches in the front edges of the side panels.

Preferably the shelf members are each provided with spacing means for spacing its rear portion from the shelf member immediately below. Such spacing means preferably comprises a flap. The flap preferably comprises a tab for reception in a slot in the shelf member immediately below.

The shelf members are preferably downwardly inclined in a rearward direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following description and the accompanying drawings referred to therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to illustrate how the invention may be put into practice. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a general front view of a storage rack in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a general rear view of the rack, shown partially dis assembled, Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the shelf members included in the rack, Figure 4 is a side view of the rack in the course of assembly, and Figures 5 and 6 show extended forms of the rack, in front view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to Fig.s 1 and 2, the storage rack shown in the drawings is designed to hold compact discs in cases, but a similar form of rack could hold other flat items such as tape cassettes or magazines for example.

The rack comprises a pair of side panels 1 and 2, a set of shelf members 3, a top member 4 and a front panel 5. The rack is formed entirely of fluted (corrugated) cardboard, the side and front panels being formed of thicker card (e.g. 3.2 mm flute board) whilst the transverse components 3 and 4 are formed of thicker card (e.g. 1.8 mm E flute board). It will be appreciated however that the rack could also be formed of other foldable and creasable sheet material, e.g. solid cardboard or plastics sheet, and at least some of the components could, if desired, be formed of other stiff sheet such as plywood or sheet metal.

The side panels 1 and 2 are of similar shape, being substantially rectangular with parallel front and rear edges 7 and 8 and parallel top and bottom edges 9 and 10. Since the panels are required to support most of the weight of items held in the rack the flutes are preferably arranged to run vertically. As well as providing increased rigidity this also reduces wear and tear on the bottom ends of the side panels. In addition, the side panels may be folded into a double or triple thickness and glued for increased strength, although this may not be necescary for racks intended to hold a small number of lightweight items. By positioning the folds at the front of the rack fewer fluted edges are visible in the completed rack. The front edges 7 of the side panels are formed with a series of equally spaced notches 11 which are just wide enough to receive the thickness of the shelf members 3.

The shelf members 3 and top member 4 are preferably formed with their flutes running in a front-rear direction. As shown in Fig. 3, the shelf members each have a pair of parallel slots 12 and 1 3 adjacent to the sides of the shelf member, and a shorter slot 14 extending adjacent to the rear of the shelf member. The length of the parallel slots 12 and 13 is just sufficient to allow the side members 1 and 2 to slide through the slots with their edges 7 and 8 normal to the shelf member. The rear edge of all but the lowermost shelf member 3a is provided with a downwardly-extending flap 15, formed by creasing the board, which in turn is formed with a tab 16 on its lower edge.

In assembling the rack the lowermost shelf member 3a is first slid onto the side members 1 and 2 In a horizontal position until the shelf member is positioned opposite the lowermost notches 11. The member is then slid rearwardly so that the front of the shelf member locates in the notches, and at the same time, the rear of the shelf member is moved downwards until the rear of the slots 1 2 and 13 contact the rear edges 8 of the side panels to limit further downward movement. (See Fig. 4.) The next and succeeding shelf members 3 are each engaged with the next pair of notches 11 in a similar manner, but in this case the tab 16 is inserted in the rear slot 14 of the shelf member immediately below. The tabs thus prevent the flaps 15 from moving rearwardly so that the flaps form firm rear walls for the compartments formed between the shelf members. However, it will be noted that items placed in the rack will contact the tabs 16 rather than the rear flaps 15, so that the tabs accurately position the items for optimum ease of access. The flaps 15 ensure accurate spacing between the rear regions of the shelf members and support each shelf member from the one below.

As shown in Fig. 2, the top member 4 is a modified form of shelf member, which again includes parallel slots 12 and 13 for the side panels, a rear slot 14 and a rear flap 16 with a tab 16. However, the front of the shelf member is creased and extended to form from a short upwardly extending front wall 20, a top wall 21 which contacts the top edges 9 of the side panels, and a downwardly extending rear wall 22. The lower edge of this rear wall 22 is again formed with a tab 23 which is located in the rear slot 14 of the same shelf member.

Although not shown, the corners of the tabs 16 could be rounded or chamfered to assist their insertion into the slots 14.

Referring back to Fig. 1, the front panel 5 may again be of double or triple thickness if desired, and is shaped to cover the space below the front of the lowermost shelf member 3a. Again, the flutes preferably run vertically for strength and reduce damage to the bottom edge of the panel, although this is not essential. A pair of parallel slits 28 and 29 in the top edge of the panel receive the side walls 1 and 2 with an interference action and a pair of cooperating slits 30 and 31 in the lower edge of the side panels 1 and 2 receive the front panel 5, again with an interference fit.

When an item such as a CD-ROM case is slid into the compartment formed between a pair of shelves its weight is supported on the shelf immediately below and is, in turn, transferred to the side panels 1 and 2. The rack is surprisingly strong and stable, yet it is very lightweight, is inexpensive to manufacture, and can be supplied in a convenient flat-pack form which is very easy to assemble.

It will be appreciated that the rack could be designed to have more or fewer shelf members as required. In addition, the transverse members of the rack could be extended laterally to carry two or more items side-by-side, with intermediate upright dividing panels being provided in a similar manner to the side panels. Examples of such two and three column racks are shown in Fig.s 5 and 6 respectively.

It will be appreciated that the features disclosed herein may be present in any feasible combination. Whilst the above description lays emphasis on those areas which, in combination, are believed to be new, protection is claimed for any inventive combination of the features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A storage rack which comprises a pair of spaced generally planar upright side panels having front and rear edges and a set of transverse shelf members containing slots to receive the side panels.

2. A storage rack according to Claim 1, in which the front edges of the side panels are provided with locating notches to receive front portions of the shelf members.

3. A storage rack according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the shelf members are each provided with spacing means for spacing its rear portion from the shelf member immediately below.

4. A storage rack according to Claim 3, in which said spacing means comprises a flap.

5. A storage rack according to Claim 4, in which the flap extends along the rear of the respective shelf member.

6. A storage rack according to Claim 3 or 4, in which said flap comprises a tab for reception in a further slot formed in a rear portion of the shelf member immediately below.

7. A storage rack according to any preceding claim, in which the slots for receiving the side panels are closed at both ends.

8. A storage rack according to Claim 7, in which the slots which receive the side panels are of a sufficient length to allow the shelf members to be downwardly inclined in a rearward direction.

9. A storage rack according to any preceding claim, in which said side panels and shelf members are formed of a foldable and creasable material.

10. A storage rack according to Claim 9, in which the side panels and shelf members are formed of fluted cardboard.

11. A storage rack according to Claim 9 or 10, in which the side panels are formed of a plurality of layers of such material.

12. A storage rack according to any preceding claim, including a top member comprising lower wall having slots to receive the side panels, a front wall extending upwardly from the front of said lower wall, and a top wall which covers the top edges of the side panels.

13. A storage rack according to Claim 12, in which the top member includes a rear wall which extends downwardly from the rear of the top wall.

14. A storage rack according to Claim 13, in which said rear wall has a tab for location in a slot which is formed in a rear portion of the lower wall.

15. A storage rack according to any of claims 12 to 14, in which the top member is formed of a foldable and creasable material.

16. A storage rack according to Claim 15, in which the top member is formed of fluted cardboard.

1 7. A storage rack according to any preceding claim, including a front panel.

18. A storage rack according to Claim 17, in which a top edge of the front panel has a pair of slots for receiving the side panels.

19. A storage rack according to Claim 18, in which said slots in the top edge of the front panel receive the side panels with an interference action.

20. A storage rack according to any of Claims 1 7 to 19, in which the lower edges of the side panels have a pair of slots for receiving the front panel.

21. A storage rack according to Claim 20, in which said slots in the lower edges of the side panels receive the front panel with an interference action.

22. A storage rack according to any of Claims 17 to 21, in which the front panel is formed of a foldable and creasable material.

23. A storage rack according to Claim 22, in which the front panel is formed of fluted cardboard.

24. A storage rack according to Claim 22 or 23, in which the front panel is formed of a plurality of layers of the foldable and creasable material.