GB2410294A - Suction Cup Shelf Support - Google Patents

Abstract

A shelf support location mounting comprising a suction cup 21 with an O-ring 12. The O ring surrounds the shelf support tube 31 with the suction cup attached to the underside of the shelf 41. The mounting is for use with plate glass shelving. Also claimed is a suction cup for use with plate glass shelving and a suction cup with a centrally located underside nub for engagement with a hole or slot.

Description

24 1 0294 DC401 P03019 Location Mounting [Integrated 'O'-ring & Suction

Cup]

Background

This invention relates to location, mounting and support - with entrainment, restraint or capture - of elements or structures. 1 0

More particularly, restraint using contact surface interaction or grip is envisaged - that is without necessarily intrusive or penetrative mechanical interlock or fastening, such as a bolt or screw fixing. 1 5

Some element of [resilient] cushion or buffer may also be incorporated.

A particular instance Is support and restraint of fragile or vulnerable elements, such as glass shelving.

Glass is heavy, hard (so requires specialist drilling), brittle (so prone to cracking) - and generally has a smooth slippery surface with minimal contact friction.

Thus, for shelving, it is convenient simply to rest a sheet or plate of glass passively upon an underlying support, such as brackets.

However, some means to inhibit shelf slippage or movement Is desirable.

Prior Art

Generally, the location and mounting art is diverse, embracing bespoke glass fixtures and fittings.

Clamps To avoid drilling and fastening through the body of glass itself, clamps have been proposed, but risk: over-tightening - risking stress cracking; or under-tghtenng - with a slack or loose fit, allowing glass movement or dislodgement upon casual contact.

Aesthetic Moreover, visually intrusive fittings spoil the aesthetic DC401 P03019 floating' effect of a glass shelf, by drawing the eye. Pads

Soft, resilient, mounting pads, such as of plastics foam, have been proposed for cushion intervention between underlying metal bracketry and vulnerable glass surfaces.

Such pads also inhibit sliding (with glass surface scuffing or scratching) by promoting contact friction.

However, they offer minimal restraint, absent local adhesive bonding, which would mar the glass finish.

Also known are studs with sucker elements, and domed 'buffers'.

Suction Cup So-called suction or 'auction cup' mounts are known Generally, suction cups are configured as a flexible rimmed dome, or disc.

When In contact with a mounting surface the disc bounds an internal enclosure, from which air can be expelled by depressing the dome against the surface, to expel entrained air and then allowing it to relax.

This creates a pressure differential between outside (higher than ambient pressure) and Inside (lower than ambient pressure), and thus allows an effective surface contact pressure or grip.

The surface contact nm is commonly moistened before mounting, to promote an effective edge seal Suction cups are widely used to mount hooks upon upright surfaces, such as cabinets or walls.

Suction cups provide a secure grip upon a smooth surface, and are readily installed without tools.

Reliance Is however placed upon an even surface finish to create and preserve suction sealing.

Otherwise, upon seal contact weakening and attendant leakage, suction grip effect fails and the mount falls - with potentially catastrophic effect for DC401 P03019 any formerly suspended element.

Thus, for example...

US4376521 teaches a glass shelf support by wall bracket and suction cup.

US911394 uses a suction cup with entrained hook for easy removal from a surface. 1 0

US4813641 teaches a suction cup plus loop wrap element, for an article such as a shoe.

O'-Ring Mounts 1 5 O'-ring buffer mounts are also known for shelf brackets configured as rods or tubes, and typically fit in dedicated grooves within the bracket surface.

They provide a modest cushion and promote a certain contact friction, but are insufficient to prevent Inadvertent shelf lifting or dislodgement.

An example would be upon picking up a congealed bar of soap, placed upon the shelf when wet, but which dries to create a bond between bar and shelf.

If the bar Is casually picked up, the shelf may well come unexpectedly with it.

Removed from its supports, the weight of the glass may prove excessive for the soap bond - whereupon it detaches, falls, breaks upon impact and poses a risk of harm to a careless or distracted user.

GB02221 21.6 The Applicants have themselves proposed a glass shelf supplement to their adjustable shower bracket, the subject of UK patent application GB0222121.6.

In that arrangement, hollow cylndncal shelf supports, configured as stub tubes, are cantilevered from an end plate fixing to an upright support surface or wall.

O'-nngs are fitted to the tubes for resilient support and fnctonal location of glass shelving.

Some aspects of the invention address provision of supplementary restraint In locating and mounting such glass shelving.

DC401 P03019

Statement of Invention

A location mount, comprising a continuous loop or band, with Inherent circumferential elastic stretch, and a dstendable or deformable surface profile, configured for local displacement, upon surface contact, to create a suction grip effect, [upon an element to be supported].

In a particular construction, one or more suction [cup] elements are employed for mounting from beneath. 1 5

No undue stress is put on the glass.

If the mount, In particular a suction cup, itself is of translucent synthetic plastics, the overall effect Is to obscure n from view and create a perception of floating' glass shelving.

Embodiments

There now follows a description of some particular

embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic and schematic drawings, In which: Figures 1 A through 1 E show various views of a location mount configured as an integrated [annular] O'-ring and [domed] suction cup; Thus, more specifically: Figure 1A shows a perspective view; Figure 1 B shows a sectional view taken along the line BB' of Figure 1A; Figure 1 C shows a side elevation of figure 1 A; Figure 1D shows an end elevation of Figure 1A; Figure 1 E shows a plan view of figure 1A; Figures 2A through 2C show views of shelving support bracketry using location mounts of Figures 1 A through 1 E; DC401 P03019 Thus, more specifically: figure 2A shows a perspective view of a support tube fitted with location mounts; Figure 2B shows the support tube of Figure 2A without location mounts, revealng'O'- ring location grooves; figure 2C shows an exploded side elevation of the support tube of Figures 2A and 2B, along with location mounts of Figures 1A through 1E, juxtaposed with an upright (wall) mounting surface and end fitting for an auxiliary element - in this case a shower spray head support slide; figures 3A through 3C show the support tube of figures 2A through 2C deployed to support glass shelving and, in the case of Figure 3B, in the context of a shower spray head slide rail; Thus, more specifically: Figure 3A shows a single plate glass shelf mounted with opposite ends upon stub tubes fitted with Integrated 'O'-ring and suction cup location mounts; figure 3B shows a variant of Figure 3A in which one mount forms the lower bracket of a shower spray head slide rail; Figure 3C shows a variant of Figure 3A in which tube mounts are bridged by a longitudinal tube; Figures 4A through 4F show variant location mount config u radons - n pa Ecu lar in 'O'- ring and suction cup configuration.

Thus, more specifically: Figure 4A shows a cluster of multiple suction cups upon a common 'O'-ring; figure 4B shows a rectangular suction cup upon an 'O'-ring; Figure 4C shows a suction cup upon a rectangular O'-nng; figure 4D shows a continuous multiple suction cup profile upon an 'O'ring; X401 P03019 Figure 4E shows a continuous multiple suction cup profile without a supporting 'O'-ring; figure 4F shows the sectional view indicated in Figure 4E.

Figures 5A through 5H show indicative cross sectional views of variant 'O'-ring and suction cup 1 0 profile integration; Figure 5A shows a band with a shallow convex outer band curvature with pronounced edge rim; Figure 5B shows a curved outer band profile; Figure 5C shows a curvilinear outer band profile; Figure 5D shows a serrated outer band profile; figure 5E shows a curved outer band profile with narrow central attachment; Figure 5F shows a curved outer band profile with wide shoulder attachment; Figure 5G shows a twin curved outer profile; Figure 5H shows a twin curved outer profile with wide shoulder attachments.

Figure 6 shows an individual sucker with profiled stud for positional adjustment.

Referring to the drawings, a location mount 10 comprises an integrated suction cup 11 and 'O'-ring 12, configured for support and location - in particular of shelving.

The 'O'-nng 12 is of a round (circular) cross-section, small in relation to overall ring diameter.

The cup 11 and ring 12 element profiles admit of considerable variation individually and collectively as explored in Figures 4A-F and 5A-M.

Thus non-circular, even rectangular 'O'-nngs and/or single or multiple cup profiles may be adopted.

figures 4A through 4F address localised individual or DC401 P03019 multiple suction cups upon a closed loop or band.

The cups have a prominent span or embrace - beyond that of a relatively slender ring or band.

This provides an enlarged contact area and volumetric enclosure for greater suction (or pressure differential grip effect).

figures 5A through 5H address more integrated 'O' nng and suction profiles In a continuous loop.

This allows mounting in any disposition whilst presenting a local contact suction portion. 1 5

Examples explored are generally flat, wide bands, with a profile outer surface from individual shallow sweeping curves bounded by peripheral lips to multiple convolutions - adapted to suit location and mounting roles and situations.

It is believed the drawing illustrations are generally self-explanatory, so will not be described In detail.

Figures 3A through 3C show support of plate glass shelving 41 upon cantilevered tubes 31.

This reflects an arrangement taught in the Applicants' aforementioned GB0222121.6.

In that case, such tubes serve as extension brackets, for bringing a shower head slide support rail away from a mounting surface or wall, and provide optional ancillary shelving support.

Plain 'O'-ring location was employed in that case, and whilst providing a modest contact friction and cushion, overlying shelving was vulnerable to Inadvertent lifting and/or displacement.

The present invention addresses that issue and resolves it by combination of 'O'-ring and suction elements.

A closure disc 34 at one end of a tube 31 serves as a preparatory wall mounting plate, secured by fasteners 39 inserted through holes in disc 34 Into a support surface or wall 40.

The disc 34 Is a threaded fit within the tube 31.

I

DC401 P03019 A corresponding disc 30 at the opposite tube end serves as a blanking plate, oms substituted by a blanking plate with slit 35 for attachment with fastener 39 to bracket 36 supporting a slide rail 37 for a shower spray head (not shown).

Shallow grooves 32 in the circumference of tube 31 adjacent opposite ends receive location mounts 33 according to the present Invention. 1 0

Generally the groove 32 profile complements the ring or band 33 profile.

The location mounts 33 are configured as '0'-rings 12, surmounted locally by suction cups 11, as detailed in Figures 1A through 1 E. An individual cup 11 is configured as a resiliently deformable Inverted dome shaped disc, of thin section - to displace entrapped air when depressed against a contact surface - in this case shelving 41.

In order to promote air-hght contact sealing with shelving 41, a suction cup has a progressive tapered edge profile to a slender peripheral rim 21.

Cups may be replicated and grouped or clustered as in the cloverleaf array depicted in Figure 4A - to bolster overall contact area and provide a backup upon failure of an individual cup seal.

Multiple miniature suction cups around the ring circumference may provide a robust collective effect undemndivdual surface contact.

Irregular contact surfaces may also be addressed.

Other, non-circular, rounded, (say elliptical) or even segmented rectilinear cup profiles may be adopted such as the diamond shape of figure 4B.

Figures 4D-4F Illustrate multiple miniaturized suction cups, or sucker modules, juxtaposed to form a continuous ring.

In Figure 4D the suckers are attached to a continuous band or 'O'-nng inner structure, however, in figures 4E and 4F the suckers themselves are Joined by their outermost lips - thus negating the need for an underpinning ring support element.

DC401 P03019 Thus the discrete 'O'-ring and sucker elements of previous examples are merged as an integrated sucker-ring'.

As detailed in Figure 4F, central dimples are located on the underside of each sucker to act as locators for alignment within locating groove 32 of tube 31.

The band variants of Figures 4D and 4E may be extended longitudinally to form a sleeve.

A serrated or ribbed outer ring profile may be used, as shown in Figure 5D.

Figure 6 shows an individual sucker upon a ribbed or serrated stud section, for adjustable location within a hole or slot element of tube 31.

The vertical protrusion of the stud allows shelf levelling.

The sucker element may reflect the diamond shape of figure 4B, or the clustered suckers of Figure 4A.

Component list 1 0 mounting 1 1 suction cup 12 'O'-ring 21 rim blanking plate 31 tube 32 groove 33 location mount 34 end plate (mounting disc) blanking plate with slit 36 bracket 37 slide rail 38 slit 39 fastening 4 0 support surface (wall) 41 plate glass shelving

Claims (5)

1. DC401 P03019 Claims 1.

   A resilient (location) mounting, comprising a continuous loop or band, with a distendable surface profile, configured for local displacement, upon surface contact, to create a suction grip effect, [upon an element to be supported]. 1 5
2. 2.

   A cushion mounting and suction restraint, for a smooth-surfaced [fragile] element, such as plate glass shelving.
3. 3.

   A location mount, configured as an integrated 'O'-ring and suction cup, with one or more sucker elements, disposed circumferentially around, or nested within a substantially annular structure.
4. 4.

   A location mount, configured as a suction cup, with a centrally located underside stub, for location and entrainment within a hole or slot.
5. 5.

   A resilient cushion and suction mounting, configured as an integrated 'O'ring and suction cup, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as shown, in the accompanying drawings.