GB2617820A

GB2617820A - Freestanding shelving unit and system

Info

Publication number: GB2617820A
Application number: GB2204391.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Richard
Original assignee: Workspace Design Global Ltd
Current assignee: Workspace Design Global Ltd
Priority date: 2022-03-28
Filing date: 2022-03-28
Publication date: 2023-10-25
Also published as: GB202204391D0

Abstract

A freestanding shelving unit 1 comprising an upper support 10 and lower support 20, each support comprising a rectangular frame having spaced apart, parallel front 11,21 and rear 12,22 members and a pair of side struts 13,14,23,24, the side struts extending perpendicular to the front and rear members and connecting respective ends of the front and rear members at a corner of the frame. The shelving unit also includes four uprights 31,32,33,34 extending vertically between the upper and lower supports, each upright being connected proximal to a corresponding corner of the upper and lower support frame. At least one shelf support 40a,b,c is provided, vertically intermediate to the upper and lower supports. The shelf support comprises an I-shaped/H-shaped frame comprising a pair of parallel opposing side struts 42,43 and a central transverse beam 41 extending therebetween. The side struts each extend between ends proximal to an upright and the transverse beam is connected to each side strut at a central region between the ends. A shelving system (100, Figure 2) comprising a plurality of shelving units, that may be coupled by connecting plates (74, Figure 2) is also disclosed.

Description

Freestanding Shelving Unit and System

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a freestanding shelving unit and a shelving system including such freestanding shelving units.

Background

Shelving units are used to hold items for display or storage. In many cases it is useful to have a shelving system in which a number of shelving units can be used together in a modular fashion to provide the required amount of space.

Shelving is typically either freestanding or wall-fixed. In a free-standing system the shelving is self-supporting (but may still have one or more attachments to a wall to prevent tipping of the unit in use). In commercial or industrial applications it is particularly common to find adjustable freestanding shelving units, and/or systems, which include one or more shelves which can be repositioned, for example by changing the vertical position of the shelves. Commonly such adjustable shelving arrangements use a plurality of slots, openings and interconnecting brackets to enable fixing of shelves in a range of positions. In many shelving units, for example, the uprights (and supporting sections) of the shelving unit may be formed of steel sections (for example L-sections or square tubing) with a distributed series of slots and or apertures to which the shelves may be attached.

Whilst conventional shelving is reliable and readily available it may not be optimised for all applications. For example, the complex shape and form of many freestanding shelving units can make them difficult to clean with numerous nooks or openings allowing the accumulation of dirt or debris. This can be particularly relevant when a shelving unit or system is used in an environment where thorough cleaning is desirable or necessary. This may, for example, make prior art shelving units less than optimal for use in an environment such as healthcare. As such, embodiments of the invention may seek to provide a shelving unit and system which is optimised for cleaning and may, for example, be particularly suitable for use in healthcare settings.

Summary of Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a freestanding shelving unit comprising: an upper support and lower support, each support comprising a rectangular frame having spaced apart, parallel front and rear members and a pair of side struts, the side struts extending perpendicular to the front and rear members and connecting respective ends of the front and rear members at a corner of the frame.

The shelving unit also includes four uprights extending vertically between the upper and lower supports, each upright being connected proximal to a corresponding corner of the upper and lower support frame. At least one shelf support is provided, vertically intermediate to the upper and lower supports. The shelf support comprises an l-shaped frame comprising a pair of parallel opposing side struts and a central transverse beam extending therebetween. The side struts each extend between ends proximal to an upright and the transverse beam is connected to each side strut at a central region between the ends.

Advantageously, embodiments of the invention provide a simple but robust shelving unit which has a profile which is easy to maintain and clean. The side struts of the, or each, shelf support can abut or engage the walls of the upright. In particular the side struts may be retained between opposing internal faces of the uprights.

The shelving unit may comprise a plurality of shelf supports. The number and/or vertical position of the shelf supports may be adjustable. As such the shelving unit may be an adjustable shelving unit.

In embodiments the uprights are connected to external sides of the upper support and lower support. The uprights may be connected at a corner of the upper and lower support frames. The front uprights may be connected to a front face of the frame of the upper and lower support. The rear uprights may each be connected to a rear face of the frame of the upper and lower support. Each upright may be aligned with a side strut of the frame of the upper and lower support. The upright and the frame may be aligned such that the external sides of the side strut and upright are flush. This is beneficial in providing a straight edge to the shelving unit (for example to assist cleaning and/or to allow multiple shelving units to be positioned in close abutment).

One or more of the rectangular frames, the l-shaped frame(s) and/or the uprights are formed from box section tubing (for example square section tubing). The tubing may be metal and may, for example, be coated or painted.

Each rectangular frame (i.e. the frames of the upper and lower support) may be an integral unit, for example a welded unit. The, or each, l-shaped frame (of the shelf support(s)) may be an integral unit, for example a welded unit. By forming the frames as welded, pre-assembled, units the part count of the shelving unit is reduced. This can, for example, be beneficial in assembly, maintenance, and cleaning of the shelving unit.

The shelving unit may include a plurality of shelves. Each shelf may be connected to a frame (i.e. one of the frames of the shelf support, upper support or lower support).

In particular, each shelf may be attached to an upper surface of a frame. For example a shelf may be attached by a fastener extending through the frame to engage the lower surface of the shelf. As the/each shelf is positioned on top of the the supporting frame the upper surface of the shelf may be continuous and uninterrupted across substantially the full area of the shelving unit proving an arrangement which is easy to clean.

A support leg may be provided at the lower end of each upright. For example the leg may comprise a portion of the upright extending below the lower support. Each leg may comprise a foot. For example, an adjustable foot may be connected to the lower end of each upright (for example screwed into a threaded bore) to allow adjustment and levelling of the shelving unit. In some embodiments the shelving unit may further comprising a secondary leg forward of each rear upright. For example the secondary leg may be attached to the lower support or to the upright. The foot may be selectively connectable to either the upright or the secondary leg (for example by connecting to a threaded bore). Such an arrangement advantageously allows the position of the foot to be adjusted to allow the shelving unit to be positioned close to a wall if the wall has a curved or stepped interface with the floor (for example it is popular to use a coved floor covering in healthcare environments to ensure there is no gap in the floorcovering at the wall junction).

A plurality of resilient retaining members may be provided on the uprights. The resilient retaining member may for example be a rubber member. The resilient member may be compressible between the upright and the frame of the shelf support to ensure that the shelf support can be clamped or wedged into a fixed position. Advantageously, a resilient retaining member which is compressed between frame and upright elements provides an arrangement has advantages both when the retaining member is in use and when it is not in use (which is useful for an adjustable shelving unit that will generally have more retaining members than shelves). When the retaining member is in use the retaining member may be generally enclosed between components and will not provide a potential trap for dirt. When the retaining member is not in use it may have a generally low profile (for example in comparison to a rigid bracket) and will not provide a significant protrusion or feature on the upright which could hinder cleaning.

The resilient retaining members may be vertically distributed along the uprights. The retaining members may be arranged in sets (each set comprising one retaining member on each of the four uprights) at a common vertical alignment. Each set may comprise two pairs of retaining members, each pair being opposing retaining members on opposite faces of adjacent uprights.

Each resilient retaining member may comprise a body portion abutting the outer surface of the upright and a support portion extending into an aperture in the upright. The body portion may have a greater width than the support portion. The body portion may be generally disk-shaped. The retaining member may externally close (and effectively seal) the apertures into which the retaining members are inserted. This may, for example, further simplify the cleaning of the shelving unit.

The side struts of each l-shaped frame may be retained between the opposite faces of adjacent uprights. For example the side strut may be clamped between the uprights. A resilient retaining member may be disposed between the face of the upright and an adjacent end face of the side strut. Thus, the resilient retaining member may ensure that the shelf support is retained in position relative to the uprights.

In embodiments the shelving unit may further comprising a cover unit for attachment to an upper surface of the upper support. The cover unit may be selectively included as an alternative to an upper shelf being attached to the upper surface of the upper support. The cover unit may have a sloped upper surface. For example the cover unit may have a forward sloping upper surface. The upper surface of the cover unit may extend across the width of the upper support and may also extend across the full depth of the upper support. The provision of a sloped upper cover may be advantageous in making the shelving unit easier to clean and may also prevent unintended storage of items by users on the upper (external) surface of the shelving unit.

The shelving unit may further comprise at least one plinth cover attached to the lower support. The plinth cover may enclose the space beneath the lower support. Advantageously this may prevent dust, debris and or objects from accumulating beneath the shelving unit and may be beneficial in maintaining cleanliness around the unit. The plinth cover may be a front plinth cover having a length matched to the shelving unit (and which is configured to be attached to the front of the lower support). Additionally or alternatively, the plinth cover may be a side cover having a length matched to the length of the depth of the shelving unit (and which is configured to be attached to the side of the lower support). The plinth cover may includes a bevelled upper surface. The inclusion of a bevelled upper may further assist in cleaning by avoiding providing a flat surface on which dust or debris can accumulate.

The shelving unit may also comprise a closure plate extending between the rear uprights and a rearward side of the lower frame. The closure plate may ensure that there is no gap through which items can slip when the shelving unit is mounted against a wall.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a shelving system comprising a plurality of shelving units in accordance with embodiments. The shelving system may comprise at least one connecting plate for coupling adjacent shelving units. The connecting plate may for example couple together adjacent uprights. The connecting plate may be integrally formed with a wall fixing plate. As such the connecting plate may couple together rear uprights of the shelving units and may also retain the uprights against a wall to prevent movement or toppling of the shelving.

Whilst the invention has been described above, it extends to any inventive combination of the features set out above or in the following description or drawings.

Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the invention may be performed in various ways, and embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example only, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a shelving unit in accordance with an embodiment; Figure 2 shows a partially exploded view of a shelving system including two connected shelving units in accordance with an embodiment; Figure 3 shows a partial cross-sectional detail of a shelving unit of an embodiment; and Figure 4 shows isolated views of a variety of sub components for use in the shelving unit of embodiments.

Detail Description of Embodiments

In the following description an embodiment of the invention will be described in an in-use orientation. In particular, it will be noted that the terms front and back are used to refer to opposing sides of the shelving unit and typically, for example, the back may be positioned against a wall with the front facing the user. However, it will be appreciated that such language is not considered limiting and in some uses the shelving unit may be arranged in such a way that there is no functional distinction between the "front" and "back", In a similar manner it will be appreciated that shelving units are generally configured such that the shelves are truly horizontally aligned (to prevent items from sliding) -as such terms such as transverse and width used with reference to the shelving unit will for convenience generally refer to directions or features in a horizontal plane but are not strictly limited as such. The vertical axis of the embodiment will generally be the direction perpendicular to the horizontal but is used as a general geometric reference and should not be strictly limited. In practice the alignment of a shelving unit of an embodiment may depend upon the location in which it is used, for example on the slope of a floor on which it is installed.

Figure 1 shows a shelving unit 1 in accordance with an embodiment. The shelving unit comprises an upper support 10, a lower support 20, four uprights 31, 32, 33, 34, three shelf-supports 40a, 40b, 40c and four shelves 50a, 50b, 50c, 50d. The shelving supports 40 are positioned vertically between the upper 10 and lower 20 supports. For clarity in the figure the shelves are shown as partially transparent. The lower support 20 and upper support 10 are matched in size and shape and generally define the depth and width of the shelving unit (as such it will be appreciated that a range of units could be made with varying dimensions). The shelving unit 1 is an adjustable freestanding shelving unit. The shelving unit includes a series of retaining members 35 which provide a range of positions at which the shelf-supports 40 can be installed.

The upper support 10 is a rectangular welded frame of square section metal tubing. The support 10 is formed as an integral frame. The support comprises four interconnected co-planar members 11, 12, 13, 14. The front member 11 and rear member 12 are spaced apart and extend in parallel across the full width of the shelving unit 1. At each end of the frame there is a side strut 13, 14 which is perpendicular to the front 11 and rear 12 members and connects, at a corner, the respective ends at that side of the frame. The connection between the members at the corner can have any convenient form.

The lower support 20 is a rectangular welded frame of square section metal tubing.

The support 20 is formed as an integral frame. The support comprises four interconnected co-planar members 21, 22, 23, 24. The front member 21 and rear member 22 are spaced apart and extend in parallel acrossthe full width of the shelving unit 1. At each end of the frame there is a side strut 23, 24 which is perpendicular to the front 21 and rear 22 members and connects the respective ends at that side of the frame at a corner. The connection between the members at the corner can have any convenient form.

The uprights 31, 32, 33, 34 each comprise a single linear beam of square section metal tubing. Each upright extends from a lower end which defines a leg portion (36 as shown in Figure 2) to an upper end which may include a closure such as a cap insert. The leg portion may include an internally threaded bore which receives a foot (38 in figure 2). Such feet are commercially available, and it will be appreciated that they typically allow a degree of adjustment of the length of the leg portion to accommodate uneven or sloped floors. The uprights are connected in pairs on either side of the upper and lower supports 10, 20 such that two uprights 31, 32 are at a first side of the shelving unit 1 and two uprights 33, 34, are at the second, opposite, side of the shelving unit 1. The uprights are connected to the exterior of the supports 10, 20 with their outer edge aligned to be flush with outer edge of the side struts 13, 14, 23, 24.

As such, the two supports 31, 33 at the back of the unit are to the rear of the supports 10, 20 and the two supports, 32, 34 at the front of the unit are to the front of the supports 10, 20. On either side of the shelving unit 1 the pair of uprights 31, 32 and 33, 34 have inward facing opposed faces (i.e. the forward facing surface of the rear uprights 31, 33 which face the rearward facing surface of the corresponding front uprights 32, 34).

The opposed faces of the uprights 31, 32, 33, 34 are provided with a plurality of retaining members 35. In the figures the retaining members are most clearly seen on the forward face of the rear legs 31, 33 but are also present (but partially concealed) on the rearward face of the front legs 32, 34. The retaining members 35 are distributed at vertical intervals along the uprights 31, 32, 33, 34. The retaining members 35 are arranged in sets, each set comprises a member on each upright and is at a common vertical position. As the retaining members 35 are on the opposed faces of the upright it will be appreciated that each set of four retaining members 35 comprises two pairs of opposed retaining members, one pair on each side of the shelving unit 1.

The shelving unit further comprises three shelf supports 40a, 40b, 40c (and it will be appreciated that more or less shelf supports could be provided in different embodiments). As each support is identical only one will be described in detail. The shelf support 40 is an I-shaped welded frame of square section metal tubing. Each shelf support 40 is formed as an integral frame. The shelf support 40 comprises three interconnected co-planar members 41, 42, 43. The side members 42, 43 are parallel and spaced apart on opposing sides of the shelf support 40. The length of the side members 42,43 is matched to the depth of the upper 10 and lower 20 supports. As such the opposing end of each member 42 and 43 are adjacent to the opposing faces of the uprights 31, 32 and 33, 34 at the corresponding side of the shelving unit 1. The interface between the uprights and shelf support is described further below. A central transverse beam 41 is connected to the middle of each side member 42,43 such that it extends across the full width of the shelving unit 1. A shelf SO can be mounted on the upper side of the shelf support 40. The shelf support 40 may include through holes so that a screw can be inserted through the underside to engage and retain the underside of the shelf 50. Such an arrangement ensures that the upper surface of the shelf can be kept unobstructed and uninterrupted by retention features (and is therefore easier to clean). The shelf SO has a length matched to the length of the shelf support 40 and a depth matching the length of the side members 42, 43. As shown in figure 4, the type of shelf may be selected depending on the application -for example the shelf SO could be a sheet of Melamine Faced Chipboard (MFC), alternatively a laminate 50' shelf could be provided or a slotted shelf 50" (a slotted shelf may for example be useful for linen storage).

The retaining members 35 and the connection between the shelf supports 40 and uprights 31, 32 will be further described with reference to the partial cross section of figure 3. Figure 3 is a side view (from the left-hand side as seen in figure 1) of a vertically central section of the shelving unit. In the cross section it can be seen that each retaining member 35 comprises an outer body portion 35b which is external to the upright 31, 32 and an inner support portion 35a which extends into an aperture of the upright 31. The outer portion 35b has a greater diameter then the inner portion 35a and as such fully covers the aperture into which the retaining member 35 is connected. As seen in figure 2, the outer portion 35a of the retaining member has a generally low-profile form providing a small disk-shaped body on the face of the upright 31, 32. This low-profile member helps to ensure that there are minimal features which can prevent good cleaning of the shelving unit 1. The retaining member 35 is formed from an elastically deformable material such as a rubber. As seen in the cross-sectional view, when the shelf support 40 is in position the side member 42 extends between the opposing uprights 31, 32. As such, the retaining members are positioned between the ends of the side member 42 and the uprights 31, 32. The retaining member sits between the member 42 and uprights 31, 32 and helps to clamp the support frame in place. Advantageously this provides an arrangement in which the retaining member 35 is concealed within the frame work of the shelving unit 1 at the point of attachment of the shelf support which improves cleaning accessibility by avoiding including any additional external brackets or clips.

The shelving unit 1 also includes a plinth arrangement 60 to enclose the area under the lower frame 20 (and prevent the accumulation of dirt, debris or objects. The plinth arrangement is formed by plinth cover members 61, 62 which are attachable to the shelving unit 1 (via attachment to the lower support 20). The use of separate plinth covers is useful in allowing the covers to be installed on the external sides as required when a shelving system is installed (for example in a single unit fitted against a wall a front cover and two side covers would be provided). The plinth cover may include an attachment section 63 which is configured to couple to the frame of the lower support 20. The side plinth covers 62 are flat and fit flush with both the uprights, side members 23, 24 of the lower support and a shelf 50d fitted to the lower support 20. The front plinth cover 60 is arranged to fit flush to the forward face of the uprights 32, 34 and extend linearly between them. As the uprights are fitted forward of the frame of support 20, the front plinth cover 60 is also arranged to close the gap between the uprights and front member 22 of the support 20. This ensures that the shelving unit has a straight forward edge which provides for easier cleaning of the floor around the unit. The upper edge of the front plate (which closes the gap to the shelf) is formed with a bevelled upper surface 61 including a portion which slopes outwardly and downwardly away from the shelving unit 1. The inclusion of this angled surface avoids having a flat surface which could accumulate dirt and aids cleaning. Whilst a second plinth cover identical to front cover 60 could be fitted to the rear of the shelving unit this is not necessary when the shelving unit is fitted against a wall. As such, the gap between the rear uprights 31, 33 and the rearward member 21 of the frame of lower support 20 may be provided with a closure plate 80 (see figure 2 and 4).

Figure 2 shows an example of a shelving system using a plurality of shelving units 1, 1' in accordance with an embodiment. The shelves have been omitted in this view for clarity and a number of components are shown in exploded positions. In particular, it can be noted in this view how the shelving units 1, 1' can be coupled together by a connector 74 and/or an integrated connector and wall fixing 72 (both of which are shown in isolation in figure 4). Typically the coupling is made at the adjacent rearward uprights which is an unobtrusive position. The shelving system may also be secured in its upright position by one or more single upright wall connectors 70. It can be noted that in an example such as this (in which two units 1, 1' are being installed in a side-by-side configuration no side plinth covers are required in the middle of the system) the plinth comprises two front plinth covers 60 and two end plinth covers 63.

In figure 2 it can also be noted that each shelving unit is provided with a pair of secondary legs 39 which are forward of the leg portions of the rear uprights 31 and 33. The secondary legs 39 may be connected to the face of the uprights and/or the lower support 20. The secondary legs 39 have a threaded bore which matches the threaded bore at the end of the uprights 31, 33. This enables the feet 38 from the rear uprights to be removed and moved to a position which is forwardly offset from the rear of the shelving unit. This can be useful in ensuring that the unit 1 can be installed fully against a wall even if the floor/wall interface extends forward (for example in the case of a coved floorcovering as often found in healthcare environments). It will also be appreciated that in such an environment the lower rear corner of the side plinth cove 62 may be modified to have an appropriate shape/profile.

A number of optional sub-components and features of the shelving unit 1 or shelving system 100 are shown in isolation in figure 4. In this regard it can be noted that the shelving could include a bookend plate 64 when a stop is required for books or folders. Additionally the shelving unit 1 may be fitted with a cover unit 90 for attachment to an upper surface of the upper support. The cover unit 90 provides a forwardly sloping upper surface and is matched in size to extend over the width and depth of the shelving unit. The cover unit is attached in use to the upper surface of the upper support 10. A sloping cover unit can be included (for example as an alternative to attaching a shelf to the upper cover 10) to prevent unwanted storage of items on top of the shelving unit and to make cleaning of the exterior of the shelving easier.

Although the invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that various changes or modification may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, it will be appreciated that the shelving unit of embodiments can have a variety of sizes and shapes (for example different heights, depths and widths) and a shelving system may utilise several units of different dimensions depending upon the needs of a user.

Claims

Claims 1. A freestanding shelving unit comprising: an upper support and lower support, each support comprising a rectangular frame having spaced apart, parallel front and rear members and a pair of side struts, the side struts extending perpendicular to the front and rear members and connecting respective ends of the front and rear members at a corner of the frame; four uprights extending vertically between the upper and lower supports, each upright being connected proximal to a corresponding corner of the upper and lower support frame; and at least one shelf support, vertically intermediate to the upper and lower supports, the shelf support comprising an I-shaped frame comprising a pair of parallel opposing side struts and a central transverse beam extending therebetween, wherein the side struts each extend between ends proximal to an upright and the transverse beam is connected to each side strut at a central portion between the ends.
2. The freestanding shelving unit of any preceding claim, wherein the uprights are connected to external sides of the upper support and lower support.
3. The freestanding shelving unit of claim 1 or 2, wherein one or more of the rectangular frames, the I-shaped frame(s) and the uprights are formed from box section tubing.
4. The freestanding shelving unit of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein each rectangular frames and/or I-shaped frame is a welded unit.
5. The freestanding shelving unit of any preceding claim, further comprising a plurality of shelves.
6. The freestanding shelving unit of claim 5, wherein each shelf is connected to a frame.
7. The freestanding shelving unit of any preceding claim, further comprising a support leg at the lower end of each upright.
8. The freestanding shelving unit of claim 7, further comprising a secondary leg forward of each rear upright.
9. The freestanding shelving unit of any preceding claim wherein a plurality of resilient retaining members are provided on the uprights, the retaining members being arranged in sets at a common vertical alignment each set comprising two pairs of retaining members with each pair being opposing retaining members on opposite faces of adjacent uprights.
10. The freestanding shelving unit of claim 9, wherein each resilient retaining member comprises a body portion abutting the outer surface of the upright and a support portion extending into an aperture in the upright.
11. The freestanding shelving unit of claim 9 or 10, wherein the side struts of each!-shaped frame are retained between the opposite faces of adjacent uprights and a resilient retaining member is disposed between the face of the upright and an adjacent end face of the side strut.
12. The freestanding shelving unit of any preceding claim further comprising a cover unit for attachment to an upper surface of the upper support, the cover unit comprising a forward sloping surface extending across the width of the support.
13. The freestanding shelving unit of any preceding claim further comprising at least one plinth cover attached to the lower support.
14. The freestanding shelving unit of claim 13, wherein the plinth cover includes a bevelled upper surface.
15. The freestanding shelving unit of any preceding claim, further comprising a closure plate extending between the rear uprights and a rearward side of the lower frame.
16. A shelving system comprising a plurality of freestanding shelving units in accordance with any preceding claim.
17. A shelving system as claimed in claim 16, further comprising at least one connecting plate for coupling adjacent freestanding shelving units.