NZ515724A - A shelf assembly with stops slidable along backstop rail and pivotable about rail - Google Patents

Abstract

Shelf assembly has shelf (2) having a front and a rear and a length direction. A rail (25) is disposed to with its longitudinal axis extending in the length direction of the shelf, adjacent to the rear of the shelf and above the level of the shelf to act as a backstop for items on the shelf. A retainer (27, 28, 29) has a single engagement portion (29) and a retaining arm (28). The engagement portion encircles the rail with its main axis aligned with the longitudinal axis of the rail, such that the engagement portion will engage with the rail. The retaining arm extends transversely across the shelf to act as a holder or stop for items on the shelf. The retainer is pivotable about the longitudinal axis of the rail.

Description

1 5 7 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 No: Divided out of No. 502516 Date: Dated 22 June 1998 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION A SHELF ASSEMBLY We, FORMWAY FURNITURE LIMITED, a New Zealand company of 176 Gracefield Road, Petone, Wellington, New Zealand, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: (followed by page la) INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 6 NOV 2001 la A SHELF ASSEMBLY The present specification has been divided from Parent New Zealand Specification Number 502516 which claims a mounting bracket for a workstation, and a workstation assembly.

This invention relates to a shelf assembly.

In the modern office environment, a work station should be designed to provide an ergonomically acceptable and convenient environment for a worker. Included in the requirements is a need for work station supports which can carry shelves or screens to create the required holding space and space separation. "Work station" as used in this specification is intended to cover any operator area where there is a desk or top for enabling office type work to be undertaken.

There are many systems recognised for providing a stable support for shelves associated with a working environment for example, the universal shelf system disclosed in US Patent 4098408, the means of providing a convenient fitting for a cantilever shelf as disclosed in US Patent 4736918 and the means of locking the shelf in position as disclosed in US Patent 4324379. Within the modem office environment it is desirable to provide a fitting for supporting a shelf or screen which can be enraged in position and once in position held or locked in place. It is also advantageous if assembly can be preformed without the assistance of a skilled artisan and preferably without requiring any tools.

The present invention is directed to providing a shelf assembly which is effective and secure in use but which may be easily assembled or dismantled for example allowing a work station to be adapted for changing conditions in the work place.

According to the present invention, there is provided a shelf assembly comprising: a shelf having a front, a back and a .length direction; a rail having a longitudinal axis extending substantially in the length direction of the shelf, adjacent to the back of the shelf, above the level of the shelf to act as a backstop; 2 a retainer comprising a single engagement portion, the engagement portion, encircling the rail such that a main axis of the engagement portion aligned with the longitudinal axis of the rail, a sliding fit is provided 5 therebetween, the retainer being movable to a tilted position to misalign the main axis and the longitudinal axis of the rail such that the engagement portion engages with the rail; the retainer further comprising a retaining arm 10 extending transversely across the shelf to act as a holder or stop for items on the shelf; wherein the retainer is pivotable about the longitudinal axis of the rail.

In the drawings: An example of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 is an elevation showing a shelf assembly according to the present invention fitted in place on a work station; Figure 2 is a side elevation of an example mounting bracket used in a work station support; Figure 3 is a plan view of the mounting bracket in figure 2; Figure 4 is an end view of the mounting bracket; 25 Figure 5 is a detail of the support posts and shelf supporting frame of the present invention in the work station support; Figure 6 is a detail of the under surface of a shelf to be supported on the shelf support arms; 3 0 Figure 7 is an elevation of a retaining arm associated with the shelf on the work station support; and Figure 8 is a side view of the retaining arm.

The example is designed to provide a work station support which will allow the mounting of a shelf or shelves 35 and/or a screen relative to the work station top. The work station top may be the top of a desk or a bench or any other flat work surface that is located and designed to provide the working environment for a worker.

In Figure 1 the work station top 1 has associated therewith a shelf 2 and a screen 3 using the work station 5 support. The work station support has two mounting brackets 4 attached to the under surface of a work station top 1 at a spaced relationship.

The example mounting bracket 4 is detailed in figures 2 to 4 of the drawings and has a circular fixing plate 5 10 with an arm 6 extending centrally from the under surface thereof and arranged so that in use the end or head 7 of the arm protrudes beyond the edge of the work station top. In use the circular fixing plate of each mounting bracket 4 is fixed in a complimentary recess extending in from the 15 under surface of the work station top as will be described here below.

An aperture or socket 8 is formed through the head 7 and located in use when the bracket is engaged in place so that a post supported in the aperture 8 will rise 20 substantially vertically from the work station top.

A face plate 9 is attached to the outer end of the head 7 and on the outside face of the face plate are located two headed studs 10 substantially in line with the axis through the aperture 8. The headed studs 10 are 25 arranged to engage with apertures in the screen 3 to enable the screen 3 to be supported in a position as illustrated in figure 1.

The circular fixing plate 5 of the mounting bracket 4 has formed therein two key hole slots or openings 11 and 12 30 preferably arranged diametrically opposed to each other and on a locus about the centre of the plate 5. Each key hole opening has a central part 13 with narrower extensions 14 and 15 on the locus about the centre of the plate and extending in either direction from the central aperture 13 . 35 This gives an either handed operation to the bracket 4 but it will be understood that it would be possible to create the brackets so that the 4 key hole slots function with either a left or right handed operation. Also while less convenient the mounting bracket could operate with other than a circular fixing plate and with the keyhole slots arranged in other than a strictly 5 diametrical opposed configuration.

On the under side of the work station top is formed a circular recess 16 of a size to cooperatively receive the circular fixing plate 5, two headed studs 17 are pre-positioned in the recess and arranged to be engaged by the 10 key hole slots in the fixing plate 5. This means that the fixing studs 17 are located so they do not protrude from the under surface of the work station top ensuring greater convenience in handling the work station top during transportation to the site for assembly.

When the example work station site has been assembled the two sites for the mounting brackets 4 each have fixed thereto a mounted bracket 4 by engaging the fixing plate 5 over the studs and rotating the arms 6 towards each other, that is taking advantage of the either handed operation of 20 the apertures in the fixing plate. This operation can quickly and easily be performed without any tools and leaves the fixing brackets in an engaged position extending from the work station top ready to receive a screen or a shelf support frame.

Once the brackets have been fitted in place the screen 3 can be engaged from the headed studs 10. The screen will thus operate to retain the brackets in place. Alternatively the shelf support frame can be engaged with the arms and will also serve the same function. Clearly as illustrated 30 in figure 1 both the screen and shelf support frame could if desired be fitted at the same time.

The shelf support of the present invention is illustrated in figure 5 and comprises two posts 18 each having a lower end 19 of reduced diameter to engage through 35 the aperture 8. In the illustrated preferred example two arms 20 are provided, one extending from each post 18, and a connecting brace 21 joins the arms. This means that when the posts 18 are engaged in the fitted brackets 4 the brackets are not free to rotate and hence are locked in position.

The shelf 2 on the under surface has complimentary 5 grooves 22 into which will fit the arms 20 and a groove 23 into which the brace 21 will engage. The connection may be affected by any suitable fastening means but preferably it has been found desirable to fix the shelf in place by using an adhesive to retain the arms 20 and brace 21 in place in 10 their respective grooves.

Within the ambit of the invention it would be possible to have a different support frame to hold the shelf but it would be desirable to ensure that in the support frame once the posts are in position there is a locking action to 15 retain the brackets in place if this function was not fulfilled by the screen. The manner in which the shelf is connected to the posts could utilise any of the numerous means of allowing detachable attachment of shelves to the posts.

For convenient operation at a work station one of the requirements is to retain in a tidy manner material stored on the shelf. The present invention addresses this requirement by providing a back rail 25 extending through appropriately positioned apertures 24 towards the top of 25 the posts. The top of the posts preferably include a threaded aperture into which the threaded stem of a top 26 may engage and when engaged act to lock or retain the back rail 25 in position. The rail 25 provides a back stop for articles on the shelf but also more importantly ensures a 30 support for retaining arms that can be used to retain articles on the shelf. A retaining arm is illustrated in figures 7 and 8 of the drawings. Two such retaining arms are provided in an opposite handed relationship on the rail 25. The rail 25 and retaining arms could be dispatched 35 separately and could be assembled on site without requiring any tools for such fitting.

The retaining arm comprises a bush 29 having a slidable fit on the rail 25 and an arm 27 shaped to extend up and away from the bush effectively parallel with the rail 25. The arm then continues as an arc or suitably 5 shaped end 28 to act as a holder or stop. Any force against the section 28 of the arm will tilt the bush 29 causing it to engage or lock on the rail 25 thus effecting the retaining action required. By a suitable pressure to relocate the bush the holder can be located so that the 10 bush can freely slide along the rail 25. In this way a convenient retaining means is formed on the back rail 25 to be used in association with the shelf 2.

As stated above a screen 3 can be fitted separately or it may be included with the shelf support. In many 15 instances it will be desirable for a screen to be fitted by itself.

Where the screen is supplied it is desirable to ensure there is a degree of height adjustability and this can be achieved by providing a plurality of apertures and vertical 20 rows spaced to correspond with the location of the studs 10 on the facing plate of the fixed mounting brackets 4. The screen can be of any convenient material but preferably a perforated metal screen is both aesthetically pleasing and convenient for fitting in position to retain the mounting 25 brackets in place. Selecting the appropriate apertures to determine the height of the screen allows the screen to be fitted by engaging the screen apertures over the heads of the stud 10 and allowing the screen to drop into the supported position. The screen can assume the peripheral 30 shape of the work station periphery allowing for a flexibility in design that is desirable in the modern working environment.

The present invention thus has a number of advantages in establishing a modern and conveniently adjustable work 35 station support for a shelf or shelves associated with a work station top in an office or office type environment.

Claims (9)

-7-CLAIMS

1. A shelf assembly comprising: a shelf having a front, a back and a length direction; 5 a rail having a longitudinal axis extending substantially in the length direction of the shelf, adjacent the back of the shelf, above the level of the shelf to act as a backstop; a retainer comprising a single engagement portion, the engagement portion encircling the rail such that with a main axis of the engagement portion aligned with the 10 longitudinal axis of the rail, a sliding fit is provided therebetween, the retainer being movable to a tilted position to misalign the main axis and the longitudinal axis of the rail such that the engagement portion engages with the rail; the retainer further comprising a retaining arm extending transversely across the shelf to act as a holder or stop for items on the shelf; 15 wherein the retainer is pivotable about the longitudinal axis of the rail. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 0 7 DEC 2001 RECEIVED

2. The shelf assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rail is in the form of a rod and the engagement portion is in the form of a bush. 20

3. The shelf assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the bush has a length exceeding the internal diameter.

4. The shelf assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the 25 retaining arm includes an arcuate portion extending across the shelf, in a plane substantially orthogonal to the plane of the shelf.

5. The shelf assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the retaining arm includes a first portion extending between the engagement portion and the arc, effectively parallel 30 with the rail.

6. The shelf assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the engagement portion, the first portion and the arc are of integral construction. 35

7. The shelf assembly as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein there are two such retainers with the respective first portions arranged to extend in opposite directions. 8

8. The shelf assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further including two upright posts, two shelf supporting arms extending from a respective posts to support the shelf, with the rail extending between the two 5 posts.

9. The shelf• assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying figures. □y ti.o cuVru,isj;) A J irArtX ?QT