US20110042334A1 - Shelving unit - Google Patents
Shelving unit Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20110042334A1 US20110042334A1 US12/861,646 US86164610A US2011042334A1 US 20110042334 A1 US20110042334 A1 US 20110042334A1 US 86164610 A US86164610 A US 86164610A US 2011042334 A1 US2011042334 A1 US 2011042334A1
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- Prior art keywords
- wire
- support posts
- wire shelf
- shelf
- side cross
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- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47F—SPECIAL FURNITURE, FITTINGS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR SHOPS, STOREHOUSES, BARS, RESTAURANTS OR THE LIKE; PAYING COUNTERS
- A47F5/00—Show stands, hangers, or shelves characterised by their constructional features
- A47F5/0018—Display racks with shelves or receptables
- A47F5/0025—Display racks with shelves or receptables having separate display containers or trays on shelves or on racks
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47B—TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE
- A47B47/00—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features related to dismountability or building-up from elements
- A47B47/0083—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features related to dismountability or building-up from elements with four vertical uprights
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a shelving unit.
- Typical shelving units have one or more generally horizontal shelves at different elevations for storage of various items, including storage bins. Some storage units have shelves that are angled downwardly from back to front so that bins or other storage items may slide forwardly for easy access.
- Such shelving units require stopping means for preventing the bins or other stored items from sliding off the front of the unit. Conventional stopping means tend to be complicated, add more expense during manufacturing and/or difficult to assemble.
- the present invention provides a shelving unit having a pair of spaced apart generally vertical front supports and a corresponding pair of generally vertical rear supports.
- Front and rear cross beams extend generally horizontally between the front supports and rear supports respectively.
- Side cross beams extend between each front support and the corresponding rear support.
- the shelving unit includes at least one wire shelf adapted to receive and support one or more bins.
- the wire shelf is supported by at least two side cross beams and/or the front and rear cross beams in either a generally flat, horizontal configuration or an angled configuration wherein the shelf extends rearwardly and slightly upwardly.
- the wire shelf includes at least one wire adapted to engage the at least one notch when the wire shelf is in an angled configuration.
- the shelving unit also includes at least one bin including a bottom wall which has at least one notch adapted to receive a wire of the wire shelf.
- the wire shelf includes at least two or more wires that may simultaneously engage two or more notches in the bottom wall of the bin.
- the engagement of one or more the shelf wires and one or more notches of the bin help to stabilize the bin when the shelf is in its angled configuration by preventing unwanted forward sliding movement of the bin, while allowing lateral movement of the bin.
- the wire shelf may be adapted to slide forward beyond the at least one front cross beam.
- the shelving unit includes at least two generally vertical front support posts, each front support post including at least one column of slots along its length adapted to receive at least one slot engaging member; at least two generally vertical rear support posts, each rear support post including at least one column of slots along its length adapted to receive at least one slot engaging member, wherein the front support posts and the rear support posts have similar configurations; at least one generally horizontal front cross beam between the at least two front support posts and including at least one slot engaging member at each end adapted to engage a slot; at least one generally horizontal rear cross beam between the at least two rear support posts and including at least one slot engaging member at each end adapted to engage a slot; and at least two generally horizontal side cross beams extending between front and rear support posts including at least one slot engaging member at each end.
- the front, rear and side cross beams have similar cross sectional configurations.
- the shelving unit includes wire shelves adapted to receive and support a plurality of storage bins.
- the wire shelf is adapted to be supported by two side cross beams and/or the front and rear cross beams in either a flat configuration or an angled configuration achieved by turning the shelf upside down.
- the wire shelf includes at least two or more wires that may simultaneously engage two or more notches in the bottom wall of bins when the wire shelf is in its angled configuration.
- the shelving unit also includes a plurality of bins having a bottom wall which has notches adapted to simultaneously receive two or more wires of the wire shelf.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shelving unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is another perspective view of a shelving unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a shelf according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 3B is another perspective view of a shelf according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 4 is a side view of a shelf according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 5A is a side view of a shelf and bin according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 5B is an enlarged side view of area I of FIG. 5A .
- FIG. 6 is another side view of a shelving unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a shelving unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 8 is another perspective view of a shelving unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 9A is a perspective view of a shelf according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 9B is an enlarged perspective view of area II of FIG. 9A .
- FIG. 10A is another perspective view of a shelf according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 10B is an enlarged perspective view of area III of FIG. 10A .
- FIG. 11A is a perspective view of a shelf, bins, and side rails according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 11B is an enlarged perspective view of area IV of FIG. 11A .
- FIG. 12A is a perspective view of an extended shelf, bins, and side rails according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 12B is an enlarged perspective view of area V of FIG. 12A .
- FIG. 12C is another enlarged perspective view of area V of FIG. 12A .
- FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a shelving unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 14 is another perspective view of a shelving unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 15A is a perspective view of a shelf according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 15B is an enlarged perspective view of area VI of FIG. 15A .
- FIG. 16A is another perspective view of a shelf according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 16B is an enlarged perspective view of area VII of FIG. 16A .
- FIG. 17A is a view of a shelf, bins, and side rails according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 17B is an enlarged view of area VIII of FIG. 17A .
- FIG. 18A is a perspective view of an extended shelf, bins, and side rails according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 18B is an enlarged view of area IX of FIG. 18A .
- FIG. 18C is another enlarged view of area IX of FIG. 18A .
- FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a bin according to embodiments of the present invention.
- FIG. 20 is a side view of a shelving unit and bins according to an embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a bin according to another embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 22 is a front view of the bin of FIG. 21 .
- FIG. 23 is a side view of a shelf and the bin of FIG. 21 .
- a shelving unit includes a pair of front support posts 12 and a corresponding pair of rear support posts 10 .
- Front cross beam 14 extend between the front support posts 12 and rear cross beams extend between the rear support posts 10 .
- Side cross beams 18 connect the front support post 12 with its corresponding rear support post 10 .
- cross beams 14 , 16 , and 18 are at the same height.
- cross beams 14 , 16 , and 18 support solid shelves 20 .
- wire shelves 22 .
- the front cross beam 14 , the rear cross beam 16 , and the side cross beams 18 are attached to the front support posts 12 and the rear support posts 10 , respectively, with rivets 15 , as shown in FIG. 4 .
- the rivets 15 engage and are seated in holes along the support posts 10 , 12 , e.g., keyhole shaped holes, so that the cross beams 14 , 16 , 18 are secured to the support posts 12 , 10 , at a desired height.
- suitable attachments means may be utilized to attach the cross beams to the support posts, e.g., other slot engaging members and slots such as tabs and arrowhead shaped holes. While boltless attachment is preferred, bolt-type attachments may be used as desired.
- the wire shelf 22 is positioned in an angled configuration on the cross beams 14 , 16 , and 18 so that a support surface of the wire shelf 22 is angled down towards the front cross beam 14 .
- large bins 24 and small bins 26 are positioned on the wire shelf 22 in the angled configuration so that the front ends of the bins 24 and 26 are lower than the rear ends of the bins 24 and 26 . Since the bins 24 and 26 are angled forward, the contents of the bins 24 and 26 , such as screws, nuts, or other small objects, will slide forward towards the front end of the bins 24 and 26 , so that the small objects are easily retrieved.
- the top wire shelf 22 a is positioned in a flat configuration on the cross beams 14 , 16 , and 18 so that a support surface of the wire shelf 22 a is generally horizontal and flat, while the bottom wire shelf 22 b is positioned in an angled configuration. Structurally, the top and bottom wire shelves 22 a and 22 b are the same. If the wire shelf 22 is in its angled configuration, the is simply flipped over to achieve its horizontal configuration.
- FIG. 3A shows the wire shelf 22 in a horizontal configuration
- FIG. 3B shows the wire shelf in an angled configuration
- the wire shelf 22 is generally rectangular and comprises spaced apart longitudinal wires 32 34 , 36 , 38 , 40 , and 42 and widthwise wires 23 .
- the widthwise wires 23 are fixed, e.g., by welding, to the longitudinal wires 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 , 40 , and 42 .
- the first longitudinal wire 32 extends along the front edge of the wire shelf 22 so that the first longitudinal wire 32 lies on the front cross beam 14 when the wire shelf 22 is in the horizontal configuration, as shown in FIG. 4 .
- the second longitudinal wire 34 , third longitudinal wire 36 , and fourth longitudinal wire 38 are positioned in a mid section of the wire shelf 22 .
- the fifth longitudinal wire 40 extends along the rear edge of the wire shelf 22 where the widthwise wires 23 are bent to form a leg 30 .
- the fifth longitudinal wire 40 lies on the rear cross beam 16 to support the wire shelf 22 , and the leg 30 is a back stop so that objects placed on the wire shelf 22 do not slide off the rear edge of the shelf.
- the sixth longitudinal wire 42 is positioned at the upper edge of the leg 30 and attached to the ends of the widthwise wires 23 .
- the sixth longitudinal wire 42 lies on the rear cross beam 16 to support the wire shelf 22 , and the leg 30 elevates the rearward end of the wire shelf 22 .
- FIG. 5A shows a large bin 24 on the wire shelf 22
- FIG. 5B shows an enlarged area I of FIG. 5A
- the bin 24 has notches 50 , 52 , 54 , 56 , and 58 in the bottom wall of the bin 24 that receive and engage the longitudinal wires 34 , 36 , 38 , and 40 of the wire shelf 22 so that the bin 24 does not slide off the wire shelf 22 when the wire shelf 22 is positioned in the angled configuration.
- the notches 50 , 52 , 54 , 56 , and 58 may be in the form of a single groove or slot extending across the width of the bottom wall of the bin 24 .
- the notches may be formed of two or more grooves or slots positioned along a widthwise line along the bottom wall of the bin 24 .
- the notches 50 , 52 , 54 , 56 , and 58 may have any suitable cross-sectional shape, such as a semi-circular, triangular or rectangular shape.
- the longitudinal wires, 34 , 36 , 38 , and 40 may have any suitable cross-sectional shape, such as a circular shaped as shown in FIG. 5B or may be triangular, rectangular or the like.
- the notches 50 , 52 , 54 , 56 , and 58 are positioned at intervals along the longitudinal of the bin 24 so that two or more of the notches 50 , 52 , 54 , 56 , and 58 may simultaneously engage two or more of the longitudinal wires 34 , 36 , 38 , and 40 . Therefore, the position of the bin 24 relative to the wire shelf 22 may be adjusted. For example, the bin 24 may be positioned towards the rear of the wire shelf 22 when the bin 24 does not need to be accessed, and the bin 24 may be positioned towards the front of the wire shelf 22 when the bin 24 needs to be accessed, as shown in FIG. 6 .
- the number and spacing of the longitudinal and widthwise wires may be varied as desired. It is also understood that the shelving unit may be formed of any suitable material, e.g., metal and/or plastic.
- FIGS. 7 and 8 show another embodiment of the shelving unit with an adjustable wire shelf 122 .
- FIG. 7 shows an upper and a lower wire shelf 122 , both in a storage position
- FIG. 8 shows the lower wire shelf 122 in an extended position, where the wire shelf 122 has been pulled forwarded so that bins 24 positioned on the wire shelf 122 extend beyond the front of the shelving unit for easier access to the bins 24 .
- the wire shelf 122 may be mounted in a generally horizontal configuration (as shown by the upper wire shelves) or an angled configuration (as shown by the lower wire shelves).
- the wire shelf 122 is shown supported by two side cross beams 118 , where the side cross beam 118 extends between a front support post 12 and a rear support post 10 on each side of the shelving unit.
- the wire shelf 122 may be supported by a front cross beam 14 , a rear cross beam 16 , and two side cross beams 18 , as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 .
- FIG. 9A shows the wire shelf 122 in a generally horizontal configuration
- FIG. 9B shows an enlarged area II of FIG. 9A
- the first longitudinal wire 132 lies along the front edge of the wire shelf 122 .
- a front edge section of the wire shelf 122 is bent downwardly, as shown in FIG. 9A , and hangs over the top of the front cross beam 14 when the wire shelf 122 is in the flat configuration. Since the first longitudinal wire 132 is below the top of the front cross beam.
- Longitudinal wire 140 is at the rearward edge of the wire shelf 122 where the widthwise wires 123 are bent upwardly to form a leg 130 .
- Longitudinal wire 142 is positioned at the upper edge of the leg 130 and is attached to the ends of the widthwise wires 123 .
- FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B show the wire shelf of FIGS. 9A and 9B flipped over into the angled configuration.
- the wire shelf 122 is shown in a non-extended position.
- FIG. 11B shows an enlarged area IV of FIG. 11A .
- the rearward weight of wire shelf 122 is supported by a side support wire 144 lying on a generally horizontal ledge 119 of side cross beam 118 .
- the forward weight of the wire shelf 122 is supported by the lateral bottom corners of the front edge section of the wire shelf 122 which lie on the ledges 119 of the side cross beams 118 .
- longitudinal wire 132 is at the top of the front edge section of the wire shelf 122 which extends upwardly from longitudinal wire 133 in the angled configuration as shown in FIG. 11A , bins 24 positioned on the wire shelf 122 are prevented from sliding off the front of the wire shelf 122 .
- FIG. 12A the wire shelf 122 is shown in an extended position.
- FIGS. 12B and 12C show an enlarged area V of FIG. 12B .
- the front weight of the wire shelf 122 is no longer supported by engagement of the lateral bottom corners of the front edge section of the wire shelf 11 with the ledge 119 .
- the end of longitudinal wire 142 extends under the ledge 119 . This prevents upward movement of the longitudinal wire 142 which, in turn, prevents the front end of the wire shelf 122 from rotating or tipping downwardly.
- FIGS. 13 and 14 show another embodiment of the shelving unit with an adjustable wire shelf 222 .
- FIG. 13 shows the wire shelves 222 in a storage position
- FIG. 14 shows one of the wire shelves 222 in an extended position.
- the wire shelf 222 may be positioned in a flat configuration or an angled configuration.
- the wire shelf 222 is shown supported by two side cross beams 18 .
- FIG. 15A shows the wire shelf 222 in a horizontal configuration
- FIG. 15B shows an enlarged area VI of FIG. 15A
- FIG. 16A shows the wire shelf 222 in an angled configuration
- FIG. 16B shows an enlarged area VII of FIG. 16A
- FIG. 17A the wire shelf 222 is shown in a non-extended position.
- FIG. 17B shows an enlarged area VIII of FIG. 17A .
- FIG. 18A the wire shelf 222 is shown in an extended position.
- FIGS. 18B and 18C show an enlarged area IX of FIG. 18A .
- the structure of wire shelf 222 is similar to that shown in FIGS. 9A , 9 B, 10 A, 10 B, 11 A, 11 B, 12 A, 12 B and 12 C, except that the longitudinal wires 142 have a bend at their lateral ends to enable use with side cross beams having a Z-beam style cross-sectional configuration as shown in FIGS. 17B and 18C .
- Z-beam style cross beams have a generally vertical upper front wall, a generally horizontal support wall 19 A extending inwardly from the bottom edge of the upper front wall and an angled wall 19 B extending from the inner edge of the support wall at a downward and forward angle.
- the rear weight of wire shelf 222 is supported by side support wires 244 on support walls 19 A of the side cross beams 18 .
- the front of the wire shelf 222 is no longer supported by the front edge of the wire shelf 222
- the end of longitudinal wire 242 is bent so that it extends under the angled wall 19 B of the side cross beam 18 to prevent the longitudinal wire 242 from moving upwardly which, in turn, prevents the front weight of the wire shelf 222 from rotating or tipping the front of the wire shelf 222 downwardly.
- FIG. 19 shows a bin 24 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
- notches 50 , 52 , 54 , 56 , and 58 in the bottom wall of the bin 24 receive and engage the longitudinal wires of the wire shelf so that the bin 24 does not slide off the wire shelf when the wire shelf is positioned in the angled configuration.
- the notches 50 , 52 , 54 , 56 , and 58 may be in the form of a single groove or slot extending across the width of the bottom wall of the bin 24 .
- the notches may be formed of two or more grooves or slots positioned along a widthwise line along the bottom wall of the bin 24 . That is, the notches may not extend across the entire width of the bin.
- either side of the bin may have one or more downward projections that have one or more notches adapted to engage the longitudinal wires of a wire shelf.
- the notches 50 , 52 , 54 , 56 , and 58 may have any suitable cross-sectional shape, such as a hook, semi-circular, triangular or rectangular shape.
- the bin 24 may have at least one hook 500 positioned along the width of the top of the back wall of the bin 24 .
- the hook 500 may have a slot 502 adapted to engage, or hook over, a front longitudinal wire of the wire shelf, e.g., first longitudinal wire 132 , when the wire shelf is in the angled configuration.
- the bin 24 may be positioned in front of the shelving unit so that the contents of the bin 24 are easily accessible.
- a bin 524 has at least one hook 604 extending along a lower rear width of the bin 524 that is adapted to hook over a longitudinal wire, e.g., longitudinal wires 140 , 138 , 136 , and 134 .
- the hook 604 may have slots 606 that accommodate the widthwise wires 123 . That is, the slots 606 allow the hook 604 to be securely seated about the longitudinal wire and the widthwise wires 123 .
- the bin 524 may also have a hook 600 with a slot 602 adapted to engage a front longitudinal wire of the wire shelf.
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Abstract
Description
- CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
- This United States Patent Application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/236,052, filed Aug. 21, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
- The present invention relates to a shelving unit. Typical shelving units have one or more generally horizontal shelves at different elevations for storage of various items, including storage bins. Some storage units have shelves that are angled downwardly from back to front so that bins or other storage items may slide forwardly for easy access. Such shelving units require stopping means for preventing the bins or other stored items from sliding off the front of the unit. Conventional stopping means tend to be complicated, add more expense during manufacturing and/or difficult to assemble.
- The present invention provides a shelving unit having a pair of spaced apart generally vertical front supports and a corresponding pair of generally vertical rear supports. Front and rear cross beams extend generally horizontally between the front supports and rear supports respectively. Side cross beams extend between each front support and the corresponding rear support.
- The shelving unit includes at least one wire shelf adapted to receive and support one or more bins. The wire shelf is supported by at least two side cross beams and/or the front and rear cross beams in either a generally flat, horizontal configuration or an angled configuration wherein the shelf extends rearwardly and slightly upwardly. The wire shelf includes at least one wire adapted to engage the at least one notch when the wire shelf is in an angled configuration. The shelving unit also includes at least one bin including a bottom wall which has at least one notch adapted to receive a wire of the wire shelf.
- Preferably, the wire shelf includes at least two or more wires that may simultaneously engage two or more notches in the bottom wall of the bin. The engagement of one or more the shelf wires and one or more notches of the bin help to stabilize the bin when the shelf is in its angled configuration by preventing unwanted forward sliding movement of the bin, while allowing lateral movement of the bin.
- The wire shelf may be adapted to slide forward beyond the at least one front cross beam.
- In one embodiment of the invention the shelving unit includes at least two generally vertical front support posts, each front support post including at least one column of slots along its length adapted to receive at least one slot engaging member; at least two generally vertical rear support posts, each rear support post including at least one column of slots along its length adapted to receive at least one slot engaging member, wherein the front support posts and the rear support posts have similar configurations; at least one generally horizontal front cross beam between the at least two front support posts and including at least one slot engaging member at each end adapted to engage a slot; at least one generally horizontal rear cross beam between the at least two rear support posts and including at least one slot engaging member at each end adapted to engage a slot; and at least two generally horizontal side cross beams extending between front and rear support posts including at least one slot engaging member at each end. Preferably, the front, rear and side cross beams have similar cross sectional configurations.
- The shelving unit includes wire shelves adapted to receive and support a plurality of storage bins. The wire shelf is adapted to be supported by two side cross beams and/or the front and rear cross beams in either a flat configuration or an angled configuration achieved by turning the shelf upside down. The wire shelf includes at least two or more wires that may simultaneously engage two or more notches in the bottom wall of bins when the wire shelf is in its angled configuration. The shelving unit also includes a plurality of bins having a bottom wall which has notches adapted to simultaneously receive two or more wires of the wire shelf.
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shelving unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 2 is another perspective view of a shelving unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a shelf according to a first embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 3B is another perspective view of a shelf according to a first embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 4 is a side view of a shelf according to a first embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 5A is a side view of a shelf and bin according to a first embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 5B is an enlarged side view of area I ofFIG. 5A . -
FIG. 6 is another side view of a shelving unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a shelving unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 8 is another perspective view of a shelving unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 9A is a perspective view of a shelf according to a second embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 9B is an enlarged perspective view of area II ofFIG. 9A . -
FIG. 10A is another perspective view of a shelf according to a second embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 10B is an enlarged perspective view of area III ofFIG. 10A . -
FIG. 11A is a perspective view of a shelf, bins, and side rails according to a second embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 11B is an enlarged perspective view of area IV ofFIG. 11A . -
FIG. 12A is a perspective view of an extended shelf, bins, and side rails according to a second embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 12B is an enlarged perspective view of area V ofFIG. 12A . -
FIG. 12C is another enlarged perspective view of area V ofFIG. 12A . -
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a shelving unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 14 is another perspective view of a shelving unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 15A is a perspective view of a shelf according to a third embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 15B is an enlarged perspective view of area VI ofFIG. 15A . -
FIG. 16A is another perspective view of a shelf according to a third embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 16B is an enlarged perspective view of area VII ofFIG. 16A . -
FIG. 17A is a view of a shelf, bins, and side rails according to a third embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 17B is an enlarged view of area VIII ofFIG. 17A . -
FIG. 18A is a perspective view of an extended shelf, bins, and side rails according to a third embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 18B is an enlarged view of area IX ofFIG. 18A . -
FIG. 18C is another enlarged view of area IX ofFIG. 18A . -
FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a bin according to embodiments of the present invention. -
FIG. 20 is a side view of a shelving unit and bins according to an embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a bin according to another embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 22 is a front view of the bin ofFIG. 21 . -
FIG. 23 is a side view of a shelf and the bin ofFIG. 21 . - The detailed description set forth below in connection with the drawings is intended as a description of embodiments of a shelving unit in accordance with the present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the invention may be constructed or utilized. It is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions and structures may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention. As denoted elsewhere herein, like element numbers indicate like elements or features.
- As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2 , a shelving unit according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a pair of front support posts 12 and a corresponding pair of rear support posts 10.Front cross beam 14 extend between the front support posts 12 and rear cross beams extend between the rear support posts 10. Side cross beams 18 connect thefront support post 12 with its correspondingrear support post 10. - In the embodiment of
FIGS. 1 and 2 , thefront cross beam 14, therear cross beam 16, and the side cross beams 18 are at the same height. In this embodiment, cross beams 14, 16, and 18 supportsolid shelves 20.wire shelves 22. - The
front cross beam 14, therear cross beam 16, and the side cross beams 18 are attached to the front support posts 12 and the rear support posts 10, respectively, withrivets 15, as shown inFIG. 4 . Therivets 15 engage and are seated in holes along the support posts 10, 12, e.g., keyhole shaped holes, so that the cross beams 14, 16, 18 are secured to the support posts 12, 10, at a desired height. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand that other suitable attachments means may be utilized to attach the cross beams to the support posts, e.g., other slot engaging members and slots such as tabs and arrowhead shaped holes. While boltless attachment is preferred, bolt-type attachments may be used as desired. - In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 1 , thewire shelf 22 is positioned in an angled configuration on the cross beams 14, 16, and 18 so that a support surface of thewire shelf 22 is angled down towards thefront cross beam 14. Here,large bins 24 and small bins 26 are positioned on thewire shelf 22 in the angled configuration so that the front ends of thebins 24 and 26 are lower than the rear ends of thebins 24 and 26. Since thebins 24 and 26 are angled forward, the contents of thebins 24 and 26, such as screws, nuts, or other small objects, will slide forward towards the front end of thebins 24 and 26, so that the small objects are easily retrieved. - In
FIG. 2 , the top wire shelf 22 a is positioned in a flat configuration on the cross beams 14, 16, and 18 so that a support surface of the wire shelf 22 a is generally horizontal and flat, while the bottom wire shelf 22 b is positioned in an angled configuration. Structurally, the top and bottom wire shelves 22 a and 22 b are the same. If thewire shelf 22 is in its angled configuration, the is simply flipped over to achieve its horizontal configuration. -
FIG. 3A shows thewire shelf 22 in a horizontal configuration, andFIG. 3B shows the wire shelf in an angled configuration. Thewire shelf 22 is generally rectangular and comprises spaced apartlongitudinal wires 32 34, 36, 38, 40, and 42 and widthwisewires 23. Thewidthwise wires 23 are fixed, e.g., by welding, to thelongitudinal wires - The first
longitudinal wire 32 extends along the front edge of thewire shelf 22 so that the firstlongitudinal wire 32 lies on thefront cross beam 14 when thewire shelf 22 is in the horizontal configuration, as shown inFIG. 4 . The secondlongitudinal wire 34, thirdlongitudinal wire 36, and fourthlongitudinal wire 38 are positioned in a mid section of thewire shelf 22. - The fifth
longitudinal wire 40 extends along the rear edge of thewire shelf 22 where thewidthwise wires 23 are bent to form aleg 30. When thewire shelf 22 is positioned in a flat configuration, as shown inFIG. 4 , the fifthlongitudinal wire 40 lies on therear cross beam 16 to support thewire shelf 22, and theleg 30 is a back stop so that objects placed on thewire shelf 22 do not slide off the rear edge of the shelf. - The sixth
longitudinal wire 42 is positioned at the upper edge of theleg 30 and attached to the ends of thewidthwise wires 23. When thewire shelf 22 is positioned in an angled configuration, as shown inFIG. 5 , the sixthlongitudinal wire 42 lies on therear cross beam 16 to support thewire shelf 22, and theleg 30 elevates the rearward end of thewire shelf 22. -
FIG. 5A shows alarge bin 24 on thewire shelf 22, andFIG. 5B shows an enlarged area I ofFIG. 5A . Here, thebin 24 hasnotches bin 24 that receive and engage thelongitudinal wires wire shelf 22 so that thebin 24 does not slide off thewire shelf 22 when thewire shelf 22 is positioned in the angled configuration. For example, thenotches bin 24. Alternatively, the notches may be formed of two or more grooves or slots positioned along a widthwise line along the bottom wall of thebin 24. Thenotches FIG. 5B or may be triangular, rectangular or the like. - Further, the
notches bin 24 so that two or more of thenotches longitudinal wires bin 24 relative to thewire shelf 22 may be adjusted. For example, thebin 24 may be positioned towards the rear of thewire shelf 22 when thebin 24 does not need to be accessed, and thebin 24 may be positioned towards the front of thewire shelf 22 when thebin 24 needs to be accessed, as shown inFIG. 6 . - It is understood that the number and spacing of the longitudinal and widthwise wires may be varied as desired. It is also understood that the shelving unit may be formed of any suitable material, e.g., metal and/or plastic.
-
FIGS. 7 and 8 show another embodiment of the shelving unit with anadjustable wire shelf 122.FIG. 7 shows an upper and alower wire shelf 122, both in a storage position, andFIG. 8 shows thelower wire shelf 122 in an extended position, where thewire shelf 122 has been pulled forwarded so thatbins 24 positioned on thewire shelf 122 extend beyond the front of the shelving unit for easier access to thebins 24. As in the previous embodiment, thewire shelf 122 may be mounted in a generally horizontal configuration (as shown by the upper wire shelves) or an angled configuration (as shown by the lower wire shelves). Here, thewire shelf 122 is shown supported by two side cross beams 118, where theside cross beam 118 extends between afront support post 12 and arear support post 10 on each side of the shelving unit. - In another embodiment of the present invention, the
wire shelf 122 may be supported by afront cross beam 14, arear cross beam 16, and two side cross beams 18, as shown inFIGS. 7 and 8 . -
FIG. 9A shows thewire shelf 122 in a generally horizontal configuration, andFIG. 9B shows an enlarged area II ofFIG. 9A . The firstlongitudinal wire 132 lies along the front edge of thewire shelf 122. In this embodiment, a front edge section of thewire shelf 122 is bent downwardly, as shown inFIG. 9A , and hangs over the top of thefront cross beam 14 when thewire shelf 122 is in the flat configuration. Since the firstlongitudinal wire 132 is below the top of the front cross beam. -
Longitudinal wire 140 is at the rearward edge of thewire shelf 122 where thewidthwise wires 123 are bent upwardly to form aleg 130.Longitudinal wire 142 is positioned at the upper edge of theleg 130 and is attached to the ends of thewidthwise wires 123. In this embodiment of the present invention, there may or may not be afront cross beam 14 or arear cross beam 16 positioned at the level of thewire shelf 122. -
FIG. 10A andFIG. 10B show the wire shelf ofFIGS. 9A and 9B flipped over into the angled configuration. InFIG. 11A , thewire shelf 122 is shown in a non-extended position.FIG. 11B shows an enlarged area IV ofFIG. 11A . Here, the rearward weight ofwire shelf 122 is supported by aside support wire 144 lying on a generallyhorizontal ledge 119 ofside cross beam 118. In this position, the forward weight of thewire shelf 122 is supported by the lateral bottom corners of the front edge section of thewire shelf 122 which lie on theledges 119 of the side cross beams 118. - Further, since
longitudinal wire 132 is at the top of the front edge section of thewire shelf 122 which extends upwardly fromlongitudinal wire 133 in the angled configuration as shown inFIG. 11A ,bins 24 positioned on thewire shelf 122 are prevented from sliding off the front of thewire shelf 122. - In
FIG. 12A , thewire shelf 122 is shown in an extended position.FIGS. 12B and 12C show an enlarged area V ofFIG. 12B . As thewire shelf 122 is extended forward beyond the front of the shelving unit, the front weight of thewire shelf 122 is no longer supported by engagement of the lateral bottom corners of the front edge section of the wire shelf 11 with theledge 119. Here, the end oflongitudinal wire 142 extends under theledge 119. This prevents upward movement of thelongitudinal wire 142 which, in turn, prevents the front end of thewire shelf 122 from rotating or tipping downwardly. -
FIGS. 13 and 14 show another embodiment of the shelving unit with anadjustable wire shelf 222.FIG. 13 shows thewire shelves 222 in a storage position, andFIG. 14 shows one of thewire shelves 222 in an extended position. As in the previous embodiment, thewire shelf 222 may be positioned in a flat configuration or an angled configuration. Here, thewire shelf 222 is shown supported by two side cross beams 18. -
FIG. 15A shows thewire shelf 222 in a horizontal configuration, andFIG. 15B shows an enlarged area VI ofFIG. 15A .FIG. 16A shows thewire shelf 222 in an angled configuration, andFIG. 16B shows an enlarged area VII ofFIG. 16A . InFIG. 17A , thewire shelf 222 is shown in a non-extended position.FIG. 17B shows an enlarged area VIII ofFIG. 17A . InFIG. 18A , thewire shelf 222 is shown in an extended position.FIGS. 18B and 18C show an enlarged area IX ofFIG. 18A . - In this embodiment, the structure of
wire shelf 222 is similar to that shown inFIGS. 9A , 9B, 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B, 12A, 12B and 12C, except that thelongitudinal wires 142 have a bend at their lateral ends to enable use with side cross beams having a Z-beam style cross-sectional configuration as shown inFIGS. 17B and 18C . - Z-beam style cross beams have a generally vertical upper front wall, a generally horizontal support wall 19A extending inwardly from the bottom edge of the upper front wall and an angled wall 19B extending from the inner edge of the support wall at a downward and forward angle. Here, the rear weight of
wire shelf 222 is supported byside support wires 244 on support walls 19A of the side cross beams 18. - As the
wire shelf 222 is extended forward beyond the front of the shelving unit, the front of thewire shelf 222 is no longer supported by the front edge of thewire shelf 222 In this embodiment, the end oflongitudinal wire 242 is bent so that it extends under the angled wall 19B of theside cross beam 18 to prevent thelongitudinal wire 242 from moving upwardly which, in turn, prevents the front weight of thewire shelf 222 from rotating or tipping the front of thewire shelf 222 downwardly. -
FIG. 19 shows abin 24 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here,notches bin 24 receive and engage the longitudinal wires of the wire shelf so that thebin 24 does not slide off the wire shelf when the wire shelf is positioned in the angled configuration. For example, thenotches bin 24. - Alternatively, the notches may be formed of two or more grooves or slots positioned along a widthwise line along the bottom wall of the
bin 24. That is, the notches may not extend across the entire width of the bin. For example, either side of the bin may have one or more downward projections that have one or more notches adapted to engage the longitudinal wires of a wire shelf. Thenotches - Further, the
bin 24 may have at least onehook 500 positioned along the width of the top of the back wall of thebin 24. Thehook 500 may have aslot 502 adapted to engage, or hook over, a front longitudinal wire of the wire shelf, e.g., firstlongitudinal wire 132, when the wire shelf is in the angled configuration. Here, thebin 24 may be positioned in front of the shelving unit so that the contents of thebin 24 are easily accessible. - In another embodiment of the present invention shown in
FIGS. 20-23 , abin 524 has at least onehook 604 extending along a lower rear width of thebin 524 that is adapted to hook over a longitudinal wire, e.g.,longitudinal wires hook 604 may haveslots 606 that accommodate thewidthwise wires 123. That is, theslots 606 allow thehook 604 to be securely seated about the longitudinal wire and thewidthwise wires 123. Further, thebin 524 may also have ahook 600 with aslot 602 adapted to engage a front longitudinal wire of the wire shelf. - Although the present invention has been described through the use of exemplary embodiments, it will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that various modifications may be made to the described embodiments that fall within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the claims and their equivalents appended hereto. For example, aspects shown above with particular embodiments may be combined with or incorporated into other embodiments.
Claims (2)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US12/861,646 US20110042334A1 (en) | 2009-08-21 | 2010-08-23 | Shelving unit |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US23605209P | 2009-08-21 | 2009-08-21 | |
US12/861,646 US20110042334A1 (en) | 2009-08-21 | 2010-08-23 | Shelving unit |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20110042334A1 true US20110042334A1 (en) | 2011-02-24 |
Family
ID=43604474
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US12/861,646 Abandoned US20110042334A1 (en) | 2009-08-21 | 2010-08-23 | Shelving unit |
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Country | Link |
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US (1) | US20110042334A1 (en) |
Cited By (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20120061930A1 (en) * | 2010-09-14 | 2012-03-15 | Yun-Huei Lin | Detachable tool cart |
US20120285916A1 (en) * | 2010-12-15 | 2012-11-15 | O'quinn Taft | Controlled gravity feed shelf system |
US20180009101A1 (en) * | 2016-07-08 | 2018-01-11 | Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. | Totes or bins and systems & methods for storing products |
EP3441194A1 (en) * | 2017-08-08 | 2019-02-13 | J. Michael Mehltretter | Container system for an ergonomically adjustable workstation that can be efficiently equipped |
US10723509B2 (en) | 2016-07-12 | 2020-07-28 | Walmart Apollo, Llc | Reusable delivery container |
US10817849B1 (en) * | 2019-09-13 | 2020-10-27 | Lyft, Inc. | Efficient service rack system |
USD904030S1 (en) | 2017-04-03 | 2020-12-08 | Walmart Apollo, Llc | Product storage bin |
US11019921B2 (en) * | 2018-11-27 | 2021-06-01 | Edsal Manufacturing Company, Inc. | Shelving unit with capacity increasing shelving |
US11160369B2 (en) * | 2017-09-15 | 2021-11-02 | Supply Point Systems Limited | Shelving system |
-
2010
- 2010-08-23 US US12/861,646 patent/US20110042334A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (11)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20120061930A1 (en) * | 2010-09-14 | 2012-03-15 | Yun-Huei Lin | Detachable tool cart |
US8333160B2 (en) * | 2010-09-14 | 2012-12-18 | Yun-Huei Lin | Detachable tool cart |
US20120285916A1 (en) * | 2010-12-15 | 2012-11-15 | O'quinn Taft | Controlled gravity feed shelf system |
US20180009101A1 (en) * | 2016-07-08 | 2018-01-11 | Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. | Totes or bins and systems & methods for storing products |
US10723509B2 (en) | 2016-07-12 | 2020-07-28 | Walmart Apollo, Llc | Reusable delivery container |
US11745916B2 (en) | 2016-07-12 | 2023-09-05 | Walmart Apollo, Llc | Reusable delivery container |
USD904030S1 (en) | 2017-04-03 | 2020-12-08 | Walmart Apollo, Llc | Product storage bin |
EP3441194A1 (en) * | 2017-08-08 | 2019-02-13 | J. Michael Mehltretter | Container system for an ergonomically adjustable workstation that can be efficiently equipped |
US11160369B2 (en) * | 2017-09-15 | 2021-11-02 | Supply Point Systems Limited | Shelving system |
US11019921B2 (en) * | 2018-11-27 | 2021-06-01 | Edsal Manufacturing Company, Inc. | Shelving unit with capacity increasing shelving |
US10817849B1 (en) * | 2019-09-13 | 2020-10-27 | Lyft, Inc. | Efficient service rack system |
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