US20160022033A1

US20160022033A1 - Roll-Up Shelves

Info

Publication number: US20160022033A1
Application number: US14/337,958
Authority: US
Inventors: Jesse Shaw
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-07-22
Filing date: 2014-07-22
Publication date: 2016-01-28

Abstract

Roll-up shelving systems are presented herein. A roll-up shelving system may include first and second pluralities of slats that are flexible in a first direction. The first and second pluralities of slats may be connected by a plurality of hinge members that hinge to 90 degrees, forming a shelf. When the hinge members are not hinged to 90 degrees, the pluralities of slats may be rolled up such that the shelving system may be transported or stored in a compact form without disassembling the slats.

Description

FIELD OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The embodiments relate generally to portable shelving systems and, more specifically, to shelving systems that roll up to save space when not in use.

BACKGROUND

Shelves are a basic element of nearly any dwelling, allowing people to store items on walls for access or display. Many shelving systems are rigid and meant to be permanent. Those that are not often require time consuming disassembly to remove, and then waste space when being stored for later use.
As society becomes more and more transient and living spaces generally become smaller and more urban, improvements are needed to give people the flexibility to easily store their belongings while also providing greater portability of the storage infrastructure itself. To this end, many current shelving systems do not allow for optimum flexibility and portability. Current shelving systems are very limited in their functionality and portability, as they typically do little more than permanently attach to a wall and retain the same shape whether in use or not.
Additionally, traditional shelves may be large an awkward to initially ship, which can increase the ultimate purchase price of the shelf by a consumer. Alternatively, the shelf may be flat packed to save space, leaving potentially time-consuming assembly to the purchaser.
Therefore, a need exists for shelves that can be compact and adapt to users who are transient or on the go.

SUMMARY

Embodiments described herein include roll-up shelves. In one embodiment, the roll-up shelf includes a first substrate including a first plurality of bend regions (e.g., kerf relief cuts and/or living hinges) to allow the first substrate to bend into a spiral form. The first bend regions may define a plurality of sections (e.g., slats) in one embodiment and allow the plurality of sections to bend in a first direction by hinging along respective bend regions. A second substrate may include a second plurality of sections defined by second bend regions, allowing the second substrate to also bend as part of the spiral form.
In one embodiment, the first and second substrates are connected by at least one hinge, such as a living hinge. The hinge may be designed to stop at stop hinging at substantially a 90 degree angle in one embodiment. At the point where the hinge stops, at least a portion of the first substrate may be positioned as a surface for placing items.
In one embodiment, the roll-up shelf may be rolled into position on a wall by adhering the second substrate to the wall. The first substrate then hinges into position and acts as a shelf in one embodiment.
When not being used as a shelf, in one embodiment, the first and second substrates may again be bent into a spiral form. The spiral form may be advantageous to mobility, flexibility, spatial organization, and structural strength. Another embodiment may originally be bent into spiral form, but once installed on a wall may not return to spiral form.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the embodiments, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate various embodiments and aspects of the present invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exemplary illustration of a rolled-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary illustration on a mounted roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 3A is an exemplary illustration of a roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 3B is an exemplary illustration of a roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 4A is an exemplary illustration of a roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 4B is an exemplary illustration of a roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 4C is an exemplary illustration of a roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 4D is an exemplary illustration of a roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 4E is an exemplary illustration of a roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 4F is an exemplary illustration of a roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 4G is an exemplary illustration of a roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 4H is an exemplary illustration of a roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 4I is an exemplary illustration of a roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 5A is an exemplary illustration of a roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 5B is an exemplary illustration of a roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an exemplary flow chart for mounting a roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment; and

FIG. 7 is an exemplary flow chart for making a roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the present exemplary embodiments, including examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
In one embodiment, the roll-up shelf is capable of rolling up into a spiral form similar to the shape of a rolled-up yoga mat. This may conserve space for storing or transporting the roll-up shelf, as the total cubic space occupied by the shelf is compacted. In one embodiment, the shelf may be installed on a wall by unrolling it onto the wall horizontally (e.g., from left to right). In another embodiment, it may be installed by rolling it vertically (e.g., top to bottom). The rolling and spiral nature of the roll-up shelf may be accomplished in part by including a series of kerf relief cuts in at least one substrate to allow the substrate bend and roll onto itself, resulting in a spiral form. In one embodiment, another relief cut running through a mid-section of the roll-up shelf may effectively form first and second substrates, allowing the shelf to fold into a 90 degree angle based on at least one hinge member that holds the substrates together.
As used herein, the terms “sections” and “slats” may be used interchangeably and refer to individual elongate members or a portion of a substrate that is more rigid than surrounding portions.
Adjacent sections may be connected, for example, by bend regions. A bend region may be a living hinge or rut that includes thinner material than the surrounding areas. In another embodiment, a bend region may include a gap between sections, where the sections are held together by at least one hinge.
As used herein, the term “substrate” refers to a surface that may be one solid unit or comprised of interconnected individual members, such as individual slats. The substrate may be made out of a number of materials, depending on the embodiment, such as plastics, rubbers, foams, polymers, woods, MDF, metals, or fabric. In one embodiment, the substrate may be made out of a biodegradable material, such as a material that naturally deteriorates in the presence of water and/or soil. This may reduce the amount of plastic used in constructing the shelf.
As used herein, a “hinge” may include any type of hinge, and the illustration of particular hinges is exemplary only. The hinge member may include a plastic hinge, a living hinge, a wood hinge, and a metal hinge, among others.
Turning to FIG. 1, an exemplary illustration of a roll-up shelf 100 in a spiral shape is presented. The spiral shape may be used to transport or store the roll-up shelf 100 in one embodiment, because it may take up less space than the shelf 100 does when it is deployed as a shelf (e.g., FIG. 2).
Shelf 100 may include a first substrate 110 having enough flexibility to allow the shelf to roll up into a spiral. In the example of FIG. 1, the first substrate 110 includes a plurality of slats 120 and 122 that are each separated by a kerf relief cut 124. Successive adjacent slats 120 and 122 may be coupled together by a connecting member 126 that is also part of the substrate 110.
In one embodiment, the substrate 110 (or each individual slat) is formed by pressing together elongate members 130 and 132 that sandwich a connective medium 134 (e.g., the connecting member 126). Example embodiments include elongate members made of plastic, rubber, foam, polymer, wood, metal, and/or fabric. Likewise, the connective medium 134 may be made out of at least fabric, plastic, rubber, foam, polymer, wood, and/or metal, depending upon the embodiment.
The elongate member 130 may be adhered to the connective medium 134 with a glue in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the elongate member 130 is molded or 3-D printed along with the connective medium 134. In still another embodiment, at least one mounting member (e.g., screw, nail, or staple) may be driven through the elongate member 130 and into elongate member 132 (or vice versa), securing the two elongate members 130 and 132 together and holding the connective medium 134 in place between them.
Based on flexibility provided by kerf relief cuts 124 and/or the connecting member 126, the shelf 100 may wrap upon itself into a spiral shape. As used herein, the term spiral only requires the substrate to overlap itself at least once. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the substrate overlaps itself twice such that radius 150 intersects the substrate three different times.
In one embodiment, a plurality of hinge members 160 are fastened to the first substrate 110 and remain fastened when the shelf 100 is placed in spiral form. The hinge members 160 may not impede the radial bending of the first substrate 110 in one embodiment. This may be accomplished, for example, by using a hinge member 160 that has a smaller width than the slats 162. The thinner hinge member 160 may be aligned on the slat 162 such that a portion of the slat is exposed on each side of the hinge member 160 due to the slat having a greater width.
In one embodiment, the hinge point of each of the plurality of hinge members 160 is substantially concealed when the shelf 100 is in the spiral position. This may be accomplished by orienting the hinge members 160 on the inside of the substrate 110 relative to the roll-up direction.
Turning to FIG. 2, the exemplary shelf 100 of FIG. 1 is shown in an unrolled and mounted state, in accordance with an embodiment. In this example, the mounted state is accomplished by hinging the first substrate 110 such that it comes to rest at approximately a 90 degree angle from a second substrate 210, which is mounted on a wall.
In this position, the first substrate 110 may act as a shelf that may hold a user's various objects and possessions. Because the kerf relief cuts still provide the first substrate 110 with flexibility, in this example the plurality of hinge members 160 provide needed support to keep the first substrate 110 from sagging or pitching forward to a degree (e.g., greater than 5 degrees) that would cause items to slip or roll off of the shelf.
In one embodiment, the first substrate 110 and second substrate form a 90 degree angle with one another when the hinge members are in the hinged position.
The first substrate 110 may be longer than the second substrate 210 in one embodiment. This may allow the shelf to stick out further from the wall (and hold more or larger items) while still maintaining adequate support with the second substrate 210, which is fastened to the wall.
In another embodiment, the slats of the second substrate 210 may be at least six inches long. This may allow the second substrate 210 to better distribute forces to the wall caused by placing items on the shelf. By extending the second substrate 210 below an attachment point (or adhesive line) on the back of the second substrate 210, the bottom-most part of the second substrate 210 may cancel significant portions of torque forces caused by items being placed on the shelf in one embodiment.
Each hinge member 160 may also help distribute the forces in one embodiment. For example, by shaping the hinge member 160 as a curve at the hinge point (see FIG. 3B), downward forces on the shelf may more easily translate onto to the second substrate 210 such that a force vector orthogonal to the wall is lower than a force vector parallel to the wall. The orthogonal force may be further cancelled by the length of the second substrate 210, as mentioned in the preceding paragraph.
In one embodiment, the number of hinge members 160 is approximately one hinge member 160 per slat 120 a on the first substrate 110 or slat 120 b on the second substrate 210.
Turning to FIG. 3, an exemplary roll-up shelf 100 in the process of being mounted on or removed from a wall 302 is illustrated, in accordance with an embodiment. While this example shelf 100 is being placed on a wall 302, the first and second substrates 110 and 210 may be substantially aligned in the same plane as the shelf 100 is being unrolled (or rolled back up). Each hinge member 160 may be in an open position such that a first portion 362 connected to the first substrate 110 and second portion 364 connected to the second substrate 210 substantially form a 180 degree angle.
As shown in this example, an adhesive strip 310 may be applied to the back of the second substrate 210. In this example, the adhesive strip 310 is Velcro that the user aligns with a matching Velcro strip 312 that the user places on the wall 302 at a desired shelf location. However, other types of adhesive strips 310 may be used alternatively or in addition. For example, a glue-based adhesive is used in one embodiment. In another embodiment, nails, screws, and/or anchors may be used.
In one embodiment, the adhesive strip 310 is oriented at the top of the second substrate 210 relative to the ground. This may allow for additional bracing via a portion of the second substrate 210 that is below the adhesive strip 310.
In another embodiment, an open portion 330 of the hinge member 160 may include a recessed screw or a hole for driving a nail through the second portion 364 of the hinge member 160 and into the wall. In one such embodiment, screw holes are located on the second potion of only a subset of the plurality of hinge members 160. The connective medium 134 and/or second substrate 210 may be substantially resistive to vertical flexing in this orientation to prevent the second substrate from drooping between hinge members that are attached to the wall, in accordance with one embodiment.
Once the roll-up shelf 100 is fully rolled onto the wall 302, the first substrate 110 may be hinged downward to form approximately a 90 degree angle with the second substrate 210. The 90 degree angle may be formed by the first portion 362 of the hinge member 160 meeting up with the second portion 364. For example, the first and second portions 362 and 364 may each include an open portion 330 that has roughly a 45 degree angle relative to the first and second substrates 110 and 210 to which they are attached. When these 45 degree surfaces come in contact with one another, the 90 degree angle may be formed by the hinge member 160.
This concept is further illustrated in FIG. 3B, which includes an exemplary illustration of a roll-up shelf 100 from a partial side view, in accordance with an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3B, the first portion 362 and the second portion 364 of hinge member 160 come together at contact 390. In this example, first and second portions 362 and 364 include first and second contact surfaces that are flat and meet together approximately 45 degrees from the respective alignments of the first and second substrates 110 and 210. In another embodiment, the contact surfaces may be skewed such that contact occurs at a greater or smaller angle relative to the first substrate 110.
When the shelf 100 is in the position shown in FIG. 3B, items may be placed by the user onto shelf 100 by placing them on top of the first substrate 110.
Turning now to FIGS. 4A-4I, another exemplary roll-up shelf 400 is illustrated. As shown in FIG. 4A, adjacent sections 410 and 412 (i.e., slats) may be coupled at a living hinge 420 (e.g., a thinner portion of the same material as the sections) in one embodiment, allowing the shelf 400 to roll up approximately as indicated by directional arrow 425. An example rolled-up shelf is shown in FIG. 4C.
Although the sections 410 and 420 are shown as being relatively flat with angled grooves near the seams in this example, they also may be curved in one embodiment. Additionally, shelf 400 may contain more than three sections in one embodiment, and form a spiral like the one indicated in FIG. 1 when rolled up.
The adjacent sections (i.e., slats) may be part of a single continuous material in one embodiment. Additionally, each section may include top and bottom sections, also referred to as first and second pluralities of slats herein. Each of these sections or slats may be part of one continuous material, connected by living hinges in one embodiment. Thus, living hinges may both divide a continuous material vertically and horizontally in one embodiment.
For example, turning to FIG. 4D, section 410 may include top 411 a and bottom 411 b portions in one embodiment. Similarly, adjacent section 412 may include top 413 a and bottom 413 b portions in an embodiment. The respective top and bottom portions may hinge at 430, such that the top and bottom portions substantially form a right angle and allow for items to be placed on the shelf 400 s.
As shown in FIG. 4D, the sections 410 and 420 may be jointed at a raised recess that includes cutout portion 432 at the intersection of live edges 440 and 450. Similar cutouts 434 may exist at other live edge intersections. These cutouts 432 and 434 may allow the shelf 400 to hinge along a horizontal live edge 450 to a 90 degree angle such that the shelf 400 may hold items.
Turning to FIG. 4E, the figure shows a perspective view of the example shelf 400 from below the shelf 400 as it is attached to a wall. From this perspective, it can be seen how the cutout 432 may allow a top portion 480 of the shelf 400 to hinge downward and rest at the raised living hinges of the bottom portion 490.
This hinging action is shown in FIG. 4G, where the example shelf 400 has been put into a position that will allow for the reception of items on top of the upper portion 480.
In one embodiment, the example shelf 400 may roll up as shown in FIG. 4I. Again, in one embodiment more than three sections may be included, allowing for a spiral form that folds in over itself. For the purposes of this disclosure, the three sections shown in FIG. 4I are also considered spiral form. In one embodiment, although the shelf 400 may originally be rolled up and packaged and/or shipped in spiral form, it may not be able to roll up after being installed as a shelf.
In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 4B, 4F, and 4H, some or all of the vertical living hinges 420 may press together to form spine-like support structures. In one embodiment, at least one inner surface 421 a or 421 b (shown in FIG. 4A) may be lined with an adhesive, such that when the living hinge 420 surfaces 421 a and 421 b are pressed together to form the spine (shown in FIG. 4B), the surfaces may adhere to each other, making the spine permanent or semi-permanent in one embodiment. For example, a protective strip may be peeled away to reveal a sticky adhesive in one embodiment. In another embodiment, Velcro or snaps may be used on the opposing surfaces 421 a and 421 b so that the spine is only semi-permanent.
FIG. 4E shows an example spine 491 that may be formed by pressing together the inner surfaces of a living hinge in one embodiment. In one embodiment, each living hinge may be pressed together in this manner subsequent to unrolling the shelf 400 and prior to using the shelf 400 to hold objects. In another embodiment, only some of the living hinges are pressed together in this manner. In still another embodiment, a spine 491 may be formed after the shelf 400 is rolled onto a wall.
FIG. 4H shows an example shelf 400 having spine structures formed from living hinges that has been put into a position that will allow for the reception of items on top of the upper portion 480. Each spine 491 may support the upper portion by having a top spine portion 496 rest against a lower spine portion 497.
Whereas an example embodiment similar to those illustrated in FIGS. 1-4I may roll horizontally relative to the shelf orientation, other embodiments may roll vertically. FIG. 5A presents a profile view of one such embodiment. Turning to FIG. 5A, vertically-rolling shelf 500A includes a first substrate 510 and a second substrate 520 coupled via a hinge member 530.
Unlike with FIGS. 1-4, the shelf 500A of FIG. 5A may contain rivets (e.g., kerf relief cuts) 512 that allow the first and/or second substrate 510 and 520 to flex along parallel lines to the hinge member 530. However, in one embodiment, these rivets may only allow flexing in one direction, as shown by arrows 518 and 528 for the first and second substrates 510 and 520, respectively. As an example, while the first substrate 510 may bend upward, the rivets may substantially prevent it from bending downwards. This may allow the shelf 500A to maintain structural integrity even though the rivets are oriented such that they bend in parallel with the hinge member(s) 530.
This may be accomplished in one embodiment by making Y shaped rivets 514. Whereas two adjacent slats 514 and 516 may bend towards each other until the upper portion of the rivet 512 closes, the bottom portion may be closed by gravity when the first substrate 510 is in shelf position. When the bottom portion is closed (as illustrated in FIG. 5A), the adjacent slats 514 and 516, which are connected via a connective material, may be held roughly in the same horizontal plane. Thus, the bottom portion of the Y rivet 512 may allow the requisite support for the slats 514 and 516 to remain structurally supported in a horizontal shelf position (as pictured).
The hinge member 530 may include first and second sections 540 and 550 that are coupled to the first and second substrates 510 and 520, respectively. In another embodiment, sections 540 and 550 may be considered to be part of the first and second substrates 510 and 520. As illustrated, the hinge member 530 may hinge to a substantially 90 degree angle such that the first substrate 510 forms a shelf by providing a substantially level surface to place items on. As used herein, a portion of a surface is substantially level if it can hold a round object, such as a ball, without it falling off of the shelf. In this example, the 90 degree angle may be accomplished when the first and second portions 540 and 550 of the hinge member come together and are held in place by either a latch or gravity.
In one embodiment, a first slat 517 of the first substrate 510 may wrap partially underneath the first portion 540 of hinge member 530 to provide extra stability against that slat 517 allowing the shelf to bend forward (i.e., downhill) and become less level over time. In another embodiment, adjacent slats 516 and 514 may be different thicknesses to intersperse thicker and, therefore, more structurally supportive slats within the first and/or second substrate 510 and 520.
To form a spiral from this exemplary vertically rolling shelf 500A, the user may bend the first and second substrates 510 and 520 around on themselves in one embodiment. The hinge member may also bend as part of the spiral formation, as depicted by arrow 560. For example, in relation to FIG. 5A, the first substrate 510 may be deformed in a counter-clockwise direction such that the slanted side of contact with the adjacent slanted rivets,
Turning to FIG. 5B, an alternate exemplary embodiment of a vertically-rolling shelf 500B attached to a wall 599 is illustrated. In this embodiment, the first and second substrates 570 and 572 may oppose one another to form the shelf surface. Only a portion 595 of the first substrate 570 may be substantially level and useable as a shelf surface. In addition, the hinge member 580 may be located distal from the wall 599 and attachment component (e.g., tape, Velcro, screw, adhesive, or other) rather than proximal to the wall and attachment component.
In this example, the first and second substrates 570 and 572 may bend away from one another as the approach the wall 599. The first substrate 570 may be attached to the wall with an attachment component at surface 596. The second substrate 572 may be attached to the first substrate by running a connecting member 582 (e.g., rubber band, string, wire, or latch) from a proximal portion 597 of the second substrate 572 to a catch element 584 on a proximal portion of the first substrate. Gravity may then hold this example vertically-rolling shelf 500B in the illustrated shelf shape so long as the first substrate 570 remains adhered to the wall 599.
To roll shelf 500B into a spiral, the bend directions of the first substrate 570, second substrate 572, and hinge member 580 are shown as arrows 593, 592, and 594, respectively.
FIG. 6 is an exemplary flow chart including steps for installing and using a roll-up shelf in accordance with an embodiment. At step 610, the user may unroll the roll-up shelf horizontally or vertically onto a wall. For example, whereas the roll-up shelf 100 of FIG. 3 may roll horizontally, the roll-up shelf 500 of FIG. 5 may roll vertically.
At step 620, the roll-up shelf is adhered to the wall. In one embodiment, the roll-up shelf may be adhered as it is being rolled onto the wall in step 610. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the roll-up shelf 100 may be rolled along an adhesive strip, such as Velcro or tape. In another embodiment, the roll-up shelf may be unrolled enough to expose a fastening location, such as hole 330, through which the user may drive a nail or a screw. Then the user may unroll the roll-up shelf further. By unrolling the shelf in conjunction with the adhesion step 620, installation may generally be easier than with a standard shelf.
In one embodiment, at step 630, once the shelf has been unrolled and adhered to the wall, the user may fold the first substrate into position to act as a shelf. For example, as shown in FIG. 3B, the first substrate 110 may be folded down to create a shelf that protrudes relatively horizontally and perpendicularly relative to the wall.
In another embodiment, step 630 is performed simultaneously with the unrolling and adhesion steps 610 and 620. For example, the roll-up shelf 500B in FIG. 5 folds the first substrate into position as part of unrolling and adhering the first substrate 570 at surface 596 and attaching the second substrate 572 at point 584.
Once the roll-up shelf is mounted and positioned such that the first substrate may hold items, at step 640 the user may place items on the first substrate. In this way, once the roll-up shelf is mounted, it may have similar utility to a conventional shelf in one embodiment.
FIG. 7 is an exemplary flow chart for making or manufacturing a roll-up shelf, in accordance with an embodiment. At step 710, a user or machine forms a first substrate having flexibility in at least one direction. For example, the substrate may contain ruts that act as flex points. In one embodiment, the rut is a cut that defines a plurality of slats. The plurality of slats may be connected to form the first substrate. Each slat may be an elongate member that provides enough support to hold items in conjunction with the hinge member(s). The slats may be all part of a substrate in one embodiment, such that there are not cuts between the slats but, instead, just a narrower material thickness that allows for flexibility.
At step 720, a second substrate is created that has flexibility in at least one direction. The second substrate may be created by cutting the first substrate into two pieces (e.g., roughly halves) in one embodiment.
At step 730, the user or machine may couple the first and second substrates via at least one hinge member. A top portion of the hinge member may attach to the first substrate and a bottom portion of the hinge member may attach to the second substrate. In one embodiment, a plurality of hinge members are attached in this way. The hinge members may hinge to allow the first substrate to form a shelf.
At step 740, the roll-up shelf may be packaged by rolling it into a spiral form. In one embodiment, this includes flexing the first and second substrates to wrap onto themselves to form a spiral.
Although particular materials are mentioned as examples herein, these examples are not exhaustive. Other materials may be used to build a roll-up shelf in accordance with an embodiment herein.
Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A roll-up shelf, including:

a first plurality of sections arranged in parallel and coupled to one another at a first plurality of bend regions such that adjacent sections in the first plurality hinge in a first direction;

a second plurality of sections arranged in parallel and coupled to one another at a second plurality of bend regions such that adjacent sections in the second plurality hinge in the first direction; and

at least one hinge that connects the first and second plurality of sections and allow the first plurality of sections to hinge and come to rest at substantially a 90 degree angle with respect to the second plurality of sections.

2. The roll-up shelf of claim 1, wherein a gap exists between successive sections in the first and second pluralities of sections that allows the successive sections to flex in a first direction.

3. The roll-up shelf of claim 1, wherein a first section in the first plurality of sections is formed by two substantially identical elongate members sandwiching a connective material that couples the first section to an adjacent second section.

4. The roll-up shelf of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of sections acts as support for the first plurality of sections when hinged into a shelf position.

5. The roll-up shelf of claim 4, wherein the second plurality further includes a first adhesive strip that is aligned parallel to the at least one hinge.

6. The roll-up shelf of claim 1, wherein the bend regions of the first and second pluralities are living hinges, the living hinges each including first and second surfaces that may be pressed together to form a spine.

7. The roll-up shelf of claim 1, wherein at least two non-adjacent sections in the second plurality of sections include holes for driving a mounting member into a wall, wherein the holes are hidden from view when the first plurality is hinged into position to act as a shelf.

8. The roll-up shelf of claim 1, wherein the first and second pluralities of sections are substantially aligned with one another and roll horizontally onto a wall.

9. The roll-up shelf of claim 1, wherein the at least one hinge allows the first plurality of sections to hinge in a second direction along an axis that is substantially perpendicular to a living hinge that couples first and second sections in the first plurality.

10. The roll-up shelf of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of sections includes at least one section that is wider than an adjacent two sections and includes a mounting element to mount the roll-up shelf on a wall.

11. The roll-up shelf of claim 1, wherein the at least one hinge includes less total hinges than a total number of sections in the first plurality of sections.

12. The roll-up shelf of claim 1, wherein a first hinge within the at least one hinge includes first and second portions, the first portion being coupled to a first section in the first plurality of sections and the second portion being coupled to a second section in the second plurality of sections, wherein the first portion is between 50 and 100 percent of a total length of the first section and the second portion is between 50 and 100 percent of a total length of the second section.

13. The roll-up shelf of claim 12, wherein the first hinge includes a mounting member that pushes through the second portion from a side opposite to a mounting side and at a location that is concealed when the first hinge member is hinged at the 90 degree angle.

14. A roll-up shelf, including:

a first substrate including a first plurality of ruts to allow the first substrate to bend into a spiral form;

a second substrate including a second plurality of ruts to allow the second substrate to bend into the spiral form;

at least one hinge member that connects the first and second substrates, wherein the hinge member stops hinging at a position that causes at least a portion of the first substrate to form a surface for placing items.

15. The roll-up shelf of claim 14, wherein a radius of the spiral form intersects the first substrate at least three times.

16. The roll-up shelf of claim 14, wherein the spiral form flexes the first and second substrates in a first radial direction that lies in a first plane, wherein the at least one hinge member hinges in a second radial direction that lies in a second plane that is substantially orthogonal to the first plane.

17. The roll-up shelf of claim 14, wherein the ruts of the first and second pluralities are part of living hinges that each include first and second inner surfaces that may be pressed together to form a spine.

18. The roll-up shelf of claim 14, wherein the at least one hinge member folds to form a support structure having a 90 degree angle, and the ruts are kerf relief cuts.

19. The roll-up shelf of claim 14, wherein the at least one hinge member includes a living hinge.

20. A method for creating a roll-up shelf, including:

arranging a first substrate including a first plurality of slats in parallel and flexibly coupling successive slats in the first plurality of slats to one another;

arranging a second substrate including a second plurality of slats in parallel and flexibly coupling successive slats in the second plurality of slats to one another; and

attaching a plurality of hinge members to the first and second plurality of slats, wherein each hinge member includes first and second portions, the first portion being coupled to a first respective slat in the first plurality of slats and the second portion being coupled to a second respective slat in the second plurality of slats, wherein the first portion is between 50 and 100 percent of a total length of the first respective slat and the second portion is between 50 and 100 percent of a total length of the second respective slat.