US20200383472A1 - Shelving unit having reverse cantilevered bracket assembly and method of using the same - Google Patents
Shelving unit having reverse cantilevered bracket assembly and method of using the same Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20200383472A1 US20200383472A1 US16/876,404 US202016876404A US2020383472A1 US 20200383472 A1 US20200383472 A1 US 20200383472A1 US 202016876404 A US202016876404 A US 202016876404A US 2020383472 A1 US2020383472 A1 US 2020383472A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- bracket
- front rail
- sets
- positional
- positional openings
- Prior art date
- 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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Classifications
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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
- A47B57/00—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions
- A47B57/30—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions with means for adjusting the height of detachable shelf supports
- A47B57/48—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions with means for adjusting the height of detachable shelf supports consisting of tongues, pins or similar projecting means coacting with openings
- A47B57/50—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions with means for adjusting the height of detachable shelf supports consisting of tongues, pins or similar projecting means coacting with openings characterised by shape or orientation of opening, e.g. keyhole-shaped
- A47B57/52—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions with means for adjusting the height of detachable shelf supports consisting of tongues, pins or similar projecting means coacting with openings characterised by shape or orientation of opening, e.g. keyhole-shaped the shelf supports being cantilever brackets
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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
- A47B57/00—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions
- A47B57/30—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions with means for adjusting the height of detachable shelf supports
- A47B57/40—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions with means for adjusting the height of detachable shelf supports consisting of hooks coacting with openings
- A47B57/406—Hooks attached to uprights
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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
- A47B47/02—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features related to dismountability or building-up from elements made of metal only
- A47B47/021—Racks or shelf units
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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
- A47B55/00—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, having essential features of rigid construction
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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
- A47B57/00—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions
- A47B57/30—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions with means for adjusting the height of detachable shelf supports
- A47B57/40—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions with means for adjusting the height of detachable shelf supports consisting of hooks coacting with openings
- A47B57/42—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions with means for adjusting the height of detachable shelf supports consisting of hooks coacting with openings the shelf supports being cantilever brackets
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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
- A47B96/00—Details of cabinets, racks or shelf units not covered by a single one of groups A47B43/00 - A47B95/00; General details of furniture
- A47B96/02—Shelves
- A47B96/027—Cantilever shelves
- A47B96/028—Cantilever shelves characterised by support bracket location means, e.g. fixing means between support bracket and shelf
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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
- A47B2220/00—General furniture construction, e.g. fittings
- A47B2220/0036—Brackets
- A47B2220/0041—Short shoulder brackets for shelves
Definitions
- the innovation relates to furniture, such as shelving units and designs for including shelving units within other articles of furniture.
- the innovation also relates to methods of making and using such apparatuses.
- Shelving units are often wall mounted or encased adjacent the wall of a room. Such shelving units can utilize brackets having a rear end attached to the wall and a front end that is distal from the wall to support a shelf that may hold books or other objects.
- brackets can negatively affect the aesthetic effect of a shelving unit and limit design options.
- a new shelving unit is needed to provide greater design flexibility.
- a new bracket assembly is needed to help provide such improved design flexibility while also permitting an improvement in the aesthetic effect that can be created by a design for an article of furniture having a shelving unit or structure as a shelving unit.
- An article of furniture can include a shelving unit that can be configured to facilitate a modular design that permits height adjustment for positioning of shelves of the shelving unit.
- the adjustability that is provided can be provided at a manufacturing level for adjustable manufacturing of different sized shelving units or can be provided at a user level to facilitate user adjustment of the shelf heights of a shelving unit.
- the shelving unit can include a reverse cantilevered bracket assembly.
- the bracket assembly can be configured to facilitate the modular design that permits height adjustment of shelves for an article of furniture.
- the brackets can be configured to be positioned to avoid obstructing a front opening so that a user can easily access shelfs supported by the brackets. In some embodiments, the brackets can also be positioned to minimize their appearance to improve the aesthetic effect of the shelving unit.
- embodiments of an article of furniture can include a left sidewall, a right sidewall, a first front rail positioned adjacent to a front of the left sidewall, and a second front rail positioned adjacent to a front of the right sidewall.
- a rear face of the first front rail can have sets of positional openings.
- Each of the sets of positional openings can include a plurality of spaced apart positional openings.
- Each of the sets of positional openings can be spaced apart from the other sets of the positional openings along the rear face of the first front rail.
- a rear face of the second front rail can also have sets of positional openings.
- Each of the sets of positional openings can include plurality of spaced apart positional openings.
- the article can also include a first bracket having a front end and a rear end.
- the front end of the first bracket can have a plurality of attachment protrusions that extend for adjustable positioning in the sets of positional openings of the first front rail.
- a second bracket having a front end and a rear end can also be included.
- the front end of the second bracket can have a plurality of attachment protrusions that extend for adjustable positioning in the sets of positional openings of the first front rail.
- Each of the attachment protrusions of the first bracket can have a hook-like element that includes a distal downwardly extending element that is positioned away from the front end of the first bracket by a horizontally extending portion of the attachment protrusion in some embodiments.
- Each of the attachment protrusions of the second bracket can also have a hook-like element that includes a distal downwardly extending element that is positioned away from the front end of the second bracket by a horizontally extending portion of the attachment protrusion in some embodiments.
- the article can be configured so that the second end of the first bracket is freely hanging via the attachment protrusions of the first bracket positioned in the positional openings of the first rail and the second end of the second bracket is freely hanging via the attachment protrusions of the second bracket positioned in the positional openings of the second rail.
- first rail and the second rail can be spaced apart from each other to define a front opening that is in communication with an inner cavity defined between the left sidewall and the right sidewall.
- a rear sidewall can be attached between the left sidewall and the right sidewall to define the inner cavity.
- the rear end of the first bracket can be positioned adjacent a left side of the rear sidewall and the rear end of the second bracket can be positioned adjacent a right side of the rear sidewall.
- An upper cross-member can extend from a top end of the first front rail to a top end of the second front rail.
- a top member can be attached to the upper cross-member and an upper end of the left side wall, an upper end of the right sidewall, and an upper end of the rear sidewall to define the inner cavity.
- the first bracket can be a reverse cantilevered bracket and the second bracket can also be a reverse cantilevered bracket in some embodiments.
- Embodiments of methods of providing a shelving unit are also provided.
- Embodiments of the method can include positioning a first front rail adjacent to a front of a left sidewall.
- a rear face of the first front rail can have sets of positional openings where each of the sets of positional openings comprise a plurality of spaced apart positional openings and each of the sets of positional openings are spaced apart from the other sets of the positional openings along the rear face of the first front rail.
- the method can also include positioning a second front rail adjacent to a front of a right sidewall.
- a rear face of the second front rail can have sets of positional openings where each of the sets of positional openings comprise a plurality of spaced apart positional openings and each of the sets of positional openings being spaced apart from the other sets of the positional openings along the rear face of the second front rail.
- the method can also include positioning a first bracket for attachment to the first front rail so that a plurality of attachment protrusions that extend from a front end of the first bracket are passed into a selected set of the positional openings of the first front rail and positioning a second bracket for attachment to the second front rail so that a plurality of attachment protrusions that extend from a front end of the second bracket are passed into a selected set of the positional openings of the second front rail that are vertically aligned with the set of the positional openings of the first front rail in which the attachment protrusions of the first bracket are positioned.
- a shelf can be positioned onto the first and second brackets to position the shelf in an inner cavity defined by the first front rail, second front rail, left sidewall, right sidewall, a rear sidewall and a top member attached to upper ends of the left sidewall, right sidewall and rear sidewall.
- each of the attachment protrusions of the first bracket can have a hook-like element that includes a distal downwardly extending element that is positioned away from the front end of the first bracket by a horizontally extending portion of the attachment protrusion.
- Each of the attachment protrusions of the second bracket can also have a hook-like element that includes a distal downwardly extending element that is positioned away from the front end of the second bracket by a horizontally extending portion of the attachment protrusion.
- the second end of the first bracket can be freely hanging via the attachment protrusions of the first bracket positioned in the positional openings of the selected set of positional openings of the first rail and the second end of the second bracket is freely hanging via the attachment protrusions of the second bracket positioned in the positional openings of the selected set of positional openings of the second rail.
- the first rail and the second rail can be spaced apart from each other to define a front opening that is in communication with the inner cavity.
- An upper cross-member can also be positioned to extend from a top end of the first front rail to a top end of the second front rail. The top member can be attached to the upper cross-member.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of an article of furniture.
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first exemplary embodiment of the article of furniture with the top 1 b removed to illustrate positioning of a bracket in a front rail 2 of the article.
- FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the portion A of the first exemplary embodiment of the article of furniture circled in FIG. 2 .
- FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of an exemplary front rail 2 of the first exemplary embodiment of an article of furniture.
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an exemplary bracket 5 of the first exemplary embodiment of an article of furniture.
- FIG. 6 is a schematic fragmentary view of the first exemplary embodiment of an article of furniture illustrating an exemplary attachment process by which a bracket 5 is attachable to a front rail 2 via different sets of positional openings 2 p.
- an article of furniture 1 can be configured to include a shelving unit.
- the article can include multiple shelfs 3 that are each supported by brackets 5 that extend under a bottom surface of each shelf.
- a first bracket 5 can be adjacent a left side of the shelf 3 and a second bracket 5 can be adjacent a right side of the shelf 3 to support the shelf 3 in a desired, pre-selected position.
- there may be multiple sets of brackets 5 e.g. a first set of brackets 5 having first and second brackets, a second set of brackets 5 having third and fourth brackets, a third set of brackets 5 having fifth and sixth brackets).
- Each set of brackets may support a respective shelf 3 (e.g. the first set of brackets can support a first shelf 3 , a second set of brackets 5 can support a second shelf, the third set of brackets can support the third shelf 3 , etc.).
- the article of furniture 1 can have a top 1 b, a bottom 1 c, and lateral sides 1 d that extend vertically between the top 1 b and bottom 1 c.
- the top 1 b can include a top member attached to upper ends of the right and left sides 1 d and the upper end of the rear side 1 d.
- the bottom 1 c can include a bottom member attached to lower ends of the right and left sides 1 d and the lower end of the rear side 1 d.
- the front 1 f of the article can have a front opening 1 a.
- the front opening can be defined between spaced apart front rails 2 , the bottom 1 c and the top 1 b.
- the front opening 1 a can have a polygonal shape (e.g. rectangular, square, etc.). In other embodiments, the front opening 1 a can have a different type of shape (e.g. oval, etc.).
- the rear 1 r of the article can be defined by a lateral side 1 d that defines a back or rear of the article for defining an inner cavity 1 y in which shelves 3 are positioned.
- the inner cavity 1 y can be defined by the top 1 b, bottom 1 c and sides 1 d.
- Some articles of furniture can include feet 1 e that are attached to the bottom 1 c of the article of furniture.
- the feet 1 e can be glides, castors, or other types of feet that support the article on a floor.
- the front 1 f of the article can define the front opening 1 a for permitting access to at least one shelf 3 positioned inside the inner cavity 1 y of the body of the article that is in communication with the front opening 1 a.
- the body of the article that defines the inner cavity 1 y can include the sides 1 d, top 1 a and bottom 1 b.
- the front opening 1 a can extend from between the left side 1 d and the right side 1 d of the article.
- Spaced apart front rails can be positioned adjacent the left and right sides 1 d.
- the front rails 2 can be attached to the bottom 1 c at their bottom ends 2 b and extend vertically to their top ends 2 a.
- Top ends 2 a of the front rails 2 can be attached to opposite ends of a front cross-member 4 that extends between upper portions of the left and right sides 1 d above the bottom 1 c.
- the front of the front rails 2 can be attached to a covering to define a front vertical wall that helps define the front opening 1 a.
- the front of the front rails can define the front vertical walls adjacent the left and right sides 1 d for defining the shape of the front opening 1 a.
- Each of the front rails 2 can include a plurality of positional openings 2 p.
- the positional openings 2 p can be defined on a rear side of the front rails 2 that face toward the rear of the article within the inner cavity 1 y.
- Each front rail 2 can have multiple sets of positional openings 2 p at spaced apart locations to define different height positions for different brackets 5 for supporting a body of a shelf 3 at different positions in the inner cavity 1 y.
- the front rail 2 adjacent the right side 1 d and the front rail 2 adjacent the left side 1 d can each include a first set 2 m of upper positional openings 2 p that are vertically aligned with each other and a second set 2 n of intermediate positional openings 2 p that are vertically aligned with each other.
- the second set 2 n of intermediate positional openings 2 p can be below the first set of upper positional openings.
- the front rail 2 adjacent the right side 1 d and the front rail 2 adjacent the left side 1 d can each include a third set 2 o of lower positional openings 2 p that are vertically aligned with each other.
- the third set 2 o of lower positional openings 2 p can be below the second set 2 n of intermediate positional openings 2 p such that the second set 2 n of intermediate positional openings 2 p is between the first upper set 2 m and third lower set 2 o of positional openings 2 p.
- FIG. 1 For embodiments, there may be more than three sets of positional openings 2 p in each front rail (e.g. four, five, etc.). In other embodiments, there may be less than three sets of positional openings 2 p (e.g. just upper and lower sets of openings, etc.).
- Each set of brackets 5 can be positioned in a corresponding set of positional openings 2 p in each front rail 2 to be positioned for supporting a respective shelf in a level orientation or other desired orientation.
- a second set of brackets 5 having third and fourth brackets can be positioned so that the third bracket is positioned via a lower set of positional openings of the first front rail to support a second shelf and the fourth bracket is positioned via a lower set of positional openings of the second front rail 2 to support the second shelf.
- the lower positional openings of the first and second rails can have corresponding vertical positions so that the third and fourth brackets are aligned and in a parallel orientation for supporting the second shelf below the first shelf.
- Some embodiments can also include a third set of brackets 5 having fifth and sixth brackets (or more than three sets of brackets and more than 3 shelfs 3 ).
- the fifth and sixth brackets can be positioned in corresponding vertical positions via positional openings of the spaced apart front rails 2 at a vertical position that is between the positions of the first set of brackets and second set of brackets, or above the position of the first set of brackets or below the positions of the second set of brackets.
- the positional openings of the first and second rails that are utilized for attachment to the fifth and sixth brackets can have corresponding vertical positions so that the fifth and sixth brackets are aligned and in a parallel orientation for supporting the third shelf.
- Each bracket 5 can include a front end 5 a that includes attachment protrusions 5 p and at least one stability projection 5 s.
- Each stability projection 5 s can extend laterally and each attachment protrusion can extend away from the body of the bracket for insertion into a positional opening 2 p.
- the attachment protrusions 5 p can be shaped as hook-like elements that include a distal downwardly extending element that is positioned away from the front end 5 a of the bracket 5 by a horizontally extending portion of the attachment protrusion.
- the attachment protrusions 5 p can be sized and shaped for insertion into positional openings 2 p of a particular set of positional openings for attachment of the bracket to the front rail 2 as illustrating via arrows P in FIG. 6 , for example.
- the one or more laterally extending stability projections 5 s can extend laterally for contact with a rear face of the front rail 2 to which the bracket is attachable.
- Each stability projection 5 s can be positioned between two immediately adjacent vertically spaced apart attachment protrusions 5 p and be configured for positioning adjacent to one or more of the positional openings 2 p to contact the front rail 2 between positional openings 2 p to provide additional stability for the attachment of the bracket 5 to the front rail 2 via the attachment protrusions 5 p.
- each bracket When attached to the front rail via positional openings 2 p, each bracket can have its rear end 5 b positioned away from the front end 5 a.
- a length of the bracket body can extend from the front end 5 a to its rear end 5 b via an intermediate elongated portion 5 c of the bracket body.
- the second end 5 b can be positioned in a rear portion of inner cavity 1 y and be positioned to freely hang via the positional attachment the bracket 5 has to the front rail 2 via attachment protrusions 5 p being inserted into the positional openings 2 p.
- the rear end 5 b of the bracket 5 can freely hang and not require attachment to any side 1 d of the shelving unit or other element to support the position of the bracket 5 or shelf 3 that the bracket 5 may help support.
- the rear end 5 b of the bracket 5 can include a hole 5 e.
- the hole 5 e of the second end 5 b of the bracket 5 can be configured to facilitate attachment of the second end of the bracket to another structure or to permit a cord to pass through the bracket 5 .
- the hole 5 e can be sized to permit a power cord or other type of wire to pass through the bracket 5 .
- the hole 5 e can be sized to permit a fastener or sidewall attachment projection to extend through the hole 5 e to help attach the second end 5 b of the bracket to a rear portion of the shelf unit 1 .
- the brackets 5 can be attached to the front rails 2 so that the brackets 5 are hidden from view when a user faces the front opening 1 a.
- the brackets 5 can be positioned so that the front rail 2 blocks the brackets view unless a user peers at an angle through the front opening 1 a.
- the color of the brackets 5 can be selected to help further hide the appearance of the brackets 5 to further minimize their effect on the aesthetic effect of the shelving unit by being colored the same as the color of the interior face of the sidewalls 1 d and front rails 2 .
- Each shelf 3 can include front corners 3 a defined at the front right and left edges to facilitate positioning in the inner cavity 1 y on a set of aligned brackets 5 .
- the front corners can define a space for mating with a portion of the front rails adjacent the left and right sides of the article of furniture 1 for a relatively tight interference fit.
- the position of each shelf 3 can be maintained by the bottom of each shelf 3 contacting a top side of a pair of corresponding brackets 5 that are vertically aligned brackets attached to the right and left side front rails 2 .
- FIG. 1 has three pairs of corresponding brackets 5 that each support a respective shelf via their attachment to the front rails 2 at different vertically aligned and spaced apart locations. Each of these locations is defined by a respective set of positional openings 2 p defined in the rear face of the front rails 2 as may best be appreciated from FIGS. 2-3 and 6 .
- other embodiments can utilize less than three shelves and more than three sets of brackets 5 .
- other embodiments can use less than three shelves and utilize less than three sets of brackets 5 .
- embodiments of the article of furniture and embodiments of the reverse cantilevered bracket assembly for a shelving unit can be configured differently to meet different sets of design criteria.
- the type of material the sidewalls 1 d, front rails 2 , brackets 5 and/or shelves 3 are composed of can be any type of suitable material (e.g. metal, wood, etc.).
- the size and shape of each element can also be adjusted to meet a particular type of design criteria to provide a desired structural support and/or aesthetic effect.
- a particular feature described, either individually or as part of an embodiment can be combined with other individually described features, or parts of other embodiments.
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- Assembled Shelves (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/857,357, filed on Jun. 5, 2019. The entirety of this provisional patent application is incorporated by reference herein.
- The innovation relates to furniture, such as shelving units and designs for including shelving units within other articles of furniture. The innovation also relates to methods of making and using such apparatuses.
- Examples of shelving units can be appreciated form U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,592,886 and 6,024,333. Shelving units are often wall mounted or encased adjacent the wall of a room. Such shelving units can utilize brackets having a rear end attached to the wall and a front end that is distal from the wall to support a shelf that may hold books or other objects.
- We have determined that such brackets can negatively affect the aesthetic effect of a shelving unit and limit design options. We have determined that a new shelving unit is needed to provide greater design flexibility. We have determined that a new bracket assembly is needed to help provide such improved design flexibility while also permitting an improvement in the aesthetic effect that can be created by a design for an article of furniture having a shelving unit or structure as a shelving unit.
- An article of furniture can include a shelving unit that can be configured to facilitate a modular design that permits height adjustment for positioning of shelves of the shelving unit. The adjustability that is provided can be provided at a manufacturing level for adjustable manufacturing of different sized shelving units or can be provided at a user level to facilitate user adjustment of the shelf heights of a shelving unit. In some embodiments, the shelving unit can include a reverse cantilevered bracket assembly. The bracket assembly can be configured to facilitate the modular design that permits height adjustment of shelves for an article of furniture.
- In some embodiments, the brackets can be configured to be positioned to avoid obstructing a front opening so that a user can easily access shelfs supported by the brackets. In some embodiments, the brackets can also be positioned to minimize their appearance to improve the aesthetic effect of the shelving unit.
- For instance, embodiments of an article of furniture can include a left sidewall, a right sidewall, a first front rail positioned adjacent to a front of the left sidewall, and a second front rail positioned adjacent to a front of the right sidewall. A rear face of the first front rail can have sets of positional openings. Each of the sets of positional openings can include a plurality of spaced apart positional openings. Each of the sets of positional openings can be spaced apart from the other sets of the positional openings along the rear face of the first front rail. A rear face of the second front rail can also have sets of positional openings. Each of the sets of positional openings can include plurality of spaced apart positional openings. Each of the sets of positional openings can be spaced apart from the other sets of the positional openings along the rear face of the second front rail. The article can also include a first bracket having a front end and a rear end. The front end of the first bracket can have a plurality of attachment protrusions that extend for adjustable positioning in the sets of positional openings of the first front rail. A second bracket having a front end and a rear end can also be included. The front end of the second bracket can have a plurality of attachment protrusions that extend for adjustable positioning in the sets of positional openings of the first front rail.
- Each of the attachment protrusions of the first bracket can have a hook-like element that includes a distal downwardly extending element that is positioned away from the front end of the first bracket by a horizontally extending portion of the attachment protrusion in some embodiments. Each of the attachment protrusions of the second bracket can also have a hook-like element that includes a distal downwardly extending element that is positioned away from the front end of the second bracket by a horizontally extending portion of the attachment protrusion in some embodiments.
- In some embodiments, the article can be configured so that the second end of the first bracket is freely hanging via the attachment protrusions of the first bracket positioned in the positional openings of the first rail and the second end of the second bracket is freely hanging via the attachment protrusions of the second bracket positioned in the positional openings of the second rail.
- In some embodiments, the first rail and the second rail can be spaced apart from each other to define a front opening that is in communication with an inner cavity defined between the left sidewall and the right sidewall. A rear sidewall can be attached between the left sidewall and the right sidewall to define the inner cavity. The rear end of the first bracket can be positioned adjacent a left side of the rear sidewall and the rear end of the second bracket can be positioned adjacent a right side of the rear sidewall. An upper cross-member can extend from a top end of the first front rail to a top end of the second front rail. A top member can be attached to the upper cross-member and an upper end of the left side wall, an upper end of the right sidewall, and an upper end of the rear sidewall to define the inner cavity.
- The first bracket can be a reverse cantilevered bracket and the second bracket can also be a reverse cantilevered bracket in some embodiments.
- Embodiments of methods of providing a shelving unit are also provided. Embodiments of the method can include positioning a first front rail adjacent to a front of a left sidewall. A rear face of the first front rail can have sets of positional openings where each of the sets of positional openings comprise a plurality of spaced apart positional openings and each of the sets of positional openings are spaced apart from the other sets of the positional openings along the rear face of the first front rail. The method can also include positioning a second front rail adjacent to a front of a right sidewall. A rear face of the second front rail can have sets of positional openings where each of the sets of positional openings comprise a plurality of spaced apart positional openings and each of the sets of positional openings being spaced apart from the other sets of the positional openings along the rear face of the second front rail. The method can also include positioning a first bracket for attachment to the first front rail so that a plurality of attachment protrusions that extend from a front end of the first bracket are passed into a selected set of the positional openings of the first front rail and positioning a second bracket for attachment to the second front rail so that a plurality of attachment protrusions that extend from a front end of the second bracket are passed into a selected set of the positional openings of the second front rail that are vertically aligned with the set of the positional openings of the first front rail in which the attachment protrusions of the first bracket are positioned. A shelf can be positioned onto the first and second brackets to position the shelf in an inner cavity defined by the first front rail, second front rail, left sidewall, right sidewall, a rear sidewall and a top member attached to upper ends of the left sidewall, right sidewall and rear sidewall.
- In some embodiments of the method, each of the attachment protrusions of the first bracket can have a hook-like element that includes a distal downwardly extending element that is positioned away from the front end of the first bracket by a horizontally extending portion of the attachment protrusion. Each of the attachment protrusions of the second bracket can also have a hook-like element that includes a distal downwardly extending element that is positioned away from the front end of the second bracket by a horizontally extending portion of the attachment protrusion.
- In some embodiments, the second end of the first bracket can be freely hanging via the attachment protrusions of the first bracket positioned in the positional openings of the selected set of positional openings of the first rail and the second end of the second bracket is freely hanging via the attachment protrusions of the second bracket positioned in the positional openings of the selected set of positional openings of the second rail. In such embodiments, the first rail and the second rail can be spaced apart from each other to define a front opening that is in communication with the inner cavity. An upper cross-member can also be positioned to extend from a top end of the first front rail to a top end of the second front rail. The top member can be attached to the upper cross-member.
- Other details, objects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description of certain exemplary embodiments thereof and certain exemplary methods of practicing the same proceeds.
- Exemplary embodiments of an article of furniture and exemplary embodiments of a reverse cantilevered bracket assembly for a shelving unit are shown in the accompanying drawings and certain exemplary methods of making and practicing the same are also illustrated therein. It should be appreciated that like reference numbers used in the drawings may identify like components.
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of an article of furniture. -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first exemplary embodiment of the article of furniture with the top 1 b removed to illustrate positioning of a bracket in afront rail 2 of the article. -
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the portion A of the first exemplary embodiment of the article of furniture circled inFIG. 2 . -
FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of an exemplaryfront rail 2 of the first exemplary embodiment of an article of furniture. -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of anexemplary bracket 5 of the first exemplary embodiment of an article of furniture. -
FIG. 6 is a schematic fragmentary view of the first exemplary embodiment of an article of furniture illustrating an exemplary attachment process by which abracket 5 is attachable to afront rail 2 via different sets ofpositional openings 2 p. - Referring to
FIGS. 1-6 , an article offurniture 1 can be configured to include a shelving unit. The article can includemultiple shelfs 3 that are each supported bybrackets 5 that extend under a bottom surface of each shelf. Afirst bracket 5 can be adjacent a left side of theshelf 3 and asecond bracket 5 can be adjacent a right side of theshelf 3 to support theshelf 3 in a desired, pre-selected position. For shelving units that use more than oneshelf 3, there may be multiple sets of brackets 5 (e.g. a first set ofbrackets 5 having first and second brackets, a second set ofbrackets 5 having third and fourth brackets, a third set ofbrackets 5 having fifth and sixth brackets). Each set of brackets may support a respective shelf 3 (e.g. the first set of brackets can support afirst shelf 3, a second set ofbrackets 5 can support a second shelf, the third set of brackets can support thethird shelf 3, etc.). - The article of
furniture 1 can have a top 1 b, abottom 1 c, andlateral sides 1 d that extend vertically between the top 1 b and bottom 1 c. The top 1 b can include a top member attached to upper ends of the right and leftsides 1 d and the upper end of therear side 1 d. The bottom 1 c can include a bottom member attached to lower ends of the right and leftsides 1 d and the lower end of therear side 1 d. The front 1 f of the article can have a front opening 1 a. The front opening can be defined between spaced apartfront rails 2, thebottom 1 c and the top 1 b. In some embodiments, the front opening 1 a can have a polygonal shape (e.g. rectangular, square, etc.). In other embodiments, the front opening 1 a can have a different type of shape (e.g. oval, etc.). - The rear 1 r of the article can be defined by a
lateral side 1 d that defines a back or rear of the article for defining an inner cavity 1 y in whichshelves 3 are positioned. The inner cavity 1 y can be defined by the top 1 b, bottom 1 c andsides 1 d. Some articles of furniture can include feet 1 e that are attached to the bottom 1 c of the article of furniture. The feet 1 e can be glides, castors, or other types of feet that support the article on a floor. - The front 1 f of the article can define the front opening 1 a for permitting access to at least one
shelf 3 positioned inside the inner cavity 1 y of the body of the article that is in communication with the front opening 1 a. The body of the article that defines the inner cavity 1 y can include thesides 1 d, top 1 a and bottom 1 b. - In some embodiments, the front opening 1 a can extend from between the
left side 1 d and theright side 1 d of the article. Spaced apart front rails can be positioned adjacent the left andright sides 1 d. In some embodiments, thefront rails 2 can be attached to the bottom 1 c at their bottom ends 2 b and extend vertically to their top ends 2 a. Top ends 2 a of thefront rails 2 can be attached to opposite ends of afront cross-member 4 that extends between upper portions of the left andright sides 1 d above the bottom 1 c. - The front of the
front rails 2 can be attached to a covering to define a front vertical wall that helps define the front opening 1 a. In other embodiments, the front of the front rails can define the front vertical walls adjacent the left andright sides 1 d for defining the shape of the front opening 1 a. - Each of the
front rails 2 can include a plurality ofpositional openings 2 p. Thepositional openings 2 p can be defined on a rear side of thefront rails 2 that face toward the rear of the article within the inner cavity 1 y. Eachfront rail 2 can have multiple sets ofpositional openings 2 p at spaced apart locations to define different height positions fordifferent brackets 5 for supporting a body of ashelf 3 at different positions in the inner cavity 1 y. For instance thefront rail 2 adjacent theright side 1 d and thefront rail 2 adjacent theleft side 1 d can each include afirst set 2 m of upperpositional openings 2 p that are vertically aligned with each other and asecond set 2 n of intermediatepositional openings 2 p that are vertically aligned with each other. Thesecond set 2 n of intermediatepositional openings 2 p can be below the first set of upper positional openings. Also, thefront rail 2 adjacent theright side 1 d and thefront rail 2 adjacent theleft side 1 d can each include a third set 2 o of lowerpositional openings 2 p that are vertically aligned with each other. The third set 2 o of lowerpositional openings 2 p can be below thesecond set 2 n of intermediatepositional openings 2 p such that thesecond set 2 n of intermediatepositional openings 2 p is between the firstupper set 2 m and third lower set 2 o ofpositional openings 2 p. - Other embodiments can utilize different sets of
positional openings 2 p. In some embodiments, there may be more than three sets ofpositional openings 2 p in each front rail (e.g. four, five, etc.). In other embodiments, there may be less than three sets ofpositional openings 2 p (e.g. just upper and lower sets of openings, etc.). - Each set of
brackets 5 can be positioned in a corresponding set ofpositional openings 2 p in eachfront rail 2 to be positioned for supporting a respective shelf in a level orientation or other desired orientation. For example, there can be a first set ofbrackets 5 having first and second brackets in which thefirst bracket 5 is in upper positional openings of an upper set of openings in thefirst front rail 2 and the second bracket is in upper positional openings of an upper set of openings in thesecond front rail 2 so that the first and second brackets are aligned and in a parallel orientation for supporting a first shelf. A second set ofbrackets 5 having third and fourth brackets can be positioned so that the third bracket is positioned via a lower set of positional openings of the first front rail to support a second shelf and the fourth bracket is positioned via a lower set of positional openings of thesecond front rail 2 to support the second shelf. The lower positional openings of the first and second rails can have corresponding vertical positions so that the third and fourth brackets are aligned and in a parallel orientation for supporting the second shelf below the first shelf. - Some embodiments can also include a third set of
brackets 5 having fifth and sixth brackets (or more than three sets of brackets and more than 3 shelfs 3). For such embodiments, the fifth and sixth brackets can be positioned in corresponding vertical positions via positional openings of the spaced apartfront rails 2 at a vertical position that is between the positions of the first set of brackets and second set of brackets, or above the position of the first set of brackets or below the positions of the second set of brackets. The positional openings of the first and second rails that are utilized for attachment to the fifth and sixth brackets can have corresponding vertical positions so that the fifth and sixth brackets are aligned and in a parallel orientation for supporting the third shelf. - In yet other embodiments, there may only be a
single shelf 3 supported by a single set of brackets or just twoshelves 3 supported by first and second sets ofbrackets 5. - Each
bracket 5 can include afront end 5 a that includesattachment protrusions 5 p and at least onestability projection 5 s. Eachstability projection 5 s can extend laterally and each attachment protrusion can extend away from the body of the bracket for insertion into apositional opening 2 p. In some embodiments, theattachment protrusions 5 p can be shaped as hook-like elements that include a distal downwardly extending element that is positioned away from thefront end 5 a of thebracket 5 by a horizontally extending portion of the attachment protrusion. The attachment protrusions 5 p can be sized and shaped for insertion intopositional openings 2 p of a particular set of positional openings for attachment of the bracket to thefront rail 2 as illustrating via arrows P inFIG. 6 , for example. - The one or more laterally extending
stability projections 5 s can extend laterally for contact with a rear face of thefront rail 2 to which the bracket is attachable. Eachstability projection 5 s can be positioned between two immediately adjacent vertically spaced apartattachment protrusions 5 p and be configured for positioning adjacent to one or more of thepositional openings 2 p to contact thefront rail 2 betweenpositional openings 2 p to provide additional stability for the attachment of thebracket 5 to thefront rail 2 via theattachment protrusions 5 p. - When attached to the front rail via
positional openings 2 p, each bracket can have itsrear end 5 b positioned away from thefront end 5 a. A length of the bracket body can extend from thefront end 5 a to itsrear end 5 b via an intermediateelongated portion 5 c of the bracket body. Thesecond end 5 b can be positioned in a rear portion of inner cavity 1 y and be positioned to freely hang via the positional attachment thebracket 5 has to thefront rail 2 viaattachment protrusions 5 p being inserted into thepositional openings 2 p. Therear end 5 b of thebracket 5 can freely hang and not require attachment to anyside 1 d of the shelving unit or other element to support the position of thebracket 5 orshelf 3 that thebracket 5 may help support. In some embodiments, therear end 5 b of thebracket 5 can include ahole 5 e. - In some embodiments, the
hole 5 e of thesecond end 5 b of thebracket 5 can be configured to facilitate attachment of the second end of the bracket to another structure or to permit a cord to pass through thebracket 5. For example, thehole 5 e can be sized to permit a power cord or other type of wire to pass through thebracket 5. Alternatively, thehole 5 e can be sized to permit a fastener or sidewall attachment projection to extend through thehole 5 e to help attach thesecond end 5 b of the bracket to a rear portion of theshelf unit 1. - As may be appreciated from
FIGS. 1-3 and 6 , thebrackets 5 can be attached to thefront rails 2 so that thebrackets 5 are hidden from view when a user faces the front opening 1 a. Thebrackets 5 can be positioned so that thefront rail 2 blocks the brackets view unless a user peers at an angle through the front opening 1 a. The color of thebrackets 5 can be selected to help further hide the appearance of thebrackets 5 to further minimize their effect on the aesthetic effect of the shelving unit by being colored the same as the color of the interior face of thesidewalls 1 d and front rails 2. - Each
shelf 3 can includefront corners 3 a defined at the front right and left edges to facilitate positioning in the inner cavity 1 y on a set of alignedbrackets 5. The front corners can define a space for mating with a portion of the front rails adjacent the left and right sides of the article offurniture 1 for a relatively tight interference fit. The position of eachshelf 3 can be maintained by the bottom of eachshelf 3 contacting a top side of a pair ofcorresponding brackets 5 that are vertically aligned brackets attached to the right and left side front rails 2. It should be appreciated that the embodiment shown inFIG. 1 has three pairs ofcorresponding brackets 5 that each support a respective shelf via their attachment to thefront rails 2 at different vertically aligned and spaced apart locations. Each of these locations is defined by a respective set ofpositional openings 2 p defined in the rear face of thefront rails 2 as may best be appreciated fromFIGS. 2-3 and 6 . - As discussed herein, other embodiments can utilize less than three shelves and more than three sets of
brackets 5. As another alternative, other embodiments can use less than three shelves and utilize less than three sets ofbrackets 5. - It should be appreciated that embodiments of the article of furniture and embodiments of the reverse cantilevered bracket assembly for a shelving unit can be configured differently to meet different sets of design criteria. The type of material the
sidewalls 1 d,front rails 2,brackets 5 and/orshelves 3 are composed of can be any type of suitable material (e.g. metal, wood, etc.). The size and shape of each element can also be adjusted to meet a particular type of design criteria to provide a desired structural support and/or aesthetic effect. As yet another example, it is contemplated that a particular feature described, either individually or as part of an embodiment, can be combined with other individually described features, or parts of other embodiments. Therefore, while certain exemplary embodiments of the article of furniture and embodiments of the reverse cantilevered bracket assembly for a shelving unit and methods of making and using the same have been discussed and illustrated herein, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.
Claims (18)
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US16/876,404 US20200383472A1 (en) | 2019-06-05 | 2020-05-18 | Shelving unit having reverse cantilevered bracket assembly and method of using the same |
US29/736,340 USD913733S1 (en) | 2020-05-18 | 2020-05-29 | Shelving unit |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US201962857357P | 2019-06-05 | 2019-06-05 | |
US16/876,404 US20200383472A1 (en) | 2019-06-05 | 2020-05-18 | Shelving unit having reverse cantilevered bracket assembly and method of using the same |
Related Child Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US29/736,340 Continuation-In-Part USD913733S1 (en) | 2020-05-18 | 2020-05-29 | Shelving unit |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20200383472A1 true US20200383472A1 (en) | 2020-12-10 |
Family
ID=73651792
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US16/876,404 Abandoned US20200383472A1 (en) | 2019-06-05 | 2020-05-18 | Shelving unit having reverse cantilevered bracket assembly and method of using the same |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US20200383472A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US12022960B2 (en) | 2022-04-29 | 2024-07-02 | Knoll, Inc. | Furniture, charging port assembly, and method of assembling same |
-
2020
- 2020-05-18 US US16/876,404 patent/US20200383472A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US12022960B2 (en) | 2022-04-29 | 2024-07-02 | Knoll, Inc. | Furniture, charging port assembly, and method of assembling same |
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