US20250040699A1

US20250040699A1 - Shelf device

Info

Publication number: US20250040699A1
Application number: US18/487,445
Authority: US
Inventors: Hung-Tsun Liu
Original assignee: Taiwan Shin Yeh Enterprise Co Ltd
Current assignee: Taiwan Shin Yeh Enterprise Co Ltd
Priority date: 2023-07-31
Filing date: 2023-10-16
Publication date: 2025-02-06
Also published as: TWM650033U

Abstract

A shelf device includes a plurality of support units and a plurality of shelf units. Each of the support units includes a plurality of mounting holes. Each of the shelf units includes a plurality of insertion units, and a plurality of positioning members that are cooperatively mounted to the support units. Each of the insertion units includes at least one insertion member inserted into a corresponding one of the mounting holes. Each of the positioning members is sleeved on a neck portion of the insertion member of a respective one of the insertion units, and abuts against a head portions of the insertion member of the respective one of the insertion units and one of the support units to prevent the head portion of the insertion member from passing through the corresponding one of the mounting holes.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to Taiwanese Utility Model Patent Application No. 112208024, filed on Jul. 31, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

This disclosure relates to a piece of furniture, and more particularly to a shelf device.

BACKGROUND

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 , Taiwanese Utility Model Patent No. M605526 discloses a shelf device including a plurality of support units 11 and a plurality of shelf units 12 (only one is schematically shown in the figures) installed on the support units 11.
Each of the support units 11 includes two support members 13 abutting against each other in a top-bottom direction, and an insert pin 14 inserted into the support members 13.
Each of the support members 13 includes two plate body portions 15 perpendicularly connected to each other so that the support member 13 is L-shaped, and a stop portion 16 and an insert portion 17 located at a concave side of a junction between the plate body portions 15.
Each of the plate body portions 15 is formed with a plurality of mounting holes 18 arranged and spaced apart from each other in the top-bottom direction. Each of the mounting holes 18 includes a large hole region 181, and a small hole region 182 located below and communicating with the large hole region 181.
The stop portions 16 of each of the support units 11 are spaced apart from each other in the top-bottom direction. Each of the insert portions 17 is L-shaped. The insert portions 17 of each of the support units 11 are located between the stop portions 16 of the support unit 11 in the top-bottom direction.
The insert pin 14 of each of the support units 11 is inserted into the insert portions 17 of the support unit 11, and is stopped and positioned by the stop portions 16 of the support unit 11 in the top-bottom direction.
Each of the shelf units 12 includes a plurality of insert members 121 (see FIG. 1 ) located at corners thereof. Each of the insert members 121 includes a head portion 122 that is capable to pass through the large hole region 181 of each of the mounting holes 18 but is unable to pass through the small hole region 182 of each of the mounting holes 18.
By virtue of the insert members 121 and the mounting holes 18, each of the shelf units 12 may be hung onto the support units 11. One drawback occurs when demand for carrying the shelf device arises. A user may carry the shelf device by lifting the shelf units 12. However, such action may cause the insert members 121 to move upwardly relative to the mounting holes 18, thereby making the head portions 122 of the insert members 121 to be aligned with the large hole regions 181 of the mounting holes 18. Therefore, the lifted shelf unit 12 may be accidentally dismantled from the support units 11.

SUMMARY

Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a shelf device that can alleviate the drawback of the prior art.
According to the disclosure, the shelf device includes a plurality of support units and a plurality of shelf units. Each of the support units extends in a top-bottom direction, and includes a plurality of mounting holes that are arranged and spaced apart from each other in the top-bottom direction. Each of the shelf units includes a plurality of insertion units, and a plurality of positioning members that are cooperatively mounted to the support units. Each of the insertion units includes at least one insertion member inserted into a corresponding one of the mounting holes. The insertion member of each of the insertion units includes an insertion portion that is inserted into the corresponding one of the mounting holes, a head portion that is spaced apart from the insertion portion, and a neck portion that is connected between the insertion portion and the head portion and that is located outside the corresponding one of the mounting holes. Each of the positioning members is sleeved on the neck portion of the insertion member of a respective one of the insertion units, and abuts against the head portions of the insertion member of the respective one of the insertion units and one of the support units to prevent the head portion of the insertion member from passing through the corresponding one of the mounting holes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiment(s) with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is noted that various features may not be drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a conventional shelf device disclosed in Taiwanese Utility Model Patent No. M605526.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view illustrating two support members and an insert pin of the conventional shelf device.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view illustrating the support members and the insert pin of the conventional shelf device from another angle.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a first embodiment of the shelf device according to the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a portion of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view illustrating an assembly relationship between a shelf unit and a support unit of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view illustrating the assembly relationship between the shelf unit and the support unit from another angle.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an exploded side view illustrating two support members, a positioning member, a mounting member, and two insertion members of the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is another side view illustrating one of the insertion members of the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a second embodiment of the shelf device according to this disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view illustrating the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a front view illustrating a positioning member of the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a third embodiment of the shelf device according to this disclosure.

FIG. 15 is a front view illustrating a positioning member of the third embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before the disclosure is described in greater detail, it should be noted that where considered appropriate, reference numerals or terminal portions of reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements, which may optionally have similar characteristics.
It should be noted herein that for clarity of description, spatially relative terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “upper,” “lower,” “on,” “above,” “over,” “downwardly,” “upwardly” and the like may be used throughout the disclosure while making reference to the features as illustrated in the drawings. The features may be oriented differently (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative terms used herein may be interpreted accordingly.
Referring to FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 , the first embodiment of the shelf device according to this disclosure includes four support units 2 extending in an up-down direction and respectively located at four corners, and a plurality of shelf units 3 spaced apart from each other in a top-bottom direction and assembled on the support units 2.
Referring to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 , each of the support units 2 includes two support members 21 connected to each other in a top-bottom direction, and a pin member 22 inserted into the support members 21.
Each support member 21 includes two plate body portions 23 extending in the top-bottom direction. The plate body portions 23 of each support member 21 extend perpendicularly to each other so that a cross-section of each support member 21 is L-shaped. Each of the plate body portions 23 is formed with a plurality of mounting holes 24 arranged in the top-bottom direction and spaced apart from each other. Each of the mounting holes 24 has a circular shape.
The upper one of the support members 21 of each of the support units 2 further includes two insert portions 25 spaced apart in the top-bottom direction and located on a concave side of a junction between the plate body portions 23 of the support member 21. Each insert portion 25 is L-shaped for extension of a pin member 22 therethrough in the top-bottom direction. The lower one of the support members 21 of each of the support units 2 further includes a stop portion 26 located on a concave side of a junction between the plate body portions 23 of the support member 21. The stop portion 26 of each of the support units 2 is spaced apart from and located below the insert portions 25 of the support unit 2, and has a closed bottom end to support one of the pin members 22.
An upper portion of each of the pin members 22 is inserted into the insert portions 25 of a corresponding one of the support members 21. A bottom portion of each of the pin members 22 is inserted into the stop portion 26 of a corresponding one of the support members 21 and is supported by the stop portion 26. The pin member 22 of each of the support units 2 is used to assemble the support members 21 of the support unit 2, and to prevent separation of the support members 21 from each other.
Referring to FIGS. 5, 6 and 8 , each of the shelf units 3 includes a shelf assembly 4, and a plurality of positioning members 5 and a plurality of insertion units 6 that cooperate with each other for the shelf assembly 4 to be disposed on the support units 2. In addition, because four corners of the shelf unit 3 are the same, only one of the corners is illustrated in FIG. 5 as a representative.
The shelf assembly 4 of each of the shelf units 3 includes a generally rectangular shelf plate 41 and a plurality of mounting members 42 cooperatively surrounding and supporting the shelf plate 41.
Each of the mounting members 42 is a bent metal plate formed with a support portion 43 (see FIG. 8 and auxiliarily refer to FIG. 7 ). The support portions 43 of the mounting members 42 cooperatively support the shelf plate 41. With particular reference to FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 , for each of the mounting members 42, each of left and right ends thereof is formed with an insertion hole set 44 that permits a respective one of the insertion units 6 to be inserted therein. Each of the insertion hole sets 44 includes two insertion hole edges 441. Each of the insertion hole edges 441 defines a circular insertion hole 442.
Each of the positioning members 5 includes a first sheet body 51 and a second sheet body 52 transverse to (specifically perpendicular to) one another. The first sheet body 51 extends in the top-bottom direction. The second sheet body 52 extends transversely from the first sheet body 51.
Each first sheet body 51 defines two positioning holes 511 spaced apart in the top-bottom direction. Each of the positioning holes 511 is gourd-shaped, and has a small hole area 512, and a large hole area 513 located below the small hole area 512, greater than the small hole area 512, and in communication with the small hole area 512. The second sheet body 52 of each of the positioning members 5 is connected to a top end of the first sheet bodies 51 of the positioning member 5.
Each of the insertion units 6 includes two insertion members 61. Each of the insertion members 61 includes an insertion portion 62, a head portion 63 spaced apart from the insertion portion 62, a neck portion 64 connected between the insertion portion 62 and the head portion 63, and a tail portion 65 connected to an end of the insertion portion 62 opposite to the neck portion 64.
The insertion portions 62 of each of the insertion members 61 is cylindrical, and is adapted to be inserted into one of the mounting holes 24 of one of the support members 21, so that an insertion outer width 621 (see FIG. 10 ) of the insertion portion 62 is substantially equal to a mounting aperture width 241 (see FIG. 9 ) of the one of the mounting holes 24. The insertion portions 62 of each of the insertion members 61 permits a respective one of the insertion hole edges 441 of one of the insertion hole sets 44 of one of the mounting members 42 to be sleeved thereon and is adapted to be inserted into the corresponding one of the insertion holes 442. As such, the insertion outer width 621 of the insertion portions 62 of each of the insertion members 61 is substantially equal to an insertion aperture width 443 of the corresponding one of the insertion holes 442 (see FIG. 9 ).
The head portion 63 of each of the insertion members 61 is substantially disk-shaped, is located forwardly of the first sheet body 51 of one of the positioning members 5 along an insertion direction (D11), is located forwardly of a one of the mounting holes 24 and a respective one of the positioning holes 511 along the insertion direction (D11), and is located forwardly of one of the plate body portions 23 of one of the support members 21 and one of the positioning members 5.
A head outer width 631 of the head portion 63 of each of the insertion members 61 is not greater than a mounting aperture width 241 of one of the mounting holes 24, and is not greater than an insertion aperture width 443 of a respective one of the insertion holes 442, so that each of the head portions 63 may extend through the one of the mounting holes 24 and the respective one of the insertion holes 442.
The head outer width 631 of the head portion 63 of each of the insertion members 61 is greater than a small aperture width 514 (see FIG. 9 ) of the small hole area 512 of the respective one of the positioning holes 511, but smaller than a large aperture width 515 of the large hole area 513 of the respective one of the positioning holes 511 (see FIG. 9 ). Thus, the head portion 63 of each of the insertion members 61 may pass through the large hole area 513 of the respective one of the positioning holes 511 and may not pass through the small hole area 512 of the respective one of the positioning holes 511.
The neck portions 64 of each of the insertion members 61 is cylindrical, and is inserted into the small hole area 512 of the respective one of the positioning holes 511. A neck outer width 641 of the neck portions 64 of each of the insertion members 6 is smaller than the head outer width 631 of the head portion 63 of the insertion member 61 and is smaller than the insertion outer width 621 of the insertion portions 62 of the insertion members 61.
The tail portion 65 of each of the insertion members 61 is located behind one of the mounting members 42 and one of the plate body portions 23 of one of the support member 21 along the insertion direction (D11). A tail outer width 651 (see FIG. 10 ) of the tail portion 65 of each of the insertion members 61 is greater than the insertion aperture width 443 of the respective one of the insertion holes 442, so that it may cooperate with the one of the plate body portions 23 of the one of the support units 2 to limit the respective one of the insertion hole edges 441 of the one of the mounting members 42 between the tail portion 65 and the one of the plate body portions 23. In one embodiment, the insertion portion 62 of each of the insertion members 61 of the insertion units 6 is fittingly inserted into the corresponding one of said mounting holes (24).
Referring to FIGS. 6, 8 and 9 , during assembly of the shelf device according to this disclosure, the support members 21 are first assembled together by the pin members 22. Then, the insertion holes 442 of each insertion hole set 44 of each mounting member 42 are aligned with the two adjacent ones of the mounting holes 24. Next, the insertion members 61 are inserted into the insertion holes 442 and the mounting holes 24, so that the mounting members 42 are mounted on the support members 21.
After the mounting members 42 are assembled, the large hole areas 513 of each positioning member 5 are respectively aligned with the head portions 63 of a respective one of the insertion units 6, and the head portions 63 of the insertion members 61 of each insertion unit 6 are moved through the large hole areas 513 so as to move the neck portions 64 of the insertion members 61 into the large hole areas 513. Next, the positioning members 5 are moved downwardly so that the neck portions 64 enter the small hole areas 512. As such, the positioning members 5 are sleeved on the neck portions 64 to complete the positioning process. Finally, the shelf plates 41 are mounted on the support portions 43 (see FIG. 6 ) of the mounting members 42 to complete the assembly.
Referring to FIGS. 5, 8 and 9 , after the assembly, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 , because the small aperture width 514 of each of the small hole areas 512 is smaller than the head outer width 631 of the head portion 63, each of the positioning members 5 is thus engaged between two of the head portions 63 and one of the plate body portions 23 of the support members 21. As such, the head portions 63 are prevented from passing through the mounting holes 24, and separation of the mounting members 42 from the support members 21 may be prevented. As such, the first embodiment may prevent separation of the shelf unit 3 from the support units 2.
Referring to FIGS. 11, 12, and 13 , a second embodiment of the shelf device according to this disclosure is similar to the first embodiment. However, each of the positioning members 5 is formed by folding a metal strip. Each of the positioning members 5 further includes a first bar portion 53 extending in an up-down direction and defining the positioning holes 511, and a second bar portion 54 extending horizontally to be transverse (specifically perpendicular) to the first bar portion 53.
In the second embodiment, since each of the positioning members is made of a metal strip and since metal allows for a slight deformation with elastic force, the positioning holes 511 of each positioning member 5 may have a slightly reduced size. As such, when each positioning member 5 is sleeved on the corresponding neck portions 64, because it is expanded by the neck portions 64, a spring force may be generated to squeeze the neck portions 64. That is to say, the positioning members 5 of the second embodiment may be elastically squeezed and clamped on to the neck portions 64. In comparison with the first embodiment, the positioning members 5 may not easily move relative to the insertion members 61, and thus are positioned relative to the insertion members 61 more stably.
Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15 , a third embodiment of the shelf device according to this disclosure is shown to be similar to the second embodiment, but differs from the second embodiment such that each of the positioning members 5 includes only one positioning hole 511. Each of the first bar portions 53 includes two first segments 531 cooperatively defining the positioning hole 511, two second segments 532 respectively extending downwardly from the first segments 531 in an extension direction (D12) and arranged side by side in a left-right direction, and two third segments 533 extending downwardly and inclinedly from the second segments 532 in the extension direction (D12). The third segments 533 of each positioning member 5 cooperate to define a U-shaped opening 534 that opens downwardly, and abut against a respective one of the neck portions 64.
In the third embodiment, although only one positioning hole 511 is formed in each of the positioning members 5, the third segments 533 of each positioning member 5 may still abut against the respective one of the neck portions 64 and are engaged between the one of the plate body portions 23 and the respective one of the head portions 63. The effect of preventing each of the head portions 63 from passing through the corresponding mounting holes 24 may be similarly generated. The characteristics of the third embodiment reside in that each of the positioning members 5 only needs to be aligned with one of the positioning holes 511 during assembly thereof, so that it is easier to assemble.
In summary, the effect of the shelf device of this disclosure resides in that each of the positioning members 5 is configured to prevent the corresponding head portions 63 to move through the corresponding mounting holes 24. Thus, accidental escaping of each of the insertion members 61 from the corresponding mounting hole 24 may be avoided, thereby reducing the risk of disassembly of the shelf units 3 and the support units 2, and safety is enhanced.
In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiment(s). It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number and so forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be further appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of various inventive aspects; such does not mean that every one of these features needs to be practiced with the presence of all the other features. In other words, in any described embodiment, when implementation of one or more features or specific details does not affect implementation of another one or more features or specific details, said one or more features may be singled out and practiced alone without said another one or more features or specific details. It should be further noted that one or more features or specific details from one embodiment may be practiced together with one or more features or specific details from another embodiment, where appropriate, in the practice of the disclosure.
While the disclosure has been described in connection with what is (are) considered the exemplary embodiment(s), it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment(s) but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A shelf device comprising:

a plurality of support units, each of said support units extending in a top-bottom direction, and including a plurality of mounting holes that are arranged and spaced apart from each other in the top-bottom direction; and

a plurality of shelf units, each of said shelf units including a plurality of insertion units and a plurality of positioning members that are cooperatively mounted to said support units, each of said insertion units including at least one insertion member inserted into a corresponding one of said mounting holes, said insertion member of each of said insertion units including an insertion portion that is inserted into the corresponding one of said mounting holes, a head portion that is spaced apart from said insertion portion, and a neck portion that is connected between said insertion portion and said head portion and that is located outside the corresponding one of said mounting holes, each of said positioning members being sleeved on said neck portion of said insertion member of a respective one of said insertion units, and abutting against said head portions of said insertion member of the respective one of said insertion units and one of said support units to prevent said head portion of said insertion member from passing through the corresponding one of said mounting holes.

2. The shelf device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a head outer width of said head portions of said insertion member of each of said insertion units is not greater than a mounting aperture width of the corresponding one of said mounting holes.

3. The shelf device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said shelf units includes a shelf plate, and a plurality of mounting members cooperatively supporting said shelf plate, each of said mounting members including a plurality of insertion hole edges, each of said insertion hole edges surrounding and defining an insertion hole, each of said insertion holes defined by said insertion hole edges permitting insertion of said insertion portion of one of said insertion members of said insertion units, each of said insertion hole edges being sleeved on said insertion portions of the one of said insertion members.

4. The shelf device as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said insertion members further includes a tail portion connected to one end of said insertion portion thereof opposite to said neck portion thereof, a tail outer width of said tail portion being greater than an insertion aperture width of the corresponding one of said insertion holes, and being unable to pass through the corresponding one of said insertion holes, said tail portion of each of said insertion members cooperating with one of said support units to limit a corresponding one of said insertion hole edges between said tail portion and the one of said support units.

5. The shelf device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said positioning members includes at least one positioning hole, said positioning hole of each of said positioning members including a small hole area for insertion of said neck portion of one of said insertion members, and a large hole area communicating with said small hole area, a small aperture width of said small hole area of each of said positioning members being smaller than a head outer width of said head portion of the one of said insertion members, a large aperture width of said large hole area of each of said positioning members being not smaller than said head outer width of said head portion of the one of said insertion members.

6. The shelf device as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of said insertion units includes two insertion members spaced apart from each other, each of said positioning members including two of said positioning holes, said positioning holes of each of said positioning members being adapted to receive said insertion members of a respective one of said insertion units.

7. The shelf device as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of said positioning members includes a first sheet body defining said at least one positioning hole, and a second sheet body transverse to said first sheet body.

8. The shelf device as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of said positioning members is configured as a folded metal strip, and includes a first bar portion defining said at least one positioning hole, and a second bar portion transverse to said first bar portion.

9. The shelf device as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of said insertion units includes two insertion members spaced apart from each other, each of said positioning members including one of said positioning hole, and being mounted to one of said insertion members of a respective one of said insertion units, said small hole area of said positioning hole of each of said positioning members being adapted to respectively receive said neck portion of the one of said insertion members of the respective one of said insertion units, each of said positioning members being configured as a folded metal strip, and including two first segments that cooperatively define said positioning hole, two second segments that respectively extend from said first segments along an extension direction and that are arranged side by side in a left-right direction, and two third segments that respectively extend from said second segments and that extend away from each other, said third segments of each of said positioning members abutting against said neck portion of another one of said insertion members of the respective one of said insertion units, and cooperatively defining an opening for retaining said neck portion of the another one of said insertion members of the respective one of said insertion units.

10. The shelf device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said opening is U-shaped.

11. The shelf device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said mounting holes has a circular shape, said insertion portion of said insertion member of each of said insertion units fittingly inserted into the corresponding one of said mounting holes.