WO1990011704A1

WO1990011704A1 - A variable storage/display support system

Info

Publication number: WO1990011704A1
Application number: PCT/GB1990/000495
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Frisby
Original assignee: John Frisby
Priority date: 1989-04-03
Filing date: 1990-04-03
Publication date: 1990-10-18
Also published as: CA2013598A1; GB8907430D0; AU5348590A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a variable storage/display support system comprising a strut (1), an arm (2) and a mounting member (3) wherein the mounting member is connected between one end of the arm (2) and one end of the strut (1) and wherein the free end of the arm (2) and the free end of the strut (1) are interconnectable at not less than two alternative positions.

Description

A Variable Storage/Display Support System

The present invention relates to a variable storage/display support system which can be used to support shelving for example.

Various forms of support systems are already in existence. However, a bracket support system has not yet been proposed which can be extended in length and which is adjustable so that the angle of the bracket with respect to a given vertical surface can be altered. Nor has a bracket support system been proposed which can be fixed either directly to a vertical surface or located on a ladder support system.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple variable storage/display system having versatile utility requiring few adjustments, especially avoiding any to a fixing thereof to a support, to adapt it to a variety of purposes.

Accordingly, there is provided by this invention a variable storage/display support system having a bracket comprising an arm, a strut and a mounting member, wherein the mounting member is connected between one end of the arm and one end of the strut and wherein the free end of the arm and the free end of the strut are interconnectable at not less than two alternative positions. This has the advantage that without changing in any way the fixing of the bracket to a vertical surface or upright support such as a slotted ladder column (hereinafter ladder) the arm and strut can be arranged at different angles of inclination to the mounting member. The mounting member may take a variety of forms and may be adapted to fit any known commercially available "ladder" or a suitable arrangement such as that specifically described hereinafter may be used. Use of a ladder is optional and is determined by the intended use. In many instances it will be sufficient to use conventional fasteners such as screws, nails bolts etc. penetrating the mounting member and the abutting surface to provide the requisite support for the bracket. 11704 ₂

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the arm and strut are hinged to the mounting member. It is further preferred that both the arm and strut are separately hinged to the mounting member and the hinged strut can interconnect with the hinged arm at one or more different angles of inclination to the mounting member.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention the arm is extendible. This facilitates rapid inter- changability of support surfaces which has particular advantages where articles on display at exhibitions or on sale at a retail outlet may have to be moved from one area to another. It will be appreciated that in this case little more than the articles themselves have to be removed. There is no need to physically dismantle, relocate or remove substantial amounts of display equipment. A shelf or tray etc. as required of differing size may readily be substituted for the previous display surface without radical change to the support system itself. Only the length of the support arm need be altered. A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a variable support system when attached to a ladder system and carrying shelving;

Figure 2 is a partial side view of one embodiment of the variable support system at two angles of inclination to a surface and in a position where the strut and arm are disconnected; Figure 3a is a view taken through section A-A of the arm attachment in Figure 1;

Figure 3b is a view taken through section B-B of the arm attachment in Figure l;

Figure 4a is a view taken through section A-A of the arm in Figure 1;

Figure 4b is a view taken through section B-B of the arm and the strut in Figure 1; ₃

Figures 5a and 5b are views taken through section A-A of Figure 1 and in direction B-B in Figure 1 respectively of a mounting member having a plate form;

Figure 6a is a view taken through section A-A of the strut in Figure 1;

Figure 6b is a plan view of the strut in Figure 1; Figure 7 illustrates a flexible display area formed by a variable support system according to one aspect of the present invention; Figure 8 is a perspective view of a variable support system according to one aspect of the present invention; and Figure 9 illustrates on an enlarged scale a perspective view of a column support (ladder) usable for either system as shown in Figures 7 and 8. In Figure 1 the system comprises a strut 1, an arm 2 and a mounting member which, in this embodiment but not necessarily all, is in the form of a plate member 3. The plate member 3 is connected between one end of the arm 2 and one end of the strut 1. The arm 2 and strut 1 are both hinge to the plate member 3 which is located on an upright column, which in this case, has the form of a ladder system 10. The arm 2 can be extended by a slidable arm attachment 4.

The arm 2 is provided at its free end with a number of recesses 6 which are shown in dashed lines in Figure 1. The stepped end 7 of the strut 1 can be located in one of the recesses 6. The arm 2 is also provided with location slots 9 and the slidable arm attachment 4 has a depending lip 8 which hooks into a slot 9 and which secures the arm attachment 4 to give the desired extension of support. The position of shelving 11 and/or rail 12 which could b supported by the system can be seen in dashed lines. The arm attachment is also provided with a tab 20 which can prevent the shelving 11 from slipping and/or which can be used as a means to hook a rail 12 onto the arm attachment 4. The rail can be used to hang various articles from the support system. In Figure 1 the system is attached to the ladder system 10 by plate member 3 which is provided with hooked portions 1 which slot into holes 18 on the ladder system 10. In Figure 2 the variable support system is fixed to a vertical surface 5. The arm 2 is shown in a first horizontal position and in a second position at an angle below the horizontal. In a third position the strut 1 and the arm 2 are disconnected. The stepped end 7 of strut l can be clearly seen and is located in one recess 6a when the arm 2 is horizontal and in a second recess 6b when the arm is below the horizontal. The details of the slidable arm attachment 4 and location slots 9 in the arm 2 are not shown. Figure 3a shows details of the arm attachment 4 provided with a depending lip 8 which hooks into one of the location slots 9 in arm 2. The arm attachment 4 is also provided with a tab 20 which prevents the shelving from sliding and onto which a rail 12 can be hooked. Figure 3b shows that in cross-section the arm attachment 4 is substantially an inverted U-shape.

Figure 4a shows details of the arm 2 with recesses 6 and location slots 9.

Figure 4b shows channels 15 in the arm 2 in which the arm attachment 4 can slide. It is also possible to see that the arm 2 has flanged sides 16. The strut 1 is provided with side projections 14 at the stepped end 7 (see Figures 6a and 6b) which will slip under the flanged sides 16 at the same time as the central projection 13 of the stepped end 7 is located in a recess 6. The side projections 14 give additional support to the underside of arm 2.

In Figure 5a hooks 17 of the plate member 3 can be seen. Elevation Figure 5b shows that the plate member 3 can be fixed either directly to a vertical surface (as in Figure 2) or to a ladder system 10 (as in Figure 1) . The hooks 17 can slot into correspondingly shaped holes 18 in the ladder system 10 (see Figure l) . Alternatively, the plate member 3 can be secured to a vertical surface 5 by inserting screws, for example, through holes 19 in the plate. In Figures 6a and 6b the stepped end 7 of the strut 1 can be seen. There is a central projection 13 which secures the strut 1 in a recess 6 and side projections 14 which slip under the flanged sides 16 to serve as additional support to the arm.

The embodiment of the invention as depicted in Figs. 1-6 is particularly advantageous in that the angle of support can be varied only by firstly rotating the arm 2 away from strut 1 to release the tip 13 of the central projection of the strut and then relocating the central projection 13 of the strut in a different recess 6. In this way, it is ensured that the arm 2 will not be displaced by a slight jolting of the support system.

Various forms of recess and correspondingly shaped tips for the strut would be suitable for the present invention.

Various forms of upright support including ladder systems can be used with the storage/display support system. The ladder systems may be free standing, mobile, or fixed to various vertical surfaces as depicted in Figs 7 and 8.

In use of a storage/display system according to one aspect of the present invention, a ladder system 10 may be fixed to a wall or vertical surface 5 and a plurality of shelving units 11 may be attached to the ladder system 10 in the manner described above. The arm 2 and strut l are then selectively engageable to provide a versatile shelving system 11 which allows the user to choose the most effective display for the particular items to be stored, or displayed on, the shelving system. It is thought that such a shelving system as described would find particular application in supermarkets, exhibitions, showrooms, offices, public buildings such as hospitals, airports, museums and domestic uses in the home.

Alternatively, a display area may be created such as tha shown in Figure 7, wherein the shelving 11 may be mounted on screen 5, for a flexible, high quality display for particular use in places where the available floor space is minimal. Such a display would find particular application in libraries, banks, showrooms or hotels where the display can be selectively positioned to make best use of the available floo space and to be highly visible to a maximum amount of people. In a further application of a shelving unit according to the present invention, the bracket support system can be configured around columns 30 of substantially square cross- section, preferably of the slotted, ladder-type system (see Figure 9) to provide an upright support for a floor-to-ceiling storage unit as shown in Figure 8. Such a storage unit would find particular application in buildings such as supermarkets, shops, showrooms, offices, garden sheds, greenhouses or conservatories where wall space is minimal or the walls of the building would not suitable for supporting a wall-mounted storage unit such as those described above.

Claims

1. A variable storage/display support system having a bracket comprising an arm, a strut and a mounting member,

5 wherein the mounting member is connected between one end of the arm and one end of the strut and wherein the free end of the arm and the free end of the strut are interconnectable at not less than two alternative positions.

2. A variable support system as claimed in claim 1 wherein 10., .the arm and strut are hinged to the mounting member.

3. A variable support system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the hinged strut and the hinged arm interconnect at one or more different angles of inclination to the mounting member.

4. A variable support system as claimed in any preceding 15 claim wherein the arm has one or more recesses along its length and the free end of the strut is shaped at the tip to be located in a recess.

5. A variable support system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the strut is stepped at the tip and can be located in a

20 correspondingly shaped recess.

6. A variable support system as claimed in either of claims 4 or 5 wherein the tip of the strut is also provided with sid projections to give additional support to the arm.

7. A variable support system as claimed in any preceding 25 claim wherein the arm is extendible.

8. A variable support system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the arm is provided with a slidable arm attachment.

9. A variable support system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the arm attachment is substantially an inverted U-shape and

30 the arm is provided with channels in which the arm attachment can slide.

10. A variable support system as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the arm is provided with location slots and the ar attachment is provided with a depending lip which fits into a

35 slot to give the desired extension of support.

11. A variable support system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the mounting member is fixable to a vertical surface or to a ladder system. /11704

12. A variable support system as claimed in any of claims 2 to 11 wherein the mounting member is fixable to a vertical surface or ladder system and by adjustment of the interconnection between the arm and the strut, the arm can rest at one or more different angles of inclination to the vertical surface.

13. A variable support system substantially as herein described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.