U.S. patent application number 10/772793 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-11 for method of mounting differently configured shelving accessories to a shelf.
This patent application is currently assigned to Spacesaver Corporation. Invention is credited to Narkis, Lawrence A., Punzel, William H., Steinbrecher, Jerry P..
Application Number | 20040221772 10/772793 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25152652 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040221772 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Narkis, Lawrence A. ; et
al. |
November 11, 2004 |
Method of mounting differently configured shelving accessories to a
shelf
Abstract
A shelf includes a slot or opening configuration for use in
mounting different types of shelf accessories to the shelf. The
slot or opening configuration includes an enlarged primary or
central section and a pair of secondary or end sections extending
in opposite directions from the primary section. The primary
section of the opening receives an axially-extending mounting
member associated with a shelf accessory, such as a fastener for
mounting a bin divider or the mounting portion of a rod-type shelf
divider. The secondary sections of the opening have a width less
than the diameter of the fastener or mounting portion, so as to
maintain the fastener or mounting portion within the primary area
of the opening. A shelf accessory with a tab-type mounting
arrangement, such as an upright shelf divider, is mounted to the
shelf by positioning the tabs within the aligned secondary sections
of the opening, and the tabs extend into and across the primary
section. The slot or opening configuration is formed in place of
conventional separate elongated slots and circular openings, which
creates manufacturing and inventory efficiencies in reducing the
overall numbers of different shelves to be manufactured and carried
in inventory.
Inventors: |
Narkis, Lawrence A.; (Fort
Atkinson, WI) ; Steinbrecher, Jerry P.; (Milton,
WI) ; Punzel, William H.; (Fort Atkinson,
WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ANDREW S. McCONNELL
Boyle, Fredrickson, Newholm, Stein & Gratz, S.C.
Suite 1030
250 East Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee
WI
53202
US
|
Assignee: |
Spacesaver Corporation
|
Family ID: |
25152652 |
Appl. No.: |
10/772793 |
Filed: |
February 5, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10772793 |
Feb 5, 2004 |
|
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09791087 |
Feb 22, 2001 |
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6705477 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
108/60 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F 5/005 20130101;
A47B 57/588 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
108/060 |
International
Class: |
A47B 057/00 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A shelf to which different accessories are adapted to be
mounted, wherein each accessory has a different mounting
arrangement, comprising: a support surface; and at least one row of
aligned openings formed in the support surface, wherein at least
one of the openings includes a central area and a pair of aligned
end areas extending in opposite directions from the central area;
wherein a first shelf accessory with a tab-type mounting
arrangement is mounted to the shelf by positioning a tab member
associated with the first shelf accessory within the central area
and at least one of the end areas of the opening, and wherein a
second shelf accessory with an axially-extending mounting member is
mounted to the shelf by placing the axially extending mounting
member through the central area of the opening, wherein the end
areas of the opening are sized so as to engage the axially
extending mounting member and to maintain the axially extending
mounting member within the central area of the opening.
2. The shelf of claim 1, wherein the central area of the opening
comprises a pair of arcuate edges extending in opposite directions
from facing inner portions of the pair of aligned end areas.
3. The shelf of claim 1, wherein the tab member is configured such
that a first portion of the tab member is received within a first
one of the pair of aligned end areas and a second portion of the
tab member is positioned within a second one of the aligned end
areas.
4. The shelf of claim 3, wherein the tab member further includes an
intermediate portion located between the first and second portions
and disposed within the central area of the opening.
5. The shelf of claim 1, wherein the second shelf accessory
comprises an upstanding shelf divider having a lower end defining a
mounting structure, and wherein the axially-extending mounting
member comprises a fastener engageable with the mounting structure
and received within the central area of the opening.
6. The shelf of claim 1, wherein the second shelf accessory
comprises a rod-like member having an axially extending mounting
portion adapted to be received within the central area of the
opening.
7. The shelf of claim 1, wherein a plurality of rows of aligned
openings are formed in the support surface, and wherein each
opening in each row of openings includes a central area and a pair
of end areas extending in opposite directions from the central
area.
8. A slot configuration for at least one slot formed in a support
surface of a shelf, comprising a primary open area and a pair of
aligned secondary open areas extending in opposite directions from
the primary open area, wherein each secondary open area defines a
transverse dimension less than that of the primary open area,
wherein a first shelf accessory with a tab-type mounting
arrangement is mounted to the shelf by positioning a tab member
associated with the first shelf accessory within the primary open
area and at least one of the secondary open areas, and wherein a
second shelf accessory with an axially extending mounting
arrangement is mounted to the shelf by placing an axially extending
mounting member associated with the second shelf accessory through
the primary open area, wherein each secondary open area defines a
transverse dimension less than the axially extending mounting
member so as to maintain the axially extending mounting member
within the primary open area.
9. The slot configuration of claim 8, wherein the transverse
dimension of each of the secondary open areas is substantially
equal.
10. The slot configuration of claim 8, wherein the secondary open
areas define facing, aligned inner ends between which the primary
open area is located.
11. The slot configuration of claim 10, wherein the primary open
area is defined by a pair of oppositely directed arcuate edges
located between the facing inner ends of the secondary open
areas.
12. The slot configuration of claim 8, wherein the tab member and
the secondary open areas are sized and configured such that a
portion of the tab member resides in both of the secondary open
areas and extends across the primary open area.
13. A method of mounting first and second shelf accessories to a
shelf, wherein the first shelf accessory includes a mounting
arrangement including at least one tab and where the second shelf
accessory includes a mounting arrangement including axially
extending mounting structure, comprising the steps of: forming an
opening in the shelf, wherein the opening includes a first open
area and at least one second open area extending from the first
open area, wherein the second open area has a transverse dimension
less than that of the first open area; and mounting one of the
first and second shelf accessories to the shelf, wherein the step
of mounting the first shelf accessory to the shelf is carried out
by placing the tab into both the first and second open areas of the
opening, and wherein the step of mounting the second shelf
accessory to the shelf is carried out by placing the axially
extending mounting member within the first open area, wherein the
second open area defines a transverse dimension less than that of
the axially extending mounting member to maintain the axially
extending mounting member within the first open area.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of forming the opening
in the shelf is carried out by forming the opening with the first
open area and a pair of second open areas extending in opposite
directions from the first open area, wherein each of the second
open areas has a transverse dimension less than that of the first
open area.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of forming the first
open area in the shelf is carried out by forming a pair of
oppositely directed arcuate edges between the pair of second open
areas.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of forming the opening
in the shelf comprises forming a series of aligned openings in the
shelf, wherein the aligned openings form a row of openings and
wherein each opening in the row of openings is formed so as to
define the first and second open areas.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of forming the opening
in the shelf is carried out by forming the opening with a pair of
open areas extending in opposite directions from the first open
area, and wherein the step of placing the tab into both the first
and second open areas is carried out by placing the tab such that a
portion of the tab is received within each of the pair of second
open areas and wherein a portion of the tab therebetween is
received within the first open area.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein the second shelf accessory
comprises a shelf divider having mounting structure located toward
a lower end thereof, and wherein the step of mounting the second
shelf accessory to the shelf is carried out by placing the mounting
structure over the opening and passing a fastener through the first
open area of the opening and through an aligned opening formed in
the mounting structure.
19. The method of claim 13, wherein the second shelf accessory
comprises a rod-type shelf divider having a mounting portion
adapted for engagement with the shelf, wherein the mounting portion
of the rod-type shelf divider is received within the first open
area for maintaining the rod-type shelf divider in position
relative to the shelf.
20. In a shelf to which first and second shelf accessories are
adapted to be mounted, wherein the first shelf accessory includes a
tab-type mounting structure having at least one downwardly
extending tab, and wherein the second shelf accessory includes a
mounting arrangement including an axially-extending mounting
member, the improvement comprising at least one opening formed in
the shelf, wherein the opening includes a first area and a second
area extending from the first area, wherein the first area defines
a transverse dimension greater than the second area and wherein the
axially extending member of the second shelf accessory is adapted
to be received within the first area of the opening, wherein the
second area of the opening has a transverse dimension less than
that of the axially-extending mounting member to maintain the
axially-extending mounting member within the first area of the
opening, and wherein the downwardly extending tab of the first
shelf accessory is adapted to be received within the first area of
the opening and within the second area of the opening to mount the
first shelf accessory to the shelf.
21. The improvement of claim 20, wherein the opening includes a
pair of second areas extending from the first area, wherein the
pair of second areas are aligned with each other.
22. The improvement of claim 21, wherein the downwardly extending
tab of the first shelf accessory is received within portions of
both a first and a second one of the pair of second areas and
extends across the first area.
23. The improvement of claim 20, wherein the axially-extending
mounting member of the second shelf accessory comprises a fastener
which extends through the first area of the opening into engagement
with mounting structure associated with the second shelf accessory
and engaged with the shelf.
24. The improvement of claim 20, wherein the axially-extending
mounting member of the second shelf accessory comprises an
axially-extending mounting portion associated with a rod-type shelf
divider.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a shelf, and more particularly to
an arrangement for mounting differently configured shelf
accessories to a shelf.
[0002] It is known to provide a shelf with rows of aligned slots,
which are adapted to receive mounting tabs formed on a shelf
divider for mounting the shelf divider to the shelf. In a typical
embodiment, two rows of slots are formed in the shelf, and the
shelf divider includes a pair of mounting tabs. The tabs can be
engaged with selected ones of the slots, so as to enable the
divider to be mounted in any desired location along the length of
the shelf.
[0003] It is also known to form a series of aligned holes in a
shelf for use in mounting other types of shelf accessories to the
shelf. The aligned holes are adapted to receive fasteners for
mounting shelving accessories such as bin dividers to the shelf in
various locations along the length of the shelf. The holes can also
be used to receive rod-type shelf dividers which are used in
certain applications.
[0004] These types of shelf accessory mounting arrangements
function satisfactorily to mount shelf accessories to shelves.
However, the different types of shelf accessory mounting
configurations, i.e. slot-type and hole-type, have been
manufactured, ordered and inventoried separately from each other,
which requires different manufacturing, ordering and inventory
operations. This can be burdensome and inefficient for
manufacturers, distributors and customers of shelving, especially
when large volumes are involved.
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a shelf
having a slot or opening configuration which is adapted to mount
shelving accessories with different mounting configurations. It is
a further object of the invention to provide a slot or opening
configuration for a shelf which is shaped so as to provide
engagement with two of the most commonly employed types of mounting
arrangements for shelving accessories. A further object of the
invention is to provide such a slot or opening configuration which
can be formed in a shelf without detracting from the overall
appearance or operability of the shelf. Yet another object of the
invention is to provide such a slot or opening configuration which
can be formed with tooling similar to that commonly employed for
forming commonly shaped shelf slots or openings. Yet another object
of the invention is to provide such a slot or opening configuration
which is relatively simple in its shape and construction, yet which
provides highly satisfactory operation in mounting shelf
accessories having differently configured mounting structure to the
shelf.
[0006] In accordance with the invention, a shelf includes a support
surface and at least one slot or opening formed in the support
surface. The opening includes a primary or central area and one or
more secondary or end areas extending from the primary area. The
primary area has a transverse dimension greater than the transverse
dimension of each secondary area. In a preferred form, a pair of
secondary areas extend in opposite directions from the primary
area. A first shelf accessory includes a tab-type mounting
arrangement which includes at least one downwardly extending tab
member. The first shelf accessory is mounted to the shelf by
positioning the tab member within the opening such that the tab
member is received within at least one of the secondary areas of
the opening. In one form, the tab member and the opening are
configured such that a portion of the tab member resides in a first
one of the secondary areas, and the tab member extends across the
primary area of the opening and into a second one of the secondary
areas of the opening. The tab member has a width slightly less than
that of the secondary areas of the opening, such that engagement of
the tab member within the opening functions to mount the first
shelf accessory to the shelf and to maintain the first shelf
accessory in an upright attitude.
[0007] A second shelf accessory includes an axially-extending
mounting member. In one form, the axially-extending mounting member
may be a fastener separate from the shelf accessory and adapted to
engage an opening in mounting structure, such as a bottom flange,
associated with the second shelf accessory. In another form, the
second shelf accessory may be a rod-type shelf divider having an
axially extending mounting portion. In either case, the
axially-extending mounting member is mounted to the shelf by
placing the axially extending mounting member into and through the
primary area of the opening. The one or more secondary areas of the
opening have a transverse dimension less than that of the
axially-extending mounting member, so as to maintain the
axially-extending mounting member within the primary area of the
opening.
[0008] In one form, the opening defines a pair of secondary areas
which extend in opposite directions from the primary area and are
aligned with each other. The secondary areas of the opening define
facing inner ends between which the primary opening is located. The
primary opening may be defined by a pair of oppositely directed
edges extending between and interconnecting the facing inner ends
of the secondary areas.
[0009] The shelf may be formed with a series of similarly
configured openings extending in one or more rows along the length
of the shelf. With this construction, the shelf accessories can be
mounted to the shelf at various locations along the length of the
shelf.
[0010] The invention also contemplates a method of mounting shelf
accessories having differently configured mounting arrangements to
a shelf, as well as an improvement in an opening formed in a shelf,
substantially in accordance with the foregoing summary.
[0011] Various other features, objects and advantages of the
invention will be made apparent from the following description
taken together with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated
of carrying out the invention.
[0013] In the drawings:
[0014] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of shelf assembly having shelves
incorporating the multi-function slot configuration of the present
invention for mounting shelf accessories with differently
configured mounting structures;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a partial exploded isometric view showing a
portion of the shelf assembly of FIG. 1 and different shelf
accessories adapted for engagement with the shelves;
[0016] FIGS. 3a and 3b are partial plan views illustrating the
configuration of openings formed in the shelves incorporated in the
shelf assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a partial section view taken along line 4-4 of
FIG. 1, illustrating the manner in which a shelf accessory with a
fastener-type mounting arrangement is secured to the shelf;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a partial section view taken along line 5-5 of
FIG. 1, showing the manner in which a rod-type shelf divider is
mounted to the shelves;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a partial section view taken along line 6-6, with
reference to both FIGS. 4 and 5;
[0020] FIG. 7 is a partial section view taken along line 7-7 of
FIG. 1, showing the manner in which a shelf accessory with a
tab-type mounting arrangement is mounted to the shelf; and
[0021] FIG. 8 is a partial section view taken along line 8-8 of
FIG. 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a shelf assembly 10 constructed
according to the invention generally includes a series of corner
posts 12 extending upwardly from a base 14 and interconnected at
their upper ends with a top panel 16. A shelf 18 is mounted above
base 14, and a series of similarly configured shelves 18 are
engaged with corner posts 12. The general construction of shelf
assembly 10 is known in the art, and shelf assemblies of this type
are available from Spacesaver Corporation of Fort Atkinson, Wis.,
designated as four-post or case-type shelving. In a manner as is
known, shelves 18 can be engaged with corner posts 12 at various
locations, to vary the shelf height according to user
requirements.
[0023] A variety of shelf accessories are adapted for use in
combination with shelf assembly 10. Such accessories include
upright file dividers 20, rod-type file dividers 22, and bin
dividers 24. Again, these types of shelf accessories are common and
well-known, and are representative of a variety of types of shelf
accessories which can be used in combination with shelf assembly
10.
[0024] In a known manner, each upright file divider 20 includes a
lower edge 26 engageable with the upwardly facing surface of shelf
18, a depending rear retainer tab 28 and a depending front locking
tab 30. Also in a known manner, each rod-type file divider 22
includes a bent upper retainer section 32 and a lower, axially
extending mounting portion 34 which is coaxial with the area of
rod-type file divider 22 between retainer section 32 and mounting
portion 34. Each bin divider 24 includes a lower mounting flange 36
within which a pair of openings 38 are formed. A pair of fasteners
40, such as threaded screws, are adapted to extend through openings
38, and a pair of nuts 42 are engageable with fasteners 40. Other
shelf accessories are engageable with shelves 38, such as a center
support 44 adapted to secure sliding supports or the like, and/or a
double entry center stop 46, which are engageable with a shelf 18
by fasteners such as 40 and nuts such as 42. Center support 44 and
double entry center stop 46 are representative of other types of
shelf accessories which can be mounted to shelf assembly 10.
[0025] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each shelf 18 includes a series
of slots or openings 50 for use in mounting shelf accessories, such
as upright file dividers 20, rod-type file dividers 22, bin
dividers 24, center support 44 and center stop 46, to each shelf
18. As shown, openings 50 are formed in aligned rows in the
upwardly facing support surface of each shelf 18, and openings 50
in each row are identically configured. It is understood, however,
that various arrangements of openings 50 are contemplated as being
within the scope of the present invention, and that openings 50
need not necessarily be arranged in rows on shelves 18 and each
opening need not have the configuration of openings 50. For
example, openings 50 may be used in combination with conventional
slot-type or circular-type openings, or may be formed such that
openings 50 are arranged in one row but not all rows of openings in
shelf 18. Further, the openings in shelves 18 may be formed such
that only certain ones of the openings have the configuration of
openings 50. In a manner to be explained, openings 50 are
configured so as to accommodate the different mounting arrangements
for the shelf accessories described above, for mounting different
shelf accessories to shelf 18 using the same opening structure.
[0026] FIGS. 3a and 3b illustrate the configuration of openings 50.
Referring to FIG. 3a, each opening 50 includes a primary or central
area or section 52 and a pair of secondary or end areas or sections
54 extending in opposite directions from primary or central area or
section 52.
[0027] Each secondary area 54 is defined by a pair of parallel
linear side edges 56 with an arcuate end edge 58 extending between
and interconnecting the outer ends of side edges 56. The inner ends
of secondary areas 54 face each other, and primary area 52 is
located between and interconnects the facing inner ends of
secondary areas 54. Primary area 52 is defined by a pair of
oppositely directed arcuate edges 60, each of which extends between
one set of aligned secondary area side edges 56. With this
construction, each secondary area 54 has a transverse dimension
less than that of primary area 52.
[0028] FIG. 3b illustrates an alternative slot or opening 50',
which has a configuration like that of slot or opening 50 with the
exception that end edge 58', which extends between side edges 56',
is squared off such that end edge 58' extends perpendicularly to
side edges 56' throughout a majority of the length of end edge 58'.
It has been found that the configuration of slots or openings 50
provides somewhat less stress on the tooling utilized to form
opening 50 than is the case with opening 50'. However, either
opening configuration has been found to be satisfactory in
operation.
[0029] Opening 50 is shown with two secondary areas 54 extending in
opposite directions from primary area 52. It should be understood,
however, that opening 50 could be formed so that primary area 52 is
closed at one end and only a single one of secondary areas 54
extends from primary area 52. In forming the opening in this
manner, secondary area 54 would have a length slightly greater than
that illustrated with respect to secondary areas 54 as shown.
[0030] In operation, openings 50 function to mount shelf
accessories to shelves 18 in the following manner.
[0031] Referring to FIG. 4, bin divider 24 is placed between a pair
of shelves 18 such that the lower mounting flange 36 of bin divider
24 engages the upwardly facing support surface of a lower one of
shelves 18 and an upper mounting flange, shown at 62, is positioned
adjacent the downwardly facing surface of an upper one of shelves
18. Flange openings 38 are positioned in alignment with selected
openings 50 in lower shelf 18, according to the desired position of
bin divider 24. Similar openings in upper mounting flange 62 are
positioned in alignment with matching ones of openings 50 formed in
upper shelf 18. Screws 40 are then inserted through the flange
openings, such as 38, and nuts 42 are engaged with the threaded
shanks of screws 40. Referring to FIG. 6, primary area 52 of
opening 50 is sized and shaped so as to receive the threaded shank
of screw 40, and secondary areas 54 have a transverse dimension
less than that of the shank of screw 40 so as to maintain screw 40
within primary area 52.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 5, rod-type shelf dividers 22 are engaged
with upper and lower shelves 18 in a similar manner. The upper
portion of rod-type shelf divider 22 extends through opening 50
formed in the upper shelf 18, and the lower mounting portion 34 of
rod-type shelf divider 22 is received within opening 50 in the
lower shelf 18. Rod-type shelf divider 22 has a diameter similar to
that of the threaded shank of screw 40 with respect to FIGS. 4 and
6, such that the diameter of rod-type shelf divider 22 is greater
than the width of opening secondary areas 54. In this manner, the
mounting areas of rod-type shelf divider 22, such as mounting
portion 34, are maintained within the primary areas 52 of openings
50, to fix rod-type shelf dividers 22 in position relative to
shelves 18.
[0033] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, upright shelf divider 20 is
engageable with a lower one of shelves 18 by positioning rear
retainer tab 28 and front locking tab 30 in a selected aligned pair
of openings 50, and at desired location along the length of shelf
18. Tabs 28, 30 are positioned in openings 50 such that tabs 28, 30
extend into both of secondary areas 54 and through primary area 52.
Divider 20 is then pulled forwardly in a conventional manner, such
that the forward locking ear provided on locking tab 30 is
positioned below the area of shelf 18 located forwardly of end edge
58 of the forward one of secondary areas 54, to lock shelf divider
20 to shelf 18 in a known manner. As shown in FIG. 8, a portion of
tab 30 resides within the forward one of secondary areas 54, and
tab 30 extends across primary opening area 52 and into the rear one
of secondary opening areas 54. In this manner, tabs 28, 30 are
positioned within the opening secondary areas 54, and the
tolerances between the side surfaces of tabs 28, 30 and the side
edges 56 of secondary areas 54 are such as to maintain shelf
divider 20 in an upright position, in a manner as is known.
[0034] It should be understood that one of secondary areas 54 could
be lengthened and the other secondary area 54 could be eliminated,
and that tabs 28, 30 could be mounted to shelf 18 in the same
manner as described previously while providing adequate support for
upright shelf divider 20. The lengthening of one of secondary areas
54 provides sufficient engagement with the side surfaces of tabs
28, 30 to support upright shelf divider 20, and the rear end
portions of tabs 28, 30 simply extend into primary area 52 or are
wholly received within the elongated one of secondary areas 54.
[0035] It can thus be appreciated that the unique configuration of
openings 50 enables shelving accessories with different types of
mounting arrangements to be engaged with shelf 18, without
modification to the mounting structure of the shelf accessory.
Openings 50 are formed in place of conventional slot-type and
hole-type openings, which are typically employed to mount shelving
accessories with different types of mounting arrangements. The
shelf manufacturer can thus reduce the number of tools required to
form shelf openings, and can also reduce the number of differently
configured products required to be manufactured. The distributors
and users of shelves 18 can stock a lesser number of shelves, and
different shelf accessories can be employed without the need for
changing out the shelves to mount the desired shelf
accessories.
[0036] Openings 50 are formed in a conventional manner, typically
in a stamping process, when shelves 18 are being manufactured.
[0037] While shelves 18 are illustrated as being of the formed
sheet metal type, it is understood that the configuration of
openings 50 could be employed in any type of shelf made of any
satisfactory type of shelf material so as to accommodate different
mounting arrangements for different types of shelf accessories.
[0038] Various alternatives and embodiments are contemplated as
being within the scope of the following claims particularly
pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as
the invention.
* * * * *