U.S. patent application number 11/439157 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-17 for full hard steel storage organizer components.
This patent application is currently assigned to Rubbermaid Incorporated. Invention is credited to Michael Orroth, David M. Stitchick, Zachary Utz, Joseph Yankello.
Application Number | 20070108148 11/439157 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38039675 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070108148 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stitchick; David M. ; et
al. |
May 17, 2007 |
Full hard steel storage organizer components
Abstract
A storage and organizer apparatus has a shelf and a shelf
support structure supporting the shelf when fully assembled and/or
installed for use. At least a part of the storage and organizer
apparatus is formed of a full hard steel material. The shelf can be
supported by full hard steel components of the shelf support
structure.
Inventors: |
Stitchick; David M.; (Akron,
OH) ; Yankello; Joseph; (Copley, OH) ; Orroth;
Michael; (Hudson, OH) ; Utz; Zachary; (North
Canton, OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEMPIA FORMAN LLC
223 W. JACKSON BLVD.
SUITE 620
CHICAGO
IL
60606
US
|
Assignee: |
Rubbermaid Incorporated
Fairlawn
OH
|
Family ID: |
38039675 |
Appl. No.: |
11/439157 |
Filed: |
May 23, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60736717 |
Nov 15, 2005 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/187 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 96/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/187 |
International
Class: |
A47B 57/00 20060101
A47B057/00 |
Claims
1. A storage apparatus comprising: a shelf; and a shelf support
structure supporting the shelf fully assembled and/or installed,
wherein at least a part of the storage apparatus is formed of a
full hard steel material.
2. A storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least part
of the shelf support structure is formed of the full hard steel
material.
3. A storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least part
of the shelf is formed of a full hard steel material.
4. A storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus
is a free-standing shelving unit and the shelf support structure
includes a plurality of vertical legs each formed of the full hard
steel material.
5. A storage apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a
plurality of the shelves, wherein at least part of each shelf is
formed of the full hard steel material.
6. A storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus
is a wall mounted unit and the shelf support structure includes a
plurality of mounting brackets each constructed of the full hard
steel material and mounted to a wall surface supporting the
shelf.
7. A storage apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the plurality
of mounting brackets are each mounted directly to a wall
surface.
8. A storage apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the shelf
support structure further includes a plurality of uprights each
formed of the full hard steel material and mounted to a wall
surface, and wherein the plurality of mounting brackets are mounted
to the plurality of uprights in a cantilevered arrangement.
9. A storage apparatus according to claim 8, further including a
horizontal top rail formed from the full hard steel material and
mounted to a wall surface, wherein the plurality of risers are
suspended from the top rail.
10. A storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the full hard
steel material meets the ASTM A 109 Temper No. 1 (Hard) standard or
the Asian JIS G3141 SPCC-1D standard.
11. A storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shelf
support structure includes components formed having 3-dimensional
drawn or bent formations, wherein the components are formed of the
full hard steel material.
12. An organizer system comprising: a plurality of shelves; a
horizontal top support rail mounted to a wall; a plurality of
upright risers suspended from the top support rail and mounted to
the wall, each of the plurality of upright risers having a
plurality of mounting openings; and a plurality of shelf mounting
brackets mounted to the upright risers using selected ones of the
openings, wherein the horizontal top support rail, the plurality of
upright risers, and the plurality of shelf mounting brackets are at
least partially formed from a full hard steel material meeting the
ASTM A 109 Temper No. 1 (Hard) material standard or the JIS G3141
SPCC-1D material standard.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority benefit under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn. 119 of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/736,717,
which was filed on Nov. 15, 2005, and the entirety of which is
hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Disclosure
[0003] The present disclosure is generally directed to components
for organizer and storage systems, and more particularly to
components for such systems formed from hard temper or full hard
steel.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Organizer and storage systems that employ shelves are widely
known for use in closets, kitchen pantries, garages, laundry rooms,
and the like. Conventional organizer and storage systems typically
employ one or more shelves supported by a support structure in an
in-use position and orientation. Shelving systems can be employed
in a number of different arrangements. Free-standing shelving units
are known and typically have vertical legs that interconnect and
support a series of spaced apart shelves. Wall mounted shelves are
also known to mount directly to a wall surface with braces to
support the shelf or are also known to employ mounting brackets
suspended from vertical risers or uprights that are mounted to a
wall surface. In this type of system, the uprights can also
sometimes be suspended from or supported by one or more horizontal
mounting rails that are mounted directly to the wall surface.
[0006] The various bracket and support components are typically
formed and configured from formable or ductile steel materials.
These materials include hot rolled, pickled and oiled sheet metal
or cold rolled annealed sheet metal. These ductile or formable
steels are particularly suited for being bent and formed to desired
shapes. As an alternative, manufacturers can use high strength, low
alloy steel materials to produce the mounting hardware for these
types of storage and organizer systems.
[0007] These soft steels have considerably lower strength than hard
temper steel, otherwise known as full hard or strain hardened
steel. These soft steels, without adding alloying materials, have
lower strength as a result of undergoing annealing or other
processes. However, soft steels typically do not fracture when
subjected to severe stamping and bending operations during
manufacture of components. In contrast, hard temper steel, though
much stronger, has been considered too brittle to withstand even
nominal stamping and bending operations. High strength, low alloy
steel can also be produced that is capable of withstanding severe
stamping and bending operations. However, steel alloy materials are
significantly more costly to produce, resulting in cost prohibitive
parts.
[0008] Because of the material's superior formability, the soft hot
rolled, pickled and oiled sheet metal and cold rolled, annealed
sheet metal materials have been and continue to be considered the
only commercially viable metal materials for forming storage and
organizer hardware components. Hardware components including the
vertical legs, risers, mounting brackets, uprights, and top rails
for organizer and storage systems typically require significant
forming resulting in multi-contoured shapes when formed as a
suitable component. Hot rolled steel is cheaper than cold rolled
steel and can be formed by casting a steel slab, reheating the
slab, and hot rolling it down to a formable sheet metal. However,
hot rolled sheet metal lacks strength and can only be rolled down
to a relatively thick gage, on the order of about 0.060 inches.
Cold rolled steel is hot rolled steel that is cold rolled to a
thinner gage and to a full hard temper state, and then annealed to
render the steel formable. Cold rolled steel can be produced to a
thinner gage, on the order of between about 0.040 down to about
0.010 inches. Cold rolled annealed steel is also formable, but also
lacks strength. The annealing process also increases the cost of
producing the material.
[0009] Thus, there are a number of drawbacks to using these softer
steels and steel alloys to form storage organizer system
components. One drawback to using the softer steel materials is
that the material loses some of its strength when annealed or hot
rolled. These materials typically have a much lower strength and
lower yield than hard temper sheet steel. Accordingly, the material
gage must be thicker for the softer steels in order to compensate
for the lower material strength to insure the product or component
has adequate load strength. The high strength, low alloy steels are
significantly cost prohibitive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Objects, features, and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent upon reading the following description in
conjunction with the drawing figures.
[0011] FIG. 1 is a rear and bottom perspective view of a shelf
mounting bracket constructed in accordance with the teachings of
the disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a side view of the shelf mounting bracket shown in
FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the shelf mounting
bracket shown in FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the shelf mounting bracket
shown in FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a cross section taken along line V-V of FIG.
4.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a front view of a shelf riser or upright
constructed in accordance with the teachings of the disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 7 is a side view of the upright shown in FIG. 6.
[0018] FIG. 8 is an end view of the upright shown in FIG. 6.
[0019] FIG. 9 is a front view of a top rail for an organizer system
and constructed in accordance with the teachings of the
disclosure.
[0020] FIG. 10 is an end view of the top rail shown in FIG. 9.
[0021] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of one example of a prior art
shelf mounting bracket construction.
[0022] FIG. 12 is a side view of the bracket shown in FIG. 11.
[0023] FIG. 13 is a front view of the bracket shown in FIG. 11.
[0024] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another example of a shelf
mounting bracket, similar to the bracket shown in FIGS. 11-13, but
a modified to accommodate formation in accordance with the
teachings of the disclosure.
[0025] FIG. 15 is a side view of the bracket shown in FIG. 14.
[0026] FIG. 16 is a front view of the bracket shown in FIG. 14.
[0027] FIG. 17 is a cross section taken along line XVII-XVII in
FIG. 15.
[0028] FIG. 18 is a perspective view of another example of a
storage and organizer system constructed in accordance with the
teachings of the present invention and in the form of a
direct-to-wall mounted shelf and bracket arrangement.
[0029] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of another example of a
storage and organizer system constructed in accordance with the
teachings of the present invention and in the form of a
free-standing shelving unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0030] The hardware components described herein can be generally
used in organizer and storage systems and can be constructed from
hard temper or full hard steel in accordance with the teachings of
the present invention. Performance and material composition
characteristics for full hard or hard temper steel material is
defined in the American and Asian standards ASTM A 109 Temper No. 1
(Hard) or JIS G3141 SPCC-1D, respectively. Steel specifications
that meet these standards are considered to be hard temper or full
hard. Full hard steel is typically known for having very high yield
and ultimate strength, but also for being particularly brittle and
suitable mostly for flat sheet usage. Full hard steel can be nearly
twice as strong as softer, formable steel material of the same
gage, but is typically known to fracture when attempts are made to
form the sheet steel into complex shapes. Full hard steel is also
cheaper and stronger than the softer steel materials noted above
because it does not undergo any processes to render the material
more formable and, thus, requires fewer finishing and process
treatment steps to manufacture.
[0031] Because hard temper or full hard steel is so much stronger
than traditionally formable soft steel materials, a significantly
thinner gage material can be used to create a component having
comparable strength. This results in lower cost, lighter weight
components of adequate or even superior strength. Use of full hard
steel permits significant reduction in the stock sheet thickness
because of the material's superior strength. The inventors have
discovered that, by significantly reducing the material gage, full
hard steel sheet has increased formability and, when formed, can
produce a component with sufficient if not superior strength in
comparison to components formed of much thicker gage, softer or
more ductile steel. For some components with more severe forming
requirements, slight design changes can be employed so the part can
be formed successfully.
[0032] The invention generally involves employing full hard steel
to form metal hardware components for organizer systems. Such
components made from hard temper or full hard steel have previously
not been commercially available and not recognized within the
industry as suitable possible replacements for conventional
components fabricated from traditional thicker gage, softer steels
or expensive high strength, low alloy steels. The disclosed
invention offers a superior combination of low cost, high strength,
and minimum necessary formability to create components. The
industry has previously not recognized, and thus not taken
advantage of, this combination of material characteristics.
[0033] Turning now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-4 illustrate one
example of a shelf mounting bracket 10 constructed in accordance
with the teachings of the present disclosure. In this example, the
bracket 10 is fabricated using a relatively thin gage, hard temper
or full hard steel sheet material and formed to a configuration
providing substantial structural strength. The disclosed bracket 10
is made from sheet stock full hard steel, die cut to a
configuration including all bracket contours, features, and
apertures, and then formed into the bracket as shown. In this
example, the bracket 10 is constructed for use in an organizer or
shelving system and to mount to vertical risers of the system.
[0034] In this example, the bracket 10 includes a pair of elongate,
vertically oriented, and generally parallel sidewalls 12. The
sidewalls 12 are connected to one another by a bottom
interconnecting wall 14 that is integral with each of the sidewalls
12. As best depicted in FIG. 1, the bottom interconnecting wall 14
is generally flat in the middle 16 and is connected along each of
its edges 18 to the respective sidewalls 12 at a shallow or gradual
curve having a shallow or generous radius. Such a gradual
transition between the sidewalls 12 and the bottom wall 14
eliminates or avoids any sharp angle bends in the stock
material.
[0035] Each sidewall 12 of the bracket includes a shelf support
finger or blade 20 projecting forward from the front end 22 of the
bracket 10. Each sidewall 12 also has both a hook 24 and a tab 26
projecting rearward from the rear end 28 of the bracket 10. When in
use, the hooks 24 and tabs 26 are received in selected slots 30 of
an upright or riser 32 to mount the bracket 10 to the riser 32 (see
FIGS. 6-8 below) and the blades 20 support a shelf (not shown)
resting on their top surfaces 34. Each of the hooks 34, tabs 36,
and blades 20 lies in the same plane of its respective sidewall 12.
Thus, the majority of the bracket structure is flat, other than the
transitional curves between the bottom wall 14 and the two
sidewalls 12. The inventors have recognized that, by fabricating
the disclosed brackets 10 using a sufficiently thin gage, full hard
steel stock material, the bracket 10 can withstand the process of
adding formations in the steel, such as the gradual bends between
the bottom and sidewalls 14, 12 in this example, as depicted in
FIG. 1.
[0036] The material thickness or gage of the disclosed bracket
example can vary and yet fall within the spirit and scope of the
present disclosure. For example, depending on the degree of draw,
bend, or curvature desired for a particular component, the
thickness could vary to accommodate it. Further, depending on the
strength requirements of a particular component, the thickness of
the material can also vary. In this example, a substantially strong
bracket can be produced using a material having a thickness, for
example, of approximately 0.031 inches (0.8 mm). The material
thickness or gage of the disclosed bracket can be about 20% to
about 50% thinner than a similar bracket made from the conventional
soft steel materials noted above, while providing the same, or even
significantly greater, strength characteristics.
[0037] The bracket 10 depicted in FIGS. 1-4 includes a number of
apertures 36a, 36b. In this example, one aperture 36a is formed in
each of the sidewalls 12 and a pair of apertures 36b is formed in
the bottom wall 14. These apertures 36a, 36b can be easily formed
in the hard temper of full hard steel material by conventional
punching steps during the manufacture of the bracket 10, and
particularly before the bracket material is bent to form the shape
as illustrated. As will be evident to those having ordinary skill
in the art, the bracket 10 can include any number of apertures 36a,
36b or other such formations in and extending from any of its walls
12, 14 as needed for a particular application. Apertures 36a, 36b
can be provided for any number of purposes, such as to add
accessories to the bracket 10 or to suspend accessories from the
bracket 10.
[0038] Utilizing full hard steel to form a mounting bracket 10 as
shown in FIGS. 1-4 allows for significant reduction in the required
gage or thickness of the steel stock, while still achieving similar
or even improved strength characteristics over conventional
components formed from soft steel materials, as noted above. Full
hard steel is in many instances twice as strong as the softer,
formable steel materials. Further, significant weight reduction is
also achieved because of the reduced material thickness rendered
possible by using the full hard steel. In addition, the cost of the
bracket 10 is significantly reduced because substantially less
steel material is used and because full hard steel is cheaper,
having undergone fewer process steps.
[0039] FIG. 5 shows a cross section of the bracket 10 and shows in
phantom the difference in thickness of the bracket if manufactured
from a conventional softer steel material. The inventors have
determined that the lighter or thinner gage of the full hard steel
bracket 10 permits much better formability in the material than
expected. In other words, 3-dimensional geometric shapes and
significant bends, curves, and angles can be achieved. This is
because, as a result of the thinner gage, the material will see
less strain through the bend or curve. The same bend geometry can
have a smaller bend radius and the distance from the inner surface
to the outer surface of the material at the bend is significantly
less as a result of the thinner gage material.
[0040] It is well known that full hard steel can be painted so that
the finished brackets and/or other components will look essentially
the same as any other bracket constructed from conventional
annealed steel material. The disclosed bracket 10 for a shelf
organizer system will be significantly cheaper, and can be
approximately 20-50% cheaper utilizing full hard steel material.
Material cost for components of this type can be about 80% to about
90% of the bare formed part cost; so material savings results in
direct cost savings. The disclosed bracket 10 can also be
significantly lighter than and just as strong as, if not stronger
than, the conventional more ductile, thicker gage steel
brackets.
[0041] FIGS. 6-8 illustrate one example of a shelf riser or upright
32 for an organizer or storage system and that is constructed in
accordance with the teachings of this disclosure. Again, the riser
32 in this example is formed from hard temper or full hard steel
and has a generally U-shaped configuration in cross section. The
riser 32 is narrow and significantly lengthy in its longitudinal
direction and has a front wall 38 and a pair of parallel spaced
apart sidewalls 40. Each of the walls 38, 40 extends lengthwise in
a longitudinal direction of the riser 32 and the riser 32 has an
open back 42 opposite the front wall 38. The sidewalls 40
transition integrally into the front wall 38 as shown in FIG. 8.
The transition is a gradually curved bend achieving a 90.degree.
angle between each sidewall 40 and the front wall 38. Similar to
the bracket in FIGS. 1-4, the inventors have recognized that using
a sufficiently thin gage, full hard steel stock material, in
combination with shallower, gradual, or larger radii curves,
permits fabricating such a riser 32 configuration. In one example,
the material thickness of the full hard steel stock material for
the riser can be approximately 0.055 inches (1.4 mm). This gage is
again significantly less than the thickness of the metal used for
such a riser fabricated from the conventional softer steel
materials, and can be approximately 20-50% thinner.
[0042] The front wall 38 of the riser as shown herein includes a
plurality of elongate, longitudinally oriented slots 30 arranged in
adjacent spaced apart pairs along the front wall 38. A plurality of
fastener openings 44 are also shown punched through the front wall
38 within the array of slots 30. These slots 30 and fastener
openings 44 can be easily punched in the full hard steel material
before or after the riser walls 38, 40 are bent.
[0043] The riser 32 disclosed in this example is formed from a full
hard thin gage steel and results in a component that is equally
strong or stronger than a conventional riser formed from the
conventional softer steel materials noted previously. The disclosed
riser 32 is also lighter in weight because of the reduced material
thickness, and significantly less expensive than conventional
components. The significant expense or cost reduction results from
the much thinner gage material permissible using full hard steel
and the fact that full hard steel is cheaper than annealed steel
sheet because it requires fewer process steps to manufacture.
[0044] FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate one example of a top rail 50 from
which the risers 32 shown in FIGS. 6-8 can be suspended. In this
example, the top rail 50 is a simple flat steel strip with two flat
sections lying in different planes and made from hard temper or
full hard steel material. Because of the shape of the rail and its
gradual obtuse bend angles, the rail configuration can be
essentially identical in shape to a rail made from conventional
soft steel materials. The thinner gage full hard material will
result in less strain at the bends, permitting the same shape but
formed from the hard temper steel stock.
[0045] In this example, the top rail 50 has a mounting section 52
and a forwardly projecting hanger section 54. The mounting section
52 and the hanger section 54 are each a generally planar strip of
steel in this example having a length much greater than height. The
two sections 52, 54 are generally parallel to one another in this
example, but are not in the same plane. A top edge 56 of the
mounting section 52 transitions gradually at a first bend 58 into
an upward and forward extending step section 60. The step section
60 in turn transitions gradually at a second bend 62 into the
vertically oriented forward positioned hanger section 54. The back
or rear side 64 of the mounting section 52 defines a mounting
surface that will lie against a wall when in use. The plane of the
hanger section 54 is spaced forward of the mounting plane creating
a gap between a wall surface (not shown) and the hanger section 54
when in use. The orientation of the step section 60 in this example
is such that it is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the
vertical planes of the mounting and hanger sections 52, 54 and a
horizontal plane. However, the step section 60 transitions between
both of these portions at gradual bends 58, 62 of significantly
less than 90.degree. and again using shallow or relatively large
radii.
[0046] In this example, the top rail shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 is
also manufactured from full hard steel, which can have a
significantly reduced material thickness when compared to a
conventional annealed steel top rail. In one example, the full hard
steel strip used to manufacture the top rail 50 has a thickness or
gage that can be approximately 0.055 inches (1.4 mm), similar to
the risers 32 discussed above. Again, the top rail 50 disclosed
herein can be manufactured using a much thinner stock material,
which can again be about 20-50% thinner. Thus the top rail 50 can
be much cheaper to manufacture than a conventional annealed steel
rail because the disclosed top rail 50 is made from full hard
steel. The steel. can have a thinner wall thickness because it is
much stronger than annealed steel. The disclosed top rail 50 will
also be much lighter than a conventional rail because of the
thinner gage steel.
[0047] In the disclosed example, the top rail 50 has a number of
fastener openings 66 shown as being formed through the mounting
section 52 of the top rail 50. When mounted to a wall surface, the
riser or upright 32 as illustrated in FIGS. 6-8 can be suspended
from the hanger section 54. As shown in FIG. 7, the riser 32
includes a cut out region that forms a hook 68 which is received
over and mirrors a contour of the hanger section 54 of the top rail
50. The risers 32 can simply hang from the top rail 50 and then be
secured using the fastener openings 44 in the riser 32 to a wall
surface (not shown). The brackets 10 shown in FIGS. 1-4 can then be
mounted by installing the hooks 24 and tabs 26 in a selected group
of the mounting slots 30 formed in the front wall 38 of the
riser.
[0048] FIGS. 11-13 illustrate an example of a known configuration
of a shelf mounting bracket 100 that is typically formed of cold
rolled annealed steel stock or hot rolled pickled and oiled steel
stock. The bracket 100 has a nose or forward end 110 with a
somewhat semi-spherical shape and contour that requires a fairly
deep draw in the forming process. Full hard steel may not be able
to accommodate such a deep draw, depending upon the material gage,
because the nose 110 has a complex contoured bend and relatively
tight radius of curvature. FIGS. 14-17 illustrate an alternative
shelf mounting bracket 200 that can readily be fabricated from full
hard steel with only a slight modification to the nose
configuration. The nose 210 is modified to reduce the formed or
drawn complexity and to reduce the curvature radii. The bracket 200
of FIGS. 14-17 can be made from thinner gage full hard steel and
thus will be lighter in weight, less expensive to produce, and have
equivalent or improved strength in comparison to the softer steel
conventional bracket 100 of FIGS. 11-13.
[0049] FIGS. 18 and 19 are provided to illustrate alternative
examples of storage and organizer system components that can be
fabricated from hard temper or full hard steel. FIG. 18 shows
another example of a shelf mounting bracket or brace 300 that can
be fabricated in accordance with the teachings of the present
invention. In this example, the bracket 300 is used in a
direct-to-wall, wire shelf mounting arrangement. The bracket 300.in
this example is configured to mount a wire shelf 302 directly to a
wall surface 304 without the use of either vertical risers/uprights
or a top rail as in an earlier example. In this example, the
bracket 300 has a mounting end 306 with a flat pad 308. A fastener
opening 310 is provided in the flat pad 308. The pad 308 is
oriented at an angle to an elongate body 312 of the bracket. When
positioned against a wall surface, a fastener can be driven through
the fastener opening 310 to secure the bracket to the wall. The pad
angle results in the bracket body extending forward and upward away
from the wall in this example. The elongate body 312 in this
example has a V-shaped or L-shaped cross section to add significant
strength and resistance to bending.
[0050] The bracket or brace 300 also has a shelf support end 314 at
the other end of the body 312. The shelf support end 314 has a wire
receptacle 316 that is open facing downward and forward. In this
example, the receptacle 316 has a semi-cylindrical shape to match
that of a cylindrical wire of the wire shelf. The axis of the
receptacle is oriented horizontally and generally perpendicular to
the elongate body 312 of the bracket 300. When in use, a rear end
of the wire shelf is attached to a wall surface above the flat pad
308. A forward end of the shelf 302 has a horizontal wire 318 that
is received in and retained and supported by the receptacle 316.
The bracket 300 is one of many different examples of storage and
organizer component configurations and constructions that can be
fabricated using full hard steel material to achieve the cost
reduction, weight, reduction, and strength benefits disclosed and
described herein.
[0051] Bracket structures and arrangements other than the example
of the bracket 300, as well as other system components, can also be
fabricated from full hard or hard temper steel and yet fall within
the spirit and scope of the present invention. In one example, the
shelf can be a sheet metal shelf and formed from full hard steel
material. Such a sheet metal shelf can be drawn, bent, and/or
formed to include particular desired shapes, contours and
formations in the metal sheet to add rigidity and strength to the
finished part. In another example, the direct-to-wall mount bracket
can support the shelf from below, and not from above as in the
example of FIG. 18.
[0052] FIG. 19 shows another example of a storage and organizer
system in the form of a free-standing shelving unit 400. In this
example, the unit 400 has a plurality of shelves 402 horizontally
oriented and spaced vertically apart from one another. The unit 400
also has a plurality of vertical legs 404 positioned at the four
corners of the shelves 402. Each shelf is connected to and
supported by the legs 404 as is known in the art. Though not shown
herein, the shelves 402 can be secured to the legs 404 using
separate brackets or other parts. In this example, the shelves are
secured directly to the legs using fasteners 406. The legs in this
example have a V-shaped or L-shaped cross section and can be formed
from hard temper or full hard material in accordance with the
previous examples disclosed herein. The shelves can also be formed
from full hard steel. In these examples, the legs and/or the sheet
metal shelves can be drawn, bent, and/or formed to add rigidity and
strength to the finished parts. Such formations can include drawn
dimples, ribs, ridges, and the like, and/or formed bends, curves,
creases, and the like. As in the previous examples, the material
stock can be of a substantially thinner gage, cost significantly
less, and yet be formed or configured to provide equivalent or even
superior strength in comparison to similar parts made from
conventional soft steel materials.
[0053] The disclosed examples of storage and organizer systems and
components are provided to illustrate that many different
components and component configurations can be constructed in
accordance with the teachings of the present invention. In each of
the examples herein, the full hard steel component has a
3-dimensional formation. Parts of each component are formed out of
plane with respect to other parts of the component. Such parts for
use in substantial load bearing applications, such as shelving
support and mounting structures, were previously believed not
suitable for manufacture using hard temper or full hard steel
stock. The material was believed not capable of being formed into
structurally adequate 3-dimensional shapes. The inventors have
discovered that the higher strength provided by the full hard steel
material permits suitable parts to be formed using thinner gage
full hard material. The inventors have also discovered that, by
using the stronger thinner gage full hard steel stock, the material
has satisfactory formability to create load bearing storage and
organizer components.
[0054] Storage and organizer system components have not previously
been manufactured using full hard steel. This is in part because
manufacturers have believed full hard steel to be too brittle to
withstand any substantial 3-dimensional forming. The inventors have
recognized that, by using a thinner gage full hard steel sheet
material, the full hard material can be formed without fracturing
the metal. In many instances, a component can be fabricated that
has the same 3-dimensional drawn and/or bent geometry as a
conventional part made from softer, weaker, but more formable steel
materials. Once formed, even with the substantially thinner wall
thicknesses, the components are more than strong enough to perform
satisfactorily during use. The thin gage metal reduces the overall
material usage, cost, and weight of the various components, while
not sacrificing strength. The thinner gage also reduces strain in
the formed materials, thus permitting greater formability. One may
sacrifice some degree of formability (see FIGS. 11-13 and 14-17 as
one potential example), but the other advantages far outweigh this
one disadvantage.
[0055] The composition of the full hard steel can vary considerably
and yet fall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
In one example, the steel for each of the above example components
can be manufactured to meet the American or Asian steel material
standards noted above. However, different compositions of hard
temper or full hard steel can be utilized to produce the various
components disclosed herein.
[0056] Again, those in the industry of making these kinds of
components traditionally have looked to use and develop either more
expensive but stronger steel alloys, or softer, formable steel
materials in the finished products. Those in the industry have
traditionally not looked to use the strength advantages of
semi-finished full hard steel material to solve problems in the
industry. The inventors have recognized the many advantages that
full hard or hard temper steel offers and have overcome the
previously known drawbacks and disadvantages. Use of full hard
steel to fabricate the types of components disclosed as examples
herein offers a superior combination of low cost, high strength,
and satisfactory formability. These advantages are magnified for
manufacturers, distributor, and retailers. Because each component
can be significantly lighter in weight, the weight per unit volume
of product is substantially less. Shipping and handling costs can
be reduced for manufacturers and distributors. Handling complexity
and difficulty can also be reduced for manufacturers, distributors,
retailers, and consumers because the components will be
significantly lighter.
[0057] Although certain mounting hardware components for organizer
and storage systems have been described herein in accordance with
the teachings of the present disclosure, the scope of coverage of
this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent
covers all embodiments of the teachings of the disclosure that
fairly fall within the scope of permissible equivalents.
* * * * *