U.S. patent application number 12/732016 was filed with the patent office on 2011-09-29 for collapsible shelf.
Invention is credited to Wen-Dong CHANG.
Application Number | 20110233164 12/732016 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44655155 |
Filed Date | 2011-09-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110233164 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHANG; Wen-Dong |
September 29, 2011 |
Collapsible Shelf
Abstract
A collapsible shelf includes two vertical units, two horizontal
units and connecting units for detachably connecting the horizontal
units to the vertical units. Each of the vertical units includes
two posts and beams extending between the posts. Each of the
connecting units includes a hook secured to a related one of the
horizontal units and formed with a recess for movably receiving a
related one of the posts.
Inventors: |
CHANG; Wen-Dong; (Jiaoxi
Township, TW) |
Family ID: |
44655155 |
Appl. No.: |
12/732016 |
Filed: |
March 25, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/188 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 87/001 20130101;
A47B 57/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/188 |
International
Class: |
A47B 47/00 20060101
A47B047/00 |
Claims
1. A collapsible shelf comprising: two vertical units each
including two posts and beams extending between the posts;
horizontal units; and connecting units for detachably connecting
the horizontal units to the vertical units, wherein each of the
connecting units includes a hook secured to a related one of the
horizontal units and formed with a recess for movably receiving a
related one of the posts.
2. The collapsible shelf according to claim 1, wherein each of the
connecting units includes a lining secured to an internal side of
the hook, wherein the lining includes a recess for movably
receiving the related post.
3. The collapsible shelf according to claim 1, wherein each of the
posts includes an upper section and a lower section detachably
connected to the upper section.
4. The collapsible shelf according to claim 3, wherein each of the
posts includes a connector including a screw driven in the upper
section, an insert inserted in the lower section, and a tab formed
between the screw and the insert.
5. The collapsible shelf according to claim 1, wherein the
horizontal units are rectangular.
6. The collapsible shelf according to claim 1, wherein the hook of
each of the connecting units is semicircular.
7. The collapsible shelf according to claim 1 including feet each
detachably connected to a related one of the posts.
8. The collapsible shelf according to claim 1, including balancing
beams each including, at each end, a hook secured to an end of a
related one of the balancing beams and engaged with a related one
of the posts.
9. The collapsible shelf according to claim 1, wherein each of the
posts and the beams is square in a cross-sectional view.
10. A collapsible shelf comprising: two vertical units each
including two posts and beams extending between the posts;
horizontal units; and connecting units for detachably connecting
the horizontal units to the vertical units, wherein each of the
connecting units includes a hook secured to a related one of the
horizontal units and formed with a recess for movably receiving a
related one of the beams.
11. The collapsible shelf according to claim 10, wherein the
vertical units are located in perpendicular to each other.
12. The collapsible shelf according to claim 10, wherein the hook
of each of the connecting units is semicircular.
13. The collapsible shelf according to claim 10, wherein each of
the connecting units includes a lining secured to an internal side
of the hook, wherein the lining includes a recess for movably
receiving the related beam.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a shelf for storing things
and, more particularly, to a collapsible shelf.
[0003] 2. Related Prior Art
[0004] There are various shelves. A conventional shelf includes
vertical units and horizontal units supported on the vertical
units. Things are stored on the horizontal units. The horizontal
units are secured to the vertical units. Hence, the conventional
shelf cannot be collapsed or dismantled, and occupies a lot of
space and causes inconvenience in storage and transportation.
[0005] To overcome the above-mentioned problems, there are devised
collapsible shelves. As disclosed in Chinese Patent ZL02216307.7
for example, a collapsible shelf includes a bottom unit, a rear
unit, two lateral units and a front unit. The front unit includes
engaging elements for engagement with rods of the lateral units.
Thus, the collapsible shelf can be collapsed quickly without having
to maneuver any screws. The collapsible shelf is readily
collapsible, light in weight and suitable for various usages. The
collapsible shelf is however complicated structurally. Moreover, no
horizontal units can be added to the collapsible shelf to store
more things.
[0006] Other collapsible shelves can be shown in Chinese Utility
Models ZL200520101298.1 and ZL200520116073.3 for example. Each of
these collapsible shelves includes horizontal units connected to
vertical units in a detachable manner. These collapsible shelves
are complicated structurally.
[0007] Therefore, the present invention is intended to alleviate or
at least obviate the foregoing problems.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0008] It is the primary objective of the present invention to
provide a structurally simple collapsible shelf.
[0009] To achieve the foregoing objective, the collapsible shelf
includes two vertical units, two horizontal units and connecting
units for detachably connecting the horizontal units to the
vertical units. Each of the vertical units includes two posts and
beams extending between the posts. Each of the connecting units
includes a hook secured to a related one of the horizontal units
and formed with a recess for movably receiving a related one of the
posts.
[0010] Other objectives, advantages and features of the present
invention will be apparent from the following description referring
to the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0011] The present invention will be described via detailed
illustration of five embodiments referring to the attached drawings
wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible shelf
according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the collapsible shelf in
another position than shown in FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a horizontal unit of the
collapsible shelf shown in FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partial view of the collapsible shelf
in another position than shown in FIG. 3;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a collapsible shelf
according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a collapsible shelf
according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a connector of the collapsible
shelf shown in FIG. 6;
[0019] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a collapsible rectangular
shelf combined with a collapsible corner shelf according to the
fourth embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 9 is an enlarged, partial view of the collapsible
rectangular shelf shown in FIG. 8;
[0021] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the collapsible corner
shelf of FIG. 8;
[0022] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a horizontal unit of the
collapsible shelf shown in FIG. 10;
[0023] FIG. 12 is an enlarged, partial view of the horizontal unit
shown in FIG. 11;
[0024] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a foot of the collapsible
corner shelf shown in FIG. 10; and
[0025] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a collapsible shelf
according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, a collapsible shelf includes
two vertical units 1, several horizontal units 2 and several
connecting units for detachably connecting the horizontal units 2
to the vertical units 1 according to a first embodiment of the
present invention. Each of the vertical units 1 includes two posts
11 and several beams 12 for connecting the posts 11 to each
other.
[0027] The horizontal units 2 are provided between the vertical
units 1. The horizontal units 2 are rectangular. Each of the
horizontal units 2 includes rods connected to one another. Each of
the horizontal units 2 can be a board in another embodiment.
[0028] Each of the connecting units includes a hook 3 and a lining
4. The hook 3 is made of metal such as iron and steel. The hook 3
is secured to a corner of each of the horizontal units 2. The hook
3 includes a recess for receiving the lining 4.
[0029] The lining 4 is made of an elastic material such as plastics
and rubber. The lining 4 includes a recess for receiving each of
the posts 11. The lining 4 is secured to the hook 3. The lining 4
can however be omitted in another embodiment wherein the thickness
of the hook 3 would better be increased.
[0030] To provide each of the horizontal units 2 on the vertical
units 1, two of the hooks 3 secured to the horizontal unit 2 are
located on a related one of the beams 12 of one of the vertical
units 1 while the other hooks 3 secured to the horizontal unit 2
are located on a related one of the beams 12 of the other vertical
unit 1. The recesses of the linings 4 related to the horizontal
unit 2 receive the posts 11. The linings 4 are in contact with the
posts 11.
[0031] To remove each of the horizontal units 2 from the vertical
units 1, the horizontal unit 2 is pivoted relative to the vertical
units 1 as shown in FIG. 2. Two of the linings 4 related to the
horizontal unit 2 are removed from two related ones of the posts
11. Finally, the horizontal unit 2 is removed from the vertical
units 1.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a collapsible shelf
according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The
second embodiment is like the first embodiment except including an
additional vertical unit 1 and three additional horizontal units 2.
Each of the additional horizontal units 2 includes a portion
supported on one of the vertical units 1 as in the first embodiment
and an opposite portion supported on the additional vertical unit
1.
[0033] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, there is shown a collapsible
shelf according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The
third embodiment is like the first except that each of the posts 11
includes an upper section 111 detachably connected a lower section
112 with a connector 6. The connector 6 includes a screw 61, an
insert 63 and a tab 62 formed between the screw 61 and the insert
63. The screw 61 is driven in a screw hole defined in a lower end
of the upper section 111 of each of the posts 11. The insert 63 is
inserted in a bore defined in an upper end of the lower section 112
of each of the posts 11 of a lower one of the collapsible
sub-shelves. The tab 62 is provided between the sections 111 and
112 of the related post 11. In other words, the collapsible shelf
consists of two collapsible sub-shelves connected to each other
with the connectors 6.
[0034] Referring to FIGS. 8 through 13, there is shown a
collapsible rectangular shelf 100 combined with a collapsible
corner shelf 7 according to a fourth embodiment of the present
invention. The collapsible rectangular shelf 100 is identical to
the collapsible shelf of the first embodiment except including
semicircular connecting units each including a hook 8 and a lining
9. The hook 8 includes two semicircular plates between which the
lining 9 is sandwiched. The lining 9 includes two semicircular
plates between which a related one of the posts 11 is
sandwiched.
[0035] The collapsible corner shelf 7 includes two vertical units
71, three sector-shaped horizontal units 72, feet 73 and connecting
units. The vertical units 71 are structurally identical to the
vertical units 1. The vertical units 71 are located in
perpendicular to each other instead of in parallel to each other.
Each of vertical units 71 includes two posts 711 like the posts 11
and three beams 712 like the beams 12.
[0036] Each of the sector-shaped horizontal units 72 includes an
arched edge extending between two rectilinear edges. Two of the
connecting units are provided along each of the rectilinear edges.
Each of the connecting units includes a hook 8 and a lining 9. The
connecting units related to the sector-shaped horizontal unit 72
are provided on two related ones of the beams 712, not the posts
711.
[0037] Each of the feet 73 includes a screw 731 extending from a
pad 732. The screw 731 is driven in a screw hole defined in the
lowermost sector-shaped horizontal unit 72 or a screw hole defined
in each of the posts 711. Thus, the height of the collapsible shelf
is adjustable.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 14, there is shown a collapsible shelf
according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. The fifth
embodiment is like the first embodiment except including balancing
beams 11a. A hook 3 is secured to each end of each balancing beam
11a. The hooks 3 related to the balancing beams 11a are engaged
with the posts 11.
[0039] The present invention has been described via the detailed
illustration of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can
derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the
scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall
not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the
claims.
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