U.S. patent application number 14/097081 was filed with the patent office on 2015-06-04 for flexible rack shelf.
This patent application is currently assigned to MW Products. The applicant listed for this patent is MW Products. Invention is credited to Brett Stenhouse.
Application Number | 20150150373 14/097081 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53264019 |
Filed Date | 2015-06-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150150373 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stenhouse; Brett |
June 4, 2015 |
FLEXIBLE RACK SHELF
Abstract
A flexible rack shelving system, the system comprising the A
rack shelving system, the a rack shelf, wherein the rack shelf
comprises: two vertical side walls, wherein each vertical side wall
contains a plurality of apertures, and a base, wherein the base is
pivotally mounted by at least one hinge to each of the two vertical
side walls. The rack shelf further comprises a rack, wherein the
rack shelf is placed inside the rack and attached by way of
interlocking between protrusions in the rack and the plurality of
apertures in the vertical side walls.
Inventors: |
Stenhouse; Brett; (Phoenix,
AZ) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
MW Products |
Phoenix |
AZ |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
MW Products
Phoenix
AZ
|
Family ID: |
53264019 |
Appl. No.: |
14/097081 |
Filed: |
December 4, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/149 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 43/00 20130101;
A47B 96/021 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47B 43/00 20060101
A47B043/00; A47B 96/07 20060101 A47B096/07 |
Claims
1. A rack shelving system, the system comprising: a rack shelf,
wherein the rack shelf comprises: two vertical side walls, wherein
each vertical side wall contains a plurality of apertures, and a
base, wherein the base is pivotally mounted by at least one hinge
to each of the two vertical side walls; and a rack, wherein the
rack shelf is placed inside the rack and attached by way of
interlocking between protrusions in the rack and the plurality of
apertures in the vertical side walls.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a support beam, the
support beam attached to each of the vertical side walls.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the two vertical side walls
contain at least one cut-out tab that forms an additional hinge
between the two vertical side walls and the base.
4. A rack shelf, the rack shelf comprising: two vertical side
walls, wherein each vertical side wall contains a plurality of
apertures, and a base, wherein the base is pivotally mounted by at
least one hinge to each of the two vertical side walls.
5. The rack shelf of claim 4, further comprising a support beam,
the support beam attached to each of the vertical side walls.
6. The rack shelf of claim 4, wherein the two vertical side walls
contain at least one cut-out tab that forms an additional hinge
between the two vertical side walls and the base.
7. The rack shelf of claim 4, wherein the at least one hinge
includes a laptop hinge.
8. The rack shelf of claim 4, wherein the at least one hinge
includes a butterfly hinge.
9. The rack shelf of claim 4, wherein the at least one hinge
includes a flush hinge.
10. The rack shelf of claim 4, wherein the at least one hinge
includes a barrel hinge.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention generally concerns a rack shelf
system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a rack
shelf with collapsible side walls.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Traditionally, rack shelves are rectangular and have a flat,
thin sheet of a durable material as a base. On both sides of the
base along the width of the shelf, a side wall is attached to the
base. The side wall may be integrated into the base such that the
entire rack shelf is continuous material. Alternatively, the side
walls may be welded to the base. Each side wall generally has a
number of holes or slots. The rack into which the shelf is placed
has protrusions on the inside of its walls. Thus, when the shelf is
inserted into the rack, the shelf will engage with the inside walls
of the rack when the rack protrusions interlock with the holes or
slots on the shelf side walls. This simple design is sturdy because
the side walls are firmly connected to the base of the shelf.
Therefore, it can bear weight when placed inside the rack. However,
this type of shelf can be costly and inefficient to ship, because
the bulk of the base and the side shelves require a large box.
[0005] An improved design uses only one wall plate that consists of
two vertical rails affixed to two horizontal rails to form a
rectangular frame. The frame is hinged at the mid-point of each of
the two horizontal rails, which allows the frame to fold
lengthwise. This fold-over frame design utilizes a solid
rectangular frame, with four rails as opposed to three rails, and
therefore offers more stability for mounting appliances to
walls.
[0006] Designs that are pre-assembled (e.g., a fold-over design)
are less complicated for users because they do not require assembly
and they offer more stability. However, the pre-assembled design is
more difficult and expensive to ship due to its size, which is
typically larger than the traditional disassembled mounting frame
design.
[0007] There is a need for a mounting frame apparatus and mounting
system that is stable, user-friendly, and compact.
SUMMARY OF THE CLAIMED INVENTION
[0008] A flexible rack shelf is also disclosed. The rack shelf has
two sides and a base. Both the sides and the base have a number of
perforations or holes in them through which a screw or other hanger
can fit. The base and the sides are connected by a hinge (or
hinges). The hinged sides allow the sides to lay flat against the
base when the rack is not in use, which makes shipping the rack
shelf more efficient and less expensive.
[0009] A flexible rack shelving system is also disclosed. The
system utilizes a rack shelf that has two sides and a base. Both
the sides and the base have a number of perforations or holes in
them through which a screw or other hanger can fit. The base and
the sides are connected by a hinge (or hinges). The rack shelving
system also includes a rack. The rack shelf is placed inside the
rack. To attach the rack shelf to the rack, screws or other hangers
on the insides of the rack are placed through the holes of the rack
shelf.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0010] FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary flexible rack shelf.
[0011] FIG. 1B illustrates an exemplary side wall of a flexible
rack shelf.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] Embodiments of the present invention provide a flexible rack
shelf that may be mounted to a rack. Persons of ordinary skill in
the art will realize that the following description of the
presently invention is illustrative only and not in any way
limiting. Other embodiments of the invention will readily suggest
themselves to such skilled persons.
[0013] Referring now to FIG. 1A, illustrating an exemplary
embodiment of a flexible rack shelf, a shelf base 105 is coupled to
vertical side shelves, one of which is labeled 110. Each side shelf
110 has a plurality of apertures, one of which is labeled 115. The
vertical side shelves are collapsible in a fold-over fashion, such
that the insides of vertical side shelves 110 lay flat against the
top of shelf base 105. Each of the vertical side walls 110 is
pivotally mounted along the width of shelf base 105. Each vertical
side shelf is hinged at its midpoint by a connector, one of which
is labeled 120. The connector 120 may include any type of hinge,
including by way of example and not limitation, a laptop hinge, a
butterfly hinge, a barrel hinge, or a flush hinge.
[0014] When the flexible rack shelf is fully assembled, it attaches
to a rack (not shown) by outwardly extending L-shaped wings, one of
which is labeled 125, that run along the length of each vertical
side wall 110. Each wing has at least one aperture, one of which is
labeled 130, that may be used to connect to a protruding object on
a rack. Additionally, each L-shaped wing 125 has an aperture 135 on
the end of the horizontal portion of the L-shape. The aperture 135
may line up with an aperture of the base 105 and be secured to the
base 105 by using, for example, a nail or a screw.
[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, a support
mechanism comprises a horizontal bar 140 that has two
downward-facing arms, one of which is labeled 145. Each arm 145 has
a knob, one of which is labeled 150, that may be placed through one
of the apertures 115 in vertical side wall 110. Once a knob 150 is
placed through an aperture 115 of each of the side walls 110, the
side walls 110 are reinforced, making the entire assembly more
rigid and, thus, less likely to collapse when objects are placed on
the shelf.
[0016] Referring now to FIG. 1B, illustrating an exemplary side
wall of a flexible rack shelf, vertical side wall 110 of FIG. 1A
may additionally contain one or more cut-out tabs, one of which is
labeled 155. A user may push the cut-out tab 155 inward from side
wall 110 horizontally until the broad side of the tab interfaces
with base 105. Thus, the cut-out tab 155 can be used as an
additional hinge between side wall 110 and base 105.
[0017] The above description is illustrative and not restrictive.
Many variations of the invention will become apparent to those of
skill in the art upon review of this disclosure. While the present
invention has been described in connection with a variety of
embodiments, these descriptions are not intended to limit the scope
of the invention to the particular forms set forth herein. To the
contrary, the present descriptions are intended to cover
alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included
within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the
appended claim and otherwise appreciated by one of ordinary skill
in the art.
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