U.S. patent application number 16/745829 was filed with the patent office on 2020-08-20 for shelf systems with adhesive supports.
This patent application is currently assigned to Organized Living, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Organized Living, Inc.. Invention is credited to John Kokenge.
Application Number | 20200260870 16/745829 |
Document ID | 20200260870 / US20200260870 |
Family ID | 1000004610689 |
Filed Date | 2020-08-20 |
Patent Application | download [pdf] |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200260870 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kokenge; John |
August 20, 2020 |
SHELF SYSTEMS WITH ADHESIVE SUPPORTS
Abstract
A method of assembling a shelf system includes positioning a
shelf end bracket on a support surface. The shelf end bracket is
mounted to the support surface. A shelf is located on the shelf
support surface with the adhesive located therebetween.
Inventors: |
Kokenge; John; (Cincinnati,
OH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Organized Living, Inc. |
Cincinnati |
OH |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Organized Living, Inc.
Cincinnati
OH
|
Family ID: |
1000004610689 |
Appl. No.: |
16/745829 |
Filed: |
January 17, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62806266 |
Feb 15, 2019 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 25/0692 20130101;
A47B 47/042 20130101; A47B 96/06 20130101; A47B 96/024 20130101;
A47B 96/021 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47B 96/02 20060101
A47B096/02; A47B 96/06 20060101 A47B096/06; A47B 47/04 20060101
A47B047/04; A47G 25/06 20060101 A47G025/06 |
Claims
1. A method of assembling a shelf system, the method comprising:
positioning a shelf end bracket on a support surface; mounting the
shelf end bracket to the support surface; and locating a shelf on
the shelf support surface with an adhesive material located
therebetween.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising adjusting a position of
the shelf on the shelf support surface before the adhesive
gels.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the adhesive material is
configured to have a working time of greater than three minutes and
less than five minutes.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a double-sided
tape comprising the adhesive material to the shelf support
surface.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising positioning a shelf
support brace on another support surface and mounting the shelf
support brace to the another support surface.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising removing a release
liner to expose an adhesive material on the another support surface
of the shelf support brace.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the shelf support brace comprises
a rod hanging structure configured to hold a rod.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing a release
liner to expose the adhesive material.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the shelf comprises at least one
of a fibreboard, a hollow core board and a honeycomb board.
8. A shelf system comprising: a shelf end bracket comprising: a
shelf support surface; an adhesive material located on the shelf
support surface, the shelf end bracket configured to mount to a
support surface; and a release liner that covers the adhesive
material; a shelf support brace comprising: another shelf support
surface; another adhesive material located on the another shelf
support surface, the shelf support brace configured to mount to a
support surface; and another release liner that covers the another
adhesive material.
9. The shelf system of claim 8, wherein the shelf support brace
comprises a rod hanging structure configured to hold a rod.
10. The shelf system of claim 8, wherein the adhesive material is
provided by a double-sided tape.
11. The shelf system of claim 8 further comprising a shelf
configured to rest on the adhesive material.
12. The shelf system of claim 11, wherein the shelf comprises at
least one of a fibreboard, a hollow core board and a honeycomb
board.
13. The shelf system of claim 8, wherein the shelf end bracket and
the shelf support brace comprise non-circular fastener
openings.
14. A kit for a shelf system, comprising: a shelf end bracket
comprising a shelf support surface, the shelf end bracket
configured to mount to a support surface; a shelf support brace
comprising another shelf support surface, the shelf support brace
configured to mount to a support surface; an adhesive material that
is no greater in area than the support surface of one or both of
the shelf end bracket and the shelf support brace; and a container
containing the shelf end bracket, the shelf support brace and the
adhesive material.
15. The kit of claim 14 further comprising a shelf located in the
package.
16. The kit of claim 15, wherein the shelf comprises at least one
of a fibreboard, a hollow core board and a honeycomb board.
17. The kit of claim 14 comprising a double-sided tape comprising
the adhesive material.
18. The kit of claim 17, wherein the double-sided tape is adhered
to the support surface of one or both the shelf end bracket and the
shelf support brace within the container, the double-sided tape
comprising a release liner.
19. The kit of claim 17, wherein the double-sided tape is separate
from the support surface of one or both the shelf end bracket and
the shelf support brace insider the container, the double-sided
tape comprising a release liner.
20. The kit of claim 14, wherein the shelf support brace comprises
a rod hanging structure configured to hold a rod.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE
[0001] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 62/806,266, filed Feb. 15, 2019,
the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present specification generally relates to shelf systems
and, more specifically, to wood shelf systems with supports that
utilize an adhesive to support wood shelving.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Typical wood shelving systems utilize a combination of
marking and drilling in order to install shelving supports and the
shelves themselves to the shelving supports. Fasteners are used to
mount the supports and also to connect the shelves to the supports.
Problems can arise when the fasteners and holes are improperly
placed, even a minor amount. This can require removal of the
fasteners and re-drilling, which leaves holes in the wall to which
the shelves were being mounted. Further, installers may drill the
fasteners completely through the shelves causing the installer to
scrap the shelves. Screws tend to strip out easily which requires
the use of boards that are high density and therefore have greater
screw holding ability. These boards are relatively expensive and
heavy. The use of self-tapping wood screws can be difficult to get
started to penetrate the relatively hard boards especially due to
the inverted position of the installer when fastening the shelf to
the brackets. Fasteners can also be unsightly on the bottoms of the
shelves, which can be in direct of a home owner when using the
shelves.
[0004] Accordingly, a need exists for a shelf system with supports
that utilize an adhesive to connect the shelves to the supports.
The adhesive can allow use of more economical, lower density wood
boards for the shelving as fasteners are not needed to connect the
shelves to their support brackets. The adhesive can also be
forgiving in that it can take some time to cure, which can allow
for repositioning of the shelves as the adhesive cures.
SUMMARY
[0005] In one embodiment, a method of assembling a shelf system
includes positioning a shelf end bracket on a support surface. The
shelf end bracket is mounted to the support surface. A release
liner is removed to expose an adhesive material on a shelf support
surface of the shelf end bracket. A shelf is located on the shelf
support surface with the adhesive located therebetween.
[0006] In another embodiment, a shelf system includes a shelf end
bracket including a shelf support surface. An adhesive material is
located on the shelf support surface. The shelf end bracket is
configured to mount to a support surface. A release liner overs the
adhesive material. A shelf support brace includes another shelf
support surface. Another adhesive material is located on the
another shelf support surface. The shelf support brace is
configured to mount to a support surface. Another release liner
covers the another adhesive material.
[0007] In another embodiment, a kit for a shelf system includes a
shelf end bracket including a shelf support surface. The shelf end
bracket is configured to mount to a support surface. A shelf
support brace includes another shelf support surface. The shelf
support brace is configured to mount to a support surface. An
adhesive material is provided that is no greater in area than the
support surface of one or both of the shelf end bracket and the
shelf support brace. A container contains the shelf end bracket,
the shelf support brace and the adhesive material.
[0008] Additional features and advantages of the embodiments
described herein will be set forth in the detailed description
which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those
skilled in the art from that description or recognized by
practicing the embodiments described herein, including the detailed
description which follows, the claims, as well as the appended
drawings.
[0009] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description describe various
embodiments and are intended to provide an overview or framework
for understanding the nature and character of the claimed subject
matter. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further
understanding of the various embodiments, and are incorporated into
and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings
illustrate the various embodiments described herein, and together
with the description serve to explain the principles and operations
of the claimed subject matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a shelf system,
according to one or more embodiments shown and described
herein;
[0011] FIG. 2 depicts a perspective exploded view of the shelf
system of FIG. 1, according to one or more embodiments shown and
described herein;
[0012] FIG. 3 depicts another exploded view of the shelf system of
FIG. 1, according to one or more embodiments shown and described
herein;
[0013] FIG. 4 depicts another perspective view of the shelf system
of FIG. 1 with the shelf removed, according to one or more
embodiments shown and described herein;
[0014] FIG. 5 depicts an assembled shelf system, according to one
or more embodiments shown and described herein;
[0015] FIG. 6 depicts a perspective view of a non-circular anchor
for use with the shelf system of FIG. 1, according to one or more
embodiments shown and described herein;
[0016] FIG. 7A depicts an additional support structure for the
shelf system, according to one or more embodiments shown and
described herein;
[0017] FIG. 7B depicts another additional support structure for the
shelf system, according to one or more embodiments shown and
described herein;
[0018] FIG. 7C depicts another additional support structure for the
shelf system, according to one or more embodiments shown and
described herein; and
[0019] FIG. 8 depicts a method of assembling the shelf system of
FIG. 1, according to one or more embodiments shown and described
herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] Embodiments described herein are directed to shelf systems
that include planar, solid shelves (e.g., formed of wood) that are
supported by support brackets that are fastened to a support
surface, such as a wall. An adhesive is placed on a shelf support
surface of the support brackets. The adhesive may have a reasonable
working time (e.g., between about three and about five minutes) to
allow for adjustment and readjustment of a shelf placed on the
shelf support surface during the installation process. As used
herein, "working time" is how much time the adhesive can be worked
with before the material reaches such a high state of viscosity
that the material cannot be properly worked with to produce an
acceptable shelf location of the shelf support surface. "Working
time" may be determined after running cure tests on the shelf
system to determine what is the point when the adhesive material
gels and how fast the viscosity increases to this gel state in the
final stage of curing. "Gel time" is the time it takes for an
adhesive to gel or become so highly viscous that it can no longer
be considered workable or able to be handled. Working life and gel
time may be determined at room temperature with a predetermined
volume of adhesive material used to bond two parts together. In
other embodiments, an adhesive having a faster working time may be
used.
[0021] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a shelf system 10 includes a solid,
planar shelf 12 that may be formed of wood, shelf end bracket
covers 14 and 16 that can be used to cover ends 23 and 26 of the
shelf 12 and end brackets 20 and 22 that are used to connect the
shelf 12 to a wall 18. Referring to FIG. 2, the end brackets 20 and
22 may be provided with an adhesive material 24 shown by hatching
on one or more of their shelf support surfaces that receive the
ends 23 and 26 of the shelf 12. The adhesive material 24 may have a
reasonable working time of between about three and about five
minutes to allow for adjustment and readjustment of a shelf placed
on the shelf support surface during the installation process. For
example, the adhesive material 24 may have a working time of less
than five minutes.
[0022] The shelf system 10 may further include the end brackets 20
and 22 with a rod hanging structure 32. Shelf support surfaces 34
and 36 may be provided with the adhesive material 24. Shelf support
braces 38 and 40 may also be used that include the adhesive
material 24 on their shelf support surfaces 42 and 44. The shelf
support braces 38 and 40 also include a rod hanging structure 35.
In some embodiments, a support brace cover may be used to cover the
support braces 38 and 40 when no shelf is being supported. The
shelf support braces 38 and 40 and any of the other components may
include non-circular openings 46 (e.g., trapezoidal) that can
receive a cooperating non-circular wall anchor 48 (FIG. 6) to
inhibit rotation of the wall anchor 48 as a fastener is drilled
therethrough and the wall anchor 48 located within the opening
46.
[0023] Referring to FIG. 4, in some embodiments, the adhesive
material 24 may be provided by a double-sided tape that includes a
carrier material with opposite sides being covered by the adhesive
material 24. A release liner 50 may be used to cover one or both
sides of the double-sided tape, which may be removed before
applying the shelf 12.
[0024] An example of an assembled shelf system is shown by element
52 of FIG. 5 and includes many of the components shown by FIGS. 1-4
and described above. In some embodiments, the components of the
shelf system 10 may be supplied as a kit for assembly that is
packaged together in a container with instructions in packaging,
such as one or more boxes and/or bags. The adhesive material 24 may
be packaged separately from the other components or pre-applied to
the components with the release liner 50 or pre-applied with no
release liner and the adhesive exposed. FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate
C-shaped end support brackets 54a, 54b and 54c with adhesive
material 24 that are sized to receive an end of a shelf.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 8, a method 100 of assembling the shelf
system 10 is illustrated. The method 100 includes positioning a
shelf end bracket against a wall at step 102. The shelf end bracket
is affixed to the wall using a wall anchor and fastener at step
104. At step 106, a shelf support brace is positioned on another
wall. The shelf support brace is affixed to the another wall using
a wall anchor and a fastener at step 108. The steps 102, 104 and
106 may be repeated as needed. At step 112, a release liner may be
removed to expose an adhesive material on the shelf support
surfaces of the shelf end bracket and the shelf support brace. In
some embodiments, a double-sided tape is applied to the shelf
support surfaces before the release liner is removed at step 110. A
shelf is then placed on the shelf support surfaces with the
adhesive material located between the shelf support surfaces and
the shelf at step 114.
[0026] The above-described shelf systems allow for relatively
simple installation of shelving compared to traditional fastener
shelf systems. A more economical lighter density board (e.g.,
fiberboard) can be used that has sufficient beam strength but low
screw holding strength can be used with the adhesive material.
Hollow core or honeycomb board can also be used that are
significantly lighter than traditional shelves, which can be less
weight for the installer and less weight on the wall and have
little or no screw holding strength. The shelf system may be
templated in that a template may be used to identify drilling
locations in a wall for the support brackets. Further, installation
may be simplified in that fasteners need not be threaded through
the shelves due to the adhesive, which can be time-consuming.
[0027] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments
described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the
claimed subject matter. Thus it is intended that the specification
cover the modifications and variations of the various embodiments
described herein provided such modification and variations come
within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *