Supports: racks – Shelf type – Knockdown
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-04
2004-04-27
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Shelf type
Knockdown
C211S126150, C108S147120, C108S147130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06726040
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sectional rack, and more particularly to a sectional rack that can be assembled without using any tool and fastening means, and is adapted to firmly hold channels for supporting drawer-type baskets thereon.
There are various types of sectional racks commercially available in the markets. Among these sectional racks, those can be conveniently and quickly assembled without using tools and fastening means are particularly welcome by consumers. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,676,263; 5,303,645; 5,164,676; 4,991,725; 4,799,817; 4,595,107; 4,546,887; and 4,763,799 all disclose sectional racks that can be assembled without any tool.
A typical structure of the conventional sectional racks is shown in FIG.
1
and includes vertical posts
10
, connecting members
11
, and horizontal shelves
12
. The vertical post
10
is provided with a plurality of vertically spaced annular grooves
13
and therefore has a bamboo-like appearance. The connecting member
11
is provided on an inner wall surface with ribs
14
adapted to engage with the annular grooves
13
and thereby hold the connecting member to the vertical post
10
. An outer wall surface of the connecting member
11
gradually expands from top to bottom. The horizontal shelf
12
is provided at each corner with a short sleeve
15
having an inner wall surface gradually expanded from top to bottom corresponding to the inclined outer wall surface of the connecting member
11
. When the short sleeves
15
are seated over the connecting members
11
to connect the shelf
12
to the vertical posts
10
, they apply a compressive and binding force to the inclined outer wall surface of the connecting member
11
and therefore cause the latter to even firmly attach to the vertical posts
10
at the annular grooves
13
.
In the conventional racks having the above-described structure, the horizontal shelves
12
are not forward and backward movable once they are connected to the vertical posts
10
. With this structure, it is impossible to use the shelves as a drawer on the sectional rack. There has been developed a drawer-type basket for use on the above-described sectional rack. The basket is supported on rails (not shown) that are provided at front and rear ends with two short sleeves
15
for fixing onto connecting members
11
on posts
10
at two sides of the basket. When the basket is loaded with things and pulled outward, front ends of the rails are subjected to a downward force to cause lifted rear ends of the rails as a result of leverage. At this point, the short sleeves
15
at the lifted rear ends of the rails are not subjected to any downward force from the rear ends of the rails and become loosened from the connecting members
11
, and the connecting members
11
have the possibility of separating from the annular grooves
13
of the posts
10
and falling therefrom, causing safety problem in using the sectional rack.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a sectional rack that could not only be assembled without using any tool and fastening means, but also have rails firmly connected thereto for holding drawer-type baskets.
To achieve the above and other objects, the sectional rack of the present invention mainly includes oblong-sectioned vertical posts having horizontal slots symmetrically provided on two opposite side walls, and externally gradually downward expanded connecting members adapted to firmly attach to the vertical posts through engagement of ribs provided on inner wall surfaces of the connecting members with the horizontal slots on the vertical posts, and horizontal shelves having an internally gradually downward expanded short sleeve provided at each corner and being adapted to connect to the vertical posts by seating the short sleeves over the connecting members attached to the vertical posts. And, channels having upward extended L-shaped lugs provided at front and rear ends may be firmly hung on the vertical posts by inserting the lugs into corresponding horizontal slots of the vertical posts, so that a drawer-type basket may be conveniently slidably supported on and between two such channels.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3677615 (1972-07-01), Hudson
patent: 4656952 (1987-04-01), Schweizer
patent: 5486046 (1996-01-01), Jernstrom et al.
patent: 6257426 (2001-07-01), Masunaka et al.
patent: 6357611 (2002-03-01), Chen
patent: 6364138 (2002-04-01), Chen
Harris Erica B
Liauh W. Wayne
Protrend Co., Ltd.
Stodola Daniel P.
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