Horizontally supported planar surfaces – Vertically adjustable – Shelf type
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-13
2004-06-15
Chen, Jose V. (Department: 3637)
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
Vertically adjustable
Shelf type
C108S192000, C211S187000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06748878
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a shelf positioning mechanism for sectional rack, and more particularly to a shelf positioning mechanism that allows the same shelves of a sectional rack to be selectively turned upside down when they are assembled onto vertical posts of the sectional rack.
A sectional rack that can be assembled and erected without the need of any tool is most welcomed by consumers. Such sectional rack usually includes many metal tubes as its posts, and these posts are provided with a plurality of spaced annular grooves, making the posts looked like bamboo poles. The sectional rack also includes a plurality of horizontal shelves being assembled onto the posts by putting short sleeves provided at corners of each shelf around connecting members previously attached to the posts at the annular grooves. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,676,263; 5,303,645; 5,174,676; 4,991,725; 4,799,818; 4,595,107; 5,546,887; and 4,763,799 all disclose sectional racks using such bamboo pole-like tubes as the posts of the rack. Please refer to FIG.
1
. The above-described conventional sectional rack includes vertical posts
10
with annular grooves
11
spaced on an outer wall thereof for engaging with ribs
21
provided on an inner wall surface of the connecting members
20
, so that the connecting members
20
are attached to the posts
10
at the annular grooves
11
. Each of the connecting members has varying outer diameters gradually increased from top to bottom. Each of the shelves
30
has a short sleeve
31
provided at each corner thereof (only two of four corners are shown in the drawing). The short sleeve
31
has varying inner diameters gradually increased from top to bottom corresponding to the varying outer diameters of the connecting members
20
. When the shelf
30
is assembled onto the vertical posts
10
, the short sleeves
31
are put around the connecting members
20
to tightly clamp the latter against the posts
10
at the annular grooves
11
and therefore hold the shelf
30
to the posts
10
at four corners.
The shelf
30
shown in
FIG. 1
includes a plurality of horizontal metal wires
32
that together form a carrying surface at an open upper side of the shelf
30
. The shelf
30
with the carrying surface formed at the open upper side thereof is referred to as a regular shelf, and things laid on the regular shelf
30
are completely visible. However, the sectional rack may also have shelves
30
′ that include a plurality of horizontal metal wires
32
′ forming a carrying surface at an enclosed lower side of the shelf
30
′, as shown in FIG.
2
. The shelf
30
′ with the carrying surface formed at the enclosed lower side thereof is referred to as a reverse shelf, and things laid on the reverse shelf are protected from falling out of the shelf. The regular and the reverse shelves
30
,
30
′ have their respective advantages and are selected for use depending on users' actual need and preference. However, it is troublesome but necessary for a sectional rack manufacturer to decide and produce the required numbers of the regular and the reverse shelves
30
,
30
′ for constructing a set of the above-described sectional rack according to a customer's order.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a shelf positioning mechanism for sectional rack that enables the same one shelf to be used either as a regular or a reverse shelf when the shelf is assembled onto posts of the sectional rack.
To achieve the above and other objects, the shelf positioning mechanism for sectional rack according to the present invention mainly include a positioning member to be fitted between the short sleeve provided at each corner of the shelf and the connecting member configured to attach to the vertical post at the annular groove. The positioning member has downward and outward inclined inner wall surface that applies a clamping force on the downward and outward inclined outer wall surface of the connecting member, and has straight outer wall surface to tightly bear against a straight inner wall surface of the short sleeve. Therefore, the same shelf can be selectively turned upside down when it is assembled onto the vertical posts.
The positioning member is provided around a lower end with radially outward projected flanges, on which the short sleeve of the shelf is rested to ensure tight fitness of the straight inner wall surface of the short sleeve with the straight outer wall surface of the positioning member.
In a preferred embodiment, the positioning member includes two complementary parts that are closable to each other to form a hollow cylindrical member, such that when the positioning member is put around the connecting member and subjected to a resistance from the connecting member, it is slightly expanded to tightly bear against the inner wall surface of the short sleeve, causing the connecting member, the positioning member, and the short sleeve to form a sequentially and securely connected unit.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3523508 (1970-08-01), Maslow
patent: 3604369 (1971-09-01), Maslow
patent: 3675598 (1972-07-01), Kesilman et al.
patent: 3757705 (1973-09-01), Maslow
patent: 4799818 (1989-01-01), Sudimak et al.
patent: 5127342 (1992-07-01), Taylor
patent: 5390803 (1995-02-01), McAllister
patent: 6079575 (2000-06-01), Wang
patent: 6241108 (2001-06-01), Nakatani et al.
Chen José V.
Liauh W. Wayne
Protrend Co., Ltd.
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