Supports: racks – Shelf type – Knockdown
Reexamination Certificate
1997-02-07
2001-03-06
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3636)
Supports: racks
Shelf type
Knockdown
C248S222510, C248S243000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196401
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to the field of display and merchandizing shelving or racks and, more particularly, to a shelving system incorporating a novel structure for connecting shelf rails together without fasteners.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Gravity flow rack or order picking shelving systems in which merchandise cartons are placed at the rear of downwardly inclined shelves for sliding movement of the cartons toward the front of the shelves are well known in the art. The downwardly inclined shelves of such gravity flow rack systems generally comprise rectangular frames having roller track members and guide track members extending between front and rear shelf frame rails. A particularly commercially successful gravity flow rack system of the type being described is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,910 to Miller.
To date, many different structural connections have been developed for securing together the side and end rails for a shelf utilized in this type of shelving system. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,920 to Tipton et al. discloses in
FIGS. 5
,
14
and
15
a fastenerless structure for interconnecting the end and side rails of a shelf. The side rail includes a first longitudinal slot and a second, cooperating u-shaped slot that defines a resilient flap including an inwardly projecting leg. The end rail includes a hook that is received in the longitudinal slot. The connection of the end and side rails is made by inserting the hook into the longitudinal slot and then shifting the end rail downward relative to the side rail until the inwardly projecting leg of the resilient flap engages the upper surface of the bottom wall of the end rail.
While providing for positive engagement, this structure is relatively expensive to manufacture. It should also be appreciated that the inwardly projecting leg is often bent outwardly during assembly and, when this occurs it no longer provides the desired locking function. Further, when the desired locking function is provided significant difficulty is encountered when seeking to disengage the side and end rails and reconfigure the shelving system. In fact, the inwardly projecting leg is often damaged during disassembly thereby defeating the entire locking function, possibly even necessitating the purchase of a replacement siderail.
Of course, other possible joint structures for connecting the side and end rails of a shelf are also known. Examples of these include, for example, the structures disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,510,010 to Gasner; U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,988 to Cohen and U.S. Pat. No. 3,881,829 to James. While each of these connecting structures provides the convenience of a fastenerless connection, they are all relatively expensive to produce, relatively easily damaged during installation and/or disassembly for subsequent reconfiguration or fail to provide the necessary security of connection for use in a shelving system of the type described.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a shelving system incorporating an improved structural connection for securing shelf siderails and end rails together overcoming the above described limitations and disadvantages of the prior art.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a shelving system wherein the side and end rails of the shelf are connected together by a tongue and tab on a first shelf rail that are received in a cooperating pair of slots on a second shelf rail. The tongue, tab and slots are all directionally oriented so as to provide a unique geometry that furnishes ease of reliable and secure connection.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a shelving system with a connecting structure of high strength and durability which can be connected with little risk of damage to the connecting structure and in fact, may even be quickly disassembled and reassembled without tools while still providing the same reliable interconnection between the component parts.
Additional objects, advantages and other novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned with the practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, a shelving system is provided including a shelf and support frame that incorporates an improved fastenerless connecting structure for interconnecting the side and end rails that form each shelf. More specifically, a first shelf rail includes a downwardly depending tongue and an outwardly projecting tab. A second shelf rail that is interconnected to the first shelf rail includes a sidewall, a shelf supporting shoulder, a first slot in the shelf supporting shoulder for receiving the tongue carried on the first shelf rail and a second slot in the sidewall for receiving the tab carried on the first shelf rail.
More specifically describing the invention, the tongue and tab are provided on an end of the first rail. Further, the tongue depends in a first plane and the tab projects in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane. Additionally, the first slot is oriented in the first plane and the second slot is oriented in the second plane. When constructed, the first plane extends substantially horizontally and the second plane extends substantially vertically.
Preferably, the tab is in the form of a hook and when interconnected, the shoulder of the second rail engages the bottom wall of the first rail so as to provide additional stability and rigidity to the connection between the rails. Advantageously, by means of the connecting structure described, the first and second shelf rails may be easily interconnected. This is done by simply inserting the depending tongue into the first slot on the shoulder of the second rail and then pivoting the first rail about the tongue in order to bring the hook into engagement into the second slot. Since the tongue and tab is constructed from the same rigid material as the remainder of the first rail, the interconnection can be made with essentially no risk of damage to the connection structure. Thus, reliable connection is virtually always assured. This is true even if it ever becomes necessary to disassemble the shelving system so that it may be subsequently reconfigured as desire.
In accordance with yet another aspect of this invention, the shelving system includes a pair of first shelf rails and a pair of second shelf-rails interconnected together so as to form a rectangular framework. Further, each of the shelf supporting shoulders includes a pair of registration slots. A crosstie is then provided to interconnect the second shelf rails intermediate the first shelf rails.
More specifically, the crosstie includes a pair of substantially L-shaped projecting lugs at each end. The two lugs of each pair include distal ends that project in opposing directions. Thus, the crosstie is connected to the pair of second shelf rails by simply inserting or dropping the pair of lugs at each end into the pair of registration slots in the shoulder of the adjacent second rail. Upon connection, the orientation of the lugs and their engagement with the shoulders prevent any separation or spreading of the pair of second rails thereby rigidifying the framework and further preventing disengagement of the first and second shelf rails at the corners.
Still other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, simply by way of illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other dif
Brady Timothy D.
Kelly Michael P.
McIntosh Eric S.
Russell Brian F.
Cuomo Peter M.
King and Schickli PLLC
Vu Stephen
Western Pacific Storage Systems, Inc.
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