Supports: racks – Specially mounted – Wall or window
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-16
2001-02-20
Stodola, Daniel P. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Specially mounted
Wall or window
C108S108000, C211S090020, C211S187000, C248S248000, C248S250000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189707
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates generally to refrigerated food display cases. More specifically, this invention provides a shelving unit with adjustable brackets for mounting flexibility.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Refrigerated display cases are a common feature of modern grocery stores. Typical refrigerated cases have a bottom and four lower sides defining a well, the well serving as a settling area for cool, refrigerated air, and as a display area for food products. Many modern refrigerated cases also have a tall back and top overhang with an open front to allow customers to view, inspect, and retrieve food items.
Competitive pressures have forced grocers to display (and sell) more goods per square foot. However, the costs of replacing functioning units with new units to add additional merchandising shelf space is prohibitive. As an alternative, grocers have installed one or more mezzanine shelves (shelves positioned above the well) in their existing refrigerated display cases in order to increase the amount of horizontal shelf space available in existing refrigerated cases. These refrigerated case conversions increase the utilization of vertical space within the refrigerated cases, and the visual impact of products, particularly through the use of multi-deck mezzanine shelving. Such replacement shelving systems thus provide a viable, cost-effective alternative for grocers needing additional refrigerated shelf space.
Multi-deck shelving case converters may be free standing. Alternatively, one or more shelves may be attached to an existing refrigerated case through a set of vertical, slotted standards provided by the manufacturer of the refrigerated case. New cases utilize similar standards. The several manufacturers of refrigerated cases have their own, varying, specifications for the horizontal spacing intervals between the vertical, slotted standards in their units.
It is the current industry practice for shelf manufacturers to fix mounting brackets to the individual shelves at the specific horizontal spacing interval of the slotted standards of the case in which the shelving is to be installed. As a result of this practice, shelf manufacturers have additional manufacturing complexity, increased inventory and warehousing requirements, and slower turnaround time in servicing customers due to the non-standard nature of the mounting bracket spacing for the shelving units.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a mezzanine shelving unit with adjustable brackets for enhanced mounting flexibility in a wide variety of refrigerated display cases. A device according to the current invention includes a shelf designed to be placed in a standard refrigerated case section.
In a preferred embodiment, two bracket supports are mounted longitudinally along the bottom of a shelf. The bracket supports are mounted parallel to each other, and each support contains a bracket channel, each channel opening toward its counterpart channel on the opposing bracket support. In addition to defining bracket channels, these bracket supports may also provide lateral support to the shelf.
In accordance with the present invention, adjustable brackets are provided which have extending channel tabs located at the ends, the tabs being designed to slide within the provided channels of the bracket supports. Both channel tabs have flat extending segments designed to rest and slide in a corresponding segment of the bracket support. Additionally, at least one of the channel tabs is provided with a flat segment attached, and generally perpendicular, to the end of a flat extending segment, the perpendicular segment serving to slide along a surface or surfaces of the bracket support channel to maintain alignment of the bracket, minimize torsional forces and prevent binding and/or catching as the bracket is slid longitudinally along the bracket supports with the tabs within the channels. Each adjustable bracket also contains two or more integral mounting arms designed to allow attachment of the bracket to a vertical slotted standard provided within the refrigerated case. Each mounting arm may have one or more tab notches which will secure the shelf at least one predetermined angle when the tab slots engage the slotted standards of the refrigerated case. Thus, each adjustable bracket can be positioned precisely within the channels of the bracket support to allow attachment of the adjustable bracket (and the attached shelving unit) to the vertical slotted standard of the refrigerated case, no matter what horizontal distance separates the vertical slotted standards within the case.
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Meyers Thomas A.
Sosso Peter F.
Nawrocki, Rooney & Silvertson, P.A.
Stein Industries Inc.
Stodola Daniel P.
Tran Khoa
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