Abstract:
A shelf section adapted to fit against a wall section where there are exposed 2×4 wooden posts at spaced intervals. The shelf section has a horizontal platform, part of which is positioned between adjacent 2×4 posts, and the other part extending outwardly from the posts. A pair of mounting flanges attach to the outer surfaces of the 2×4s, and a pair of braces extend between the flanges and the platform. The shelf section is designed to be made from a single metal sheet cut to the appropriate dimensions and configuration, and is arranged so that a plurality of shelf sections can next within one another for storage, transportation, etc.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 60/228,077, filed Aug. 25, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (a) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to shelving, such as small shelf sections which can conveniently be mounted to various structures, and more particularly to a shelving system where individual shelving sections can be conveniently mounted to particular structural configurations where they are exposed vertical posts at spaced intervals. 
     (b) Background Art 
     It is quite common in housing structures (or other structures) to construct walls or other structural section where there are spaced, vertically aligned wooden 2×4s or 2×6s. These are commonly covered with panels, such as plasterboard. However, in some instances these vertical wooden posts, while having wall panels on one side, are otherwise exposed. This would commonly happen, for example, where there is a shop, tool shed, or garage where the interior wall surfaces do not have panels, but have the exposed 2×4s. 
     In those situations, it is often desired to have shelving for storage of various items. However, conventional shelving comprising long planks has the obvious drawback that the shelving would be positioned entirely outwardly from the outer surface of the 2×4s, and there would be an empty area between the rear part of the shelving and the panel that is connected to the opposite surfaces of the 2×4s. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shelving system where the individual shelf sections could be conveniently and economically manufactured, and also be used quite conveniently in situations such as described above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a shelf section which is particularly adapted to be connected to two posts which are spaced laterally from one another. The present invention can quite advantageously be used in a situation, for example, where there is a wall structure made up of a plurality of vertical wooden 2×4s which are space laterally from one another at a spacing distance of, for example, sixteen or eighteen inches. At least one side of the array of 2×4s would be exposed (i.e. would not have sheet rock paneling or other paneling covering the 2×4s), and the other surface of the array of 2×4s may or may not have paneling covering the same. This commonly occurs, for example, in the interior walls of a garage, a shop, a tool shed, or the like. 
     The shelf section can quite advantageously be made as an integral structure, and more specifically be formed from a planar piece of sheet metal cut to the proper configuration and dimensions. Then the sheet metal is bent along designated bend lines to form the finished product which is the shelf section. 
     The shelf section has a platform with front and rear platform edge portions and oppositely positioned side platform edge portions. There is a front-to-rear longitudinal axis, and a transverse axis. The platform is arranged so that in an operating position (e.g. mounted between the adjacent posts) at least a portion of the platform is positioned between the two posts. 
     The shelf section has a pair of mounting flanges located on opposite sides of the shelf section and positioned in a manner that with this shelf section in the operating position, the mounting flanges are located so as to be adjacent to the respective front surfaces of the posts so as to be able to be connected thereto (e.g. by screws). 
     Then there is a pair of bracing members located on opposite sides of each platform, which each bracing member connecting between a related flange and a forward edge portion of the platform. 
     In a preferred configuration, a forward portion of the platform has front side edges which extend in a forward and inward direction toward the longitudinal center axis, and the two bracing members are each attached to the converging forward side edge portions of the platform, extending upwardly therefrom and joined to the related flange members. This enables a plurality of the shelf members to be stacked together in nesting relationship with related forward portions of the shelf members nesting within one another, and the platforms positioned on top of one another but shifted from one another in the stacking configuration. 
     In the “laid-flat” configuration of the shelf member (its pre-form condition from which is to be formed into the shelf section), there are pre-designated bend lines between the two bracing members in the platform, and also two bracing lines corresponding to connecting lines between the two bracing members and the two flange members. During the bending operation, the flange members are bent along their bending lines about ninety degrees, and the bracing members are bent along their bending lines ninety degrees to be formed into the configuration of the finished product. 
     Also within the scope of the present invention is the method of forming the individual shelf sections, and also in forming the shelf sections in a mass-production operation where these are formed at forming/cutting stations. Also, the present invention relates to the method of using the shelf section of the present invention. Other features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the shelf section mounted to two vertical 2×4s, by means of mounting flanges; 
     FIG. 2 is a front elevational view showing three of the shelf sections mounted to three adjacent 2×4s; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the first embodiment of the present invention, but without being mounted to a structure; 
     FIG. 4 is s front elevational view of the shelf section of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the shelf section shown in FIGS. 3 and 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the single shelf section in a “laid-flat” configuration, and illustrating the bend lines along which the piece of sheet metal is bent to form the finished shelf section of FIGS. 1,  2 , and  3 , and showing also the angular relationships of these bend lines; 
     FIG. 7 is a top plan view, partly in section, similar to FIG. 3 showing the shelf section mounted to the 2×4s and adjacent to a vertical wall, with the wall, and with the 2×4s also being shown in section, and also showing in the broken lines the nails or screws used to mount the section; 
     FIG. 8 is a plan view, partly in section, similar to FIG. 7, and showing a larger shelf section, having a greater depth dimension than the shelf section, and mounted between two 2×6 wooden posts, indicated at; 
     FIG. 9 is a top plan view showing two of the shelf sections of FIG. 1 being stacked in a nested arrangement; 
     FIG. 10 is a somewhat schematic drawing illustrating a preferred method of manufacturing the shelf sections, showing a piece of sheet metal which is being directed into a forming and cutting section of a metal forming and cutting press, and showing the manufacturing sequence by which the three pre-forms are made into the end product; 
     FIG. 11 is an isometric view showing a modified form of the present invention, where the shelf section is made of three separate pieces which are fixedly joined to one another; 
     FIG. 12 is a “laid-flat” view (drawn to scale) which shows the same “laid-flat” section of FIG. 6, which is adapted to be mounted to wooden 2×4s, and showing the various dimensional and angular relationships. 
     FIG. 13 is a “aid-flat” view similar to those of FIGS. 6 and 12, but showing the relative dimensions and angular relationships of the shelf section of FIG. 8, which is adapted to be mounted to two wooden 2×6 boards. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     To describe the first embodiment of the present invention, reference is first made to FIG. 1 which shows the shelf section  10  of the present invention mounted to a structure  12 , comprising two vertical posts  14  of a rectangular cross-section (in this preferred embodiment, two wooden 2×4s) and a back wall  16 . The shelf section  10  comprises a horizontal platform  18  which in turn is supported by two side mounting sections  20 . Each mounting section  20  comprises a mounting flange  22  connected to a related 2×4 post  14 , and a triangular bracing member  24  connected between its related flange  22  and a forward side edge portion of the platform  18 . The two forward corner portions of the platform  18  are beveled at  26 , and the forward edge of the platform  18  is formed as an upturned lip  28  extending between the beveled corners  26 . Each of the flanges  22  has two horizontal mounting slots  30  spaced vertically from one another, and screws  32  are inserted through related slots  30  and into the related 2×4 post (see FIG.  7 ). 
     In continuing this description of this first embodiment, it is believed that a better understanding will be provided by the reader viewing FIG.  6 . One of the benefits of this first embodiment is that it can be made as one integral piece which is manufactured from flat sheet metal stock and bent along bend lines. This not only provides structural benefits in the way of structural strength, but also enables the panel section  10  to be manufactured efficiently and economically. 
     FIG. 6 is a plan view looking on a laid-flat piece of sheet metal which has been cut to the appropriate shape and dimensions to be formed into the panel section  10  of FIG.  1 . For ease of description, the numerical designations which are used in the descriptions given thus far with reference to FIG. 1 will be used in describing this laid-flat version of FIG.  6 . Also, the numerical designations which are given in the following text to the bend lines in describing FIG. 6 will be used in designating these bend line locations in the finished panel section  10 , with the understanding that these bend lines are the juncture lines where the platform  18 , flanges  22 , bracing members  34 , and the front lip  28  are joined. In FIG. 6, the bend lines are shown as broken lines, and it can be seen that there are five bend lines, namely two bend lines  34 , two bend lines  36 , and a single bend line  38 . 
     Each of the two bend lines  34  connects a related flange member  22  to its related bracing member  24 . Each bend line  36  connects its related bracing member  24  to a forward edge portion of the platform  18 . The single bend line  38  joins the front lip  28  to the platform  18 . 
     Continuing this description with reference to FIG. 6, the “laid-flat” panel section  10  of FIG. 6 has a forward-to-rear longitudinal center axis  40 , and a transverse axis  42  which, for purposes of future reference, is indicated as passing through two side points which are defined by the intersection of each pair of adjacent pairs of bend lines  34  and  36 . 
     It is readily apparent from viewing FIG.  6  and FIG. 1 that the bending of the “laid-flat” panel section  10  to form the finished panel section  10  of FIG. 1 is accomplished by bending each of the flanges  22  in a downward direction ninety degrees (as viewed in FIG. 6) and bending each of the bracing members  24  upwardly ninety degrees (i.e. upwardly from the paper surface as shown in FIG.  6 ). Then the front lip  28  is bent upwardly (as seen in the plan view of FIG. 6) along the bend line  38 . 
     The angular disposition of the bend lines  34  and  36  are significant in the present invention. In describing these, it should first be noted that the platform  18  can be considered as having a forward section  44  and a rear section  46 , with the dividing line  48  of these forward and rear sections  44  and  46  being located at the transverse axis  42  (thus, the same line in FIG. 6 is given two designations, one designation  42  relating to its function as a transverse axis, and the other designation  48  relating to its function as a “boundary line” between the forward and rear platform sections  44  and  46 ). 
     The rear panel section  46  has a rear edge  50  which is parallel to the axis  42  and two rear side edge portions  52  which are parallel to one another and perpendicular to the rear edge  50  and to the transverse axis  48 . Relating this back to FIG. 1 (and also to FIGS.  3  &amp;  7 ), it can be seen that the lateral spacing distance between the two rear side edge portions  52  is just slightly less than the spacing distance between the lateral adjacent surfaces  52  of the 2×4 posts  14 . Thus, with the panel section  10  being in its functioning position of FIGS. 1 and 7, there is a small gap  56  formed between each pair of edge portions  52  and side surfaces  54 , to compensate for any possible inaccuracies in the spacing of the 2×4 posts  14  or possible misalignment of the same. 
     Now let us turn our attention back to the alignment of the bend lines  34  and  36 . In looking at the left-hand side of FIG. 6, it can be seen that each bend line  36  has a slight forward and inward slant at an angle (indicated at  58 ) of approximately six degrees. Then each bend line  34  is perpendicular to its adjacent bend line  36  and thus makes an angle (indicated at  60 ) of six degrees relative to the transverse axis  42 . 
     Also, it will be noted (still with reference to FIG. 6) that the lengthwise axis  62  of each of the slots  30  is parallel to its related bend line  36 , so that in the plan view of FIG. 6, this alignment axis  62  has the same slant to the transverse axis  42  as the bend line  36 . 
     In the shaping of the “laid-flat” shelf section of FIG. 6 to the finished shelf section of FIGS. 1 and 7, the flanges at  22  are each bent 90 degrees along the related bend line  34 ; each brace member  24  is rotated 90 degrees along its bend line  36 , and the front lip  26  is bent 90 degrees along its bend line at  26 . With that being accomplished, let us now look at the end configuration of the shelf member  10 , and specifically examine FIGS. 3,  4 , and  5  where the positional and angular relationships of the finished shelf section  10  can be seen more clearly. 
     First, as can be expected, the bracing member  24  which has been rotated upwardly to a vertical direction has its bottom bend line  36  forming the same angle at  58  (see FIG. 3) with the rear lateral edge  52  of the rear platform section  46 . On the other hand, the bend line  34 , where the flange  22  joins the bracing member  24 , becomes vertically oriented so that it is perpendicular to the plane occupied by the platform  18 . (This can be seen clearly in FIGS. 3,  4 , and  5 .) Also, it can be seen in viewing the right-hand part of FIG. 4 that the alignment axis  62  of each of the slots  32  is now horizontal (i.e. parallel to the plane occupied by the platform  18 ). Further, as can be seen in both FIGS  3  and  5 , the planar alignment of the two flanges  22  is that each flange  22  lies in a vertical plane that is perpendicular to the plane of the platform  18  and is congruent with (laying in the same plane with) the transverse axis  42 . 
     With these various relationships being established, let us now look at the benefits provided by the same. First, with regard to the positioning of the mounting flanges  22 , it can be seen that the alignment of each mounting flange is such that when it is placed against and fixedly attached to the front surface  63  of the 2×4 posts  14 , the platform  18  is horizontally aligned. Also, it will be noted that the slots  30  are horizontally aligned. Therefore, if there is any lateral adjustment needed because of possible misalignment of the 2×4s or for other reasons, this lateral adjustment could be made in a plane parallel to the platform  18 . 
     Now we look at the slant of the bracing members  24 . With the bracing members  24  being bent along the slanted bend line  36 , effectively the forward portion  44  of the platform  18  has its side edges (which are the bend lines  36 ) tapering inwardly in a forward direction along with the inward and forward slant of the connecting members  24 . The effect of this is that the shelf sections  10  can be nested with one another as shown in FIG. 9, for storage, shipment, display at a counter location, etc. 
     Now with reference to FIG. 6, it will also be noted that in the “laid-flat” configuration, each rear lateral edge  52  of the platform  18  forms one side of an angle relative to the inside edge  64  of the flange  22  at approximately the same angle as the bend line  36 . Thus, when the flange  22  is in its finished position extending in its laterally outward position (as in FIG.  1 ), this bottom edge  64  is aligned with the plane of the platform  18 . 
     A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.  8 . Components of this second embodiment which are similar to components of the first embodiment will be given like numerical designations, with an “a” suffix distinguishing those of the second embodiment. It can be readily seen by looking at FIG.  7  and FIG. 8, that the second embodiment of the shelf section  10   a  is substantially the same as the first embodiment of the shelf section  10 , except that the shelf section  10   a  is sized so that it fits in the space between two post member  14   a  which (instead of being wooden 2×4s) are wooden 2×6s. Thus, with a greater depth dimension, the bend lines  34  and  36  of the first embodiment are positioned at a more forward location. 
     It is believed that the specific configuration, functional features, and method of shaping the laid-flat shelf section of the second embodiment are readily apparent from a reading of the description of the first embodiment. Accordingly, these will not be described in detail in the following text. 
     Reference is now made to FIG. 10, which illustrates somewhat schematically the method of manufacture of the first embodiment of the present invention. It was indicated previously herein that one of the benefits of the present invention is that it readily lends itself to being manufactured both efficiently and economically. This will be described in the following text with reference to FIG.  10 . 
     In this manufacturing operation, there is a large roll of sheet metal  65 , and the free end portion  66  of the roll of sheet metal is unrolled from this roll and directed into the forming and cutting stamping die section (generally designated  67 ) of the forming and cutting press. The forming/cutting section comprises three operating subsections which are designated  68 ,  70 , and  72 , and which perform forming and/or cutting operations. Since the basic configuration of the forming and cutting apparatus already exists in the prior art, it is not illustrated herein, and the subsections  68 ,  70 , and  72  are shown only schematically to indicate their locations at which they are performing their functions. The finished shelf section  10  is shown located at the end location after the last subsection  72 . 
     To explain the manufacturing process, this is a progressive stamping process where each portion of the sheet metal passes through three stamping stations. We begin at the right side of FIG. 10, and there is an arrow  74  indicating the forward direction of travel of the sheet metal end portion  66 . In operation, the sheet metal  66  moves forward one increment of travel, stops for a forming/cutting operation, moves through a second increment of travel, etc. Each time after the sheet metal  66  has stopped, the three forming/cutting subsections  68 ,  70 , and  72  move down simultaneously to perform their respective forming/cutting operations. Then all three subsections  68 ,  70 , and  72  are raised simultaneously, the sheet material is moved one increment of travel further forwardly, and again the three forming/cutting subsections  68 ,  70 , and  72  move downwardly to perform their operations. This continues until the entire roll of sheet metal has been formed into the shelf sections  10 . There are produced in this forming/cutting operation three different preform sections indicated at  76 ,  78  and  80 , which are formed and/or cut by, respectively, the three cutting/forming subsections  68 ,  70 , and  72 . 
     To describe the operation, let us assume that the forming/cutting operation has just been completed, and that the subsections  68 ,  70 , and  72  have just been raised. At the subsection of  68 , the first preform section  76  is made with cuts along lines  82 ,  84 ,  86 ,  88 ,  90 ,  62 , and  92 . Further, the slots at  66  had been cut out. 
     Now let us look at the middle pre-form section  78 . At the same time that the various cuts and punching has taken place to make the preform section  76 , the pre-form section  78  has had the two flange sections  22  bent downwardly along the bend line  34  by the action of the second forming and/or cutting subsection  70 . 
     Next, we go to the third subsection  72  where the final pre-form section  80  is located and is being formed. At this subsection  72  is lowered, a cut is made at  98 . Further, the bends are made along the bend lines at  36  and at  38  (see FIG. 6 for the location of these bend lines). With the last forming/cutting operation being accomplished at the subsection  72 , the pre-form  80  is in the configuration of the end product, which is the shelf section  10 . Then the completed shelf section  10  is moved out of the forming/cutting section  67 . 
     FIG. 11 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. Components of this third embodiment which are similar to components of the prior two embodiments will be given like numerical designations with a “b” suffix distinguishing those of the third embodiment. It is readily apparent from observing FIG. 11 that there are the same basic components of the prior two embodiments, so that the shelf section  10   b  has the platform  18   b , the two mounting flanges  22   b,  the connecting members  24   b,  and the forward lip  28   b.  Also, there is a bend line  34   b  between the flange  22   b  and the bracing member  24   b.    
     However, instead of connecting the bracing member  24   b  to the platform  18   b  as part of a single integral member, with the juncture being made at a bend line, there is instead provided for each bracing member  24   b  a laterally extending flange  80   b  which extends from the lower edge of the bracing member  24   b  laterally inwardly beneath the platform  18   b.  Suitable fasteners are indicated at  102   b,  and there could be rivets, welds, or some other bonding operation. It will be noted that this third embodiment is not configured so as to have the benefit of being able to have a plurality of these shelf sections  10   b  stacked in nesting fashion. Nevertheless, within the broader scope of the present invention, this third embodiment may have certain applications where it could be used quite advantageously. 
     It is to be recognized that various modified embodiments of the present invention could be made, and also that the particular orientation of components could be changed. For example, the angular relationships of the bend lines  34  and  36  of the first embodiment could be modified to increase or decrease the angles of orientation. Increasing the angle  58  would improve the nesting capability since the shelf members  10  could be positioned more closely to one another. However, the downside of this would be that there would be moderately less shelf space in the forward part of the platform  18 . Also, the claims are to be interpreted to cover not only this specific configuration along with the dimensions, but also to be interpreted to cover alternate configurations and equivalent structures.