Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for a support channel according to various aspects of the present technology comprise a support channel having a strengthening ridge positioned along a closed end of an open channel body. The ridge may extend along the length of the channel body to increase a load bearing capacity of the channel body as compared to a similar shaped body without the ridge. The ridge may comprise a rounded protrusion extending outward from the dosed end of the channel, body in a manner that provides additional resistance to loading forces.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/877,887, filed Sep. 13, 2013, and incorporates the disclosure of the application by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Shelving and rack storage systems often provide storage space in bays positioned between vertical members. Shelves or racks may be positioned within a bay to facilitate the storage of items. Shelves and racks may be modular or otherwise designed for nonpermanent placement within a bay so that storage space may be configured and reconfigured to account for changing conditions, such as the amount of storage space required at any given time or to account for various sized packages, boxes, and articles to be stored. Modular racks and shelves are therefore often lightweight to allow for easier placement. However, strength of a shelf may be sacrificed as weight is removed. 
     Horizontal support structures that span the distance between vertical members are used to provide increased load bearing capacity to shelves or racks positioned within a bay. The support structures come in many forms such as tubes, channels, I-beams, and the like. As with shelves, strength of a support structure may be sacrificed as weight is removed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Methods and apparatus for a support channel according to various aspects of the present technology comprise a support channel having a strengthening ridge positioned along a closed end of an open channel body. The ridge may extend along the length of the channel body to increase a load bearing capacity of the channel body as compared to a similar shaped body without the ridge. The ridge may comprise a rounded protrusion extending outward from the closed end of the channel body in a manner that provides additional resistance to loading forces. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete understanding of the present technology may be derived by referring to the detailed description when considered in connection with the following illustrative figures. In the following figures, like reference numbers refer to similar elements and steps throughout the figures. 
         FIG. 1  representatively illustrates a perspective view of a decking system accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  representatively illustrates a perspective view of a support channel in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  representatively illustrates an end view of the support channel in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  representatively illustrates an end view of an alternative support channel in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  representatively illustrates an end view of a support channel having a rib in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  representatively illustrates a top view of the support channel having flanged end portions in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  representatively illustrates an end view of the support channel having flanged end portions in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  representatively illustrates a cross sectional view of the support channel across line B-B of  FIG. 6 ; and 
         FIG. 9  representatively illustrates a decking system using the support channel with flanged end portions in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     The present technology may be described in terms of functional block components and various processing steps. Such functional blocks may be realized by any number of components configured to perform the specified functions and achieve the various results. For example, the present invention may employ various types of materials, shelves, rails and the like, which may carry out a variety of functions. In addition, the present technology may be practiced in conjunction with any number of systems, such as shelving systems, display racks, and support systems, and the system described is merely one exemplary application for the technology. Further, the present technology may employ any number of conventional techniques for metalworking, component manufacturing, tooling fabrication, and/or forming surfaces. 
     Methods and apparatus for a support channel according to various aspects of the present technology may operate in conjunction with any suitable shelving, storage, or display system. Various representative implementations of the present technology may also be applied to any system requiring structural support for various types of loads. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , in an exemplary embodiment of the present technology a support channel  100  may be used to provide structural support to a decking system  102  to increase an overall load bearing capability of the decking system  102 . For example, the support channel  100  may comprise one or more structural members coupled to an under side of a mesh deck  104  to allow an end of the decking system  102  to be positioned on a support rail  106  such that objects may be placed on a top side of the mesh deck  104 . 
     The support channel  100  may comprise any suitable system for providing structural support or allowing for an increased load bearing capacity of the mesh deck  104 . For example, referring now to  FIG. 2 , the support channel  100  may comprise a ridge  204  extending between a first end  206  and a second end  208  of the support channel  100 . A pair of opposing sidewalls  202  may extend generally upwardly away from the ride  204 . The support channel  100  may comprise any suitable material, such as hot or cold rolled steel, stainless steel, iron, aluminum, and/or any suitable plastic, composite, or alloy. For example, in one embodiment, the support channel  100  may comprise a grade 50-65. steel having a thickness of between one thirty-second of an inch and three sixteenths of an inch. 
     The support channel  100  may comprise any suitable shape or dimension which may be determined according to a desired application. For example, referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the support channel  100  may comprise a generally “U” shaped channel body wherein the pair of opposing sidewalls  202  are separated from each other by a gap and are substantially parallel to each other along at least a portion of a height “H” of the sidewalls  202 . In one embodiment, a first transition element  102  of one of the pair of sidewalls  202  may form a curved surface that extends upwardly away from a first inflection point  314  of the ridge  204  and a center portion of the gap before thrilling or otherwise engaging a vertical surface of a first straight sidewall element  304  at a first transition point  316 . The first straight sidewall element  304  may extend from the first transition point  316  to a terminating first end portion  320  of one of the sidewall  202 . The first straight sidewall element  304  may be substantially parallel to an opposing second straight sidewall element  308 . 
     Similarly, a second transition element  306  may form a curved surface that extends upwardly away from a second inflection point  312  of the ridge  204  and the center portion of the gap before forming or otherwise engaging the second straight sidewall element  308  at a second transition point  318 . The second straight sidewall element  308  may extend from the second transition point  318  to a terminating second end portion  22  of one of the other sidewall  202 . The first and second transition elements  302 ,  306  may be formed as substantially mirror images such that the curved surfaces each form a concave surface relative to an inner portion of the support channel  100  or gap. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , in a second embodiment, the first and second transition elements  302 ,  306  of each sidewall  202  may comprise one or more substantially linear wall segments. For example, each wall segment may depend from a horizontal axis  408  by an increasingly larger amount until meeting the first and second straight sidewall elements  304 ,  308  of the sidewalls  202  and thereby becoming substantially perpendicular to the horizontal axis  408 . In one embodiment, a first wall segment  402  may depend from the horizontal axis  408  by an angle “α” of between about 15-45°, a second wall segment  404  may depend from the axis  408  by an angle “σ” of between about 30-60°, and a third wall segment  406  may depend from the horizontal axis  408  by an angle “γ” of between about 55-85°. In a second embodiment, the first wall segment  402  may depend from the horizontal axis  408  by an angle of about 42°, the second wall segment  404  may depend from the horizontal axis  408  by an angle of about 57°, and the third wall segment  406  may depend from the horizontal axis  408  by an angle of about 72°. In a third embodiment, the first and second transition elements  302 ,  306  may comprise between two and six segments wherein each segment comprises any suitable angle relative to the horizontal axis  408 . 
     The sidewalls  202  may comprise any suitable dimensions and may be determined according to a desired application or load bearing requirements. In one embodiment, the height “H” of the sidewalls  202  in comprise as value of between about one inch and four inches. A higher value for “H” may be selected to account for increased load bearing requirements. For example, as the height “H” of the sidewalls  202  is increased the channel  100  may have an increased load carrying capacity. 
     Similarly, a channel width “W” of the gap between the sidewalk  202  may be determined according to any suitable criteria such as loading requirements or a dimensional pattern of the mesh deck  104 . For example, in one embodiment, the sidewalls may comprise a channel width of between about one-quarter of an inch to about two inches. 
     The ridge  204  increases an overall load bearing strength of the channel  100  and may comprise and suitable device or method for increasing the load bearing capacity of the channel  100 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the ridge  204  may comprise a protrusion  310  extending downwardly away from the first and second transition elements  302 ,  306  of the sidewalls  202 . The protrusion  310  may help increase an overall height of the sidewalls  202  resulting in an increased load bearing capacity of the support channel  100 . In a second embodiment, the protrusion  310  may extend upwardly between the sidewalls  202 . In a third embodiment, additional protrusions may be added to the sidewalls  202  to provide additional strength to the support channel  100 . For example, an additional protrusion may be added between each wall segment  404 ,  406  and disposed between the protrusion  310  and first and second straight sidewall elements  304 ,  308 . Referring now to  FIG. 5 , in a fourth embodiment, the ridge  204  may comprise a rib  502  configured to be welded to a lower most surface of the support channel  100  between the sidewalls  202  to extend along the length of the support channel  100  between the first end  206  and the second end  208 . 
     The ridge  204  may comprise any suitable shape or size and may be determined, at least in part, by a desired overall dimension of the support channel  100 . For example, the ridge  204  may comprise a substantially rounded surface having an inner diameter  324  of between one thirty-seconds of an inch and one-quarter of an inch. Referring now to  FIG. 9 , in one embodiment, the dimensions of an outer surface of the ridge  204  may be determined according to a wire size of the mesh deck  104  such that the ridge  204  provides an increased surface area for welding the ridge  204  to the mesh deck  104  at points of intersection  902 . 
     The first end  206  and the second end  208  of the support channel  100  may be configured to be coupled to the rail  106  by any suitable method. For example, referring again to  FIG. 1 , in one embodiment, the first end  206  and the second end  208  may comprise a substantially straight edge that is suitably configured to be positioned along a ledge  108  of the rail. Referring now to  FIGS. 6-9 , in a second embodiment, the first end  206  and the second end  208  of the support channel  100  may be stamped flat to form a first flange  602  on the first end  206  and a second flange  604  on the second end  208 . 
     The support channel  100  may be formed by any suitable method or manufacturing process. For example, in one embodiment, the support channel  100  may be formed from a single piece of hot rolled steel. In a first step, a substantially rectangular piece of steel of about three inches in width and about forty-eight inches in length may be roll formed to create a curved ridge  204  extending along the length of the piece of steel. The rib may comprise an inner radius of about one sixteenth of an inch. A second roll forming step may then bond the piece of steel along its length to form a pair of parallel sidewalk  202 . The support channel  100  may be then spot welded to a mesh deck  104  to form a completed decking system  102 . 
     The particular implementations shown and described are illustrative of the invention and its best mode and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the present invention in any way. Indeed, for the sake of brevity, conventional manufacturing, connection, preparation, and other functional aspects of the system may not be described in detail. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or steps between the various elements. Many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in a practical system. 
     In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments. Various modifications and changes may be made, however, without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims. The specification and figures are illustrative, rather than restrictive, and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined by the claims and their legal equivalents rather than by merely the examples described. 
     For example, the steps recited in any method or process claims may be executed in any order and are not limited to the specific order presented in the claims. Additionally, the components and/or elements recited in any apparatus claims may be assembled or otherwise operationally configured in a variety of permutations and are accordingly not limited to the specific configuration recited in the claims. 
     Benefits, other advantages and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to particular embodiments; however, any benefit, advantage, solution to problem or any element that may cause any particular benefit, advantage or solution to occur or to become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required or essential features or components of any or all the claims. 
     As used herein, the terms “comprise”, “comprises”, “comprising”, “having”, “including”, “includes” or any variation thereof, are intended to reference a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, composition or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements recited, but may also include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, composition or apparatus. Other combinations and/or modifications of the above-described structures, arrangements, applications, proportions, elements, materials or components used in the practice of the present invention, in addition to those not specifically recited, may be varied or otherwise particularly adapted to specific environments, manufacturing specifications, design parameters or other operating requirements without departing from the general principles of the same.