Abstract:
A angled rolled plan rack is provided that includes a series of angled shelves supported by a frame that is particularly suited to hold a quantity of rolled large format drawings such as architectural plans, engineering drawings and the like. The shelves are angled toward the rear of the frame so that gravity holds the rolled plans on the rack. A multiplicity of rack assemblies, one on the right and the other on the left, hang on a vertical surface (such as wall) or are placed on a horizontal surface (such as a floor or desk) and complement each other forming a support for rolled plans. This configuration permits the title block on the rolled plans to be easily visible for identification and easy removal of a rolled plan while retaining the ability to store a large number of rolled plans in a compact and efficient form. Variations of the angled rolled plan rack include a closed front, a semi-open front and a gated front and various mounting means.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to storage racks, and more particularly, to a storage rack with angled shelves suited for, large print media, rolls of paper plans or drawings. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Several designs for shelving or rack systems have been designed in the past. None of them, however, includes an angled rack that holds numerous large format rolled plans oriented in a manner that allows easy viewing of the label to identify the plans while retaining the ability to easily remove any selected plan without removing other plans held in the rack or other undue difficulty. 
         [0005]    Applicant believes that the closest reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 262,556 issued to Bailey. However, it differs from the present invention because the Bailey device is limited to fixed width applications, does not allow for multiple plans to be supported by each shelf, does not have any means to prevent plans from falling off the front of the shelf, is not adaptable to a panel mount configuration and is not adaptable for varying width of plans. 
         [0006]    Another related reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,995 issued to Lusk. However, it differs from the present invention because the Lusk device is limited to fixed width applications, only allows for a single layer of plans to be supported by each shelf, does not have sufficient means to prevent plans from falling off the front of the shelf, is not adaptable to a panel mount configuration and is floor mounted which unnecessarily uses too much space. 
         [0007]    Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a rolled plan rack that has the capacity to hold many rolled plans or other large format print media on each of a multiplicity of angled shelves. An added advantage is that each individual plan&#39;s title block may be easily seen and identified. 
         [0009]    It is another object of this invention to provide a rolled plan rack that while supporting many rolled plans each individual plan may be easily accessed from the rack without removing or disturbing the plans remaining on the rack. 
         [0010]    It is still another object of the present invention to provide a rack for rolled plans or other large format rolled print media that allows easy organization of many plans on a single rack and permits the replacement of plans in an orientation that displays the title block of the plans for simple identification of any plan on the rack. 
         [0011]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a rack to hold large format rolled media that is adaptable to be mounted on a variety of different types of substrates such as a wall, systems furniture partition or displays and at varying widths to support a wide variety of differently sized media. 
         [0012]    It is another object of the present invention to provide enhanced storage capacity of plans and/or other printed media using minimal floor space. 
         [0013]    It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a device that is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain while retaining its effective function. 
         [0014]    Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    With the above and other related objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  represents a perspective view of a variation of the invention as it could be used with several rolls of large format media. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  shows a side elevation view of an angled rolled plan rack similar to that demonstrated in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  illustrates a detailed perspective view of a portion of an angled rolled plan rack and a slotted bracket forming an attachment means. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a representation of partial perspective view of an alternate shelf configuration. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  shows a partial perspective view of a gated shelf front variation of the device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0021]    Referring now to the drawings, where the present invention is generally referred to in  FIG. 1  with numeral  10 , it can be observed that it basically includes, inter alia, a front frame  12 , a rear frame  14  and shelves  16 . Rolled plans  18  are shown to demonstrate a potential use of the device. A frame assembly  11  is comprised of a front frame  12 , a rear frame  14  and a multiplicity of shelves  16 . 
         [0022]    The variation of the angled rolled plan rack as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is comprised of at least two frame assemblies  11 , one on the right and the other on the left. It is possible that for some applications three, four or more frame assemblies  11  may be used in concert if needed to support additional weight or wider printed media. Each frame assembly  11  has a rear frame  14  that when in use is oriented vertically and is substantially parallel to the front frame  12 . On each frame assembly  11  spanning between the rear frame  14  and front frame  12  are a multiplicity of shelves  16 . Each of the shelves  16  is parallel to the other shelves  16  on the same frame assembly  11 . 
         [0023]    On each frame assembly  11  the shelves  16  are rigidly connected to the rear frame  14  and front frame  12  to form a unitary frame assembly  11 . Each of the shelves  16  is affixed to the front frame  12  and rear frame  14  at an angle so that when in use the edge of the shelf  16  nearer the rear frame  14  is lower than the edge of the shelf  16  nearer the front frame  12 . The angle between the shelf  16  and rear frame  14  is preferably in the range between 89 degrees and 30 degrees. The corresponding angle between the shelf  16  and the front frame  12  is supplementary to the angle between the shelf  12  and rear frame  14 . 
         [0024]    With the angles of the shelves  16  in this configuration any rolls of plans  18  will be held against the shelf  16  by gravity and tend to be held against the rear of the shelf  16  nearer the rear frame  14 . A user of the angled rolled plan rack can rotate the title block on the plans into an orientation that allows easy visibility of the title block to identify a particular roll of plans or drawings. 
         [0025]    In typical use, a multiplicity of frame assemblies  11  are affixed to a vertical surface such as a wall, systems furniture panels or display substrate at the rear frame  14 . The rear frame  14  of each frame assembly  11  is mounted parallel to the corresponding frame assembly  11  of the set. The rear frame  14  may optionally have holes along its length to accept screws, nails, molly bolts or other fasteners with sufficient strength to hold the frame assemblies  11  onto the vertical surface. 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  shows in more detail an alternative means of mounting the frame assembly  11  to a vertical surface including, inter alia, a rear frame  14 , a shelf  16 , a hook  20 , a bracket  22 , a slot  24  and a fastener  26 . Generally, a pair of brackets  22 , one for each of a pair of frame assemblies, are vertically affixed to a wall or other vertical surface using a fastener  26  such as a screw, nail, molly bolt or other commonly available means. Said pair of brackets  22  are preferably aligned parallel to each other to ensure that when the rear frame  14  is mounted to the brackets  22  the corresponding shelves  16  on each of the pair of frame assemblies are substantially equidistant. In some applications it may be necessary to use more than a pair of bracket  22  to support the items held by the plan rack for this variation or any of the variations of the invention described herein. 
         [0027]    One or more hooks  20  are present along the length of the rear frame  14  on the opposite side of the rear frame  14  as the shelves  16  so that when said hooks  20  are engaged into said slots  24  the rear frame  14  is sufficiently supported so that the invention is effectively mounted to the wall or other vertical support surface and held in place by gravity. With multiple slots  24  along the length of the brackets  22  the device may be hung at various heights to suit a variety of different needs and users. 
         [0028]    Each of the brackets  22  may be as short as to provide only a single slot  24  or may be as long as the height of the wall onto which the brackets  22  are mounted or any length in between. The length of the brackets  22  should preferably be longer and have more fasteners  26  the greater the expected load placed onto the shelves  16 . In an embodiment the length of bracket  22  is substantially the same length as the rear frame  14 . 
         [0029]    The brackets  22  may be integrated into a modular panel system as is commonly used in offices. A modular panel system is sometimes referred to as office partitions or systems furniture panels. Modular panel systems often use a standardized width panel with an integrated bracket and slot system designed for affixing a variety of shelves, cabinets, desks or other office accoutrements. Said hook  20  may be dimensioned to engage into a typical bracket and slot system used on common modular panel and display systems. 
         [0030]    As an alternative to the hook  20  and bracket  22  system demonstrated in  FIG. 3  there may be one or more bores along the length of the rear frame  14  so that a fastener, such as a screw, nail, molly bolt or other common fastener, may affix the rear frame  14  to a vertical surface. Other means to attach the rear frame  14  to a vertical surface, such as a wall, may include magnets, hook and loop fasteners or adhesive along the length of the rear frame  14 . In another variation not shown in the drawings there may be feet affixed to the bottom shelf  16  or rear frame  14  so that the frame assemblies  11  are supported by a horizontal surface such as the floor, a desk top or on top of cabinets. 
         [0031]    Now referring to  FIG. 4  where a variation of the invention is shown to include, inter alia, a frame assembly  27  comprised of a rear frame  14 , shelves  28  and lips  30 . It should be appreciated that  FIG. 4  shows only a portion of the invention. The invention would typically include between 2 and 20 shelves  28 . In typical use, a pair of frame assemblies  27  are mounted parallel onto a vertical surface, such as a wall. Each frame assembly  27  works together with a corresponding frame assembly  27  to support rolls of drawings such as the rolled plans  18  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0032]    The frame assembly  27  shown in  FIG. 4  differs from the frame assembly  11  shown in  FIG. 1  in that the lip  30  is substituted for the front frame  12 . Lip  30  acts to prevent rolls of plans from falling off the shelf  28  and also provides for an easy means to remove selected rolled plans from the shelf  28 . 
         [0033]    The variation of the invention shown in  FIG. 4  may be desirable in a location where there is limited space where the frame assembly  27  is mounted so that the rolls of drawings may be removed directly off the front of the shelf  28  instead of removing the rolls of drawings by shifting them to the side of the front frame  12 . 
         [0034]    The distance that the lip  30  protrudes from the shelf  28  may vary from just far enough so that a single roll of drawings cannot fall from the front of the shelf  28  or nearly all the way to the next shelf  28  above with enough space so that a roll of drawings may still be easily removed from the front of the shelf assembly  27 . 
         [0035]    In an alternate variation of the device a stretchable cord such a bungee-type cord may be used in conjunction with, or as a substitute for, the lips  30  to hold rolled print media or other items placed on the shelves  28  and keep them from falling off the shelf  28 . The stretchable cord optionally may be affixed at one end to the uppermost lip  30  on a shelf assembly  27  and removably affixed, for example with a hook or other commonly available fastening means, to the bottommost lip  30  on the same shelf assembly  27 . When a user of the device wishes to remove an object held on any of the shelves  28  they first detach one end of the stretchable cord so that the object can be easily removed. The stretchable cord is then re-affixed so that the shelf  28  contents are held in place. It should be understood that either or both uppermost and bottommost end of the stretchable cord may be removably or permanently affixed to the respective lip  30 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  demonstrates another variation of a frame assembly  31  that includes, inter alia, a clip  32 , a gate  34 , a hinge  36 , a catch  38  and shelves  40 . It should be appreciated that only a portion of the frame assembly is shown and that more shelves  40  may occur both above and/or below the shelves  40  shown in  FIG. 5 . In a typical configuration there may be between 2 and 20 shelves on each frame assembly. 
         [0037]    Generally, the distinctive feature of the variation of the invention as shown in  FIG. 5  is the hinged gate  34  that may be opened or closed about hinge  36 . The gate  34  may be selectively locked and unlocked by means of a clip  32  and catch  38  that interact to prevent unintended opening of the gate  34 . The hinge  36  design demonstrated in  FIG. 5  has sufficient play in the hinge  36  to allow the clip  32  to securely engage the catch  38  and yet remain selectively removable to permit disengagement of the clip  32  and catch  38  so that the gate  34  may be opened to allow access and removal of any rolled plans supported by the shelf  40 . 
         [0038]    As with any of the variations of frame assemblies described herein, a typical installation would require a pair of frame assemblies each holding about half the weight of any rolls of drawings stored thereon. Of course, for some applications it may be beneficial to utilize in combination different styles or variations of frame assemblies  11 ,  27  and/or  31  depending on the environment, application and needs of a user of the invention. 
         [0039]    Any of the disclosed variations of the invention may have an additional support feature that rigidly connects two adjacent rear frames  14  parallel to each other and at a fixed distance from each other. This forms complimentary left and right shelves  16  to support a rolled plan  18  horizontally between two shelves  16 , one near each end of the rolled plan  18 . 
         [0040]    In addition to rolled plans, the invention could effectively also hold other relatively long and narrow objects such as rolls of wall paper, fabric, carpets or rugs, rods or dowels or the like. 
         [0041]    The various elements of the angled rolled plan rack are preferably made of rigid and durable materials such as metal, wood, composite, plastic or other synthetic materials so that the invention maintains its structural form while under load from multiple rolls of plans or other materials being supported. 
         [0042]    A preferred variation of the invention may be describes as an angled rolled plan rack comprising a pair of frame assemblies each having a first vertical frame member and a second vertical frame member; said first vertical frame member is parallel to said second vertical frame member on each frame assembly; a plurality of parallel shelves are disposed between said first vertical frame member and said second vertical frame member at predetermined intervals for each of the pair of frame assemblies; each of said shelves on a frame assembly are parallel to the other shelves on the same frame assembly; said shelves are angled relative to said first vertical frame member such that when said first vertical frame member is affixed to a vertical surface the edge of each shelf nearer said first vertical frame member is lower than the edge of the same shelf nearer the second vertical frame member. 
         [0043]    In a variation the device may be further characterized in that said second vertical frame member is operatively hinged where each of said shelves intersect with said second vertical frame member. 
         [0044]    In another variation the device may be further characterized in that said second vertical frame member is segmented and forms a lip above each shelf where said shelf intersects with said second vertical support member. 
         [0045]    In yet another variation it may be further characterized in that each frame assembly comprising said pair of frame assemblies are rigidly fixed to each other at a predetermined distance and such that said first vertical support member and said second vertical support member are parallel. 
         [0046]    Another preferred variation of an angled rolled plan rack may be comprised of first frame assembly and a second frame assembly said first frame assembly and said second frame assembly are substantially mirror images of each other; said first frame assembly is further comprised of a front frame, a rear frame and between two and twenty shelves; each of said shelves is connected on a first end to the front frame and on a second end to the rear frame; said second frame assembly is further comprised of a front frame, a rear frame and between two and twenty shelves; each of said shelves is connected on a first end to the front frame and on a second end to the rear frame; said rear frame of said first frame assembly and said rear frame of said second frame assembly are provided with a means to affix each respective frame assembly to any vertical coplanar surface or coplanar surface combination of a wall, office partition, modular panel system, cabinet or a door; each of said shelves on the first frame assembly are parallel to each other and each of said shelves on the second frame assembly are parallel to each other; each of said second ends of said shelves on both the first frame assembly and the second frame assembly intersect their respective rear frame at an angle of between thirty and eighty-nine degrees so that when the rear frame is affixed to said vertical coplanar surface said second end of each of said shelves is lower than the first end of each of said shelves. 
         [0047]    In an alternative the an angled rolled plan rack can be further characterized in that the front frame on the first frame assembly and/or the second frame assembly are segmented between adjacent shelves and are hingedly affixed at one end to the said first end of each of said shelves. 
         [0048]    In another variation the rack can be further characterized in that the front frame on the first frame assembly and/or the second frame assembly are segmented between adjacent shelves and are affixed at a lower end of said segments to the said first end of each of said shelves and do not extend far enough to contact the shelf immediately above forming a lip. 
         [0049]    The foregoing description conveys the best understanding of the objectives and advantages of the present invention. Different embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention. It is to be understood that all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.