Abstract:
A space saving having at least three shelves where objects can be stored that is capable of being positioned over an object or addition items can be stored in an open space under shelves of the unit.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to a shelving unit and particularly to a shelving unit that is a space-saving unit where objects can be stored and that is capable of being positioned over an object or addition items can be stored in an open space under the shelves of the unit. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There are a variety of shelving units available for storing goods, such as, a conventional book case to a shelving unit for displaying goods as shown in Mason U.S. Pat. No. 7,419,062 or wall mounted shelving systems as shown in Swartz et al. U.S. Pat. No. 7,407,060. Typically, such shelving units extend from the floor to a typical height to which a person can reach or higher. Often, it would be desirable to have a unit which could be designed to fit over an object such as a vanity, toilet, night stand and the like and have shelving above the object over which it has been placed. Also, it may be desirable to store items below the unit and have shelves easily reached at a higher level. The novel shelving unit of this invention provides such a unit that can be used in a variety of situations, e. g., by being able to place the unit over an existing furniture or fixture or simply store items under the unit. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A rectangular shaped space-saving shelving unit for holding a plurality of objects having two sides, a back, a front and a top, the unit comprising:
         (a) two side members each comprising two hollow tubular rods and connecting the two tubular rods together are at least three rectangular shaped side cross members each firmly attached to the two hollow tubular rods;   (b) a top section which comprises two cap hollow tubular rods, wherein each cap tubular rod is positioned over each of the a hollow tubular rods of the side members and a rod connecting the two cap tubular rods thereby forming the back of the unit;   (c) at least three horizontal shelves each being attached to a side cross member of the side member and in parallel relationship to the each of the other shelves and the top section; wherein each shelf comprises a front, back and two side sections and wherein each side section being U shaped and capable of fitting over a rectangular side cross members firmly engaged with the side member; and   (d) a lower reinforcing member engaged with each of the side members thereby fastening the two side members together and forming a back of the unit leaving the front portion of the unit open to allow the unit to fit over an object or allow for storage there-under.       

     Other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the detailed description that hereinafter follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the space saving shelving unit. 
         FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the space saving shelving unit. 
         FIG. 3  is a right side view of the space saving shelving unit. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the space saving shelving unit. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the space saving shelving unit. 
         FIG. 6  is the detail A shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a partial perspective of an alternate top for the space saving shelving unit. 
         FIG. 8  is a partial perspective view of the bottom back support of the space saving shelving unit. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is directed to a space saving shelving unit that provides for storage or display of items on the top section of the unit and allows for storage under the lower section of the unit or allows placement of the unit over existing items of furniture or over a fixture. The following figures describe preferred embodiments of the invention but are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     The term “shelving unit” as used herein has a broad meaning and includes items, such as, a book case, a display case for showing items, general storage unit for a variety of items or a decorative unit. 
     The term “comprising” is intended to include embodiments encompassed by the terms “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of”. Similarly, the term “consisting essentially of” is intended to include embodiments encompassed by the term “consisting of”. 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the space saving shelving unit. Hollow tubular rod  1  forms the upper right back corner of the unit. Hollow tubular rod  2  forms the lower back corner of the unit and the end of rod  2  is inserted into the bottom of rod  1 . Hollow tubular rod  3  forms the upper right front corner of the unit and hollow tubular rod  4  forms the lower right front corner of the unit. The end of rod  4  is inserted into rod  3 . Lower rectangular shaped cross members  5  and  6  are each firmly attach at their ends to rods  2  and  4  and similarly rectangular shaped cross members (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) hold shelves  20 ,  21  and  22  and are firmly attached to rods  1  and  2 . The result being the right side of the unit as is shown in  FIG. 3 . The sides of each of the shelves  20 ,  21 , and  22  are shown as  7 ,  8  and  9  and are U shaped and fit over the rectangular cross members that are not shown. Forming the top back of the unit are caps  10  and  12  each are hollow tubular caps closed on the top and each positioned over the top ends of hollow tubular rods  1  and  12  and the caps  10  and  12  are connected together with a rod  11  thereby forming the top back of the unit. The left side of the unit is similar wherein hollow tubular rod  13  forms the upper left back corner of the unit. Hollow tubular rod  15  forms the lower left back corner of the unit, the end of which is inserted into hollow tubular rod  13 . Hollow tubular rod  14  forms the upper left front corner of the unit and hollow tubular rod  16  forms the lower left front corner of the unit and the end of rod  16  is inserted into rod  14 . Lower rectangular shaped cross members  17  and  18  are each firmly attach at their ends to rods  15  and  16  and similarly, rectangular shaped cross members (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) hold shelves  20 ,  21  and  22  and are firmly attached to rods  13  and  14 .  27  and  26  show the back of shelves  20  and  21 , respectively. Curved rods  23 ,  24  and  25  form the front of shelves  20 ,  21  and  22  respectively. The bottom of the unit has a rectangular rod  19  that is firmly connected to rods  2  and  15  and forms a lower back support for the unit. A storage area or an area which can accommodate a fixture, for example of a small dresser or night stand or a toilet is defined by the shelf  20  and the right and left sides defined by rods  2  and  4  and  15  and  16  and the back support rod  19 . 
       FIG. 2  is the front elevation view of the space saving shelving unit. Hollow tubular rods  3  and  4  and  14  and  16  show the right and left front corners of the unit, respectively. Shelves  20 ,  21  and  22  along with the curved rods  23 ,  24  and  25  that form the front of each of the shelves are shown. Caps  10  and  12  connected with rod  11  form the top of the unit. Back support rod  19  connected to hollow rods  2  and  15  (not shown in  FIG. 2  but shown in  FIG. 1 ) has diagonal supports  35  and  36  firmly attached to hollow rod  15  and diagonal supports  37  and  38  firmly attached to hollow rod  2 . 
       FIG. 3  is the right side view of the space saving shelving unit. The left side view of the unit is not shown but is the mirror image of the right side view. Hollow tubular rods  3  and  4  form the right front corner of the unit while hollow tubular rods  1  and  2  form the back corner of the unit. Lower rectangular rods  5  and  6  are firmly attached to hollow tubular rods  2  and  3 .  7 ,  8  and  9  show the sides of shelves  20 ,  21  and  22  respectively. The cap  10  fits over the hollow tubular rod  1  and  11  is the rod connected to the cap  10 . 
       FIG. 4  is the top view of the space saving shelving unit. Hollow tubular rod caps  10  and  12  connected with rod  11  form the back of the unit.  9  and  9 A are the right and left sides of the shelf  22 , respectively. Cross braces  26  each provide support to the shelf  22 . Each of the shelves have similar cross braces thereby allowing a sheet of glass or plastic to be positioned thereon to form a bottom for the shelf to allow for storage or display of small articles. Curved rod  25  forms the front of shelf  22 . 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the space saving shelving unit. Shelf tops  27 ,  28  and  29  are shown as glass or clear plastic but as pointed out above other materials can be used. Shelf  22  is shown in a pre-assembled position and circular detail A illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 6  shows the detail A of  FIG. 5 . The corners of each of the shelves  20 ,  21  and  22  have the same configuration as shown in detail A in order for all the shelves to fit into the unit. Shelf  22  has the curved rod  23  that forms the front of the shelf and has a cross brace  26  that is firmly attached to curved rod  23  and the back rectangular rod  34  and has side  9  which is U shaped and fits over cross member  30  firmly attached to hollow tubular rods  1  and  3 . The configuration of each of the corners  31  of the shelves  20 ,  21  and  22  have a side (side  9  as shown in  FIG. 6 ) firmly attached by brace  39  to the curved rod  23  (front) of the shelf thereby forming a recessed opening which allows positioning of the shelf in relation to the hollow tubular rod  3  that forms the side of the unit as shown in  FIG. 3 . Each of the other corners of the shelves have the same configuration. 
       FIG. 7  shows a partial perspective of an alternate top for the space saving shelving unit. A side section comprising a cap  33  of a hollow tubular rod that is positioned over hollow tubular rod  3  which forms the right front corner of the unit. Firmly attached to the cap  33  is a rectangular shaped cross member  32  that is attached at the opposite end to the cap  10  of a hollow tubular rod that is positioned over hollow tubular rod  1 . Rod  11  is firmly connected to cap  10  and forms the back of the unit. Shelf  22  is shown with side  9 , cross brace  26  firmly attached to curved rod  25  that forms the front of the shelf and firmly attached to rectangular straight rod  34  that forms the back of the shelf. A brace  40  firmly attached to hollow tubular rod  1  supports shelf  22 . 
       FIG. 8  shows a partial perspective view of the bottom back support of the space saving shelving unit. Slot  41  is firmly attached to hollow tubular rod  15  and the end rectangular rod  19  that is the lower back support for the unit slides into slot  41 . Braces  35  and  36  firmly attached to the hollow tubular rod  15  serve to support the rectangular rod  19 . Lower rectangular shaped cross member  17  is firmly attached to hollow tubular rods  15  and  16 . 
     The invention as fully described above may embody other specific forms or variations without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. In that regard, the embodiments described above are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the claims rather than by the foregoing description and any and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.