Floating shelf bracket

A bracket for a floating shelf comprises rods secured to and extending from a solid plate to be secured to a wall. Interleaved arrays of countersunk bores and slots extend through the solid plate and arranged to extend laterally from one lateral side of the solid plate to an opposite lateral side of the solid plate. An array of webs in the plate is interleaved between the arrays of bores and slots. Each web has a lateral width less than or equal to inch so that fastener inserted through the bores and slots can always find a stud. The plate has a perimeter and at least one cutout at a lateral end sized to receive a tool to separate the bracket from the shelf.

BACKGROUND

Shelves can be attached to walls using various support structures, such as brackets. Some support structures for wall-mounted shelves are able to support higher amounts of weight than others. Support structures that are able to support higher amounts of weight tend to be bulkier and more visible than support structures that support lower amounts of weight. A consumer may find a highly visible support structure on a wall to be undesirable in a room where the consumer wishes to establish a certain décor. Improvement to shelves and brackets is an ongoing endeavor.

While the brackets are shown with two rods by way of example, the brackets can have any number of rods.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before invention embodiments are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that no limitation to the particular structures, process steps, or materials disclosed herein is intended, but also includes equivalents thereof as would be recognized by those ordinarily skilled in the relevant arts. It should also be understood that terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing particular examples only and is not intended to be limiting. The same reference numerals in different drawings represent the same element. Numbers provided in flow charts and processes are provided for clarity in illustrating steps and operations and do not necessarily indicate a particular order or sequence. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs.

An initial overview of the inventive concepts are provided below and then specific examples are described in further detail later. This initial summary is intended to aid readers in understanding the examples more quickly, but is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the examples, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

A bracket is provided for mounting a shelf to a flat vertical surface, such as a wall. The bracket can have a high ratio of weight-supporting capacity to visibility relative to some other wall-mountable shelf-supports.

When decorating a room, a consumer may wish to mount shelves to one or more walls to provide increased space for display or storage. Many wall-mountable shelf-supports (e.g., brackets) are mounted below the shelves they support, and therefore remain visible beneath the shelves after installation is complete. Other varieties of shelf-support brackets are mounted above the shelves they support, but likewise remain visible after installation is complete.

Some consumers may wish to mount a shelf to a wall but may not wish for the bracket that supports the shelf to be conspicuously visible. A shelf that is supported by a bracket that is not conspicuously visible is sometimes referred to as a floating shelf, since the shelf may appear to float due to the low visibility of the supporting bracket.

There is often a trade-off between visibility and weight-supporting strength because a bracket that is less conspicuous tends to be smaller and tends to absorb the stress of weight borne by a shelf over a smaller area. Consequently, consumers who wish to store or display relatively heavy items on floating shelves may have difficulty finding brackets that provide both a desired high level of weight-bearing capacity and a desired low level of bracket visibility.

Brackets designed in accordance with the design principles described herein provide a high ratio of weight-supporting capacity to visibility relative to some existing commercial support brackets for floating shelves. The bracket is configured to be mounted to the wall in differ ways. In one aspect, the bracket can be directly mounted to blocking and studs of the wall using an array of countersunk bores. A wall panel, such as drywall, shiplap, etc. can be mounted over a plate of the bracket with rods extending through holes in the wall panel. In another aspect, the bracket can be directly mounted to the wall panel using an array of slots. The bores and slots can be interleaved and spaced-apart by webs. The webs can have a thickness less than ¾ inches so that the slots and/or bores can always align with a stud (based on standard 16 inch spacing).

In one example, a bracket for supporting a shelf may comprise a solid plate with a planer back side, apertures extending through the plate, and rods secured to and extending from the plate and received within the aperture. The plate and the rods may be made of steel or another metal. A proximal end of the rod can be joined to the flat back side of the plate at a back end of the aperture. The proximal end of the rod can be joined to the flat back side of the plate by a weld that extends along a shared (i.e., by the proximal end of the rod and by the back end of the aperture of the plate) cross-sectional perimeter of the cross-sectional shape at the back end of the aperture. The weld can fully encompass the shared cross-sectional perimeter. The rod can be secured to a back side of the plate by a weld around a circular perimeter of the rod and the aperture in the plate. In addition, the proximal end of the rod and the weld can be flush with the back side of the plate. When the rod is positioned in the aperture in the plate and the proximal end of the rod is joined to the flat back side of the plate (e.g., by a weld), a bracket with increased weight-bearing capacity results. By contrast, a bracket with an elongate member that is merely spot welded to the front side of the base would have comparably less weight-bearing capacity.

The bracket can also comprise an array of countersunk bores and an array of slots for fasteners. The array of bores can facilitate a strong connection to the wall while the array of slots can facilitate alignment of the fasteners with studs in the wall. The bores/slots and fasteners may be positioned closer to the top side of the plate. The bores/slots can be interleaved. Fasteners, such as screws (e.g., wood screws), bolts (e.g., carriage bolts or lag bolts), anchors (e.g., masonry anchors or drywall anchors), or nails, may be inserted through the bores and/or slots and into a wall in order to secure the bracket to the wall. The bores can be counterbores with enlarged openings to receive the heads of the fasteners to reduce interference with a surface panel mounted over the plate.

A distal end of the rod may extend outwardly from the front side of the plate. Specifically, the distal end of the rod may extend outwardly from the front side of the plate in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to a plane formed by the flat back side of the plate. Hence, when the bracket is mounted, the rod may extend outwardly from the front side of the plate in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to a plane formed by the wall. The rod can be a pipe to reduce weight of the bracket.

The rod may also comprise an aperture for a fastener. A shelf with a channel to receive the rod can be slid onto the rod until the shelf contacts the front side of the plate or until the distal end of the rod contacts an end of the channel. The shelf may have an aperture for a fastener that lines up with the rod's aperture for a fastener when the shelf is properly situated on the rod so that a fastener can be inserted through the shelf's aperture and the rod's aperture in order to secure the shelf to the rod.

The plate may form a rectangular prism. The width of the rectangular prism formed by the plate can be greater than the height of the rectangular prism, while the height of the rectangular prism may be greater than the depth of the rectangular prism. Optionally, the width of the plate may be no greater than the width of the shelf and the height of the plate may be no greater than the height of the shelf in order to reduce visibility of the bracket when the shelf is secured to the wall using the bracket.

Referring toFIGS.1-15, a bracket10and a floating shelf14in an example of the invention are shown. The bracket10mounts the floating shelf14to a vertical surface, such as a wall16(FIGS.7-10). The bracket10can comprise a solid plate18with a planar back side22to abut to the wall16and a planar front side26. The plate18is solid from the planar front side26to the planar back side22, and from a front surface to a back surface, except for apertures as described below. The plate18is solid as opposed to tubes or channels that have a hollow interior, or a space between the front and back surfaces. The solid plate18can provide strength with minimal thickness to facilitate hiding the bracket10. The solid plate18can have an elongated rectangular shape with a rectangular perimeter. The solid plate18can form a rectangular prism, with a width of the rectangular prism being greater than a height of the rectangular prism, and the height of the rectangular prism being greater than a depth of the rectangular prism. Thus, the plate18can be sized and shaped to support an elongated lateral shelf14. In one aspect, the plate can have a thickness or depth of approximately ¼ inch.

A plurality of circular apertures30can each extend through the solid plate18from the planar front side26and through the planar back side22of the solid plate18. In one aspect, the plate18can be formed of metal, such as being cut from bar stock. In another aspect, the apertures30can be formed by drilling or laser cutting.

A plurality of rods34can be secured to the solid plate18and can extend from the solid plate18. Each rod34can have a proximal end38received within a different one of the plurality of circular apertures30. Thus, each aperture30can have a respective rod34extending therefrom. Each rod34can be cylindrical and a respective aperture30can be cylindrical. A cross-sectional diameter of the rod34is substantially equal to a cross-sectional diameter of the respective aperture30. In one aspect, the proximal ends38of the rods34can be flush with the planar back side22of the solid plate18and substantially flush with the wall16. In addition, the rods34do not extend past the plate18so that the wall is not marred and extra holes in the wall are not required. In one aspect, the rods34can be formed of metal, such as cut from bar stock. In another aspect, the rods34can be pipes. The pipes can have a hollow interior to reduce the weight with respect to solid rods, and can reduce the weight of the bracket10and the force exerted on the connection to the wall.

The proximal ends38can be joined to the plate18at the back side22of the plate18and around a cross-sectional perimeter that is shared between the apertures30and the rods34by welds40. Since the cross-sectional perimeter of the apertures30is circular, the welds40(FIG.4) can be circumferential and circular. As shown, the welds40can traverse the entire cross-sectional perimeter (e.g., circumference) of the apertures30, thereby encompassing the cross-sectional perimeter. Thus, the plurality of circumferential welds40each join the proximal end38of each respective rod34to the planar back side22of the plate18around a perimeter of the respective circular aperture30. And the plurality of circumferential welds40is locate at the planar back side22of the plate18. In one aspect, the welds40can be fill welds and ground so that the welds40also are flush with the back side22of the plate18and the wall16. The extension of the rods34through the plate18and the position of the welds on the back side22of the plate18enable the rods34to support more shelf weight than brackets in which elongate members are merely spot-welded to the front of a base.

The bracket10can receive and support the shelf14. The shelf14can have a solid top surface42, a solid bottom surface46, a solid left surface50, a solid right surface54and a solid front surface58. The solid surfaces can conceal the bracket10. The shelf14can also have a back side62to abut to the wall16. The shelf14also has an indentation66in the back side62that is sized and shaped to receive the solid plate18completely therein. The shelf14also has a plurality of bores70or channels in the indentation66each sized and shaped to receive a corresponding rod34. Thus, the entire bracket10can be received in the shelf14to hide the bracket10from view.

In one aspect, the plate18can have at least one cutout74(FIG.13) at a lateral end. A recess78(FIG.13) can be formed between an interior perimeter of the indentation66and an exterior perimeter of the solid plate18defined by the cutout74. The cutout74and the recess78can be sized to receive a tool to help separate the bracket10from the shelf14. Thus, the shelf14and the bracket10can be shipped together with the bracket10received in the shelf14, and the cutout74and the recess78facilitating separation and removal of the bracket10from the shelf14for mounting.

In one aspect, a width of the plate18is no greater than a width of the shelf14and a height of the plate18is no greater than a height of the shelf14in order to reduce visibility of the bracket10when the shelf14is secured to the wall using the bracket10. In another aspect, the plate18can have a height less than or equal to 1 inch while the shelf14can have a height or thickness of at least 1¼ inches. In another aspect, the plate18can have a height less than or equal to 1¼ inches while the shelf14can have a height or thickness of at least 1½ inches. In another aspect, the plate18can have a height less than or equal to 1½ inches while the shelf14can have a height of at least 1¾ inches. Thus, a perimeter lip76(FIG.13) can be formed by the shelf14that extends around the indentation66to hide the plate18and be sufficiently thick to resist breakage of the perimeter lip76. In one aspect, a thickness of the perimeter lip76can be at least ⅛ inches. In addition, the height of the plate18allows dimensional lumber to be used for the shelf14.

The bracket10and the plate18can have bores through the plate18to receive fasteners80(FIG.7-10) to secure the bracket10to the wall16. An array of countersunk bores82can extend through the solid plate18and arranged in series and extending laterally from one lateral side of the solid plate18to an opposite lateral side of the solid plate. The countersunk bores82can have enlarged openings to receive a head of the fastener80so that the head is received in the volume of the plate18to resist interference of the head with the shelf14or surface panels, as described below. In one aspect, the enlarged opening can be tapered. In another aspect, the enlarged opening can define a step in the bore82which the head of the fastener80can abut to in order to fasten the plate18and the bracket10to the wall16. In one aspect, the countersunk bores of the array of countersunk bores82can be spaced-apart by 4 inches from proximal bores. Thus, a number of bores82can be provided to strengthen the shelf14and the connection of the bracket10to the wall16. In addition, the bores82can correspond to stud spacing based on a standard 16 inch spacing.

In addition, the bores can comprise an array of slots86extending through the solid plate18and arranged in series and extending laterally from one lateral side of the solid plate18to an opposite lateral side of the solid plate. In one aspect, the slots86can be laterally elongated and can have a lateral width between ⅞ and 1.77 inches. In another aspect, many of the slots86can be provided in pairs. For example, a pair of slots86can be positioned between proximal bores82. The bores82and the slots86of the arrays of bores and slots82and86can be interleaved with one or more slots86between proximate bores82and one or more bores82between proximate slots86or slot pairs. The size and location of the bores82and the slots86can provide multiple strong attachments to the wall and frequent alignment with studs in the wall.

The bores82and the slots86, and thus the fasteners, can be positioned closer to the top side of the plate18. Positioning the bores82and the slots86at the top of the plate18positions the fasteners closer to the top of the plate18and utilized the bottom of the plate18to abut to the wall to resist torque loads on the bracket10and the plate18due to downward vertical loads on the shelf14, such as the weight of objects on the shelf.

The bores82and slots86can be separated by intervening portions of the plate18, such as webs90. Thus, an array of webs90can be positioned in the plate18and interleaved between proximate bores82and slots86. In one aspect, each web90can have a lateral width less than or equal to ¾ inch. Thus, the spacing between proximate bores82and slots86can be less than ¾ inch. Therefore, the bores82and/or the slots86can be positioned to align with available studs of the wall16. In addition, the webs90on either side of a rode34, and between a rod34and a proximate bore82and/or slot86, can be less than ¾ inch. Therefore, the fasteners80can be positioned proximate the rods34to reduce torque loading at the interface or connection between the rods34and the plate18.

In another aspect, the rods34can have a center-line indicia, such as a notch94(FIG.3) or scribe. The indicia or notch94can pass vertically through a center-line of each rod34. The indicia or notch94facilitates measuring a distance between two rods34. Thus, the rod spacing can be measured for drilling the bores70or channels in the shelf14.

FIGS.7and8illustrate a method for hanging and mounting the bracket10on the wall16. Blocking98can be secured between studs102in the wall16, The bracket10and the plate18can be placed against the blocking98and the studs102. The plate18can be secured to the blocking98and the studs102with fasteners80extending through the countersunk bores82of the array of countersunk bores82, and into the blocking98and the studs102. The array of bores82provides multiple attachment points between the plate18and the wall16for a strong mount. A surface panel106can be placed over the plate18with the rods38extending through holes in the surface panel106. The surface panel106can be drywall, shiplap, etc. The countersunk bores82allow the heads of the fasteners80to be recessed into the plate18so that the surface panel106can be positioned flush with the plate18. Thus, the plate18can be subsurface mounted in an interior of the wall16and behind the surface panel106. The shelf14can be slid onto the bracket10with the bores70receiving the rods34and the indentation66receiving the plate18. The bracket10can be used in new construction or remodels, i.e. before finished surface panels106are installed. Securing the bracket10and the plate18directly to the blocking98and/or the studs102can provide greater strength. The array of bores82provides multiple attachment points.

FIGS.9and10illustrate a method for hanging and mounting the bracket on the wall16. The studs102can be located in the wall16behind the surface panel106. The bracket10and the plate18are placed against the surface panel102of the wall16. Thus, the plate18can be surface mounted to an exterior of the wall16, At least two slots86can be aligning with a different one of the studs102. The plate18can be secured to the wall16with fasteners80extending through the at least two slots86, through the surface panel106and into the studs102. The shelf14can be slid onto the bracket10with the bores70receiving the rods34and the indentation66receiving the plate18. The bracket10can be used on finished surfaces and existing construction. The array of slots86provides easier alignment with existing stud locations.

The bracket10and the plate18can be provided in a number of different lateral widths or lengths, such as 10″, 14″, 18″, 22″, 26″, 30″, 34″, 38″, 42″, 46′, 50″, 54″, 58″, 70″ or 78″ in order to suite the desired shelf width or length. The bracket10and the plate18can be provided with a number of different rods, such as 2, 3, 4 or 5 rods. As described above, the plate18can have a height of approximately 1″, 1¼″ or 1¾″. In addition, the plate18can have a thickness of approximately 114″ or ⅜″. The rods34can have a length or depth of approximately 6″ to 10″ from the front side26of the plate18and a diameter of approximately ½″ to ¾″. The pipes34can have a wall thickness of approximately 0.12″. The slots86can be approximately 0.20″ high and ⅞-1.77″ long, and can be spaced 1⅝″ on center. In another aspect, the rods34can be located approximately 2″ from the ends of the plate18to reduce torque loads. Thus, the bracket10and the plate18can have at least one bore82and/or slot86a rod34and the end of the plate18to facilitate mounting.

Referring toFIGS.16, in one aspect, the bracket110and the plate118can have a lower array of bores and/or slots186positioned near a lower edge or bottom of the bracket110and the plate118. The bores and/or slots186can extend through the solid plate118and can be arranged in series extending laterally from one lateral side of the solid plate118to an opposite lateral side of the solid plate. The bores and/or slots186can be countersunk. Positioning the bores and/or slots186at the bottom of the plate118can position a fasteners closer to the bottom of the plate118to utilize the top of the plate118to abut to the wall to resist torque loads on the bracket110and the plate118due to upward vertical loads on the shelf14. While most loading on the shelf14is anticipated to be vertically downward due to the weight of objects on the shelf14, there may be circumstances where a vertically upward force is applied, such as someone lifting the shelf. In addition, in the case where the upper bores82and upper slots86are cut into the plate118with a laser, the lower bores and/or slots186can reduce or resist warpage of the plate118due to the heat generated by the laser cutting by balancing the heat across the plate118.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a layer” includes a plurality of such layers.

The term “coupled,” as used herein, is defined as directly or indirectly connected in an electrical or nonelectrical manner. Objects described herein as being “adjacent to” each other may be in physical contact with each other, in close proximity to each other, or in the same general region or area as each other, as appropriate for the context in which the phrase is used. Occurrences of the phrase “in one embodiment,” or “in one aspect,” herein do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment or aspect.

As used herein, the term “about” is used to provide flexibility to a numerical range endpoint by providing that a given value may be “a little above” or “a little below” the endpoint. It is understood that express support is intended for exact numerical values in this specification, even when the term “about” is used in connection therewith.

It is to be understood that the examples set forth herein are not limited to the particular structures, process steps, or materials disclosed, but are extended to equivalents thereof as would be recognized by those ordinarily skilled in the relevant arts. It should also be understood that terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing particular examples only and is not intended to be limiting.