Abstract:
A storage system includes a rear frame, a plurality of divider panels, and a plurality of shelving panels. The divider panels include a first divider panel and a second divider panel, each divider panel having a front vertical bar and a rear vertical bar, each divider panel being removably connected to the rear frame adjacent the rear vertical bar. A plurality of U-shaped connectors are provided in spaced apart manner along the front vertical bars and the rear vertical bars of each divider panel. Each shelving panel has a four-sided configuration that defines four corners, with each corner of each shelving panel fitted inside a U-shaped connector.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to storage and organizational apparatus, and in particular, to a storage assembly that can be conveniently assembled for use and dis-assembled for transportation or storage. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Knock-down storage systems have been very popular in recent times. Knock-down storage refers to racks having modular components (e.g., shelves, compartments, connectors and support posts) that can be assembled and dis-assembled relatively quickly and conveniently, so that the user can (i) deploy the resulting storage system at any number of different locations, and/or (ii) re-configure the storage system by adding or omitting shelves, compartments and posts. 
         [0005]    There are numerous knock-down storage systems that are available in the market. Unfortunately, most of these systems suffer from one of many drawbacks, but the most common problem relates to the convenience of assembling, and dis-assembling, the system. In addition, some connectors are difficult to use, or do not provide sufficient stability. The resulting system should simultaneously meet all of the following objectives: (i) it must allow stable and secure connection of the shelf or compartment to the post, (ii) it must be easy and convenient to assemble and dis-assemble, and (iii) it should have a simple construction to minimize production cost. Unfortunately, none of the currently-available knock-down storage systems meet all of these three objectives. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a storage system that meets the objectives set forth above. 
         [0007]    In order to accomplish the above-described and other objects of the present invention, the present invention provides a storage system comprising a rear frame, a plurality of divider panels, and a plurality of shelving panels. The divider panels include a first divider panel and a second divider panel, each divider panel having a front vertical bar and a rear vertical bar, each divider panel being removably connected to the rear frame adjacent the rear vertical bar. A plurality of U-shaped connectors are provided in spaced apart manner along the front vertical bars and the rear vertical bars of each divider panel. Each shelving panel has a four-sided configuration that defines four corners, with each corner of each shelving panel fitted inside a U-shaped connector. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of a storage system according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an exploded front perspective view of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective view of a U-shaped connector and a corner of a shelving panel for the system of  FIG. 1 , taken from the area A in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is an exploded enlarged view showing the connection of a divider panel to the rear frame. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0013]    The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0014]    The present invention provides a storage system that has a simple construction, and which can be easily and conveniently assembled for use, and dis-assembled for storage, re-configuration or transportion. In addition, the connection for each panel or shelf is simple yet provides a stable support for the resulting system. 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , the system  10  of the present invention can be quickly and conveniently assembled by putting together a rear frame  12 , a plurality of divider panels  14 ,  16 ,  18 , and a plurality of shelving panels  20 . 
         [0016]    As best shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 , the rear frame  12  has a bottom horizontal bar  30 , a top horizontal bar  32 , and three vertical bars  34 ,  36 ,  38 . The vertical bar  36  can be a center vertical bar. The bars  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38  are connected together (e.g., by welding) or made in one piece, and can be made of a metal. A female connector  40  is provided at the top of each vertical bar  34 ,  36 ,  38 , and another female connector  42  is provided at the bottom of each vertical bar  34 ,  36 ,  38 . Each female connector  40 ,  42  extends transverse to the plane of the bars  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 , and has an opening  45  for receiving the end of a shaft  44  of a divider panel  14 ,  16  or  18 . 
         [0017]    Each divider panel  14 ,  16 ,  18  has the same configuration, and has a four-sided configuration defined by four bars  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 . A plurality of U-shaped connectors  54  are welded or otherwise attached to the four bars  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 . For example, connectors  54  are attached to the four corners of the divider panels  14 ,  16  or  18 , and additional connectors  54  are attached to the vertical bars  48  and  52 . The connectors  54  are aligned so that a connector  54  on one vertical bar  48  is at the same level as a corresponding connector  54  on the other vertical bar  52  of the same divider panel. Shafts  44  extend rearwardly from the horizontal bars  46  and  50 , with the shafts  44  adapted to be inserted into the opening  45  of the corresponding female connector  40 ,  42  for a friction-fit. An optional wall material  56  can be attached to or otherwise provided with the bars  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52  in the same plane as the bars  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 . The wall material  56  can be made of a cardboard material, plastic, fabric, metal or any material that can be used as a divider. 
         [0018]    Each U-shaped connector  54  has a U-shaped body with enlarged opposite ends  58 . The center of the U-shaped body is attached to the inner side of the corresponding bar  48  or  52  by welding or similar attachment techniques. Each connector  54  can be provided in the same material as the bars  46 ,  48 ,  50 ,  52 . 
         [0019]    Each shelving panel  20  has the same configuration, and has a four-sided configuration defined by four bars  60 ,  62 ,  64 ,  66 . See  FIG. 2 . A planar board  70  can be attached to or otherwise provided with the bars  60 ,  62 ,  64 ,  66  in the same plane as the bars  60 ,  62 ,  64 ,  66 . The board  70  can be made of a cardboard material, plastic, fabric, metal or any material that is strong enough to be used to support items or objects placed on it. Each corner connection for the bars  60 ,  62 ,  64 ,  66  of the shelving panel  20  can be rounded with an opening  72  defined between the corner connection for the adjacent pair of bars (e.g.,  60  and  66 ) and the board  70 . See  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
         [0020]    To assemble the system  10 , the divider panels  14 ,  16 ,  18  are first attached to the rear frame  12  by inserting the shafts  44  of the divider panels  14 ,  16 ,  18  into the openings  45  of each corresponding female connector  40 ,  42 . The shelving panels  20  can then be connected to each set of U-shaped connectors  54 . Each set of U-shaped connectors  54  will include four such connectors  54  provided on two adjacent parallel divider panels  14  and  16 , or  16  and  18 . For example,  FIG. 2  shows a shelving panel  20  connected to the four top U-shaped connectors  54  of the divider panels  14  and  16 . Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the connection is accomplished by inserting an end  58  of a U-shaped connector  54  into each of the four openings  72  of the shelving panel  20 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , when a corner of the shelving panel  20  is resting adjacent the bottom of the U-shaped connector  54 , the interaction between the rounded corner of the shelving panel  20  and the U-shaped connector  54  provides a stable connection for the shelving panel  20  to the divider panel  16 . The exploded panel  20  in  FIG. 2  is coupled to the upper-most connectors  54  along the divider panels  14  and  16  to function as a roof or top panel, with two corners of the exploded panel  20  coupled to one connector  54  each from the bars  48  and  52  of the divider panel  14 , and the other two corners of the exploded panel  20  coupled to one connector  54  each from the bars  48  and  52  of the divider panel  16 . 
         [0021]    The user can choose to utilize or connect as many shelving panels  20  in whatever pattern he or she desires. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , shelving panels  20  may be used to form a base or floor for the storage system  10 , to form a top or roof, and to form actual shelves intended to hold objects and items such as shoes, among other things. The system  10  in  FIGS. 1 and 2  shows two rows of four shelves formed by three divider panels  14 ,  16 ,  18 , and five shelving panels  20  between each pair of divider panels. Storage spaces S are defined by the divider panels  14 ,  16  or  16 ,  18  on either side, and the shelving panels  20  directly above and below. However, this is merely a non-limiting example since the modularity of the system  10  and its components allows the user to assemble storage systems  10  of different sizes and shapes. For example, one or more of the shelving panels  20  can be omitted (not used) in  FIG. 1  to provide a larger storage space S so that one of the shelves can be used to store larger objects. Alternatively, four divider panels can be used to form three rows of shelves. In addition, the number of U-shaped connectors  54  on the divider panels  14 ,  16 ,  18  can be varied, and positioned at different locations, to provide different numbers of storage spaces S, and to provide storage spaces S of varying sizes. 
         [0022]    To dis-assemble the system  10 , the user simply lifts up the corners of each shelving panel  20  to disengage each shelving panel  20 . The divider panels  14 ,  16 ,  18  can be disengaged from the rear frame  12  by merely pulling the shafts  44  of the divider panels  14 ,  16 ,  18  from the female connectors  40 ,  42  of each vertical bar  34 ,  36 ,  38 . Then, the rear frame  12 , the divider panels  14 ,  16 ,  18 , and the shelving panels  20  can be stacked on top of each other for transportion or storage. 
         [0023]    Thus, the U-shaped connectors  54  allow for quick and convenient assembly and dis-assembly, yet provides sufficient stability to the resulting system  10 . 
         [0024]    While the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. The accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.