Abstract:
A modular shelving assembly includes at least two U-shaped base units. Each base unit includes a base plate having side walls extending transversely from opposite ends thereof. Fittings are provided at free ends of the side walls and at opposite ends of the base plates. The two base units are capable of being assembled in a laterally staggered and overlapped orientation with a portion of one base unit fitting in the other base unit. A distance holder is engageable with a free end of one side wall of the one base unit that is laterally spaced from the other base unit.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a modular shelving assembly including structural units. 
     Such a structural unit is known. As a rule shelving is made by placing such units vertically on top of and/or laterally next to one another. To a limited extent the units can also be positioned offset to one another, which however causes the shelving to become narrower from the bottom upwards. Another disadvantage is that the width of the shelving can only be changed in steps as an integral multiple of the width of a unit. 
     DE-U-93 02 558 discloses a shelving system having a U-shaped base element with a base plate and outer supporting walls. On small sides of the supporting walls, as well as on opposite sides, are arranged spaced which are formed as blind holes. Into these blind holes can be put connecting elements, through which modular units can be fixed one upon another. Each of the connecting elements has in its middle sector a distance or spacing part. For the connection of modular units side by side are used H-shaped connecting elements, which on the one hand fix modular units one on the top of the other, and on the other hand fix modular units arranged side by side. This known shelving system enables two or several modular units to be stapled one on another and moreover two or several units to be put in a row side by side. However, shelving cannot be put gradually together in any manner regarding width and height. Modular units rather only can be put side by side. The width of the shelving can be varied in a restricted manner by different widths of the modular units. But the use of different dimensioned modular unit leads to higher costs for manufacture and storage. Furthermore, this known shelving system has an additional disadvantage in that between two modular units connected one upon another exists a gap. Also, modular units put side by side always have a space therebetween. This is not practical and moreover is not aesthetic. Further, it is of significance that the connecting elements of this system enable the fixation of the modular units, but the main purpose of these connecting elements is to enable the use of H-shaped connecting elements and to obtain a certain total height with different modular units. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, the object of the invention to improve a structural unit of the above type and to provide a modular shelving assembly in such a way that shelving can be made in an infinitely variable number of widths. 
     As a result of the invention it is possible to place two elements with oppositely directed side walls on top of or into one another in infinite variable overlapping arrangements and to compensate for height differences between supports of side walls of top elements caused by the thickness of base plates of bottom elements by distance holders. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Exemplified embodiments of the invention are explained in the following with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of shelving according to the invention comprising several base elements; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the shelving according to FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a view of a distance holder which is mounted in a partly illustrated base element; 
     FIG. 4 is a similar view of another distance holder for the shelving according to FIG. 
     FIG. 5 is a view of a centering pin which positions two partly illustrated base elements relative to one another; 
     FIG. 6 is a view of a cap on a base element; and 
     FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of completed shelving. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 illustrates shelving assembly  10  including plural structural units according to the invention. The shelving is made up of four U-shaped base units  1  and, placed inside the same, two cupboard units  32  with three drawers  33  each. Each base element  1  has a transversely positioned base plate  2  with a thickness  3  which is dimensioned such that under the stresses which normally occur on book shelves it will not or only slightly bend. At opposite lateral ends of the base plate  2 , to form the U-shape of the base unit  1 , rectangularly projecting side walls  4 ,  5  are provided, which side walls  4 ,  5  together with the base plate  2  form one single unit. However, these side walls may also be attached flush to the base plate and be fastened by detachable quick-release catches in the form of a bayonet or push-button catch, as is common in the assembly of furniture parts. Such a base unit can, therefore, be dismantled into individual parts and be packed in a compact manner. 
     According to the invention, each U-shaped base unit  1  is provided, on outside  2 ′ of the base plate  2  and on the opposite bearing or end surfaces  14  of the side walls  4 ,  5 , with fittings  15 , two opposite fittings  15  being in each instance arranged in line with one another. These fittings  15  each can hold a distance  11 ,  31 , a centering pin  17 , a cap  18 , or the like. 
     With a very advantageous assembly, two base units  1  can be placed on top of one another with oppositely, upwards or downwards directed side walls  4 ,  5 , or they can be placed inside one another with the side walls  4 ,  5  pointing in the opposite directions. As the two bottom base units in FIG. 1 show, when two base units  1  are placed inside one another a height difference occurs caused by the thickness  3  of the base plate  2  of the bottom base unit  1 . This is compensated by distance holders  31  placed in the fittings  15  on one side of the left base unit. The height  12  of holder  31  is the same as the thickness  3  of the base plate  2 . Another distance holder  11  is put into the one fitting  15  at one bottom end surface  14  of the middle base unit  1 , as a result of which this unit is securely held on the bottom unit. The top base unit  1  is placed on the middle unit in the same alignment with the side walls pointing downwards. The fittings  15  of these base units are fit together with centering pins  17  to ensure a secure holding together of such two units. The arrangement of the two bottom base units  1  placed inside one another with opposite side walls  4 ,  5  together with the distance holders  31 , permits the length of the shelving assembly formed by these base units to be changed in an infinitely variable manner, so that the shelving assembly can be adapted to individual requirements and available space. 
     To the rear of the base unit  1  preferably is fastened a rear wall  7  which has a height  9  not greater than half the height  5 ′ of the side wall  4 ,  5 . Thus, the rear walls, when two base units  1  are placed inside one another, adjoin one another practically without any gap therebetween and form a practically closed rear wall, as illustrated by the two bottom base units in FIG.  1 . This rear wall moreover offers the advantage that the two base units are centered relative to one another with regard to their depth, as the side wall engaging into the other base unit can be pushed against this rear wall. 
     According to FIG. 2 the shelving assembly  10  is placed against a wall  36  or the like. For a side wall  5  of a base unit  1 , two fittings  15  each are provided at the top and bottom of wall  5 , two of which in each instance lie opposite one another in an aligned arrangement. To increase the stability of the shelving assembly  10 , more than two fittings  15  can be arranged on each side. 
     FIG. 3 shows the mounted distance holder  31 . It consists of a cylindrical distance part or spacer  31 ′ and a centering pin  36  with a smaller diameter which forms a coaxial extension of the former, wherein they preferably form an integral part. The distance part  31 ′ has height  12  equal to the thickness of the base plate  2 . 
     According to FIG. 4, to compensate for the height difference between two base units  1  placed on top of one another, the distance holder  11  is provided between two side walls  4 ,  5 . Distance holder  11  has a distance part or spacer  11 ′ with height  12  and two centering pins  16  arranged coaxially thereto, and each of which engages into a fitting  15  and prevents the two base units from shifting in relation to one another. Centering pins  16  preferably are identical to the above-mentioned centering pin  36 , so that optionally a distance holder  11  or  31  can be put into any one of the fittings. The diameter of the cylindrical distance part  11 , when the fittings are provided centrally in the side walls, is the same as or smaller than the thickness of the side walls  4 ,  5 . Thus, parts  11 ′ do not project from the side walls. Furthermore, their cross-section instead of being cylindrical, may also be rectangular, lath-shaped or any other shape. 
     FIG. 5 shows two adjoining side walls  5  of base units  1  which are placed directly on top of one another and the position of which relative to one another is secured by the centering pins  17  which are placed in two aligned fittings  15 . The centering pins  17  preferably are the same as the centering pins  16 , so that they can be put in by hand and are held in the fittings. In principle, side walls  4 ,  5 , instead of being secured by centering pins  17 , could also be secured by distance holders  11 . As a result, the side walls would not rest directly on top of one another, but there would be a space between them which may be preferred for aesthetic reasons. 
     As shown in FIG. 6, unused visible fittings  15  preferably are protected by plug-in caps  18 . Each cap  18  has a centering pin  18 ′, which preferably is identical to the above-mentioned centering pin  16 . 
     The centering pins  16 ,  36 ,  18 ′ of the distance holders  11 ,  31  and the cap  18 , respectively, as well as of the centering pins  17 , have an outside diameter which preferably is such that together with the fittings  15 , each consisting of a cylindrical blind bore, they form press fits. Thus, distance holders  11 ,  31 , the caps  18  and the centering pins  17  preferably can be put into the fittings by hand and are held therein by resultant self-locking, and can be pulled out again by hand. A prerequisite for this, however, is that the centering pins  16 ,  18 ′,  36 , as well as the fittings  15 , are produced with exact tolerances, at least in a range of a tenth of a millimeter. 
     FIG. 7 shows shelving  50 , which illustrates the many possibilities of combination when assembling structural units according to the invention in the home or workplace. FIG. 7 shows the great flexibility with regard to design of shelving and room use obtained with the invention. The flexibility also makes possible quick assembly, change or addition to the shelving and the use of the shelving as a wall unit or room divider. With the shelving assembly  50 , eight base units  1  are placed inside or on top of one another, and in addition three cupboards are provided. 
     It goes without saying that the invention could be exemplified by further embodiments. Thus, the fittings as well as the pins engaging therein may have shapes other than cylindrical. For example, instead of plug-n pins, screw connections or the like may be provided. As distance holders, instead of a cylindrical distance part, it is also possible to provide a lath, the longitudinal section of which preferably is about the same as the cross-section of a side wall. 
     These structural units may be made of wood, sheet metal or plastic. The shelving made from these structural units is suitable for use in the home and office. The base elements can also be fitted with desk tops or different types of cupboards than those that are illustrated. Structural units according to the invention also can be produced as miniatures and accordingly are also suitable as toys in the field of dolls or the like. In contrast to the construction in the furniture field, where the base units have a length of, for example, 70 cm, for toys they have a length of, for example, 10 to 15 cm.