Abstract:
A decorative unit capable of being mounted to a wall is disclosed. The decorative unit may include a decorative portion mountable to a wall and a ledge extending therefrom. The decorative portion may be at least partially translucent. The decorative unit may include a light source behind the decorative portion capable of illuminating the decorative portion when on. A decorative unit may include a top surface capable of acting as a shelf and decorative sidewalls extending down therefrom. The decorative sidewalls may be at least partially translucent. The decorative unit may include a light source behind the decorative sidewalls capable of illuminating the decorative sidewalls when on. The decorative shelf may include molding where the decorative unit abuts the wall. The decorative shelf may include a bracket capable of being mounted to the wall and securing the decorative unit thereto.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/657,846, filed on Mar. 2, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth.  
     
    
     SUMMARY  
       [0002]     One embodiment of a decorative shelf is disclosed that includes a decorative portion and a ledge extending therefrom. The decorative shelf may be capable of being mounted to a wall. The decorative portion may be a picture of illustration. The decorative portion may be made of glass, plastic or canvass. The decorative portion may be at least partially translucent. The decorative portion may include stained glass. The decorative portion may include a frame therearound. The ledge may extend substantially perpendicular to the decorative portion and may be capable of holding objects thereon. The ledge may be made of glass. The decorative shelf may further include a light source behind the decorative portion capable of illuminating the decorative portion when on.  
         [0003]     One embodiment of a decorative shelf is disclosed that includes a top surface capable of acting as a shelf and decorative sidewalls extending down therefrom. The decorative sidewalls made of glass, plastic or canvass. The decorative sidewalls may be at least partially translucent. The decorative sidewalls may include stained glass. The decorative shelf may further include a light source behind the decorative sidewalls capable of illuminating the decorative sidewalls when on. The decorative shelf may further include a bottom surface. The decorative shelf may include molding along the top and/or bottom surfaces where the top and/or bottom surfaces abut the wall. The decorative shelf may include a bracket capable of being mounted to the wall and securing the decorative shelf thereto.  
         [0004]     A bracket is disclosed that includes a back surface having holes formed therein for screwing into a wall. The bracket may include flanges extending from the back surface for supporting a decorative piece (shelf, light). The bracket may include edges and flanges forming channels that can support a decorative piece. The bracket may include molding mounted on the edges thereof of a connection mechanism for enabling mounting of molding thereto. The bracket may further include clasps for securing a light source thereto, the light source being capable of illuminating a decorative piece attached thereto.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]     The features and advantages of the various embodiments will become apparent from the following detailed description in which:  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of an example decorative shelf, according to one embodiment;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of an example decorative shelf, according to one embodiment;  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an example decorative shelf, according to one embodiment;  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is a front elevational view of an example decorative shelf with decorative panel removed, according to one embodiment;  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an example decorative shelf, according to one embodiment;  
         [0011]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an example decorative shelf, according to one embodiment;  
         [0012]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an example decorative shelf, according to one embodiment;  
         [0013]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an example decorative shelf, according to one embodiment;  
         [0014]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an example decorative corner shelf, according to one embodiment;  
         [0015]      FIG. 10  is a front view of an example bracket, according to one embodiment; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an example bracket, according to one embodiment.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]      FIGS. 1-3  illustrate front, side and perspective views of an example decorative shelf  100 . The shelf  100  may be mountable to a wall. The shelf  100  may include a decorative portion  110  and a ledge  120  extending from the decorative portion  110  at substantially a ninety degree angle. The decorative portion  110  may lay against the wall so that the ledge extends substantially perpendicular thereto. The ledge  120  may be capable of holding items thereon.  
         [0018]     The decorative portion  110  may be a picture or illustration. The decorative portion  110  may include stained glass. The decorative portion  110  may be a mirror. The decorative portion  110  may be at least partially translucent. The decorative portion  110  may include a frame  130  and a decorative panel  140  as a front wall of the frame  130 . The decorative panel  140  may be made of glass, plastic or canvass. The frame  130  may be made of wood, plastic or metal. The frame  130  may simply enclose the decorative panel  140  or may be decorative (e.g., molding).  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  illustrates a front view of an example decorative shelf  100  with the decorative panel  140  removed. The decorative portion  110  may also include a light source  150  within the frame  130  behind the decorative panel  140  so that when turned on the light source illuminates the decorative panel  140 . The light source may be light bulbs (incandescent, florescent) or may be light emitting diodes (LEDs) or other known light sources. The light source  150  may be battery operated or may include a cord and plug that can be connected to a power supply (e.g., outlet).  
         [0020]     The plug may be mounted to the back of the decorative shelf  100  so that it can be plugged directly into an outlet that would be behind the decorative shelf  100  when the decorative shelf  100  was hung. If the plug is mounted to the back of the decorative panel it may be movable along the back and the prongs of the plug may be able to be retracted. The cord may extend from the decorative shelf  100  so that the plug can be connected to the closet outlet. The cord may be a retractable cord so that any excess cord is hidden within the frame  130 . The decorative shelf  100  may include decorative covers or other means to hide the cord extending therefrom.  
         [0021]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 , decorative portion  110  is five sided but is in no way limited thereto. Rather the decorative portion  110  could be any size or shape without departing from the scope.  
         [0022]     The ledge  120  may be permanently mounted to the decorative portion  110  or may be removably connected to the decorative portion  110 . The ledge  120  may be configurable with respect to the decorative portion  110  (e.g., moved to the left or right, move up or down, change angle). The ledge  120  may be made of a solid material (e.g., wood, plastic) or may be made of a translucent material (e.g., glass). The ledge  120  may simply be decorative, may be designed to simply hold ornamental decorations (e.g., support a few pounds) or may be designed to support items having at least some substantial weight (e.g., support 10 pounds or more). The ledge  120  may me connected at an edge of the decorative portion  110  or may be inset from the edge.  
         [0023]     The decorative portion  110  may include strips (e.g., molding)  160  protruding therefrom that the ledge  120  can be inserted into. The strips  160  may also provide support for holding the ledge  120 .  
         [0024]     The decorative portion  110  may be substantially above the ledge  120  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4  but is not limited thereto. Rather, the ledge  120  may be placed on different locations (e.g., at the top of the decorative portion  110  so that the decorative portion  110  is below the ledge  120 ) or multiple ledges may be included at various points on the decorative portion  110  (e.g., top and bottom).  FIGS. 1-4  also illustrate ledge  120  being a rectangle but it is clearly not limited thereto. Rather the ledge  120  could be any size or shape without departing from the scope.  
         [0025]     The decorative shelf  100  may be secured to a wall by placing screws or nails into the wall and hanging the decorative shelf  100  from the screw or nails. The decorative shelf  100  may include holes in the frame  130  that the screws or nails can fit into, may include a wire hanging from the back of the decorative shelf  100  that can be draped over the screws or nails, or may include a back face (not illustrated) that can be directly screwed into the wall and then the remainder of the decorative shelf  100  can be connected thereto. The decorative shelf  100  may be connected to the back face using some type of connection or latching mechanism.  
         [0026]      FIGS. 5-9  illustrate perspective views of an example decorative shelf  500 . The decorative shelf  500  includes a top  510  and a bottom  520  and sidewalls  530  connecting the top  510  and the bottom  520 . The top  510  may be made of a solid material (e.g., wood, plastic) or may be made of a translucent material (e.g., glass). The top  510  may be designed to simply hold ornamental decorations (e.g., support a few pounds) or may be designed to support items having at least some substantial weight (e.g., support 10 pounds or more). The top  510  and the bottom  520  may be solid or may be at least partially translucent. The top  510  and the bottom  520  may be decorative. The sidewalls  530  may be decorative. The sidewalls  530  may include stained glass. The sidewalls  530  may be at least partially translucent. The sidewalls  530  may be made of glass, plastic or canvass.  
         [0027]     The decorative shelf  500  may include molding  540  along the top and/or bottom. The decorative shelf  500  may include a light source (not illustrated) therewithin so that when turned on the light source illuminates the shelf  500  (at least the sidewalls  530  and possibly the top  510  and/or the bottom  520 ). The light source may be light bulbs (incandescent, florescent) or may be light emitting diodes (LEDs) or other known light sources. The light source may be battery operated or may include a cord  550  and plug (not illustrated) that can be connected to a power supply (e.g., outlet).  
         [0028]     The plug may be mounted to the back of the decorative shelf  500  so that it can be plugged directly into an outlet that would be behind the decorative shelf  500  when the decorative shelf  500  was hung. If the plug is mounted to the back of the decorative shelf  500  it may be movable along the back and the prongs of the plug may be able to be retracted. The cord  550  may extend from the decorative shelf  500  so that the plug can be connected to the closet outlet. The cord  550  may be a retractable cord so that any excess cord is hidden within the decorative shelf  500 . The decorative shelf  500  may include decorative covers or other means to hide the cord  550  extending therefrom.  
         [0029]      FIGS. 5-7  illustrate the decorative shelf  500  as rectangular but it is in no way limited thereto. Rather, the decorative shelf  500  could be any size or shape without departing from the current scope. For example,  FIG. 8  illustrates the decorative shelf  500  being a semi-circle.  FIGS. 5-8  illustrate the decorative shelf  500  that is mountable on a single wall but is in no way intended to be limited thereto. For example,  FIG. 9  illustrates the decorative shelf  500  being a corner shelf having a quarter circle shape, but the shape is not limited thereto as it could be any shape (e.g., square, rectangle, triangle).  
         [0030]     The decorative shelf  500  need not be used as a shelf at all it could be used as a wall decoration or in the embodiment including a light source could be used as a wall light fixture. The decorative shelf  500  could be mounted or connected to a decorative portion (e.g.,  110  of  FIGS. 1-3 ). The decorations on the sidewalls  530  could be coordinated with the decorations on the portion.  
         [0031]     The decorative shelf  500  may be secured to a wall by placing screws or nails into the wall and hanging the decorative shelf  500  from the screw or nails. The decorative shelf  500  may include holes in the top  510  or the bottom  520  that the screws or nails can fit into, may include a wire hanging from the back of the decorative shelf  500  that can be draped over the screws or nails, or may include a back face (not illustrated) that can be directly screwed into the wall and then the remainder of the decorative shelf  500  can be connected thereto. The decorative shelf  500  may be connected to the back face using some type of connection or latching mechanism.  
         [0032]      FIGS. 10 and 11  illustrate front and perspective views of an example bracket  1000  that can be used to secure a decorative piece, decorative shelf or decorative light fixture (e.g., decorative shelf  500 ) to the wall. The bracket  1000  may be made of a sturdy material (e.g., wood, plastic, metal). The bracket  1000  may include a back surface  1010  that is mountable to the wall. The back surface  1010  may include holes  1020  formed therein for screwing the bracket  1000  to the wall. The bracket  1000  may include flanges  1030  extending substantially perpendicular to the back surface  1010 . The flanges  1030  may be used to connect to the decorative piece/shelf/light fixture. The flanges  1030  may fit into groves formed in a back edge of the top and bottom of the decorative piece/shelf/light fixture. The bracket  1000  may include top and bottom edges  1040  extending substantially perpendicular to the back surface. The combination of the flanges  1030  and the edges  1040  may create channels  1050  that can receive the top and the bottom of the decorative piece/shelf/light fixture.  
         [0033]     In order to hide the edges  1050  of the bracket  1000  pieces of molding  1060  may be attached thereto. The molding  1060  may be permanently attached to the bracket  1000  (e.g., with glue) or may be removably attached thereto using any number of connection mechanisms. For example, the molding  1060  may be may include stubs (not illustrated) that can be inserted through holes  1042  in the edges  1040 . Alternatively, the edges  1040  may have flanges  1044  extending therefrom that can be inserted in grooves  1064  formed in the molding  1060 .  
         [0034]     The bracket may further include clasps  1070  on the portion  1010  that can be used to hold a light source  1080 . As illustrated the light source is a strip of LEDs but is in no way limited thereby.  
         [0035]     Although the various embodiments have been illustrated by reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be made. Reference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” appearing in various places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.  
         [0036]     The various embodiments are intended to be protected broadly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.