Abstract:
A shelving system comprises a plurality of upright support posts, a shelf having multiple corners and adjustable multi-component corner structure at each corner of the shelf for connecting the shelf to the posts. Each corner structure includes a base segment movably and adjustably connected to the shelf and an outside segment releasably secured to the base segment. The base segment is adjustable with respect to the shelf for proper alignment and connection of the corner structures to the posts.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to shelving and, more specifically, to improved shelving having adjustable multi-component conical corner structure which facilitates the mounting on or removal of a shelf relative to upstanding corner post without the necessity of initially removing adjacent shelves connected to the posts. 
         [0002]    Adjustable shelving units employing shelves constructed of sheet metal or wire are well known and extensively utilized. They are particularly intended to be readily assembled and disassembled. For this purpose, the shelving unit normally utilizes a corner structure for securing the shelves to upright posts. In situations where strength and rigidity of the assembled shelving unit is of significance, the corner structure generally employs a conical collar arrangement which totally surrounds the corner post to achieve a secure and rigid clamping engagement with the post. Such corner structure, however, not only makes assembly of the shelving unit more complex since the conical collar must be slidably inserted over the post from one end, but this corner structure also makes partial disassembly or rearrangement of the shelves more difficult. For example, with most known shelving units employing a corner structure of this type, the corner structure does not permit a bottom or intermediate shelf to be mounted on or removed from the posts after the shelving unit has been assembled due to the inability to position a corner structure in surrounding relationship to the post. Hence, the entire shelving unit must be reassembled. 
         [0003]    A known shelving unit of the above type which has achieved significant commercial success provides conical collar corner structures which telescope downwardly over upstanding support posts, and conical clamping sleeves which are normally diametrically split into two pieces and which are wedgingly interposed between the collars and posts. This arrangement, wherein the intermediate conical clamping sleeve is utilized, has proven desirable inasmuch as this positively ensures a positive wedging and hence secure engagement of the shelf with respect to the posts so as to provide an extremely strong connection. The shelving units employing this intermediate conical sleeve, however, have still normally possessed features which have been considered undesirable with respect to the required assembly and disassembly techniques, the inability to add or remove intermediate shelves, and the general overall structural and functional complexities associated with some of the collar structures. 
         [0004]    Multi-component corner constructions has been proposed which enable an intermediate shelf to be added or removed without initially removing adjacent shelves such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,626. A two piece corner structure at each of the four corners of a shelf permits the shelf to be connected to or removed from four supporting corner posts without the necessity of removing the shelving directly above or below in the overall shelving system. However, the corner constructions of the prior art are fixed relative to the shelving to which they are connected, and alignment of the corners with the supporting posts is problematic. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved adjustable shelving unit, specifically a metal shelving unit, having an improved corner structure co-acting between the shelves and the upstanding support posts, which corner structure permits and retains the utilization of a intermediate conical clamping sleeve interposed between the post and the corner structure, but at the same time this improved corner structure overcomes many of the disadvantages associated with prior shelving units of this general type. More specifically, the improved corner structure of the present invention facilitates the assembly and disassembly of the shelves, including the assembly or disassembly of an intermediate shelf with respect to an assembled shelving unit, and permits the corner structure to be efficiently and economically fabricated while at the same time providing not only greatly increased flexibility but also providing a compact corner structure having a desirable appearance when assembled into the shelving unit. 
         [0006]    Also included among the objects of the present invention is a corner structure which is movable relative to the shelving to which it is attached to facilitate adjustment and alignment with respect to the upright support posts when the shelf is secured thereto. 
         [0007]    In accordance with the present invention, a shelving system comprises a plurality of upright support posts, a shelf having multiple corners, and adjustable multi-component corner structure at each corner of the shelf for connecting the shelf to the posts. Each corner structure includes a base segment movably and adjustably connected to the shelf and an outside segment releasably secured to the base segment. It is significant that the base segment is adjustable with respect to the shelf for proper alignment and connection of the corner structures to the posts. Moreover, if the base segment is damaged, it can be removed from the remainder of the shelf and replaced with a new segment. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Novel features and advantages of the present invention in addition to those mentioned above will become apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a shelf with adjustable multi-component conical corner structures, according to the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the shelf shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an elevational view of one upright shelf supporting post with shelving corner structures releasably secured thereto; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an elevational view of one of the shelf corner constructions releasably secured to an upright shelf supporting post; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the shelf and post shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the shelf and post shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a front elevational view of the removable outside interlocking segment of the shelf corner construction, according to the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a rear elevational view thereof; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a right side elevational view thereof; 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a top plan view thereof; 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a bottom plan view thereof; 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  is front elevational view of the base segment of the shelf corner construction, according to the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 13  is a right side elevational view thereof; 
           [0022]      FIG. 14  is a top plan view thereof; 
           [0023]      FIG. 15  is a rear elevational view thereof; 
           [0024]      FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional top plan view of the base segment shown in  FIG. 12  movably secured to the shelf with adjustment spaces A-A which enable alignment of the shelf with the upright posts; 
           [0025]      FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional top plan view similar to  FIG. 16  but showing the corner construction shifted to the right by the dimension A′ relative to the shelf for proper alignment of the corner with the upright support post; 
           [0026]      FIG. 18  is a right side elevational view of an alternate base segment of the shelf corner construction, according to the present invention; and 
           [0027]      FIG. 19  is an enlarged partial right side elevational view of the alternate base segment of  FIG. 18  showing retainment of one corner rod to the rear surface of the base segment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0028]    Referring in more particularity to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-3  illustrate an adjustable shelving unit  10  according to the present invention. Shelving unit  10  includes a plurality of substantially horizontal shelves  12  arranged in parallel relationship to one another with vertically spacing between adjacent shelves. The shelves  12  are supported by a plurality of upright support posts  14 , and in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, four posts are used with one post at each corner of the substantially rectangular shelves  12 . As explained more fully below, the corner of each shelf  12  includes corner structure  16  for releasable attachment to a respective support post  14 . 
         [0029]    The corner structure  16  of the present invention basically comprises a base segment  18  adjustably connected to the shelf  12  and a separate outside interlocking segment  20  constructed and arranged for releasable attachment to the base segment. In this regard, the base segment  18  includes a pair of vertically oriented undercut slots  22  and the interlocking segment  20  includes a pair of opposite outwardly extending flanges  24  engaged within the slots when the base and interlocking segments of the corner structure  16  are assembled. The base segment  16  further includes an inside partial frusto conical surface  26  while the outside interlocking segment  20  also includes an inside partial frusto conical surface  28 . When the base segment and the outside interlocking segment are assembled together with the flanges  24  in the slots  22  the surfaces  26 ,  28  form a frusto conical passageway  30 . 
         [0030]    Securement of the shelves  12  to the posts  14  is accomplished with the aid of a diametrically split two piece frusto conical collar  32  having a cylindrical inside surface  34  and a frusto conical outside surface  36 . The posts  14  include a series of equally spaced apart annular recesses  38  along the length thereof, and the frusto conical collar  32  includes inwardly directed structure  36  on the inside surface thereof that engages a selected annular recess  38  of the post. Such structure  36  may include an annular projection  40  or one or more smaller projections spaced apart from one another on the inside of the collar. Once the collars  32  are so positioned around the posts, the frusto conical surfaces  26 ,  28  of the corner structure  16  fit over and against the frusto conical surface  36  of the collar  32 . 
         [0031]    As noted above and as shown in  FIG. 1 , the shelf  12  has a generally rectangular configuration, and each corner includes an angled portion  42  at approximately 45° to the sides and ends of the shelf. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , for example, each angled portion  42  of shelf  12  comprises upper and lower horizontal corner rods  44 ,  46 , respectively. The inside portion of each base segment  18  is secured to the corner rods  44 ,  46  by upper and lower undercut portions  48 ,  50  that wrap around the rods as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0032]    The lower corner rod  46  may be positioned in the lower undercut portion  50  and the upper corner rod is then snapped into place to thereby position the upper rod in the upper undercut portion  48 . The connection of the base segment  18  to the wire shelf and the length of the corner rods  44 ,  46  is constructed and arranged to allow the base segment  18  to slidably move along the rods to thereby adjust the position of each corner structure  16  relative to the shelf. As shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 , the base segment  18  may be centrally positioned on the corner rods  44 ,  46  with a space A on each side thereof. However, it is also possible to slide the base segment  18  to the right or left by the distance A, and in  FIG. 17  base segment  18  has been moved to the extreme right leaving a space A′ on the left approximately equal to twice the spacing A. This adjustment of the corner structure  16  relative to shelf  12  is extremely useful for proper alignment and connection of the corner structures  16  to the posts  14 . 
         [0033]    Shelf  12  is formed by a plurality of transverse members  52  spaced apart from one another in general parallel relationship to form a plane. A plurality of longitudinal members  54  are attached by spot welding, for example, along their length at points of connection to the transverse members  52 . Upper and lower rods  56 ,  58  extend around the periphery of the shelf, and serpentine members  60  extend between the rods  56  and  58 , as shown. The upper and lower corner rods  44 ,  46  may comprise portions of the upper and lower peripheral rods  56 ,  58 . 
         [0034]    The corner structure  16  of the present invention comprising base segment  18  and outside interlocking segment  20  enables shelf removal or addition without the necessity of removing adjacent shelving of the unit  10 . In this regard, for shelf removal, each outside interlocking segment  20  is simply separated from its respective base segment  18  by slightly lifting the shelf and the base segments secured thereto away from the interlocking segments  20 . Thereafter the shelf  12  is tilted and removed away from the support posts  14 . 
         [0035]    The reverse applies when a shelf  12  is being added to the shelving unit  10 . During such addition the adjustability of the corner structure  16  relative to the shelf being added enables adjustment of the base segment  18  relative to the shelf along the corner rods  44 ,  46  to facilitate proper alignment and connection of the base segment to the outside surface  36  of the frusto conical collar  32  and the interlocking segment  20 . 
         [0036]    Initially, when adding a shelf to the assembly, four collars  32  are attached to the posts  14  at the desired elevation of the shelf. An interlocking segment  20  is then positioned over each collar  32  so that the frusto conical surface  28  of the interlocking segment engages the outside frusto conical surface of the collar. Each interlocking segment  20  is retained on its respective collar because the interlocking segment extends slightly more than 180° around the collar as is evident from  FIG. 10 . Next, the shelf being added is lowered onto the interlocking segments  20  and the collars  32  until the flanges  24  on the interlocking segments fully engage within undercut slots  22  of the base segments  18 . Proper alignment of the flanges and undercut slots is accomplished by adjustment of the base segment  18  relative to the shelf by moving the base segments along the corner rods  44 ,  46 . 
         [0037]      FIGS. 18 and 19  illustrate an alternate base Segment  18 ′ similar in all major respects to base segment  18  except for the attachment of the upper and lower corner rods  44 ,  46 , respectively, to the inner portion of each base segment  18 ′. Specifically, base segment  18 ′ includes upper and lower horizontal undercuts  60 ,  62  respectively, for receiving the upper and lower corner rods. The corner rods simple snap fit into the undercuts  60 ,  62 , as shown in  FIG. 19 . Each undercut engages a corner rod over slightly more than 180° of its surface to provide the snap fit. Otherwise, horizontal adjustment movement of base segment  18 ′ along corner rods  44 ,  46  is the same as shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17  in connection with base segment  18 .