Abstract:
A shelf system comprising a shelf plate having a length defined by a longitudinal axis and a width defined by a latitudinal axis. A series of ribs are molded into the plate on its bottom face. These ribs are offset from the longitudinal axis and the latitudinal axis so that they intersect these axes at non-right angles, preferably forming diamond shaped patterns on the underside of the shelf plate. These diamond shaped patterns are designed to increase the strength of these shelves with a minimal amount of support material.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a shelf that has a series of ribs molded into it. While many shelves have ribs cut or molded into them, this shelf has as series of ribs that are molded to form a diamond shaped pattern underneath a shelf surface. 
     2. The Prior Art 
     Shelves having ribs extending in a cross hatched pattern and extending along either a longitudinal axis or a latitudinal axis are known in the art. The longitudinal axis for these shelves extends along the length or longest dimension of the shelf. The latitudinal axis extends perpendicular to this longitudinal axis. These shelf designs are created to reduce the amount of material necessary for the production of the shelf without unduly limiting the strength or toughness of the shelf. However, there is a problem with the design of the prior art. Because these ribs extend along the longitudinal axis and the latitudinal axis they may reduce the strength of these shelves. These results are shown in the chart below: 
     Sample Test between IVC designed Shelves of the Present Invention vs. Econoco shelves of the prior art. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 Displacement 
                 Displacement 
               
               
                   
                 50 Pound 
                 50 Pound 
               
               
                 Product Description: 
                 Distributed Load 
                 Center Load 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 Econoco Shelf (Prior Art) 
                  .086 
                 0.156 
               
               
                 IVC New Injection 
                 0.046 
                 0.080 
               
               
                 Molded Shelf (24″ L.) 
               
               
                 IVC Gas-assist Molded 
                 0.046 
                 0.062 
               
               
                 Shelf (24″ L.) 
               
               
                 IVC Extruded Shelf 
                 0.042 
                 0.082 
               
               
                 (24″ L.) 
               
               
                 Econoco Shelf (48″ L) 
                 0.662 
                 1.213 
               
               
                 (Prior Art) 
               
               
                 IVC New Injection 
                 0.406 
                 0.668 
               
               
                 Molded Shelf (48″ L) 
               
               
                 IVC Gas-assist Molded 
                 0.287 
                 0.495 
               
               
                 Shelf (48″ L.) 
               
               
                 IVC Extruded Shelf 
                 0.290 
                 0.470 
               
               
                 (48″ L.) 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Therefore, the present invention differs from the prior art in that the design of the present invention results in much less displacement of the shelf from a weight placed on the shelf because of the diamond shaped pattern of reinforcing ribs on an under side face of the shelf 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a shelf system comprising a shelf plate having a length defined by a longitudinal axis and a width defined by a latitudinal axis. A series of ribs are molded onto the plate wherein these ribs intersect the longitudinal axis and the latitudinal axis at an angle other than a right angle. 
     This series of ribs comprises a first set of ribs and a second set of ribs. The first set of ribs intersect the second set of ribs at a series of intersecting points. In this way, the first set of ribs and the second set of ribs form a series of diamond shaped patterns. This shelf system is formed from a convertible mold that comprises at least one set of inserts that permits molding various lengths of the shelves. The various inserts are arranged in the tool to mold various lengths or widths of shelves. 
     In addition, the first set of ribs are spaced parallel and apart from each other by at least one inch, and the second set of ribs are spaced parallel and apart from each other by at least one inch. These ribs are molded into the shelf plate. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the shelf plate is substantially rectangular in shape and has a front end, a back end, a left end and a right end. In one embodiment of the invention, the front end has a bull nose. In another embodiment of the invention the front end has a flat face. Other nose designs can also be molded by changing a sliding insert in the tool. 
     These ribs are molded into the shelf plate using an injection mold. In this case, the shelf plate is injection molded together with a series of ribs. The purpose of these ribs are so that the shelf system retains or even increases its tensile strength while using less material. Thus, with this design there is great savings in material costs without a corresponding reduction in strength. 
     The shelf can be connected to a wall by a slatwall bracket, a gridwall bracket or by a plain shelf bracket or integral slatwall or gridwall brackets can be molded onto the various size shelves thereby eliminating the need for separate brackets. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which discloses several embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention. 
     In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views: 
     FIG. 1A shows a top perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 1B shows a bottom perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2A shows a top perspective view of the second embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2B shows a bottom perspective view of the second embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 3A shows a top perspective view of the third embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 3B shows a bottom perspective view of the third embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 4A shows a top perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 4B shows the bottom perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 5 shows the plate according to the invention wherein a mold piece is pressed onto the plate; 
     FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the mold used to make the invention; 
     FIG. 7 shows a top view of the four different lengths of the four embodiments of the invention; 
     FIG. 8A shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention having a bull nose which is designed to attach to a wall via brackets; 
     FIG. 8B shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention having a bull nose designed to attach to a slatwall bracket; 
     FIG. 8C shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention having a bull nose and a slatwall back; 
     FIG. 9A shows a perspective view of the first embodiment having a flat nose; 
     FIG. 9B shows a perspective view of the second embodiment of the invention having a flat nose; and 
     FIG. 9C shows a perspective view of the third embodiment of the invention having a flat nose. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1A a first embodiment of the invention wherein a shelf plate  10  has a top surface  12 , a left side surface  14 , a right side surface  16 , a front end surface  18  and a back end surface  20 . Accordingly, FIG. 1B shows the underside portion of shelf  10  wherein, a first series of ribs  22  extend across the bottom surface accompanied by a second series of ribs  24 . Ribs  22  and  24  intersect periodically at points  26 . These periodic intersections create a diamond shaped pattern across bottom surface of shelf  10 . Rib sections  30  and  32  increase in height to meet the bottom edge of back end surface  20 , and thus have a greater height than the other sections of ribs  22  and  24 . Back end surface  20  forms a gusset to support the shelf over a broader area when hooked onto a slatwall or gridwall. 
     FIG. 2A shows a second embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, shelf  110  has a greater length than shelf  10  shown in FIG.  1 A. Shelf  110  contains a top surface  112  and two side surfaces  114  and  116  of similar dimensions to side surfaces  14  and  16  of shelf  10 . However, front surface  118  is of a different length than front surface  18  of shelf  10 . Front surface  118  extends out for a longer length than it does in shelf  10 . Back surface  120  is of similar dimensions to back surface  20  of shelf  10 . However, in this case, additional back surfaces  121  and  121 ′ extend out on either side of back surface  120 . 
     FIG. 2B shows the underside of shelf  120 , wherein a series of upward sloping ribs  122  intersect a series of downward sloping ribs  124  at points  126 , thus forming a diamond shaped reinforcing pattern across the bottom surface of shelf  120 . Variable height rib sections  130  and  132  increase in height to meet the bottom edge of back end surface  120 , and thus have a greater height than the other sections of ribs  122  and  124 . Back end surface  20  forms a gusset to support the shelf over a broader area when hooked onto a slatwall or gridwall. 
     FIG. 3A is a third embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, shelf  210  has a greater length than shelf  110  shown in FIG.  2 A. Shelf  210  contains a top surface  212  and two side surfaces  214  and  216  of similar dimensions to side surfaces  14  and  16  of shelf  10 . However, front surface  218  is of a different length than front surface  18  of shelf  10  and  118  of shelf  110 . Front surface  218  extends out for a longer length than those in shelves  10  and  110 . Back surface  220  is of similar dimensions to back surface  20  of shelf  10 . However, in this case additional back surfaces  221  and  221 ′ extend out on either side of back surface  220 . 
     FIG. 3B shows the underside of shelf  220 , wherein a series of upward sloping ribs  222  intersect a series of downward sloping ribs  224  at points  226 , thus forming a diamond shaped reinforcing pattern across the bottom surface of shelf  220 . Rib sections  230  and  232  increase in height to meet the bottom edge of back end surface  220 , and thus have a greater height than the other sections of ribs  222  and  224 . 
     FIG. 4A is a fourth embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment shelf  310  has a greater length than shelf  210  shown in FIG.  3 A. Shelf  310  contains a top surface  312  and two side surfaces  314  and  316  of similar dimensions to side surfaces  14  and  16  of shelf  10 . However, front surface  318  is of a different length than front surface  18  of shelf  10 ,  118  of shelf  110 , and  218  of shelf  210 . Front surface  218  extends out for a longer length than in shelves  10 ,  110 , and  210 . Back surface  320  is of similar dimensions to back surface  20  of shelf  10 . However, in this case, additional back surfaces  321  and  321 ′ extend out on either side of back surface  320 . 
     FIG. 4B shows the underside of shelf  320 , wherein a series of upward sloping ribs  322  intersect a series of downward sloping ribs  324  at points  326 , thus forming a diamond shaped reinforcing pattern across the bottom surface of shelf  320 . Variable height rib sections  330  and  332  increase in height to meet the bottom edge of back end surface  320 , and thus have a greater height than the other sections of ribs  322  and  324 . 
     FIG. 5 shows plate  10  wherein a mold piece  11  is pressed onto the plate. This compression creates ribs  22 ,  24 ,  30  and  32  and intersection points  26  as demonstrated in FIG.  1 B. As the plastic shelf material is pressed onto the mold, the soft shelf material forms in the mold. In this case, this diamond shaped pattern shown in FIGS. 1B,  2 B,  3 B and  4 B is gas assisted injection molded. 
     FIG. 6 shows a mold piece  11  used to make the invention consisting elevated diamond shaped tiers  13  separated by upward and downward sloping grooves  17 . Compression with the plate creates ribs  22 ,  24 ,  30  and  32 , and intersection points  26  as demonstrated in FIG.  1 B. 
     FIG. 7 shows the four different lengths of the mold plate for forming the four embodiments of the invention. Longitudinal axis  5  and lateral axis  15  extend through the plates  10 ,  110 ,  210 , and  310 . Rib series  22  and  24  meet at intersection points  26  and produce angles greater than 90 degrees above and below the lateral axis  15  and angles less than 90 degrees to the left and right of the longitudinal axis  5 . Thus, the series of elongated diamond reinforcing structures are formed through the intersections. 
     FIGS. 8A,  8 B and  8 C show three different embodiments for attaching shelf  10  having a bull nose to a shelf stand. For example, in FIG. 8A, shelf  10 A has a flat end  410 , wherein shelf  10 A is designed to attach to a shelf stand or wall using standard brackets supported to the wall so that the shelf rests on top of the brake and can be bolted to shelf  10 A. FIG. 8B shows a shelf  10 B that has a back surface  414  that can be attached to a slatwall so that separate brackets are not necessary. Finally, FIG. 8C shows a shelf  10 C having a back surface  418  designed to attach to a gridwall so that separate brackets are not necessary. 
     FIGS. 9A,  9 B and  9 C show the corresponding different embodiments for attaching a flat-nose shelf. For example, in FIG. 9A, shelf  10 A is designed to attach to a shelf stand or wall using standard brackets supported to the wall so that the shelf rests on top of the brake. FIG. 9B shows a shelf  10 B that has a back surface  424  that can be attached to a slatwall. Finally, FIG. 9C shows a shelf  10 C that has a back surface  418  designed to attach to a gridwall. Various nose configurations can be molded in the same tool by changing inserts. 
     Accordingly, while a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.