Patent Publication Number: US-11641942-B1

Title: Storage rack system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to storage rack systems, and more particularly to a rack system that has customizable shelf brackets to removably mount items. 
     Description of Related Art 
     The prior art teaches multiple forms of mounting structures that include a channeled structure, a locking nut, and a bolt for locking objects on the channeled structure, commonly referred to as a strut channel. 
     Rebentisch (U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,552), Assigned to Unistrut International Corp., teaches a special nut for affixing parts to a channeled structural member. The nut has an improved positioning means protruding from the top surface of the nut for properly positioning the nut in the channel member. 
     Attwood (U.S. Pat. No. 2,696,139) teaches a special nut for fixing parts to structures of channeled metal, consisting of a relatively narrow rectangular metal piece having a centrally located tapped opening and having two diagonally opposite corners removed, said nut being provided on one face with a spring arranged normal to the nut face and having in its opposite face parallel cross grooves. The grooves have teeth projecting into the grooves from the side walls thereof, the teeth on one side being interspaced with those on the opposite side, the edges of said teeth converging downwardly whereby the teeth overlap one another in the bottom portions of the grooves. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below. 
     The present invention provides a storage system that includes a shelf bracket that has an elongate rigid mounting structure, a top arm extending outwardly from the elongate rigid mounting structure orthogonal to the elongate rigid mounting structure, and a bottom arm extending outwardly from the elongate rigid mounting structure. A proximal end of the bottom arm is attached to the elongate rigid mounting structure, and the distal end is attached to the top arm so that the top arm and the bottom arm form an angle of between 5-60 degrees. The bottom arm is in the form of a strut channel that includes a U-shaped cross section that includes a back wall, two opposed side walls extending downwardly from the back wall, each of the opposed side walls extending to an inwardly extending portion, which extends to an edge. 
     A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a storage rack system having advantages not taught by the prior art. 
     Another objective is to provide a storage rack system that includes shelf brackets that are constructed to removably mount items and/or accessories on an angled bottom arm of the shelf bracket. 
     A further objective is to provide a storage rack system that is quickly and easily customizable to many different configurations for holding a wide variety of items. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a storage rack system according to one embodiment of the present invention, the storage rack system having a plurality of mounting strut channels and a plurality of shelf brackets. 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of the storage rack system of  FIG.  1    while in use. 
         FIG.  3    is a partially exploded perspective view of one of the mounting strut channels and one of the shelf brackets, illustrating a hook mounted on the shelf bracket. 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of the vertical strut channel and the shelf bracket of 
         FIG.  2   , once the hook has been mounted on the hook. 
         FIG.  5    is a side elevation view of the shelf bracket of  FIG.  2   , with a portion of the shelf bracket broken away to illustrate how the hook is mounted on the shelf bracket. 
         FIG.  6    is a sectional view of the shelf bracket and the hook, taken along lines  6 - 6  in of  FIG.  4   , illustrating how the hook is mounted on the shelf bracket once fully assembled. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The above-described drawing figures illustrate the invention, a storage rack system that is adapted to be mounted on a vertical wall for storing a variety of items. 
       FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a storage rack system  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG.  1   , in this embodiment the storage rack system  10  includes a plurality of mounting strut channels  20  and a plurality of shelf brackets  30 , which are described in greater detail below. In this embodiment, the mounting strut channels  20  are mounted vertically on a wall (e.g., a garage wall, or any other location where a user might want to store various items, such as sporting goods, or any other items that a user might want to store). 
     In this embodiment, the mounting strut channels  20  are mounted to the wall using a plurality of fasteners  22 , in this case screws or bolts, which are positioned through slots  24  in the mounting strut channels  20 . The general construction of strut channels (in this case, slotting strut channels) are known in the prior art, they are not discussed in greater detail herein, although they are typically of the same construction as shown in  FIG.  6   . 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , the shelf brackets  30  may be mounted on the mounting strut channels  20 , as discussed in greater detail below. They may be adjustably mounted, so that they may be easily be moved to different positions. The shelf brackets  30  are then used to support a shelf  26 , in this case a wire shelf that includes parallel wires or rods, which may be fastened to the shelf bracket  30  with a fastener  29 . Obviously, a wide variety of shelves may be used (e.g., a simple wooden plank, and/or any other forms of shelves known in the art), and the shelf brackets  30  may also be used to support other structures other than shelves. 
     The shelf bracket  30  may be used to mount a hook  70 , as discussed in greater detail below. While one embodiment of the hook  70  is illustrated, the particular shape and construction of the hook  70  may vary considerably, and alternative designs and configurations should be considered within the scope of the present invention. 
       FIG.  2    is a perspective view of the storage rack system  10  of  FIG.  1    while in use. As shown in  FIG.  2   , the storage rack system  10  may be used to support a variety of items  12 , such as storage bins, sporting equipment, holiday ornaments, and any other items a user might want to store. The hooks  70  may be used for supporting bicycles and other similar items. While one embodiment of the storage rack system  10  is illustrated, an infinite number of designs and configurations are possible, and such alternatives should be considered within the scope of the present invention. 
       FIG.  3    is a partially exploded perspective view of one of the mounting strut channels and one of the shelf brackets  30 , illustrating the hook  70  mounted on the shelf bracket  30 .  FIG.  4    is a perspective view of the vertical strut channel and the shelf bracket  30  of  FIG.  2   , once the hook  70  has been mounted on the hook  70 .  FIG.  5    is a side elevation view of the shelf bracket  30  of  FIG.  2   , with a portion of the shelf bracket  30  broken away to illustrate how the hook  70  is mounted on the shelf bracket  30 .  FIG.  6    is a sectional view of the shelf bracket  30  and the hook  70 , taken along lines  6 - 6  in of  FIG.  4   , illustrating how the hook  70  is mounted on the shelf bracket  30  once fully assembled. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  3 - 6   , the shelf bracket  30  includes an elongate rigid mounting structure  32  having a top end  34  and a bottom end  36 . In this embodiment, the elongate rigid mounting structure  32  is in the form of a rigid plate, rod, or similar structure (e.g., steel, rigid plastic, etc.), although it may take many forms and shapes. The elongate rigid mounting structure  32  in this embodiment is shaped to fit over and abut one of the mounting strut channels  20 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  3 - 6   , the shelf bracket  30  includes a means for mounting  40  the elongate rigid mounting structure  32  upon one of the mounting strut channels  20  so that the elongate rigid mounting structure  32  is disposed in a vertical orientation adjacent to the wall. In this embodiment, as shown in  FIGS.  3  and  5   , the means for mounting  40  includes a bolt  42  that fits through apertures  44 , which in this embodiment are located adjacent the top end  34  and the bottom end  36 , and engages a locking nut  46  which may have a generally rectangular body and a centrally located tapped opening  48 , the locking nut being sized and shaped to fit within the U-shaped cross section of one of the mounting strut channel  20 . With particular reference to  FIG.  5   , the bolt  42  has a head  42   a  and a shank  42   b , the shank  42   b  being externally threaded and being sized to fit through one of the apertures  44  of the elongate rigid mounting structure  32  and threadedly engage the tapped opening  48  of the locking nut  46 , for removably clamping the elongate rigid mounting structure  32  to the mounting strut channel  20 . 
     As shown particularly in  FIG.  5   , the shelf bracket  30  further includes a top arm  50  extending outwardly from the elongate rigid mounting structure  32  adjacent the top end  34 , and a bottom arm  60  extending outwardly from the elongate rigid mounting structure  32 . In the embodiment of  FIG.  5   , the top arm  50  extends in a horizontal orientation orthogonal to the elongate rigid mounting structure  32 . The bottom arm  60  extends from a proximal end  62  to the distal end  64 , wherein the proximal end  62  is attached to the elongate rigid mounting structure  32  between the top arm  50  and the bottom end  36  of the elongate rigid mounting structure  32 . In this embodiment, the top arm  50  has a length L 1 , and the bottom arm  60  has a length L 2 , with the length L 1  being greater than L 2 . The top and bottom arms  50  and  60  are separated by a distance D at the elongate rigid mounting structure  32 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , the distal end  63  is attached (e.g., welded, mechanically fastened, or otherwise connected) to the top arm  50  so that the top arm  50  and the bottom arm  60  form an angle A of between 5-60 degrees. In the current embodiment, the angle A is approximately 20 degrees. The benefit of this angle A is that it allows the hook  70  or any other items to be fastened to the shelf bracket  30 , beneath the shelf bracket  30 , and further, the horizontal and vertical location of the hook  70  or other item (with respect to the wall, ground, or other surrounding structure) may be adjusted by moving the hook  70  or other item forward and backward on the bottom arm  60 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  6   , the top arm  50  may be in the form of a strut channel that includes a U-shaped cross section that includes a back wall  52 , two opposed side walls  54  extending upwardly from the back wall  52 , each of the opposed side walls  54  extending to an inwardly extending portion  56 , which may extend to a downwardly extending portion  58 , the downwardly extending portion terminating in an edge  59 . A plurality of slots disposed along the length of the back walls of each of the at least two mounting strut channels  20 . 
     Also shown in  FIG.  6   , the bottom arm  60  is of similar construction, wherein the bottom arm  60  is in the form of a strut channel that includes a U-shaped cross section that includes a back wall  62 , two opposed side walls  64  extending downwardly from the back wall, each of the opposed side walls  64  extending to an inwardly extending portion  66 , which extends to an upwardly extending portion  68 , the upwardly extending portion terminating in an edge  69 . Slots  53  (any form of aperture suitable for receiving a screw, bolt, or similar fastener) may be similarly formed on the back wall  62 , although this also is not required. 
     The hook  70  has a hook body  72  (best shown in  FIG.  3   , which is curved (e.g., U-shaped, C-shaped, or similarly shaped) for hooking an item, such as a bicycle  14  as shown in  FIG.  2   ). The hook  70  also includes a mounting arm  74  extending from the hook body, the mounting arm being adapted to be mounted to the shelf bracket  30 . As best shown in  FIG.  6   , a locking nut  78  having a generally rectangular body and a centrally located tapped opening (as described in more detail above), is sized and shaped to fit within the U-shaped cross section of the bottom arm to abut the edges. A bolt  76  having a head and a shank, the shank being externally threaded and being sized to fit through the aperture of the mounting arm of the hook and threadedly engage the tapped opening of the locking nut, for removably clamping the hook  70  against the bottom arm  60 . These types of fasteners may be used to attach any item or accessory to either the top or bottom arms  60  and  70 , or to any of the mounting strut channels  20 , thereby giving the present invention a tremendous flexibility in configuration and design. 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , the locking nut  46  (or  78 ) may include two diagonally opposite corners  49  which are removed to form rounded corners, while the other corners remain squared at 90 degrees. This configuration aids in installation of the nut  46  in the channel. Obviously, these any other details may be adjusted by one skilled in the art without departing from the present invention, and these alternative configurations should be considered within the scope of the present invention. 
     The title of the present application, and the claims presented, do not limit what may be claimed in the future, based upon and supported by the present application. Furthermore, any features shown in any of the drawings may be combined with any features from any other drawings to form an invention which may be claimed. 
     As used in this application, the words “a,” “an,” and “one” are defined to include one or more of the referenced item unless specifically stated otherwise. The terms “approximately” and “about” are defined to mean +/−10%, unless otherwise stated. Also, the terms “have,” “include,” “contain,” and similar terms are defined to mean “comprising” unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, the terminology used in the specification provided above is hereby defined to include similar and/or equivalent terms, and/or alternative embodiments that would be considered obvious to one skilled in the art given the teachings of the present patent application. While the invention has been described with reference to at least one particular embodiment, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but rather the scope of the invention is defined by claims made to the invention.