Patent Publication Number: US-9420883-B2

Title: Composite shelf

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a shelf and, more particularly, to a composite shelf. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional composite shelf in accordance with the prior art shown in  FIG. 8  comprises a plurality of supporting units  4  and a plurality of connecting units  5  connected between the supporting units  4 . Each of the supporting units  4  includes a frame  42  having a plurality of corners  46  and a plastic board  41  connected with the frame  42 . The plastic board  41  of each of the supporting units  4  has a plurality of connecting portions  43  each formed with a mounting hole  44  mounted on the frame  42 . Each of the connecting portions  43  of the plastic board  41  of each of the supporting units  4  has a fixing end  45  secured on the plastic board  41 . Each of the connecting units  5  includes a circular body  51 , and a plurality of ribs  52  and  53  formed on and protruded from the circular body  51 . The ribs  52  and  53  of each of the connecting units  5  are arranged in a cross-shaped manner and are formed with slots  54  and  55  which are provided with a plurality of protruding strips  56 . In assembly, the slots  54  and  55  of each of the connecting units  5  are mounted on the corners  46  of the frame  42  of each of the supporting units  4  so that the supporting units  4  are combined together by the connecting units  5 . At this time, the protruding strips  56  of each of the connecting units  5  abut the corners  46  of the frame  42  of each of the supporting units  4 . However, the corners  46  of the frame  42  of each of the supporting units  4  are not locked by the slots  54  and  55  of each of the connecting units  5  so that the corners  46  of the frame  42  of each of the supporting units  4  are easily detached from the slots  54  and  55  of each of the connecting units  5 , thereby dismantling the supporting units  4  from the connecting units  5 . 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a composite shelf comprising a plurality of connecting units, a plurality of supporting units transversely mounted between the connecting units, and a plurality of upright posts connected with the connecting units. Each of the connecting units includes a connector. The connector of each of the connecting units is provided with a resting portion. The connector of each of the connecting units is provided with a plurality of slots to allow insertion of the supporting units respectively. The connector of each of the connecting units is provided with a plurality of positioning grooves each traversing the respective slot. 
     Preferably, each of the connecting units further includes a plurality of positioning bars mounted on the connector. The positioning bars of each of the connecting units are respectively mounted in the positioning grooves of the connector and abut the supporting units respectively. 
     Preferably, each of the connecting units further includes two positioning sleeves mounted on the connector and abutting the positioning bars. The positioning sleeves of each of the connecting units are mounted on upper and lower ends of the connector and abut the resting portion of the connector. The positioning sleeves of each of the connecting units press upper and lower ends of each of the positioning bars to position the positioning bars respectively and to lock the supporting units respectively. 
     Preferably, each of the positioning sleeves of each of the connecting units protrudes outward from the connector and has a mounting hole to allow insertion of the respective upright post. Each of the upright posts is inserted into the mounting hole of each of the positioning sleeves of each of the connecting units. 
     Preferably, each of the positioning sleeves of each of the connecting units is hollow and has a configuration matching that of the connector. 
     Preferably, the resting portion of the connector of each of the connecting units protrudes outward from and surrounds a periphery of the connector. 
     Preferably, the slots of the connector of each of the connecting units are located at and transversely extended through corners of the resting portion. 
     Preferably, each of the positioning grooves of the connector of each of the connecting units extends in a longitudinal direction of the connector and extends through the resting portion. 
     According to the primary advantage of the present invention, the bending portions of the frame of each of the supporting units are positioned by the positioning bars of each of the connecting units, and locked by the positioning sleeves of each of the connecting units, so that the supporting units are locked by and will not be detached from the connecting units, thereby solidifying and stabilizing the composite shelf. 
     Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a connecting unit of a composite shelf in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective of the connecting unit of the composite shelf as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a partially perspective view of the composite shelf in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a top cross-sectional view of the composite shelf as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the composite shelf in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a top cross-sectional view of the composite shelf as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a front cross-sectional view of the composite shelf as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 8  is a partially exploded perspective view of a conventional composite shelf in accordance with the prior art. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings and initially to  FIGS. 1-5 , a composite shelf “A” in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a plurality of connecting units  1 , a plurality of supporting units  2  transversely mounted between the connecting units  1 , and a plurality of upright posts  3  connected with the connecting units  1 . 
     Each of the connecting units  1  includes a connector  11 , a plurality of positioning bars  12  mounted on the connector  11 , and two positioning sleeves  13  mounted on the connector  11  and abutting the positioning bars  12 . 
     The connector  11  of each of the connecting units  1  preferably has a square, circular, rectangular or polygonal shape. The connector  11  of each of the connecting units  1  is made of metallic or plastic material and is provided with a resting portion  111 . The resting portion  111  of the connector  11  of each of the connecting units  1  protrudes outward from and surrounds a periphery of the connector  11 . The connector  11  of each of the connecting units  1  is provided with a plurality of slots  112  to allow insertion of the supporting units  2  respectively. The slots  112  of the connector  11  of each of the connecting units  1  are located at and transversely extended through corners of the resting portion  111 . The connector  11  of each of the connecting units  1  is provided with a plurality of positioning grooves  113  each traversing the respective slot  112 . Each of the positioning grooves  113  of the connector  11  of each of the connecting units  1  extends in a longitudinal direction of the connector  11  and extends through the resting portion  111 . 
     The positioning bars  12  of each of the connecting units  1  are respectively mounted in the positioning grooves  113  of the connector  11  and abut the supporting units  2  respectively. Each of the positioning bars  12  of each of the connecting units  1  is made of metallic or plastic material and has a configuration matching that of each of the positioning grooves  113  of the connector  11 . 
     The positioning sleeves  13  of each of the connecting units  1  are mounted on upper and lower ends of the connector  11  and abut the resting portion  111  of the connector  11 . The positioning sleeves  13  of each of the connecting units  1  press upper and lower ends of each of the positioning bars  12  to position the positioning bars  12  respectively and to lock the supporting units  2  respectively. Each of the positioning sleeves  13  of each of the connecting units  1  is made of metallic or plastic material. Each of the positioning sleeves  13  of each of the connecting units  1  is hollow and has a configuration matching that of the connector  11 . Preferably, each of the positioning sleeves  13  of each of the connecting units  1  has a square, circular, rectangular or polygonal shape. Each of the positioning sleeves  13  of each of the connecting units  1  protrudes outward from the connector  11  and has a mounting hole  131  to allow insertion of the respective upright post  3 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5-7  with reference to  FIGS. 1-4 , each of the supporting units  2  includes a frame  21  mounted between the connecting units  1  and a plate  22  mounted on the frame  21 . The frame  21  of each of the supporting units  2  is made of metallic or plastic material and is formed with a plurality of bending portions  211  respectively mounted in the slots  112  of the connector  11  of each of the connecting units  1  and respectively positioned by the positioning bars  12  of each of the connecting units  1 . Each of the bending portions  211  of the frame  21  of each of the supporting units  2  has a configuration matching that of each of the slots  112  of the connector  11  of each of the connecting units  1 . The plate  22  of each of the supporting units  2  is made of plastic or cloth material. Each of the upright posts  3  is made of metallic or plastic material and is inserted into the mounting hole  131  of each of the positioning sleeves  13  of each of the connecting units  1 . 
     In assembly, the bending portions  211  of the frame  21  of each of the supporting units  2  are respectively mounted in the slots  112  of the connector  11  of each of the connecting units  1 . Then, the positioning bars  12  of each of the connecting units  1  are respectively mounted in the positioning grooves  113  of the connector  11  and abut the bending portions  211  of the frame  21  of each of the supporting units  2  respectively as shown in  FIG. 6 , so that the bending portions  211  of the frame  21  of each of the supporting units  2  are respectively positioned by the positioning bars  12  of each of the connecting units  1 , and the supporting units  2  are limited by the connecting units  1 . Then, the positioning sleeves  13  of each of the connecting units  1  are mounted on upper and lower ends of the connector  11  and abut the resting portion  111  of the connector  11 . At this time, the positioning sleeves  13  of each of the connecting units  1  press upper and lower ends of each of the positioning bars  12  to position the positioning bars  12  respectively and to position the bending portions  211  of the frame  21  of the supporting units  2  respectively so that the supporting units  2  are locked by the connecting units  1 . Then, each of the upright posts  3  is inserted into the mounting hole  131  of each of the positioning sleeves  13  of each of the connecting units  1  as shown in  FIG. 7 . Thus, the connecting units  1 , the supporting units  2  and the upright posts  3  are in turn connected successively to construct the composite shelf “A” as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     Accordingly, the bending portions  211  of the frame  21  of each of the supporting units  2  are positioned by the positioning bars  12  of each of the connecting units  1 , and locked by the positioning sleeves  13  of each of the connecting units  1 , so that the supporting units  2  are locked by and will not be detached from the connecting units  1 , thereby solidifying and stabilizing the composite shelf “A”. 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.