Patent Publication Number: US-11026510-B2

Title: Shelving assembly having an adjustable bridge shelf

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a shelving assembly, and in particular, to a shelving assembly that has two columns of shelves, and an adjustable bridge shelf that connects the two columns. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     “Knock-down” or portable shelving assemblies have become very popular. There are many different types of shelving assembles that can be adapted for use in many different locations around the house. One type of shelving assembly is a closet organizer assembly that has two tower units, and a bridge shelf that connects at the top to cantilevered shelves extending from each tower unit. 
     Because closets in different rooms come in different sizes, it is important for the user to be able to adjust the closet organizer assembly to fit the dimensions of the specific closets. In this regard, the length of the bridge shelf may need to be adjusted to fit the specific closet that it is to be used in. Thus, there remains a need for a closet organizer assembly that provides an adjustable bridge shelf that can be conveniently and effectively adjusted to fit into almost any closet. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To accomplish the objectives of the present invention, there is provided a closet organizer assembly having a first tower unit and a second tower unit, each tower unit having a plurality of shelves separated by vertical posts, each tower unit having a plurality of top vertical posts, and a cantilevered shelf removably connected to the plurality of top vertical posts, with each cantilevered shelf having a border wall that includes a plurality of border wall openings. The assembly also includes a bridge shelf having a left end that is removably connected to the cantilevered shelf of the first tower unit, and a right end that is removably connected to the cantilevered shelf of the second tower unit. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, a hanging rod is provided, and has a first end that is connected to one of the plurality of shelves in the first tower unit, and a second end that is connected to one of the plurality of shelves in the second tower unit, with the hanging rod positioned below the cantilevered shelves. 
     In another embodiment, the bridge shelf includes a central shelf section, a front border frame and a rear border frame, with each border frame defining a plurality of border frame openings. A first connector assembly removably connects the left end of the bridge shelf to the cantilevered shelf of the first tower unit, and a second connector assembly removably connects the right end of the bridge shelf to the cantilevered shelf of the second tower unit, with each connector assembly having at least one rod that extends through an aligned pair of one border wall opening and one border frame opening. 
     In another embodiment, the bridge shelf has a horizontal central shelf section, a left end, and a right end, with the central shelf section having a front edge and a rear edge. The bridge shelf further includes a front vertical border frame provided along the front edge and a rear vertical border frame provided along the rear edge, with the front border wall adapted to slide along and be retained interior to the front vertical border frame, and the rear border wall adapted to slide along and be retained interior to the rear vertical border frame. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a closet assembly according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the closet assembly of  FIG. 1  shown without the bridge shelf. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the closet assembly of  FIG. 1  shown with the bridge shelf partially installed. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the bridge shelf of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a cantilevered shelf of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the connector assembly of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates how the connector assembly of  FIG. 6  is used to adjustably connect one end of the bridge shelf to one cantilevered shelf. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the closet organizer  10  according to the present invention has a left tower unit  12  and a right tower unit  14  that is interconnected at the top by a bridge shelf  16 . 
     Each tower unit  12  and  14  is identical, and has a plurality of shelves  20  that are spaced apart along the height of a frame  22 . The frame  22  includes a plurality of vertical posts  24  that has opposing ends that are removably connected to shelf collars or connectors  26  provided at the corners of each shelf  20 . Each connector  26  can be configured in the form of an open cylinder having two opposite open ends that function as connector joints, one on top of, and one below, the connector  26 , so that each connector joint receives an end of a vertical post  24 . The vertical posts  24  can be provided in different lengths to allow the user to vary the distance or height between adjacent shelves  20 . In addition, it is possible to provide an end support  28  for a hanging rod  30 . The end support  28  can also include two connectors  26  that allow the vertical posts  24  to be removably connected thereto. Alternatively, the opposite first and second ends of the hanging rod  30  can be connected directly to opposite and height-aligned shelves  20  on the two tower units  12 ,  14 . 
     Each shelf  20  can be provided in the form of a wire shelf having a frame or border with wires extending across the border. The border and the wires can be made from one of a variety of materials, including a metal (e.g., stainless steel), a plastic, a type of resin, wood or bamboo. Each shelf can also have a rectangular or square shape, and can be provided in any desired size. 
     A cantilevered shelf  40  is removably coupled to the top of each tower unit  12 ,  14 . Referring to  FIG. 5 , the cantilevered shelf  40  can also have a border  42  with shelf collars or connectors  26  provided at the locations corresponding to the top four vertical posts  24  in each tower unit  12 ,  14 . Wires  44  can extend across the border  42 . The border  42  can have a short border wall that is defined by a wavy (e.g., sinusoidal) or zig-zag wire  46  that is retained between an upper wire  48  and a lower wire  50 , and which functions as a truss wire. Openings  56  are defined by the upper wire  48 , the lower wire  50 , and the zig-zags in the zig-zag wire  46 . An extension section  52  can extend from the main part  54  of the cantilevered shelf  40 , and is adapted to removably connect to the bridge shelf  16 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the bridge shelf  16  has a central shelf section  60  that is made up of a plurality of parallel transverse wires  62  supported by one or more longitudinal wires  64 . The wires  62 ,  64  can be made of the same material as the wires for the shelves  20  and  40 . The opposite end of each wire  62  is bent by ninety degrees to define a front border and a rear border for the bridge shelf  16 . A border frame  66  is provided along the front border and the rear border. Each border frame  66  is generally C-shaped, and has two horizontal strips  74  and  76 , and a vertical bordering wire  68 . A zig-zag wire  70  is housed inside the boundary of the bordering wire  68  and functions as a truss wire. Openings  72  are defined by the bordering wire  68  and the zig-zags in the zig-zag wire  70 . The strips  74  and  76  can be elongated strips of metal material that are connected (e.g., welded) to portions of the wires  62 , with the upper strip  74  positioned on the underside of the wires  62  along the central shelf section  60 , and the lower strip  76  positioned inside the bent ends of the wires  62 . The two opposing C-shaped border frames  66  are adapted to function as opposing rail for the borders  42  of the cantilevered shelves  40 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the connector assembly  80  that is used to removably connect the bridge shelf  16  to the cantilevered shelves  40 . Four connector assemblies are needed, as two connector assemblies  80  are needed to connect opposing front and rear borders of the bridge shelf  16  to each cantilevered shelf  40 . Each connector assembly  80  has one front plate  82 , one rear plate  84 , and two bolts  86 . Two threaded bolts  88  extend from the rear of the front plate  82 , and each extends through a corresponding opening  90  in the rear plate  84 , before being secured by a threaded nut  92  of a corresponding bolt  86 . Even though the present invention is being described as having threaded bolts  88 , any rod-like element or clip mechanism that can extend through openings can also be used. 
     In use, the user unpacks all the shelves  16 ,  20  and  40  and the posts  24  from the box packaging, and begins assembly. The tower units  12  and  14  are assembled first by connecting ends of the posts  24  into the joints of the connectors  26 . One cantilevered shelf  40  is then connected to the top of each tower unit  12 ,  14  in a manner where the extension sections  52  extend towards each other. See  FIG. 2 . 
     Next, the extension section  52  for one tower unit  12  or  14  is slid into the C-shaped border frames  66  of the bridge shelf  16 . Specifically, one end of the bridge shelf  16  can be slid over the extension section  52  so that the borders  42  of that extension section  52  will slide into the rail track defined by the two C-shaped border frames  66 . The same step is repeated for the other end of the bridge shelf  16  over the other extension section  52  for the other tower unit  14  or  12 . Therefore, the front and rear border frames  66  of the bridge shelf  16  are positioned outside, or exterior to, the border  42  of the extension sections  52 . Portions of the ends of the central shelf  60  will overlap, or lie on top of, portions of the extension sections  52 , as best shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . The position of the bridge shelf  16  on top of the extension sections  52  can be adjusted by sliding the cantilevered shelves  40  along the rail track, depending on the size of the closet or room that the closet organizer  10  is to be used in. 
     Now, referring to  FIG. 7 , two sets of openings  56  and  72  are aligned, and a rear plate  84  is positioned interior of (inside) the border  42  of the extension section  52 , and then a front plate  82  is positioned outside the border frame  66 , with each threaded bolt  88  extending through adjacent sets of aligned openings  56  and  72 , and through the openings  90  in the rear plate  84 . The threaded nuts  86  are then used to secure the front plate  82  to the rear plate  84 , thereby securing the bridge shelf  16  to the cantilevered shelf  40  at the specific location. Connector assemblies  80  can be used to secure the front and rear connections for each end of the bridge shelf  16  with each cantilevered shelf  40 . 
     Thus, the present invention provides a closet organizer  10  which has a bridge shelf  16  that can be quickly installed on to the top thereof for use in a closet or room of any size. The connector assembly  80  and the alignment of the openings  56  and  72  in the border walls of the cantilevered shelves  40  and the bridge shelf  16  provide a simple yet effective way of allowing the user to adjust the position of the bridge shelf  16 . 
     While the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.