Patent Publication Number: US-10779641-B2

Title: Foldaway shelving with movable end caps

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/633,462, filed Feb. 21, 2018, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     NONE. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention generally relates to foldaway shelving which can be used in, for example, vehicles. Even more specifically the present invention relates to foldaway shelving with ends caps that are raised and lowered as the shelves are raised and lowered. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Foldaway shelving is common and its use in vehicles is common. Foldaway vehicle shelving is provided in various sizes and for various purposes. The common benefit of foldaway shelving is that it can be folded down to support items, and folded up out of the way when not being used. 
     The typical foldaway shelving has end caps that are fixed to the opposed ends of the shelves to hold materials on the shelves. The problem with this type of shelf is that products longer than the shelf don&#39;t fit well on the shelf. Additionally, products cannot be slid down the shelf and across an adjoining shelf. But, if there are no end caps, products on a shelf adjacent to a raised shelf can slide off the shelf. 
     It is desirable to provide foldaway shelving for cargo vans, cube vans, transit vehicles, etc. that don&#39;t have end caps obstructing the shelves when adjacent shelves are lowered and to have end caps when an adjoining shelf is raised. It is also desirable to provide foldaway shelving that is still relatively lightweight and cost effective. It is also desirable to provide shelving that is easy to assemble. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In general terms, this invention provides foldaway shelving which is relatively lightweight, cost effective and easy to assemble and is very effective for use in a vehicle. 
     The foldaway shelving unit has movable end caps on shelves mounted for pivotal movement with respect to a shelf support. Each shelf has an end with the ends adjoining each other. A first mounting bracket is attached to the first opposed end and a second mounting bracket is attached to the second opposed end. A pivot bracket connects the first and second mounting brackets. The mounting brackets and pivot brackets are pivotally mounted to the shelf support. 
     A first movable end cap is mounted adjacent the first end of the first shelf and a second movable end cap is mounted adjacent the second end of said second shelf. The first and second movable end caps each have a vertical wall and a horizontal wall. 
     The first shelf and the second shelf are independently pivotable between a lowered position and a raised position. With the first shelf and the second shelf in the lowered position, the horizontal walls of the first and second movable end caps form a bridge between the first shelf and said second shelf. When the first shelf is in the raised position, and the second shelf is in the lowered position, the pivot bracket raises the second movable end cap with respect to the second end wherein at least a portion of the vertical wall of the second movable end cap is above the support surface of the second shelf. When the second shelf is in said raised position, and the first shelf is in said lowered position, the pivot bracket raises the first movable end cap with respect to the first end of the first shelf wherein at least a portion of the vertical wall of the first movable end cap is above the support surface of said first shelf. 
     These and other features and advantages of this invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description are described below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the foldaway shelving of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view of the foldaway shelving of the present invention in the lowered position. 
         FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of the foldaway shelving of the present invention with one shelf raised. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of the foldaway shelving of the present invention with one shelf raised. 
         FIG. 5  is a partial perspective view of the foldaway shelving of the present invention with both shelves raised. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the foldaway shelving of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the foldaway shelving of the present invention of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a partial perspective view of the foldaway shelving of the present invention with the shelf in the raised position. 
         FIG. 9  is a partial perspective view of the cantilevered foot of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The present invention is generally shown at  10  in  FIG. 1 . The foldaway shelving  10  has supports  12  for supporting the shelves  14  within for example a vehicle. In the disclosed embodiment, the supports  12  are posts, but it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the supports could be brackets, or just a wall to which the shelves are attached. Additionally, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the shelves can be used anywhere shelves are used and are not limited to use in a vehicle. 
     In the disclosed embodiment, the posts  12  are mounted to the floor of the vehicle and preferably with cantilevered feet  16 . In the disclosed embodiment, a separate foot  16  is provided for each post  12 . Side mount brackets connect the posts  12  to the interior walls of the vehicle. As will be appreciated, the use of cantilevered feet  16  transfers the weight on the shelves  14  from the vehicle walls to the vehicle floor. 
     In the disclosed embodiment, the cantilevered foot  16  has a top portion  17  and angled walls  19 . Outwardly extending flanges  15  extend from the walls  19 . Fasteners  21  are used to mount the cantilevered foot  16  to the floor of the post  12 . 
     In the disclosed embodiment, the posts  12  are mounted to the interior side walls of the vehicle  11 . The brackets are mounted to the posts  12  through either the holes  20  or slots  22 . The holes and slots allow for easy mounting in a variety of vehicles. 
     The shelves  14  of the disclosed embodiment have a support surface  24 , opposed movable end caps  26 , a front wall  28  and rear wall  30  and opposed ends  32 . A mounting bracket  34  is attached to the opposed ends  32 . The mounting bracket is pivotally mounted to the support  12  through a pivot pen. As disclosed, the brackets  34  are generally L-shaped having an elongated body portion  36  and a raised foot portion  38 . A generally perpendicular flange  40  extends along the body portion  36 . The flange  40  has a series of holes  42  which mate with holes  44  in the ends  32 . The mating holes  42  and  44  are adapted to receive fasteners. It should be appreciated that the flange  40  could be welded to the ends  32  or could be formed integrally with the ends  32 . 
     In the disclosed embodiment, the brackets  34  have a knotch  49  for engaging pen  48  in the lowered position, see  FIG. 7 . 
     A pivot bracket  52  has ears  54  mounted to the foot portion  38  the plate  46  at opening  56  and to the support  12  by a pivot pin  58 . The proximal end  59  of the movable end cap  26  is mounted to the proximal end of bracket  52  by a fastener  63 . The distal end  61  is mounted to the distal end  62  of bracket  36  by a fastener  64 . In the disclosed embodiment, the end cap  26  has a generally vertical wall  65  and a horizontal surface  66 . As further disclosed, the surface  66  includes a downwardly extending lip  68 . 
     In the disclosed embodiment, a gas shock  50  is provided to assist in the raising and lowering of the shelf  14 . The bracket  34  includes a raised portion  70  for mounting one end of the shock  50  to the bracket  34 . Fasteners  72  mount the gas shock  50  to the raised portion  70 . The opposite end of the gas shock  50  is mounted to post  12 . It will be understood that only one gas shock  50  could be used on a shelf if desired, or even no gas cylinders. 
     In  FIG. 2 , the shelves  14  are in the downward position. In this position, the end caps  26  are in their downward most position. As illustrated, the two lowered end caps  26  form a bridge between the shelves  14  to allow product supported on the shelves to freely move along the shelves. In  FIGS. 3 and 4  one of the shelves  14  is raised and the end cap of the adjoining shelf is raised to create a stop at the edge  32  of the shelf  14 . The bracket  52  is rotated by the raised shelf  14  which raises the proximal end  59  of the end cap  26  to form a side wall on the end  32  of the shelf  14 . In  FIG. 5 , both shelves  14  are raised with the end caps  36  of both shelves  14  being rotated upwardly with the shelves  14 . 
     The foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the relevant legal standards, thus the description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment may become apparent to those skilled in the art and do come within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of legal protection afforded this invention can only be determined by studying the following claims.