Patent Publication Number: US-2005139131-A1

Title: Foldable shelf and drawers

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a foldable shelf and drawers which are easily assembled and foldable for convenience of storage and transportation.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Most of the shelves are fixed in sized and are assembled in front of the customers. Drawers mounted in the shelf are not foldable either so that the shelf and the drawers occupy a lot of space, which is not convenient for the customers to transport or carry. Even if some of the shelves are designed to be assembled by the customers, they are composed of some major parts that are bulky and cannot be further reduced.  
      Therefore, it is desired to have a foldable shelf that can be folded and thus occupying the minimum space such that the customers may convenient to carry or transport it.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a shelf comprising a main part composed of plurality of X-axis parts, Y-axis parts and Z-axis parts so as to form a plurality of partitions. Each X-axis part has a plurality of grooves. A plurality of connection members connects the X-axis parts and the Z-axis parts. The X-axis parts and the Y-axis parts are pivotable about the Z-axis parts. At least one rack member is located between two X-axis parts and composed of X-axis members and Y-axis members. Each Y-axis member has two ends, each having a fork portion engaging one of the grooves of the X-axis parts.  
      The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  shows a folded main part of a shelf constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  shows the main part in an extended status;  
       FIG. 3  shows a rack member to be connected to the main part of the shelf of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  shows a connection member connected to a Z-axis part with an X-axis part connected to the connection member;  
       FIG. 5  shows a fork portion of a Y-axis member engaging a groove defined in the X-axis part;  
       FIG. 6  shows parts of a drawer in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 6A  shows one type of connection member used in the drawer of the present invention;  
       FIG. 6B  shows another type of connection member used in the drawer of the present invention;  
       FIG. 7  shows the drawer of the present invention;  
       FIG. 8  shows a cover pivotably mounted to the drawer;  
       FIG. 9  shows that the drawer is made a cane drawer;  
       FIG. 10  shows the drawer receiving an inner case therein, and  
       FIG. 11  shows the drawer put in a partition of the shelf of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to the drawings and in particular FIGS.  1  to  3 , a shelf of the present invention comprises a main part  1  which is composed of a plurality of X-axis parts  11 , Y-axis parts  12  and Z-axis parts  13  so as to form a plurality of partitions for receiving drawers therein. A plurality of connection members  10  is used to connect the X-axis parts  11  and the Z-axis parts  13 , which are connected to the Y-axis parts  12  in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , such that the X-axis parts  11  and the Y-axis parts  12  are able to pivot about the Z-axis parts  13 .  
      A plurality of rack members  2  is located between the two X-axis parts  11  on top and bottom of the main part  1 . Each rack member  2  has an H-shaped profile and is composed of X-axis members  21  and Y-axis members  22 . Each Y-axis member  22  has two ends, each having a fork portion  220 . Each X-axis part  11  has a plurality of grooves  110  so that the fork portion  220  is engageable with one of the grooves  110  of the X-axis parts  11  as shown in  FIG. 5  to connect the rack members  2  to the main part  1 . A plurality of wheels  14  is connected to an underside of the Y-axis parts  12 . A top board  15  can be fixed to the X-axis member  11  on the top of the main part  1  by screws that are not shown.  
      Referring to FIGS.  6  to  10 , a drawer of the present invention comprises four side panels  61  and a bottom panel  62  which is connected to the side panels  61  by a plurality of U-shaped clamps  64  so as to form a storage assembly  60  as shown in  FIG. 7 . The drawer can be made a cane drawer  6  as shown in  FIG. 9 . As shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , each connection member  63  ( 63 ′) is a U-shaped member and has two legs  63   a ,  63   b  extending from a plate. An engaging protrusion  631  is located between the two legs  63   a ,  63   b  on the plate. Each side panel  61  has hollow vertical tubes  611  and each vertical tube  611  includes a U-shaped notch  612  at two open ends thereof. The two legs  63   a ,  63   b  are used to insert in the two adjacent open ends of the vertical tubes  611  of the two side panels  61  and the notches  612  of the vertical tubes  611  of the two side panels  61  are engageable with the engaging protrusions  631 .  
      Each U-shaped clamps  64  has an elongate support plate  641  so that when the clamps  64  clamp the bottom panel  62  and the side panel  61 , the elongate support plates  641  supports an underside of the bottom panel  62 .  
      As shown In  FIG. 8 , a cover  65  has two side rods  651 , one of which includes two insertions on two ends thereof. Two of the connection members  63 ′ each have a passage  642  ( FIG. 6A ) and the two insertions are respectively inserted in the two respective passages  642  of the two connection members  63 ′ and positioned by two respective screws S ( FIG. 6 ) so that the cover  65  is pivotable about the side rod  651  connected between the two connection members  63 ′.  
      As shown in  FIG. 10 , an inner case  66  is received in the storage assembly  60  and attaching members  661 , such as Velcro, are used on outsides of the inner case  66  and insides of the cane drawer so as to position the inner case  66 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 11 , the shelf can be equipped with at least one drawer  6  and the main part  1  can be conveniently folded to be a flat status so that the shelf meets requirements of the trend of Do-It-Yourself.  
      While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.