Patent Publication Number: US-7913863-B2

Title: Shelving unit whose support board is in quick and easy assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the quick and easy assembled support board on a shelving unit and, more particularly, to the quick and easy assembled support board on a shelving unit to display and store an electronic video or audio appliance, such as a television, video player, speaker and the like. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional shelving unit comprises a support frame and a plurality of support boards attached on the support frame to display or store articles, such as a television, video player, speaker and the like. Each of the support boards is attached to the support frame by a plurality of locking screws. However, a user has to in turn screw the locking screws into each of the support boards and the support frame so as to lock each of the support boards onto the support frame, thereby causing inconvenience to the user in assembly or disassembly of the shelving unit. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a shelving unit, comprising a support frame and at least one support board detachably mounted on the support frame. The support frame includes a back board. The back board of the support frame has at least one support rail which is provided with at least one locking slot. The shelving unit further comprises at least one locking knob mounted on the support board and detachably locked in the locking slot of the back board. 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a shelving unit that is assembled or disassembled easily and quickly without using tools. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a shelving unit, wherein the support board can be mounted on and detached from the support frame, thereby facilitating a user mounting and removing the support board of the shelving unit. 
     A further objective of the present invention is to provide a shelving unit, wherein the user only needs to rotate the locking knob to lock the support board onto the back board of the support frame or to unlock the support board from the back board of the support frame, so that the support board is mounted on and detached from the back board of the support frame easily and quickly without using tools, thereby facilitating the user on assembling and disassembling the support board of the shelving unit quickly and easily. 
     A further objective of the present invention is to provide a shelving unit, wherein the user only needs to pivot the fastening snap to lock the support board onto the respective connecting unit of the support frame or to unlock the support board from the respective connecting unit of the support frame, so that the support board is mounted on and detached from the respective connecting unit of the support frame easily and quickly, thereby facilitating the user assembling and disassembling the support board of the shelving unit without using tools. 
     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 shelving unit in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a partially exploded perspective view of the shelving unit as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a support board of the shelving unit as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic operational view of the shelving unit as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a locally enlarged perspective view of the shelving unit as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic operational view of the shelving unit as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a shelving unit in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a support board of the shelving unit as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a locally enlarged perspective view of the shelving unit as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic operational view of the shelving unit as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings and initially to  FIGS. 1-6 , a shelving unit in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a support frame  2 , and at least one support board  1  detachably mounted on the support frame  2 . 
     The support frame  2  includes a back board  23 , a front support bracket  20  located opposite to the back board  23 , and a plurality of connecting units  24  mounted between the back board  23  and the front support bracket  20 . 
     The back board  23  of the support frame  2  has at least one support rail  25  which is provided with at least one locking slot  21 . The support rail  25  of the back board  23  has a top  250  and a bottom  252 . The locking slot  21  of the back board  23  extends through a whole thickness of the support rail  25  and extends from the top  250  to the bottom  252  of the support rail  25 . Preferably, the support rail  25  of the back board  23  is provided with two locking slots  21 . 
     The support board  1  is located between and supported by the front support bracket  20 , the back board  23  and the connecting units  24  of the support frame  2 . The support board  1  abuts the top  250  of the support rail  25  of the back board  23 . 
     The shelving unit further comprises at least one locking knob  11  mounted on the support board  1  and detachably locked in the locking slot  21  of the back board  23 . Preferably, the shelving unit comprises two locking knobs  11 . The locking knob  11  is rotatably mounted on the support board  1 . The locking knob  11  extends through the locking slot  21  of the back board  23  and protrudes outwardly from the bottom  252  of the support rail  25  of the back board  23 . The locking knob  11  is rotatable relative to the support board  1  and the support rail  25  of the back board  23  between a first position as shown in  FIG. 5  where the locking knob  11  aligns with and is flush with the locking slot  21  of the back board  23 , so that the locking knob  11  is movable in the locking slot  21  of the back board  23 , and the support board  1  is detachable from the back board  23 , and a second position as shown in  FIG. 6  where the locking knob  11  misaligns with the locking slot  21  of the back board  23  and is stopped by the bottom  252  of the support rail  25  of the back board  23 , so that the locking knob  11  is locked onto the support rail  25  of the back board  23 , and the support board  1  is locked onto the back board  23 . 
     In operation, referring to  FIGS. 3-6  with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , when the support board  1  abuts the top  250  of the support rail  25  of the back board  23 , the locking knob  11  aligns with and is flush with the locking slot  21  of the back board  23  as shown in  FIG. 5 , so that the locking knob  11  can extend through the locking slot  21  of the back board  23  and protrude outwardly from the bottom  252  of the support rail  25  of the back board  23 . Then, when the locking knob  11  is rotated relative to the support rail  25  of the back board  23  through ninety degrees (90°), the locking knob  11  misaligns with the locking slot  21  of the back board  23  and is stopped by the bottom  252  of the support rail  25  of the back board  23  as shown in  FIG. 6 , so that the locking knob  11  is locked onto the support rail  25  of the back board  23 , and the support board  1  is locked onto the back board  23 . 
     On the contrary, when the locking knob  11  is rotated reversely relative to the support rail  25  of the back board  23  through ninety degrees (90°), the locking knob  11  aligns with and is flush with the locking slot  21  of the back board  23  as shown in  FIG. 5  to unlock the locking knob  11  from the locking slot  21  of the back board  23 , so that the locking knob  11  can be detached from the locking slot  21  of the back board  23 , and the support board  1  can be detached from the back board  23 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7-10 , the shelving unit further comprises at least one fastening snap  12  mounted on the support board  1  and detachably locked onto the respective connecting unit  24  of the support frame  2  to lock the support board  1  onto the respective connecting unit  24  of the support frame  2 . Preferably, the shelving unit comprises two fastening snaps  12 . The fastening snap  12  is pivotally mounted on the support board  1 . The fastening snap  12  has a substantially L-shaped profile and has a bent distal end provided with a hook portion  120  that is detachably hooked onto a bottom  22  of the respective connecting unit  24 . 
     Accordingly, the support board  1  can be mounted on and detached from the support frame  2 , thereby facilitating a user mounting and removing the support board  1  of the shelving unit. In addition, the user only needs to rotate the locking knob  11  to lock the support board  1  onto the back board  23  of the support frame  2  or to unlock the support board  1  from the back board  23  of the support frame  2 , so that the support board  1  is mounted on and detached from the back board  23  of the support frame  2  easily and quickly, thereby facilitating the user assembling and disassembling the support board  1  of the shelving unit. Further, the user only needs to pivot the fastening snap  12  to lock the support board  1  onto the respective connecting unit  24  of the support frame  2  or to unlock the support board  1  from the respective connecting unit  24  of the support frame  2 , so that the support board  1  is mounted on and detached from the respective connecting unit  24  of the support frame  2  easily and quickly, thereby facilitating the user assembling and disassembling the support board  1  of the shelving unit without using tools. 
     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.