Abstract:
A tray for supporting clothing, textiles, or other delicate articles includes a frame and an inert liner located in the frame. Further, the frame may include guides for sliding engagement with the rails. Optionally, a storage system includes a pair of rails for supporting the tray. The rails permit unrestricted sliding movement of the tray so that the tray can be moved in opposed directions and removed or inserted from either side of the storage system.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/789,975, filed Apr. 26, 2007, which claims priority from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/796,237, filed Apr. 28, 2006, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to a storage system and, more particular, to a storage system that is suitable for storing textiles, including clothing, fabrics, and other delicate items. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention relates to a storage system and its several components that allow various textiles, such as clothing, fabrics, or other delicate items to be organized and supported in a manner to protect the textiles. 
         [0004]    In one form of the invention, a tray, which is suitable for mounting in a stationary shelf or “upright” or in a shelving system, includes a frame and an inert liner. The tray further includes guides for sliding engagement by a pair of rails, which then mount the tray in a shelf or shelving system. 
         [0005]    In one aspect, the inert liner is formed form an inert plastic, such as a high impact polypropylene copolymer. For example, a suitable polypropylene copolymer is available under the trademark COROPLAST, which is a corrugated plastic that has an NILH pH factor. 
         [0006]    In another aspect, the tray includes a pair of guides and is supported by two rails, with each rail including a channel-shaped member that is adapted to mount in a shelf or shelving system and a track for receiving the guides of the tray. For example, the channel-shaped member may include an intermediate projecting flange and a lower flange, which define the track therebetween. 
         [0007]    According to another form of the invention, a drawer, which is also adapted to mount in a shelf or in a shelving system, includes a perimeter frame. The frame includes first and second pairs of opposed sides, with each of the first pair of opposed sides including an upper flange with a plurality of cooperative structures that define a plurality of defined positions along the first pair of opposed sides. Further, the drawer includes at least two brackets with each bracket being supported on the first pair of opposed sides and, further, including at least one cooperative structure for engaging the cooperative structures on the upper flanges of the first pair of opposed sides to provide fixed, defined locations for the brackets along the first pair of opposed sides. Further, extended between the brackets is a rod for hanging objects from the frame. 
         [0008]    In one aspect, the upper flanges of the first pair of opposed sides of the frame includes a plurality of openings, and each of the brackets includes at least one projection for engaging a selected opening of the plurality of openings. In a further aspect, the bracket includes a pair of projecting structures for engaging two of the openings to thereby longitudinal fix the position of the brackets along the first pair of sides. 
         [0009]    In another aspect, each of the opposed sides of the frame include an inwardly projecting lip for supporting the brackets. 
         [0010]    In a further aspect, the rod is releasable supported in the respective brackets. For example, each of the brackets may include a cradle for supporting an end portion of the rod. 
         [0011]    In a further aspect, the drawer engages a pair of slide rails for mounting the drawer in a shelf or shelving system. 
         [0012]    According to another form of the invention, a shelf includes a base and a pair of upwardly extending side panels, which are interconnected at their upper ends by a generally horizontal panel. Mounted to the side panels are vertical rails with cooperative structures for engagement by horizontal rails that may be selectively positioned in the shelf. At least two of the horizontal rails are positioned on opposed sides of the shelf and with each rail having a cradle for supporting a rod that extends between the opposed rails. 
         [0013]    For example, the opposed rails may include a generally J-shaped bracket with first and second legs, with the first leg mounted to the rail and the second leg spaced from the first leg and forming the cradle. 
         [0014]    Accordingly, the present invention provides a system and components that are particular suitable for supporting and storing textiles, which can either be laid in the trays of the present invention or suspended from the rods that are provided by the components of the present invention. 
         [0015]    These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments set forth below, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a shelf of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the shelf of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the shelf of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the shelf of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged detailed view of detail V of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a tray channel and mounting brackets; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is an elevation view of the tray channel and mounting bracket of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of detail VIII of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8A  is a perspective view of a mounting bracket of  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is an end view of the tray channel and mounting bracket of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a tray of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 10A  is an exploded perspective view of the tray of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 10B  is an enlarged view of detail XB of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 10C  is an enlarged view of detail XC of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 11  is a front elevation view of the tray of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 12  is a top plan view of the tray of  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 13  is a side elevation view of the tray of  FIG. 12 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the weldement of the tray of  FIGS. 10-13 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 15  is an enlarged view of detail XV of  FIG. 14 ; 
           [0035]      FIG. 16  is an enlarged view of detail XVI of  FIG. 14 ; 
           [0036]      FIG. 17  is an enlarged view of the detail XVII of  FIG. 14 ; 
           [0037]      FIG. 18  is a plan view of the weldement of  FIG. 14 ; 
           [0038]      FIG. 19  is a front elevation view of the weldement of  FIG. 18 ; 
           [0039]      FIG. 20  is a side elevation view of the weldement of  FIG. 18 ; 
           [0040]      FIG. 21  is an enlarged view of the detail XXI of  FIG. 19 ; 
           [0041]      FIG. 22  is an enlarged view of detail XXII of  FIG. 20 ; 
           [0042]      FIG. 23  is an enlarged view of detail XXIII of  FIG. 18 ; 
           [0043]      FIG. 24A  is a perspective view of a drawer of the present invention; 
           [0044]      FIG. 24B  is an exploded perspective view of the drawer of  FIG. 24A ; 
           [0045]      FIG. 25  is a top plan view of the drawer of  FIG. 24A ; 
           [0046]      FIG. 26  is a front elevation view of the drawer of  FIG. 24A ; 
           [0047]      FIG. 27  is a perspective view of the frame of the drawer of  FIG. 24A ; 
           [0048]      FIG. 28  is a similar view to  FIG. 25  with the brackets and rods removed for clarity; 
           [0049]      FIG. 29  is a front elevation view of the frame of  FIG. 28 ; 
           [0050]      FIG. 30  is a perspective view of a slide rail for supporting the drawer of  FIG. 24 ; 
           [0051]      FIG. 30A  is a similar view to  FIG. 30  with a drawer mounting bracket shown mounted to the rail; 
           [0052]      FIG. 30B  is an enlarged perspective view of the rail and bracket of  FIG. 30A ; 
           [0053]      FIG. 31  is a front elevation view of the slide rail of  FIG. 30 ; 
           [0054]      FIG. 32  is an end elevation view of the side rail of  FIG. 31 ; 
           [0055]      FIG. 33  is a perspective view of a hanger rod support of the present invention; 
           [0056]      FIG. 34  is a front elevation view of the support of  FIG. 33 ; 
           [0057]      FIG. 35  is an end elevation view of the support of  FIG. 34 ; 
           [0058]      FIG. 36  is a perspective view of the shelf of  FIG. 1  having several component removed for clarity; and 
           [0059]      FIGS. 37A and 37B  are side elevation views of the shelf of  FIG. 36 , in which the tray has been pulled through the shelf from the front and back of the shelf, respectively. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0060]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the numeral  10  generally designates a shelf of the present invention. Although illustrated as a single upright stationary shelf, otherwise known as an “upright” in the shelving industry, it will be appreciated from the following description that the components of the present invention may be incorporated into a shelving system, including a shelving system that incorporates movable shelf units. As will be more fully described below, shelf  10  incorporates one or more components that facilitate the storage of textiles, such as clothing, fabrics, or other delicate items and, further, stores them in a manner to make them more easily accessible and, further, with some components providing protection from chemical impregnation that may occur when using conventional components. 
         [0061]    Shelf  10  includes a base  12  and a pair of vertical side panels  14  that are connected at their upper ends by a horizontal panel  16 . Panels  14  and  16  are conventional and are formed from thin sheet metal that is mounted to frame members, which provide rigidity to their respective panels. Mounted at or near the edges of panels  14  are vertical rails  20 ,  22 , which provide mounting surfaces for the several components that may be mounted in shelf  10 , as will be more fully described below. In addition, panels  14  are braced by horizontal supports or rails ( FIGS. 1 and 5 ) which are mounted in the vertical rails using conventional hardware. Further, shelf  10  optionally includes one or more shelf elements  18  that are mounted between the respective vertical panels. Preferably, shelf elements  18  are removable and are mounted to vertical rails  20  and  22  using conventional hardware. The horizontal supports, shelf elements  18 , and their respective mounting hardware are conventional and commercially available from Borroughs Corporation of Kalamazoo Mich.; therefore, no further details of these components will be provided herein. 
         [0062]    Rails  20 ,  22  are also conventional and are typically channel-shaped rails with mounting openings  24 , such as keyhole-shaped openings, provided in their webs  26  for engagement by brackets, which include pins with enlarged heads. The pins extend into the opening and when lowered in the opening secure the respective shelf elements to the rails in a similar manner to that desired in reference to the other components described in more detail below. 
         [0063]    As previously noted, shelf  10  may incorporate one or more components that are configured and arranged to facilitate handling of textile products, including clothing, fabric, or the like. Referring to  FIGS. 7-9 , optionally mounted between vertical rails  20 ,  22  are a pair of horizontal rails or tray channels  28 . Each tray channel  28  may be used as a left-hand or right-hand side tray channel or may be constructed with mirror image to provide left or right-hand tray channels. But in order to take advantage of economies of scale and to reduce cost and inventory, it may be preferable to provide a tray channel that can be used as both the left-hand side and right-hand side tray channel. 
         [0064]    Tray channel  28  supports a tray  30 , which is illustrated in  FIGS. 10-13 , in shelf  10 . In the illustrated embodiment shelf  10  comprises an open shelf with access through the front or the back of the shelf. Therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, tray channels  28  allow the tray to be pulled through the shelf from either the front or back of the shelf, such as shown in  FIGS. 36-37B . As will be more fully described below, tray  30  includes an inert liner, which is particularly suitable for supporting or holding textiles, including clothing or fabric, which are sensitive to chemical impregnation, for example, from conventional plastics and other non-inert materials. 
         [0065]    Tray  30  includes a weldment  32 , which is shown in  FIGS. 14-24 , which supports liner  34 . Weldment  32  is formed from a plurality of interconnected metal components, which provide support to liner  34  described in more detail in reference to  FIGS. 10A-10C . In the illustrated embodiment, weldment  32  is formed from a plurality of side frame members  36 ,  38 , and a plurality of cross-frame members  40 , which interconnect frame members  36 . Each member  36 ,  38  includes an inwardly extending lower leg or flange  36   a  and  38   a  with an upwardly extending flange or lip  36   b  and  38   b , respectively. Side frame members  36  and  38  are interconnected to each other at their ends by weld tabs  42 , which are formed on the web of side frame members  36  and which nest into notches formed in the vertical webs  38   c  of side frame members  38 . In this manner, members  36  and  38  have a flush connection. Similarly, upwardly extending flanges  36   b  of members  36  are notched to receive channel members  40 , which are secured in place, for example, by welding, such as spot welding. In addition, members  38  include inwardly projecting flanges  44  spaced above flanges  38   a , which provide support to the liner, more fully described below. 
         [0066]    To support tray  30  on tray channels  28 , each member  38  also includes an outwardly projecting lower flange  46  on which plastic strips  48 , which form tray runners, are mounted, for example by a clip or snap-fit connection. As best seen in  FIG. 11 , plastic strips  48  project outwardly from either side of the tray  30  for slidingly supporting tray  30  in tray channels  28 . Referring again to  FIGS. 7-9 , tray channels  28  includes a channel-shaped member  50  with a flange provided by an angle member  52 , which is secured to the web of member  50 , for example by welding. Channel-shaped member  50  mounts to the respective vertical rails  20 ,  22  in shelf  10  by a pair of brackets  54 . Each bracket  54  includes a channel-shaped member  56  in which channel-shaped member  50  is secured, for example by welding, and a flange  58 , which includes a pair of locking pins  60  with enlarged heads  62  for engagement in openings  24  of the respective webs  26  of vertical rails  20  and  22  as will be understood by those skilled in the art. 
         [0067]    As best understood from  FIG. 9 , the outwardly projecting leg  52   a  of angle  52  forms a guide track  64  between leg  52   a  and lower flange  50   a  of channel-shaped member  50 . Guide track  64  receives plastic runners  48  of tray  30  to thereby slidingly support tray  30  in tray channels  28 . Further, track  64  is free of obstruction throughout the entire length of tray channel  28  to thereby permit the tray to be pulled in either direction in track  64  and further pulled from either end of tray channel  28 . 
         [0068]    As best seen in  FIGS. 10 ,  13 , and  14 , tray  30  includes handles  66  formed by the upper outwardly projecting flanges  66   a  of members  36 . Flanges  66  are preferably hemmed or folded over at their distal ends to provide hand pulls for the front and back of tray  30 . In this manner, tray  30  essentially has no front or back and instead is universal in its pull direction. Therefore, when mounted in an open shelf, such as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , tray  30  can be extended from either the front or the back of the shelf. 
         [0069]    As best seen in  FIGS. 10A-10C , liner  34  is formed from a sheet  34   a  of inert material. For example, sheet  34   a  may comprise an inert plastic, such as a high impact polypropylene copolymer. A suitable material is available under the trademark COROPLAST, which is an extruded twin wall plastic sheet formed from a high impact polypropylene copolymer with a NILH pH factor. Sheet  34   a  rests on the top edges of channels  40  and on the top edges of the flanges  36   b  and  38   b  of frame members  36  and  38 . Further, sheet  34   a  extends between flanges  44  and flanges  38   b , which thereby form a guide for sheet  34   a . Further, once positioned between flanges  44  and flanges  38   b , sheet  34   a  is secured in place by a pair of angle members  34   b . Angle members  34   b  have their horizontal flanges and a portion of the vertical flanges notched to straddle channel members  40 . Angle members  34   b  are then secured to frame members  36  by fasteners  34   c , such as rivets, screws or the like, which extend through lower flanges  36   a  of members  36 . 
         [0070]    Referring to  FIGS. 24A ,  24 B, and  25 - 29 , shelf  10  may optionally include a textile drawer  70 , which allows fabrics to be suspended in the shelving. Drawer  70  includes an outer perimeter frame  72 , which is similarly formed from rigid members  74 ,  76 . In the illustrated embodiment each member  74 ,  76  includes an inwardly extending lower flange  74   a  and  76   a  and an outwardly extending upper flange  74   b  and  76   b . Flanges  76   b  include a downwardly depending portion or leg  76   c  to thereby form handles for drawer  70 . Upper flanges  74   b  provide support and, further, provide cooperative structures that define discrete locations for one or more hangers  78 , which may be mounted between members  74  and allow fabrics to be suspended from drawer  70 . As would be understood, therefore, members  74  and  76  form an open, bottomless frame that allows fabrics to be suspended through the frame by hangers  78 . 
         [0071]    As best seen in  FIGS. 25 , upper flanges  74   b  include a plurality of openings  74   c , which form a plurality of defined discrete positions for hangers  78 . Each hanger  78  includes a pair of brackets  80  and a rod  82 , which is suspended between the respective brackets  80 . Brackets  80  each include at least one projecting structure  80   a , such as a pin for positioning in openings  74   c  to thereby fix the position of hanger  78  along the longitudinal axis of angle members  74 . In this manner, the position of hangers  78  may be adjusted but also secured in place when the respective pins of the brackets are located in the openings of angle member  74  and engaged with the upper flanges  74   b  of angle members  74 . 
         [0072]    As best seen in  FIGS. 24A and 24B , rods  82  are supported by a cradle  84  formed by brackets  80 . In this illustrated embodiment, brackets  80  comprise channel-shaped members with a vertical web  86  and an upper horizontal flange  88 , which includes pins  80   a , and a lower flange  90 , which rests on flanges  74   a  of members  74 . Lower flange  90  includes an upwardly turned flange or lip  92 , which includes a notch to form the cradle for the respective rods. In this manner, the rods may be removed from the brackets to facilitate handling of the fabric that is draped over the respective rods. 
         [0073]    Drawer  70  is mounted in shelving  10  by an extendable rail  94 . A suitable extendable rail is illustrated in  FIGS. 30-32 . Rail  94  is commercially available from Accuride of Calif. and includes a plurality of nesting channel members that are supported for horizontal movement on bearings, including an inner-most channel-shaped member  96  to which drawer  70  is mounted by a bracket  97 , which mounts to the side of drawer frame  72  by fasteners and to channel-shaped member  96  by fasteners. Rail  94  is mounted between the sides or panels of shelf  10  by a channel-shaped member  94   a , which in turn is mounted in vertical rails  20 ,  22  by brackets  54  described previously. 
         [0074]    Referring to  FIGS. 33-35 , the numeral  98  designates yet another component that may be mounted in shelf  10 . Component  98  forms a hanger rod support so that a rod may be suspended between the panels or sides of the shelf for supporting clothing in shelf  10 . As best seen in  FIG. 33 , hanger rod support  98  includes a channel-shaped member  100 , which is mounted between the respective panels of shelf  10  by brackets  54 , which have been previously described in reference to tray channels  28 . Channel-shaped member  100  provides a mounting surface for a second channel member  102 , which includes a vertical leg or flange  104 , which is secured to web  100   a  of channel  100 , and a second vertical flange or leg  106 . Flange  106  is spaced from flange  104  by a horizontal flange  108  and includes a recess  110  for receiving the end portion of a hanger rod. As will be understood, hanger rod supports  98  are mounted in pairs in shelf  10  to provide support for both ends of a hanger rod. 
         [0075]    While several forms of the invention have been shown and described, other forms will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, in preferred form, the frame members and mounting hardware are all preferably formed from metal, and preferably a light weight metal. However, it should be appreciated that other materials may be used. Further as noted, while the various components of the present invention are illustrated as being mounted in a stationary shelf, they may be used in other applications, including a shelving system, such as a movable shelf system of the type available from Borroughs Corporation. Therefore, it will be understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are merely for illustrative purposes, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.