Patent ID: 7150364

Claim:
An expandable shelf, comprising: a plurality of tubes, each having a first end and a second end, each of said plurality of tubes oriented substantially co-planar with one another; a plurality of inner members, each having a first end and a second end, each first end of the plurality of inner members being assembled slidingly into a respective first end of each of the plurality of tubes; a first end plate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the first side engaging the second end of each of the plurality of tubes; a second end plate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the first side engaging the second end of each of the plurality of inner members; and a first supporting end plate adapted to be secured to a support structure, said first supporting end plate including a first flange, wherein at least one of said second side of said first end plate and said second side of said second end plate engages and nests within a portion of said first supporting end plate, wherein said first flange supports the at least one of the first end plate and the second end plate, whereby a load on at least one of said plurality of tubes and said plurality of inner members is transferred to said first supporting end plate.