Patent ID: 8678207

Claim:
A coupling member that is fitted to a post, and supports one shelf board member within a half area of the coupling member in a diametrical direction when viewed from a front side, the coupling member comprising: two members that are fitted to each other to hold the post from either side, each of the two members including a first tapered section on an outer circumferential surface that gradually increases in diameter in a downward direction, and a second tapered section that gradually slopes inward in the downward direction, the first tapered section being disposed on a main body of each of the two members, the second tapered section being disposed on arm sections extending laterally in the diametrical direction from the main body of each of the two members, each of the arm sections having an outwardly facing surface, said arm sections having a downwardly extending groove on said outer surface, said groove having two groove edges, wherein one groove edge of the said groove edges comprises a portion of the second tapered section, the coupling member being fitted to the post so that the first tapered sections of the two members are respectively positioned on a right outer circumferential surface and a left outer circumferential surface when viewed from the front side, and the second tapered sections of the two members are positioned on the front side and a back side when viewed from the front side, and the first tapered section of only one member among the two members and the second tapered section of another member among the two members being disposed within the half area of the coupling member when the coupling member is fitted to the post and is supporting the one shelf member.