Shelf Support

Description

This Invention related to shelf support pegs, and in particular, a shelf support that securely holds shelves.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Shelf supports, also referred to as shelf pegs, are devices or hardware used to support removable shelves within cabinetry, such as kitchen cabinets, bookshelves and other shelved furniture. Shelf supports are fitted into corresponding and complimentary holes drilled or formed in the facing cabinetry sidewall that support and position individual shelves within the cabinetry. Shelf supports are commonly available as simple metal and plastic dowels that are inserted into the cabinetry sidewall holes but extend from the side wall to provide a structural support for the shelves. Other common shelf supports may take a spoon-shaped or L shaped configuration to provide more pegs that prevent shelf wobble and L-shaped supports that support greater shelf loads and prevent shelf wobbling.

Heretofore conventional shelf supports only provide a structure upon which the shelves rest and do not secure the shelves to the cabinetry. Because cabinetry is often transported with the shelves stowed within cabinetry, it is desirable to secure or lock the shelves to the supports. In addition, cabinetry shelves often differ in thickness.

The shelf support of this invention securely supports and locks shelve in place within conventional cabinetry. The shelf supports also accommodate shelves of different thicknesses. The shelf supports have a shelf seat, post, lower back, a hinged upper back, and a pair of locking tabs integrally formed or molded as a single component. The shelf seat provides the platform upon which the shelves rest. The hinges upper back has two or more locking tabs that extend angularly over the shelf seat that flex and engage the top surface of the shelves to hold the shelves against the shelf support. Each locking tab is dimensioned and configured to engage a shelf of differing thicknesses. The above-described features and advantages, as well as others, will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention may take form in various system and method components and arrangement of system and method components. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating exemplary embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. The drawings illustrate the present invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the shelf support of this invention fitted to a conventional cabinetry sidewall;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shelf support of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear plan view of the shelf support if FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the shelf support of FIG. 1 supporting a shelf;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the shelf support of FIG. 1 supporting another shelf; and

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the shelf support of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific preferred embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and that logical, structural, mechanical, electrical, and chemical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims least one specification heading is required.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-6 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the shelf support of this invention, which is designated generally as reference numeral 100. Shelf supports 100 are designed and intended to be used as conventional shelf supports but allow the shelves to be supported and “locked” within the cabinetry, such as cabinets, book shelve and other items. Consequently, shelf supports 100 are more stable and secure than traditional shelf supports. Shelf supports 100 not only securely hold shelves in place but accommodate shelves of differing thicknesses. In addition, shelf supports 100 are ideally suited for securely transporting cabinetry with the removable and adjustable shelves in place within the cabinetry. Transporting cabinetry with the shelves securely locked in places prevents damage to the cabinetry and reduces packaging cost. In certain embodiments, shelf supports of this invention are intended to be disposable items specifically used in transporting cabinetry.

For simplicity of illustration and explanation, shelf supports 100 are shown used in a simplified cabinet 10 having two sets (only one shown) of a series of vertically aligned bores 11 in opposed facing cabinet sidewalls 12. Shelf supports 100 carry and hold shelves 20 and 20′, each having a different thickness. Shelf supports 100 have multiple independent locking tabs that securely hold or “lock” the shelves to the supports. The independent locking tabs allows shelf support 100 support and secure shelves of different thicknesses.

Ideally, shelf supports 100 are an integrally molded or formed polymer component. In other embodiments, the support shelf may be constructed from any resilient material or metal. The configuration and material of shelf supports 100 are selected to provide the structural support and resilience to support the cabinetry shelves and to created integral support backs and locking tabs with living hinges that flex to accept and lock the shelves in place.

Shelf supports 100 are configured to have an integral shelf seat 110, post 120, lower back 130, a hinged upper back 140, and a pair of locking tabs 150 and 160. Lower back 130 has a planar rectangular configuration. Shelf seat 110 extends perpendicularly from the interior face of lower back 130 and provides the platform upon which the cabinet shelf rests. Shelf seat 110 has a flat horizontal shoulder 112 and hollow buttress 114. Post 120 extends perpendicularly from the exterior face of lower back 130 opposite shelf seat 110. Post 120 is as a ribbed cylindrical member dimensioned to be securely fitted into one of the plurality of bores 13 in cabinetry sidewall 12. Upper back 140 is integrally connected to lower back 130 at neck section 136.

Upper back 140 has a generally rectangular configuration but is not planar. Upper back 140 has a semi-circular reinforcing cap 142 and a rectangular central opening 141. Upper back 140 has a top portion 144 and a bottom portion 146 joined by a central hinge element 148. Top and bottom portions 144 and 146 lie in separate planes angularly oriented to each other. Hinge element 148 acts as a living hinge to allow upper back 140 to flex but return back to its original shape under the inherent resilience of the support material. The plane of top portion 144 is oriented at an acute angle to the plane (generally vertical) of lower back 130.

Locking tabs 150 and 160 are integrally connected to upper back 140 and extend downward into central opening 141. Locking tab 150 is U-shaped and has a pair of tab legs 152 and a cross member 154. Locking tab 160 is bar shaped and interposed between legs 152 of locking tab 150. As best shown in FIG. 6, locking tab 150 generally lies in the same plane as top section 114 of upper back 140. Locking tab 160 lies in a second plane relative to locking tab 150, which is oriented at a second, less acute, angle to the plane of locking tab 150. In other exemplary embodiments, the shelf supports of this invention may include multiple locking tabs configured in a nested array of concentric locking tabs to accommodate additional shelf thicknesses. Each locking tab would share a central axis with each tab having increased larger dimensions to nested around and under the central tab. This allows shelf supports 100 to be used to support and secure shelves of differing thicknesses.

In use, shelf supports 100 are manually positioned within cabinetry 10 with posts 120 inserted into the desired bores 11 in cabinetry sidewall 12. Once shelf supports 100 are mounted and aligned to support the four corners of shelves 20, the shelves are lowered onto shelf supports 100. As the shelves are manually lowered and positioned unto shelf supports 100 within the cabinetry, the edge of shelves 20 deflect and flatten upper back 130 to allow the shelf to rest atop shelf seat 110. Once seated, locking tabs 150 and 160 snap over the top surface shelves 20 and 20′ to secure the shelves against shelf seat 110. Locking tabs 150 and 160 are configured and dimensioned to engage and secure shelves of two distinct shelf thicknesses. Locking tab 150 engages and secures shelf 20, which has a first thickness or height (FIG. 4). Locking tab 160 engages and secures shelf 20′ (FIG. 5), which has a second thickness or height greater than the thickness of shelf 20. The polymer construction along with central hinge element 148 and top section 144 and bottom section 146 of the side members of upper back 140 provide the resilience to allow locking tabs 150 and 160 to deflect and snap back over shelves 20 and 20′ when seated atop shelf seat 110, creating a locking mechanism for securing shelves 20 and 20′ to shelf seat 110.

One skilled in the art will note that the shelf supports of this invention provide a more stable and secure mechanism than traditional shelf pegs by “locking” the shelves against the shelf seats. The shelf supports also accommodate shelves having differing thicknesses. Consequently, the shelf support is ideally suited for securely transporting cabinetry with the removable and adjustable shelves in place within the cabinetry. Transporting cabinetry with the shelves securely locked in place prevents damage to the cabinetry and reduces packaging cost.

It should be apparent from the foregoing that an invention having significant advantages has been provided. While the invention is shown in only a few of its forms, it is not just limited but is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof. The embodiment of the present invention herein described and illustrated is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It is presented to explain the invention so that others skilled in the art might utilize its teachings. The embodiment of the present invention may be modified within the scope of the following claims.

It should be apparent from the foregoing that an invention having significant advantages has been provided. While the invention is shown in only a few of its forms, it is not just limited but is susceptible to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof. The embodiment of the present invention herein described and illustrated is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It is presented to explain the invention so that others skilled in the art might utilize its teachings. The embodiment of the present invention may be modified within the scope of the following claims.