Adjustable modular shelf

Abstract

A wire shelf includes at least four post supporting members each disposed at a respective corner of the wire shelf. A pair of end members is disposed at opposing ends of the wire shelf. Each of the end members is comprised of a truss having an upper wire and a lower wire. Each of the end members is joined at one end to one of the post receiving members and is joined at another end to another of the post receiving members. A pair of side members is disposed at opposite sides of the wire shelf. Each of the side members is joined at one end to one of the post receiving members that is joined to one of the end members and is joined at another end to another of the post receiving members that is joined to another of the end members. A plurality of wires is disposed atop and is joined to a top surface of the side members. At least one center support member is disposed between the side members and in parallel therewith. The center support member is comprised of a truss having an upper wire and a lower wire. The upper wire of the center support member is joined to each of the plurality of wires. The upper wire of the center support member is joined at one end to the upper wire of one of the end members and is joined at another end to the upper wire of another of the end members. The lower wire of the center support member is joined at one end to the lower wire of the one of the end members and is joined at another end to the lower wire of the another of the end members.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO COPENDING PATENT APPLICATIONS

U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,876, filed Oct. 25, 2001.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed to shelving and, more particularly, to wire shelves for adjustable shelf systems.

2. Discussion of Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,052, whose contents are incorporated herein by reference, reveals a modular shelving system. The present inventor is the named inventor of patent application U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,876, which is directed to a wire shelf for an adjustable shelf system.

The present inventor has discovered that the modular shelving system of U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,052 would benefit from applying the center truss revealed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,876 so as to strengthen the shelving to support greater weight.

It is therefore desirable to modify the modular shelving system of U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,052 so that the center region of its shelf may support greater weight loads.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention modifies the subject matter of U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,052 so that a lower wire of the center truss extends at least to the perimeter of the shelf and is joined to the bottom of the shelf so that the shelf may support greater weight.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings of U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,052 and of U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,876 are incorporated herein by reference.

FIGURE is a block diagram showing a bottom wire extending beneath and joined to end trusses of a modular shelving system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The entire contents of the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,052 and the detailed description of the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,876 are incorporated herein by reference.

The center support truss, as revealed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,876, is extended so that its bottom wire extends beneath and is joined to the end trusses of the modular shelving system of U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,052. In so doing, the shelf may support greater weight loads than without the center support truss being present. By providing more than one center support truss, the wire shelf of the invention may support even greater weight than with a single center support truss.

Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses may become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by this specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A shelving system, comprising:

a polygonal shelf assembly having at least three bracket receiving sections and opposing ends and opposite sides;

at least three shelf supporting assemblies for supporting said polygonal shelf assembly;

at least three posts being releasably coupled to said at least three shelf supporting assemblies for supporting said polygonal shelf assembly;

each of said shelf supporting assemblies including a collar and a support bracket, said support brackets having a shelf receiving section, each of said collars being frictionally coupled to said at least three posts, each of said support brackets being frictionally engaged to said collars, said at least three bracket receiving sections of said polygonal shelf assembly being releasably coupled to said shelf receiving sections of said support brackets;

a pair of end members disposed at the opposing ends of said polygonal shelf assembly, each of said end members being joined at one end to one of said collars and being joined at a further end to a further of said collars;

a pair of side members disposed at the opposite sides of said polygonal shelf assembly, each of said side members being joined at one end to the one of said collars and being joined at another end to the further of said collars;

a plurality of shelf wires disposed spaced from each other and being joined to said side members; and

at least one center support member truss disposed between said side members and in parallel therewith and joined to both of said end members, said center support member truss having a truss wire joined to each of said plurality of shelf wires;

wherein said end members each have an end truss wire and a further truss wire, said center support member truss wire being joined to each of said end members;

said center support member truss having another wire joined to said further wire of each of said end members.

2. A shelving system as in claim 1, wherein each of said at least three posts includes a plurality of substantially circumferential grooves spaced at essentially regular intervals therealong;

said collars of said shelf supporting assemblies including a substantially circumferential lip in the interior surface for frictional engagement with the circumferential grooves of said posts.

3. A shelving system as in claim 1, wherein said polygonal shelf assembly is substantially rectangular and includes substantially truncated corners, each of said truncated corners including said bracket receiving sections.

4. A shelving system as in claim 3, wherein said support brackets are generally U-shaped and include a shelf receiving section and load support ends, said load support ends extending essentially from each of the ends of said U-shaped support brackets; and

said bracket receiving section of said shelf assembly extending substantially perpendicular to said shelf assembly and including a mounting section and at least two support walls, said mounting section being essentially parallel to said shelf assembly and said two support walls being substantially perpendicular to said shelf assembly, said mountings section of said bracket receiving section being releasably coupled to said receiving section of said support brackets and said two support walls being rested against said load support ends of said support brackets.

5. A shelving system as in claim 1, wherein:

said at least three posts include plurality of substantially circumferential grooves spaced at essentially regular intervals therealong, said collars of said shelf supporting assemblies including a first part and a second part, the first part being releasably coupled to said second part to form a frustroconical shaped collar the interior portion of said first and second parts includes a substantially circumferential lip surface for frictional engagement with the circumferential grooves of said posts;

said polygonal shelf assembly being substantially rectangular and including substantially truncated corners, each of said truncated corners including said bracket receiving sections;

said support brackets being generally U-shaped and including a shelf receiving section and load support ends, said load support ends extending essentially from each of the ends of said U-shaped support brackets; and

said bracket receiving section of said shelf assembly extending substantially perpendicular to said shelf assembly and including a mounting section and at least two support walls, said mounting section being essentially parallel to said shelf assembly and said two support walls being substantially perpendicular to said shelf assembly, said mounting section of said bracket receiving section being releasably coupled to said receiving section of said support brackets and said two support walls being rested against said load support ends of said support brackets.

6. A shelving system as in claim 1, wherein toe center support member truss includes a corrugated wire between another wire of center support member truss wire and said center support member truss wire, the corrugated wire being joined to another wire of said center support member truss wire and said center support member truss wire at a plurality of spaced apart locations, another wire of said center support member truss wire and said center support member truss wire being spaced apart from each other.