TECHNOUOGICAU FIEUD

The present disclosure concerns a modular shelving system. The disclosure also concerns a shelf and a method for packaging a modular shelving system.

BACKGROUND ART

References considered to be relevant as background to the presently disclosed subject matter are listed below:

- US 9,474,374

Acknowledgement of the above references herein is not to be inferred as meaning that these are in any way relevant to the patentability of the presently disclosed subject matter.

BACKGROUND

US 9,474,374 discloses a shelf assembly, comprising: a shelf main body having a first wall and a second wall, the first wall transversely positioned with respect to the second wall, the shelf main body including a platform and a plurality of hollow box supports extending downwardly from a lower surface of the platform, wherein a receiving portion is formed at a comer of the shelf main body, a first side of the receiving portion defined by a terminal portion of the first wall and one of the box supports, a second side of the receiving portion defined by a terminal portion of the second wall and the platform, the first side of the receiving portion transversely positioned with respect to the second side of the receiving portion, the receiving portion including a recess formed in the one of the box supports; and a corner connector releasably coupled to the shelf main body at the receiving portion, the corner connector removably received by the recess of the receiving portion of the shelf main body and configured to receive at least one post, wherein the first wall and the second wall individually extend from the platform at an outwardly extending angle, the angle facilitating a nesting of the shelf main body with another successive shelf main body.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

According to the present disclosure there is provided a modular shelving system, easily erectable and disassembled, and configured such that at a packed, storage position it occupies minimal storage space.

The present disclosure provides a modular shelving system comprising a plurality of shelves. Each shelf is configured with opposite beam bearing edges, at least two front columns and two rear columns, each column configured of column segments, and pairs of shelf support beams corresponding with the number of shelves in said plurality of shelves, where the length of said column segments and said shelf support beams does not exceeding the length of the shelves;

When at an assembled position, the at least two front columns and two rear columns are disposed at an upright position with the pairs of shelf support beams parallelly articulated between opposite rear columns and opposite front columns, each shelf support beam bearing below a respective beam-bearing edge of a shelf and supporting the shelf.

Further, when at a storage position, the shelves are stackably nested, and the column segments are disposed over the stack of shelves parallelly with the beam bearing edges, with at least some of the shelf support beams received within a longitudinal hollow of the column segments.

The term storage position as used herein denotes a knock-down/collapsed, unassembled position of the modular shelving system of this disclosure, being a storage, shipping position, and occupying minimal space.

Where the number of shelf support beams exceeds the number of column segments, at the storage position, a shelf support beam can be positioned under a respective beam-bearing edge of a bottom-most shelf of the stack of shelves.

According to a particular configuration, the modular shelving system comprises four columns, each comprising two segments; a number of stackable nestable shelves, each shelf configured with a beam-bearing edge along a front edge and a rear edge thereof; pairs of shelf support beams corresponding with the number of shelves; coupling members for coupling ends of the shelf support beams between the columns; and two or more crossbar braces for engaging between two respective side columns, wherein the length of the shelves is substantially similar to, or slightly greater than the length of the column segments and the length of the shelf support beams, and wherein at a storage position all column segments are placed over stacked shelves, each column segment coaxially receiving a shelf support beam.

The present disclosure further concerns a shelf for use in conjunction with a shelving system, the shelf being a planar member made of molded (e.g. injection molded) plastic material and having substantially thin nominal wall thickness, said shelf being reinforced by a plurality of reinforcing ribs configured at least at a bottom face of the shelf, with several transversally extending supplementary reinforcing elements extending between longitudinally extending beam-bearing edges disposed at front and rear edges of the shelf, giving rise to a ladder- like structure.

Any one or more of the following features, designs and configurations can be applied to any shelving system according to the present disclosure, solely or in various combinations thereof:

• A shelf can be mounted over two shelf support beams and detachably attached thereto. Attachment can be facilitated through snap engagement or friction arresting of the longitudinal grove over the shelf support beam;

• Each of the shelves in the plurality of shelves can be reinforced by a plurality of warp and weft reinforcing ribs extending form a bottom face of the shelf;

• At least portions between warp and weft ribs can be hollowed out, thereby reducing overall weight of the shelf;

• The shelf support beams extending between the beams reinforce and stabilize the assembly of the modular shelving system;

• The shelf support beams can be made of light weight metal, e.g. aluminum, or reinforced composite material, or reinforced plastic material;

• The shelf support beams can be tubular elements; according to one particular design the shelf support beams have a rectangular cross-section with rounded longitudinal edges;

• The maximal depth of the supplemental reinforcing can be similar to, or greater than, the maximal height of the shelf support beams; • At least the shelves and the column segments can be made of molded plastic material;

• The supplemental reinforcing elements can be depressions extending from a bottom face of a shelf, between opposite beam-bearing edges of the shelf;

• At the storage position, the height of the knocked-down modular shelving system can correspond to a height of the stacked shelves and the thickness of a column segment;

• The arrangement is such that the shelves are of substantially thin nominal wall thickness, whereby reinforcement thereof is facilitated by reinforcing ribs configured at least at a bottom face of a shelf, with several transversally extending supplementary reinforcing elements extending between the longitudinally extending beam-bearing edges, giving rise to a ladder-like structure;

• The supplementary reinforcing elements can be depressions configured into a bottom face of the shelf, extending between the beam- bearing edges;

• The modular shelving system can further comprise a plurality of auxiliary elements such as ground supports for the columns, end caps for the columns, end pieces for the shelf support beams, couplers for articulating the shelf support beams to the columns, crossbar braces for articulating front and rear columns, etc. The arrangement may be such that, at the storage position, all auxiliary elements can be disposed at the space extending between supplementary reinforcing elements of a bottommost shelf of the stack of shelves;

• The beam-bearing edge can be a narrow longitudinal groove extending along the respective front and rear edge of a shelf, and configured for bearing over a shelf support beam. According to a particular example the longitudinal groove at least partially embraces a top portion of the respective shelf support beam. According to a specific configuration the longitudinal groove has a U-like cross section;

• A shelf support beam can be connected between two facing surfaces of left and right columns;

• Connection of a shelf support beam to a column can be facilitated directly or by a coupler member attachable at a respective end of a shelf support beam and configured for detachable attachment to a column. The coupler member can comprise a beam receiving portion snugly mounted over an end of the shelf support beam. A snap fastener can be configured for locking arresting;

• The coupler member can attach to the column by a sliding joint, such as a dove tail arrangement, sliding coupler, etc.;

• The column segments can be configured with a plurality of recesses, at least along one face thereof, said recesses configured for slidingly receiving a projecting lug extending from an end of a shelf support beam or from a coupler member attachable to an end of a shelf support beam;

• At an assembled position, each shelf with the associated shelf support beams gives rise to ladder-like truss, comprising longitudinally extending from the beam- bearing edge (which at the assembled position are supported over the shelf support beams), and the integral depressions configured at the bottom face of the shelf and extending from opposite shelf support beams and traversing at a right angle;

• The modular shelving system can be assembled as a single column of shelves, or it can comprise several columns of shelves parallelly disposed, each column of shelves sharing a pair of side support columns with a neighboring column of shelves;

• The couplers for articulating the shelf support beams to the columns can be reinforced triangular members;

• Crossbar braces can be articulated between respective left side columns and right side columns, for reinforcing and stabilizing the assembled shelving system;

• Opposite beam-bearing edges can extend between opposite side edges of a shelf, where at an assembled position the side edges do not engage the columns;

• Column segments can be coextensively articulated to one another through a male-female coupler;

• A crossbar brace can be articulated to a column at a coupling site of coextensively articulated column segments, thereby engaging both column segments;

• The nested height (total shelves height) (Hnest) of a stack of stacked shelves comprising a number (n) of shelves corresponds with the total height of one shelf (Hsheif ) and the height of the reinforcing ribs (H _r ib) at a bottom face of the shelf multiplied by the number of shelfs less 1: H _n est=Hsheif+H _r ib *(n-l)

• The total height (H _Assy ) of the modular shelving system at the storage position corresponds to the total shelves nesting height (Hnest) plus the thickness of a column segment (Tc) : HA _SSy = H _n est+Tc

• The foot print of the modular shelving system at the storage position is substantially equal to the foot print of a single shelf of the modular shelving system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to better understand the subject matter that is disclosed herein and to exemplify how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a modular shelving system according to an example of the present disclosure;

Fig. 2 is a close-in of the portion marked I in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3A and 3B are perspective top view and bottom view, respectively, of a shelf used in a shelving system according to the present disclosure;

Figs. 4A to 4D are sections taken along lines 4A-4A, 4B-4B, 4C-4C and 4D- 4D, respectively, in Fig. 3B;

Fig. 5 side column set, according to an example of the present disclosure;

Fig. 6 illustrates consecutive steps of assembling a shelf support beam, according to an example of the present disclosure;

Fig. 7 illustrates consecutive steps of assembling the shelving system of Fig. 1;

Figs. 8A is a single column shelving system according to the present disclosure, with a different shelf setup;

Figs. 8B is a two-column shelving system according to the present disclosure;

Fig. 9A is a top perspective view of the shelving system of Fig. 1, at a compact storage position;

Fig. 9B is a bottom perspective view of Fig. 9B; and Figs. 9C to 9F are sections taken along lines 9C-9C, 9D-9D, 9E-9E and 9F-9F, respectively, in Figs 9 A or 9B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Attention is first directed to Figs. 1 and 2, directed to a modular shelving system according to an example of the present disclosure, generally designated 20. The shelving system 20 comprises four upwardly, parallelly extending support columns: i.e. front right column 22, front left column 24, rear right column 26 and rear left column 28, said columns being identical and, as will be discussed hereinafter, are each composed of two segments identified hereinafter with the column number and a T indication (top segment) or B indication (bottom), respectively. The shelving system of the example further comprises a plurality (five by way of example in the present illustrations) of identical shelves 34, horizontally secured to the support columns as will be explained herein. The support columns and the shelves are made of molded plastic material, e.g. by injection molding.

With Further reference to Figs. 3 and 4, the shelves 34 have a substantially thin nominal wall thickness, and extend between a longitudinal front beam-bearing edge 40 and a parallelly extending longitudinal rear beam-bearing edge 42, said beam-bearing edges 40, 42 are configured for bearing over a shelf support beam 50 and are configured with a longitudinally extending inverted U-shaped groove 52 partially embracing a top portion of the respective shelf support beam 50.

A top face 56 of the shelves 34 is substantially smooth, whilst a bottom face 58 of the shelves 34 is configured with a plurality of downwardly extending reinforcing ribs, which at the present example are disposed at a warp 60 and weft 62 configuration, said ribs having a height H _rib . The shelves are further configured with a perimetric rib 63, having the same height H _rib as the warp ribs 60 and weft ribs 62.

It can be seen that portions 64 between warp ribs 60 and weft ribs 62 are hollowed out, thereby reducing overall weight of the shelf 34. The shelves 34 are further configured with several transversally extending supplementary reinforcing elements 66 extending between longitudinally extending beam-bearing edges 40 and 42 thereby giving rise to a ladder-like structure. The supplementary reinforcing elements 66 are in the form of depressions configured into the bottom face 58 of the shelf, said supplementary reinforcing elements 66 of significant height and width as compared with the reinforcing ribs 60 and 62. The supplementary reinforcing elements 66 have tapering side walls 67 and 69, rendering shelves 34 suitable for stackable nesting, as shown in Figs. 9 A to 9F.

As already mentioned, the modular shelving system 20 further comprises a plurality of shelf support beams 50, in the form of tubular members made of light material, e.g. metal (aluminum, steel, etc.) or reinforced material such as composite material, etc. The shelf support beams 50 have a substantially rectangular cross-section, with rounded edges, the narrow dimension of which being configured for snugly receiving within the groove 52 of the beam-bearing edges 40, 42, respectively, and are partially embraced. In fact, at the assembled position the shelf support beams 50 are pressed into position and retained owing to tight tolerances.

With further reference now being made to Fig. 5, each of the four columns (front right column 22, front left column 24, rear right column 26 and rear left column 28) is composed of two column segments, namely a top segment (T) and a bottom segment (B), wherein each bottom segment (e.g. 24B and 28B as seen in Figs. 5 and 9A) is configured with a top male extension 74, and a bottom end of each top segment is configured with a corresponding female receptacle 76, establishing together a coextending, coaxial, male-female coupler.

The thickness of each column segment is Tc and, in the present example, all the column segments have a square resection and are hollow, though it is appreciated that the support columns can be designed with other shapes of cross section, e.g. circular, rectangle, etc. Furthermore, the arrangement is such that the length of the column segments does not exceed the length of a shelf. The hollow space within the column segments is configured for coaxially receiving a shelf support beams 50.

Furthermore, facing walls of the left columns 24 and 28, and likewise facing walls of the right columns 22 and 26, are configured at several locations thereof with bracecoupling arrangement. In the illustrated example, such brace coupling arrangements are configured at a top and a bottom end of each of the column segments, in the form of a recessed coupling arrangement, e.g. a dovetail coupling designated. In the example, a bottom brace coupling arrangement of a bottom column segment is designated 80, a top brace coupling arrangement of a bottom column segment arrangement is designated 82B, a bottom brace coupling arrangement of a top column segment arrangement is designated 82T, and a top brace coupling arrangement of a top column segment arrangement is designated 84.

A bottom end and optionally a top end of each column is fitted with an end plug 85, serving as floor resting piece.

The arrangement is such that the right column segments and the left column segments, respectively, are coupled to one another by a crossbar braces 90, 92 and 94 (identical), configured at their ends with projections for sliding engagement with the respective brace coupling arrangement, where the middle crossbar brace 92 engages simultaneously, with the top brace coupling arrangement of the bottom column segment arrangement 82B and the bottom brace coupling arrangement of the top column segment arrangement 82T. The bottom crossbar brace 90 engages with the facing bottom brace coupling arrangements, and the top crossbar brace 94 engages with the facing top brace coupling arrangements. When assembled, the crossbar braces 90, 92 and 94 reinforce and stabilize the assembled right and left column subassemblies 70 and 72, and the entire shelving system.

It is seen in the drawings that each column segment is configured, at least at an inside face (i.e. facing a mating column segment disposed along a front or a rear of the shelf assembly) with a plurality of coupling recesses 96 (best seen in Fig. 2), each configured with a widened insertion aperture 98 and a narrow portion 100 below, said narrow portion 100 having facing flanged walls 102, and configured for arresting a beam coupler member 110. It is appreciated that coupling recesses 96 can be configured on one or more faces of the column segments, as will be discussed herein after with reference to Fig. 8A.

The beam coupling member 110 is configured with a flat wall surface 112 comprising two T-shaped projections 114, axially spaced apart at a distance corresponding with the axial distance of two consecutive coupling recesses 96 at the column segments, whereby the beam coupling member 110 is slidingly articulated into through the insertion aperture 98 and into locking arresting within the narrow portion 100. The beam coupling member 110 further comprises a beam receptacle 116 extending substantially parallel with wall surface 112, and configured with a for friction engagement over a respective end of a shelf support beams 50.

Sub-assembling a shelf support beam 50 takes place by first inserting an end piece 120 (Fig. 6) into the respective ends of the shelf support beam 50, allowing it to snap engage with a aperture 124 configured at the respective ends. Then, the beam coupling member 110 is slidingly mounted over the respective ends of the shelf support beam 50, such that a snap projection 122 projecting through aperture 124 arrests the beam coupling member 110 and prevents it from detaching from the shelf support beam

50.

It is also seen that the front beam bearing edge 40 and the rear beam-bearing edge 42 of the shelves 34 are configured with an interrupted cutout 45 and an end cutout 47, said cutouts shaped and sized for accommodating respective portions of the beam receptacle 116 of the beam coupler member 110, once a shelf 34 is mounted over a shelf support beam 50 (Fig. 7).

Assembling a modular shelving system 20 is carried out following the steps:

First, the four columns are assembled as discussed hereinabove to obtain the right and left column subassemblies 70 and 72 (Fig. 5).

After, the shelf support beams 50 are sub-assembled with the beam coupler members 110 and the end pieces 120 (Fig. 6), the sub-assembled shelf support beams 130 are articulated between the two front support columns 22 and 24 and the two rear support columns 26 and 28, respectively, at the required height for each shelf (Fig. 7), thereby erecting the support skeleton of the shelving assembly at a stabilized fashion. Then, the shelves 34 are placed over the shelf support beams 50 (Fig. 7), where the longitudinally extending inverted U-shaped grooves 52 snugly bear over and partially embrace (at least a top portion) of the shelf support beam 50.

In Fig. 8A there is illustrated a modular shelving system generally designated 140 according to the present disclosure, illustrating modularity of the system, wherein the shelves 34 are positioned over the support columns at irregular spacing between each other. The example of Fig. 8B illustrates yet an example of a shelving system according to the disclosure, generally designated 148 and comprising two columns of shelves, namely a left column 150 and a right column 152, wherein a central support column pair 156 serves as a right column set for the left column 150 and as a left column set for right column 152, wherein each of the column segments of the central support column pair 156 is configured at least at two opposite faces thereof 158 (facing the left column 150) and 160 (facing the right column 152) with coupling recesses 96 as discussed herein above. Turning now to Figs. 9 A to 9F, reference is made to the shelving assembly 20 at its so-called storage position. It is noted the each pack of a storage assembly comprises all the aforementioned components required for assembly of the exemplary modular storage assembly, namely five shelves 34, four top column segments (22T, 24T, 26T and 28T), four bottom column segments (22B, 24B, 26B and 28B), four end plugs 85, ten shelf support beams 50, twenty end pieces 120, twenty beam coupling members 110 and six crossbar braces 90, said small parts (85, 120, 110 and 90) collectively referred to as auxiliary elements. It is however to be understood that the pack of a storage assembly may comprise any number of shelfs, e.g. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or even more, and a corresponding number of the other components in order to assemble and erect the shelving assembly.

Once the shelves 34 are stackably nested, the column segments (22T, 24T, 26T, 28T, 22B, 24B, 26B and 28B) are placed over the stack coaxially accommodating eight of the ten shelf support beams 50 of this example, with the remaining two shelf support beams 50 fitted within the respective U-shaped groves 52 of the bottom most shelf. Then the pack is turned over (Fig. 9B) and the four end plugs 85, ten shelf support beams 50, twenty end pieces 120, twenty beam coupling members 110 and six crossbar braces 90 are placed in the space extending between neighboring depressions of said supplementary reinforcing elements 66 said supplementary reinforcing elements 66, whereby the packed shelving assembly assumes or occupies minimal space.

The arrangement is such that the tight setting of all the above components renders a compact pack. At the storage position, the number of shelves 34 are stackably nested assuming a nesting height (total nesting height of shelves only) H _nest = Hshelf+Hrib *(n-l)

Wherein at the present example n=5

H _rib is the height of the reinforcing ribs (60; 62; 63)

H _sheif is the height of one shelf

Thus, the total height (H _Assy ) of the modular shelving system at the storage position corresponds to the total shelves nesting height (H _nest ) plus the thickness of a column segment (Tc): HA _SSy = Hnest+Tc.