CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/190,073, filed May 18, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference as if set forth in full.

BACKGROUND

Retailers use shelves to display products for sale. As products need restocking or reorganizing, retailers need access to their shelves to add, remove, and reorganize products. Accessing shelves to add, remove, and reorganize products may be inconvenient based on a shelf’s size, location, and lack of mobility.

TECHINCAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to adjustable and removable shelves and shelving systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example side perspective view of a shelf system, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example top perspective view of the shelf system of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example perspective view of a portion of the shelf system of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example bottom perspective view of the shelf system of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example side view of the shelf system of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example side view of the shelf system of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example top view of the shelf system of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example bottom view of the shelf system of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example side perspective view of the shelf system of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 illustrates an example side perspective view of a portion of the shelf system of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

Certain implementations will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which various implementations and/or aspects are shown. However, various aspects may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the implementations set forth herein; rather, these implementations are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Like numbers in the figures refer to like elements throughout. Hence, if a feature is used across several drawings, the number used to identify the feature in the drawing where the feature first appeared will be used in later drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OVERVIEW

Example embodiments described herein provide certain removable and adjustable shelves and shelving systems.

In a store, a retailer may organize products in a way that allows customers to see and identify products, and to access products from shelves. For example, it is desirable for products to be arranged with labels facing outward for customers to see, and for products of varying sizes to be arranged on shelves in a manner that allows buyers to see the different sizes of products (e.g., not having a larger product blocking a view of a smaller product).

As products are moved, reorganized, or purchased, retailers may restock shelves with additional or new products, or with different product arrangements.

However, it may be difficult to access products on shelves, such as products at the back of a shelf, products on shelves that are hard to reach, etc.

There is therefore a need for enhanced shelves.

In one or more embodiments, enhanced shelving may use gondola shelves that slide in and out (e.g., like a drawer) from an upright portion (e.g., a wall/backing) to which the shelves operatively attach. Side brackets may attach to and remove from the upright portion (e.g., using slots to hold the side brackets), and the side brackets may attach to sliders or other mechanisms that allow shelves to slide along the side brackets (e.g., toward and away from the upright portion in an in and out motion, such as a drawer). In this manner, any shelf may be slidably removable from the upright portion, allowing for easier arranging of items on the shelf, and the height of any shelf may be adjusted by adjusting the placement of the side brackets within the upright portion. In one or more embodiments, the slidable shelf may include a lip around any sides of the shelf (e.g., front, back, left, and right sides). The lip may prevent items from falling from the shelf as it slidably moves. Any of the lips may include holes.

In one or more embodiments, the sliders may include drawer slides connected to the side brackets (e.g., via screws, bolts, or another connection mechanism). The drawer slides may connect to the slidable shelf to allow the slidable shelf to slide toward and away from the upright portion.

In one or more embodiments, the slidable shelves may include support beams on a bottom portion of the slidable shelves to support the weight of items of the shelves.

In one or more embodiments, because of the side brackets, any size shelf may be used. A larger shelf may be interchangeable with a smaller shelf using the side brackets because one shelf may be removed from the side brackets (e.g., due to the sliders), and another shelf of a different size may attach to the side brackets in a same location using the sliders attached to the shelf (e.g., attaching the sliders to the side brackets). In this manner, a shelf may be replaced with another shelf without having to replace or adjust the location of the side brackets (e.g., relative to the upright portion).

The above descriptions are for purposes of illustration and are not meant to be limiting. Numerous other examples, configurations, processes, etc., may exist, some of which are described in greater detail below. Example embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures.

ILLUSTRATIVE PROCESSES AND USE CASES

FIG. 1 illustrates an example side perspective view of a shelf system 100, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1, the shelf system includes a shelf 102 having a first side portion 104, a second side portion 106 opposite the first side portion 104, a front portion 108 spanning between the first side portion 104 and the second side portion 106, a back portion spanning between the first side portion 104 and the second side portion 106, a top portion 112 spanning between the first side portion 104 and the second side portion 106 and spanning between the front portion 108 and the back portion 110, a bottom portion 114 spanning between the first side portion 104 and the second side portion 106 and spanning between the front portion 108 and the back portion 110, a first sliding portion 116 attached to the first side portion 104, and a second sliding portion 118 attached to the second side portion 106. The shelf 102 may removably attach to a first bracket 122 (e.g., a side bracket) via a connection between the first sliding portion 116 and the first bracket 122, and may removably attach to a second bracket 124 (e.g., a side bracket) via a connection between the second sliding portion 118 and the second bracket 124.

Still referring to FIG. 1, the first bracket 122 and the second bracket 124 may removably attach to wall (e.g., backing) portion 120 (e.g., a backing of the shelf system 100), allowing the shelf 102 to slide toward and away from the wall portion 120 using the first sliding portion 116 and the second sliding portion 118. A second shelf 130 may removably attach to the wall portion 120 in a slidable manner in the same fashion. More shelves may attach to the wall portion 120 in this manner, even if not shown (e.g., above or below the shelves shown). The shelf 102 may attach to and detach from the sliding portion 116, allowing the shelf 102 to be removed from the first bracket 122 and the sliding portion 116 (a similar locking mechanism may be used for the sliding portion 118, although not seen in FIG. 1 due to the perspective of the drawing). The shelf 102 detachment is shown in FIG. 9. The sliding portion 116 may slide laterally along the first bracket 122 to allow the shelf 102 to slide toward and away from the wall portion 120.

In one or more embodiments, any of the front portion 108, the back portion 110, the first side portion 104, and the second side portion 106 may extend upward above the top portion 112 to create respective lips around the front, back, and sides of the shelf 102 (e.g., to prevent items on the shelf 102 from sliding off any edge of the shelf 102) as shown.

In one or more embodiments, the sliding portions 116 and 118 may include drawer slides connected to the side brackets 122 and 124 (e.g., via screws, bolts, or another connection mechanism). The drawer slides may connect to the slidable shelf 102 to allow the slidable shelf 102 to slide toward and away from the wall portion 120.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example top perspective view of the shelf system 100 of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 2, the first bracket 122 and the second bracket 124 are shown as removably attaching to the wall portion 120 via slots (e.g., apertures) of an upright portion 202 and slots of an upright portion 204, respectively, arranged in a vertical orientation (e.g., one slot above another, etc. to allow for different heights of the first bracket 122). The top portion 112 of the shelf 102 may include slots 206 (e.g., apertures).

FIG. 3 illustrates an example perspective view of a portion of the shelf system 100 of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 3, the back portion 110 of the shelf 102 may include a lip 302 extending vertically upward to prevent items on the shelf 102 from slipping off the edge. FIG. 3 also shows in more detail the connection between the sliding portion 118 and the second bracket 124, and the connection between the second bracket 124 and the upright portion 204. In this manner, the second bracket 124 may slide into and be secured by the upright portion 204, connecting the second bracket 124 to the wall portion 120, the sliding portion 118 may connect to the second bracket 124, which may connect to the shelf 102, allowing the shelf 102 to slide along the second bracket 124 toward and away from the wall portion 120.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example bottom perspective view of the shelf system 100 of FIG. 1 , in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 4, the bottom portion 114 of the shelf 102 may include multiple beams (e.g., beam 402, beam 404) spanning laterally in between the side portion 104 and the side portion 106 (e.g., in parallel with one another). Other numbers of beams may be implemented even though FIG. 4 shows only two such beams. The apertures 206 are shown as extending through the bottom portion 114.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example side view of the shelf system 100 of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 5, the first bracket 122 is shown with a portion of the sliding portion 116 behind the first bracket 122. The first bracket 122 connects to the wall portion 120. The shelf 102 may be slid toward the wall portion 120, with a portion of the side portion 104 being seen (and the remainder being behind the first bracket 122.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example side view of the shelf system 100 of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 6, the sliding portion 116 is extended relative to what is shown in FIG. 5, representing the side portion 104 of the shelf 102 sliding away from the wall portion 120. In this manner, the bracket 122 may remain stationary as the shelf 102 slides toward or away from the wall portion 120.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example top view of the shelf system 100 of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 7, the top portion 112 may include the apertures 206 of FIG. 2, and any of the front portion 108, the back portion 110, the side portion 104, and the side portion 106 may extend above (e.g., coming out of the page) from the top portion 112 to create respective lips around the edges of the shelf 102.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example bottom view of the shelf system 100 of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 8, the beams 402 and 404 are shown as spanning between the side portion 104 and the side portion 106 (e.g., in parallel with one another and with the front portion 108 and the back portion 110).

FIG. 9 illustrates an example side perspective view of the shelf system 100 of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 9, the shelf system 100 is shown with the shelf 102 removed from the first bracket 122 and the side bracket 124 (e.g., via the sliding portion 116 and the sliding portion 118). The shelf 102 is shown as upside down, and having multiple beams (e.g., beam 902, beam 904, beam 906).

FIG. 10 illustrates an example side perspective view of a portion of the shelf system 100 of FIG. 1, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 10, the side portion 104, the sliding portion 116, and bracket 122 are shown in more detail, with the side portion 104 attaching to the bracket 122 via the sliding portion 116 (e.g., drawer slides) to allow the shelf 102 to slide laterally (e.g., left and right on the page) along (e.g., in parallel to) the bracket 122 so that the shelf 102 may slide toward or away from the wall portion 120.

Still referring to FIG. 10, a locking mechanism 1002 may prevent the sliding portion 116 from sliding when in a locked position as shown. To unlock the locking mechanism 1002 and allow the sliding portion 116 to slide (e.g., parallel to the first bracket 122), the locking mechanism 1002 may be pushed upward or downward. The locking mechanism 1002 may function as a locking slide. While the locking mechanism 1002 is shown on one side in FIG. 10, another locking mechanism may be arranged similarly on the other side of the shelf (e.g., with the sliding portion 118 of FIG. 1) to allow or prevent sliding of the sliding portion 118.

The embodiments described herein are not meant to be limiting.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

As used within this document, the term “communicate” is intended to include transmitting, or receiving, or both transmitting and receiving. This may be particularly useful in claims when describing the organization of data that is being transmitted by one device and received by another, but only the functionality of one of those devices is required to infringe the claim. Similarly, the bidirectional exchange of data between two devices (both devices transmit and receive during the exchange) may be described as “communicating,” when only the functionality of one of those devices is being claimed. The term “communicating” as used herein with respect to a wireless communication signal includes transmitting the wireless communication signal and/or receiving the wireless communication signal. For example, a wireless communication unit, which is capable of communicating a wireless communication signal, may include a wireless transmitter to transmit the wireless communication signal to at least one other wireless communication unit, and/or a wireless communication receiver to receive the wireless communication signal from at least one other wireless communication unit.

As used herein, unless otherwise specified, the use of the ordinal adjectives “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., to describe a common object, merely indicates that different instances of like objects are being referred to and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner. The foregoing description of one or more implementations provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of various embodiments.

The processes described and shown above may be carried out or performed in any suitable order as desired in various implementations. Additionally, in certain implementations, at least a portion of the processes may be carried out in parallel, creating a co-existence use case. Furthermore, in certain implementations, less than or more than the processes described may be performed.

Many modifications and other implementations of the disclosure set forth herein will be apparent having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specific implementations disclosed and that modifications and other implementations are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.