Patent Application
20060113265
Many racks that are configured to hold CDs, DVDs, and other items may be available. These racks may have fixed locations for shelves or very limited locations for the shelves. Furthermore, these racks may be unattractive and expensive to produce, as well as difficult to assemble. What is needed is a highly configurable rack system to store CDs, DVDs, and other items that is inexpensive, attractive and easy to assemble.
Exemplary embodiments provided herein may include an adjustable rack system, including a front support member, a rear support member in spaced relation to the front support member, one or more support structures coupled to the front support member and the rear support member, and a shelf portion including a coupling portion configured to selectively couple to the rear support member, and a body portion configured to be adjacent to the one or more support structures.
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of exemplary embodiments and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the embodiments may be constructed and/or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the exemplary embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the specification.
Rear support member 24 may have an upright portion 38 as well as a lateral portion 40. Upright portion 38 may couple to support structures 26, while lateral portion 40 may be configured to contact a support surface to provide support for the entire system. Front support member 22 and rear support member 24 as well as support structure 26 may be made of metal. However, it will be appreciated that other materials, such as but not limited to plastics, polymers, wood, other metals, and/or combinations thereof, may be utilized, as desired. Similarly, ornamental features or feet 28 may be formed of similar materials and/or combinations thereof.
Selectively positionable and couplable shelf portion 30 may couple to rear support member 24 and may be adjacent to and/or rest upon support structure 26 in many different positions. With this configuration a user may selectively couple shelf portions 30 at different positions on the system to make the system highly adjustable. This may make the system more desirable to potential purchasers as they may be able to support many different items within or upon system 10.
It will be appreciated that shelf portion 30 may also couple to front support member 22, rear support member 24, and/or support structure 26, and or combinations thereof, or to none of them, without straying from the concepts disclosed herein, as desired.
Items that may be supported may include, but are not limited to, CDs, DVDs, plants, models, or other items. With this highly adjustable system, many different sized and shaped items may be stored within the system by selectively positioning the shelves to create different distances between shelf portions 30. Therefore, the system may be utilized to support all CDs, all DVDs, or other items, or combinations thereof, within the same system.
It will be appreciated with this highly configurable configuration, that the shelves may couple at various points within the system to make a highly adjustable rack system. Furthermore the system may be easily and inexpensively produced such that a potential purchaser may be more likely to purchase one or multiple systems. Furthermore, many different configurations and styles of shelves may be sold separately such that a user may configure their system as they wish.
Rear support member 24 may include a lateral portion 40 which may be configured to contact a support surface to support the system and keep it upright. Furthermore, system 10 may include ornamental features 28 which may be configured to couple to various portions of the system to also contact a support surface and/or add aesthetics to the system, as desired. It will be appreciated that other configurations for base portion 20, front support members 22 and rear support member 24, as well as the shelf portion 30 may be utilized without straying from the concepts disclosed herein.
Furthermore, shelf portions 30 may be selectively positional and selectively couplable to the system to make the system highly adjustable. Yet further, shelf portions 30 may be of various colors, materials, and/or graphics and/or combinations thereof, to make the system more desirable to a potential purchaser. Different colors and/or graphics may be utilized throughout the system to further induce a potential purchaser to buy one or more systems. Shelf portions may be made in many different configurations, colors, and materials and may be sold separately from the system such that a user may purchase shelf portions separate from the system to make it configurable and/or desirable for each individual purchaser.
In closing, it is to be understood that the embodiments described herein are illustrative of the principles of the exemplary embodiments. Other modifications that may be employed are within the scope of this disclosure. Thus, by way of example, but not of limitation, alternative configurations may be utilized in accordance with the teachings herein. Accordingly, the drawings and description are illustrative and not meant to be a limitation thereof.
