Claims
- 1. A shelf member for use in a display unit for accommodating the storage of products thereon comprising:an upper shelf portion, a lower shelf portion, and a floor portion for positioning products thereon; a plurality of upper full sockets associated with said upper shelf portion, each of said upper full sockets being configured to receive one end portion of an elongated support member for attaching said shelf member to a substantially similarly constructed shelf member positioned in spaced apart relationship above said shelf member; a plurality of lower full sockets associated with said lower shelf portion, each of said lower full sockets being configured to receive one end portion of an elongated support member for attaching said shelf member to a substantially similarly constructed shelf member positioned in spaced apart relationship below said shelf member; and at least one partial socket separate and apart from said plurality of upper and lower full sockets associated with said shelf member and configured to receive at least a portion of an attachment member for attaching said shelf member to a substantially similarly constructed shelf member positioned in side-by-side relationship adjacent said shelf member, the at least one partial socket associated with each adjacent shelf member being positioned in abutting relationship to each other, said abutting partial sockets being adapted to receive the attachment member.
- 2. The shelf member according to claim 1 wherein said at least one partial socket is configured to receive at least a portion of one end portion of an elongated support member, the elongated support member comprising the attachment member for attaching two of said shelf members in side-by-side relationship adjacent each other.
- 3. The shelf member according to claim 2 wherein said at least one partial socket includes an outer wall and an inner wall which define a socket channel therebetween, said socket channel being adapted to receive at least a portion of one end portion of an elongated support member.
- 4. The shelf member according to claim 3 wherein said socket channel comprises a substantially U-shaped channel.
- 5. The shelf member according to claim 1 wherein said shelf member includes a plurality of upper partial sockets associated with said upper shelf portion and a plurality of lower partial sockets associated with said lower shelf portion.
- 6. The shelf member according to claim 5 wherein said plurality of upper partial sockets are positioned in opposed alignment with said plurality of lower partial sockets.
- 7. The shelf member according to claim 1 wherein said floor portion is substantially rectangular in shape, said plurality of upper and lower full sockets being respectively positioned and located at approximately the respective corners of said shelf member, said at least one partial socket being positioned adjacent a selected one of said upper and lower full sockets such that said selected full socket separates said at least one partial socket from a respective corner of said shelf member.
- 8. The shelf member according to claim 1 wherein said shelf member is configured to hold a substantially cylindrical container.
- 9. A shelf member for use in a display unit for accommodating the storage of products thereon comprising:an upper shelf portion, a lower shelf portion, and a floor portion for positioning products thereon; a plurality of upper full sockets associated with said upper shelf portion and a plurality of lower full sockets associated with said lower shelf portion, each of said upper and lower full sockets being configured to receive one end portion of an elongated support member for attaching said shelf member in spaced vertical relationship to a substantially similarly constructed shelf member; a plurality of upper partial sockets associated with said upper shelf portion and a plurality of lower partial sockets associated with said shelf lower portion, said plurality of upper and lower partial sockets being configured to receive at least a portion of one end portion of an elongated support member for attaching said shelf member in side-by-side horizontal relationship to a substantially similarly constructed shelf member; at least some of said upper and lower partial sockets associated with one of said shelf members being positioned in abutting relationship with at least some of the upper and lower partial sockets associated with another one of said shelf members when two of said shelf members are positioned in side-by-side horizontal relationship to each other, said abutting upper and lower partial sockets in combination being adapted to receive one end portion of the elongated support member.
- 10. The shelf member according to claim 9 wherein said plurality of upper full sockets are positioned in opposed alignment with said plurality of lower full sockets.
- 11. The shelf member according to claim 9 wherein said plurality of upper partial sockets are positioned in opposed alignment with said plurality of lower partial sockets.
- 12. The shelf member according to claim 11 wherein each of said aligned pairs of upper and lower partial sockets is separated by an intermediate wall member positioned therebetween.
- 13. The shelf member according to claim 9 wherein each of said upper and lower partial sockets includes a channel adapted to receive at least a portion of one end portion of an elongated support member.
- 14. The shelf member according to claim 9 wherein said shelf member is substantially rectangular in shape, said plurality of upper and lower full sockets being respectively positioned and located at approximately the respective corners of said shelf member, each of said plurality of upper and lower partial sockets being respectively positioned adjacent a selected one of said upper or lower full sockets.
- 15. The shelf member according to claim 9 including cooperatively engagable means associated with said shelf member for enabling said shelf member to be further coupled together in a side-by-side horizontal relationship with a substantially similarly constructed shelf member.
- 16. The shelf member according to claim 15 wherein said cooperatively engagable means includes at least one securement tab and at least one securement slot associated with said shelf member, the securement tab of said shelf member cooperatively engaging the securement slot of a substantially similarly constructed shelf member when said two shelf members are positioned in side-by-side horizontal relationship to each other.
- 17. The shelf member according to claim 15 wherein said cooperatively engagable means includes at least one elongated keeper member and at least one keeper slot associated with said shelf member, the keeper member of said shelf member for cooperatively engaging the keeper slot of a substantially similarly constructed shelf member when said two shelf members are positioned in side-by-side horizontal relationship to each other.
- 18. A display unit for accommodating the storage of products thereon comprising:a plurality of substantially similar shelf members each having an upper and lower portion and a floor portion extending therebetween for positioning products thereon; a plurality of elongated support members having opposed end portions; a plurality of upper full sockets associated with the upper portion of each of said shelf members and a plurality of lower full sockets associated with the lower portion of each of said shelf members, said plurality of upper and lower full sockets being positioned at spaced locations on the respective upper and lower portions of said shelf members, each of said upper and lower full sockets being cooperatively engagable with the opposed end portions of said elongated support members for permitting said shelf members to be vertically stackably arranged in spaced apart relationship one above the other; a plurality of upper partial sockets associated with the upper portion of each of said shelf members and a plurality of lower partial sockets associated with the lower portion of each of said shelf members, said plurality of upper and lower partial sockets being positioned at spaced locations on the respective upper and lower portions of said shelf members, each of said upper and lower partial sockets being cooperatively engagable with at least a portion of the opposed end portions of said elongated support members to permit said shelf members to be joined in side-by-side relationship one adjacent the other when at least some of said upper and lower partial sockets associated with one of said shelf members are positioned in abutting relationship with at least some of the upper and lower partial sockets associated with an adjacently positioned shelf member; the opposed end portions of each of said elongated support members being cooperatively engagable with the abutting upper and lower partial sockets associated with the adjacently positioned shelf members.
- 19. The display unit according to claim 18 wherein the floor portion associated with at least some of said shelf members is configured to hold a substantially cylindrical container.
- 20. The display unit according to claim 18 wherein said plurality of upper full sockets are positioned in opposed alignment with said plurality of lower full sockets and wherein said plurality of upper partial sockets are positioned in opposed alignment with said plurality of said lower partial sockets.
- 21. The display unit according to claim 18 wherein each of said upper and lower partial sockets includes a channel for cooperatively engaging at least a portion of the opposed end portions of said elongated support members, said channel being positioned and located with respect to each of said upper and lower partial sockets such that the respective channels associated with two abutting upper or lower partial sockets will cooperatively receive opposed end portions of said elongated support members, a portion of the opposed end portions of said elongated support members being engaged with one of said abutting upper or lower partial sockets and the remaining portion of the opposed end portions of said elongated support members being cooperatively engaged with the other abutting upper or lower partial socket.
- 22. The display unit according to claim 18 wherein each of said shelf members further includes at least one securement tab for cooperatively engaging at least one corresponding securement slot when two of said shelf members are positioned in side-by-side relationship to each other, said at least one securement tab and said at least one securement slot enabling two adjacent shelf members to be further coupled together in side-by-side horizontal relationship.
- 23. The display unit according to claim 22 wherein said at least one securement tab is generally T-shaped in configuration and wherein said at least one securement slot is correspondingly shaped to receive said T-shaped securement tab.
- 24. The display unit according to claim 23 wherein at least a portion of said T-shaped tab and its correspondingly shaped receiving slot is tapered to prevent the securement tab from passing all the way through said securement slot.
- 25. The display unit according to claim 18 wherein each of said shelf members includes at least one elongated keeper member for cooperatively engaging at least a corresponding keeper slot when two of said shelf members are positioned in side-by-side relationship adjacent to each other, said at least one keeper member and said at least one corresponding keeper slot enabling two adjacent shelf members to be further coupled together in side-by-side horizontal relationship.
- 26. The display unit according to claim 25 wherein each of said shelf members includes at least one side wall, said at least one keeper slot being cut into the respective side wall of said shelf members such that the thickness of the side wall forming said keeper slot is thinner at the respective lower portion as compared to the respective upper portion, said at least one keeper member including a stem portion and an overhanging flange portion, the flange portion being tapered in a direction which extends outwardly away from the side wall along its entire length from its lower portion to its upper terminal end portion such that the mating surface between the stem portion and the overhanging flange portion forms an angle with the side wall of said shelf members, the taper associated with the stem portion causing the thickness of the stem portion to be thinner at its lower portion as compared to its upper end portion, the taper associated with the keeper stem portion in conjunction with the variation and thickness associated with the keeper slot enabling the keeper member and its corresponding keeper slot to become progressively tighter thereby drawing adjacent shelf members closer together as the keeper slot is moved progressively downwardly over the keeper stem portion.
- 27. A shelf member for use in a display unit for accommodating the storage of products thereon, the shelf member comprising:an upper portion, a lower portion, and a floor portion for positioning products thereon; a plurality of upper split sockets associated with said upper portion, each of said upper split sockets being configured to receive one end portion of an elongated support member in two different orientations for attaching said shelf member to a substantially similarly constructed shelf member positioned either in a spaced apart relationship above said shelf member or in a side-by-side horizontal relationship adjacent thereto; a plurality of lower split sockets associated with said lower portion, each of said lower split sockets being configured to receive one end portion of an elongated support member in two different orientations for attaching said shelf member to a substantially similarly constructed shelf member positioned either in a spaced apart relationship below said shelf member or in a side-by-side horizontal relationship adjacent thereto.
- 28. The shelf member according to claim 27 wherein said plurality of upper split sockets are positioned in opposed alignment with said plurality of lower split sockets.
- 29. The shelf member according to claim 27 wherein each of said upper and lower split sockets include a split channel, the one end portion of an elongated support member being received in one orientation within said split channel in order to vertically stackably arrange said shelf member in spaced apart relationship to another substantially similarly constructed shelf member, the one end portion of an elongated support member being received in another orientation within said split channel to both vertically stackably arrange said shelf member in spaced apart relationship to another substantially similarly constructed shelf member and to horizontally arrange said shelf member to another substantially similarly constructed shelf member in side-by-side relationship one adjacent the other, at least some of said upper or lower split sockets associated with adjacent shelf members being positioned in abutting relationship with each other to complete the attachment.
- 30. The shelf member according to claim 29 wherein each of said split channels is in the general shape of the numeral eight.
- 31. The shelf member according to claim 27 wherein said floor portion is configured to hold a substantially cylindrical container.
- 32. A display unit for accommodating the storage of products thereon comprising:a plurality of substantially similar shelf members, each of said shelf members having an upper portion, a lower portion, and a floor portion for positioning products thereon; a plurality of elongated support members having opposed end portions; a plurality of split sockets associated with the upper portion of each of said shelf members and a plurality of split sockets associated with the lower portion of each of said shelf members, said plurality of upper and lower split sockets being positioned at spaced locations on the respective upper and lower portions of said shelf members; each of said upper and lower split sockets being configured to cooperatively engage at least a portion of the opposed end portions of said elongated support members in two different orientations; in one orientation, at least some of said plurality of elongated support members are positioned and arranged so as to engage at least some of the upper and lower split sockets associated with at least two shelf members to permit said shelf members to be vertically stackably arranged in spaced apart relationship one above the other; in another orientation, at least some of said plurality of elongated support members are positioned and arranged so as to engage at least some of the upper and lower split sockets associated with at least two shelf members positioned in side-by-side relationship to each other to permit said shelf members to be arranged in substantially the same horizontal plane one adjacent the other.
- 33. The display unit according to claim 32 wherein adjacent shelf members are positioned and located such that at least some of said upper or lower split sockets are positioned in abutting relationship to each other, at least a portion of an opposed end portion of said elongated support members being engagable with one of said abutting upper or lower split sockets and the remaining portion of an opposed end portion of said elongated support members being engagable with the other abutting upper or lower split socket.
- 34. The display unit according to claim 32 wherein said plurality of upper split sockets are positioned in opposed alignment with said plurality of lower split sockets.
- 35. The display unit according to claim 32 wherein each of said upper and lower split sockets includes a channel configuration allowing the opposed end portions of said elongated members to be contained within the perimeter of each of said shelf members in one orientation thereof, and said channel configuration allowing at least a portion of the opposed end portions of said elongated support members to extend beyond the perimeter of each of said shelf members in the other orientation thereof.
- 36. The display unit according to claim 35 wherein said channel configuration includes a split channel generally in the shape in the numeral eight.
- 37. A method for assembling a display unit including first and second bottom shelf members, first and second top shelf members, and a plurality of elongated support members, wherein each of said shelf members includes a plurality of upper and lower full sockets and a plurality of upper and lower partial sockets, the method comprising:aligning, in substantially the same plane, the first and second bottom shelf members in side-by-side relationship on one side thereof to align the upper partial sockets of the first bottom shelf member with the upper partial sockets of the second bottom shelf member so as to form upper aligned pairs of the upper partial sockets; attaching one end portion of the elongated support members to the upper full sockets associated with the outer perimeter of the first and second bottom shelf members; attaching one end portion of additional elongated support members to the upper aligned pairs of the upper partial sockets of the first and second bottom shelf members thereby joining the first and second bottom shelf members; aligning, in substantially the same plane, the first and second top shelf members in side-by-side relationship on one side thereof to align the lower partial sockets of the first top shelf member with the lower partial sockets of the second top shelf member so as to form lower aligned pairs of the lower partial sockets; attaching the opposite end portion of the elongated support members attached to the outer perimeter of the first and second bottom shelf members to the lower full sockets associated with the outer perimeter of the first and second top shelf members; and attaching the opposite end portion of the additional elongated support members attached to upper aligned pairs of the upper partial sockets of the first and second bottom shelf members to the lower aligned pairs of the lower partial sockets of the first and second top shelf members thereby joining the first and second top shelf members to the first and second bottom shelf member.
- 38. The method according to claim 37 further comprising:providing a third top shelf member and a third bottom shelf member; aligning, in substantially the same plane, the third bottom shelf member with the first bottom shelf member in side-by-side relationship on one side thereof to align the upper partial sockets of the first bottom shelf member with the upper partial sockets of the third bottom shelf member so as to form additional upper aligned pairs of the upper partial sockets; detaching the respective end portions of the elongated support members from the upper full sockets associated with the outer perimeter of the first bottom shelf member and from the corresponding lower full sockets associated with the outer perimeter of the first top shelf member; attaching one end portion of the detached elongated support members to the upper aligned pairs of the upper partial sockets of the first and third bottom shelf members thereby joining the first and third bottom shelf members; attaching one end portion of additional elongated support members to the upper full sockets associated with the outer perimeter of the third bottom shelf member; aligning, in substantially the same plane, the first and third top shelf members in side-by-side relationship on one side thereof to align the lower partial sockets of the first top shelf member with the lower partial sockets of the third top shelf member so as to form additional lower aligned pairs of the lower partial sockets; attaching the opposite end portion of the additional elongated support members attached to the outer perimeter of the third bottom shelf member to the lower full sockets associated with the outer perimeter of the third top shelf member; and attaching the opposite end portion of elongated support members attached to the upper aligned pairs of the upper partial sockets of the first and third bottom shelf members to the lower aligned pairs of the lower partial sockets of the first and third top shelf members thereby joining the first and third top shelf members to the first and third bottom shelf members.
- 39. A shelf member for use in a display unit for accommodating the storage of products thereon, the shelf member comprising:an upper portion, a lower portion, and a floor portion for positioning products thereon; a plurality of upper split sockets associated with said upper portion, each of said upper split sockets being configured to receive one end portion of an elongated support member in two different orientations for attaching said shelf member to a substantially similarly constructed shelf member positioned either in a spaced apart relationship above said shelf member or in a side-by-side horizontal relationship adjacent thereto; a plurality of lower split sockets associated with said lower portion, each of said lower split sockets being configured to receive one end portion of an elongated support member in two different orientations for attaching said shelf member to a substantially similarly constructed shelf member positioned either in a spaced apart relationship below said shelf member or in a side-by-side horizontal relationship adjacent thereto, each of said upper and lower split sockets including a split channel, the one end portion of an elongated support member being received in one orientation within said split channel in order to vertically stackably arrange said shelf member in spaced apart relationship to another substantially similarly constructed shelf member, the one end portion of an elongated support member being received in another orientation within said split channel to both vertically stackably arrange said shelf member in spaced apart relationship to another substantially similarly constructed shelf member and to horizontally arrange said shelf member to another substantially similarly constructed shelf member in side-by-side relationship one adjacent the other, at least some of said upper or lower split sockets associated with adjacent shelf members being positioned in abutting relationship with each other to complete the attachment, each of said split channels being in the general shape of the numeral eight.
- 40. A display unit for accommodating the storage of products thereon comprising:a plurality of substantially similar shelf members, each of said shelf members having an upper portion, a lower portion, and a floor portion for positioning products thereon; a plurality of elongated support members having opposed end portions; a plurality of split sockets associated with the upper portion of each of said shelf members and a plurality of split sockets associated with the lower portion of each of said shelf members, said plurality of upper and lower split sockets being positioned at spaced locations on the respective upper and lower portions of said shelf members; each of said upper and lower split sockets being configured to cooperatively engage at least a portion of the opposed end portions of said elongated support members in two different orientations; in one orientation, at least some of said plurality of elongated support members are positioned and arranged so as to engage at least some of the upper and lower split sockets associated with at least two shelf members to permit said shelf members to be vertically stackably arranged in spaced apart relationship one above the other; in another orientation, at least some of said plurality of elongated support members are positioned and arranged so as to engage at least some of the upper and lower split sockets associated with at least two shelf members positioned in side-by-side relationship to each other to permit said shelf members to be arranged in substantially the same horizontal plane one adjacent the other, each of said upper and lower split sockets including a channel configuration allowing the opposed end portions of said elongated members to be contained within the perimeter of each of said shelf members in one orientation thereof, and said channel configuration allowing at least a portion of the opposed end portions of said elongated support members to extend beyond the perimeter of each of said shelf members in the other orientation thereof, said channel configuration including a split channel generally in the shape of the numeral eight.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/214,397 filed Jun. 28, 2000.
US Referenced Citations (13)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
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60/214397 |
Jun 2000 |
US |