FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sectional rack, and more particularly to a sectional rack, of which shelves are tightly connected to four vertical supports through tight fitting of C-shaped clamping members provided at four corners of the shelves around clamping members assembled to the vertical supports, giving the sectional rack an increased structural strength.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various types of organizers are provided in homes, offices or other working places for holding or positioning different articles and items. Such organizers can be generally divided into a fixed type that could not be easily disassembled and a sectional type that can be easily disassembled and assembled again. The sectional organizers have the advantages of easy to store and transport to thereby enable reduced storing and transporting costs and accordingly upgraded market competing ability.
The sectional organizers can be further divided into two types, one of which requires tools to assemble and disassemble it while the other type can be assembled and disassembled without the need of using any tool. Among the same type of sectional organizers, products that can be assembled using fewer tools would be accepted by more consumers. A currently commercially available sectional rack with vertical supports has a left and a right vertical support, and a plurality of shelves assembled to and between the two vertical supports. Each of the two vertical supports includes a front twin-post support having two juxtaposed front posts and a rear twin-post support having two juxtaposed rear posts, and at least two vertically spaced connecting members. The connecting members are welded at front and rear ends to the front and the rear twin-post support, respectively.
Every shelf is fixedly provided at four corners with a fastening connector each. The fastening connectors are respectively an axially extended U-shaped bracket to define a U-shaped receiving space therein. The U-shaped receiving spaces of the fastening connectors located at two front corners of the shelves are forward opened, while the U-shaped receiving spaces of the fastening connectors located at two rear corners of the shelves are rearward opened. The receiving spaces of the fastening connectors at four corners of the shelves can be engaged with corresponding front and rear twin-post supports of the two side support frames, so that the front and rear fastening connectors at two lateral sides of the shelves outward push against the front twin-post supports and the rear twin-post supports of the two side support frames and are fixedly assembled to between the two side support frames. The above-structured sectional rack has relatively low structural strength and tends to wobble sidewardly. To overcome this problem, it is necessary to erect two crossed tension braces between the rear twin-post supports of the two side support frames to give the assembled sectional rack an increased structural strength. Since the crossed tension braces are not suitable for mounting to between the front twin-post supports of the two side support frames, the sectional rack could not have balanced front and rear structural strength. Thus, the whole sectional rack still has poor structural strength and tends to wobble sidewardly when an external force is applied thereto.
It is therefore tried by the inventor to overcome the problems in the conventional sectional rack having twin-post supports by developing a novel structure for assembling shelves to four vertical supports, so that the sectional rack in a fully assembled state can have increased structural strength without wobbling under sideward external force applied thereto.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a sectional rack including at least two shelves and four vertical supports, which can be firmly connected to one another to give the fully assembled sectional rack an increased overall structural strength.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sectional rack that has increased structural strength without the need of mounting two crossed tension braces to a rear side of the rack, enabling the rack to have a neat and aesthetic appearance.
To achieve the above and other objects, the sectional rack according to the present invention includes at least four vertical supports, at least two shelves, and a plurality of clamping members. Each of the vertical supports includes two laterally juxtaposed posts. Each of the clamping members defines a vertically extended receiving recess and has two wing portions laterally extended from two opposite lateral edges of an open side of the receiving recess. The receiving recess is sized for one post of the vertical support to partially set therein, allowing the clamping member to assemble to the vertical support. Each of the shelves is provided at each of four corners with an outward-opened C-shaped clamping member for tightly fitting around and thereby pushing the two wing portions of one clamping member toward each other for firmly clamping the post in the receiving recess, so that the four corners of the shelf are separately firmly connected to the four vertical supports.
In the sectional rack of the present invention, each of the wing portions has a width that is increased from an upper end to a lower end of the wing portion, such that a laterally outer end surface of the wing portion is a gradually downward outward inclined surface; and the wing portion has an outside surface that is also a gradually downward outward inclined surface. Each of the C-shaped clamping members includes a pair of hooking portions facing toward each other to define an opening therebetween. Two opposite inner end surfaces of an inner space enclosed in the C-shaped clamping member are downward outward inclined surfaces, so that a width of the inner space of the C-shaped clamping member measured between the two opposite inner end surfaces gradually increases from top to bottom; and an inside surface of each of the two hooking portions facing toward the inner space of the C-shaped clamping member is a downward and outward inclined surface. With the inclined surfaces on the C-shaped clamping member correspondingly and fitly bearing on the inclined surfaces on the wing portions of the clamping member, the C-shaped clamping member is able to produce a tightening effect on the two wing portions and pushes them toward each other, so that the clamping member can more tightly clamp the post in the receiving recess.
In the sectional rack of the present invention, each of the clamping members is provided on a wall of the receiving recess near an upper end thereof with an inward protrusion extended into the receiving recess, and each of the posts of the vertical supports to be clamped in the receiving recesses is correspondingly provided with a recess for engaging with the protrusion. Through engagement of the protrusion on the clamping member with the recess on the post, the clamping member is held in place on the post without the risk of moving upward, downward, leftward or rightward relative to the post.
In the sectional rack of the present invention, each of the clamping members further includes two vertically extended protruded blocks laterally symmetrically provided at the two opposite lateral edges of the receiving recess for partially clamping the post therebetween; and a portion of the post being located outside the receiving recess and exposed from the two protruded blocks is smaller than a half circle; and a distance between the two protruded blocks on each of the clamping members is slightly smaller than an outer diameter of the posts of the vertical supports, so that the post is forced through the two protruded blocks and clamped in the receiving recess.
In the sectional rack of the present invention, the clamping members are formed by bending a metal plate, and the protruded blocks are formed by molding a plastic material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein
FIG. 1 is an assembled perspective view of a sectional rack according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a clamping member according to the present invention, viewed from an inside thereof;
FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the clamping member of FIG. 2, viewed from the inside thereof;
FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of the clamping member taken along line A-A of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of a shelf according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side view of the shelf of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the sectional rack of the present invention showing a shelf is assembled to the vertical support thereof;
FIG. 9 is a top view of FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 shows a protrusion formed on the clamping member is engaged with a recess formed on a post of the vertical support;
FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the clamping member is further provided with two protruded blocks;
FIG. 13 shows the clamping member of FIG. 12 in use; and
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a sectional rack according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which connecting members in the form of round bars are connected to between front and rear vertical supports located at the same lateral side of the sectional rack.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Please refer to FIG. 1 that is an assembled perspective view of a sectional rack according to an embodiment of the present invention. The sectional rack of the present invention includes at least four vertical supports 30, at least two shelves 10, 20, and a plurality of clamping members 40. In the illustrated embodiment, there are included four vertical supports 30, two shelves 10 that are respectively in the form of a plate, and two shelves 20 that are wire shelves. As shown in FIG. 1, the shelves 10, 20 are respectively connected at four corners to the four vertical supports 30 to provide an assembled sectional rack of the present invention.
The vertical supports 30 respectively include two laterally juxtaposed posts 31, and a plurality of vertically equally spaced connecting members 32. The connecting members 32 are provided between the two laterally juxtaposed posts 31 of each of the vertical supports 30 to connect the two posts 31 into an integral unit.
Please refer to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. Each of the clamping members 40 defines at an inside with a vertically extended receiving recess 41, and has two wing portions 42 separately laterally extended from two opposite lateral edges of an open side of the receiving recess 41. The receiving recess 41 is sized for one of the two juxtaposed posts 31 of each vertical support 30 to partially set therein, allowing the clamping member 40 to assemble to the vertical support 30 with the open side of the receiving recess 41 facing toward the shelf 10 or 20 connected to between the four vertical supports 30. Each of the two wing portions 42 has a width that is increased from an upper end to a lower end of the wing portion 42, such that a laterally outer end surface 421 of the wing portion 42 is a gradually downward outward inclined surface. Further, the wing portion 42 has an outside surface 422 that is also a gradually downward outward inclined surface. Further, each of the clamping members 40 is provided at a lower edge with a notch 43.
Please refer to FIGS. 1, 5, 6 and 7 at the same time. Each of the shelves 10 is provided at front and rear corners at two lateral sides thereof with a C-shaped clamping member 50 each. The C-shaped clamping members 50 are located on the shelf 10 with an opening 52 thereof facing laterally outward. Each of the C-shaped clamping members 50 includes a pair of hooking portions 51 facing toward each other to define the opening 52 therebetween. Two opposite inner end surfaces 53 of an inner space enclosed in the C-shaped clamping member 50 are downward outward inclined surfaces, so that a width of the inner space of the C-shaped clamping member 50 measured between the two opposite inner end surfaces 53 gradually increases from top to bottom of the C-shaped clamping member 50. The two inclined inner end surfaces 53 of the C-shaped clamping member 50 have a gradient the same as that of the two laterally outer end surfaces 421 of the two wing portions 42. Meanwhile, an inside surface 511 of each of the two hooking portions 51 facing toward the inner space of the C-shaped clamping member 50 is a downward and outward inclined surface. The inside surfaces 511 of the hooking portions 51 have a gradient the same as that of the two outside surfaces 422 of the two wing portions 42. The shelf 20 illustrated in FIG. 1 is provided at respective four corners with identically structured C-shaped clamping members 50.
Please refer to FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 at the same time. Each of the clamping members 40 assembled to the vertical support 30 is connected to the shelf 10 by guiding the two wing portions 42 of the clamping member 40 into one corresponding C-shaped clamping member 50 on the shelf 10. The width and a depth of the inner space of the C-shaped clamping member 50 at a bottom thereof are larger than a distance between the laterally outer end surfaces 421 of the two wing portions 42 and the thickness of the wing portions 42 at a top thereof, allowing the C-shaped clamping member 50 to be easily externally downward fitted around the two wing portions 42 of the clamping member 40. With the same gradient thereof, the two inclined inner end surfaces 53 of the C-shaped clamping member 50 can fitly bear on the laterally outer end surfaces 421 of the two wing portions 42 of the clamping member 40 and produce a tightening effect on the two wing portions 42. Meanwhile, with the same gradient thereof, the inclined inside surfaces 511 of the two hooking portions 51 of the C-shaped clamping member 50 can fitly bear on the outside surfaces 422 of the two wing portions 42 and push the wing portions 42 toward the shelf 10. At this point, the two wing portions 42 would be brought to move closer toward each other to thereby reduce a size of the open side of the receiving recess 41 on the clamping member 40, so that the post 31 is more tightly clamped in the receiving recess 41. Meanwhile, the C-shaped clamping member 50 produces a tightening effect on the clamping member 40 to thereby enable these two members 50, 40 to firmly connect to each other. The notch 43 provided at the lower edge of every clamping member 40 can be engaged with an upper end of the connecting member 32 on the vertical supports 30, enabling the clamping member 40 to more stably bear on the post 31 of the vertical supports 30. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the connecting members 32 are respectively a flat plate.
To assemble the shelf 10 to the vertical supports 30, first assemble the clamping members 40 to the posts 31 of the vertical supports 30. Then, externally fit the C-shaped clamping members 50 of the shelf 10 around the two wing portions 42 of the clamping members 40 from a top thereof, and push the shelf 10 downward for the C-shaped clamping members 50 to tightly connect to the clamping members 40. More specifically, the C-shaped clamping members 50 at the front and rear corners of the two lateral sides of the shelf 10 are respectively fitted around the wing portions 42 of the clamping members 40 on the four vertical supports 30 to assemble the shelf 10 to between the four vertical supports 30.
Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 11. Each of the clamping members 40 is provided on a wall of the receiving recess 41 near an upper end thereof with an inward protrusion 44 extended into the receiving recess 41. Each of the posts 31 of the vertical supports 30 to be clamped in the receiving recesses 41 is correspondingly provided with a recess 33 for engaging with the protrusion 44. Through engagement of the protrusion 44 with the recess 33, the clamping member 40 is held in place on the post 31 without the risk of moving upward, downward, leftward or rightward relative to the post 31. With these arrangements, it would be more easily to fit the C-shaped clamping members 50 around the clamping members 40. When it is desired to remove the shelf 10 from the sectional rack, simply apply an upward force on a lower side of the shelf 10 to disengage the C-shaped clamping members 50 from the clamping members 40 and accordingly, disassemble the shelf 10 from the vertical supports 30. When the C-shaped clamping members 50 are moving upward relative to the clamping members 40, the protrusions 44 engaged with the recesses 33 on the posts 31 prevent the clamping members 40 from displacing on the posts 31 and therefore enable easy disassembling of the sectional rack. Each of the receiving recesses 41 has an arc-shaped wall, and the protrusion 44 extended into the receiving recess 41 has a flat front end. A through hole 45 is formed on the wall of the receiving recess 41 immediately below the protrusion 44, so that a lower side of the protrusion 44 is separated from the wall of the receiving recess 41. This design allows the protrusion 44 to be more easily engaged with the recess 33 on the post 31.
Please refer to FIG. 12. Two vertically extended protruded blocks 46 are further laterally symmetrically provided at the two opposite lateral edges of the receiving recess 41 of each clamping member 40. A distance between the two protruded blocks 46 is slightly smaller than an outer diameter of the posts 31 of the vertical supports 30, so that the post 31 is forced through the two protruded blocks 46 and clamped in the receiving recess 41. The clamping member 40 has a certain degree of elasticity, so that the post 31 can be forced into the receiving recess 41 to partially set therein. It is noted a portion of the post 31 that is located outside the receiving recess 41 and exposed from the two protruded blocks 46 is smaller than a half circle. The clamping member 40 is formed by bending a metal plate, and the protruded blocks 46 are formed by molding a plastic material. The protruded blocks 46 have a certain degree of compressibility to enable an increased friction coefficient thereof, which in turn enables an increased tightening force applied by the protruded blocks 46 on the post 31. As can be seen from FIG. 13, to manufacture a complete clamping member 40 with the protruded blocks 46, first position one clamping member 40 in a mold cavity and then associate the plastic protruded blocks 46 with the clamping member 40 through insert molding.
In FIG. 1, the connecting members 32 mounted to between the laterally juxtaposed posts 31 of the vertical supports 30 are in the form of vertically extended flat plates. However, in FIG. 14, another type of connecting members 32′ in the form of round bars is illustrated. The connecting members 32′ in the form of round bars are horizontally extended between each pair of front and rear vertical supports 30. That is, the connecting members 32′ are connected at respective front ends to the front vertical supports 30 and at respective rear ends to the rear vertical supports 30, so as to connect two vertical supports 30 located at the same lateral side into one integral unit.
The sectional rack illustrated in FIG. 1 can be sidewardly extended to provide a larger rack by assembling an additional pair of front and rear vertical supports 30 to one lateral side of the original sectional rack and assembling two or more additional shelves 10, 20 to the extended sectional rack.
In the sectional rack assembled from vertical supports 30 and shelves 10, 20 according to the present invention, when the C-shaped clamping members 50 on the shelves 10, 20 are fitted around the clamping members 40 on the vertical supports 30 to produce a tightening force against the clamping members 40, the clamping members 40 are brought to tightly clamp on the posts 31 of the vertical supports 30. Therefore, the shelves 10, 20 are firmly connected to the vertical supports 30 via the firm engagement of the C-shaped clamping members 50 with the clamping members 40. In this manner, the fully assembled sectional rack has upgraded structural strength and is able to resist increased lateral force applied thereto without wobbling sidewardly.
Patent Application
20120298606
