This invention relates to a shelf divider, and in particular, to a shelf divider system for mounting to a wall or office partition.
Shelf dividers are known to provide partitions between different types of articles on a single shelf. Examples of shelf dividers are shown in U.S. Design Pat. No. 285,152 to Smith and U.S. Design Pat. No. 308,394 to Smith. These shelf dividers comprise: (i) a panel; and (ii) a structure for maintaining the panel in an upright plane when resting on the upper surface of a shelf. A user places the shelf divider on the upper surface of a shelf at the desired location in order to serve as a partition between different types of articles.
Another example of a known shelf divider is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,705,477 to Narkis et al. As shown in
To at least partially overcome the disadvantages of previously known shelf dividers, the present invention provides a shelf divider system which comprises a shelf and a divider member which is mounted to a slide member positioned at an edge portion of the shelf, wherein the divider member is slidable along the slide member to any desired longitudinal location along the shelf.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved shelf divider system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelf divider system wherein the divider panel can be adjusted to any desired longitudinal location along a shelf.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a shelf divider system wherein the divider panel resists being moved from its position extending in a direction normal to the front and rear edge portions of the shelf.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a shelf divider system, wherein the divider panel is securely mounted to the shelf and is not easily removed from the shelf by accidental physical contact.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a shelf divider system wherein the divider panel is, when desired, easily detachable from the shelf.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelf divider system wherein the divider panel is, when desired, easily mounted to the shelf.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a shelf divider system which provides a mechanism for preventing articles stored on the upper surface of the shelf from contacting a wall or office partition to which the shelf is mounted.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelf divider system wherein the mechanism for allowing the divider panel to slide is protected from being damaged.
In one aspect the present invention provides a shelf divider system comprising: a shelf comprising a forward edge portion, a rear edge portion, two side edge portions, an upper surface and a lower surface; an elongated slide member having a longitudinally extending channel formed therein, said slide member being positioned at one of said edge portions of said shelf such that said slide member and its channel extends longitudinally along said edge portion at which said slide member is positioned, a divider member having a generally planar divider panel and a coupling member, the coupling member coupling the divider member to the slide member in a plurality of different positions longitudionally along the channel with in each of these positions the divider member supported on the upper surface with the divider panel disposed in an upright plane extending away from the slide member over the upper surface and generally normal to the upper surface, the channel having an access opening thereinto open outwardly away from said edge portion at which said slide member is positioned and inwardly over the upper surface, inside the channel inwardly from the access opening the channel extending above the access opening, the coupling member carrying a finger member projecting generally upwardly to a distal end which finger member extends though the access opening and upwardly into the channel above the access opening to secure the coupling member in the channel, the finger member engaging the channel member at locations longitudinally spaced along the channel member to maintain the upright plane of the divider panel at a relatively fixed angulation relative the channel and the upper surface.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a shelf divider system comprising: a shelf comprising a forward edge portion, a rear edge portion, two side edge portions, an upper surface and a lower surface; an elongated slide member having a longitudinally extending channel formed therein, said slide member being positioned at one of said edge portions of said shelf such that said slide member extends longitudinally along said edge portion at which said slide member is positioned, and such that said channel faces away from said edge portion at which said slide member is positioned; a divider member having a divider panel, said panel being disposed in an upright plane and extending over the upper surface of said shelf; and a finger attached to the divider member, wherein the finger projects generally upwardly; wherein said slide member has an elongated longitudinally extending tab projecting generally downwardly over a portion of the channel. The finger attached to the divider member and the tab on the slide member cooperate to mount the divider member to the slide member, and allow the divider member to easily slide along the channel.
In a preferred embodiment, the edge portion at which said slide member is positioned is the rear edge portion of said shelf.
The divider member is preferably detachable from the slide member. Specifically, the divider member can be detached from the slide member by pivoting the divider member such that the attached finger passes underneath the tab of the slide member and is removed from the channel.
The divider member preferably also comprises a laterally projecting foot member which rests on the upper surface of the shelf and supports the divider member such that the divider panel is maintained in an upright plane.
In one preferred embodiment, the shelf is mounted to an office partition such that the slide member of the shelf divider system is adjacent to a rear edge of the surface of the partition and acts as a stop mechanism to prevent articles on the shelf from contacting the surface of the partition.
Further aspects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:
Throughout all the drawings in the disclosure, similar parts are indicated by the same reference numerals.
Reference is made to FIGS. 1 to 10 which show preferred embodiments of the present invention.
In a first preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in
The first and second pair of brackets 40 and 42 used for mounting the shelf 10 to the office partition 12 are shown in
The shelf 10 has a front edge portion 44, a rear edge portion 18, and two side edge portions 50. The length of the shelf 10 between each of the edge portions 50 is not particularly limited. Similarly the width of the shelf 10 between the front edge portion 44 and the rear edge portion 18 is not particularly limited. The shelf divider system of the present invention can be designed to accommodate shelves of any length. The shelf 10 has a flat upper surface 52 and a flat lower surface 54.
The rear edge portion 18 includes an elongated slide member 20 which extends longitudinally along the rear edge portion 18. A divider member 22 is mounted to the slide member 20 and rests on the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10.
The back wall 56 and a finger carrying member 70 mounted to the back wall 56 together form a coupling member for coupling the divider member to the slide member. The finger carrying member is best seen in side view in
The finger member 28 projects generally upwardly when the divider member 22 is placed on the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10 with the divider panel 24 disposed in an upright plane.
FIGS. 4 to 7 illustrate how the divider member 22 is securely mounted to the slide member 20. As best seen in
To mount the divider member 22 to the slide member 20, as shown in
As illustrated in
The finger carrying member 70 with the finger member 78 and it's associated gap 58 are shown to extend longitudinally on the back wall member that is with the finger member engaging the channel at longitudinally spaced locations along the channel to maintain the upright right plane of the divide panel at a relatively fixed angulation relative the channel and the upper surface. Providing increased length of longitudinal engagement between the tab 32 of the slide member 20 and the finger carrying member 70 is advantageous in maintaining the divider panel 24 to extend forwardly normal to the slide member 20 even if there may be a slip fit of the tab 32 within the gap 58. The interaction of the tab 32 and the finger member 28 and the gap 58 may be characterized as a removable clip structure. The divider member 22 may be located in any one of a plurality of different positions longitudinally along the slide member 20. The engagement of the finger carrying member 70 with the slide member 20 may preferably in the use position of
The divider member 22 is present on the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10 and mounted to the slide member 20. The foot member 26 rests flat on the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10 such that the divider panel 24 is disposed in an upright plane. The divider member 22 is mounted to the slide member 20 such that the divider panel 24 extends forwardly over the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10 in a direction normal to the rear edge portion 18 of the shelf 10.
While mounted to the slide member 20, the longitudinal location of the divider member 22 can be manually adjusted by sliding the divider member 22 along the slide member 20. For example, the divider member 22 can be moved from the middle longitudinal location shown in
Advantageously, the shelf divider system of the present invention allows for the divider member 22 to be slid to any desired longitudinal location along the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10. Further, the cooperation between the finger 28 member and the tab member 32 securely mount the divider member 22 to the slide member 20 such that the divider member 22 is not susceptible to being accidentally knocked off of the shelf 10. The finger member 28 and the tab 32 cooperate to also prevent the divider panel 24 from being moved from its position of extending in a direction normal to the rear edge portion 18 of the shelf 10.
If desired, even though the divider member 22 is securely mounted on the slide member 20, the divider member 20 can also be easily detached from the slide member 20. Beginning at the position shown in
The shelf divider system of the present invention allows for both easy mounting of the divider member 22 to the slide member 20 and easy detachment of the divider member 22 from the slide member 20.
An advantage of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is that the slide member 20 serves as an effective rear stop mechanism at the rear edge portion 18 of the shelf 10. As seen in
In the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the slide member 20 is positioned at the rear edge portion 18 of the shelf 10. The slide member 20 when located is along the rear edge portion as contrasted with along the front edge portion of the shelf, has the advantage that the rear edge portion is less exposed and therefore, less likely to be damaged by physical contact as by dropping heavy books on the like on top of the slide member 20. Furthermore, the presence of articles such as books on the upper surface 52 of the shelf 10 provides additional protection to the slide member 20 on the rear edge portion from physical contact. A similar slide member 20 to that shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 could in another embodiment be placed along the forward edge portion 44.
Reference is made to
Whereas the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7 is adapted for off-modular connection between posts 11 of the partition, the embodiment of FIGS. 8 is for modular connection spanning longitudinally between the posts 11.
Reference is made to
The finger member 28 may have many different forms than that shown in the various embodiments. It may be attached to the divider member 22 by various methods including welding, an adhesive, screws or the like. In the preferred embodiment shown in
Although this disclosure has described and illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to these particular embodiments. Rather, the invention includes all embodiments that are functional or mechanical equivalents of the specific embodiments and features that have been described and illustrated herein. Many modifications and variations will now occur to those skilled in the art. For a definition of the invention, reference is made to the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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11-122357 | Apr 1999 | JP | national |
2549208 | Jun 2006 | CA | national |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 09546892 | Apr 2000 | US |
Child | 11445472 | Jun 2006 | US |