Patent Application
20150096954
The present invention relates to a shelving structure, more particularly to a simple shelving structure that can be readily and rapidly installed.
Current shelving structures are usually manufactured by welding or screw locks to integrate metal frames and then by installing a bearing plate between or onto the metal frames. This integrated structure is stable however since it usually occupies a certain space and cannot be uninstalled, it thus is inconvenient for handling and transportation. In addition, storing these products also requires large storage space. Furthermore, since they cannot be uninstalled or rearranged into different shapes, these integrated shelving structures might not be useful if the space available for them has to be changed.
Therefore, it has been an objective of research and development for related industries to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings of the current shelving structures. The present invention describes a further improved structure that can easily and rapidly installed or uninstalled, which solves the above-mentioned problems of the current shelving structures.
Current metal frame-based shelving structures that are integrated by welding or screw locks have technical problems. These shelving structures usually occupy large storage space and cannot be installed or uninstalled. The shelving structure of the present invention provides solutions to these technical problems.
The present invention provides an improved shelving structure, which comprises a predetermined number of shelf boards, rear plates, connecting members and frame members. The shelf board is a rectangular plate, with its size predetermined based on the types of goods to be placed into the shelving structure, therefore allowing the shelving structure to be flexible in its size, as well as the depth and volume of the holding space. Two side edges of the shelf board are expanded in arc shape and form a stopper portion. The rear plate is a hexagonal plate with its corners modified into arc-shaped inward recesses and with U-shaped slots extending inwards in the middle of the inward recesses. The U-shaped slot has continuous undulating bounding edges on both of its sides. The connecting member has two clamping planes, with the proper interval maintained between these two planes by the connecting base that links these two clamping planes. One of the clamping planes has two bulged ribs located at the inner surface on opposite sides of the connecting base, and both planes have bulged areas located at the central part of their outer surfaces for convenient hand grasping. The frame member has three equally distributed holding slots extending through both ends of the connecting member and the end portions of these holding slots are expanded for locking the expanded side edges of the shelf boards. There is a long strip of recessed portion located at the center of each of the outer surfaces between two neighboring holding slots of the connecting member, with extension plates installed in these recessed portions. The extension plates are regularly spaced and extending outwards perpendicular to the frame member for installing additional components. The above is a brief description of the shelving structure of the present invention.
Advantages of the shelving structure described in the present invention over current shelving structures include:
(i) The shelving structure of the present invention can be readily uninstalled when not being used, which not only allows convenient handling and transportation, but also dramatically saves storage space.
(ii) The shelving structure of the present invention can be conveniently installed without sorting to any tools. In addition, installing this shelving structure does not involve use of any screws since its use usually slows down the process of installation.
(iii) The building components of the shelving structure of the present invention, the shelf board and the frame member, can be used for constructing shelving structures of various shapes or combinations, based on available space or for certain specific visual effects. This feature allows flexible use or rearrangement of the shelving structure.
(iv) The shelving structure of the present invention can be rearranged into other shapes or forms by modifying the connections among the connecting members, shelf boards, and bearing boards, thereby allowing the use of this shelving structure for multiple purposes.
The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of the presently exemplary device provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be prepared or utilized. It is to be understood, rather, that the same or equivalent functions and components may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devices and materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the exemplary methods, devices and materials are now described.
All publications mentioned are incorporated by reference for the purpose of describing and disclosing, for example, the designs and methodologies that are described in the publications that might be used in connection with the presently described invention. The publications listed or discussed above, below and throughout the text are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention.
A specific embodiment of the shelving structure of the present invention is shown in
The installation of the shelving structure of the prevent invention is illustrated in
In practical use, as shown in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The shelving structure of the present invention has the following advantages over current shelving structures: (i) The shelving structure of the present invention can be readily uninstalled when not being used, which not only allows convenient handling and transportation, but also dramatically saves storage space; (ii) The shelving structure of the present invention can be conveniently installed without sorting to any tools. In addition, installing this shelving structure does not involve use of any screws since it usually slows down the process of installation; (iii) The building components of the shelving structure of the present invention, the shelf board and the frame member, can be used for constructing shelving structures of various shapes or combinations based on space restrictions or for certain visual effects. This features allows flexible use or rearrangement of the shelving structure based on the available space or the requirement of environment; and (iv) The shelving structure of the present invention can be rearranged into other shapes or forms of structures by modifying the connections among connection members, shelf boards, and bearing boards, thereby allowing the use of this shelving structure for multiple purposes.
The above description and illustrations are for one exemplary embodiment of the present invention and should not be considered to limit the scope of the implementation of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be considered as limited by the forgoing description, but includes any equivalents.
