Patent Application
20050229823
Televisions and other appliances are often housed on or within stands or similar furniture assemblies (e.g., entertainment centers). Such assemblies may provide a surface on which a television may be placed, or may provide an attachment mechanism that holds the television. Moreover, for both practical and aesthetic reasons, such assemblies often include shelves and other provisions for storing or displaying audio and video equipment, digital versatile discs (DVDs) and other entertainment media, knick-knacks, and the like. The shelves employed in such shelving systems, as well as storage assemblies other than those employed with entertainment equipment and paraphernalia, often employ glass and other materials which make associated coupling and support structure aesthetically displeasing and difficult to mass produce.
Aspects of the present disclosure are best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.
It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features according to aspects of the present disclosure. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed. Moreover, the formation of a first feature over, on, or coupled to a second feature in the description that follows may include embodiments in which the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments in which additional features may be formed interposing the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact.
Referring to
The adapter 110 may comprise one or more elongated members or protrusions configured to extend into a portion of a support 130. For example, the illustrated embodiment of the adapter 110 includes two elongated members 115 coupled by a cross-member 117. The cross-member 117 may be a substantially rectangular or otherwise shaped member configured to fit within a recess of a support 130. The cross-member 117 may be integral to the elongated members 115, or may be a discrete component coupled to the elongated members 115, such as by welding, bonding, interference fit, threaded or other mechanical fasteners, and/or other coupling means. The illustrated elongated members 115 have a substantially circular or otherwise rounded cross-sectional shape, although other shapes are within the scope of the present disclosure. The elongated members 115 may also have one or more flats providing a substantially flat surface to assist in securing the elongated members 115 within a support 130, such as by a set screw, adhesive, welding, and/or other fastening methods. The adapter 110, or portions thereof, may comprise steel, aluminum, plastic, wood, and/or other materials, and may be formed by machining, molding, casting, press or stamp forming, electro-discharge machining (EDM), and/or other methods.
Each support 130 may comprise an extrusion having a substantially oval- or ovoid-shaped cross-section, as in the illustrated embodiment, or other shapes, including circular, rectangular, other polygonal shapes, or other shapes. Fabrication methods other than extrusion may also or alternatively be employed to manufacture the supports 130, such as machining, molding, casting, EDM, and/or other methods. The supports 130 may comprise steel, aluminum, wood, plastic, and/or other materials. One or more of the supports 130 may comprise a recess 135 configured to receive a portion of the adapter 110.
The recess 135 may be formed by machining or otherwise removing material from an end of the supports, or may be part of the cross-sectional shape formed by extruding the support 130. The recess 135 may have a substantially circular or otherwise rounded cross-sectional shape, or otherwise may substantially conform to the cross-sectional shape of the received portion of the adapter 110. In one embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the recess 135 may not substantially conform to the cross-sectional shape of the received portion of the adapter 110, although the recess 135 is still configured to receive a portion of the adapter 110. At least in embodiments in which the recess 135 and the received portion of the adapter 110 are substantially circular or otherwise rounded, the inner diameter of the recess 135 may be substantially similar, and possibly slightly larger, than the outer diameter of the received portion of the adapter 110. The recess 135 may also include a portion configured to at least partially receive the cross-member 117 of the adapter 110.
One or more of the supports 130 may also be configured to assist securing the adapter 110 within the recess 135. For example, a support 130 may include a threaded hole 137 for receiving a set screw or other threaded fastener. However, other means may also or alternatively be employed to secure the adapter 110 to the support 130.
The shelf 140 may be a substantially planar sheet or plate having one more apertures 145 therein for receiving at least a portion of the adapter 110. However, in one embodiment, the shelf 140 may not be substantially planar, and may have or include one or more convex or concave shaped portions. The shelf 140 may also have substantially smooth surfaces, or may have rough, undulating, uneven, frosted, and/or other surfaces. The perimeter of the shelf 140 may be substantially rectangular, square, circular, oval, other polygonal shapes, or otherwise shaped. The shelf 140 may comprise glass, steel, aluminum, plastic, wood, and/or other materials, and may have a thickness ranging between about 1/8 inch and about 1 inch, although other thicknesses are within the scope of the present disclosure.
Each locking feature 150 may be or comprise a threaded fastener, such as a set screw having a pointed, flat, or recessed tip, for engaging or pressing against the adapter 110. However, in other embodiments, the locking feature 150 may be or comprise a rivet or other mechanical means for securing the adapter 110 within a support 130. Ball detents, cotter pins, snap rings, and/or other means may also or alternatively be employed to secure the adapter 110 within a support 130.
Referring to
The perimeter shape of the spacer 120 may substantially conform to or fit within the perimeter shape of one or more of the supports 130, although other shapes are within the scope of the present disclosure. The spacer 120 also includes one or more apertures 125 through which portions of the adapter 110 may extend. The apertures 125 may have a diameter that is substantially similar, and possibly slightly larger, than the diameter of a received portion of the adapter 110, at least in embodiments in which received portions of the adapter 110 and the apertures 125 are substantially circular or otherwise rounded.
As in the illustrated embodiment, the spacer 120 may also comprise an annulus-shaped protrusion 127 extending from one or more surfaces. The protrusion 127 may be configured to be received by an aperture 145 in the shelf 140, and/or by the recess 135 of a support 130. For example, in embodiments in which the protrusion 127 and the aperture 145 are substantially circular, the outer diameter of the protrusion 127 may be substantially similar, and possibly slightly smaller, than the diameter of the aperture 145, and the inner diameter of the protrusion 127 may be substantially similar, and possibly slightly larger, than the outer diameter of a received portion of the adapter 110. The thickness of the spacer 120 may range between about 1/16 inch and about 1/8 inch and, if employed, the protrusion 127 may extend away from the remainder of the spacer 120 to a thickness ranging between about 1/8 inch and about 1/4 inch, although other thicknesses are within the scope of the present disclosure.
Referring to
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As also shown in
Referring to
The shelf 420 interposes the base supports 411 and the intermediate supports 410, and the shelf 421 interposes the intermediate supports 410 and the L-shaped supports 412. The shelf 422 rests on or over the L-shaped supports 412, although the shelf 422 may also be secured to the L-shaped supports 412. As with the kit 100 shown in
The furniture piece 400 may also include a television 450, such as a plasma television, resting on or coupled to the shelf 422, the L-shaped supports 412, and/or other components of the furniture piece 400. In one embodiment, the television 450 is directly or indirectly coupled to one or more central supports 470 which are directly or indirectly coupled to one or more of the supports 410-412. The furniture piece 400 may also include other audio/video (AV) equipment 460 resting on or coupled to one or more of the shelves 420-422, such as one or more video cassette devices, DVD devices, tuners, receivers, digital recorders, audio cassette devices, compact disc devices, and/or other devices.
Referring to
The furniture piece 500 may also include AV equipment 560 resting on or coupled to one or more of the shelves 520-524, the supports 510-514, and/or other components of the furniture piece 500. In one embodiment, the furniture piece 500 includes one or more central support 570 which are coupled to one or more of the supports 510-514, and to which one or more components of the AV equipment 560 may also be directly or indirectly coupled.
Referring to
The furniture piece 600 may also include a television 650, such as a plasma television, resting on or coupled to the shelf 621, the supports 611, and/or other components of the furniture piece 600. In one embodiment, the television 650 is directly or indirectly coupled to one or more central supports 670 which are directly or indirectly coupled to one or more of the supports 610, 611. The furniture piece 600 may also include other AV equipment 660 resting on or coupled to one or more of the shelves 620, 621.
Thus, the present disclosure provides a shelving system including, in one embodiment, first and second supports, an adapter extending into each of the first and second supports, and first and second spacers interposing the first and second supports and having first and second apertures, respectively, through which the adapter extends. Such an embodiment also includes a shelf interposing the first and second spacers and having a third aperture through which the adapter extends.
Another embodiment of a shelving system according to aspects of the present disclosure includes a plurality of supports and a plurality of shelves each interposing ones of the plurality of supports. A plurality of adapters each extend through one of the plurality of shelves and into ones of the plurality of supports proximate the one of the plurality of shelves. A plurality of spacers each interpose one of the plurality of shelves and one of the plurality of supports proximate the one of the plurality of shelves, such that each of the plurality of shelves is physically isolated from each proximate one of the plurality of supports by at least one of the plurality of spacers.
A shelving system kit is also introduced in the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the kit includes an adapter having first and second protrusions, a first support configured to receive the first adapter protrusion, and a second support configured to receive the second adapter protrusion. The kit may also include a spacer configured to receive one of the first and second adapter protrusions, as well as a shelf configured to receive one of the first and second adapter protrusions.
The present disclosure also provides a furniture piece including, in one embodiment, first and second supports having proximate first ends and distal second ends, wherein the second ends of each of the first and second supports include first recesses. Such a furniture piece also includes third and fourth supports having third ends proximate the second ends of the first and second supports, respectively, wherein the third ends of each of the third and fourth supports include second recesses. First and second adapters each have a first protrusion extending into one of the first recesses and a second protrusion extending into one of the second recesses. A shelf interposes the first support and the third support and also interposes the second support and the fourth support. The furniture piece also includes a first spacer interposing the shelf and the first support, a second spacer interposing the shelf and the second support, a third spacer interposing the shelf and the third support, and a fourth spacer interposing the shelf and the fourth support. In one embodiment, the furniture piece also includes a television coupled at least indirectly to one of the first, second, third, and fourth supports.
The foregoing has outlined features of several embodiments according to aspects of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the present disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that they may make various changes, substitutions and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
