US20110233164A1

US20110233164A1 - Collapsible Shelf

Info

Publication number: US20110233164A1
Application number: US12/732,016
Authority: US
Inventors: Wen-Dong Chang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-03-25
Filing date: 2010-03-25
Publication date: 2011-09-29

Abstract

A collapsible shelf includes two vertical units, two horizontal units and connecting units for detachably connecting the horizontal units to the vertical units. Each of the vertical units includes two posts and beams extending between the posts. Each of the connecting units includes a hook secured to a related one of the horizontal units and formed with a recess for movably receiving a related one of the posts.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a shelf for storing things and, more particularly, to a collapsible shelf.
2. Related Prior Art
There are various shelves. A conventional shelf includes vertical units and horizontal units supported on the vertical units. Things are stored on the horizontal units. The horizontal units are secured to the vertical units. Hence, the conventional shelf cannot be collapsed or dismantled, and occupies a lot of space and causes inconvenience in storage and transportation.
To overcome the above-mentioned problems, there are devised collapsible shelves. As disclosed in Chinese Patent ZL02216307.7 for example, a collapsible shelf includes a bottom unit, a rear unit, two lateral units and a front unit. The front unit includes engaging elements for engagement with rods of the lateral units. Thus, the collapsible shelf can be collapsed quickly without having to maneuver any screws. The collapsible shelf is readily collapsible, light in weight and suitable for various usages. The collapsible shelf is however complicated structurally. Moreover, no horizontal units can be added to the collapsible shelf to store more things.
Other collapsible shelves can be shown in Chinese Utility Models ZL200520101298.1 and ZL200520116073.3 for example. Each of these collapsible shelves includes horizontal units connected to vertical units in a detachable manner. These collapsible shelves are complicated structurally.
Therefore, the present invention is intended to alleviate or at least obviate the foregoing problems.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a structurally simple collapsible shelf.
To achieve the foregoing objective, the collapsible shelf includes two vertical units, two horizontal units and connecting units for detachably connecting the horizontal units to the vertical units. Each of the vertical units includes two posts and beams extending between the posts. Each of the connecting units includes a hook secured to a related one of the horizontal units and formed with a recess for movably receiving a related one of the posts.
Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of five embodiments referring to the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible shelf according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the collapsible shelf in another position than shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a horizontal unit of the collapsible shelf shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partial view of the collapsible shelf in another position than shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a collapsible shelf according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a collapsible shelf according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a connector of the collapsible shelf shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a collapsible rectangular shelf combined with a collapsible corner shelf according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, partial view of the collapsible rectangular shelf shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the collapsible corner shelf of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a horizontal unit of the collapsible shelf shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged, partial view of the horizontal unit shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a foot of the collapsible corner shelf shown in FIG. 10; and

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a collapsible shelf according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, a collapsible shelf includes two vertical units 1, several horizontal units 2 and several connecting units for detachably connecting the horizontal units 2 to the vertical units 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Each of the vertical units 1 includes two posts 11 and several beams 12 for connecting the posts 11 to each other.
The horizontal units 2 are provided between the vertical units 1. The horizontal units 2 are rectangular. Each of the horizontal units 2 includes rods connected to one another. Each of the horizontal units 2 can be a board in another embodiment.
Each of the connecting units includes a hook 3 and a lining 4. The hook 3 is made of metal such as iron and steel. The hook 3 is secured to a corner of each of the horizontal units 2. The hook 3 includes a recess for receiving the lining 4.
The lining 4 is made of an elastic material such as plastics and rubber. The lining 4 includes a recess for receiving each of the posts 11. The lining 4 is secured to the hook 3. The lining 4 can however be omitted in another embodiment wherein the thickness of the hook 3 would better be increased.
To provide each of the horizontal units 2 on the vertical units 1, two of the hooks 3 secured to the horizontal unit 2 are located on a related one of the beams 12 of one of the vertical units 1 while the other hooks 3 secured to the horizontal unit 2 are located on a related one of the beams 12 of the other vertical unit 1. The recesses of the linings 4 related to the horizontal unit 2 receive the posts 11. The linings 4 are in contact with the posts 11.
To remove each of the horizontal units 2 from the vertical units 1, the horizontal unit 2 is pivoted relative to the vertical units 1 as shown in FIG. 2. Two of the linings 4 related to the horizontal unit 2 are removed from two related ones of the posts 11. Finally, the horizontal unit 2 is removed from the vertical units 1.
Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a collapsible shelf according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is like the first embodiment except including an additional vertical unit 1 and three additional horizontal units 2. Each of the additional horizontal units 2 includes a portion supported on one of the vertical units 1 as in the first embodiment and an opposite portion supported on the additional vertical unit 1.
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, there is shown a collapsible shelf according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment is like the first except that each of the posts 11 includes an upper section 111 detachably connected a lower section 112 with a connector 6. The connector 6 includes a screw 61, an insert 63 and a tab 62 formed between the screw 61 and the insert 63. The screw 61 is driven in a screw hole defined in a lower end of the upper section 111 of each of the posts 11. The insert 63 is inserted in a bore defined in an upper end of the lower section 112 of each of the posts 11 of a lower one of the collapsible sub-shelves. The tab 62 is provided between the sections 111 and 112 of the related post 11. In other words, the collapsible shelf consists of two collapsible sub-shelves connected to each other with the connectors 6.
Referring to FIGS. 8 through 13, there is shown a collapsible rectangular shelf 100 combined with a collapsible corner shelf 7 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The collapsible rectangular shelf 100 is identical to the collapsible shelf of the first embodiment except including semicircular connecting units each including a hook 8 and a lining 9. The hook 8 includes two semicircular plates between which the lining 9 is sandwiched. The lining 9 includes two semicircular plates between which a related one of the posts 11 is sandwiched.
The collapsible corner shelf 7 includes two vertical units 71, three sector-shaped horizontal units 72, feet 73 and connecting units. The vertical units 71 are structurally identical to the vertical units 1. The vertical units 71 are located in perpendicular to each other instead of in parallel to each other. Each of vertical units 71 includes two posts 711 like the posts 11 and three beams 712 like the beams 12.
Each of the sector-shaped horizontal units 72 includes an arched edge extending between two rectilinear edges. Two of the connecting units are provided along each of the rectilinear edges. Each of the connecting units includes a hook 8 and a lining 9. The connecting units related to the sector-shaped horizontal unit 72 are provided on two related ones of the beams 712, not the posts 711.
Each of the feet 73 includes a screw 731 extending from a pad 732. The screw 731 is driven in a screw hole defined in the lowermost sector-shaped horizontal unit 72 or a screw hole defined in each of the posts 711. Thus, the height of the collapsible shelf is adjustable.
Referring to FIG. 14, there is shown a collapsible shelf according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. The fifth embodiment is like the first embodiment except including balancing beams 11 a. A hook 3 is secured to each end of each balancing beam 11 a. The hooks 3 related to the balancing beams 11 a are engaged with the posts 11.
The present invention has been described via the detailed illustration of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A collapsible shelf comprising:

two vertical units each including two posts and beams extending between the posts;

horizontal units; and

connecting units for detachably connecting the horizontal units to the vertical units, wherein each of the connecting units includes a hook secured to a related one of the horizontal units and formed with a recess for movably receiving a related one of the posts.

2. The collapsible shelf according to claim 1, wherein each of the connecting units includes a lining secured to an internal side of the hook, wherein the lining includes a recess for movably receiving the related post.

3. The collapsible shelf according to claim 1, wherein each of the posts includes an upper section and a lower section detachably connected to the upper section.

4. The collapsible shelf according to claim 3, wherein each of the posts includes a connector including a screw driven in the upper section, an insert inserted in the lower section, and a tab formed between the screw and the insert.

5. The collapsible shelf according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal units are rectangular.

6. The collapsible shelf according to claim 1, wherein the hook of each of the connecting units is semicircular.

7. The collapsible shelf according to claim 1 including feet each detachably connected to a related one of the posts.

8. The collapsible shelf according to claim 1, including balancing beams each including, at each end, a hook secured to an end of a related one of the balancing beams and engaged with a related one of the posts.

9. The collapsible shelf according to claim 1, wherein each of the posts and the beams is square in a cross-sectional view.

10. A collapsible shelf comprising:

horizontal units; and

connecting units for detachably connecting the horizontal units to the vertical units, wherein each of the connecting units includes a hook secured to a related one of the horizontal units and formed with a recess for movably receiving a related one of the beams.

11. The collapsible shelf according to claim 10, wherein the vertical units are located in perpendicular to each other.

12. The collapsible shelf according to claim 10, wherein the hook of each of the connecting units is semicircular.

13. The collapsible shelf according to claim 10, wherein each of the connecting units includes a lining secured to an internal side of the hook, wherein the lining includes a recess for movably receiving the related beam.