CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONSThis application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/619884 filed Jan. 21, 2018, with inventor RODRIGO CERON which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to devices and methods used to cover open-wire shelving.
BACKGROUNDThe most popular solution for shelving used in closets and storage compartments, is to use a vinyl-coated wire-frame construction, which typically uses two or more members running the length of the shelf with a number of closely spaced cross-members. This kind of solution is affordable and easy to install for developers or home owners.
Regardless of these benefits, many users, find this shelving unattractive. A substantial industry has developed for the upgrading of closets and pantries, for examples are when the shelves are removed and replaced with wood or covering the wire shelves with wood, plastic or composite surfaces, or enhancement of the appearance is achieved by placing a decorative frontal fascia. While these solutions work well for their intended purposes, they normally are expensive, difficult to install and/or not sturdy enough for the daily use.
The present invention is about a system which has, among other advantages, strength, solid connection with the wire shelving, adaptability, easier installation, use and maintenance, while keeping an affordable cost and a long lasting pleasant look.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe object of this invention is to provide a system to enhance the aesthetics and strength of the open-wire shelving with a solution firmly attached to the standard front face of the shelving by the use of specially designed clasps connected to the wire with groups of legs, combined with a U-shaped frontal profile attached to the clasps.
The system includes two basic elements. First: clasps to be attached to the front face of the open-wire shelving separated6″ between them. Each clasp includes a substantially flat surface with a front side and a back side, a top anchor and bottom anchor. The back side of the clasp has group of top and bottom legs specially calculated and shaped to fit the top and bottom horizontal wire of the shelf. Second: A substantially U-shaped profile element to be installed running along the shelving, with three components: A frontal substantially flat surface with a front side and back side and top and bottom elements substantially perpendicular to the front side ending in shoes to be attach to the top and bottom anchors in the clasps.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFIG. 1 Depicts a view of a standard open-wire shelf.
FIG. 2 Depicts a perspective view of a typical open-wire shelf with the present invention installed.
FIG. 3 Is an exploded diagram illustrating major components of this invention assembly.
FIG. 4 Is a front perspective view of a clasp inFIG. 3.
FIG. 5 Is a back perspective view of a clasp inFIG. 3.
FIG. 6 Is a front perspective view of the U-shaped profile inFIG. 3.
FIG. 7 Is a back perspective view of the U-shaped profile inFIG. 3.
FIG. 8 is an axonometric view of the group inFIG. 3: open-wire shelving, clasp and U-shaped profile connected.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONThe following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. The description clearly enables one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives, and uses of the invention, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the invention,
The object of this invention is a system that enhances the appearance and strength of open-wire shelves covering the frontal vertical and horizontal wire elements, with an assembly generally including a U-shaped profile with top and bottom shoes to fit firmly to specially designed clasps connected to the horizontal frontal top and bottom shelving wires by the action of group of legs.
The substantially U-shaped profile element to be installed running along the open-wire shelving has three components: 1. Frontal: substantially flat surface with a front side and back side. 2. Top: perpendicular to Frontal, has a shoe to connect with the clasp anchors and a structural reinforcement at the end. Both, shoe and reinforcement run along the entire profile. 3. Bottom: also has a shoe running along the profile to connect to the clasp anchors.
The specially engineered clasp includes a substantially flat surface with a front side and a back side, a top anchor and bottom anchor. The back side of the clasp has group of top and bottom legs specially calculated and shaped to fit the top and bottom horizontal wire of the shelf. These clasps are inserted along the wire shelf approximately 6 inches apart. Once the clasps are in place, the U-shaped profile is firmly connected to them, first from the top inserting this part in the clasps anchors and then pushing the whole U-shaped profile against the clasps to make the bottom part of the profile flex and to be inserted in the bottom anchors of the clasps.
Turning now toFIG. 1 A common wire-frame shelf10 is shown. Thisshelf10 has two basic surfaces: Top11: composed of at least three parallellongitudinal members12 spanned by numerousparallel wires13. Front14: Substantially perpendicular toTop surface11, composed by two horizontalparallel members15 and also spanned byparallel wires16.Bracing elements17 are also shown.
FIG. 2 View of the standard wire shelving inFIG. 1 with the invention installed. In this view the assembly subject of this invention composed for theclasp18 firmly attached to the wire shelvingFront14 inFIG. 1 and the U-shapedprofile19 anchored to theclasp18.
FIG. 3 Exploded view to show the different elements of this system. First, thewire shelf10,Top surface11 andFront surface14, with their main components, the parallellongitudinal members12 and the perpendicularparallel wires13. Second, theclasp18 includes afront side20 withtop21 andbottom22 ends anchors, to receive the U-shapedprofile19, and aback side23 with groups oftop24 andbottom25 legs shaped to fit thetop26 andbottom27 horizontal wire of theFront14 of theshelf wire10. Third, The U-shapedprofile19 element showing its basic three components: 1. Frontal28: substantially flat surface with afront side29 andback side30. 2. Top31: substantially perpendicular to Frontal28, has atop shoe32 to connect with theclasp anchor21 and structural reinforcement at theend33 to provide to the U-shapedprofile19 additional strength to improve the response of theshelf10 to flexion forces due to weight of the objects to carry. 3.Bottom34 perpendicular to Frontal28 ending with ashoe35 to connect firmly with thebottom anchor22 in theclasp18.
FIG. 4 Shows an axonometric view of aclasp18 ofFIG. 2. Theclasp18 includes a substantiallyflat element36 with afront side20 and aback side23, atop anchor21 andbottom anchor22. The top and bottom end of theflat element36 ends in a semicircular surface substantially rounded37 to allows the insertion of theprofile19 inFIG. 2 with some push force. The rectangularshaped top anchor21 is formed widening theflat element36 while thebottom anchor21 is triangular shaped, both designed to receive thetop32 andbottom shoe35 of theprofile19 inFIG. 2. Theback side23 of theclasp18 hasgroup37 of top and bottom legs. Thedistance38 between top and bottom leg varies according to thewire shelf10 to be attached to. Every set of top24 andbottom25 legs forms agroup37. Eachclasp18 is designed to have twogroups37 of top and bottom legs as shown in the image4, but could be two or more groups in oneclasp18 specifically calculated and shaped to fit thetop26 andbottom27 horizontal wire of the shelf inFIG. 2. Each leg24-25 are substantially perpendicular to theflat element36 attached to theback side23 and rectangular shaped ending in asemicircular catch41 and angled beveledsurface42 to fit thewire shelf10, top26 and bottom27 horizontal wires, and to allow the easy and firm insertion.
FIG. 5 Shows an axonometric view of aclasp18 ofFIG. 2. Theclasp18 includes a substantiallyflat element36 with afront side20 and aback side23, atop anchor21 andbottom anchor22. The top and bottom end of theflat element35 ends in a semicircular surface substantially rounded37 that allows the insertion of theprofile19 inFIG. 2 with some push force. The rectangular shapedtop anchor21 is formed widening theflat element36 while thebottom anchor21 is triangular shaped, both designed to receive the top32 andbottom shoe35 of theprofile19 inFIG. 2. Theback side23 of theclasp18 hasgroup37 of top and bottom legs. Thedistance38 between top and bottom leg varies according to thewire shelf10 to be attached to. Every set of top39 and bottom40 leg forms agroup37. Eachclasp18 is designed to have twogroups37 of top and bottom legs as shown in the image4, but could be two o more groups in oneclasp18 specially calculated and shaped to fit the top26 and bottom27 horizontal wire of the shelf inFIG. 2. Each leg39-40 is substantially perpendicular to theflat element36 attached to theback side23 and rectangular shaped ending in asemicircular catch41 and angledsurface42 to fit thewire shelf10 and to allow the easy and firm insertion.
Referring toFIG. 6 shows an axonometric back view of theU-shaped profile19 showing its basic three components: 1. Frontal28: substantially flat surface with afront side29 and backside30. 2. Top31: substantially perpendicular to Frontal28, and connected in a semicircular way, has atop shoe32 to connect with theclasp anchor21 inFIG. 3 and a structural reinforcement wider section at theend33 to provide to theU-shaped profile19 additional strength to the group:wire shelf10,clasp18 andprofile19 inFIG. 2 to flexion forces due to weight of the objects to carry. 3.Bottom element34 is substantially perpendicular tofront element28 and connected in a semicircular way, ending in an wider inverted righttrapezoidal section35 with an inner 45degrees angle face43 allowing theprofile19 to be inserted easy and firmly into theclasp18bottom end22 inFIG. 3. An alternate version of this profile has not thereinforcement33.
Referring toFIG. 7 shows an axonometric frontal view of theU-shaped profile19 showing its basic three components: 1. Frontal28: substantially flat surface with afront side29 and backside30. 2. Top31: substantially perpendicular to Frontal28, and connected in a semicircular way, has atop shoe32 to connect with theclasp anchor21 inFIG. 3 and a structural reinforcement wider section at theend33 to provide to theU-shaped profile19 additional strength to the group:wire shelf10,clasp18 andprofile19 inFIG. 2 to flexion forces due to weight of the objects to carry. 3.Bottom element34 is substantially perpendicular tofront element28 and connected in a semicircular way, ending in an wider inverted righttrapezoidal section35 with an inner 45degrees angle face43 allowing theprofile19 to be inserted easy and firmly into theclasp18bottom end22 inFIG. 3. An alternate version of this profile has not thereinforcement33.
FIG. 8 is a axonometric drawing of the assembly, showing how the group, Wire shelving10 inFIG. 1,U-shaped profile19 inFIG. 2 andclasp18 inFIG. 2 are strongly connected and therefore working as a unit to provide a long lasting strong aesthetical solution increasing the resistance to flexion forces of the original wire shelving10 inFIG. 1, up to 15% of the original strength reducing the amount of needed expensive bracing17 inFIG. 1.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are being shown and described, many changes, modifications, and substitutions may be made by one having ordinary skill in the art without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
The assembly described can be formed of a wide range of suitable materials, such as nylon, plastics (e.g., ABS, nylon, polyethylene, etc.), metals (e.g., steel, bronze, etc.), rubber, composite materials, etc. In various embodiments, the assembly described, is molded from plastic. Alternatively, other suitable materials and manufacturing processes can be used to form the assembly. For example, other embodiments include a device that is not monolithically or integrally formed as a single component. Instead, one or more of the device components, such as the interlocking member, clip, and/or catch, may be separately attached to one another to form the device.
Certain terminology is used herein for purposes of reference only, and thus is not intended to be limiting. For example, terms such as “front”, “back”, “rear”, “bottom” and “side”, describe the orientation of portions of the component within a consistent but arbitrary frame of reference which is made clear by reference to the text and the associated drawings describing the component under discussion. Such terminology may include the words specifically mentioned above, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. Similarly, the terms “first”, “second” and other such numerical terms referring to structures do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context.
When introducing elements or features of the present invention and the exemplary embodiments, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of such elements or features. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements or features other than those specifically noted.
The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.