Utility rack having end supports with folding cross-members

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016220018-A1
Application number	US-201514744287-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 19, 2015
Priority date	Jan 29, 2015
Publication date	Aug 4, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A utility rack includes a pair of end supports for supporting one or more shelves there between. Each end support includes a first vertical support having one or more cross members mounted thereto and a second vertical support. The cross members may be mounted to one or more cross member mounts of the first vertical support and are configured to be movable relative to the first vertical support between a stored position in which they are disconnected from the second vertical support and are collapsed inwardly towards the first vertical support for storage or transport and an extended position in which free ends of the cross members may be attached to the second vertical support using fasteners.

First claim

1 . A utility rack comprising:
an end support for disposing on each of opposite sides of a plurality of shelves, the end supports being configured to support the plurality of shelves, and each end support comprising:
a first vertical support including two or more cross member attachment mechanisms;
a second vertical support including two or more cross member attachment mechanisms; and
at least a first cross member having a first end and a second end and a second cross member having a first end and a second end, where each of the first cross member and the second cross member are rotatably coupled at the respective first end to one of the cross member attachment mechanisms of the first vertical support, where each of the first cross member and the second cross member are configured to attach at the respective second end to one of the cross member attachment mechanisms of the second vertical support, and where the first cross member has a length greater than a length of the second cross member.

2 . The utility rack of claim 1 , where the first vertical support and the second vertical support are each constructed to have a channel, and configured to at least partially receive at least one of the first cross member or the second cross member within the channel of the first vertical support.

3 . The utility rack of claim 2 , where the cross member attachment mechanisms are brackets that are coupled to an interior surface within one of the channels of the first vertical support and the second vertical support.

4 . The utility rack of claim 1 , where the first vertical support comprises a first cross member attachment mechanism and a second cross member attachment mechanism, and where the first cross member comprises a diagonal support coupled to a cross member attachment mechanism adjacent an upper end of the first vertical support and a cross member attachment mechanism adjacent a lower end of the second vertical support.

5 . The utility rack of claim 4 , further comprising a third cross member having a length equal to the length of the second cross member, and where the third cross member is rotatable coupled with the first vertical support member and configured to attach to the second vertical support member.

6 . A method for packaging an end support for a utility rack, the end support having a first vertical support and a second vertical support, and at least a first cross member and a second cross member, each of the first cross member and the second cross member having a first end and a second end, and each of the first cross member and the second cross member being rotatably coupled at its first end to one of a plurality of cross member attachment mechanisms of the first vertical support, where the first cross member has a length greater than a length of the second cross member, the method comprising the steps of:
rotating each of the first cross member and the second cross member to a storage position in which each of the first cross member and the second cross member are substantially parallel with the first vertical support; and packaging the first and second vertical supports with the first cross member and the second cross member in the storage position for storage and shipping.

7 . The method of claim 6 , where the first vertical support and the second vertical support each comprise a channel, and at least one of the first cross member or the second cross member is at least partially received into the channel of the first vertical support in the storage position.

8 . The method of claim 7 , where each of the plurality of cross member attachment mechanisms is a bracket that is coupled to an interior surface within one of the channels of the first vertical support or the second vertical support.

9 . The method of claim 6 , where the first cross member comprises a diagonal support, and the second cross member comprises a horizontal support, and where the diagonal support and the horizontal support are connected to the same cross member attachment mechanism of the first vertical support.

10 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising a third cross member that is a lower horizontal support, and where the second cross member is an upper horizontal support, and
where the diagonal cross member and one of the upper horizontal support and lower horizontal support are connected to the same cross member attachment member of the first vertical support.

11 . (canceled)

12 . (canceled)

13 . (canceled)

14 . (canceled)

15 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Js Products Inc

Inventors

• Hanlon Jared

Classifications

• A47B96/1441

  Horizontal struts · CPC title

• A47B43/00 Primary

  Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features enabling folding of the cabinet or the like · CPC title

• A47B47/0083

  with four vertical uprights (for units mainly made of wood or plastic A47B47/045) · CPC title

• A47B47/028

  with crossbars · CPC title

• B65B5/04

  Packaging single articles · CPC title