Shelf extender

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9301604-B2
Application number	US-201414321912-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2014
Priority date	Jul 8, 2013
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

A shelf extender that is designed to be connected to a shelf of an existing shelf system to increase a total depth of a shelf of the shelf system. The shelf extender includes a body portion and a connection arrangement. The shelf extender can include one or more legs and/or support flanges. The body portion has a generally flat and planar top surface. The top surface generally has a depth that is less than a depth of a top surface of the shelf. The connection arrangement generally lies in the same plane as the top surface of the body portion. The connection arrangement is connected to the body portion and includes a connector designed secure the connection arrangement to a top surface of the existing shelf.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A shelf extender that is designed to be connected to a shelf of an existing shelf system to increase a total depth of a shelf of the shelf system, said shelf extender comprising:
a body portion including a top and bottom surface, said top surface having a generally flat and planar surface, said top surface having a width and a depth, said depth of said top surface less than a depth of a top surface of the shelf, the body portion further comprising a front flange connected to a front edge of the top surface;
a connection arrangement lying in a same plane as said top surface of said body portion, said connection arrangement connected to said body portion, said connection arrangement including a connector designed to secure said connection arrangement to a top surface of the existing shelf; and
a support flange connected to the bottom surface of the body portion and comprising a rear portion that comprises a downward extension that narrows to form a pointed or rounded tip that is a vertex of a rear edge and a front edge of the downward extension of the support flange, the rear edge positioned at an angle between 80 and 120 degrees relative to the plane of the top surface of the body portion, and the front edge of the rear portion is positioned at an angle between 10 and 60 degrees relative to the rear edge of the rear portion, the front edge of the downward extension is positioned between the front flange of the body portion and the rear edge of the support flange.

2. The shelf extender as defined in claim 1 , wherein said connection arrangement is integrally formed with the top surface of said body portion and extends rearwardly of said top surface.

3. The shelf extender as defined in claim 1 , wherein said connection arrangement includes a plurality of openings designed to align with openings in the top surface of the shelf of the existing shelf system.

4. The shelf extender as defined in claim 1 , wherein said body portion includes a side flange that connects to a side edge of said top surface, said side flange including a connector system designed to connect said side flange to a side flange of an adjacently positioned shelf extender.

5. The shelf extender as defined in claim 1 , including a leg connectable to the bottom surface of said body portion.

6. The shelf extender as defined in claim 5 , wherein a longitudinal axis of said leg is perpendicular to a plane of said bottom surface of said body portion.

7. The shelf extender as defined in claim 5 , wherein a length of said leg is adjustable.

8. The shelf extender as defined in claim 5 , wherein said leg is threadedly connected to said bottom surface of said body portion.

9. The shelf extender as defined in claim 1 , wherein a depth of the top surface of said body portion is variable along a longitudinal length of said top surface.

10. The shelf extender as defined in claim 1 , wherein the rear portion of said support flange is designed to engage a front concave face of the shelf of the existing shelf system and be supported in the concave face when said shelf extender is connected to the shelf of the existing shelf system.

11. The shelf extender as defined in claim 1 , wherein a length of said support flange is less than said depth of said top surface of said body portion.

12. The shelf extender as defined in claim 10 , wherein said top surface of said body portion includes an opening for use in connecting said support flange to said body portion.

13. A shelf system comprising:
a shelf having a top surface, a rear portion and a front face, said rear portion connected to a support system of said shelf system, said top surface including a plurality of openings, said top surface having a width and a depth, the shelf comprises a lower lip that extends from a bottom of the front face of the shelf in a direction that is upward and forward such that the lower lip forms a trough that faces away from the support system; and
a shelf extender connected to the shelf and including a body portion and a connection arrangement, said body portion including a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface having a generally flat and planar surface, said top surface having a width and a depth, said depth of said top surface less than said depth of said top surface of said shelf, said connection arrangement lying in a same plane as said top surface of said body portion, said connection arrangement connected to said body portion, said connection arrangement including a connector designed to secure said connection arrangement to at least one of said openings in said top surface of said shelf, top surface of said shelf extender lying in a same plane or parallel plane to a plane of said top surface of said shelf, the shelf extender further comprising a support flange connected to the bottom surface of the body portion, and a rear portion of the support flange comprises a downward extension that narrows to form a pointed or rounded tip configured to rest in and be supported by the trough when the shelf extender is connected to the shelf, wherein the pointed or rounded tip of the rear portion of the support flange is a vertex of a rear edge and a front edge of the downward extension of the support flange, the rear edge positioned at an angle between 80 and 120 degrees relative to the plane of the top surface of the body portion, and the front edge of the rear portion is positioned at an angle between 10 and 60 degrees relative to the rear edge of the rear portion.

14. The shelf system as defined in claim 13 , wherein said connection arrangement is integrally formed with a top surface of said body portion and extends rearwardly of said top surface, said connector of said connection arrangement including an opening designed to align with said opening in said top surface of said shelf when said shelf extender is connected to said shelf.

15. The shelf system as defined in claim 13 , wherein said body portion of said shelf extender includes a side flange that connects to a side edge of said top surface, said side flange including a connector system designed to connect said side flange to a side flange of an adjacently positioned shelf extender.

16. The shelf system as defined in claim 13 , wherein said shelf extender includes a leg, said leg connectable to a bottom surface of said body portion.

17. The shelf system as defined in claim 16 , wherein a length of said leg is adjustable.

18. The shelf system as defined in claim 13 , wherein a depth of the top surface of said body portion of said shelf extender is variable along a longitudinal length of said top surface.

Assignees

• Process4 Inc
• Nestec Sa

Inventors

• Misener Aaron
• Taylor Curtis

Classifications

• A47F5/0068

  Shelf extensions, e.g. fixed on price rail · CPC title

• A47F5/103

  Display shelving racks with the uprights aligned in only one plane · CPC title

• A47B45/00 Primary

  Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features enabling enlarging in height, length, or depth (sectional furniture A47B87/00) · CPC title

• A47B96/025

  Shelves with moving elements, e.g. movable extensions or link elements (cabinets, racks or shelf units enabling enlargement in height, length or depth A47B45/00) · CPC title