Shoe rack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9756939-B1
Application number	US-201615259892-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 8, 2016
Priority date	Mar 4, 2016
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

A storage unit for attachment to a door or similar structure is provided. The storage unit can be configured for holding shoes or any other suitably desired items. The storage unit can include a frame portion having two vertical supports and a plurality of horizontal cross supports extending perpendicularly from and between the two vertical supports. The storage unit can further include a liner portion constructed from fabric, plastic or other suitable material. The liner portion can be configured for connection to the frame portion and can include a plurality of shelving supports that can be attached to the plurality of horizontal cross supports in order to create a series of angled shelves along the height of the frame portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A storage unit configured for mounting to a vertically-orientated structure, said storage unit comprising:
a frame portion, said frame portion comprising:
at least one vertical support, said vertical support having an upper end and a lower end and an intermediate section positioned a first depth away from said upper end; and
at least one generally horizontal cross support connected to and extending laterally from said at least one vertical support; and

a liner portion configured for attachment to said frame portion comprising:
a backer component, said backer component configured for placement behind said intermediate section by a depth substantially equal to said first depth; and
at least one shelving component connected to said backer component and sized to extend between said backer component and said at least one generally horizontal cross support, wherein said shelving component includes a fixed end secured to said backer component and a free end opposite said fixed end, said free end having a receiving means for receiving said at least one generally horizontal cross support, wherein said receiving means comprises a loop generally sized to accommodate a cross-sectional shape of said at least one generally horizontal cross support, wherein said at least one shelving component of said liner portion extends from said backer component to said at least one generally horizontal cross support with an angled configuration,

wherein said liner portion and said frame portion collectively form at least one shelf adjacent to said at least one horizontal cross support, wherein said at least one shelf has a depth substantially equal to said first depth.

2. The storage unit of claim 1 , wherein said angled orientation of said at least one shelving component is sloped toward said backer component.

3. The storage unit of claim 1 , wherein said fixed end of said at least one shelving component is secured to said backer component at a first height of said storage unit and said at least one generally horizontal cross support is connected to said vertical support at a second height of said storage unit, wherein said first height is at an elevation less than an elevation of said second height.

4. The storage unit of claim 1 , wherein said at least one vertical support includes an inward bent section extending between said intermediate section and said upper end and between said intermediate section and said lower end.

5. The storage unit of claim 4 , wherein said frame portion includes an upper generally horizontal end support extending generally laterally away from said upper end and a lower generally horizontal end support extending generally laterally away from said lower end.

6. The storage unit of claim 5 , wherein said at least one vertical support comprises a first vertical support and a second vertical support, wherein said at least one generally horizontal cross support extends laterally between said first vertical support and said second vertical support, wherein said upper end support extends between said upper ends of said first and said second vertical supports, wherein said lower end support extends between said lower ends of said first and said second vertical supports.

7. The storage unit of claim 6 , wherein said at least one generally horizontal cross support comprises a plurality of generally horizontal cross supports spaced along a height of said first and said second vertical supports, wherein each generally horizontal cross support includes a first end connected to said first vertical support and a second end connected to said second vertical support.

8. The storage unit of claim 7 , wherein said liner portion comprises:
a backer component having an upper end configured for connection to said upper end support and a lower end configured for connection to said lower end support, wherein said backer component is located a depth behind said intermediate sections of said first and said second vertical supports substantially equal to said first depth; and
a plurality of shelving components spaced along said height of said first and said second vertical supports, wherein each shelving component of said plurality of shelving components includes a first end fixed to said backer component at a first height and a second end configured for connection to a corresponding generally horizontal cross support from said plurality of generally horizontal cross supports of said frame portion.

9. The storage unit of said claim 8 , wherein said corresponding generally horizontal cross support is connected to said first and said second vertical supports at a second height, wherein said second height is greater than said first height.

10. The storage unit of claim 9 , wherein said second end of each of said shelving components includes a receiving means for receiving said corresponding generally horizontal cross support.

11. The storage unit of claim 1 , wherein said frame portion is constructed from hollow metal tubes.

12. The storage unit of claim 1 , wherein said liner portion is constructed from a fabric material.

13. A storage unit for storing shoes and configured for mounting to a door, said storage unit comprising:
a frame portion comprising:
first and second vertical supports spaced laterally apart from one another, wherein each of said first and said second vertical supports includes an upper end, a lower end, and an intermediate section displaced outward from said upper and said lower ends;
a plurality of generally horizontal cross supports extending between said intermediate sections of said first and said second vertical supports, wherein said plurality of generally horizontal cross supports are spaced apart along a height of said storage unit;
an upper end support extending between said upper ends of said first and said second vertical supports; and
a lower end support extending between said lower ends of said first and said second vertical supports; and

a liner portion comprising:
a backer component extending said height of said storage unit, said backer component including an upper end having a receiving means for receiving said upper end support of said frame portion and a lower end having receiving means for receiving said lower end support of said frame portion; and
a plurality of shelving components connected to said backer component, wherein each shelving component of said plurality of shelving components includes a fixed end connected to said backer component at a first height and a free end having receiving means configured for receiving a corresponding generally horizontal cross support of said plurality of generally horizontal cross supports;

wherein said corresponding generally horizontal cross support is connected to said first and said second vertical sections at a second height;
wherein said second height is greater than said first height so that said shelving components extend from said backer component to said generally horizontal cross supports with an angled orientation.

14. The storage unit of claim 13 , wherein said frame portion includes at least one mounting bracket for hanging said storage unit over a door.

15. The storage unit of claim 13 , wherein said frame portion is constructed from a plurality of hollow metal tubes and said liner portion is constructed from a fabric material.

Assignees

• Whitmor Inc

Inventors

• Ruiz Milton D
• Felsenthal Sandy

Classifications

• A47B61/04 Primary

  for shoes, hats, umbrellas, or the like {(shoe racks as an implement for the manufacture of shoes A43D117/00)} · CPC title

• A47F7/08

  for shoes {(shoe hangers A47G25/005; shoe hangers with anti-theft means E05B69/003)} · CPC title

• A47B43/003

  Suspended shelves, e.g. by means of supple elements · CPC title

• A47B96/068

  Very short brackets, quickly attachable or detachable to a vertical support surface · CPC title

• A47B55/00

  Cabinets, racks or shelf units, having essential features of rigid construction (safes E05G) · CPC title