Shelf movable between an extended shelf position and a shelf storage position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9770103-B2
Application number	US-201415314079-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2014
Priority date	Jun 30, 2014
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

A shelving apparatus includes a shelf and a kickstand member. The shelf includes a first set of shelf connectors and a second set of shelf connectors. The shelf is movable between a plurality of shelf positions including an extended shelf position and a shelf storage position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shelving apparatus, comprising:
a shelf movable between a plurality of shelf positions including an extended shelf position and a shelf storage position; the shelf including a shelf surface, a first set of shelf connectors, and a second set of shelf connectors;
the first set of shelf connectors removably couples to a perforated member in the extended shelf position; and
the second set of shelf connectors removably couples to the perforated member in the shelf storage position; and

a kickstand member movable between a plurality of kickstand positions including an extended kickstand position and a kickstand storage position, the kickstand member having a first end and a second end;
the first end to couple to the shelf; and
the second end having at least one kickstand connector to removably couple to the perforated member.

2. The shelving apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shelf surface is placed in the extended shelf position in response to a placement of the kickstand member in the extended kickstand position by a rotation of the kickstand member with respect to the shelf.

3. The shelving apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shelf surface is placed in the shelf storage position in response to a placement of the kickstand member in the kickstand storage position by a rotation of the kickstand member with respect to the shelf.

4. The shelving apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the extended shelf position corresponds to the shelf surface disposed in a horizontal orientation and the shelf storage position corresponds to the shelf surface disposed in a vertical orientation.

5. The shelving apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the extended kickstand position corresponds to the kickstand member disposed in an inclined orientation with respect to the perforated member and the kickstand storage position corresponds to the kickstand member disposed in a vertical orientation.

6. The shelving apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shelf further comprises:
a plurality of side rails attached to and extending outward from the shelf surface, the side rails and the shelf surface forming an area to receive the kickstand member in the kickstand storage position.

7. The shelving apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the shelf further comprises:
a front rail attached to and extending outward from the shelf surface in a direction opposite from the side rails disposed along opposite ends of the shelf surface; and
a plurality of flanges extending outward from the shelf surface to connect to the first end of the kickstand member.

8. The shelving apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first set of shelf connectors includes a plurality of hooks to grab the perforated member in the extended shelf position and release the perforated member in the shelf storage position;
the second set of shelf connectors includes a plurality of tab members to rest against the perforated member in the shelf storage position; and
the at least one kickstand connector includes a hook member to grab the perforated member in the extended kickstand position and release the perforated member in the kickstand storage position.

9. The shelving apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shelf positions further comprises:
an intermediate shelf position corresponding to the shelf surface arranged in an inclined orientation with respect to the perforated member.

10. The shelving apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of kickstand positions further comprises:
an intermediate kickstand position corresponding to the kickstand member arranged in an inclined orientation with respect to the perforated member such that the shelf surface is placed in the intermediate shelf position in response to a placement of the kickstand member in the intermediate kickstand position by a rotation of the kickstand member with respect to the shelf.

11. The shelving apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the shelf surface comprises a perforated surface.

12. A shelf adjustment method comprising:
disconnecting at least one kickstand connector of a second end of a kickstand member in an extended kickstand position from a perforated member;
disconnecting a first set of shelf connectors of a shelf in an extended shelf position attached to the perforated member therefrom;
rotating a kickstand member about a first end thereof coupled to the shelf from an extended kickstand position to a kickstand storage position; and
placing a second set of shelf connectors of the shelf into perforated openings of the perforated member to connect to the perforated member to place the shelf in a shelf storage position.

13. The shelf adjustment method of claim 12 , wherein the rotating a kickstand member about a first end thereof coupled to the shelf from an extended kickstand position to a kickstand storage position further comprises:
rotating the kickstand member about the first end thereof coupled to the shelf into an area to receive the kickstand member disposed between a plurality of side rails attached to and extending outward from the shelf.

14. A shelf adjustment method comprising:
disconnecting a second set of shelf connectors of a shelf in a shelf storage position attached to a perforated member therefrom;
placing a first set of shelf connectors of the shelf into perforated openings of the perforated member to connect to the perforated member;
rotating a kickstand member about a first end thereof coupled to the shelf from a kickstand storage position to an extended kickstand position to place the shelf in an extended shelf position; and
placing at least one kickstand connector of a second end of the kickstand member into a respective perforated hole of the perforated member to connect to the perforated member to support the shelf in the extended shelf position.

15. The shelf adjustment method of claim 14 , wherein the rotating a kickstand member about a first end thereof coupled to the shelf from a kickstand storage position to an extended kickstand position to place the shelf in an extended shelf position further comprises:
rotating the kickstand member about the first end thereof coupled to the shelf from an area disposed between a plurality of side rails attached to and extending outward from the shelf to the extended kickstand position.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Entpr Dev Lp

Inventors

• Cochran Charles W
• Felcman Chris F

Classifications

• A47B96/021

  Structural features of shelf bases · CPC title

• A47B46/005 Primary

  by displacement in a vertical plane; by rotating about a horizontal axis · CPC title

• A47B57/406

  Hooks attached to uprights (A47B57/402 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47B96/024

  characterised by support bracket location means, e.g. fixing means between support bracket and shelf (A47B96/028 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47B46/00 Primary

  Cabinets, racks or shelf units, having one or more surfaces adapted to be brought into position for use by extending or pivoting (A47B63/04, A47B77/10 take precedence; writing tables with extensible leaves A47B17/03; with extensible garment holders A47B61/02) · CPC title