Shelf-Support Bracket

This invention relates to shelf-support brackets, and particularly such brackets which are attachable to display fixtures.

Shelf support brackets are typically used in retail or other merchandise outlet stores, and releasably attached to a display fixture on a wall. The support bracket may include a lip which is receivable within a channel on the display fixture. With the shelf support bracket firmly attached to the display fixture, a shelf is inserted in the shelf support bracket, so as to provide a cantilever shelf support. Various articles of merchandise may thereafter be placed on the shelf support for simple and attractive display.

Typically, the shelf-support bracket would incorporate substantially parallel top and lower surfaces which define a space in which the shelf is received. Each support bracket would have top and lower surfaces which are a fixed distance apart, and which are specifically adapted for receiving a shelf of specific thickness.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a support bracket comprising a substantially vertical wall; an upper horizontal wall extending substantially transversely to the vertical wall, the upper horizontal wall having a lower surface; a lower horizontal wall substantially parallel to the upper horizontal wall, the lower horizontal wall having an upper surface, the upper and lower horizontal walls defining therebetween a space which, in use, receives a shelf which is support by the upper and lower horizontal walls respectively in cantilever fashion; track means in the lower surface of the upper horizontal wall and the upper surface of the lower horizontal wall; adjuster insert means for use in cooperation with the track means, the adjuster insert means having a tracking portion which registers with the track means to securely hold the adjuster insert means relative to the upper and lower horizontal walls respectively.

Preferably, the bracket comprises a suspension lip affixed to the vertical wall, the suspension lip, in use, attaching to a display fixture, and having a horizontal portion substantially continuous with the upper horizontal wall, and an upwardly projecting vertical flange.

Conveniently, the track means in the lower surface of the upper horizontal wall and the upper surface of the lower horizontal wall are located in the upper and lower horizontal wall respectively at a location thereon remote from the vertical wall. The track means may comprise a recess in the wall, the recess extending across the wall, the recess including a projection therein dividing the recess into two parallel channeled grooves. Preferably, the projection is eccentrically located in the recess thereby dividing the recess into a wide channel groove and a narrow channel groove.

The adjuster insert means may be an elongate body of substantially rectangular cross-section with a long side and a short side, the adjuster insert means having a slot along each of the long side and short side thereof, the slot being adapted, in use, to accommodate the projection in the recess, whereby the adjuster insert can be arranged in two positions with respect to the track means, the first position comprising the slot in the long side of the adjuster insert receiving the projection, the second position comprising the slot in the short side of the adjuster insert receiving the projection. Preferably, the adjuster insert means has one or more of its surfaces comprised of a series of ridges, the ridges on the surface of one insert adjuster means engaging spaces between the ridges on a second insert adjuster means wherein when two adjuster means are placed adjacent each other, the ridges engage preventing slippage or movement between the adjacent adjuster means.

Preferably, the vertical wall has a rear surface, and further track means are provided in the rear surface, the track means being adapted to receive adjuster insert means having a tracking portion which registers with the track means. The track means in the rear surface of the vertical wall are located at or near a lower end of the vertical wall.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of supporting a cantilever shelf with a bracket, the method comprising providing a shelf support bracket having a vertical wall, an upper horizontal wall and a lower horizontal wall defining a space therebetween for accommodating a shelf; providing tracking means in a lower surface of the upper horizontal wall and an upper surface of the lower horizontal wall; inserting an adjuster insert means in one or more of the track means to reduce the size of the space defined between the upper and lower horizontal walls so that shelves of varying thicknesses can be accommodated therein according to the mode of use of such adjuster insert means and the number thereof used.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shelf support bracket of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a display fixture for use with the bracket.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the shelf support bracket shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the shelf support bracket shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the shelf support bracket shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a bracket attached to a display fixture.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a shelf adjuster insert for use with shelf support bracket shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a bracket, shelf and adjuster inserts of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a side view of a bracket, shelf and adjuster means of the invention.

With reference to the drawings, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, comprising a shelf support bracket 10 which may be fixed to a display fixture 12, the display fixture 12 typically being attached to or forming a wall 14 and having a series of horizontal channels 16 spaced thereover. In the present embodiment, each horizontal channel comprises a mouth portion or slot 18 leading into a rectangular chamber portion 20. The channel 16 is preferably lined with a plastic or aluminum extruded insert 22 to prevent wear of those portions of the display fixture 12 which border the horizontal channels 16.

The shelf support bracket 10 comprises a rear vertical wall 24, an upper horizontal wall 26, and a lower horizontal wall 28. The upper horizontal wall 26 is located at the top of the rear vertical wall 24, while the lower horizontal wall 28 extends outwardly from the rear vertical wall 24 approximately one third of the way down its length. The upper and lower horizontal walls 26 and 28 define therebetween a rectangular space 30 which is adapted to receive a shelf 32, to be described in greater detail hereunder.

A support wall 34 extends between the outer end 36 of the lower horizontal wall 28 and the lower end 38 of the rear vertical wall 24. In this way, additional support is provided to the lower horizontal wall, which is thus well adapted to support in cantilever fashion a shelf 32, as well as any merchandise or articles which may be placed thereon.

A suspension lip 40 is also provided at the upper end of the vertical wall 24. The lip 40 comprises a horizontal portion 42 and a vertical flange 44. In use, the vertical flange is adapted to pass through the mouth portion or slot 18 of the horizontal channel 16 for location in the rectangular chamber portion 20. The horizontal portion 42 extends, when the bracket is attached to the wall 14, through the mouth portion or slot 18. An aperture 46 is provided in the vertical flange 44, so that the bracket 10 may be more permanently affixed to the display fixture by driving a nail or screw through the aperture 46 between the bracket 10 and the display fixture 12.

Tracking grooves 48 are positioned on the shelf support bracket 10 at various locations. A tracking groove 48a is located on the undersurface 50 of the upper horizontal wall 26, tracking groove 48b is located on the upper surface 52 of the lower horizontal wall 28 and tracking groove 48c is located on the rear surface 54 of the vertical wall 24. Each tracking groove 48 comprises a recess 56 having a projection 58 therein. The projection 58 is not centrally located within the recess 56, and divides the recess 56 into a wide groove 60 and a narrow groove 62.

It will be noted that the tracks 48 run across the entire 10 width of the bracket 10 at their respective locations.

The shelf support bracket 10 further comprises a shelf adjuster insert 64, an insert optionally being used with each set of tracks 48. The shelf adjuster insert 64 is substantially rectangular in cross section, and is constructed for use with a track 48.

Each adjuster insert 64 has a short side 66 and a long side 68. A first slot 70 is fashioned in the adjuster insert so as to open along one short side 66 thereof, while a second slot 72 is fashioned in the long side 68 of the adjuster insert and is open at the long side 68. One or more sides of the adjuster insert 64 may be knurled, and in the presently shown embodiment in FIG. 7, two sides (a long side and a short side) have such a knurled configuration.

In use, a shelf adjuster insert 64 may be used with any one or more of the tracks 48a, 48b, and 48c. The adjuster insert 64 may be positioned with respect to each track 48 in two ways. In a first position, the adjuster insert 64 may be located in the track 48 such that the projection 58 extends into the second slot 72, with the arm 74 being located in the narrow groove 62 and a portion of the long side 68 being positioned in the wide groove 60. In a second position, the adjuster insert 64 may be positioned in any one of the tracks 48 whereby the projection 58 extends into the first slot 70, with the arms 76 and 78 straddling the projection 58.

With respect to the tracks 48a and 48b, positioning of the adjuster insert 64 in the first or second positions will result in a narrowing of the space 30 by different amounts. Thus, the space 30 will be narrower when an adjuster insert 64 is located in the track 48b in the second position, than when the adjuster insert 64 is located in the track 48b in the first position. A similar situation would prevail with respect to location of an adjuster insert 64 in the track 48a.

Turning to the track 48c, at the lower end 38 of the rear vertical wall 24, positioning of an adjuster insert 64 therein in either the first or second position will have the effect of distancing the lower end 38 of the rear vertical wall from the display fixture 12 by different amounts. If no such adjuster insert 64 is positioned in the track 48c, the rear vertical wall 24 will typically lie adjacent the display fixture 12. Where the adjuster insert 64 is inserted in the track 48c in either the first or second position, the rear vertical wall will be moved away from the display fixture 12, and the effect will be that the entire bracket 10 will be slightly tilted with respect to the display fixture. It will be appreciated that tilting of the bracket 10 results in an adjustment of the angle of a shelf 32 in the space 30.

The shelf support bracket 10, used in combination with one or more shelf adjuster inserts 64, is readily adaptable for use with shelves 32 of differing thicknesses, and appropriate use of the inserts 64 can result in the shelf 32 being mounted at different angles, which may be conveniently selected depending upon the merchandise or display items to be located on the shelf 32.

With respect to a particular shelf support bracket 10, the thickest shelf 32 can be accommodated in the space 30 with no shelf adjuster inserts in place. Using a single shelf adjuster insert, the space 30 can be progressively narrowed. Thus, there may be an absence of a shelf adjuster insert 64 in track 48a, but an adjuster insert 64 may be located in either the first or second position in the track 48b. Alternatively, an adjuster insert 64 may be located in track 48a in a first position, and an adjuster insert 64 in track 48b in either the first or second position. Finally, an adjuster insert 64 may be located in the second position in the track 48a, with a further adjuster insert 64 located in track 48b in either the first or second position. Using this technique alone, it will be noted that shelves of seven different thicknesses may be located in a single bracket in the space 30 according to the use and configuration of adjuster inserts 64 in either of the tracks 48a and 48b. The thickness defined by the space 30 may thus be adjusted to be bigger or smaller in small increments, and the expense of providing a different size bracket for a particular thickness shelf is obviated. Further, it will also be noted that the large number of thicknesses can be provided with only a single size and shape shelf adjuster insert 64.

The fine adjustment of the angle and tilt of the shelf 32 may further be varied, as set forth above, by location of a shelf adjuster insert 64 in the track 48c. The use and effect of an insert within the track 48c has already been described above.

It is also to be noted that the space 30 may be further narrowed in addition to the methods described above by placing a first shelf adjuster insert 64 in the track 48b, and placing a second adjuster insert on top of the first insert such that knurled surfaces of the adjuster insert are in contact with each other and thereby prevent slippage of the first insert with respect to the second insert. A similar arrangement can be used in the track 48a, although it will be appreciated that a second insert 64 requires the upward pressure of the shelf 32 to hold it against the first insert 64 located in the track 48a. However, since the shelf 32 would in any event have an upward force due to the cantilever arrangement thereof, more than one insert 64 may be used with respect to the track 48a. Also, each insert may be in either the first or second position.

Thus, using no, one, or two inserts with respect to any one or more of the tracks 48a and 48b can produce a very large number of space 30 adjustments whereby the space 30 can accommodate shelves 32 of varying thicknesses. The bracket is thus extremely versatile and has a wide application in that only a single bracket is necessary for shelves whose thickness may vary considerably. Since the shelf is supported in cantilever fashion in the space 30, there will be an upward force from the shelf at the track 48a, and a downward force by the shelf at the track 48b, and these forces will securely hold one or more shelf adjuster inserts in position over the tracks.

The invention is not limited to the precise construction or details hereinbefore described or illustrated. For example, tracks 48 need not be provided in both the undersurface 50 of the upper horizontal wall 26 and the upper surface 52 of the lower horizontal wall 28. Only one such track need be provided. Additionally, the track 48c may be omitted.

Any suitable shape shelf adjuster insert may be provided to meet the requirements for narrowing the space 30 above. Further, the tracks 48a and 48b may be located at different points along the undersurface 50 and upper surface 52 of the upper and lower horizontal walls 26 and 28 respectively.