Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02596630 2007-08-03
TITLE: STORAGE SYSTEM WITH ADJUSTABLE POLE
FIELD
[0001] This specification relates to furniture, for example, shelving or
storage systems.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The following is not an admission that anything described below is
citable as prior art or part of the common general knowledge of persons
skilled
in the art.
[0003] A storage system is a set of parts used to add article-supporting
elements to a room. Article supporting elements may include, for example,
shelves or horizontal rods.
SUMMARY
[0004] The following summary is intended to introduce the reader to this
specification. This summary is not intended to define or limit any invention.
One
or more inventions may reside in any combination of one or more apparatus
elements or process steps selected from a set of all elements or steps
described
anywhere in this document.
[0005] The specification describes a pole for mounting between two
surfaces such as a floor and a ceiling or a floor and a shelf. The pole has a
first
section and a second telescoping section. The second section may be fixed in
position relative to the first section to provide a rough length of the pole.
An
upper shoe is attached to the top of the pole through a spring that is
compressible through a first range of movement between a first position, in
which the upper shoe abuts the top of the pole, and a second position, in
which
the upper shoe is further away from the top of the pole. A lower shoe is
threaded to the bottom of the pole. The distance of the bottom of the lower
shoe
to the bottom of the pole is adjustable through a second range of movement
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about as large as, or greater than, the first range of movement. In this way,
the
length of the pole can be set at a distance whereby the spring is partially
compressed, but the upper shoe does not abut the top of the pole, with the
pole
roughly in a desired location. The compressed spring holds the pole in place
but permits adjustments to its position. When the desired position is reached,
the lower shoe may be adjusted to further compress the spring, optionally
until
the upper shoe abuts the pole and the pole is compressed in place. Optionally,
the length of the first and second sections of the poles may be, at least
temporarily, fixed by a fixing mechanism actuated by rotating one of the
sections
relative to the other. Further optionally, the one or both sections of the
pole may
be separable into multiple segments for a reduced packaging length.
[0006] The specification describes a kit for a storage system. The kit
includes at least three sets of parts for assembly each into a pole that may
be
installed between two surfaces such as a floor and ceiling or shelf. The kit
may
further include brackets mountable to the poles. The kit further includes a
first
shelf and a second longer shelf. Both shelves may be mountable to the
brackets. The kit further includes an extendable rod having a variable length
suitable for mounting between a pair of poles supporting the shorter shelf of
between a pair of poles supporting the longer shelf. Optionally, the rod may
be
mountable to the poles via the brackets. Further optionally, the brackets may
have fittings to receive a rod or shelf on either side of a pole.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Figure 1 is a schematic cross sectional exploded view of a pole.
[0008] Figure 2 is a schematic representation of steps in a process for
installing the pole of Figure 1.
[0009] Figure 3 is a schematic isometric representation of parts in a kit for
a storage system having poles as in Figure 1.
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[0010] Figure 4 is a schematic representation of steps in a process for
assembling the kit of Figure 3 after the poles have been installed.
[0011] Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of an installed kit of
Figure 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] Referring to Figure 1, a pole 10 has first section first segment 12a
and first section second segment 12b which may be connected together by way
of a coupling 14 to form a first section 12. Separating the first section 12
into
segments allows the first section 12 to provide a constant outer diameter pole
through the area in which shelves or rods are likely to be mounted, while
reducing the required length of a package or box containing the pole 10. A
second section 16 of the pole 10 slides into first section 12. Second section
16
has a lower plug 18 having a middle part 22 with a cross section having an
area
of increasing diameter. A split clip 22 has an area of increasing thickness
and is
clipped around the middle part 22 of lower plug 18. The outer diameter of
split
clip 22 is such that it drags against the inside of first section 12. When the
second section 16 is rotated within first section 12, the thickened area of
split
clip 22 moves into the area of increasing diameter of the middle part 22 of
plug
18 and fixes the two sections 12, 16 in position relative to each other. Other
means of fixing telescoping pole sections together by relative rotation, for
example involving a threaded shaft to spread a sectioned cone, may alternately
be used. A collar 24 is also attached to an end of first section 12 and has a
threaded insert 26 in a portion of the collar 24 that extends beyond the end
of
the first section 12. When the second section 16 is located in the first
section
12, a screw 28 may be screwed into the threaded insert 26 to bear against,
dent
or pierce and screw through into the wall of the second section 16 as an
alternate or additional means of fixing the sections 12, 16 in position
relative to
each other to form a pole body of fixed length.
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[0013] An upper plug 40 is located in the top of the second section and
has a pin 42 surrounded by an annular recess 44. A coiled spring 46, which
may be for example between 20 and 60 cm long, has a lower end inserted into
the annular recess 44. The upper end of the spring 46 protrudes from the upper
section 16 to about, for example within 8 mm, of the top of the pin 42. An
upper
shoe 48 fits over the end of the upper section 16. The upper shoe 48 has a
platform 50 with a hole 52 sized to admit the pin 42 but not the spring 46.
Pin
42 and hole 52 may have corresponding square cross-sections to prevent the
upper shoe 48 from turning relative to the upper section 16. A retaining screw
54, optionally with a washer 56, is threaded into the pin 42 and holds the
upper
shoe 48 on the pin 42. The upper shoe 48 may move, by compressing the
spring 46, between a first position in which the top of the platform 52 is on
the
same plane as the top of the pin 42, to a second position in which the bottom
of
the platform 52 abuts the top of the upper plug 40. An optional upper base 58
may be slipped over the top of the upper shoe 48 to provide more surface area,
if desired, to contact an upper surface such as a ceiling or shelf or cabinet
bottom. The upper base 58 may have bores 60 to admit screws or other
fasteners for attaching the upper base 50 to an upper surface if desired. The
top of the upper shoe 48 or upper base 50 may optionally have other shapes,
configurations or devices, for example a clamp, to allow installation against
a
rod or other non-flat upper surface.
[0014] A foot plug 30 in the bottom of first section 12 has a threaded bore
32. A foot 34 (or lower shoe) has a threaded shaft 36 such that the foot
adjusting section 34 can be threaded into the foot plug 30. The foot 34 may,
by
rotation relative to the first section 12, be set at a desired distance from
the
bottom of the first section 12. The range of positions for the foot 34 is at
least
about as much as the range of movement of the upper shoe 48. An optional foot
base 38 may be slipped over the lower end of the foot 34 to provided more
surface area to contact a floor if desired.
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[0015] Referring to Figure 2, steps in a process to install a pole 10
between a floor and ceiling (or other upper surface) are described. In step
a),
the foot 34 has been rotated for packaging and shipping so as to be threaded
as
far into the lower section 12 of pole 10 as possible. The upper section 16,
which
had been rotated so as to fix it in position relative to lower section 12 for
packaging and shipping, is rotated relative to the lower section 12 to loosen
or
un-fix the two sections 12, 16. In step b), the pole 10 is placed in a desired
location and held generally vertically while pushing upwards on upper section
16
to press the upper shoe 48 (or upper base 50 if any) against the ceiling. In
step
c), while pressing the upper section 16 into the ceiling and moving the upper
shoe 48 partially into its range of movement, the upper section 16 is rotated
relative to the lower section 12 to fix the two sections 12, 16 together. At
this
point, the pole 10 will stand on its own compressed between the floor and
ceiling
by the spring 46. In step d), the pole 10 is adjusted as required to make it
more
nearly vertical and adjust its position if desired. Small movements of the
pole 10
may be made after lifting the pole 10 slightly against the spring 46.
Alternately,
the bottom of the pole 10 may be slid across the floor which will compress the
spring 46 as required as the pole 10 moves closer to a vertical position. In
step
e), the screw 28 is threaded into collar 24 using a key 62 or screwdriver to
further secure the sections 12, 16 in a fixed position relative to each other.
Alternately, screw 28 may be a thumbscrew that may be turned by hand. In step
f), the foot 34 is rotated so as to push the pole 10 upwards, further
compressing
spring 46, optionally until the upper shoe 48 bears against the top of the
upper
section 16. The foot 34 may be rotated past this point if desired to further
compress the pole 10 between the floor and ceiling to better secure its
installation.
[0016] Figure 3 shows the parts of a kit for a storage system. The
numbers to the right of each component or assembly shown indicate the number
of each component or assembly in the kit. Components previously described, or
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assemblies of components previously described, are given their prior reference
numerals and will not be described further. The kit also has two bars 70. Each
bar 70 has first 72 and second 74 telescoping sections, each fitted with a
mounting plug 76. Bar 70 has a variable length. A first shelf 78 has a
mounting
platform 80 on the bottom of each of its ends. Second shelves 82, which are
shorter than the first shelf 78, also have mounting platforms 80 on the bottom
of
each of their ends. Mounting platforms 80 are attached to shelves 78, 82 by
screws 81. Mounting brackets 84 each have two halves 86, each halve in turn
having a half cylinder section 90, for compressing against the outside of the
first
section 12 of a pole 10, and a tab 92 to support the end of a shelf 78, 82 or
rod
70. The tabs 92 have slots 93 which allow for a range of distance between a
pair of poles 10 that will support a shelf 78, 82. The mounting bracket halves
86
may optionally be identical. The mounting bracket halves 86 may have
recesses to receive nuts 94 to prevent a nut 94 from turning when a bolt 88 is
threaded into it to compress the mounting bracket halves 86 around a pole 10.
Optional inserts, not shown, may be located against the inner surfaces of the
mounting bracket halves 86 to increase friction with the pole 10 or to
increase
the range of adjustment of bolts 88 that produces a minimum friction. Nut and
bolt assemblies 96 are used to attach a mounting plug 76 of a rod 70 to the
flange 92 of a bracket 84. Bolts 98 are used to attach shelves 78, 82 to
brackets 84 by passing through the slots 93 in tabs 92 and threading into
threaded mounting holes 83 in platforms 80.
[0017] Figure 4, part a), shows how a bracket 84 is mounted to a pole 10.
Figure 4, part b), shows how a shelf 78, 82 is mounted to a pair of brackets
84
mounted on a pair of poles 10. Figure 4, part c), shows how a rod 70 is
mounted to a pair of brackets 84 mounted on a pair of poles 10. Figure 5 shows
a completed storage system in one available configuration. One rod 70 has
been used between a pair of poles 10 that also support a long shelf 78 while
another rod 70 has been used between a pair of poles 10 that also support a
short shelf 82. Because a rod 70 has a length variable between the lengths
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required for those two applications, both rods 70 could be installed, if
desired,
between either pair of poles 10. The 3 poles, though shown in a linear
configuration, could also be located to form an angle between them, for
example
to place two shelves 78, 82, one along each of the two walls of a corner. The
rods 70 and shelves 78, 82 may be placed at any height along the first portion
12 of the pole 10. Both tabs 92 of a bracket 84 located on the middle pole 10
may be used to allow a rod 70 or shelf 78, 82 to be at the same height as an
adjacent rod 70 or shelf 78, 82.
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