SHELF ELEMENT

ELEMENT DE RAYONNAGE

English Abstract

A shelf element which is intended to be incorporated in a shelf contains, at
each of its corners, an angular profile (1) whose upper and/or lower ends
are to be connected to a similar angular profile (1). The shelf element
contains at least one plate element (2). The plate element (2) is cut out at
the corners in such a way that an angular profile (I) of another shelf
element can be inserted into the angle between the two limbs (8) of the
angular profile (1) without being disturbed by the plate element (2).

French Abstract

Elément de rayonnage destiné à être installé dans un rayonnage et comprenant, dans ses coins, respectivement une cornière (1) dont les extrémités supérieures et/ou inférieures doivent être assemblées à une cornière analogue (1). Ledit élément de rayonnage comprend au moins un élément de type plateau (2). Les coins de l'élément de type plateau (2) sont découpés de telle façon que respectivement une cornière (1) d'un autre élément de rayonnage puisse venir se loger dans l'angle formé par les deux branches (8) de la cornière (1) sans être gêné par l'élément de type plateau (2).

Claims

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Claims
1. Shelf element having
1.1 at least two vertical angular profiles (1),
1.2 whose top (9) and/or bottom ends are designed to connect with
a vertically adjoining shelf element, and having
1.3 a top and/or a bottom panel element (2) extending between the
angular profiles (1), said panel element
1.4 being designed in the area of least one corner facing an
angular profile (1) so that the space between the legs (8) of the
angular profile (1) remains free by at least the cross-sectional
shape and cross-sectional dimension of an angular profile (1).
2. Shelf element, especially according to claim 1, having
2.1 at least two vertical angular profiles (1),
2.2 whose top (9) and/or bottom ends are designed to connect with
a vertically adjoining shelf element, and having
2.3 at least one side wall (3, 4) that
2.4 is fastened to the inside of a leg (8) of at least one angular
profile (1), and
2.5 having a cutout (15) at the junction with the angular profile (1)
at its top side and/or its bottom side,

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2.6 and the height of said cutout corresponds to the desired
overlapping section of the angular profile with the angular
profile of the adjoining shelf element.
3. Shelf element according to claim 2, wherein the cutout (15) together
with the edge (19) of the leg (8) of the angular profile (1) forms a slot
corresponding at least approximately to the thickness of the leg (8) of
the angular profile.
4. Shelf element according to one of the prior claims, wherein the panel
element (2) is beveled in at least one corner area.
5. Shelf element according to one of the prior claims with four angular
profiles (1), and the panel element is designed to leave free space in
the area of the angular profiles (1) at the front of the shelf element
and/or the rear of the shelf element.
6. Shelf element according to one of claims 2-5, wherein the cutout (15)
in the side wall (3, 4) is provided at the angular profiles (1) at the front
and/or at the angular profiles (1h) of the rear.
7. Shelf element according to one of the prior claims having a rear wall
that is fastened at the inside of the leg (8) of both angular profiles
(1h) in the area of the rear and has a cutout at the junction with the
angular profiles (1h) at its top and/or its bottom, the height of which
corresponds to the desired overlapping path of the angular profile (1)
with the angular profile (1) of the adjoining shelf element.
8. Shelf element according to claim 7, wherein the cutout together with
the edge of the leg (8) of the angular profile (1h) forms a slot

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corresponding to approximately the thickness of the leg (8) of the
angular profile (1h) at the minimum.
9. Shelf element according to one of the prior claims that is designed as
a cabinet unit having a door (5) at the front.

Description

CA 02696243 2010-02-11
P 41858 DE
Description
Shelf Element
The invention relates to a shelf for holding objects that is composed of
individual shelf elements which are arranged one above the other. At its
four corners, the shelf has vertical angular profiles to which shelves are
affixed. The shelves descend from back to front so that the objects can
slide forward. With the exception of a bottom alignment, the angular profiles
of the other shelf elements are arranged so that the top ends of the two
rear angular profiles are higher than the two front angular profiles.
The connection is made in such a way that the ends of the angular profiles
are connected to each other, whereby the bottom ends for example are
shaped in such a way that their legs are recessed inward. As a result, the
ends in their end area lie flat against each other, whereby the outsides of
the angular profiles are flush (DE 29614168).
If a shelf element is inserted in such a shelf that has a top, horizontal
panel,
the top ends of the angular profiles of the shelf element must project
enough above the panel so that the connection with the angular profiles of
the next highest shelf element can be made in the same manner as before.
The space between the lowermost descending shelf of the top shelf
element and the top panel of the just cited element is thereby reduced.
A similar problem occurs when a shelf element is used with side walls that
are welded or otherwise fastened to the inside of the legs of the angular
profiles. In this case as well, fastening in the normal manner is impossible
when the side walls extend up to the top edge of the angular profiles.
Problems of this type can arise wherever there is a connection between the
angular profiles.

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The invention is based on the problem of designing a shelf element that is
intended for use with other shelf elements in such a way that the
connection of the neighboring shelf elements to the anguiar profiles can be
made without losing space.
To solve this problem, the invention proposes a shelf element having the
features of claim 1 and/or a sheif element having the features of claim 2.
Modifications of the invention are the subject of subclaims.
The cutout in the top and/or bottom panel element or cutout in the side wall
directly in the area of the angular profiles ensures that the bottom ends of
the top (or the top ends of the bottom) neighboring shelf element can be
advanced further than would be allowed by the position of the top and/or
bottom panel element or sidewall.
A particularly easy type of cutout in the top and/or bottom panel element is
provided by cutting off the corners at an angle. Thus the resulting edge
runs approximately along a hypotenuse of the angle formed by the two legs
of the angular profile.
Given a shelf element with four angular profiles at the corners, the initially-
cited design of the panel element can for example be only in the area of the
two front angular profiles, or only in the area of the two rear angular
profiles
depending upon the use. Given a shelf as portrayed in the initially-cited
prior art, it can be sufficient to correspondingly design the top cover panel
only in the area of the two front angular profiles. The same holds true for
the side walls.
It is particularly useful to use the invention for a shelf element that is
designed as a cabinet unit, i.e. that has two side walls, one rear wall, and
one top and one bottom panel, and where the front is closed by a door.

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Additional features, details and advantages of the invention are found in the
claims whose wording is rendered part of the description by means of
reference, the following description of preferred embodiments of the
invention, as well as the drawing.
The drawing shows the following:
Fig. 1 Perspective view of a shelf element designed as a cabinet unit;
Fig. 2 Plan view of a corner of the shelf element in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 Enlargement of a side view of the front, top corner area.
Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a shelf element that is designed as a
cabinet unit and is intended to be assembled together with other vertically
adjoining shelf elements to form a shelf.
The shelf element contains four angular profiles 1 that run vertically and all
have the same length. The two legs of the profile face inward so that the
inside of the angle between the two legs faces to the inside. The shelf
eiement contains a top cover panel 2 and a bottom panel that cannot be
seen in the perspective view in Fig. 1. Furthermore, the shelf element
contains a left side wall 3 and a right side wall 4 that cannot be seen in
Fig.
1. The cabinet unit can be closed at the back by a rear wall.
The side walls 3, 4 are arranged between the angular profiles 1 so that they
are connected (for example by welding) to the insides of the facing legs of
the angular profiles. The top cover panel 2 and the floor are connected (for
example by welding) to the side walls 3, 4.

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The angular profiles 1 of the shelf element all have the same length but are
arranged so that the two, rear angular profiles 1 h are higher than the two,
front angular profiles 1. At the front, the shelf element is closed by a door
5.
This shelf element is intended for example to be connected to another shelf
element that is arranged above the portrayed shelf element. This shelf
element therefore also contains four angular profiles 1 at the corners that
are shaped in their bottom area (see Fig. 3) in such a way that the two legs
are recessed inward by the thickness of the material of the angular profiles.
The outside 12 of the bottom areas 11 of the angular profiles 1 thus lie flat
against the inside of the legs of the angular profiles 1 of the bottom shelf
elements when they are connected to the bottom shelf element.
As can also be seen in Fig. 1, the top ends 9 of the front angular profiles 1
only extend slightly above the top side of the top panel element 2.
Let us now consider Fig. 2. Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the right, front
corner area of the shelf element. The angular profile 1 contains two legs 8
that, as is usual with angular profiles, form a right angle. The leg 8 facing
the rear is welded to the inside of the side wall 4. The side wall 4 can for
example be designed as a single piece with the top panel element 2 that is
then bent at a right angle to thereby form the panel element 2. This panel
element 2 is cut off at an angle opposite the inside of angular profile 1 and
forms an edge 7 there that leaves space between the two legs 8 of the
angular profile 1. In the area of the front edge 6 at the bottom in Fig. 2,
the
top panel element 2 is bent slightly upward.
Cutting off of the top panel element 2 at an angle allows an angular profile
to be inserted from above with its bottom end 11 that is bent inward in such
a way that the bottom edge 13 of said angular profile lies below the top side
of the top panel element 2. A different way of cutting off the corner of the

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panel element 2 would also be sufficient; however, cutting it off at an angle
is the easiest method.
Since the rear angular profiles lh on the top side extend further upward
than the front ones, such a shaping in the area of the rear, two angular
profiles lh is not necessary. Given a shelf element in which the angular
profiles also project only slightly or not at all beyond the top panel 2 in
the
rear area, the corners could also be shaped in the rear area.
Let us now consider Fig. 3. Fig. 3 shows the bottom area 11 of the angular
profile 1 of a top shelf element opposite angular profile 1 of the bottom
shelf
element shown in Fig. 1. The side wall 4 whose top edge 14 coincides with
the top side of the top panel element 2 has, in the area of its top edge, a
cutout 15 that is designed so that the inside of the leg 8 remains free over a
certain area at this location. Below the cutout 15, the side wall 4 is
connected to the inside of the leg 8 of the angular profile 1, for example by
welding. The interaction of this cutout 15 and the cut-away corner area of
the panel element 2 makes it possible to shove the bottom end area 11 of
the top angular profile sufficiently downward so that the fastening holes 16
of the top angular profile coincide with the fastening holes of 16 in the
bottom angular profile. Screw connections for example can then be made.
In the portrayed example, the distance between the rear edge 17 of the
cutout 15 from the front edge 18 of the sidewall 4 is larger than the inside
length of the leg 8 of the angular profile 1. This takes into account the fact
that the bottom area 11 of the angular profile is bent to the rear so that the
edge 19 facing the rear of this bottom area 11 extends further to the rear
than the corresponding edge 19 of the angular profile 1 in the top area. This
is enabled by the slot which can be seen in Fig. 3 that is formed between
the edge 17 of the cutout 15 and the back edge 19 of the bottom angular
profile 1.

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In the portrayed embodiment, the bottom ends of the angular profile 1 of
the shelf elements are bent inward, whereas the top ends remain
unchanged. Consequently, the cutouts are formed in the top panel element
and in the bottom edges of the sidewalls 3, 4. Shelf elements are of course
also possible in which the top ends of the angular profiles are bent inward,
and the bottom ends remain unchanged. In this case, the corner areas are
shaped in the bottom panel element, and the cutouts 15 are in the area of
the bottom edges of the side walls 3, 4.

Representative Drawing