Shelving system, shelf support, and shelf

Abstract

A shelving system, shelf support and shelf are disclosed that are adjustable vertically, horizontally and angularly for better product presentation and maintenance. Brackets are disclosed which allow depth or horizontal adjustment and another bracket is disclosed which gives shelf support and allows easier horizontal adjustment. The brackets also permit easier and more reliable vertical and shelf angle adjustments for better product presentation. Shelf assemblies are disclosed which include adjustable product stops and dividers. Other shelf and product presentation features are also disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A shelving system comprising: 
 a shelf support structure having a plurality of shelf assembly support surfaces for supporting a shelf assembly, the shelf assembly support surfaces being spaced-apart from each other in a direction other than exactly vertically;    a shelf having a front and a first and second side; and    a shelf support element engaging the shelf at least one of the front, or first or second sides, the shelf support element also engaging at least one of the plurality shelf assembly support surfaces in the shelf support structure.    
     
     
         2 . The shelving system of  claim 1  wherein the shelf support structure includes a plurality of shelf posts and a bracket including the support surfaces, wherein at least one of the shelf posts includes one or more vertically spaced apart openings for engaging and supporting the bracket, and wherein the shelf support element engages at least one of the support surfaces on the bracket.  
     
     
         3 . The shelving system of  claim 2  wherein the shelf support element engages the bracket and wherein the bracket is supported by a first shelf post through at least one of the vertically spaced apart openings and engages a second shelf post having a plurality of vertically spaced apart openings through at least one of the vertically spaced apart openings.  
     
     
         4 . The shelving system of  claim 1  wherein the shelf support element engages the shelf at least one side thereof, and wherein the shelf support element engages a plurality of the shelf assembly support surfaces on the shelf support structure.  
     
     
         5 . The shelving system of  claim 1  further including a bracket having the shelf assembly support surfaces and wherein the shelf support structure includes a plurality of shelf posts each having a plurality of openings for supporting the bracket, wherein the bracket extends between first and second shelf posts in the plurality of shelf posts, and wherein the shelf assembly support surfaces include a plurality of slots defining at least part of an angle for receiving the shelf support element.  
     
     
         6 . A shelf support system comprising: 
 at least first and second structural support elements spaced apart from each other;    a shelf support bracket extending longitudinally from the first structural support element toward the second structural support element;    wherein the shelf support bracket includes a plurality of walls defining respective slots for receiving a shelf support element, wherein the slots are formed-in an upper surface of the shelf support bracket and extend at least partly downwardly.    
     
     
         7 . The shelf support system of  claim 6  wherein the first and second structural support elements are shelf posts having walls defining a plurality of openings for receiving and supporting engagement elements on the shelf support bracket.  
     
     
         8 . The shelf support system of  claim 7  wherein each shelf post includes to vertically arranged columns of openings.  
     
     
         9 . The shelf support system of  claim 7  wherein each of the plurality of openings have an oval shape.  
     
     
         10 . The shelf support system of  claim 6  wherein the shelf support bracket extends between and is supported by the first and second structural support elements, wherein the first and second structural support elements include respective walls defining openings for receiving the shelf support bracket and wherein the openings in the first structural support element face the openings in the second structural support element.  
     
     
         11 . The shelf support system of  claim 10  wherein the openings have a shape having first in second segments, the first segment extending substantially downwardly, and the second segment extending in a direction toward the first structural support element.  
     
     
         12 . The shelf support system of  claim 11  wherein each of the openings have an identical shape.  
     
     
         13 . The shelf support system of  claim 11  wherein the openings are spaced apart from each other a longitudinal direction.  
     
     
         14 . The shelf support system of  claim 11  wherein the openings are substantially T-shaped.  
     
     
         15 . The shelf support system of  claim 14  wherein the tea-shaped openings are distributed in the least two groups, the first group being closer to the top of the shelf support bracket.  
     
     
         16 . The shelf support system of  claim 14  wherein the tea-shaped opening is substantially asymmetrical.  
     
     
         17 . The shelf support system of  claim 6  further comprising an engagement member for reducing the probability of the bracket being moved from the [shelf post].  
     
     
         18 . A shelf support system comprising: 
 a base for positioning and supporting a shelf to maintain a shelf in a selected position; and    a shelf support element having first in second portions, the first portion engaging the base, and a second portion for engaging a shelf, the second portion further comprising a curved receiving element for receiving and supporting a rail portion of a wire shelf.    
     
     
         19 . The shelf support system of  claim 18  wherein the base includes a shelf post having a plurality of surfaces defining respective openings for receiving the first portion of the shelf support element, wherein the first portion includes first and second curved elements for engaging respective openings in the shelf post, and wherein the second portion includes a relatively closed loop.  
     
     
         20 . The shelf support system of  claim 19  wherein the first and second curved elements are positioned one above the other on the first portion and form hooks for engaging the shelf post.  
     
     
         21 . The shelf support system of  claim 19  wherein the first and second curved elements extend in a first direction and wherein the relatively closed loop defines a plane extending in a direction different from the first direction.  
     
     
         22 . The shelf support system of  claim 18  wherein the shelf support element includes a latch mechanism.  
     
     
         23 . A shelf support system comprising: 
 a shelf for supporting product;    a longitudinally extending shelf element engaging the shelf;    a shelf support element slightly engaging the longitudinally extending shelf element for supporting the shelf element and for permitting the longitudinally extending shelf element to slide within the shelf support element.    
     
     
         24 . The shelf support system of  claim 23  wherein the shelf support elements is a substantially closed loop encircling the longitudinally extending shelf element.  
     
     
         25 . The shelf support system of  claim 24  wherein the shelf is a wire shelf and wherein the longitudinally extending shelf element is a wire element.  
     
     
         26 . The shelf support system of  claim 25  wherein the shelf support element includes least one hook for engaging an opening in a shelf post.  
     
     
         27 . A shelf for supporting and displaying product, the shelf comprising: 
 a substantially planar shelf portion having a top, bottom, front, rear, and first and second sides, and a longitudinally extending element extending across that least one of the front and rear of the shelf, the longitudinally extending element including a plurality of engagement surfaces for engaging a product support.    
     
     
         28 . The shelf of  claim 27  wherein the longitudinally extending element is an aperture bar extending across the front of the shelf.  
     
     
         29 . The shelf of  claim 28  wherein the aperture bar is the adjustably mounted to the front of the shelf.  
     
     
         30 . The shelf of  claim 29  wherein the first side of the shelf includes a plurality of openings for accepting one side of the aperture bar and the second side of the shelf includes a plurality of openings for accepting a second side of the aperture bar.  
     
     
         31 . The shelf of  claim 30  wherein the aperture bar and the first side of a shelf include openings for locking the aperture bar to first side of the shelf.  
     
     
         32 . The shelf of  claim 27  wherein the longitudinally extending element is an aperture bar extending across the rear of the shelf and is fixed relative to the shelf.  
     
     
         33 . The shelf of  claim 32  wherein the aperture bar includes a plurality of openings having a number approximately equal to a number of wires on a wire shelf.  
     
     
         34 . The shelf of  claim 32  wherein the aperture bar it is spaced from the planar surface of the planar shelf portion.  
     
     
         35 . The shelf of  claim 27  further including product stops extending along the first and second sides of the shelf.  
     
     
         36 . A shelf combination comprising: 
 a wire shelf having a front, rear, first and second sides, and wherein it least one of the front and rear include a wire cross piece, and wherein the wire shelf includes spaced apart wire elements for supporting product, wherein at least a portion of the wire elements have a uniform spacing wherein the wires are spaced a first distance apart, and wherein the portion of the wire elements extend from the front to the rear; and    a divider having a front portion for engaging a front of the wire shelf and a rear portion for engaging a rear portion of the wire shelf, can wherein the divider front portion includes a wire engagement portion including a first engagement portion and a second engagement portion spaced apart from the first engagement portion by a second distance different from the first distance.    
     
     
         37 . The shelf combination of  claim 36  wherein the second distance is sufficiently greater than the first distance such that the divider engagement portion travels to adjacent wires on the wire shelf.  
     
     
         38 . The shelf combination of  claim 36  wherein the front portion of the divider for engaging the front of the wire shelf includes a base wire for bearing against at least one of the wires of the wire shelf.  
     
     
         39 . The shelf combination of  claim 36  wherein the wire cross piece extends below the portion of the wire elements.  
     
     
         40 . The shelf combination of  claim 36  further including a product stop on the front portion of the divider.  
     
     
         41 . The shelf combination of  claim 36  wherein the second distance is less than the first distance, and wherein the shelf combination further includes a support bar for supporting the front portion of the divider and wherein the support bar includes divider engagement surfaces for maintaining the divider in position relative to the wire shelf.  
     
     
         42 . The shelf combination of claim  41  wherein the support bar includes apertures for supporting the divider engagement surfaces.