Shelf divider system

Abstract

A shelf divider system comprising: an elongated slide member having a longitudinally extending channel formed therein, said slide member being positioned at a rear edge portion of a shelf such that said slide member extends longitudinally along said rear edge portion of said shelf and such that said channel faces forwardly across an upper surface of said shelf; and a divider member having a divider panel, said panel being disposed in an upright plane and extending forwardly over the upper surface of said shelf; wherein said divider member is retained on said slide member and wherein the divider member is slidable along said channel.

1 . A shelf divider system comprising: 
 a shelf comprising a forward edge portion, a rear edge portion, two side edge portions, an upper surface and a lower surface;    an elongated slide member having a longitudinally extending channel formed therein, said slide member being positioned at one of said edge portions of said shelf such that said slide member and its channel extends longitudinally along said edge portion at which said slide member is positioned,    a divider member having a generally planar divider panel and a coupling member,    the coupling member coupling the divider member to the slide member in a plurality of different positions longitudionally along the channel with in each of these positions the divider member supported on the upper surface with the divider panel disposed in an upright plane extending away from the slide member over the upper surface and generally normal to the upper surface,    the channel having an access opening thereinto open outwardly away from said edge portion at which said slide member is positioned and inwardly over the upper surface,    inside the channel inwardly from the access opening the channel extending above the access opening,    the coupling member carrying a finger member projecting generally upwardly to a distal end which finger member extends though the access opening and upwardly into the channel above the access opening to secure the coupling member in the channel,    the finger member engaging the channel member at locations longitudinally spaced along the channel member to maintain the upright plane of the divider panel at a relatively fixed angulation relative the channel and the upper surface.    
   
   
       2 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 1 , wherein the elongated slide member is along the rear edge portion, the slide member rising to a height above the upper surface and presenting a forwardly directed stop shoulder a height above the upper surface and along the rear edge portion.  
   
   
       3 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 1 , wherein the divider member is slidable along the channel.  
   
   
       4 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 1 , wherein the finger member is slidable longitudionally within the channel for movement of the divider member from one of the positions to another of the positions without disengagement of the finger member from the channel.  
   
   
       5 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein said divider member is detachable from said slide member.    
   
   
       6 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein said divider member is detachable from said slide member by relative manual pivoting of the divider member relative the channel about an axis parallel the longitudional of the channel to move the finger member downwardly in the channel and out through the access opening.    
   
   
       7 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein said divider member is movable relative the shelf and its slide member between a position for use as a divider and a temporary raised position by relative manual pivoting of the divider member relative the channel about an axis parallel the longitudional of the channel to raise the end of the divider panel remote from channel upwardly off the upper surface and move the finger member downwardly in the channel and partially out through the access opening,    wherein in the temporary raised position the finger member is slidable longitudionally within the channel for movement of the divider member longitudionally from one of the positions to another of the positions without fully removing the finger member from the channel.    
   
   
       8 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 7 , wherein in the position for use as a divider the finger member is engaged within the channel against movement longitudionally.  
   
   
       9 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 1 , wherein said divider member further comprises a foot member projecting laterally from the divider panel for engagement with the upper surface to support the divider panel in the upright plane generally normal to the upper surface.  
   
   
       10 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 1 , wherein said divider member further comprises a back wall member projecting laterally relative the divider panel and carrying the coupling member.  
   
   
       11 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 9 , wherein said divider member further comprises a back wall member extending upwardly from a rear of the foot member and projecting laterally relative the divider panel, 
 the back wall member carrying the coupling member.    
   
   
       12 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 11 , wherein the divider member is formed by bending a thin planar sheet of metal, 
 a bottom edge of the divider panel joined to a side edge of the foot member at a first fold line and an end edge of the foot member joined to a lower edge of the back wall member at a second fold line.    
   
   
       13 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 11 , wherein said back wall member extends upwardly to an upper edge forming the finger member.  
   
   
       14 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 12 , wherein back wall member is a generally planar member which extends upwardly to an upper edge, 
 said coupling member comprising an elongate U- shaped member with a downwardly open longitudionally extending slotway therein between a forward arm and a rearward arm to receiving the upper edge of the back wall member in the slotway and with the finger member extending upwardly and rearwardly from the rear arm.    
   
   
       15 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 14 , wherein the said coupling member comprises is formed as an extrusion of constant cross-sectional shape normal its longitudional.  
   
   
       16 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 15 , wherein the said coupling member is extruded from a material selected from the group consisting of plastic and nylon.  
   
   
       17 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 1 , wherein said shelf is an element of office furniture selected from the group consisting of an office partition and a slidable drawer in a filing cabinet.  
   
   
       18 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 1 , wherein said shelf divider system comprises two or more divider members for each shelf.  
   
   
       19 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 1 , wherein the slide member comprises a hook member having an outer support leg portion, an upper bight portion and an inner tab leg portion, 
 a lower end of the support leg portion secured to the shelf and extending upwardly to merge with the bight portion which extends inwardly of the edge portion and from which the tab leg portion extends downwardly toward the upper surface inwardly of the edge portion, inwardly from the support leg portion with a lower end of the tab leg portion spaced from the upper surface forming the access opening therebetween.    
   
   
       20 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 19 , wherein the finger member forms an outer leg portion of a hook member having an upwardly opening defined on an outerside by the finger member which merges into a bight portion from which an inward leg portion extends upwardly on the innerside of the channelway, the tab leg portion extending downwardly into the channelway and received in the channelway when the finger member is received in the channel.  
   
   
       21 . The shelf divider system according to  claim 17 , wherein the elongated slide member is along the rear edge portion, the tab arm portion presenting a forwardly directed stop shoulder a height above the upper surface and along the rear edge portion adabted to engage articles slid rearwardly along the upper surface of the shelf from being slid rearwardly past the slide member.  
   
   
       22 . A shelf divider system comprising: 
 a shelf comprising a forward edge portion, a rear edge portion, two side edge portions, an upper surface and a lower surface;    an elongated slide member having a longitudinally extending channel formed therein, said slide member being positioned at one of said edge portions of said shelf such that said slide member extends longitudinally along said edge portion at which said slide member is positioned, and is such that said channel faces away from said edge portion at which said slide member is positioned;    a divider member having a divider panel, said panel being disposed in an upright plane and extending over the upper surface of said shelf; and    a finger attached to said divider member, said finger projecting generally upwardly;    wherein said slide member has an elongated longitudinally extending tab projecting generally downwardly over a portion of said channel;    wherein said finger and said tab cooperate to mount the divider member to the slide member; and    wherein the divider member is slidable along the channel.