Wire sideplates

Abstract

A wire sideplate ( 102 ) is disclosed for use with various shelving assemblies, including use within a wire sideplate frame ( 100 ). The wire sideplate ( 102 ) includes a ladder connector ( 114 ) having a flattened configuration. The sideplate ( 102 ) also includes an upper sideplate arm ( 116 ) and a lower sideplate arm ( 118 ). The sideplate ( 102 ) is composed of a single piece of wire which is formed and then pressed or stamped so as to be releasably interconnected into a number of different types of cantilever ladders ( 194 ).

1 . One or more wire sideplates adapted for use with a shelving assembly and support means for supporting said shelving assembly in a cantilevered manner, said wire sideplates comprise: 
 sideplate means coupled to said support means for supporting said shelving assembly; and    said sideplate means comprises a pair of wire sideplates, each sideplate comprising a single piece of wire formed and then pressed or stamped into a desired configuration so as to be coupled to said support means.    
   
   
       2 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said wire sideplates each comprise a substantially smaller amount of metal than other sideplates of equivalent size but formed of solid pieces of stamped metal.  
   
   
       3 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said wire sideplates comprise a substantially smaller amount of surface area than other sideplates of equivalent size but formed of solid pieces of stamped metal.  
   
   
       4 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said wire sideplates permit a substantially larger amount of airflow around and through said sideplates, relative to airflow permitted around other sideplates of equivalent size but formed of solid pieces of stamped metal.  
   
   
       5 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said wire sideplates permit a substantially larger amount of light transmission through said wire sideplates, relative to the light transmission permitted through other sideplates of equivalent size but formed of solid pieces of stamped metal.  
   
   
       6 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said wire sideplates comprise a substantially smaller amount of weight than other sideplates of equivalent size but formed of solid pieces of stamped metal.  
   
   
       7 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , said shelving assembly comprises at least one shelf, and said wire sideplates are welded to said shelf and/or to support materials intermediate said shelf and said wire sideplates.  
   
   
       8 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said shelving assembly further comprises securing means for securing said wire sideplates to said shelf, so that said wire sideplates can be rotated inwardly toward a center of said shelf, so as to be substantially collapsed adjacent a surface of said shelf, for purposes of facilitating storage and shipment of said shelving assembly.  
   
   
       9 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said shelving assembly further comprises sliding means so as to provide for a sliding movement of said shelf relative to said wire sideplates.  
   
   
       10 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said wire sideplate frame further comprises wire support rods connected to and extending between opposing ones of said pair of wire sideplates, for providing additional strength and rigidity to said wire sideplate frame.  
   
   
       11 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that each of said wire sideplates comprises a rearwardly projecting ladder connector, said ladder connector having a flattened configuration and adapted to releasably interconnect with said support means.  
   
   
       12 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that each of said wire sideplates comprises: 
 a rearwardly projecting connector adapted to releasably interconnect with said support means;    an upper sideplate arm extending forwardly from said rearwardly projecting connector; and    a lower sideplate arm also extending forwardly from said rearwardly projecting connector.    
   
   
       13 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that each of said wire sideplates comprises a rearwardly projecting connector, adapted to be releasably connected to said support means, each of said connectors comprising: 
 an upper connector bracket;    a lower connector bracket;    an intermediate flange, said flange having an elongated configuration and a vertically disposed orientation when said corresponding sideplate is in use;    said rear portion of said upper connector bracket terminating in a downwardly projecting tongue, said tongue being shaped and sized so as to form an undercut slot between said tongue and an upper portion of said intermediate flange; and    when releasably connected to said support means, said tongue is adapted to fit within a slot of said support means.    
   
   
       14 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 13 , characterized in that said lower connector bracket comprises a tab at a top portion thereof, said tab having a vertical orientation and adapted to fit within a slot of said connector.  
   
   
       15 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that each of said wire sideplates comprises a rearwardly projecting connector, said connector having a flattened configuration and adapted to releasably interconnect with said support means, said connector comprising: 
 an upper connector bracket;    a lower connector bracket; and    an upper angled portion extending forwardly from said upper connector bracket, said upper angled portion extending from said upper connector bracket to an upper reverse taper section, said upper reverse taper section being integral with said upper sideplate arm, said upper angled section, taper section and upper sideplate arm all being integral with each other and with adjacent elements of said wire sideplate.    
   
   
       16 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 15 , characterized in that: 
 extending forwardly from said lower connector bracket is a lower angled portion having an angled configuration, said lower angled portion extending from said lower connector bracket to a lower reverse taper section;    said lower reverse taper section being integral with an upwardly angled extension of said lower sideplate arm, said upwardly angled extension extending upwardly and integral at a termination with a first curved section, said first curved section being integral and intermediate said upwardly angled extension and a horizontal extension;    an integral second curved section located at a forward portion of said horizontal extension, said second curved section terminating in a position immediately below and slightly behind a terminating end of said upper sideplate arm.    
   
   
       17 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 16 , characterized in that: 
 said first curved section of said lower arm being welded or otherwise secured to said upper arm; and    said second curved section of said lower arm being welded or otherwise secured to said upper arm.    
   
   
       18 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 16 , characterized in that: 
 said upper angled portion of each of said wire sideplates is integral with and extends between said upper connector bracket and said upper reverse taper section;    a forward extension of said upper sideplate arm is integrally formed at a forward end of said upper reverse taper section; and    said forward extension extends forwardly from said connector and terminates in a downwardly projecting lip.    
   
   
       19 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that each of said wire sideplates comprises: 
 a rearwardly projecting ladder connector, having a flattened configuration and adapted to releasably interconnect with said support means;    an upper sideplate arm extending forwardly from said rear ladder connector;    a lower sideplate arm also extending forwardly from said ladder connector; and    said ladder connector having an offset configuration relative to a plane formed by said upper sideplate arm and said lower sideplate arm, said offset configuration facilitating releasable interconnection of said ladder connector with said support means.    
   
   
       20 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said pair of wire sideplates are positioned on opposing lateral sides of said shelf, and said shelving assembly further comprises: 
 sets of upper clamps positioned on the inside of sides of said shelf, said upper clamps being somewhat resilient and sized so as to securely receive a forward extension of upper sideplate arms of both of said wire sideplates; and    each of said sides of said shelf having a tab positioned adjacent a forward portion of the shelving assembly and extending downwardly, with a pair of lower clamps positioned on the inside of each of said tabs, said lower clamps being resilient and sized so as to releasably secure a horizontal extension of each of lower sideplate arms of said wire sideplates.    
   
   
       21 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said shelving assembly further comprises a plurality of channel guides, so as to form a plurality of channels and assist in maintaining said wire sideplates positioned within said channels.  
   
   
       22 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that each of said pair of wire sideplates comprises an upper sideplate arm, and said shelving assembly further comprises: 
 a transverse support rod connected to each of said upper sideplate arms of each of said pair of wire sideplates, and extending transversely between each of said pair of wire sideplates; and    at least one support rod clamp extending downwardly from an underside of a frame of said shelf assembly on each of opposing sides of said frame of said shelf assembly, each of said support rod clamps having resilient properties and sized so that external forces can be exerted so as to cause said transverse support rod to be captured within said clamps.    
   
   
       23 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 22 , characterized in that said shelf assembly further comprises a plurality of channel guides positioned adjacent each of said wire sideplates, and utilized so as to form a plurality of channels and assist in maintaining and positioning said wire sideplates within said channels.  
   
   
       24 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said shelf assembly further comprises: 
 a pair of opposing lateral sides, with each of said pair of wire sideplates being positioned adjacent one of said opposing lateral sides;    sets of upper clamps positioned on said opposing lateral sides of said shelf assembly, said upper clamps having resilient properties and positioned and sized so as to releasably receive upper sideplate arms of said pair of wire sideplates;    sets of lower clamps also positioned on said opposing lateral sides, said lower clamps having resilient properties and sized and positioned so as to releasably secure lower sideplate arms of said pair of wire sideplates;    when said shelf assembly is to be used to support items, each of said pair of wire sideplates is releasably secured within said lower clamps positioned on said opposing lateral sides; and    when it is desired to store or ship said shelf assembly, each of said wire sideplates can be rotated inwardly toward a center of said shelf surface by releasing each of said lower sideplate arms from said sets of lower clamps.    
   
   
       25 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 1 , characterized in that said shelf assembly comprises: 
 means for permitting sliding movement of said shelf assembly on said wire sideplates, with said shelf assembly moving between a retracted position and an extended position;    said extended position of said shelf assembly relative to said wire sideplates being limited by a set of stop stubs; and    a rear ledge positioned at each side of a frame of said shelf assembly, so that if said frame initiates a tilting movement, said wire sideplates will abut said rear ledges, preventing any additional tilting movement.    
   
   
       26 . One or more wire sideplates adapted to support a shelving assembly in a cantilevered manner, said wire support frame comprises: 
 a pair of wire sideplates, each sideplate comprising a single piece of wire formed and then pressed or stamped into a desired configuration, each of said wire sideplates comprising: 
 a rearwardly projecting connector;  
 an upper sideplate arm extending forwardly from and integral with said rearwardly projecting connector; and  
 a lower sideplate arm also extending forwardly from and integral with said rearwardly projecting connector.  
   
   
   
       27 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 26 , characterized in that: 
 said connector comprises an upper connector bracket and a lower connector bracket;    said lower sideplate arm comprises an upwardly angled extension extending upwardly and forwardly from said lower connector bracket; and    said upper sideplate arm extends forwardly from said upper connector bracket.    
   
   
       28 . One or more wire sideplates in accordance with  claim 27 , characterized in that said connector comprises means for releasably securing said wire sideplate to a cantilever ladder.