Shelving system

Abstract

A shelving system includes one or more shelving units. Each shelving unit has vertical frames each frame having at least two vertical posts. The vertical posts are separated by shelf support pieces. A shelf can be mounted horizontally between the vertical frames and be supported by the horizontal shelf support pieces. The shelf is detachably mounted to the vertical post by a sliding mounting connector having a U-shaped channel that can slide along the vertical post. A wedge-shaped piece can be wedged between the sliding mounting connector and the vertical post to secure the sliding mounting connector to the vertical post.

1 . A shelving unit, comprising:
 two vertical frames each having vertical posts;   one or more shelf supports attached to each vertical frame and horizontally separating the respective vertical posts thereof;   at least one shelf;   a plurality of sliding mounting connectors attached to a periphery of the shelf, sized to   detachably engage and slide along a respective vertical post; and   a wedge-shaped piece inserted between the sliding mounting connector and the respective vertical post,   wherein, when assembled, the sliding mounting connectors are caused to slide along the vertical posts until the connectors abut the shelf support and the wedge-shaped piece prevents further sliding of the sliding mounting connectors.   
   
   
       2 . The shelving unit of  claim 1 , wherein the shelf is rectangular and the sliding mounting connectors are located substantially at each corner of the shelf. 
   
   
       3 . The shelving unit of  claim 2 , wherein each sliding mounting connector has a U-shaped channel. 
   
   
       4 . The shelving unit of  claim 3 , wherein the vertical posts are rectangular. 
   
   
       5 . The shelving unit of  claim 1 , wherein the shelf is in the shape of a polygon having more than four sides. 
   
   
       6 . A method of assembling a shelving unit, comprising:
 providing a first and a second vertical frame each having respective first and second vertical posts horizontally separated by a respective first and second shelf support;   attaching a plurality of sliding mounting connectors to the periphery of a first shelf;   attaching each sliding mounting connector to a respective vertical post of the first and second vertical frames;   sliding the sliding mounting connectors along the vertical posts until the connectors abut the first and second shelf supports; and   inserting a wedge-shaped piece between the sliding mounting connector and the respective vertical support,   wherein the sliding mounting connector has a U-shaped channel sized to detachably engage the vertical support.   
   
   
       7 . The method of assembling a shelving unit of  claim 6 , wherein the shelf is rectangular and the sliding mounting connectors are located substantially at each corner of the shelf. 
   
   
       8 . The method of assembling a shelving unit of  claim 7 , wherein each sliding mounting connector has a U-shaped channel. 
   
   
       9 . The method of assembling a shelving unit of  claim 8 , wherein the vertical posts are rectangular. 
   
   
       10 . The method of assembling a shelving unit of  claim 6 , wherein the shelf is in the shape of a polygon having more than four sides. 
   
   
       11 . A shelving system, comprising,
 two or more shelving units, each shelving unit comprising
 two vertical frames each having vertical posts, the vertical posts being hollow at least at a top end and a bottom end, the bottom hollow end having internal screw threads; 
 one or more shelf supports attached to each vertical frame and horizontally separating the respective vertical posts thereof; 
 at least one shelf; 
 a plurality of sliding mounting connectors attached to a periphery of the shelf, sized to detachably engage and slide along a respective vertical post; and 
 a wedge-shaped piece inserted between the sliding mounting connector and the respective vertical post, 
 wherein, when assembled, the sliding mounting connectors are caused to slide along the vertical posts until the connectors abut the shelf support and the wedge-shaped piece prevents further sliding of the sliding mounting connectors; and 
 a plurality of vertical connectors having a first end shaped to detachably engage the top end of the vertical post and a second end threaded to thread into the bottom end of the vertical post. 
   
   
   
       12 . The shelving system of  claim 11 , wherein the shelf is rectangular and the sliding mounting connectors are located substantially at each corner of the shelf. 
   
   
       13 . The shelving system of  claim 12 , wherein each sliding mounting connector has a U-shaped channel. 
   
   
       14 . The shelving system of  claim 13 , wherein the vertical posts are rectangular. 
   
   
       15 . A method of assembling a shelving system, comprising:
 assembling a plurality of shelving units, the assembling of each shelving unit comprising the steps of:   providing two vertical frames each having vertical posts horizontally separated by a shelf support, the vertical posts being hollow at least at a top end and a bottom end, the bottom hollow end having internal screw threads;   attaching a plurality of sliding mounting connectors to the periphery of a shelf;   attaching each sliding mounting connector to a respective vertical post of a vertical frame;   sliding the sliding mounting connectors along the vertical posts until the connectors abut the shelf support; and   inserting a wedge-shaped piece between the sliding mounting connector and the vertical support,   wherein the sliding mounting connector has a U-shaped channel sized to detachable engage the vertical support;   threading one end a vertical connector into each bottom end of a respective vertical post of a first shelf unit; and   stacking the first shelving unit on a second shelving unit by inserting a second end of the vertical connectors into the top ends of respective vertical posts of second shelving unit.   
   
   
       16 . The method of assembling a shelving system of  claim 15 , wherein the shelf is rectangular and the sliding mounting connectors are located substantially at each corner of the shelf. 
   
   
       17 . The method of assembling a shelving system of  claim 16 , wherein each sliding mounting connector has a U-shaped channel. 
   
   
       18 . The method of assembling a shelving system of  claim 15 , wherein the vertical posts are rectangular. 
   
   
       19 . A shelving system, comprising:
 a first vertical frame, a second vertical frame and a third vertical frame each having a respective first, second and third vertical posts;   one or more shelf supports attached to each of the first, second and third vertical frames and horizontally separating the respective vertical posts thereof;   
     a first shelf;
 a plurality of sliding mounting connectors attached to a periphery of the first shelf, the connectors sized to detachably engage and slide along the first, second or third vertical posts; 
 one or more first wedge-shaped pieces inserted between the sliding mounting connectors and the respective first, second or third vertical posts, 
 wherein, when assembled, the sliding mounting connectors are caused to slide along the respective first or second vertical posts until the connectors of the first shelf abut the shelf support and the first wedge-shaped pieces prevent further sliding of the sliding mounting connectors of the first shelf; 
 a second shelf having a plurality of the sliding mounting connectors attached to a periphery of the second shelf; 
 a second wedge-shaped piece, 
 wherein, when assembled, at least one of the sliding mounting connectors of the second shelf is caused to slide along the third vertical post until the connector abuts the shelf support of the third frame and at least one of the sliding mounting connectors of the second shelf is caused to slide along the second vertical post until the connector abuts the sliding mounting connector of the first shelf, and 
 wherein the wedge-shaped pieces prevent further sliding of the sliding mounting connectors of the second shelf. 
 
   
   
       20 . The method of assembling a shelving system of  claim 6 , comprising:
 providing a third vertical frame having third vertical posts horizontally separated by a third shelf support;   attaching a plurality of sliding mounting connectors to the periphery of a second shelf;   attaching a first sliding mounting connector of the second shelf to the third vertical post of the third vertical frame;   attaching a second sliding mounting connector of the second shelf to the second vertical post of the second vertical frame;   sliding the first sliding mounting connector along the third vertical post until the first connector abuts the third shelf support; and   sliding the second sliding mounting connector along the second vertical post until the second connector abuts the sliding mounting connector of the first shelf; and   inserting a wedge-shaped piece between the first and second sliding mounting connectors of the second shelf and the respective third and second vertical supports,   wherein the wedge-shaped pieces prevent further sliding of the first and second sliding mounting connectors of the second shelf.   
   
   
       21 . The method of assembling a shelving system of  claim 20 , wherein the third vertical post is rectangular.