Shelf Supporting Beam Configuration for Shelving Apparatus

Abstract

A shelf supporting beam configuration for a shelving apparatus, includes a shelf platform, a plurality of shelf retaining members, and shelf supporting arrangement. Each shelf retaining member has two coupling ends for detachably coupling with two vertically extending posts of the shelving apparatus, and first and second longitudinal edges extended between the two coupling ends to form a boundary frame. The shelf supporting arrangement is integrally extended from each of the shelf retaining members between the first and second longitudinal edges to rigidly support the shelf platform within the boundary frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shelf supporting beam configuration for a shelving apparatus which comprises a plurality of vertically extending posts, comprising:
 a shelf platform having a base panel and a surrounding edge defining a cavity within said surrounding edge and said base panel;   a plurality of shelf retaining members for detachably coupling with two of said posts to form a boundary frame to support said shelf platform therewithin, wherein each of said shelf retaining member has two coupling ends for detachably coupling with two of said posts in said unfolded condition, and first and second longitudinal edges extended between said two coupling ends;   a shelf supporting arrangement integrally extended from each of said shelf retaining members between said first and second longitudinal edges to support said shelf platform within said boundary frame, wherein said shelf platform is able to be selectively supported by said shelf supporting arrangement with said surrounding edge located below base panel and said cavity facing downward or said surrounding edge located above said base panel and said cavity facing upward.   
     
     
         2 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of said shelf retaining members provides a supporting surface extended from an inner side thereof between said two longitudinal edges to support said respective shelf platform and at least one longitudinal edge portion of each of said shelf retaining members is inwardly folded on an inner side thereof to form said longitudinal edge to reinforce a planar configuration of said retaining member. 
     
     
         3 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein each of said shelf retaining members has a plurality of supporting tabs horizontally aligned with each other and protruded from said inner side of each of said shelf retaining members between first and second longitudinal edges thereof and defines a plurality of discrete supporting surfaces on said supporting tabs to support said shelf platform thereon. 
     
     
         4 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of said shelf retaining members has a plurality of supporting tabs provided on an inner side of reach of said shelf retaining members between first and second longitudinal edges thereof and defines a plurality of supporting surfaces on said supporting tabs to support said shelf platform thereon, wherein each of said supporting tabs is integrally bent from said inner side of said shelf retaining member to define said supporting surface adjacent to said first longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member. 
     
     
         5 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of said shelf retaining members has a plurality of supporting tabs provided on an inner side of reach of said shelf retaining members between first and second longitudinal edges thereof and defines a plurality of supporting surfaces on said supporting tabs to support said shelf platform thereon, wherein each of said supporting tabs has a triangular shape defining a peak pointing toward said second longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member and a flat surface as said supporting surface facing toward said first longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member, wherein said discrete supporting surfaces are aligned with each other at a same planar direction to form a flat support for supporting said shelf platform. 
     
     
         6 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein each of said supporting tabs has a triangular shape defining a peak pointing toward said second longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member and a flat surface as said supporting surface facing toward said first longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member, wherein said discrete supporting surfaces are aligned with each other at a same planar direction to form a flat support for supporting said shelf platform. 
     
     
         7 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said surrounding edge and said base panel of said shelf platform are located at different horizontal levels, wherein said shelf platform is reversibly supported by said bounding frame at a first position and a reversibly second position, wherein at said first position, said surrounding edge is supported by said boundary frame at a position that said base panel located above said surrounding edge, and at said second position, said surrounding edge is supported by said boundary frame at a position that said base panel located below said surrounding edge. 
     
     
         8 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said surrounding edge and said base panel of said shelf platform are located at different horizontal levels, wherein said shelf platform is reversibly supported by said bounding frame at a first position and a reversibly second position, wherein at said first position, said surrounding edge is supported by said boundary frame at a position that said base panel located above said surrounding edge, and at said second position, said surrounding edge is supported by said boundary frame at a position that said base panel located below said surrounding edge. 
     
     
         9 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein at said first position, said base panel is aligned with said first longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member, and at said second position, said base panel is supported below said first longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member. 
     
     
         10 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein at said first position, said base panel is aligned with said first longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member, and at said second position, said base panel is supported below said first longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member. 
     
     
         11 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein each of said shelf retaining members comprises a vertical beam wall defining said first and second longitudinal edges at an upper and bottom edges thereof, a top beam wall integrally and horizontally extended from said upper edge of said vertical beam wall to define said supporting surface on said top beam wall close to said first longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member, and a longitudinal reinforcing rib integrally extended between said first longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member and said top beam wall, wherein said supporting surface is an elongated flat surface to support said shelf platform and said longitudinal reinforcing rib is extended between said upper edge of said vertical beam wall and said top beam wall to reinforce the structure of said shelf retaining member. 
     
     
         12 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said second longitudinal edge of each of said shelf retaining members is a folded edge that said bottom edge of said vertical beam wall is inwardly folded on an inner side of said vertical beam wall, wherein a free edge of said top beam wall of each of said shelf retaining members is a folded edge that said free edge of said top beam wall is downwardly folded on a bottom side of said top beam wall. 
     
     
         13 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said longitudinal reinforcing rib of each of said shelf retaining members is formed in curved cross sectional configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said longitudinal reinforcing rib of each of said shelf retaining members is formed in curved cross sectional configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said surrounding edge and said base panel of said shelf platform are located at different horizontal levels, wherein said shelf platform is reversibly supported by said bounding frame at a first position and a reversibly second position, wherein at said first position, said surrounding edge is supported by said boundary frame at a position that said base panel located above said surrounding edge, and at said second position, said surrounding edge is supported by said boundary frame at a position that said base panel located below said surrounding edge. 
     
     
         16 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said surrounding edge and said base panel of said shelf platform are located at different horizontal levels, wherein said shelf platform is reversibly supported by said bounding frame at a first position and a reversibly second position, wherein at said first position, said surrounding edge is supported by said boundary frame at a position that said base panel located above said surrounding edge, and at said second position, said surrounding edge is supported by said boundary frame at a position that said base panel located below said surrounding edge. 
     
     
         17 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 15 , wherein at said first position, said base panel is aligned with said first longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member, and at said second position, said base panel is supported below said first longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member. 
     
     
         18 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 16 , wherein at said first position, said base panel is aligned with said first longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member, and at said second position, said base panel is supported below said first longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member. 
     
     
         19 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said longitudinal reinforcing rib of each of said shelf retaining members is formed in curved cross sectional configuration, wherein said surrounding edge and said base panel of said shelf platform are located at different horizontal levels, wherein said shelf platform is reversibly supported by said bounding frame at a first position and a reversibly second position, wherein at said first position, said surrounding edge is supported by said boundary frame at a position that said base panel located above said surrounding edge, and at said second position, said surrounding edge is supported by said boundary frame at a position that said base panel located below said surrounding edge. 
     
     
         20 . The shelf supporting beam configuration, as recited in  claim 19 , wherein at said first position, said base panel is aligned with said first longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member, and at said second position, said base panel is supported below said first longitudinal edge of said shelf retaining member.