Bracket to Support a Shelf

Abstract

The present application provides various examples of bracket for mounting a shelf to a flat vertical surface such as a wall. Examples and configurations disclosed herein provide brackets that have a high ratio of weight-supporting capacity to visibility relative to previous wall-mountable shelf-support apparatuses. One or more elongate members may extend through one or more apertures in a metal base. The proximal end(s) of the one or more elongate members may be welded to the back of the metal base around a cross-sectional perimeter of a cross-sectional shape that is shared by the proximal ends of the elongate members and the back ends of the apertures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A floating shelf, comprising:
 a metal bracket comprising:   a metal base with a planar back side configured to press against a wall;   a plurality of circular apertures, each aperture extends through a front side of the metal base and through the back side of the metal base;   a plurality of metal pipes, each respective metal pipe extends completely through the metal base via a respective circular aperture to the planar back side; and   a plurality of circumferential welds, each joining a proximal axial end of each respective metal pipe to the planar back side of the metal base around a perimeter of the respective circular aperture; wherein the plurality of circumferential welds is locate at the planar back side of the base; and   further comprising a shelf with a plurality of holes receiving the plurality of metal pipes therein.   
     
     
         2 . The floating shelf of  claim 1 , wherein the metal bracket further comprises a plurality of vacuous apertures for fasteners, wherein the vacuous apertures for fasteners extend through the metal base. 
     
     
         3 . The floating shelf of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of vacuous apertures for fasteners are positioned closer to a top side of the metal base than to a bottom side of the metal base. 
     
     
         4 . The floating shelf of  claim 1 , wherein each respective metal pipe extends outwardly from the front side of the metal base in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to a plane formed by the planar back side. 
     
     
         5 . The floating shelf of  claim 1 , wherein the metal base forms a rectangular prism, wherein a width of the rectangular prism is greater than a height of the rectangular prism and the height of the rectangular prism is greater than a depth of the rectangular prism. 
     
     
         6 . The floating shelf of  claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional outer radius of each respective metal pipe at the proximal axial end of the respective metal pipe is substantially equal to a radius of the respective aperture through which the respective metal pipe extends. 
     
     
         7 . The floating shelf of  claim 1 , wherein each respective metal pipe is circumferentially welded to the planar back side of the metal base for 360 degrees (2π radians) around the perimeter of the respective circular aperture. 
     
     
         8 . The floating shelf of  claim 1 , wherein each respective metal pipe comprises a vacuous aperture for a fastener, the aperture for a fastener extending radially into the respective metal pipe. 
     
     
         9 . The floating shelf of  claim 1 , wherein a width of the metal bracket is no greater than a width of the floating shelf and a height of the metal bracket is no greater than a height of the floating shelf so that the bracket can be minimally visible when the floating shelf is secured to a wall using the bracket. 
     
     
         10 . A floating shelf, comprising:
 a bracket comprising:   a base with a flat back side configured to press against a wall;   an aperture extending through the base; and   an elongate member that extends completely through the base via the aperture, wherein a proximal end of the elongate member is joined to the flat back side of the base at a back end of the aperture; and   further comprising a shelf with a hole receiving the elongated member therein.   
     
     
         11 . The floating shelf of  claim 10 , wherein the bracket further comprises one or more apertures for fasteners, wherein the one or more apertures for fasteners extend through a front side of the base and through the back side of the base. 
     
     
         12 . The floating shelf of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more apertures are positioned closer to a top side of the base than to a bottom side of the base. 
     
     
         13 . The floating shelf of  claim 10 , wherein the elongate member extends outwardly from a front side of the base in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to a plane formed by the flat back side. 
     
     
         14 . The floating shelf of  claim 10 , wherein the base forms a rectangular prism, wherein a width of the rectangular prism is greater than a height of the rectangular prism and the height of the rectangular prism is greater than a depth of the rectangular prism. 
     
     
         15 . The floating shelf of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the back end of the aperture forms a cross-sectional shape;   the proximal end of the elongate member also forms the cross-sectional shape; and   the proximal end of the elongate member is joined to the flat back side of the base by a weld, wherein the weld extends along a shared cross-sectional perimeter of the cross-sectional shape at the back end of the aperture.   
     
     
         16 . The floating shelf of  claim 15 , wherein the weld fully encompasses the shared cross-sectional perimeter. 
     
     
         17 . The floating shelf of  claim 10 , wherein the elongate member comprises an aperture for a fastener, the aperture for the fastener extending into the elongate member. 
     
     
         18 . The floating shelf of  claim 10 , wherein a width of the base is no greater than a width of the shelf and a height of the base is no greater than a height of the shelf in order to reduce visibility of the bracket when the shelf is secured to a surface using the bracket. 
     
     
         19 . The floating shelf of  claim 10 , wherein the flat back side of the base is a rear-most surface of the base; and wherein the elongate member extends completely through the aperture from a front of the base to the flat back side of the base. 
     
     
         21 . The floating shelf of  claim 10 , wherein the base is solid. 
     
     
         22 . The floating shelf of  claim 10 , wherein the proximal end of the elongate member is flush with the flat back side of the base. 
     
     
         23 . The floating shelf of  claim 10 , wherein the elongated member has a constant shape and width through the aperture. 
     
     
         24 . A floating shelf, comprising:
 a bracket comprising:   a base with a planar back side configured to press against a wall;   a plurality of apertures extending through the base;   a plurality of poles, wherein each respective pole extends completely through the base via a respective aperture and a proximal end of each respective pole is joined to the planar back side of the base around a cross-sectional perimeter of the respective aperture; and   further comprising a shelf with a plurality of holes receiving the plurality of poles therein.   
     
     
         25 . The floating shelf of  claim 24 , wherein the proximal end of each respective pole is joined to the planar back side of the base by a weld, wherein the weld spans across an entire shared cross-sectional perimeter of the respective pole and the respective aperture. 
     
     
         26 . The floating shelf of  claim 24 , wherein each respective pole is cylindrical and the respective aperture is cylindrical, and wherein a cross-sectional diameter of the respective pole is substantially equal to a cross-sectional diameter of the respective aperture. 
     
     
         27 . The floating shelf of  claim 26 , wherein each respective pole comprises an aperture for a fastener, the aperture extending radially into the respective pole. 
     
     
         28 . The floating shelf of  claim 26 , wherein the bracket further comprises a plurality of apertures for fasteners, wherein each aperture extends through the base in a direction substantially orthogonal to a plane formed by the planar back side of the base. 
     
     
         29 . The floating shelf of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of apertures are positioned closer to a top side of the base than to a bottom side of the base. 
     
     
         30 . The floating shelf of  claim 24 , wherein the apertures are level with each other relative to a height of the base and are evenly spaced relative to each other across a width of the base.