Shelf Brackets, Hang Rod Brackets, and Storage Systems Including the Same

Abstract

In an exemplary embodiment, a hang rod bracket may include a tab along an upper portion of the hang rod bracket. A shelf bracket may include a resiliently flexible tang along a lower portion of the shelf bracket. The resiliently flexible tang may be resiliently movable in a first direction when impinged by the tab of the hang rod bracket, such as during installation of the hang rod bracket onto the shelf bracket. The resiliently flexible tang may be resiliently movable in a second, opposite direction when the tab is not impinging the resiliently flexible tang, such as after the hang rod bracket has been fully installed onto the shelf bracket and the tab has been rearwardly moved beyond the resiliently flexible tang. The resiliently flexible tang may engage the tab to inhibit forward movement of the hang rod bracket along the shelf bracket.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hang rod bracket comprising first, second, and third tabs along an upper portion of the hang rod bracket, wherein the first and second tabs of the hang rod bracket extend in opposite forward and rearward directions and are configured to be received within first and second openings of a shelf bracket. 
     
     
         2 . The hang rod bracket of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the hang rod bracket includes a notch defined generally underneath the second tab; and   the notch is configured to receive a portion of the shelf bracket therein such that the second and third tabs of the hang rod bracket are positionable along opposite interior and exterior surfaces, respectively, of a lower portion of the shelf bracket.   
     
     
         3 . The hang rod bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the third tab includes an upwardly protruding hook. 
     
     
         4 . The hang rod bracket of  claim 3 , wherein the third tab is configured to impinge a resiliently flexible tang along the lower portion of the hang rod bracket such that the resiliently flexible tang resiliently flexes inwardly from an original position when impinged by the third tab and resiliently flexes outwardly back towards the original position after the third tab has been slidably moved across and beyond the resiliently flexible tang, whereupon the resiliently flexible tang lockingly engages the upwardly protruding hook of the third tab to inhibit forward sliding of the hang rod bracket along the shelf bracket thereby helping to prevent accidental disengagement of the hang rod bracket from the shelf bracket. 
     
     
         5 . The hang rod bracket of  claim 3 , wherein the third tab is configured to impinge a resiliently flexible tang along the lower portion of the hang rod bracket such that the resiliently flexible tang resiliently moves in a first direction when impinged by the third tab of the hang rod bracket and resiliently moves in a second, opposite direction when the third tab has been rearwardly moved relative to the resiliently flexible tang such that the third tab is behind and no longer impinging the resiliently flexible tang, whereby the resiliently flexible tang is engageable with the third tab to inhibit forward movement of the hang rod bracket along the shelf bracket. 
     
     
         6 . The hang rod bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the hang rod bracket includes a main body having embossing in opposite directions relative to a neutral center plane of the hang rod bracket. 
     
     
         7 . The hang rod bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the hang rod bracket includes a pole cup attached to a lower portion of the hang rod bracket, the pole cup configured for receiving a portion of a hang rod therein. 
     
     
         8 . The hang rod bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the hang rod bracket includes a pole cup integrally formed with a lower portion of the hang rod bracket, the pole cup configured for receiving a portion of a hang rod therein. 
     
     
         9 . The hang rod bracket of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the hang rod bracket includes a notch defined generally underneath the second tab, the notch is configured to receive a portion of the shelf bracket therein such that the second and third tabs of the hang rod bracket are positionable along opposite interior and exterior surfaces, respectively, of a lower portion of the shelf bracket;   the third tab includes an upwardly protruding hook;   the hang rod bracket includes a main body having embossing in opposite directions relative to a neutral center plane of the hang rod bracket; and   the hang rod bracket includes a pole cup attached to or integrally formed with a lower portion of the hang rod bracket, the pole cup configured for receiving a portion of a hang rod therein.   
     
     
         10 . A storage system comprising first and second hang rod brackets of  claim 1  and first and second shelf brackets, wherein the first and second hang rod brackets are configured to be supported by the respective first and second shelf brackets. 
     
     
         11 . The storage system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a hang rod including first and second portions;   first and second pole cups attached to or integrally formed with lower portions of the respective first and second hang rod brackets, the first pole cup configured for receiving the first portion of the hang rod, the second pole cup configured for receiving the second portion of the hang rod; and   a shelf configured to be supported along upper portions of the first and second shelf brackets;   whereby the hang rod is supportable below the shelf by the respective first and second pole cups when the first and second hang rod brackets are supported by the respective first and second shelf brackets and when the shelf is supported along the upper portions of the first and second shelf brackets.   
     
     
         12 . An assembly comprising the hang rod bracket of  claim 1  and the shelf bracket including the first and second openings. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the shelf bracket further comprises a resiliently flexible tang along a lower portion of the shelf bracket. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the resiliently flexible tang is configured to be resiliently movable in a first direction when impinged by the third tab of the hang rod bracket and resiliently movable in a second, opposite direction when the third tab has been rearwardly moved relative to the resiliently flexible tang such that the third tab is behind and no longer impinging the resiliently flexible tang. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the resiliently flexible tang is engageable with the third tab to inhibit forward movement of the hang rod bracket along the shelf bracket when the third tab has been rearwardly moved relative to the resiliently flexible tang such that the third tab is behind and no longer impinging the resiliently flexible tang. 
     
     
         16 . A storage system comprising:
 a shelf bracket including an upper portion configured for supporting a portion of a shelf thereon, and a lower portion including first and second openings; and   a hang rod bracket including first, second, and third tabs along an upper portion of the hang rod bracket, the first and second tabs of the hang rod bracket extending in opposite forward and rearward directions and are configured to be received within first and second openings of a shelf bracket.   
     
     
         17 . The storage system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the hang rod bracket includes a notch defined generally underneath the second tab, the notch is configured to receive a portion of the shelf bracket therein such that the second and third tabs of the hang rod bracket are positionable along opposite interior and exterior surfaces, respectively, of a lower portion of the shelf bracket;   the third tab includes an upwardly protruding hook;   the hang rod bracket includes a main body having embossing in opposite directions relative to a neutral center plane of the hang rod bracket; and   the hang rod bracket includes a pole cup attached to or integrally formed with a lower portion of the hang rod bracket, the pole cup configured for receiving a portion of a hang rod therein.   
     
     
         18 . The storage system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the shelf bracket comprises first and second shelf brackets;   the hang rod bracket comprises first and second hang rod brackets configured to be supported by the respective first and second shelf brackets;   wherein the storage system further comprises:
 a hang rod including first and second portions; 
 first and second pole cups attached to or integrally formed with lower portions of the respective first and second hang rod brackets, the first pole cup configured for receiving the first portion of the hang rod, the second pole cup configured for receiving the second portion of the hang rod; and 
 a shelf configured to be supported along upper portions of the first and second shelf brackets; 
   whereby the hang rod is supportable below the shelf by the respective first and second pole cups when the first and second hang rod brackets are supported by the respective first and second shelf brackets and when the shelf is supported along the upper portions of the first and second shelf brackets.   
     
     
         19 . A storage system comprising:
 first and second hang rod brackets each including first, second, and third tabs along an upper portion of the corresponding first and second hang rod brackets, the first and second tabs of the hang rod bracket extending in opposite forward and rearward directions; and   first and second shelf brackets each including first and second openings along a lower portion of the corresponding first and second shelf bracket,   wherein the first and second openings are configured for receiving the first and second tabs, respectively, of the corresponding first and second hang rod brackets to thereby support the first and second hang rod brackets from the corresponding first and second shelf brackets.   
     
     
         20 . The storage system of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the hang rod bracket includes a notch defined generally underneath the second tab, the notch is configured to receive a portion of the shelf bracket therein such that the second and third tabs of the hang rod bracket are positionable along opposite interior and exterior surfaces, respectively, of a lower portion of the shelf bracket;   the third tab includes an upwardly protruding hook;   the hang rod bracket includes a main body having embossing in opposite directions relative to a neutral center plane of the hang rod bracket; and   the hang rod bracket includes a pole cup attached to or integrally formed with a lower portion of the hang rod bracket, the pole cup configured for receiving a portion of a hang rod therein; and   wherein the storage system further comprises:
 a hang rod including first and second portions; 
 first and second pole cups attached to or integrally formed with lower portions of the respective first and second hang rod brackets, the first pole cup configured for receiving the first portion of the hang rod, the second pole cup configured for receiving the second portion of the hang rod; and 
 a shelf configured to be supported along upper portions of the first and second shelf brackets; 
 whereby the hang rod is supportable below the shelf by the respective first and second pole cups when the first and second hang rod brackets are supported by the respective first and second shelf brackets and when the shelf is supported along the upper portions of the first and second shelf brackets.