Collapsible shelving units and collapsible enclosures
An enclosure includes a shelving unit having a first collapsible frame, a second collapsible frame, a plurality of shelf support rods each having a first end connected to the first collapsible frame and a second end connected to the second collapsible frame, a plurality of shelves that are each removably supported by a pair of shelf support rods from the plurality of shelf support rods, and at least a first cover support having a first end connected to the first collapsible frame and a second end connected to the second collapsible frame. A flexible cover at least partially encloses the shelving unit and is supported with respect to the shelving unit at least in part by engagement of the flexible cover with the first cover support. At least a portion of the flexible cover is at least translucent.
1. A covered shelving assembly for storing items, comprising:
a collapsible shelving unit, including:
a first collapsible frame having a plurality of pairs of frame members, the pairs of frame members are interconnected in a lazy tongs configuration, each frame member having two substantially similar ends and an intermediate point, each corresponding pair of frame members is connected at the intermediate point of the corresponding frame members of said corresponding pair of frame members, and adjacent pairs of frame members are connected at respective ends of the respective adjacect pairs of frame members,
a second collapsible frame having a plurality of pairs of frame members, the pairs of frame members are interconnected in a lazy tongs configuration, each frame member having two substantially similar ends and an intermediate point, each corresponding pair of frame members is connected at the intermediate point of the corresponding frame members of said corresponding pair of frame members, and adjacent pairs of frame members are connected at respective ends of the respective adjacect pairs of frame members,
wherein the first collapsible frame and second collapsible frame are extendable and collapsible to move the shelving unit between an extended position and a collapsed position;
a plurality of shelf support rods each having a first end connected to the first collapsible frame at one of the ends thereof and a second end connected to the second collapsible frame at one of the ends thereof to interconnect the ends of the frame members of the first collapsible frame with the ends of the frame members of the second collapsible frame,
wherein the intermediate points of the frame members of the first collapsible frame are not interconnected with the intermediate points of the frame members of the second collapsible frame,
a plurality of shelves that are each removably supported by a corresponding pair of substantially parallel shelf support rods from the plurality of shelf support rods, and
a first cover support having a first end connected to the first collapsible frame and a second end connected to the second collapsible frame, wherein the first cover support extends generally upward from the first and second collapsible frames when the shelving unit is in the extended position; and
a flexible cover that substantially encloses the shelving unit and is supported with respect to the shelving unit at least in part by resting a top surface of the flexible cover on the first cover support when the shelving unit is in the extended position to elevate the top surface of the flexible cover above the collapsible frames and the shelves,
wherein at least a portion of the flexible cover allows for transmission of at least infrared and visible wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, the flexible cover including a pair of vertically-oriented spaced apart zippers that cooperate to define an openable panel for the flexible cover, wherein items stored within the shelving unit can be covered by the panel or accessed by opening the panel via the zippers.
2. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the first collapsible frame and second collapsible frame are extendable and collapsible in unison to move the shelving unit between the extended position and the collapsed position.
3. The enclosure of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second cover support having a first end connected to the first collapsible frame and a second end connected to the second collapsible frame, wherein the flexible cover is supported with respect to the shelving unit at least in part by engagement of the flexible cover with the second cover support.
4. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the first cover support is pivotally connected to each of the first collapsible frame and the second collapsible frame.
5. The enclosure of claim 4 , further comprising:
at least one locking bar pivotally connected to one end of one adjacent pair of frame members on either the first collapsible frame or the second collapsible frame for selectively restraining pivotal motion of the first cover support with respect to the first collapsible frame and the second collapsible frame.
6. A covered shelving assembly for storing items,
a collapsible shelving unit, including:
a first collapsible frame that includes pivotally connected frame members in a lazy tongs configuration,
a second collapsible frame that includes pivotally connected frame members in a lazy tongs configuration,
wherein the first and second collapsible frames are extendable and collapsible in unison to move the shelving unit between an extended position and a collapsed position,
a plurality of shelf support rods each having a first end connected to the first collapsible frame and a second end connected to the second collapsible frame,
a plurality of shelves that are each removably supported by a pair of shelf support rods from the plurality of shelf support rods, the plurality of shelves including a first shelf that is removably supported on a corresponding first pair of shelf support rods from the plurality of shelf support rods at a first elevation and a second shelf that is removably supported on a corresponding second pair of shelf support rods from the plurality of shelf support rods at a second elevation,
a first cover support having a first end connected to the first collapsible frame and a second end connected to the second collapsible frame, the first cover support extends generally upward from the first and second collapsible frames when the shelving unit is in the extended position, and
a second cover support having a first end connected to the first collapsible frame and a second end connected to the second collapsible frame, the second cover support extends generally upward from the first and second collapsible frames when the shelving unit is in the extended position; and a flexible cover that substantially encloses the shelving unit and is supported with respect to the shelving unit at least in part by resting a top surface of the flexible cover on the first cover support and the second cover support when the shelving unit is in the extended position to elevate the top surface of the flexible cover above the collapsible frames and the shelves, the flexible cover having an openable panel, wherein items stored within the shelving unit can be covered by the panel or accessed by opening the panel,
wherein at least a portion of the flexible cover allows for transmission of at least infrared and visible wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation.
7. The enclosure of claim 6 , wherein the shelving unit has a first lateral side, a second lateral side, a first transverse side, and a second transverse side, the first collapsible frame is located at the first lateral side, the second collapsible frame is located at the second lateral side, the first cover support is located at the first lateral side, and the second cover support is located at the second lateral side.
8. The enclosure of claim 6 , wherein the first cover support and the second cover support are each pivotally connected to each of the first collapsible frame and the second collapsible frame.
9. The enclosure of claim 6 , further comprising:
at least a first locking structure for selectively restraining pivotal motion of the first cover support with respect to the first collapsible frame and the second collapsible frame and a least a second locking structure for selectively restraining pivotal motion of the second cover support with respect to the first collapsible frame and the second collapsible frame.
10. The enclosure of claim 6 , wherein each shelf from the plurality of shelves has a front end and a back end that are each bent downward for removable engagement with a respective shelf support rod from the plurality of shelf support rods.
11. The enclosure of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of shelves is a wire shelf.
12. The enclosure of claim 6 , wherein the flexible cover includes a plurality of upright walls that are each substantially planar and a pair of vertically-oriented zippers spaced apart on a first upright wall from the plurality of upright walls that each extend from a free edge of the first upright wall to a respective intermediate point on the first upright wall to define the openable panel.
13. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein each shelf from the plurality of shelves has a front end and a back end that are each bent downward for removable engagement with a respective shelf support rod from the plurality of shelf support rods.
14. The enclosure of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of shelves is a wire shelf.
15. A covered shelving assembly for storing items, comprising:
a collapsible shelving unit, including:
a first collapsible frame that includes pivotally connected frame members in a lazy tongs configuration,
a second collapsible frame that includes pivotally connected frame members in a lazy tongs configuration,
wherein the first and second collapsible frames are extendable and collapsible in unison to move the shelving unit between an extended position and a collapsed position,
a plurality of shelf support rods each having a first end connected to the first collapsible frame and a second end connected to the second collapsible frame,
a plurality of shelves that are each removably supported by a pair of shelf support rods from the plurality of shelf support rods, the plurality of shelves including a first shelf that is removably supported by a first corresponding pair of shelf support rods from the plurality of shelf support rods at a first elevation and a second shelf that is removably supported by a second corresponding pair of shelf support rods from the plurality of shelf support rods at a second elevation,
a first cover support having a first end pivotally connected to the first collapsible frame and a second end pivotally connected to the second collapsible frame,
a second cover support having a first end pivotally connected to the first collapsible frame and a second end pivotally connected to the second collapsible frame,
at least a first locking structure for selectively restraining pivotal motion of the first cover support with respect to the first collapsible frame and the second collapsible frame,
a least a second locking structure for selectively restraining pivotal motion of the second cover support with respect to the first collapsible frame and the second collapsible frame,
wherein the shelving unit has a first lateral side, a second lateral side, a first transverse side, and a second transverse side, the first collapsible frame is located at the first lateral side, the second collapsible frame is located at the second lateral side, the first cover support is located at the first lateral side, and the second cover support is located at the second lateral side; and
a flexible cover that encloses the shelving unit and is supported with respect to the shelving unit at least in part by resting a top surface of the flexible cover on the first cover support and the second cover support when the shelving unit is in the extended position to elevate the top surface of the flexible cover above the collapsible frames and the shelves, the flexible cover including a plurality of upright walls that are each substantially planar, a pair of vertically-oriented zippers spaced apart on a first upright wall from the plurality of upright walls that each extend from a free edge of the first upright wall to a respective intermediate point on the first upright wall to define an openable panel for the flexible cover, and the openable panel is configured to covered items stored within the shelving unit in a closed position and allow access to the items stored within the shelving unit in an open position, wherein at least a portion of the flexible cover allows for transmission of at least infrared and visible wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation.