Granted Patent B2

US 10,299,594 · App. 15/937,061 · Granted May 28, 2019

Inventors: Mitchell Liss (Northbrook, IL); David J. Wojtowicz (Orland Park, IL); Anthony J. Troyner (Shorewood, IL); Jeff Lamber (Minooka, IL); Mitchell E. Bianchin (Villa Park, IL); Scott Fitzgerald (Lowell, IN)

Assignee: Edsal Manufacturing Company, Inc.

A47B96/1441A47B47/0041A47B47/0083A47B47/021A47B47/024A47B47/027A47B47/028A47B55/00A47B57/16A47B57/20A47B57/38A47B57/48A47B96/021A47B96/067A47B57/402

Abstract

Claims (102)

1. A tie bar for connecting two horizontal beams of a shelving unit, the tie bar comprising:

first and second elongate walls arranged parallel to each other;

a third elongate wall arranged perpendicular to the first and second elongate walls and coupled to a lateral side of each of the first and second elongate walls; and

one of the first or second elongate walls including a pair of hook elements positioned at terminal ends of the one of the first or second elongate walls,

wherein each of the hook elements includes a depending downwardly-extending tab integrally formed with the one of the first or second elongate walls and configured to be received by an elongate slot of at least one of the two horizontal beams of the shelving unit;

wherein the other of the first or second elongate walls is free of any depending downwardly-extending tabs; and

wherein the first and second elongate walls are top and bottom walls, respectively, the third elongate wall is a side wall, and the pair of hook elements being positioned on the second elongate wall.

2. The tie bar of claim 1 , wherein the third elongate wall includes end extensions extending longitudinally beyond the terminal ends of the first elongate wall and wherein the end extensions are each configured to be received within an interior space of the corresponding horizontal beam.

3. The tie bar of claim 1 , wherein the third elongate wall includes recesses extending inwardly at or near the terminal ends of the first elongate wall and wherein the recesses are each configured to receive a portion of a flange of the corresponding horizontal beam.

4. The tie bar of claim 1 , further comprising first and second extending tabs positioned at and extending longitudinally beyond the terminal ends of the first elongate wall, the first and second extending tabs being planar with the first elongate wall.

5. The tie bar of claim 4 , wherein each of the first and second extending tabs includes an opening spaced away from the terminal ends of the first elongate wall for receiving a pin configured to securely couple the first elongate wall to the corresponding beam.

6. The tie bar of claim 5 , further comprising a pin received by the opening to securely couple the first elongate wall to the corresponding beam.

7. The tie bar of claim 1 , wherein the first elongate wall is free of any depending tabs.

8. The tie bar of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the elongate walls includes an embossment.

9. A shelving unit comprising the tie bar of claim 1 .

10. A shelving unit comprising:

at least one front horizontal shelf-supporting beam including at least one first flange, at least one first elongate slot, and at least one first interior space;

at least one rear horizontal shelf-supporting beam including at least one second flange, at least one second elongate slot, and at least one second interior space; and

a tie bar connecting the at least one front and rear horizontal shelf-supporting beams, the tie bar including:

first and second elongate walls arranged parallel to each other;

a third elongate wall arranged perpendicular to the first and second elongate walls and coupled to a lateral side of each of the first and second elongate walls; and

one of the first or second elongate walls including a pair of hook elements positioned at terminal ends of the one of the first or second elongate walls,

wherein each of the hook elements includes a depending downwardly-extending tab integrally formed with the one of the first or second elongate walls and received by one of the at least one first or second elongate slots;

wherein the other of the first or second elongate walls is free of any depending downwardly-extending tabs; and

wherein the first and second elongate walls are top and bottom walls, respectively, the third elongate wall is a side wall, and the pair of hook elements being positioned on the second elongate wall.

11. The shelving unit of claim 10 , wherein the third elongate wall includes recesses extending inwardly at or near the terminal ends of the first elongate wall and wherein the recesses each receive a portion of one of the at least one first or second flanges.

12. The shelving unit of claim 10 , further comprising first and second extending tabs positioned at and extending longitudinally beyond the terminal ends of the first elongate wall, the first and second extending tabs being planar with the first elongate wall.

13. The shelving unit of claim 12 , wherein each of the first and second extending tabs includes an opening spaced away from the terminal ends of the first elongate wall for receiving a pin configured to securely couple the first elongate wall to the corresponding beam.

14. The shelving unit of claim 13 , further comprising a pin received by the opening to securely couple the first elongate wall to the corresponding beam.

15. The shelving unit of claim 10 , wherein the first elongate wall is free of any depending tabs.

16. A tie bar for connecting two horizontal beams of a shelving unit, the tie bar comprising:

first and second elongate walls arranged parallel to each other;

a third elongate wall arranged perpendicular to the first and second elongate walls and coupled to a lateral side of each of the first and second elongate walls; and

one of the first or second elongate walls including a pair of hook elements positioned at terminal ends of the one of the first or second elongate walls,

wherein each of the hook elements includes a depending downwardly-extending tab integrally formed with the one of the first or second elongate walls and configured to be received by an elongate slot of at least one of the two horizontal beams of the shelving unit;

wherein the other of the first or second elongate walls is free of any depending downwardly-extending tabs; and

wherein the tie bar is a monolithic body.

17. The tie bar of claim 16 , wherein the first and second elongate walls are top and bottom walls, respectively, the third elongate wall is a side wall, and the pair of hook elements being positioned on the second elongate wall.

18. The tie bar of claim 16 , further comprising:

first and second extending tabs positioned at and extending longitudinally beyond the terminal ends of the first elongate wall, each extending tab includes an opening; and

a pin received by each opening for securely coupling the first elongate wall to the corresponding beam.

19. A tie bar for connecting two horizontal beams of a shelving unit, the tie bar comprising:

first and second elongate walls arranged parallel to each other;

a third elongate wall arranged perpendicular to the first and second elongate walls and coupled to a lateral side of each of the first and second elongate walls; and

one of the first or second elongate walls including a pair of hook elements positioned at terminal ends of the one of the first or second elongate walls,

wherein each of the hook elements includes a depending downwardly-extending tab integrally formed with the one of the first or second elongate walls and configured to be received by an elongate slot of at least one of the two horizontal beams of the shelving unit;

wherein the other of the first or second elongate walls is free of any depending downwardly-extending tabs; and

wherein the first, second, and third elongate walls are configured to extend perpendicular to the two horizontal beams.

20. The tie bar of claim 19 , wherein the first and second elongate walls are top and bottom walls, respectively, the third elongate wall is a side wall, and the pair of hook elements being positioned on the second elongate wall.

21. The tie bar of claim 19 , further comprising:

first and second extending tabs positioned at and extending longitudinally beyond the terminal ends of the first elongate wall, each extending tab includes an opening; and

a pin received by each opening for securely coupling the first elongate wall to the corresponding beam.

22. A tie bar for connecting two horizontal beams of a shelving unit, the tie bar comprising:

first and second elongate walls arranged parallel to each other;

a third elongate wall arranged perpendicular to the first and second elongate walls and coupled to a lateral side of each of the first and second elongate walls; and

one of the first or second elongate walls including a pair of hook elements positioned at terminal ends of the one of the first or second elongate walls,

wherein each of the hook elements includes a depending downwardly-extending tab integrally formed with the one of the first or second elongate walls and configured to be received by an elongate slot in and extending along the length of at least one of the two horizontal beams of the shelving unit;

wherein the other of the first or second elongate walls is free of any depending downwardly-extending tabs.

23. The tie bar of claim 22 , wherein the first and second elongate walls are top and bottom walls, respectively, the third elongate wall is a side wall, and the pair of hook elements being positioned on the second elongate wall.

24. The tie bar of claim 22 , further comprising:

first and second extending tabs positioned at and extending longitudinally beyond the terminal ends of the first elongate wall, each extending tab includes an opening; and

a pin received by each opening for securely coupling the first elongate wall to the corresponding beam.

25. A shelving unit comprising:

at least one front horizontal shelf-supporting beam including at least one first flange, at least one first elongate slot, and at least one first interior space;

at least one rear horizontal shelf-supporting beam including at least one second flange, at least one second elongate slot, and at least one second interior space; and

a monolithic tie bar connecting the at least one front and rear horizontal shelf-supporting beams, the tie bar including:

first and second elongate walls arranged parallel to each other;

a third elongate wall arranged perpendicular to the first and second elongate walls and coupled to a lateral side of each of the first and second elongate walls; and

one of the first or second elongate walls including a pair of hook elements positioned at terminal ends of the one of the first or second elongate walls,

wherein each of the hook elements includes a depending downwardly-extending tab integrally formed with the one of the first or second elongate walls and received by one of the at least one first or second elongate slots; and

wherein the other of the first or second elongate walls is free of any depending downwardly-extending tabs.

26. The shelving unit of claim 25 , wherein the first and second elongate walls are top and bottom walls, respectively, the third elongate wall is a side wall, and the pair of hook elements being positioned on the second elongate wall.

27. The shelving unit of claim 25 , further comprising:

first and second extending tabs positioned at and extending longitudinally beyond the terminal ends of the first elongate wall, each extending tab includes an opening; and

a pin received by each opening to securely couple the first elongate wall to the corresponding beams.

28. A shelving unit comprising:

at least one front horizontal shelf-supporting beam including at least one first flange, at least one first elongate slot, and at least one first interior space;

at least one rear horizontal shelf-supporting beam including at least one second flange, at least one second elongate slot, and at least one second interior space; and

a tie bar connecting the at least one front and rear horizontal shelf-supporting beams, the tie bar including:

first and second elongate walls arranged parallel to each other;

a third elongate wall arranged perpendicular to the first and second elongate walls and coupled to a lateral side of each of the first and second elongate walls; and

one of the first or second elongate walls including a pair of hook elements positioned at terminal ends of the one of the first or second elongate walls,

wherein the first, second, and third elongate walls extend perpendicular to the two horizontal beams; and

wherein each of the hook elements includes a depending downwardly-extending tab integrally formed with the one of the first or second elongate walls and received by one of the at least one first or second elongate slots; and

wherein the other of the first or second elongate walls is free of any depending downwardly-extending tabs.

29. The shelving unit of claim 28 , wherein the first and second elongate walls are top and bottom walls, respectively, the third elongate wall is a side wall, and the pair of hook elements being positioned on the second elongate wall.

30. The shelving unit of claim 28 , further comprising:

first and second extending tabs positioned at and extending longitudinally beyond the terminal ends of the first elongate wall, each extending tab includes an opening; and

a pin received by each opening to securely couple the first elongate wall to the corresponding beams.

31. A shelving unit comprising:

at least one front horizontal shelf-supporting beam including at least one first flange, at least one first elongate slot extending along the length of the front beam, and at least one first interior space;

at least one rear horizontal shelf-supporting beam including at least one second flange, at least one second elongate slot, and at least one second interior space; and

a tie bar connecting the at least one front and rear horizontal shelf-supporting beams, the tie bar including:

first and second elongate walls arranged parallel to each other;

a third elongate wall arranged perpendicular to the first and second elongate walls and coupled to a lateral side of each of the first and second elongate walls; and

one of the first or second elongate walls including a pair of hook elements positioned at terminal ends of the one of the first or second elongate walls,

wherein each of the hook elements includes a depending downwardly-extending tab integrally formed with the one of the first or second elongate walls and received by one of the at least one first or second elongate slots; and

wherein the other of the first or second elongate walls is free of any depending downwardly-extending tabs.

32. The shelving unit of claim 31 , wherein the first and second elongate walls are top and bottom walls, respectively, the third elongate wall is a side wall, and the pair of hook elements being positioned on the second elongate wall.

33. The shelving unit of claim 31 , further comprising:

first and second extending tabs positioned at and extending longitudinally beyond the terminal ends of the first elongate wall, each extending tab includes an opening; and

a pin received by each opening to securely couple the first elongate wall to the corresponding beams.

Assignments (4)

Continuity (5)

Cited By (9)

US 1,088,845 US 1,116,775 US 1,123,478 US 12,268,298 US 12,478,183 US 12,557,907 US 12,557,908 US 12,575,676 US 12,716,442