US Patent:
20040221772, Nov 11, 2004
Inventors:
Lawrence Narkis - Fort Atkinson WI, US
Jerry Steinbrecher - Milton WI, US
William Punzel - Fort Atkinson WI, US
International Classification:
A47B057/00
Abstract:
A shelf includes a slot or opening configuration for use in mounting different types of shelf accessories to the shelf. The slot or opening configuration includes an enlarged primary or central section and a pair of secondary or end sections extending in opposite directions from the primary section. The primary section of the opening receives an axially-extending mounting member associated with a shelf accessory, such as a fastener for mounting a bin divider or the mounting portion of a rod-type shelf divider. The secondary sections of the opening have a width less than the diameter of the fastener or mounting portion, so as to maintain the fastener or mounting portion within the primary area of the opening. A shelf accessory with a tab-type mounting arrangement, such as an upright shelf divider, is mounted to the shelf by positioning the tabs within the aligned secondary sections of the opening, and the tabs extend into and across the primary section. The slot or opening configuration is formed in place of conventional separate elongated slots and circular openings, which creates manufacturing and inventory efficiencies in reducing the overall numbers of different shelves to be manufactured and carried in inventory.