Wall storage system

Abstract

A wall storage system is provided that is surprisingly versatile, durable, simple, and low cost. It includes perforated panels and rails, and multiple accessories, many of which can be used on standard peg board. Various perforated rail configurations are shown, including a preferred C-shaped rail with flat front and perpendicular top and bottom flanges. The versatility of the rail allows it to be wall-hung horizontally or vertically, or to be used in a floor-supported free-standing unit. Numerous accessories, many being one-piece formed wire, are configured to stably engage the rail and panel apertures, including an outwardly extending peg with swaged or notched end, and a second bent wire handle holder that rotatably engages the rail. A variety of bracket, shelving, and basket accessories can also be attached to the present rail and panel system, many being mountable without additional components. Anchoring and stabilizing clips are provided for heavy-duty brackets.

1 . A storage system comprising: 
 a rail having a flat front wall, and top and bottom flanges extending rearwardly from the front wall, at least the front wall having a plurality of apertures therein;    a plurality of spacers configured to stably engage a rear surface of the rail and adapted to space the rail forwardly from a wall structure; the spacers having a length longer than a depth dimension of the top and bottom flanges; and    accessories each with at least one leg for stably engaging at least one of the apertures.    
   
   
       2 . The storage system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the rail includes a down flange extending from a rear edge of the top flange.  
   
   
       3 . The storage system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the top flange includes several of the plurality of apertures.  
   
   
       4 . The storage system defined in  claim 3 , wherein the bottom flange includes several of the plurality of apertures.  
   
   
       5 . The storage system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spacers include a particularly shaped spacer that is shaped and adapted to fit through at least one of the apertures.  
   
   
       6 . The storage system defined in  claim 5 , wherein the shaped spacer includes a body defining a screw-receiving hole and further includes a protrusion offset from the screw-receiving hole and configured to abut marginal material on the rail forming a selected one of the apertures to stop rotation of the shaped spacer when the body of the spacer is offset from the selected one aperture.  
   
   
       7 . The storage system defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the spacers include at least a first hole for receiving a first screw for attaching the spacer to a wall structure, and further include a second hole for receiving a second screw to attach the rail to the spacers.  
   
   
       8 . The storage system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the accessories include a peg with an attachment end formed to wedgingly engage a selected one of the apertures.  
   
   
       9 . The storage system defined in  claim 8 , wherein the attachment end includes a swaged section.  
   
   
       10 . The storage system defined in  claim 9 , wherein the attachment end comprises a bent wire section, and the swaged section is formed at a free end of the bent wire section.  
   
   
       11 . The storage system defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the accessories is heavy-duty and adapted to support a product of significant weight, and including an anchor for engaging the rail to assist the one accessory in transferring stress and loads from the one accessory to the rail for supporting the product.  
   
   
       12 . The storage system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures of the rail includes at least one aperture that is non-circular in shape, and wherein one of the accessories includes a configured clip shaped to fit into the non-circular aperture and then rotate to an interlocked non-removable position.  
   
   
       13 . The storage system defined in  claim 1 , wherein the accessories includes at least one accessory having an attachment end configured to fit through at least one selected from the plurality of apertures and rotatingly engage the rail, the one accessory further having a product-supporting end that includes material defining front and rear sections spaced from the attachment end, the front and rear arms being positioned to receive a handle of a tool therebetween and adapted to frictionally engage opposing sides of the handle when the attachment end is rotated due to gravity of the handle and tool.  
   
   
       14 . The storage system defined in  claim 1 , wherein one of the accessories includes an attachment end having a wire section, and including a clip with a first end and an attachment section, the first end including opposing sides configured to engage opposing sides of the wire section to stably hold and support the one accessory, and further the attachment section including mating protrusions extending from the opposing sides and that when the opposing sides are positioned together the mating protrusions are adjacent and are configured to fit through one of the apertures in the rail and to frictionally engage marginal material forming the one aperture.  
   
   
       15 . A storage system comprising: 
 a first rail having a plurality of apertures therein and configured for attachment vertically and horizontally to a building wall;    a second rail configured to matably engage the first rail;    a plurality of brackets configured to engage selected apertures to hold items on the rails; the brackets being configured to engage the rails when the rails are positioned vertically and when the rails are positioned horizontally; and    legs configured for attachment to the first and second rails to hold the first and second rails in a free-standing upright position on a floor surface; whereby the storage system can be arranged in a horizontal building-attached position, a vertical building-attached position and a vertical free-standing position.    
   
   
       16 . A storage system comprising: 
 a rail having front, top, and bottom walls, and having a plurality of apertures therein;    a storage device having a useful section configured to hold product when in a use position, and having an attachment section made from a configured rod to hold the useful section in the use position; and    a stabilizing structure adapted to engage the rail and the attachment section for securing the storage device stably on the rail, the stabilizing structure being selected from a group consisting of: 1) the configured rod shaped to fit into a selected one of the apertures and including notches in the configured rod that are shaped to engage front and rear surfaces of the rail adjacent the selected one aperture; 2) a swaged portion of the configured rod configured to wedgingly engage a selected one of the apertures; 3) a separate holder having a recess shaped to receive the attachment section and having a tab supported on a living hinge that engages a back surface of the rail when the configured rod is engaged with the separate holder; 4) a clip with a first end shaped to encompass and engage the configured rod and a second end shaped to snap through a selected one of the apertures; and 5) a shaped portion on the configured rod shaped to fit through a selected one of the apertures when in a first orientation but shaped to interlock with the selected aperture when rotated to a vertical second orientation.    
   
   
       17 . The storage system defined in  claim 16 , wherein the stabilizing structure includes the bent rod shaped to fit into a selected one of the apertures and includes the notches in the bent rod that are shaped to engage front and rear surfaces of the rail adjacent the selected one aperture.  
   
   
       18 . The storage system defined in  claim 16 , wherein the stabilizing structure includes the swaged portion of the bent rod configured to wedgingly engage a selected one of the apertures.  
   
   
       19 . The storage system defined in  claim 16 , wherein the stabilizing structure includes the separate holder having the recess to receive the attachment section and having the tab supported on the living hinge that engages the back surface of the rail when the bent rod is engaged with the separate holder.  
   
   
       20 . The storage system defined in  claim 16 , wherein the stabilizing structure includes the clip with the first end shaped to encompass and engage the bent rod and the second end shaped to snap through a selected one of the apertures.  
   
   
       21 . The storage system defined in  claim 16 , wherein at least some of the apertures include an irregular shape, and wherein the stabilizing structure includes the shaped portion on the bent rod shaped to fit through the irregular shape of the selected one of the apertures when in the first orientation but shaped to interlock with the irregular portion when rotated to the vertical second orientation.  
   
   
       22 . The storage system defined in  claim 16 , wherein the top and bottom walls of the rail have a thickness that is less than about ¼ inch thick and that simulates a thickness of a peg board with holes therein.