Track-mounted shelving systems and components

Abstract

A shelving system generally includes a track and at least one shelving component, such as a bracket. In one embodiment, the track includes a support portion and a retaining lip. The support portion has an upper generally horizontal planar support surface and a lower generally horizontal planar surface. The upper generally horizontal planar support surface is vertically spaced from the lower generally horizontal planar surface. The bracket includes first and second end portions. The bracket also includes an arm extending generally between the first and second end portions for supporting a storage structure. The bracket's first end portion includes forward and rearward surfaces. The bracket's rearward surface includes an opening having an upper surface that contacts the upper generally horizontal planar support surface of the track when the bracket's first end portion is engaged with the track. The bracket's front surface includes an upper portion that contacts the track's retaining lip when the track's support portion is within the opening of the bracket's rearward surface.

1 . A shelving system comprising: 
 a track having a support portion and a retaining lip, said support portion having an upper generally horizontal planar support surface and a lower generally horizontal planar surface, said upper generally horizontal planar support surface vertically spaced from said lower generally horizontal planar surface;    at least one bracket including first and second end portions, and an arm extending generally between the first and second end portions for supporting a storage structure, the first end portion having a forward surface and a rearward surface, said rearward surface including an opening having an upper surface that contacts said upper generally horizontal planar support surface of said track when the bracket's first end portion is engaged with the track, the bracket's forward surface having an upper portion that contacts the track's retaining lip when the track's support portion is within said opening of the bracket's rearward surface.    
   
   
       2 . The shelving system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one bracket is slidably movable along the track.  
   
   
       3 . The shelving system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one bracket includes two or more brackets each slidably movable along the track for cooperatively supporting at least one storage structure.  
   
   
       4 . The shelving system of  claim 3 , further comprising at least one storage structure supportable by the two or more brackets.  
   
   
       5 . The shelving system of  claim 4 , wherein the storage structure comprises a plurality of wire members.  
   
   
       6 . The shelving system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one bracket is reversibly mountable to the track such that the bracket's first end portion is engaged with the track when the bracket is in a first orientation, and such that the bracket's second end portion is engaged with the track when the bracket is in a second orientation.  
   
   
       7 . The shelving system of  claim 6 , wherein the second end portion includes: 
 a load-bearing surface that contacts the track's upper generally horizontal planar support surface when the at least one bracket is in the second orientation; and    an upper portion that contacts the track's retaining lip when the track's support portion is within the opening of the bracket's second end portion.    
   
   
       8 . The shelving system of  claim 7 , wherein the bracket's second end portion includes at least one protuberance having a generally rounded transverse profile and defining the load-bearing surface of the bracket's second end portion.  
   
   
       9 . The shelving system of  claim 1 , wherein the track includes a generally backward S-shaped transverse profile, and wherein the support portion of the track includes a generally U-shaped transverse profile.  
   
   
       10 . The shelving system of  claim 1 , wherein the bracket's rearward surface includes at least one protuberance having a generally rounded transverse profile and defining the upper surface of the opening of the bracket's rearward surface.  
   
   
       11 . The shelving system of  claim 1 , wherein the bracket includes at least one surface having at least fastener opening therein to allow mounting of the bracket directly to a vertical support surface without using the track.  
   
   
       12 . A shelving system comprising: 
 a track including a web extending generally between an upper flange portion having a retaining lip and a lower flange portion having a generally horizontal planar support surface; and    at least one shelving component including at least one end portion having a rearward side and an upper portion, said rearward side having a load-bearing surface configured to be positioned on the track's support surface, the shelving component's upper portion configured to contact the track's retaining lip when the load-bearing surface is positioned on the track's support surface, whereby said at least one shelving component may be slidably positioned along and be supported by said track.    
   
   
       13 . The shelving system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one shelving component comprises a bracket having said at least one end portion, the bracket further including a leg extending downwardly from the at least one end portion, and an arm generally extending from the leg for supporting a storage structure.  
   
   
       14 . The shelving system of  claim 13 , wherein the storage structure comprises a plurality of wire members.  
   
   
       15 . The shelving system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one shelving component comprises at least two spaced apart end portions, and a storage structure disposed between said at least two spaced apart end portions.  
   
   
       16 . The shelving system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one end portion of the shelving component comprises at least one protuberance having a generally rounded transverse profile and defining the load-bearing surface.  
   
   
       17 . The shelving system of  claim 12 , wherein the track further comprises a lower generally horizontal planar surface configured to limit the upward movement of the shelving component relative to the track when the upper portion of the shelving component is contacting the track's retaining lip.  
   
   
       18 . The shelving system of  claim 12 , wherein the track is configured to be mounted on a wall.  
   
   
       19 . The shelving system of  claim 12 , wherein the track includes a generally backward S-shaped transverse profile, and wherein the support portion of the track includes a generally U-shaped transverse profile.  
   
   
       20 . A shelving component for use with a track having an upper flange portion including a retaining lip and a lower flange portion including a generally horizontal planar support surface, the shelving component comprising at least one end portion configured to be engagingly received by the track, the at least one end portion having a rearward side and a upper portion, said rearward side including a load-bearing surface configured to be positioned on the track's support surface, the shelving component's upper portion including a forward surface configured to contact the track's retaining lip when the shelving component's load-bearing surface is positioned on the track's support surface, whereby the at least one shelving component may be supported by engaging the shelving component's end portion with the track.  
   
   
       21 . The shelving component of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one shelving component comprises a bracket having said at least one end portion, the bracket further including a leg extending downwardly from the at least one end portion, and an arm generally extending from the leg for supporting a storage structure.  
   
   
       22 . The shelving component of  claim 21 , wherein the bracket's end portion includes at least one protuberance having a generally rounded transverse profile and defining the load-bearing surface.  
   
   
       23 . The shelving component of  claim 22 , wherein the bracket includes a second end portion having an upper portion and at least one protuberance with a generally rounded transverse profile and defining a load-bearing surface, whereby the bracket is reversibly mountable to the track with the bracket's second end portion engaged to the track such that the second end portion's load-bearing surface positioned on the track's support surface and such that the second end portion's upper portion contacts the track's retaining lip.  
   
   
       24 . The shelving component of  claim 21 , wherein the bracket includes at least one surface having at least fastener opening therein to allow mounting of the bracket directly to a vertical support surface without using the track.  
   
   
       25 . The shelving component of  claim 20 , wherein the at least one end portion comprises two spaced apart end portions, and a support structure disposed between said two spaced apart end portions.  
   
   
       26 . A track for supporting at least one shelving component having an end portion with a load-bearing rearward surface and a upper forward portion, the track comprising a web extending between an upper flange portion having a retaining lip and a lower flange portion having at least an upper generally horizontal planar support surface, the track configured to support the shelving component therefrom with the shelving component's load-bearing surface positioned on the track's upper generally horizontal support surface, and with the shelving component's upper portion contacting the track's retaining lip.  
   
   
       27 . The track of  claim 26 , wherein the track includes a generally backward S-shaped transverse profile.  
   
   
       28 . A shelving bracket including first and second end portions and a leg extending generally between the first and second end portions for supporting a storage structure, each said end portion of the bracket including an upper portion and at least one protuberance defining a load-bearing surface, whereby the first and second end portions allow the bracket to be reversibly mountable to a track having a retaining lip and a support surface with one of the end portion's load-bearing surface positioned on the track's support surface and upper portion contacting the track's retaining lip.  
   
   
       29 . The shelving bracket of  claim 28 , wherein the bracket includes at least one surface having at least fastener opening therein to allow mounting of the bracket directly to a vertical support surface without using the track.  
   
   
       30 . The shelving component of  claim 28 , wherein at least one of said protuberances has a generally rounded transverse profile.