Shelf Cover Apparatus

Abstract

An adjustably fitted covering member is disclosed that is secured to a shelf standard such that all but the desired slots are obscured. The covering can improve the appearance and/or installation of the adjustable shelving unit. The covering member is adhered to the shelf standard by one of a variety of ways, such as through magnetism, adhesively, using tabs, or by being snapped-on, to name a few examples. The covering member can be sold pre-cut and/or can be customized after purchase. The covering member can optionally have indications on the backside to allow the user to custom cut the covering member. The covering member can optionally be sold as part of shelving kit that where it is made to match the length and width of the shelving standard contained in the kit.

1 . A covering member for a shelving support member having a plurality of openings; the covering member comprising: 
 an elongate body having a substantially planar elongate front panel;    an attachment feature disposed on the elongate body and engageable with the shelving support member whereby the elongate body is securable on the shelving support member in a position wherein the front panel covers at least one of the plurality of openings; and    wherein the covering member improves an aesthetic appearance of the shelving support member by covering the at least one of the plurality of openings.    
   
   
       2 . The covering member of  claim 1  wherein the attachment feature comprises a magnetic member disposed on the elongate body.  
   
   
       3 . The covering member of  claim 1  wherein the attachment feature comprises an adhesive material disposed on the elongate body.  
   
   
       4 . The covering member of  claim 1  wherein the attachment feature comprises at least one projection disposed on the elongate body, the projection being engageable with a selected one of the plurality of openings defined by the shelving support member.  
   
   
       5 . The covering member of  claim 1  wherein the attachment feature comprises first and second elongate side panels disposed on opposite sides of the covering member and wherein the covering member defines a substantially U-shaped profile, the first and second side panels being engageable with the shelving support member to thereby secure the covering member to the shelving support member.  
   
   
       6 . The covering member of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a plurality of spaced apart indicia defined on the front panel, wherein the indicia are positioned on the front panel at spacing intervals corresponding to spacing intervals defined by the openings on the shelving support member.    
   
   
       7 . An adjustable shelving apparatus comprising: 
 an elongate first support member adapted to be secured to a structure, the first support member having a plurality of spaced apart discontinuities;    a second support member selectively securable to the first support member at one of a plurality of different locations by engagement of the second support member with at least one of the plurality of spaced apart discontinuities and wherein at least another one of the plurality of spaced apart discontinuities remains unengaged after securing the second support member to the first support member; and    at least one elongate covering member, the covering member being securable to the first support member and covering at least one of the unengaged discontinuities.    
   
   
       8 . The adjustable shelving apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the covering member is detachably securable to the first elongate support member.  
   
   
       9 . The adjustable shelving apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the covering member is magnetically detachably securable to the first elongate support member.  
   
   
       10 . The adjustable shelving apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the covering member is adhesively securable to the first elongate support member.  
   
   
       11 . The adjustable shelving apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the covering member includes at least one projection, the covering member being securable to the first elongate member by engagement of the at least one projection with a respective one of the plurality of discontinuities.  
   
   
       12 . The adjustable shelving apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the first elongate support member defines an elongate front surface defining the plurality of spaced apart discontinuities and first and second elongate side surfaces disposed on opposite sides of the front surface; and wherein the covering member has a generally U-shaped profile with an elongate front panel and first and second elongate side panels, the first and second side panels being resiliently flexible relative to the front panel, the covering member being securable to the first elongate support member by respective engagement of the first and second side panels with the first and second elongate side surfaces of the first support member and wherein the front panel covers the elongate front surface when the covering member is secured to the first support member.  
   
   
       13 . The adjustable shelving apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the first side panel has a first, inwardly projecting elongate rib and the second side panel has a second, inwardly projecting elongate rib, the first and second ribs being respectively engageable with the first and second elongate side surfaces of the first support member to thereby secure the covering member to the first support member.  
   
   
       14 . The adjustable shelving apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the covering member has a front side and an opposite back side, the front side being viewable and the back side facing the first support member when the covering member is secured to the first support member; the back side including a plurality of spaced apart indicia wherein the indicia are positioned on the covering member at spacing intervals corresponding to spacing intervals defined by the plurality of spaced apart discontinuities on the first support member.  
   
   
       15 . The adjustable shelving apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the discontinuities are defined by substantially rectangular openings in the first support member.  
   
   
       16 . A method of installing an adjustable shelving apparatus, the method comprising: 
 securing an elongate first support member to a structure wherein the first support member has a plurality of spaced apart discontinuities;    providing a second support member securable to the first support member at a plurality of different locations by engagement of the second support member with at least one of the plurality of spaced apart discontinuities;    securing the second support member to the first support member at a selected one of the plurality of different locations by engaging the second support member with at least one of the plurality of spaced apart discontinuities and wherein at least another one of the plurality of spaced apart discontinuities remains unengaged after securing the second support member to the first support member; and    securing a covering member to the first support member wherein the covering member covers at least one of the unengaged discontinuities.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the step of securing a covering member to the first support member includes: 
 providing an elongate covering member having a length substantially equivalent to a length of the first support member; and    cutting the elongate covering member to a shorter length prior to securing the covering member to the first support member.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising: 
 providing the elongate covering member with a plurality of spaced apart indicia wherein the indicia are positioned on the covering member at spacing intervals corresponding to spacing intervals defined by the plurality of spaced apart discontinuities on the first support member; and wherein:    the step of cutting the elongate covering member to a shorter length includes determining the location of the cut based upon the position of at least one of the spaced apart indicia.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein: 
 the step of securing a first support member to the structure includes mounting two first support members to the structure in a substantially parallel orientation and wherein the spaced apart discontinuities on each of the first support members define a plurality of vertically spaced apart discontinuities;    the step of providing a second support member includes providing two second support members and wherein each of the second support members are secured to a respective one of the first support members at a desired vertical location; and    the step of securing a covering member to the first support member includes providing two covering members, cutting each of the covering members to a common length and securing one of the covering members to each of the two first support members.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein each of the covering members is provided with a plurality of spaced apart indicia wherein the indicia are positioned on the covering members at spacing intervals corresponding to spacing intervals defined by the plurality of spaced apart discontinuities on the first support members; and wherein: the step of cutting the two covering members to a common length includes determining the location of each of the cuts based upon the position of at least one of the spaced apart indicia.