Adjustable shelving system

Abstract

An adjustable shelving storage system for use in industrial, commercial and home settings were available space is limited, the storage system having supports arms with a unique bracket for releasable attachment to side rail uprights whereby the support arms may be reversed for flat storage when not used. The system is provided in wall-mounted, floor mounted and mobile versions.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A shelf assembly for attachment to first and second side rails, wherein each side rail comprises at least one orifice, the shelf assembly comprising:
 a first support arm and a second support arm, wherein each support arm extends between a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is attachable to one of the first and the second side rails;   a locking bracket at the second end of each of the support arms comprising at least one inner surface configured to wrap around at least a portion of the side rail when the support arm is attached to the side rail;   a pin extending from the at least one inner surface of each of the locking brackets, wherein the pin is sized as a function of the at least one orifice of the side rail for use in attaching the support arm to the side rail, wherein the pin extending from the locking bracket of the first support arm is longer than the pin extending from the locking bracket of the second support arm; and   at least one shelf attachable to the first and the second support arms.   
     
     
         11 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the longer pin extending from the locking bracket of the first support arm terminates at a cap portion with a neck portion adjacent the cap portion, wherein the neck portion has a smaller cross-section than the cap portion. 
     
     
         12 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the locking bracket maintains the pin within the side rail when the support arm is attached to the side rail. 
     
     
         13 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the pin of the first support arm and the pin of the second support arm are aligned along the same axis. 
     
     
         14 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein each pin extends in the same direction. 
     
     
         15 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the pin is aligned along an axis orthogonal to the support arm. 
     
     
         16 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the pin of the locking bracket of the support arm is located a distance away from the support arm and in a plane parallel thereto. 
     
     
         17 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one inner surface of the locking bracket of each of the first and the second support arms comprises:
 a first inner surface from which the pin extends; and   a second inner surface parallel to the first inner surface.   
     
     
         18 . The shelf assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein an edge of the second inner surface is angled, such that when the support arm is attached to one of the first and the second side rails, a user may lift up on the first end of the support arm to allow release of the pin from the at least one orifice of the side rail. 
     
     
         19 . A method for adjustment of a shelving system, wherein the shelving system comprises a first side rail and a second side rail, wherein each side rail comprises at least one orifice, the method comprising:
 providing a shelf assembly, wherein the shelf assembly comprises:
 a first support arm and a second support arm, wherein each support arm extends between a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is attachable to one of the first and the second side rails; 
 a locking bracket at the second end of each of the support arms comprising at least one inner surface configured to wrap around at least a portion of the side rail when the support arm is attached to the side rail; 
 a pin extending from the at least one inner surface of each of the locking brackets, wherein the pin is sized as a function of the at least one orifice of the side rail, wherein the pin extending from the locking bracket of the first support arm is longer than the pin extending from the locking bracket of the second support arm; and 
 at least one shelf attached to the first and the second support arms; and 
   attaching the shelf assembly to the first and the second side rails, wherein attaching the shelf assembly comprises receiving the longer pin of the locking bracket of the first support arm within the at least one orifice of the first side rail, and then, subsequently, receiving the pin of the locking bracket of the second support arm within the at least one orifice of the second side rail.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the longer pin extending from the locking bracket of the first support arm terminates at a cap portion with a neck portion adjacent the cap portion, wherein the neck portion has a smaller cross-section than the cap portion, wherein receiving the longer pin of the locking bracket of the first support arm within the at least one orifice of the first side rail comprises positioning the cap portion of the longer pin of the locking bracket of the first support arm within the at least one orifice of the first side rail such that the shelf assembly pivots about the neck portion of the longer pin of the locking bracket of the first support arm. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein after the cap portion of the longer pin of the locking bracket of the first support arm is positioned within the at least one orifice of the first side rail, the shelf assembly is partially supported by the first side rail. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein receiving the longer pin of the locking bracket of the first support arm within the at least one orifice of the first side rail comprises inserting a portion of the longer pin of the locking bracket of the first support arm partially within the at least one orifice of the first side rail, wherein receiving the pin of the locking bracket of the second support arm within the at least one orifice of the second side rail comprises inserting the pin of the locking bracket of the second support arm within the at least one orifice of the second side rail, and further wherein a remainder of the longer pin of the locking bracket of the first support arm is inserted within the at least one orifice of the first side rail when inserting the pin of the locking bracket of the second support arm within the at least one orifice of the second side rail. 
     
     
         23 . A method of arranging adjustable shelving systems comprising:
 providing a first and a second adjustable shelving system, wherein each of the first and the second adjustable shelving systems comprises:   a first side rail and a second side rail, each of the first and the second side rails extending between an upper end and a bottom end;   at least one cross piece interconnecting the first side rail and the second side rail such that the first side rail is substantially parallel to the second side rail defining a plane in which the first and the second side rails lie;   at least one shelf assembly attachable to the first and the second side rails in at least a storage position and a use position, wherein the at least one shelf assembly is movably attached to the first and the second side rails and hangs downwardly in a generally vertical position when in the storage position, and wherein the at least one shelf assembly is movably attached to the first and the second side rails and extends generally horizontally from the first and the second side rails when in the use position; and   a first elongated base element and a second elongated base element, each of the first and the second elongated base elements extending between a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the bottom end of the first side rail is attached towards the proximal end of the first elongated base element, wherein the bottom end of the second side rail is attached towards the proximal end of the second elongated base element, wherein the distance between the distal end of the first elongated base element and the distal end of the second elongated base element is adjustable;   adjusting the distance between the distal end of the first elongated base element and the distal end of the second elongated base element to be greater than the distance between the proximal end of the first elongated base element and the proximal end of the second elongated base element such that the adjustable shelving system is in a configuration that allows the first and the second adjustable shelving systems to be nested together;   attaching the at least one shelf assembly of the first adjustable shelving system to the first and the second side rails of the first adjustable shelving system in the storage position; and   nesting the second adjustable shelving system together with the first adjustable shelving system such that the first and the second adjustable shelving systems are adjacent each other.   
     
     
         24 . An adjustable shelving system comprising:
 a first side rail and a second side rail, each of the first and the second side rails extending between an upper end and a bottom end;   at least one cross piece interconnecting the first side rail and the second side rail such that the first side rail is substantially parallel to the second side rail defining a plane in which the first and the second side rails lie;   at least one shelf assembly attachable to the first and the second side rails in at least a storage position and a use position, wherein the at least one shelf assembly is movably attached to the first and the second side rails and hangs downwardly in a generally vertical position when in the storage position, and wherein the at least one shelf assembly is movably attached to the first and the second side rails and extends generally horizontally from the first and the second side rails when in the use position; and   a first elongated base element and a second elongated base element, each of the first and the second elongated base elements extending between a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the bottom end of the first side rail is attached to the first elongated base element, wherein the bottom end of the second side rail is attached to the second elongated base element, wherein each of the first and the second elongated base elements is adjustable to an angle greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees from the plane defined by the first and the second side rails so as to allow multiple adjustable shelving systems to be nested together.   
     
     
         25 . The adjustable shelving system of  claim 24 , wherein each of the first and the second elongated base elements is adjustable to an angle greater than 90 degrees and less than 150 degrees from the plane defined by the first and the second side rails so as to allow multiple adjustable shelving systems to be nested together. 
     
     
         26 . The adjustable shelving system according to  claim 24 , wherein the first elongated base element is adjustably coupled and orthogonal to the first side rail, and wherein the second elongated base element is adjustably coupled and orthogonal to the second side rail. 
     
     
         27 . The adjustable shelving system according to  claim 24 , wherein the system further comprises:
 means for attaching the at least one shelf assembly to the first and the second side rails when in the storage position; and   means for attaching the at least one shelf assembly to the first and the second side rails when in the use position.   
     
     
         28 . The adjustable shelving system according to  claim 24 , wherein the at least one cross piece of the adjustable shelving system comprises:
 a first cross piece interconnecting the first side rail and the second side rail, wherein the first cross piece is coupled to the first side rail and the second side rail closer to the bottom ends than the upper ends thereof; and   a second cross piece interconnecting the first side rail and the second side rail, wherein the second cross piece is coupled to the first side rail and the second side rail closer to the upper ends than the bottom ends thereof.