Stackable or nestable shelf with reinforced platform

Abstract

A particularly styled shelf of a simplified design has a unique structure and appearance from a minimum of components. The shelf may be both stackable, one shelf upon the other, for the storage of goods, and can be easily nested into a compact state, when shelves are desired to be stored or shipped. Each of the shelves has a platform with spaced apart planks upon transverse ribs, and the platform provides a smooth transition for ready storage of goods. Each shelf has two closed loop wire legs, at each end, and the legs elevate the shelf when upon another shelf or a surface. The downward end of each leg has a foot portion of less width than the handle. The foot portions may be inserted through the handle to furnish interconnection of stacked shelves, even when subject to a lifting force.

1 . A device for separating and storing items vertically, a plurality of said devices being capable of being stacked atop one another for use thereof and of being nested upon one another for storage thereof, each device comprising:
 a generally planar platform positioned to extend generally horizontally and having a perimeter frame with opposed ends and a grill within said frame;   said perimeter frame having a height substantially greater than its thickness to add to its strength; and   two spaced apart and opposed leg portions, said leg portions joining to respective ends of said frame,   each of said leg portions having a handle proximate and extending to a top portion thereof above the level of said platform, a foot disposed below the level of said platform near the bottom of said leg portion and spaced generally vertically opposite said handle, and generally straight spaced front and back sides connecting said handle to said foot, said leg portions tapered to narrow as said spaced front and back sides approach said foot to define a tapered leg nesting area generally centrally positioned between said spaced front and back sides;   said handle having a handle opening therein sized and configured to accommodate a foot of the device thereabove therein, and a handle top portion having inner and outer sides,   said feet of said leg portions extending outwardly from one another,   said device being positionable at a spaced distance above a second device with the generally planar platforms thereof generally vertically aligned above one another to define upper and lower stacked devices,   said bottoms of said leg portions of said upper stacked device having a standard biased position and being compressibly resiliently bendable from said standard position towards one another to position said feet thereof adjacent respective handle openings of the handles of the lower stacked device and releasable to effect the return of said bottoms of said leg portions of said upper stacked device towards their standard positions to lock positions with said feet engaged within the handle openings of the handles of the lower stacked device, the upper and lower stacked devices forming a stacked arrangement of devices with the feet of said upper stacked device resting upon the platform of the lower stacked device and within the handle openings of the handles thereof to stackably support said upper stacked device upon the lower stacked device,   said device being alternatively positionable and nested above a second device with the planar platforms thereof closely positioned and generally vertically aligned above one another to define upper and lower nested devices,   the leg portions of said upper nested device extending to pass over and downwardly to the outer sides of the handle top portions of the handles and to fit within respective leg nesting areas of the leg portions of the lower nested device,   the upper and lower nested devices forming a nested arrangement of devices with the upper nested device resting upon and being supported by the lower nested device to form a balanced centered nesting configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The storing device of  claim 1  further comprising:
 said handles of said leg portions being inclined inwardly from said opposed ends of said frame towards one another, from respective shoulders where said handles connect to said sides of said leg portions; 
 said sides of each of said leg portions extending downwardly from said shoulders, generally perpendicular to said frame; 
 said feet of said leg portions extending outwardly generally perpendicular to said sides of said leg portions. 
 
     
     
         3 . The storing device of  claim 2  further comprising:
 each of said leg portions comprising a closed loop including said handle, said shoulders, said sides, and said foot of such leg portion as integral portions of said closed loop. 
 
     
     
         4 . The storing device of  claim 3  wherein said foot of each leg portion has less width than said handle, and said handle of each leg portion is located above an end of said platform. 
     
     
         5 . The storing device of  claim 2  further comprising:
 said grill having planks extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said device and a plurality of ribs laterally beneath said planks; 
 said perimeter frame having sufficient thickness to conceal said planks; and, 
 said ribs connecting beneath said perimeter frame. 
 
     
     
         6 . The storing device of  claim 2  further comprising:
 said grill having planks extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said device and a plurality of ribs laterally beneath said planks; 
 said ribs connecting within said perimeter frame; and, 
 said perimeter frame having sufficient thickness to conceal said planks and said ribs. 
 
     
     
         7 . The storing device of  claim 6  wherein said ribs have a height substantially greater than their thickness to add to their strength. 
     
     
         8 . A stackable and nestable shelf unit comprising an extended generally horizontal platform portion having top and bottom sides and opposed ends,
 a pair of leg portions each secured at a respective end of said platform portion and generally centered along said end to support said platform portion in an elevated position,   a pair of handle portions each secured at a respective end of said platform portion and generally centered along said end to project generally upwardly from said platform portion,   each of said leg portions including front and back sides depending generally vertically from adjacent said platform portion and spaced from one another with the spacing therebetween being greater near the tops thereof and less near the bottoms thereof to define a tapered leg with a tapered opening between said front and back sides thereof,   said front and back sides bent outwardly near the bottoms thereof to define foot portions at the bottom of each leg portion extending outwardly away from one another,   said leg portions being resiliently flexible to compress said foot portions towards one another under pressure by a user and to be resilient to return towards a standard position upon the release of pressure,   said handle portions inclined inwardly towards one another above said platform portion and having interior and exterior sides, each of said handle portions including an upper portion and side portions defining a handle opening therebetween above said platform portion and having an opening length at least as long as said foot portions and an opening height at least the height of said foot portions,   the foot portions of said shelf unit being compressible towards one another and positionably locatable adjacent interior sides of the handles of a like second shelf unit positioned generally alignably below said shelf unit for stacking purposes and thereafter releasable to effect the return of said foot portions towards said standard positions thereof to become inserted within the handle openings of the second shelf unit in a lock position with said foot portions resting upon the platform portion of the second shelf unit to form a stacked shelf arrangement,   said shelf unit being alternatively positionable with a like second shelf unit for storage purposes such that said platform portion of said shelf unit generally alignably overlies the platform portion of the second shelf unit, with the bottom side of said platform portion of said shelf unit resting upon the upper portion of the handles of the second shelf unit, and with the tapered legs of said shelf unit depending adjacent the exterior sides of the handles of the second shelf unit and fitting within the tapered openings of the leg portions of the second shelf unit, to form a balanced centered nested shelf arrangement.   
     
     
         9 . The shelf unit of  claim 8  wherein said foot portions each include a joinder element joining said front and back sides of said leg portions to one another. 
     
     
         10 . The shelf unit of  claim 8  wherein, when said shelf unit is alternatively positionable with a like second shelf unit for storage purposes, said front and back sides of said leg portions of said shelf unit generally rest against the front and back sides of the leg portions of the second shelf unit within the tapered opening of the leg portions of the second shelf unit. 
     
     
         11 . The shelf unit of  claim 8  wherein said platform portion includes an exterior frame having a height greater than the thickness of said exterior frame and a grill construction interior to said exterior frame. 
     
     
         12 . The shelf unit of  claim 8  wherein said leg portions, said handles, and said foot portions are integral portions of a closed loop. 
     
     
         13 . A stackable and nestable shelf for use for temporarily stacking and storing items, vertically, a plurality of said shelves being capable of stacking, one on top of the other, comprising:
 a generally planer platform, horizontally disposed, and including a series of longitudinally and parallel arranged bars along it length;   
       two spaced apart opposed legs;
 a pair of horizontal ribs, one being arranged at least at each end of the is platform, and securing the longitudinal bars thereon; 
 the legs being secured to a respective horizontal rib to complete the integrated structure of each shelf; and 
 each of the legs having a handle proximate and above said platform, and an opposite foot arranged downwardly thereof, and a pair of sides connecting said handle to each foot, to complete the leg structure for each shelf. 
 
     
     
         14 . The shelf of  claim 13  wherein a series of said shelves may be stacked one upon the other, with the foot of one shelf locating within the handle of the shelf arranged therebelow. 
     
     
         15 . The shelf of  claim 14  wherein a series of said shelves may be nested, for storage.