Shelf support and arresting member

Abstract

A shelf support/arresting member comprising a rod portion and a seating portion/arresting portion extending therefrom. The rod portion is adapted for fixing to a support wall. The seating/arresting portion comprises a spiral-shaped outer surface which constitutes a plurality of support/arresting surfaces for supporting/arresting a bottom/top surface of a shelf, wherein, when the rod portion is fixed to the support wall and the bottom/top surface of the shelf is disposed above/beneath the seating/arresting portion, rotation of the shelf support causes a portion of the spiral-shaped outer surface to engage/retain the bottom/top surface of the shelf.

1 . A shelf arresting member comprising a rod portion and an arresting portion extending therefrom; the rod portion adapted for fixing to a support wall; the arresting portion comprising a spiral-shaped outer surface which constitutes a plurality of arresting surfaces for retaining a top surface of a shelf; wherein, when the rod portion is fixed to the wall and the top surface of the shelf is disposed below the arresting portion, rotation of the shelf arresting member causes a portion of the spiral-shaped outer surface to retain the top surface of the shelf and apply pressure thereto in a direction perpendicular to the rod portion, preventing thereby a displacement of the shelf. 
     
     
         2 . A shelf arresting member according to  claim 1 , wherein the rod portion is adapted to be freely rotatable in at least one direction whilst at least partially mounted to a bore in the support wall. 
     
     
         3 . A shelf arresting member according to  claim 1 , wherein the arresting portion further comprises an radially-projecting lip. 
     
     
         4 . A shelf arresting member according to  claim 1 , wherein the rod portion is a pin engageable within a receiving bore formed in the support wall. 
     
     
         5 . A shelf arresting member adapted to be mounted to a bore formed within a wall and to retain a shelf having top surface and side surfaces thereon, the shelf arresting member comprising a rod portion and an arresting portion extending therefrom; the rod portion being adapted to be rotatably mounted within the bore; the arresting portion comprising an axially-projecting lip disposed adjacent to the rod portion, the lip comprising an axial surface constituting a plurality of arresting surfaces; wherein, when the rod portion is mounted in the bore and the side surface of the shelf is placed adjacent the lip, rotation of the shelf arresting member causes the axial surface to contact the side surface of the shelf. 
     
     
         6 . A shelf arresting member according to  claim 5 , wherein said axially-projecting lip is of a uniform tapered shape or follows a helical, exponential or step growth pattern. 
     
     
         7 . A shelf arresting member according to  claim 6 , wherein the arresting portion further comprises a spiral-shaped outer surface which constitutes a plurality of arresting surfaces for retaining the shelf. 
     
     
         8 . A shelf arresting member adapted to be mounted to a support wall via a bore preformed therein and to retain top a portion of a shelf, the shelf arresting member comprising: an arresting portion and a rod portion extending therefrom; the arresting portion comprising a symmetrically-shaped cross section having an outer surface which constitutes a plurality of arresting surfaces for retaining the shelf; the rod portion being disposed off-center relative to the symmetrically-shaped cross section and adapted to be mounted to the bore. 
     
     
         9 . A shelf arresting member according to  claim 8 , wherein the cross section is circular, square or hexagonal. 
     
     
         10 . A method of supporting a portion of a shelf adjacent a wall, the shelf having a top surface and a bottom surface and being disposed between a top bore and a bottom bore formed in the wall, the method comprising:
 a) providing a shelf support for supporting the bottom surface of the shelf and inserting the shelf support in the bottom bore;   b) providing a shelf arresting member comprising a rod portion and an arresting portion extending therefrom, the rod portion being adapted to be mounted to the top bore; the arresting portion comprising a spiral-shaped outer surface which constitutes a plurality of arresting surfaces for retaining the top surface of the shelf; and   c) rotating the shelf arresting member until a portion of the spiral-shaped outer surface engages the adjacent portion of the top surface of the shelf, thereby applying pressure thereto in a direction perpendicular to the rod portion, preventing thereby a displacement of the shelf.   
     
     
         11 . A method of supporting a shelf having a bottom surface, a top surface and a side surface, the shelf being disposed between a top bore and a bottom bore formed in a wall, the method comprising:
 a) providing a shelf support adapted to be mounted to the bottom bore;   b) providing an arresting member comprising a rod portion and an arresting portion extending therefrom, the rod portion being adapted to be mounted to the top bore; the arresting portion comprising a non-straight portion and a radially-oriented straight portion;   c) inserting the shelf support in the bottom bore;   d) inserting the arresting member in the top bore, while the straight portion thereof is not in contact with the top surface of the shelf; and   e) rotating the arresting member until the straight portion contacts the side surface of the shelf thereby pushing the shelf away from the wall.   
     
     
         12 . A kit for supporting a shelf to be fixed to a wall between a top bore and a bottom bore, comprising at least one shelf support and at least one shelf arresting member, wherein:
 at least one shelf support comprises a shelf support rod portion and a seating portion extending therefrom; the seating portion comprising a spiral-shaped outer surface which constitutes a plurality of support surfaces for supporting a bottom surface of a shelf; wherein, when the rod portion is mounted within the bottom bore and the bottom surface of the shelf is disposed above the seating portion, rotation of the shelf support causes a portion of the spiral-shaped outer surface to engage the bottom surface of the shelf; and   at least one shelf arresting member comprises an arresting member rod portion and an arresting portion extending therefrom; the arresting portion comprising a spiral-shaped outer surface which constitutes a plurality of arresting surfaces for retaining a top surface of a shelf;   wherein, when the rod portion is mounted within the top bore and the top surface of the shelf is disposed below the arresting portion, rotation of the shelf arresting member causes a portion of the spiral-shaped outer surface to retain the top surface of the shelf and apply pressure thereto in a direction perpendicular to the rod portion, preventing thereby a displacement of the shelf.   
     
     
         13 . A kit for supporting a shelf of a thickness varying between a maximal thickness W MAX  and a minimal thickness T MIN , to be fixed to a support wall between a top bore and a bottom bore, centers of which are spaced one from the other by a distance d, comprising at least one shelf support and at least one shelf arresting member, wherein:
 at least one shelf support comprises a shelf support rod portion having a central axis and a seating portion extending therefrom; the seating portion comprising a spiral-shaped outer surface which constitutes a plurality of support surfaces for supporting a bottom surface of a shelf; each support surface defined by a radius denoting a distance between the spiral-shaped outer surface and the central axis, so that the seating portion having a maximal radius R MAX  and a minimal radius R MIN ;   at least one each shelf arresting member comprises an arresting member rod portion having a central axis and an arresting portion extending therefrom; the arresting portion comprising a spiral-shaped outer surface which constitutes a plurality of arresting surfaces for retaining a top surface of a shelf; each arresting surface defined by a radius denoting a distance between the spiral-shaped outer surface and the central axis, so that the arresting portion having a maximal radius R′ MAX  and a minimal radius R′ MIN ;   the minimal radii of the seating portion and the arresting portion satisfy: R MIN +R′ MIN =d−T MAX ; and the maximal radii of the seating portion and the arresting portion satisfy: R MAX +R′ MAX =d−T MIN .   
     
     
         14 . A kit for supporting a shelf according to  claim 13 , wherein the seating portion and the arresting portion have similar dimensions, so that the minimal radius of the seating portion and the arresting portion satisfy: R MIN =(d−T MAX )/2, and the maximal radius of the seating portion and the arresting portion satisfy: R MAX =(d−T MIN /2. 
     
     
         15 . A kit for supporting a shelf according to  claim 13 , wherein the minimal radii (R MIN , R′ MIN ) vary between 4 mm and 7 mm. 
     
     
         16 . A kit for supporting a shelf according to  claim 15 , wherein the minimal radii (R MIN , R′ MIN ) are 5.8 mm. 
     
     
         17 . A kit for supporting a shelf according to  claim 13 , wherein the maximal radii (R MAX , R′ MAX ) vary between 9 mm and 12 mm. 
     
     
         18 . A kit for supporting a shelf according to  claim 17 , wherein the maximal radii (R MAX , R′ MAX ) are 10.3 mm.