Hardwareless shelving system

Abstract

A shelving system that is assembled without the use of any hardware includes a first side panel extending in a vertical direction and including a first slot and a second slot that extend in a substantially horizontal direction. A second side panel is substantially parallel to the first side panel and includes a third slot opposite the first slot and a fourth slot opposite the second slot. A first shelf includes a first tongue and a second tongue. The first tongue defines a first key slot and the second tongue defines a second key slot. The first tongue extends through the first slot and the second tongue extends through the second slot to couple the first shelf, the first side panel and the second side panel. A first key is positioned within the first key slot and a second key is positioned within the second key slot.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shelving system that is assembled without the use of any hardware, the shelving system comprising:
 a first side panel extending in a vertical direction and including a first slot and a second slot that extend in a substantially horizontal direction;   a second side panel substantially parallel to the first side panel and including a third slot opposite the first slot and a fourth slot opposite the second slot;   a first shelf including a first tongue extending from a first end of the first shelf and a second tongue extending from a second end of the first shelf, the first tongue defining a first key slot and the second tongue defining a second key slot, the first tongue extending through the first slot and the second tongue extending through the second slot to couple the first shelf, the first side panel, and the second side panel;   a first key positioned within the first key slot to inhibit removal of the first tongue from the first slot; and   a second key positioned within the second key slot to inhibit removal of the second tongue from the second slot.   
     
     
         2 . The shelving system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second shelf including a third tongue extending from a third end of the second shelf and a fourth tongue extending from a fourth end of the second shelf, the third tongue defining a third key slot and the fourth tongue defining a fourth key slot, the third tongue extending through the third slot and the fourth tongue extending through the fourth slot to couple the second shelf, the first side panel, and the second side panel;   a third key positioned within the third key slot to inhibit removal of the third tongue from the third slot; and   a fourth key positioned within the fourth key slot to inhibit removal of the fourth tongue from the fourth slot.   
     
     
         3 . The shelving system of  claim 1 , wherein the first side panel, the second side panel, the first shelf, the first key, and the second key are each substantially planar components. 
     
     
         4 . The shelving system of  claim 1 , wherein the first tongue defines a shoulder and wherein the distance from the shoulder to an innermost edge that partially defines the key slot is about equal to a thickness of the first side panel. 
     
     
         5 . The shelving system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the keys is substantially mushroom-shaped to define a head portion that is larger than the key slot and a key portion that is sized to be received within the key slot. 
     
     
         6 . The shelving system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first hook member formed as part of the first side panel and defining a first slot having an open end facing in an upward direction and a second hook member formed as part of the second side panel and defining a second slot having an open end facing in the upward direction. 
     
     
         7 . The shelving system of  claim 6 , wherein the entire first panel and the first hook member are disposed substantially within a first plane and the entire second panel and the second hook member are disposed substantially within a second plane. 
     
     
         8 . The shelving system of  claim 6 , further comprising a rear panel having a third hook member and a fourth hook member, the third hook member coupled to the first hook member and the fourth hook member coupled to the second hook member to interlock the first side panel, the second side panel, and the rear panel such that the first side panel and the second side panel completely support the rear panel. 
     
     
         9 . The shelving system of  claim 8 , wherein the first side panel and the second side panel define an area therebetween, and wherein the rear panel covers substantially the entire area. 
     
     
         10 . A shelving system that is assembled without the use of any hardware, the shelving system comprising:
 a first side panel extending in a substantially vertical direction;   a second side panel arranged substantially parallel to the first side panel;   a first hook member formed as part of the first side panel and defining a first slot having an open end facing in an upward direction;   a second hook member formed as part of the second side panel and defining a second slot having an open end facing in the upward direction;   a rear panel;   a third hook member formed as part of the rear panel and defining a third slot having an open end facing in a downward direction; and   a fourth hook member formed as part of the rear panel and defining a fourth slot having an open end facing in the downward direction, wherein the third hook engages the first hook and the fourth hook engages the second hook to interlock the first side panel, the second side panel, and the rear panel such that the first side panel and the second side panel completely support the rear panel.   
     
     
         11 . The shelving system of  claim 10 , wherein the first side panel and the second side panel define an area therebetween, and wherein the rear panel covers substantially the entire area. 
     
     
         12 . The shelving system of  claim 10 , wherein the first hook member is positioned at a first vertical position and the second hook member is positioned at a second vertical position different then the first vertical position, and wherein the first hook member and the second hook member cooperate to completely support the rear panel in the vertical direction. 
     
     
         13 . The shelving system of  claim 10 , wherein the first side panel defines a plurality of first slots and the second side panel defines a corresponding plurality of second slots. 
     
     
         14 . The shelving system of  claim 13 , further comprising a shelf including a first tongue sized to engage one of the plurality of first slots and a second tongue sized to engage one of the plurality of second slots. 
     
     
         15 . The shelving system of  claim 14 , further comprising a first key coupled to the first tongue to inhibit removal of the first tongue from the one of the plurality of first slots and a second key coupled to the second tongue to inhibit removal of the second tongue from the one of the plurality of second slots. 
     
     
         16 . The shelving system of  claim 14 , wherein the first side panel is substantially planar and resides substantially within a first plane, the back panel is substantially planar and resides substantially within a second plane, and the shelf is substantially planar and resides substantially within a third pane, and wherein the first plane, the second plane, and the third plane are arranged normal to one another. 
     
     
         17 . The shelving system of  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of shelves, each shelf including a first tongue sized to engage one of the plurality of first slots and a second tongue sized to engage one of the plurality of second slots. 
     
     
         18 . The shelving system of  claim 17 , wherein the first tongue of each of the plurality of shelves defines a first key slot and the second tongue of each of the plurality of shelves defines a second key slot. 
     
     
         19 . The shelving system of  claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of keys, each key received in one of the first key slots and the second key slots. 
     
     
         20 . A shelving system that is assembled without the use of any hardware, the shelving system consisting essentially of:
 a first side panel including a first plurality of slots;   a second side panel including a second plurality of slots, wherein each of the slots of the first plurality is disposed opposite a corresponding slot of the second plurality;   a third plurality of shelves, wherein each shelf includes a first tongue having a first key slot and a second tongue having a second key slot, the first tongue of each shelf engaged with one of the first plurality of slots and the second tongue of each shelf engaged with one of the second plurality of slots;   a fourth plurality of keys each engaged with one of the key slots to inhibit removal of the respective first tongue and second tongue from the slot in which it is engaged, wherein each of the first side panel, the second side panel, the third plurality of shelves and the fourth plurality of keys is a substantially planar component.