Adjustable Shelving Unit

Abstract

Shelving units having an adjustable width. The shelving units here provide structural stability and simple adjustment of width to accommodate varying product sizes. The distance between the side walls of the shelving units can be adjustable in two manners. First, the distance is continuously adjustable from within a range established by slots located in the base portion of the side wall components. Second, a further range of shelving unit depth may be generated by changing the orientation of the side wall components. The side wall components of the shelving units may be formed in an L shape with one side longer than the other. By rotating the side walls, a new range of product widths may be accommodated by the shelving unit. The shelving units may also include a simple mechanism that can be used to advance products toward the front of the shelf.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shelving unit, comprising:
 a left side wall component in an L-shape having a long arm and a short arm, where the left side wall component further includes two pairs of slots oriented orthogonally to a longitudinal axis of the left side wall component;
 the first pair of slots located at a first distance from a front of the left side wall component comprising a slot located on the long arm and a slot located on the short arm, 
 the second pair of slots located at a second distance from a front of the left side wall component comprising a slot located on the long arm and a slot located on the short arm, 
   a right side wall component in an L-shape having a long arm and a short arm, where the left side wall component further includes two pairs of slots oriented orthogonally to a longitudinal axis of the left side wall component;
 the first pair of slots located at the first distance comprising a slot located on the long arm and a slot located on the short arm, 
 the second pair of slots located at the second distance comprising a slot located on the long arm and a slot located on the short arm, 
   where side walls of the shelving unit are defined by either the long arm of the right side wall component and the long arm of the left side wall component or the short arm of the right side wall component and the short arm of the left side wall component; and   a central rail comprising a horizontal member, where the horizontal member includes two holes, with the first hole located at the first distance and the second hole located at the second distance, where each of the two holes is adapted to accept a bolt-nut assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The shelving unit of  claim 1 , further including a backstop-puller assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The shelving unit of  claim 2 , where the backstop-puller assembly rests loosely between the left and right side wall components. 
     
     
         4 . The shelving unit of  claim 3 , where the backstop-puller assembly includes a horizontal arm that resides between the left and right side wall components, where the horizontal arm extends for the majority of the length of the shelving unit and terminates in an L-shaped vertical arm that is attached to an orthogonal member located at the rear of the backstop-puller assembly adapted to engage a product located within the shelving unit. 
     
     
         5 . The shelving unit of  claim 4 , where the front end of the horizontal arm includes a grip. 
     
     
         6 . The shelving unit of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the side walls of the shelving unit is adjustable by loosening the bolt-nut assemblies. 
     
     
         7 . The shelving unit of  claim 1 , where the short arm of the left side wall component and the short arm of the right side wall component overlap when both short arms are in the horizontal orientation. 
     
     
         8 . The shelving unit of  claim 1 , where the long arm of the left side wall component and the long arm of the right side wall component overlap when both long arms are in the horizontal orientation. 
     
     
         9 . The shelving unit of  claim 1 , where the central rail also includes two vertically oriented barrier elements, the first barrier element being located at the front end of the horizontal member and a second barrier element located at the rear end of the horizontal member. 
     
     
         10 . A shelving unit, comprising:
 a left side wall component in an L-shape having a long arm and a short arm, where the left side wall component further includes two pairs of slots oriented orthogonally to a longitudinal axis of the left side wall component;
 the first pair of slots located towards the front of the shelving unit comprising a first slot located on the long arm and a second slot located on the short arm, 
 the second pair of slots located towards the rear of the shelving unit comprising a slot located on the long arm and a slot located on the short arm, 
   a right side wall component in an L-shape having a long arm and a short arm, where the left side wall component further includes two pairs of slots oriented orthogonally to a longitudinal axis of the left side wall component;
 the first pair of slots located towards the front of the shelving unit comprising a slot located on the long arm and a slot located on the short arm, 
 the second pair of slots located towards the rear of the shelving unit comprising a slot located on the long arm and a slot located on the short arm, 
   where side walls of the shelving unit are defined by either the long arm of the right side wall component and the long arm of the left side wall component or the short arm of the right side wall component and the short arm of the left side wall component; and   a central rail comprising a horizontal member, where the horizontal member includes two pairs of staggered holes, with the first pair of staggered holes located towards the front of the shelving unit and the second pair of holes located towards the rear of the shelving unit, where each of the holes is adapted to accept a bolt-nut assembly,   where the location of the first pair of staggered holes corresponds to the location of the location of the first pair of slots in the left side wall component and the first pair of slots in the right side wall component; and   where the location of the second pair of staggered holes corresponds to the location of the location of the second pair of slots in the left side wall component and the second pair of slots in the right side wall component.   
     
     
         11 . The shelving unit of  claim 10 , wherein a distance between the side walls of the shelving unit is adjustable by loosening the bolt-nut assemblies. 
     
     
         12 . The shelving unit of  claim 10 , where the short arm of the left side wall component and the short arm of the right side wall component do not overlap when both short arms are in the horizontal orientation. 
     
     
         13 . The shelving unit of  claim 10 , where the long arm of the left side wall component and the long arm of the right side wall component do not overlap when both long arms are in the horizontal orientation. 
     
     
         14 . The shelving unit of  claim 10 , where the central rail also includes two vertically oriented barrier elements, the first barrier element being located at the front end of the horizontal member and a second barrier element located at the rear end of the horizontal member.