Shelving connector

Abstract

A sleeve for a shelving unit has two halves joined together to form two support tabs extending outward from opposing sides of the sleeve as the sleeve clamps around a post having grooves into which a rib on the sleeve fits to hold the parts relative to the post. The support tabs have a retaining flange offset from the sleeve. A first collar part fastened to a shelf fits over half the sleeve and fits into that offset so that a slot in the first collar part fits over one of the support tabs to clamp them to the post and support the first collar part and shelf. The retaining flange keeps the collar part from moving off the support tab. A second collar part with a second slot may fit over the other support tabs to support a second shelf or to further clamp the sleeve to the post. Interlocking means on the collar parts prevent lateral separation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An interlocking collar for use with a sleeve having a frusto-conical outer surface encircling a post having an outer surface with grooves at intervals along a length of the post, with a rib on the sleeve mating with one of the grooves, the collar part configured to wedge the sleeve against the post during use in order to position the sleeve and collar part along a length of the post, the interlocking collar comprising:
 an annular collar having first and second separable and interlocking collar parts defining a frusto-conical interior passage extending along a longitudinal axis when joined together, the passage sized to engage the outer surface of the sleeve during use, each collar part extending about half way around the longitudinal axis, each collar part having a top and bottom with the bottom forming a larger diameter of the conical interior passage, with a closed ended slot extending through each collar part and extending along the longitudinal axis and opening onto the bottom of each collar part; and   interlocking means on each of the first and second collar parts for preventing lateral separation of those interlocked collar parts in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis during use.   
     
     
         2 . The interlocking collar of  claim 1 , wherein the interlocking means comprise a male flange having opposing sides and extending outward from each of two opposing sides of the first collar part and extending along a substantial length of each collar part measured along the longitudinal axis, each male flange having a thickness T between opposing sides of the flange and extending outward a distance between about 3T and 10T; and
 a female channel extending outward from each of two opposing sides of the second collar part and extending along a substantial length of the second collar part measured along the longitudinal axis, each female channel having an open bottom configured to slidably receive one of the male flanges during use, each female channel extending along opposing sides of a different one of the male flanges during use.   
     
     
         3 . The interlocking collar of  claim 2 , wherein each male flange has a trapezoidal shape. 
     
     
         4 . The interlocking collar of  claim 2 , wherein the first collar part is connected to a shelf. 
     
     
         5 . The interlocking collar of  claim 2 , wherein the male flange extends generally radially outward. 
     
     
         6 . The interlocking collar of  claim 2 , wherein the second collar part is connected to a shelf. 
     
     
         7 . The interlocking collar of  claim 1 , herein the interlocking means comprises a first collar part having a top end and bottom end with a distance H 1  between the ends measured along the longitudinal axis, the bottom end forming a larger diameter portion of the frusto-conical passage, the first collar part having two first flanges each forming a first juncture with a curved portion of the first collar part as each first flange extends outward from diametrically opposing side of that curved portion of the first collar part, the first flanges extending a distance from the outside of the curved portion between about 3 and 10 times a thickness of the first flange, the first collar part having two, first closed ended slots extending through a thickness of the first collar along a length of the first juncture and opening onto the top end to define two first flanges each having a free upper end separated from an upper portion of the first collar part and each having a lower end joined to a lower portion of the first collar part along the first juncture during use, the first collar part having a third closed ended slot extending from the bottom end along the longitudinal axis and opening onto the bottom end, the third slot located at about the middle of the curved portion of the first collar part; and
 a second collar part having a top end and bottom end with a distance H 2  between the ends measured along the longitudinal axis, the top end forming a smaller diameter portion of the frusto-conical passage, the first collar part having two second flanges each forming a second juncture with a curved portion of the second collar part as each second flange extends outward from diametrically opposing side of that curved portion of the second collar part, the second flanges extending a distance from the outside of the curved portion between about 3 and 10 times a thickness of the second flange, the second collar part having two, second closed ended slots extending through a thickness of the second collar along a length of the second juncture and opening onto the top end to define two second flanges each having a free lower end separated from a lower portion of the second collar part and each having an upper end joined to an upper portion of the second collar part along the second juncture during use, the second collar part having a third closed ended slot extending from the bottom end along the longitudinal axis and opening onto the bottom end of the second collar part, the third slot located at about the middle of the curved portion of the second collar part; 
 wherein each first slot is sized to receive a different second juncture and each second slot is sized to receive a different first juncture when the first and second collar parts are engaged by relative movement along the longitudinal axis, and wherein each third slot is sized to engage a pair of different outwardly extending tabs on the sleeve during use. 
 
     
     
         8 . The interlocking collar of  claim 7  wherein the each first flange is generally parallel to a top portion of the second collar part and each second flange is generally parallel to a bottom portion of the first collar part when the first and second collar parts are engaged. 
     
     
         9 . The interlocking collar of  claim 7 , wherein H 1  and H 2  are about the same. 
     
     
         10 . The interlocking collar of  claim 7 , wherein the length of the first slots are about half of H 1  and the length of the second slots are about half of H 2 . 
     
     
         11 . The interlocking collar of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second collar parts have a substantially uniform thickness and the first and second flanges have a side inclined to the longitudinal axis and in a plane with that axis. 
     
     
         12 . A kit for a shelving unit having at least two, generally horizontal shelves connected to at least three generally vertical posts, the kit comprising:
 the at least three posts each having a longitudinal axis and a cylindrical cross-section along the portion of a length of the posts at which the shelves are to be connected, each post having a plurality of grooves therein at predetermined locations which grooves are orthogonal to the longitudinal axis;   at least six sleeves each having a cylindrical interior surface with at least one inwardly extending rib, the cylindrical surface configured to abut the post and encircle the longitudinal axis during use with the rib configured and located to fit in one of the grooves in the post during use, each sleeve having a frusto-conical exterior surface, each sleeve further having first and second support tabs extending radially outward from a bottom portion of opposing sides of each sleeve a short distance, each first and second support tab having an upwardly extending retaining flange extending along an exterior surface of the sleeve and offset therefrom by the support tab from which the retaining flange extends;   at least two shelves, each shelf having at least three first-collar parts located around a periphery of the shelf and facing outward from the shelf, each first-collar part having a frusto-conical interior surface smaller at the top and wider at the bottom and extending around an arc of about 180° along a first-collar part axis which coincides with the longitudinal axis during use, each first-collar part having a first slot therein extending parallel to the first-collar part axis, each first slot having a closed end and two opposing sides opening onto a bottom of the first-collar part in which the first slot is located, each first-collar part and its first slot sized so the first-collar part fits between one of the retaining flanges and exterior surface of the sleeve while the sides of the first slot fit on opposing sides of one of the first support tabs from which the retaining flange extends, with the first slot and first support tab configured so that the first slot fits snuggly over the first support tab;   at least six second-collar parts each having a frusto-conical interior surface that is smaller at the top and wider at the bottom and extending around an arc of about 180° along the first-collar part axis which coincides with the longitudinal axis during use, each second-collar part having a second slot therein with a closed end and two opposing sides opening onto a bottom of the second-collar part in which the second slot is located with the second slot extending parallel to the first-collar part axis during use, the first-collar part and second-collar parts interlocking to define a generally cylindrical interior passage, each second-collar part and its second slot sized so the second-collar part fits between one of the retaining flanges and exterior surface of the sleeve from which the retaining flange extends while the sides of the second slot fit on opposing sides of the second support tab from which the retaining flange extends, with the second slot and second support tab configured so that the second slot fits snuggly over the second support tab; and   interlocking means on each of the first and second collar parts for preventing lateral separation of those interlocked collar parts in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis during use.   
     
     
         13 . The interlocking collar of  claim 12 , wherein the interlocking means comprise a male flange having opposing sides and extending outward from each of two opposing sides of the first collar part and extending along a substantial length of each collar part measured along the longitudinal axis, each male flange having a thickness T between opposing sides of the flange and extending outward a distance between about 3T and 10T; and
 a female channel extending outward from each of two opposing sides of the second collar part and extending along a substantial length of the second collar part measured along the longitudinal axis, each female channel having an open bottom configured to slidably receive one of the male flanges during use, each female channel extending along opposing sides of a different one of the male flanges during use.   
     
     
         14 . The interlocking collar of  claim 12 , wherein each male flange has a trapezoidal shape. 
     
     
         15 . The interlocking collar of  claim 12 , wherein the first collar part is connected to a shelf. 
     
     
         16 . The interlocking collar of  claim 12 , wherein the male flange extends generally radially outward. 
     
     
         17 . The interlocking collar of  claim 12 , wherein the second collar part is connected to a shelf. 
     
     
         18 . The interlocking collar of  claim 12 , herein the interlocking means comprises a first collar part having a top end and bottom end with a distance H 1  between the ends measured along the longitudinal axis, the bottom end forming a larger diameter portion of the frusto-conical passage, the first collar part having two first flanges each forming a first juncture with a curved portion of the first collar part as each first flange extends outward from diametrically opposing side of that curved portion of the first collar part, the first flanges extending a distance from the outside of the curved portion between about 3 and 10 times a thickness of the first flange, the first collar part having two, first closed ended slots extending through a thickness of the first collar along a length of the first juncture and opening onto the top end to define two first flanges each having a free upper end separated from an upper portion of the first collar part and each having a lower end joined to a lower portion of the first collar part along the first juncture during use, the first collar part having a third closed ended slot extending from the bottom end along the longitudinal axis and opening onto the bottom end, the third slot located at about the middle of the curved portion of the first collar part; and
 a second collar part having a top end and bottom end with a distance H 2  between the ends measured along the longitudinal axis, the top end forming a smaller diameter portion of the frusto-conical passage, the first collar part having two second flanges each forming a second juncture with a curved portion of the second collar part as each second flange extends outward from diametrically opposing side of that curved portion of the second collar part, the second flanges extending a distance from the outside of the curved portion between about 3 and 10 times a thickness of the second flange, the second collar part having two, second closed ended slots extending through a thickness of the second collar along a length of the second juncture and opening onto the top end to define two second flanges each having a free lower end separated from a lower portion of the second collar part and each having an upper end joined to an upper portion of the second collar part along the second juncture during use, the second collar part having a third closed ended slot extending from the bottom end along the longitudinal axis and opening onto the bottom end of the second collar part, the third slot located at about the middle of the curved portion of the second collar part; 
 wherein each first slot is sized to receive a different second juncture and each second slot is sized to receive a different first juncture when the first and second collar parts are engaged by relative movement along the longitudinal axis, and wherein each third slot is sized to engage an different pair of outwardly extending tabs on the sleeve during use. 
 
     
     
         19 . The interlocking collar of  claim 18  wherein the each first flange is generally parallel to a top portion of the second collar part and each second flange is generally parallel to a bottom portion of the first collar part when the first and second collar parts are engaged. 
     
     
         20 . The interlocking collar of  claim 18 , wherein H 1  and H 2  are about the same. 
     
     
         21 . The interlocking collar of  claim 18 , wherein the length of the first slots are about half of H 1  and the length of the second slots are about half of H 2 . 
     
     
         22 . The interlocking collar of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second collar parts have a substantially uniform thickness and the first and second flanges have a side inclined to the longitudinal axis and in a plane with that axis.