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, at each of two opposing sides of each 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 two abutting support tabs to clamp them together and wedge the sleeve against the post to support the first collar part and shelf. Each retaining flange has a latch portion on its outer surface that engages a mating latch portion on the abutting support tab prevent lateral separation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sleeve for a shelving unit having a collar that wedges the sleeve against a post of the shelving unit during use in order to position the sleeve and collar part along a length of the post, the post having a longitudinal axis and an outer surface with a plurality of grooves encircling the post and orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, the sleeve comprising:
 a first sleeve half having a top and bottom and first and second opposing sides that are in substantially the same plane and parallel to the longitudinal axis during use, the first sleeve half further comprising:
 a cylindrical interior surface with at least one inwardly extending, first circumferential rib, the cylindrical surface configured to abut the post and encircle about half of the post during use with the rib configured to fit into one of the grooves in the post during use; 
 a frusto-conical exterior surface on the first sleeve half; 
 first and second support tabs extending radially outward a short distance at the respective first and second sides, at the bottom of the first sleeve half; 
 first and second retaining flanges, each extending upward from a different one of the respective first and second support tabs and along the exterior surface of the first sleeve half and offset therefrom by the support tab from which the retaining flange extends; 
 a first male latch part extending from the first retaining flange and extending forward of the first side, the first latch part having a distal end and having a male engaging head intermediate the distal end and the first side; and 
 a second female latch part in a rearward portion of the second retaining flange, the second latch part having an engaging recess configured to receive the male engaging head during use and restrain relative movement of the first and second latch parts when they are engaged. 
   
     
     
         2 . The sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein the first latch part extends circumferentially around the longitudinal axis and extends from a top portion of the first retaining flange and wherein the second latch part is formed in a top portion of the second retaining flange. 
     
     
         3 . The sleeve of  claim 2 , wherein the male engaging head comprises a rib parallel to the longitudinal axis during use. 
     
     
         4 . The sleeve of  claim 3 , wherein the rib extends across a height of the first latch part measured along the longitudinal axis, and has a cross-sectional shape of a right triangle, with the short leg of the right triangle oriented substantially radially. 
     
     
         5 . The sleeve of  claim 3 , further comprising a locking tab extending forward from the first side and located at least partially above the first support tab, and further comprising a locking recess in the second side located at least partially above the second support tab and configured to receive the locking tab. 
     
     
         6 . The sleeve of  claim 5 , further comprising a locking tab extending forward from one of the first and second sides and located at least partially above the support tabs, and further comprising a locking recess in the other of the first and second sides, the locking recess located above the support tabs and configured to receive the locking tab. 
     
     
         7 . The sleeve of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a second sleeve half having a top and bottom and first and second opposing sides that are in substantially the same plane and parallel to the longitudinal axis during use, the second sleeve half further comprising:
 a cylindrical interior surface with at least one inwardly extending, second circumferential rib, that cylindrical surface being configured to abut the post and encircle about half of the post during use with the second circumferential rib configured to fit into one of the grooves in the post during use; 
 a frusto-conical exterior surface; 
 first and second support tabs extending radially outward a short distance at the respective first and second sides of the second sleeve half, at the bottom of the second sleeve half; 
 first and second retaining flanges extending upward from the a different one of respective first and second support tabs of the second sleeve half and extending along the exterior surface of the second sleeve half and offset therefrom by the support tab from which the retaining flange extends; 
 a first male latch part extending from the first retaining flange and extending forward of the first side of the second sleeve half, the first latch part having a distal end and having a male engaging head intermediate the distal end and the first side of the second sleeve half; 
 a second female latch part in a rearward portion of the second retaining flange of the second sleeve half, that second latch part having an engaging recess configured to receive the male engaging head of the first latch part of the first sleeve half during use and restrain relative movement of the first and second latch parts when they are engaged. 
 wherein the first male latch part of the first collar part is configured to engage the first female latch part of the second collar part when the first and second collar parts abut the post during use, and wherein the first female latch part on the first collar part is configured to engage the first male latch part of the second collar part when the first and second collar part abut the post during use. 
   
     
     
         8 . The sleeve of  claim 7 , wherein the second male latch part of the second sleeve half extends circumferentially around the longitudinal axis and extends from a top portion of the second retaining flange of the second sleeve half, and wherein the second latch part of the second sleeve half is formed in a top portion of the second retaining flange of the second sleeve half. 
     
     
         9 . The sleeve of  claim 7 , further comprising a lip extending outward from the bottom of each sleeve half: 
     
     
         10 . A shelving joint using the sleeve of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 an annular collar having first and second separable and interlocking collar parts defining a frusto-conical interior passage extending along the longitudinal axis when joined together, the interior passage sized to engage the outer surface of the first and second sleeve halves 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, each closed ended slot located and configured to engage a different one of the locking tabs on each of the first and second sleeve halves during use, one of the collar parts being connected to a shelf.   
     
     
         11 . The shelving joint of  claim 10 , wherein the interlocking collar parts 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 3 T and 10 T; 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 a different one of the male flanges during use, each female channel extending along opposing sides of a different one of the male flanges during use.   
     
     
         12 . The shelving joint of  claim 10 , wherein the interlocking collar parts further comprise 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, one of the collar parts being connected to a shelf.