Supporting apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed is a unique support apparatus defining an internal, hidden structure which is precession engineered and manufactured in such a way using interlocking wood material joined with fastening mechanisms to form a support apparatus that when secured to a wall forms an incredibly strong unit that is functional and aesthetically attractive. The apparatus is universal as any surface may be associated with the support structure (e.g. wall) with the apparatus configured for being associated with any one of a plurality of items such as sleeves and cabinets so that the support apparatus cannot be seen once installed making such items appear to be floating with no visible support.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A universal support apparatus configured for mechanically associating any one of a plurality of items with a support structure, said universal support apparatus comprising:
 a frame comprising frame elements including a front rail, a back rail, a left side element, a right side element, a left outer stretcher, a right outer stretcher and at least one inner stretcher where each frame element defines a cuboid with a cuboid height, cuboid thickness and a cuboid length and wherein:   (a) the outer perimeter of said front rail is equal to the outer perimeter of said back rail with each rail defining a first rail-end and an opposing second rail-end and wherein the outer perimeter of said left side element is equal to the outer perimeter of said right side element and wherein one end of said left side element is mechanically associated with said first rail-end for said front rail and wherein the opposing end of said left side element is mechanically associated with said first rail-end of said back rail and wherein one end of said right side element is mechanically associated with the second rail-end of said front rail and the opposing end of said right side element is mechanically associated with the second rail-end of said back rail so that said front rail and said back rail are parallel to each other and the left side element and right side element are parallel to each other and perpendicular to said front rail and said back rail and wherein said front rail, said back rail, said left side element and said right side element are coplanar with each other thereby defining rectangular outer frame perimeter and wherein the surfaces of said back rail and said front rail that face each other define inner-rail-surfaces;   (b) said left outer stretcher and said right outer stretcher each define a cuboid having equal outer perimeters wherein said left outer stretcher is disposed adjacent to said left side element so that one end of said left outer stretcher is mechanically associated with said inner surface of said back rail and the opposing end of said left outer stretcher is mechanically associated with said inner surface of said front rail thereby providing a gusset function and wherein said right outer stretcher is disposed adjacent to said right side element so that one end of said right outer stretcher is mechanically associated with said inner surface of said back rail and the opposing end of said right outer stretcher is mechanically associated with said inner surface of said front rail thereby providing a gusset function;   (c) said at least one inner stretcher defines a cuboid wherein each of said at least one inner stretcher is disposed inside said frame so that one end of said inner stretcher is mechanically associated with said inner surface of said back rail at a predefined stretcher-gap-distance from said left outer stretcher and the opposing end of said inner stretcher is mechanically associated with said inner surface of said front rail at said stretcher-gap-distance from said left outer stretcher thereby making said at least one inner stretcher perpendicular and coplanar to said front rail and said back rail; and   wherein the length and height of said frame elements are cut from a sheet of frame-material having a uniform thickness so that all frame element cuboids define the same cuboid thickness and the same cuboid height.   
     
     
         2 . A universal support apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said inner surfaces of said front rail and said back rail define a dado at each inner stretcher connection point and wherein the ends of each of said at least one inner stretcher are mechanically associated with a corresponding dado so that said at least one inner stretcher is perpendicular to said front rail and said back rail. 
     
     
         3 . A universal support apparatus as in  claim 2 , wherein the dado width is no more than 1/32 of an inch wider than the width of its corresponding inner stretcher. 
     
     
         4 . A universal support apparatus as in  claim 2 , wherein the width of each dado is less than the width of a support surface stud. 
     
     
         5 . A universal support apparatus as in  claim 2 , wherein said frame-material is at least 3 ply plywood having a thickness of between about 1 inch and ⅜ of an inch and wherein the grain of adjacent plies of said plywood are disposed perpendicular to each other. 
     
     
         6 . A universal support apparatus as in  claim 5 , wherein said back rail and said front rail are longer than 18 inches and wherein the inner surface for both the front rail and said back rail define a plurality of dado points each disposed at a location where an inner stretcher is mechanically associated with said front rail and said back rail and wherein a first dado point is disposed an odd number of inches from said right side element with the remainder of said plurality of dado points each disposed an even number of inches from said first dado point. 
     
     
         7 . A universal support apparatus as in  claim 5 , wherein said frame-material is a composite material. 
     
     
         8 . A universal support apparatus as in  claim 5 , wherein said frame is symmetrical so that either one of the front rail or back rail may be secured to a support structure without changing the support function. 
     
     
         9 . A universal support apparatus as in  claim 5 , wherein said front rail, is longer than said left side element and said left side element is longer than said at least one inner stretcher and said at least one inner stretcher is longer than said left outer stretcher. 
     
     
         10 . A universal support apparatus configured for mechanically associating shelf with a support structure to define a floating shelf, said universal support apparatus comprising:
 a frame comprising frame elements including a front rail, a back rail, a left side element, a right side element, a left outer stretcher, a right outer stretcher and a first inner stretcher where each frame element defines a cuboid having a cuboid height, cuboid length, and a cuboid width and wherein said frame elements are cut from a sheet of frame-material having a uniform thickness where the frame-material thickness defines the frame element width for all frame elements so that all frame element cuboids define the same cuboid width, and wherein:   (a) the outer perimeter of said front rail is equal to the outer perimeter of said back rail with each rail defining a first rail-end and an opposing second rail-end and wherein the outer perimeter of said left side element is equal to the outer perimeter of said right side element and wherein one end of said left side element is mechanically associated with said first rail-end for said front rail and wherein the opposing end of said left side element is mechanically associated with said first rail-end of said back rail and wherein one end of said right side element is mechanically associated with the second rail-end of said front rail and the opposing end of said right side element is mechanically associated with the second rail-end of said back rail so that said front rail and said back rail are parallel to each other and the left side element and right side element are parallel to each other and perpendicular to said front rail and said back rail and wherein said front rail, said back rail, said left side element and said right side element are coplanar with each other thereby defining rectangular outer frame perimeter and wherein the surfaces of said back rail and said front rail that face each other define inner-rail-surfaces;   (b) said left outer stretcher and said right outer stretcher each define a cuboid having equal outer perimeters wherein said left outer stretcher is disposed adjacent to said left side element so that one end of said left outer stretcher is mechanically associated with said inner surface of said back rail and the opposing end of said left outer stretcher is mechanically associated with said inner surface of said front rail thereby providing a gusset function and wherein said right outer stretcher is disposed adjacent to said right side element so that one end of said right outer stretcher is mechanically associated with said inner surface of said back rail and the opposing end of said right outer stretcher is mechanically associated with said inner surface of said front rail thereby providing a gusset function;   (c) said first inner stretcher defines a cuboid wherein said first inner stretcher is disposed inside said frame so that one end of said first inner stretcher is mechanically associated with said inner surface of said back rail at a predefined stretcher-gap-distance from said left outer stretcher and the opposing end of said first inner stretcher is mechanically associated with said inner surface of said front rail at said stretcher-gap-distance from said left outer stretcher thereby placing said first inner stretcher perpendicular and coplanar to said front rail and said back rail; and   (d) wherein said frame elements are cut from said frame-material so as to define a cuboid shape of predefined tolerances.   
     
     
         11 . A universal support apparatus as in  claim 10 , wherein said inner surfaces of said front rail and said back rail define a dado at each inner stretcher connection point and wherein the ends of said first inner stretcher are mechanically associated with a corresponding dado so that said first inner stretcher is perpendicular to said front rail and said back rail. 
     
     
         12 . A universal support apparatus as in  claim 10 , comprising a second inner stretcher wherein said inner surfaces of said front rail and said back rail define a dado at each second inner stretcher connection point and wherein the ends of each said second inner stretcher are mechanically associated with a corresponding dado so that each said inner stretcher is perpendicular to said front rail and said back rail. 
     
     
         13 . A universal support apparatus as in  claim 11 , wherein the dado width is no more than 1/32 of an inch wider than the width of its corresponding inner stretcher. 
     
     
         14 . A universal support apparatus as in  claim 11 , wherein the width of each dado is less than the width of a support surface stud. 
     
     
         15 . A universal support apparatus as in  claim 14 , wherein said frame-material is at least 3 ply plywood having a thickness of between about 1 inch and ⅜ of an inch and wherein the grain of adjacent plies of said plywood are disposed perpendicular to each other. 
     
     
         16 . A universal support apparatus as in  claim 15 , wherein said back rail and said front rail are longer than 18 inches and wherein the inner surface for both the front rail and said back rail define a plurality of dado points each disposed at a location where an inner stretcher is mechanically associated with said front rail and said back rail and wherein a first dado point is disposed an odd number of inches from said right side element with the remainder of said plurality of dado points each disposed an even number of inches from said first dado point. 
     
     
         17 . A universal support apparatus as in  claim 16 , wherein said frame-material is a composite material. 
     
     
         18 . A universal support apparatus as in  claim 17 , wherein said frame is symmetrical so that either one of the front rail or back rail may be secured to a support structure without changing the support function. 
     
     
         19 . A floating shelf system comprising:
 a support apparatus comprising a frame defining a cleat configured for being mechanically associated with a support structure, said frame comprising a plurality of frame elements cut from a sheet of frame-material to define the frame element heights and lengths with at least 1/32 of an inch precision and wherein said sheet has a uniform sheet thickness and wherein said sheet thickness defines the width of said frame elements; and   a sleeve defining an open box structure comprising five sides and defining an opening suitably sized to receive said frame so that said frame cannot be seen when the shelf system is installed with the frame associated with said support structure and inserted into said sleeve.   
     
     
         20 . A floating shelf system as in  claim 19 , wherein said sheet thickness is between about 1 inch and ⅜ of an inch and the vertical gap between the frame and the sleeve is less than 1/16 of an inch and the horizontal gap between the frame sides and the sleeve sides is less than 1 inch.