Self-supported exhibitor shelf system, and said shelf mounting method

Abstract

A self-sustaining shelf system is provided that comprises a board, with two faces and one thickness, at least two mounting hardware and two anchoring elements and fixing elements to a supporting wall. Each mounting hardware comprises two side walls, with a separation space between them, and a bottom wall. The side walls of each support element define a substantially rectangular groove with dimensions substantially equal to the thickness of the board to embrace it in a substantially perpendicular direction, with a deviation of between 0° and 5°, extending over the faces of said board. In a particularly preferred embodiment, at least one of the mounting hardware of the self-supporting shelf system includes an insertion-mounting and ratchet mechanism made up of four elements that, on the one hand, allow the board to be inserted into the groove of each hardware, up to the back wall, and, on the other hand, they make it possible to anchor and immobilize the board to prevent its unwanted detachment.

1 . A self-supporting shelf system, which includes a board (A) that has two faces (A 4 ) that define a certain thickness, and which has two lateral sides (A 3 ), a proximal side (A 1 ) and a distal side (A 2 ); anchoring elements (E), fixing elements (F) and at least one mounting hardware that allows the board to be mounted to a vertical wall in a cantilevered manner, where said at least one mounting hardware consists of a basic support element (B) comprising side walls ( 10 ) and a bottom support wall ( 9 ), said side walls of said basic support element define a gap ( 2 ), and a substantially rectangular not narrow groove ( 12 ), and both said gap as said substantially rectangular groove have a magnitude substantially similar to the magnitude of the thickness of board (A); characterized in that at least one mounting hardware includes an insertion-mounting and ratchet mechanism ( 11 ,  13 ,  14  and  17 ) for a board (A). 
     
     
         2 . A self-sustaining shelf system in accordance with  claim 1 , which comprises at least two basic support elements (B), each of which includes an insertion-assembly and ratchet mechanism ( 11 ,  13 ,  14  and  17 ) for a board (A). 
     
     
         3 . A self-sustaining shelf system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the insertion-assembly and ratchet mechanism comprises four elements ( 11 ,  13 ,  14  and  17 ) that, on the one hand, allow the introduction of a board (A) inside each rectangular groove ( 12 ) of each fitting (B), up to the groove end stop ( 6 ), and, on the other hand, they make it possible to anchor and immobilize board (A) to prevent its unwanted detachment. 
     
     
         4 . A self-sustaining shelf system in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the ratchet of the insertion-assembly and ratchet mechanism takes the form of a sharp spike or pawl ( 11 ) that, preferably, exists in both tabs ( 5 ) of each hardware (B). 
     
     
         5 . A self-supporting shelf system in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the insertion-assembly mechanism comprises three elements ( 13 ,  14  and  17 ) that, on the one hand, allow the introduction of a board (A) inside the rectangular groove ( 12 ) of each hardware (B), in two stages: where in the first stage board (A) touches only one point of groove end stop ( 6 ), said board resting on element ( 14 ) and, in the second stage, board (A) sits on elements ( 13 ) and ( 17 ), substantially in the same horizontal plane, and where each pawl ( 11 ) fits inside the lower side of the panel (A). 
     
     
         6 . A method for mounting the self-supporting shelf system of  claim 1  to a support wall, which includes the steps:
 remove each basic support hardware (B) that embraces and covers distal side (A 2 ) of board (A); 
 extract anchoring elements (E) and fixing elements (F) from hole or holes ( 1 ) located on said distal side (A 2 ) of board (A): 
 anchor the anchor elements (E) to a supporting wall (M); 
 fix each basic assembly hardware (B), using the fixing elements (F), to the support wall (M); and 
 Insert board (A) in two steps, where in the first step said board is slipped at an angle, bringing its distal side (A 2 ) into the rectangular grooves ( 12 ) of each basic assembly hardware (B), with proximal side (A 1 ) in a position higher than distal side (A 2 ) so that the upper part of distal side (A 2 ) touches each groove end stop ( 6 ) and the lower part of distal side (A 2 ) sits on each recess ( 14 ) of each basic mounting hardware (B), leaving the board above each ratchet mechanism pawl ( 11 ); and, in the second step, the proximal end (A 1 ) of board (A) is pulled downwards making existing pawls ( 11 ) on the upper edge of the lower tabs ( 5 ) of each basic support hardware (B) fit into lower face (A 4 ) of board (A) and leaving distal side (A 2 ) of board (A) touching each groove end stop ( 6 ) and resting on each element ( 13 ) of the insertion-assembly and ratchet mechanism elements ( 11 ,  13 , and  17 ).