Modular shelving apparatus and system

Abstract

A cabinet includes a plurality of vertically spaced-apart shelves adapted to hold product for display in a retail location. The cabinet is formed from a flat blank which is folded to form the cabinet. The cabinet further includes an interior structure to provide strength and rigidity. Multiple cabinets can be coupled together in a system to create multiple configuration displays.

1 . A cabinet comprising:
 a base cabinet comprising: (i) a base cabinet body including a base cabinet back wall, base cabinet upper and lower front walls, and base cabinet first and second side panels extending between the back wall and the front walls, the base cabinet back wall formed to include a plurality of slots spaced across the base cabinet back wall, (ii) a plurality of base cabinet shelves spaced vertically from one another and extending between the back wall and the upper and lower front walls, respectively, and (iii) a base cabinet support inserted within the base cabinet body between the first side panel and second side panel of the base cabinet body and secured in the plurality of slots; and   a top cabinet comprising: (i) a top cabinet body including a top cabinet back wall, top cabinet upper and lower front walls, and top cabinet first and second side panels extending between the top cabinet back wall and the top cabinet upper and lower front walls, the top cabinet back wall formed to include a plurality of slots spaced across the top cabinet back wall, and (ii) a plurality of top cabinet shelves spaced vertically from one another and extending between the top cabinet back wall and the top cabinet upper and lower front walls, respectively, and (iii) a top cabinet support inserted within the top cabinet body between the first side panel and second side panel of the top cabinet body and secured in the plurality of slots;   wherein the plurality of base cabinet shelves are at least partially supported by the base cabinet support, the plurality of top cabinet shelves are at least partially supported by the top cabinet support, and a portion of the top cabinet support rests on the base cabinet support to at least partially support the top cabinet support and the plurality of top cabinet shelves.   
     
     
         2 . The cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the base cabinet support has a lower end aligned with a lower end of the base cabinet body and rests on a surface underlying the base cabinet to provide a direct load path from the top cabinet through the base cabinet support to the surface underlying the base cabinet. 
     
     
         3 . The cabinet of  claim 2 , wherein the base cabinet body and the base cabinet support are each formed to include a pair of attachment slots and the portion of the top cabinet support is received in the attachment slots. 
     
     
         4 . The cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the base cabinet support includes first and second support side panels arranged to lie alongside the first and second base cabinet side panels and upper and lower support front walls extending between and interconnecting the first and second support side panels and spaced apart from the upper and lower base cabinet front walls in a rearward direction toward the base cabinet back wall. 
     
     
         5 . The cabinet of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second base support side panels are each formed to include an attachment slot and the portion of the top cabinet support supported by the base cabinet support extends into the attachment slot. 
     
     
         6 . The cabinet of  claim 5 , wherein the attachment slots are formed in an upper end of the first and second base support side panels and extend in a vertical direction to open in the vertical direction and receive the portion of the top cabinet support when the top cabinet is stacked with the base cabinet. 
     
     
         7 . The cabinet of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second base support side panels have a lower end aligned with a lower end of the base cabinet body to provide a direct load path from the top cabinet support, through the base cabinet support, and to a surface on which the lower ends of the base cabinet support and the base cabinet body rest. 
     
     
         8 . The cabinet of  claim 6 , wherein the top cabinet support includes first and second support side panels arranged to lie alongside the first and second top cabinet side panels and upper and lower support front walls extending between and interconnecting the first and second support side panels and spaced apart from the upper and lower top cabinet front walls in a rearward direction toward the base cabinet back wall, and wherein the lower top cabinet front wall is the portion of the top cabinet support that extends in to the attachment slots. 
     
     
         9 . The cabinet of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second support side panels of the base cabinet body are formed to include a second attachment slot aligned with each respective attachment slot formed in the first and second support side panels of the base cabinet support and the lower top cabinet front wall is received in the second attachment slot. 
     
     
         10 . The cabinet of  claim 4 , wherein the base cabinet support further comprises a first support flap coupled to an upper end of the upper support front wall and a second support flap coupled to an upper end of the lower support front wall, the first support flap configured to support a first base shelf included in the plurality of base shelves and the second support flap configured to support a second base shelf included in the plurality of support shelves. 
     
     
         11 . The cabinet of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second base side panels each include a base support flap arranged to extend in an inward direction toward one another and beneath a shelf included in the plurality of shelves to cooperate with the base cabinet support to support the plurality of shelfs in a horizontal position relative to the base cabinet body. 
     
     
         12 . The cabinet of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shelves of the base cabinet each include a shelf portion configured to engage the base cabinet back wall and a wall portion arranged to lie in a parallel orientation to the upper and lower front walls and coupled to a front end of the shelf portion to position the shelf portion below an upper end of each respective upper and lower front wall and provide a lip at the front end of each shelf included in the plurality of shelves. 
     
     
         13 . A cabinet comprising:
 a cabinet body including a cabinet back wall, upper and lower cabinet front walls, and first and second cabinet side panels extending between the back wall and the front walls,   a plurality of cabinet shelves spaced vertically from one another and extending between the back wall and the upper and lower cabinet front walls, respectively, and   a cabinet support inserted within the cabinet body between the first side panel and second side panel of the cabinet body and configured to engage and support each of the shelves included in the plurality of cabinet shelves.   
     
     
         14 . The cabinet of  claim 13 , wherein each shelf included in the plurality of shelves is supported by the cabinet body at a front end of each shelf and a rear end of each shelf and is supported by the cabinet support between the front end and the rear end. 
     
     
         15 . The cabinet of  claim 13 , wherein the cabinet support includes first and second support side panels arranged to lie alongside the first and second cabinet side panels and upper and lower support front walls extending between and interconnecting the first and second support side panels and spaced apart from the upper and lower cabinet front walls in a rearward direction toward the back wall. 
     
     
         16 . The cabinet of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second support side panels are each formed to include an attachment slot. 
     
     
         17 . The cabinet of  claim 16 , wherein the attachment slots are formed in an upper end of the first and second base support side panels and extend in a vertical direction to open in the vertical direction. 
     
     
         18 . The cabinet of  claim 15 , wherein the cabinet support further comprises a first support flap coupled to an upper end of the upper support front wall and a second support flap coupled to an upper end of the lower support front wall, the first support flap configured to support a first shelf included in the plurality of shelves and the second support flap configured to support a second shelf included in the plurality of shelves. 
     
     
         19 . The cabinet of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second side panels each include a support flap arranged to extend in an inward direction toward one another and lie beneath a shelf included in the plurality of shelves to cooperate with the cabinet support to support the plurality of shelfs in a horizontal position relative to the cabinet body. 
     
     
         20 . The cabinet of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of shelves each include a shelf portion configured to engage the cabinet back wall and a wall portion arranged to lie in a parallel orientation to the upper and lower front walls and coupled to a front end of the shelf portion to position the shelf portion below an upper end of each respective upper and lower front wall and provide a lip at the front end of each shelf included in the plurality of shelves.