Universal shelf clip for storage system

Abstract

A storage system with reversible shelf clips that can be oriented in at least two different ways to achieve variable shelf spacing. The shelf clips have a support arm that extends laterally from a clip plate and a pair of locating pins that can be slidably attached to the clip plate and inserted into the cutouts of the vertical posts. The shelf clip is asymmetrical such that the orientation of the shelf clip can be changed such that the support arm can be positioned above or below the center line of the clip plate, depending on the desired shelf height, and the locating pins can protrude from either face surface of the clip plate, allowing the shelf clips to be used in multiple orientations. The shelf clips are universal and eliminate the need for multiple parts or handed components to set the shelf spacing.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A storage system comprising:
 a series of vertical posts, each post having a series of cutouts;   a plurality of shelf clips, each shelf clip having a clip plate, a support arm extending laterally from the clip plate, and one or more locating pins extending from the clip plate and insertable into the cutouts of the vertical posts; and   a plurality of shelves each supported along the vertical posts by a plurality of the reversible shelf clips,   wherein each of the shelf clips can installed along one of the vertical posts in at least two different orientations to achieve variable spacing between the plurality of shelves.   
     
     
         2 . The storage system of  claim 1  wherein each of the shelf clips includes at least two locating pins that are spaced from each other at a distance that corresponds to spacing between the series of cutouts on the vertical posts. 
     
     
         3 . The storage system of  claim 2 , wherein the cutouts in the vertical posts are key-hole openings having an upper receiving portion and a reduced size retaining portion. 
     
     
         4 . The storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the shelf clips are asymmetrical and the support arm is offset from a center line of the clip plate. 
     
     
         5 . The storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the shelves are spaced from each other along the vertical length of the posts and the spacing between the shelves can be changed by selecting the orientation of the shelf clips. 
     
     
         6 . The storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the shelf clips are reversible and can be installed on the vertical posts in a first orientation or a second orientation. 
     
     
         7 . The storage system of  claim 6  wherein each of the shelf clips includes a directional indicator to indicate the orientation of the shelf clip when the shelf clip is installed on the vertical post. 
     
     
         8 . A shelf clip for use in a storage system including a plurality of vertical posts each including a series of spaced cutouts and one or more shelves supported between the vertical posts, the shelf clip comprising:
 a clip plate;   a support arm extending laterally from the clip plate; and   one or more locating pins extending from the clip plate, wherein each of the shelf clips can be oriented in at a first orientation and a second orientation to achieve variable spacing between the shelves along the vertical posts.   
     
     
         9 . The shelf clip of  claim 8 , wherein the support arm extends from the clip plate at a location offset from a center line of the clip plate, wherein when the shelf clip is installed in the first orientation, the support arm is vertically above the center line and when the shelf clip is installed in the second orientation the support arm is vertically below the center line. 
     
     
         10 . The shelf clip of  claim 8 , wherein at least two locating pins extend from the clip plate and are spaced from each other at a distance that corresponds to a distance between the series of spaced cutouts in the vertical post. 
     
     
         11 . The shelf clip of  10  wherein each of the at least two locating pins include a pair of head portions joined to each other by a center portion that extends through the clip plate. 
     
     
         12 . The shelf clip of  claim 11  wherein each of the at least two locating pins are slidable within the clip plate to vary the spacing between each of the pair of head portions and the chip plate. 
     
     
         13 . The shelf clip of  claim 8  wherein the shelf clip can be installed along one of the vertical posts such that the support arm extends in either a first direction or an opposite second direction in either the first orientation or the second orientation of the shelf clip. 
     
     
         14 . The shelf clip of  claim 8  wherein the shelf clip includes a directional indicator to indicate the orientation of the shelf clip when the shelf clip is installed on the vertical post. 
     
     
         15 . A shelf clip for use in a storage system including a plurality of vertical posts each including a series of cutouts spaced at a distance and one or more shelves supported between the vertical posts, the shelf clip comprising:
 a clip plate extending between a first end and a second end and including a first side edge and a second side edge;   a support arm extending laterally from the first side edge clip plate;   a locking tab joined to the support arm and being spaced from the first side edge by a first receiving notch and a second receiving notch; and   at least two locating pins extending from the clip plate and spaced from each other at the distance of the spacing of the series of cutouts, wherein each of the shelf clips can be oriented in at a first orientation and a second orientation to achieve variable spacing between the shelves along the vertical posts.   
     
     
         16 . The shelf clip of  claim 15  wherein the support arm extends from the clip plate at a location offset from a center line of the clip plate, wherein when the shelf clip is installed in the first orientation, the support arm is vertically above the center line and when the shelf clip is installed in the second orientation the support arm is vertically below the center line. 
     
     
         17 . The shelf clip of  claim 15  wherein each of the at least two locating pins include a pair of head portions joined to each other by a center portion that extends through the clip plate. 
     
     
         18 . The shelf clip of  claim 17  wherein each of the at least two locating pins are slidable within the clip plate to vary the spacing between each of the pair of head portions and the chip plate. 
     
     
         19 . The shelf clip of  claim 18  wherein the shelf clip can be installed along one of the vertical posts such that the support arm extends in either a first direction or an opposite second direction in either the first orientation or the second orientation of the shelf clip. 
     
     
         20 . The shelf clip of  claim 15  wherein each of the shelf clips includes a directional indicator to indicate the orientation of the shelf clip when the shelf clip is installed on the vertical post.