US5477971A — Gondola rack modular stacking system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 352 words

A stocking subsystem for a gondola rack having a plurality of vertical standards rigidly supported and spaced a horizontal distance in a vertical plane on structure upstanding from a horizontal surface, each of the standards having a plurality of holes therein spaced at vertical intervals thereon, each of the holes being configured to receive a tab of a gondola shelf bracket, the subsystem comprising: at least one rail having at least two sets of hooked tabs fixed thereto configured to fit into the holes of at least two of the standards and to secure the rail horizontally thereto; a plurality of upright frame members formed of a generally rectangular arrangement of supports including a vertical back support at the back thereof, a vertical front support forwardly offset from the back support and generally parallel thereto, and a pair of vertically spaced cross supports interconnecting the vertical supports, each of the vertical supports having a plurality of shelf rests vertically spaced thereon to adjustably support shelves in any of a plurality of vertical positions on the upright frame members; the upright frame members each having at least one connector at the back thereof, each connector configured to connect the member to one rail; the rail having a plurality of connector engaging elements spaced therealong, each configured to cooperate with the connector of an upright frame member to selectively secure the member at a horizontal position along the rail; a plurality of shelves of a width that is less than the horizontal distance between the standards; each of the shelves having supporting structure fixed thereto configured to engage selected corresponding ones of the shelf rests of the front and back supports of two adjacent uprights that are connected to the rail to adjustably support the shelf in a selected one of a plurality of vertical positions on at least four of the supports; and the upright frame members each having an anchor connector near the bottom thereof to maintain the bottom of the upright frame member in vertical alignment with the top thereof and to maintain the member generally perpendicular to the vertical plane.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 352 words

A stocking subsystem for a gondola rack having a plurality of vertical standards rigidly supported and spaced a horizontal distance in a vertical plane on structure upstanding from a horizontal surface, each of the standards having a plurality of holes therein spaced at vertical intervals thereon, each of the holes being configured to receive a tab of a gondola shelf bracket, the subsystem comprising: at least one rail having at least two sets of hooked tabs fixed thereto configured to fit into the holes of at least two of the standards and to secure the rail horizontally thereto; a plurality of upright frame members formed of a generally rectangular arrangement of supports including a vertical back support at the back thereof, a vertical front support forwardly offset from the back support and generally parallel thereto, and a pair of vertically spaced cross supports interconnecting the vertical supports, each of the vertical supports having a plurality of shelf rests vertically spaced thereon to adjustably support shelves in any of a plurality of vertical positions on the upright frame members; the upright frame members each having at least one connector at the back thereof, each connector configured to connect the member to one rail; the rail having a plurality of connector engaging elements spaced therealong, each configured to cooperate with the connector of an upright frame member to selectively secure the member at a horizontal position along the rail; a plurality of shelves of a width that is less than the horizontal distance between the standards; each of the shelves having supporting structure fixed thereto configured to engage selected corresponding ones of the shelf rests of the front and back supports of two adjacent uprights that are connected to the rail to adjustably support the shelf in a selected one of a plurality of vertical positions on at least four of the supports; and the upright frame members each having an anchor connector near the bottom thereof to maintain the bottom of the upright frame member in vertical alignment with the top thereof and to maintain the member generally perpendicular to the vertical plane.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 43 words

The stocking subsystem of claim 1 wherein: each of the rails is formed of a plurality of rail sections, each section having an equal length and each section being configured at each of the ends thereof for connection to one of the standards.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 72 words

The stocking subsystem of claim 1, wherein: said plurality of vertical positions on said vertical supports is defined by the plurality of the shelf rests in the form of a set of holes aligned at the same vertical level in each of the vertical supports; and said supporting structure of said shelves comprises a tab at each corner of each of said shelves to attach to the at least four vertical supports.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 37 words

The stocking subsystem of claim 1 wherein: one of the shelf rests is in the form structure at the top of the frame members configured to support a top one of said plurality of shelves supported thereon.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 89 words

The stocking subsystem of claim 1 wherein the plurality of shelves includes: a first plurality of first shelves of a first width; and a second plurality of second shelves of a second width that is greater than the first width; the plurality of frame members including at least three frame members connectable to the rail such that two thereof are spaced apart by a distance to support the shelves of the first width and two of thereof are spaced apart a distance to support shelves of the second width.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 42 words

The stocking subsystem of claim 1 wherein: the anchor connector of each of the frame members is provided with at least one pin on the bottom thereof configured to fit in a selected one of the holes in the horizontal base surface.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 287 words

A stocking system comprising: plurality of vertical standards spaced a horizontal distance apart in a vertical plane and upstanding from a horizontal base surface and fixed relative thereto, each of the standards being configured to support at least two rails horizontally from at least two of the standards; at least two rails including an upper rail and a lower rail, each rail having structure defining a plurality of more than three frame member connection positions horizontally spaced therealong; a plurality of at least three generally rectangular vertical upright frame members, each having vertical load supporting front and back supports, each frame member configured to be rigidly connected at a selected one of the plurality of connection positions along the rails in a vertical orientation perpendicular to the vertical plane and horizontal surface, each of the frame members also having a plurality of vertically spaced shelf rests on the front and back supports thereof to support shelves in selected one of a plurality of vertical shelf positions thereon; a plurality of rectangular shelves configured to engage the shelf rests of the front and back supports of at least two different combinations of two of the frame members connected to the rails at respective pairs of the connection positions that are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the widths of the respective shelves connected thereto, to support the shelves at the fronts and backs at both sides thereof between pairs of frame members differently spaced along the rail; and the upright frame members each having an anchor connector near the bottom thereof to maintain the bottom of the upright frame member in vertical alignment with the top thereof and to maintain the member generally perpendicular to the vertical plane.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 287 words

A stocking system comprising: plurality of vertical standards spaced a horizontal distance apart in a vertical plane and upstanding from a horizontal base surface and fixed relative thereto, each of the standards being configured to support at least two rails horizontally from at least two of the standards; at least two rails including an upper rail and a lower rail, each rail having structure defining a plurality of more than three frame member connection positions horizontally spaced therealong; a plurality of at least three generally rectangular vertical upright frame members, each having vertical load supporting front and back supports, each frame member configured to be rigidly connected at a selected one of the plurality of connection positions along the rails in a vertical orientation perpendicular to the vertical plane and horizontal surface, each of the frame members also having a plurality of vertically spaced shelf rests on the front and back supports thereof to support shelves in selected one of a plurality of vertical shelf positions thereon; a plurality of rectangular shelves configured to engage the shelf rests of the front and back supports of at least two different combinations of two of the frame members connected to the rails at respective pairs of the connection positions that are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the widths of the respective shelves connected thereto, to support the shelves at the fronts and backs at both sides thereof between pairs of frame members differently spaced along the rail; and the upright frame members each having an anchor connector near the bottom thereof to maintain the bottom of the upright frame member in vertical alignment with the top thereof and to maintain the member generally perpendicular to the vertical plane.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 60 words

The stocking system of claim 7 wherein: each of the standards has a plurality of holes therein spaced at regular vertical intervals thereon, each of the holes being configured to receive a hooked tab of a gondola shelf bracket; and each of the rails has at least two sets of hooked tabs configured to support the rails on the standards.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 35 words

The stocking system of claim 8 further comprising: at least one pair of gondola shelf brackets connected at the same vertical level in the holes of two standards; a gondola shelf supported on the brackets.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 67 words

The stocking system of claim 7 wherein: the standards include at least three standards spaced at horizontal intervals each equal to the horizontal distance; each of the rails is formed of a plurality of rail sections, each section having a length equal to approximately one of the horizontal intervals and each section being configured at each of the ends thereof for connection to one of the standards.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 23 words

The stocking system of claim 9 wherein: the widths of each of the shelves is less than the horizontal interval between the standards.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 52 words

The stocking system of claim 7 wherein: the structure defining the connection positions along each rail includes a plurality of horizontally spaced holes; and each of the frame members has a pair of hooks on the back thereof configured to attach the frame member at the selected connection position along the rail.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 69 words

The stocking system of claim 7 wherein: each of a plurality of the shelf rests is in the form of a set of holes aligned at the same vertical level in each of the supports; and each of a plurality of the shelves of each width are provided with a tab at each corner thereof to attach at four points to the supports of the corresponding two frame members.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 38 words

The stocking system of claim 13 wherein: one of the shelf rests is in the form of structure at the top of the frame members configured to support a top one of a plurality of shelves supported thereon.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 42 words

The stocking system of claim 7 wherein: the anchor connector of each of the frame members is provided with at least one pin on the bottom thereof configured to fit in a selected one of the holes in the horizontal base surface.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 76 words

The stocking system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of shelves includes: a first plurality of first shelves of a first width that is less than the horizontal distance between the standards; and a second plurality of second shelves of a second width that is greater than the first width; the combinations of frame members being connectable to the rails spaced apart by two different distances, one corresponding to each of the first and second widths.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 317 words

A stocking system comprising: a plurality of standards fixed in a vertical plane and upstanding from a horizontal base surface, each of the standards being configured to support at least two rails horizontally from at least two of the standards; at least two rails including an upper rail and a lower rail, each rail having structure defining a plurality of frame member connection positions horizontally spaced therealong; a plurality of at least three generally rectangular vertical upright frame members, each having vertical load supporting front and back supports, each frame member including a pair of hooks and being configured to be rigidly connected at a selected one of the plurality of connection positions along the rails in a vertical orientation perpendicular to the vertical plane and horizontal surface, each of the frame members also having a plurality of vertically spaced shelf rests on the front and back supports thereof to support shelves in selected one of a plurality of vertical shelf positions thereon; and a plurality of rectangular shelves of at least two different widths, the shelves of each width configured to engage the rests of the front and back supports of two different pairs of the frame members connected to the rails at respective pairs of the connection positions that are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the widths of the respective shelves connected thereto, to support the shelves at the fronts and backs at both sides thereof between pairs of frame members differently spaced along the rail; the structure defining the connection positions along each rail including a plurality of horizontally spaced holes; the horizontal base surface having a plurality of holes, each corresponding to one of the connection positions of a rail; and each of the frame members being provided with at least one pin on the bottom thereof configured to fit in a selected one of the holes in the horizontal base surface.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 317 words

A stocking system comprising: a plurality of standards fixed in a vertical plane and upstanding from a horizontal base surface, each of the standards being configured to support at least two rails horizontally from at least two of the standards; at least two rails including an upper rail and a lower rail, each rail having structure defining a plurality of frame member connection positions horizontally spaced therealong; a plurality of at least three generally rectangular vertical upright frame members, each having vertical load supporting front and back supports, each frame member including a pair of hooks and being configured to be rigidly connected at a selected one of the plurality of connection positions along the rails in a vertical orientation perpendicular to the vertical plane and horizontal surface, each of the frame members also having a plurality of vertically spaced shelf rests on the front and back supports thereof to support shelves in selected one of a plurality of vertical shelf positions thereon; and a plurality of rectangular shelves of at least two different widths, the shelves of each width configured to engage the rests of the front and back supports of two different pairs of the frame members connected to the rails at respective pairs of the connection positions that are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the widths of the respective shelves connected thereto, to support the shelves at the fronts and backs at both sides thereof between pairs of frame members differently spaced along the rail; the structure defining the connection positions along each rail including a plurality of horizontally spaced holes; the horizontal base surface having a plurality of holes, each corresponding to one of the connection positions of a rail; and each of the frame members being provided with at least one pin on the bottom thereof configured to fit in a selected one of the holes in the horizontal base surface.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 320 words

A gondola rack stocking system comprising: a plurality of vertical standards rigidly mounted at spaced horizontal intervals in a vertical plane upstanding from a horizontal base foot surface, each of the standards having a plurality of holes therein spaced at vertical intervals thereon, each of the holes being configured to receive a tab of a gondola shelf bracket; a rail having at least two sets of hooked tabs fixed thereto configured to fit in the holes of at least two of the standards to secure the rail horizontally thereto; a plurality of upright frame members each having a back support at the back thereof and a front support forwardly offset from the back support, each of the supports having a plurality of shelf rests vertically spaced thereon to adjustably support shelves in any of a plurality of vertical positions on the upright frame members; the upright frame members each having at least one connector toward the top back thereof to support the member in a vertical orientation on the rail; the rail having a plurality of connector elements spaced therealong, each configured to cooperate with the connector of an upright frame member to secure the member at any of a plurality of horizontal positions along the rail; the upright frame members each having an anchor connector near the bottom thereof to maintain the bottom of the frame vertical in alignment with the top thereof and to maintain the member generally perpendicular to the vertical plane; a first plurality of first shelves of a first width that is less than the horizontal intervals between the standards; a second plurality of second shelves of a second width that is greater than the first width; and each of the shelves having supporting structure fixed thereto configured to engage selected ones of the shelf rests of two uprights to adjustably support the respective shelf in any one of a plurality of vertical positions thereon.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 320 words

A gondola rack stocking system comprising: a plurality of vertical standards rigidly mounted at spaced horizontal intervals in a vertical plane upstanding from a horizontal base foot surface, each of the standards having a plurality of holes therein spaced at vertical intervals thereon, each of the holes being configured to receive a tab of a gondola shelf bracket; a rail having at least two sets of hooked tabs fixed thereto configured to fit in the holes of at least two of the standards to secure the rail horizontally thereto; a plurality of upright frame members each having a back support at the back thereof and a front support forwardly offset from the back support, each of the supports having a plurality of shelf rests vertically spaced thereon to adjustably support shelves in any of a plurality of vertical positions on the upright frame members; the upright frame members each having at least one connector toward the top back thereof to support the member in a vertical orientation on the rail; the rail having a plurality of connector elements spaced therealong, each configured to cooperate with the connector of an upright frame member to secure the member at any of a plurality of horizontal positions along the rail; the upright frame members each having an anchor connector near the bottom thereof to maintain the bottom of the frame vertical in alignment with the top thereof and to maintain the member generally perpendicular to the vertical plane; a first plurality of first shelves of a first width that is less than the horizontal intervals between the standards; a second plurality of second shelves of a second width that is greater than the first width; and each of the shelves having supporting structure fixed thereto configured to engage selected ones of the shelf rests of two uprights to adjustably support the respective shelf in any one of a plurality of vertical positions thereon.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-12-25	1999-06-26	1999-12-26	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-12-25	2003-06-26	2003-12-26	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-12-25	2007-06-26	2007-12-26	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Gondola rack modular stacking system

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag