SHELF SYSTEM

Abstract

A shelf system with bars and with at least one connecting strut for connecting two bars adjacent to each other is provided. The connecting strut has receiving devices on its end faces. An undercut profile extending substantially parallel to the bar is attached or can be attached to the bar of the shelf system. Every undercut profile has two or more profile parts which are detachable from one another and can be joined together to form mutually flush surfaces. The profile part has a projection, which can be inserted into a recess of a bar, respectively, and the receiving device of the connecting strut can be pushed onto the undercut profile in its joined state.

Claims

1. A shelf system, comprising: bars; and at least one connecting strut for the connection of two bars adjacent to one another, the connecting strut having receiving devices on its end faces, wherein an undercut profile extending essentially parallel to the bar is attached or can be attached to the bar of the shelf system, wherein each undercut profile has two or more profile parts which can be detached from one another and can be joined together, in each case forming mutually flush surfaces, wherein the profile part has a projection which can be inserted into a recess of a bar, respectively, and wherein the receiving device of the connecting strut can be pushed onto the undercut profile in its joined state.

2. The shelf system according to claim 1, wherein the receiving devices are C-shaped in section parallel to the connecting strut and form a C profile, wherein the undercut profiles form a T-profile in section parallel to the connecting strut, and wherein the C-profile fits onto the T-profile with a clearance-free fit, optionally with a fit under pretension.

3. The shelf system according to claim 1, wherein the receiving devices have a stop at one end—viewed parallel to the bar—with which in particular a further movement of the undercut profile in the receiving device is blocked.

4. The shelf system according to claim 1, wherein each undercut profile has two or more profile parts which can be detached from one another and can be joined together to form mutually flush end faces and/or mutually flush side faces and/or mutually flush transverse faces, and wherein the profile part has a projection which can be inserted into a recess of a bar, respectively.

5. The shelf system according to claim 1, wherein the joining of the profile parts fixes them with their projections in recesses of the bar, in particular adjacent recesses.

6. The shelf system according to claim 1, wherein the profile parts can be pivoted with respect to one another for joining and for detaching, in particular each profile part about the projection and about an axis which extends transversely with respect to the bar.

7. The shelf system according to claim 1, wherein each profile part has a convex surface and a concave surface spaced apart from the convex surface, and wherein convex surface of one profile part has a radius of curvature corresponding to the radius of curvature of the concave surface of the other profile part.

8. The shelf system according to claim 1, wherein the profile parts have clamping elements with which they engage with one another, and wherein the profile parts can be separated from one another by overcoming the engagement force.

9. The shelf system according to claim 1, wherein the profile parts are identical in shape to each other.

10. The shelf system according to claim 1, wherein in the pushed-on state of the receiving device onto the undercut profile, detachment and/or pivoting of the profile parts is blocked.

11. The shelf system according to claim 1, wherein the projection consists of an in particular round and flat-cylindrical cone-shaped central region and a locking tongue-like end region extending out of the latter and intended for engaging behind the wall of the bar.

12. The shelf system according to claim 11, wherein the locking tongue has dimensions which are smaller than the diameter of a bar recess, and wherein the locking tongue is bent at the end, or ends in a semicircular shape.

13. The shelf system according to claim 1, wherein the projection can be inserted into the bar recess when the profile part is inclined with respect to the bar and can be withdrawn therefrom, and wherein insertion and withdrawal are blocked when the profile part is aligned parallel to the bar.

14. The shelf system according to claim 1, wherein the receiving device has at least one snap-in tongue which engages in a snap-in notch of the undercut profile and allows the receiving device to be detached from the undercut profile only by overcoming an engagement force.

15. A shelf system, comprising: at least two shelf segments with bars; and at least one connecting strut for connecting two mutually adjacent shelf segments, the connecting strut having a first receiving device on a first end face and a second receiving device on a second end face, wherein an undercut profile extending essentially parallel to the bar is attached or can be attached to the bar of the first shelf segment, wherein an undercut profile extending essentially parallel to the bar is attached or can be attached to the bar of the second shelf segment, and wherein the connecting strut can be pushed onto the two undercut profiles with both receiving devices simultaneously when the first and second shelf segments are standing next to one another at a predetermined distance and in the pushed-on state thereof fixes the shelf segments to one another.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] The disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:

[0059] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective drawing of a part of a shelf system according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, showing a part of the bar, the fixed strut, the connecting strut and the profile parts of the undercut profile, in one exemplary embodiment of the disclosure;

[0060] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged illustration of the profile parts inserted in recesses of the bar compared with FIG. 1;

[0061] FIG. 3 shows a perspective illustration of the profile parts in the state in which they are pivoted towards each other and form the undercut profile;

[0062] FIG. 4 shows an illustration of the process of pushing the connecting strut onto the undercut profile;

[0063] FIG. 5 shows a perspective illustration of a part of the inventive shelf system in the same exemplary embodiment, with the connecting strut placed on the undercut profile;

[0064] FIG. 6 shows a section through the undercut profile consisting of the two profile parts, in the state in which it is in engagement with the bar;

[0065] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the two profile parts; and

[0066] FIG. 8 shows a horizontal section through a bar, with connecting strut attached to the bar via the undercut profile and the receiving device.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0067] A small section of a shelf system 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The shelf system 10 has 4 bars, of which a front bar 12 can be seen in FIG. 1. The bar 12 is connected to a rear bar, which is not shown, by a fixed strut 14. The connection can be made in any suitable manner and, for example, via a screw connection. The bar 12 has a plurality of recesses 16 arranged one above the other, in a grid pattern, i.e., equidistant from each other. A connecting strut 18 is to be detachably fastened to the bar 12. A connection according to the disclosure is used for this purpose. It consists of a receiving device 20 and an undercut profile 22.

[0068] FIG. 1 shows the state before the connection is established. The receiving device 20 is firmly connected to the connecting strut 18, for example by a screw connection. The receiving device 20 is preferably made of plastic and is an injection-molded part.

[0069] It has a vertically extending slit 24 that is part of a C-shaped cross-section. This can also be seen in FIG. 5. Vertical here means parallel to the bar 12 and perpendicular to the connecting strut 18. Matching the C-shaped cross-section of the receiving device 20, the undercut profile 22 has a T-shaped cross-section. This can also be seen in FIG. 1, but even better in FIG. 3.

[0070] The undercut profile 22 consists of a profile part 26 and a profile part 28. Both profile parts have the same shape. They have projections 30. The projection 30 of the profile part 26 extends obliquely upwards, in the illustration according to FIG. 1 towards the bar 12, and the projection 30 of the profile part 28 extends obliquely downwards, towards the bar 12.

[0071] The dimensions of the projections 30 are chosen so that both can be inserted into recesses 16 when the associated profile part is tilted slightly. In this respect, the projection 30 is first inserted into the relevant recess 16, and then the rest of the profile part is brought into contact with the bar. The latter is not possible in the position of the profile parts 26 and 28 shown in FIG. 1. Instead, the profile parts must be pivoted against each other, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0072] In comparison with FIG. 1, the profile parts 26 and 28 are each pivoted in a clockwise direction. The pivot angle in the illustrated exemplary embodiment is about 20 degrees, but can be selected as desired.

[0073] Each profile part 26 and 28 can be pivoted about an axis 32. The axis is also the axis of the relevant recess 16 into which the projection 30 is inserted. The profile parts 26 and 28 have a T-shape in cross-section. In any case, a transverse leg 34 of the T is wider than the projection 30 and a center leg 36 of the Ts, which can be seen in FIG. 1.

[0074] The profile part 26 is described below. Subsequent to the projection 30, the transverse leg 34 extends in its full width. A recess 38 is visible there, which is implemented in this way to save material but has no particular technical function. Following this area, a lateral recess 40 is provided. It is formed on a convex surface 42, the radius of which corresponds to the distance to the axis 32 of the profile part 26. The recess 40 ends at a straight surface 44, at which the profile part 26 does not project with its transverse leg 34 to the maximum width of the transverse leg 34, but only to about half of its width.

[0075] At this point, the center leg 36 also terminates at an end surface 45 that is more readily apparent from FIG. 1. From this point, the transverse leg 34 extends to an end surface 46, which is concavely curved. The radius again corresponds to the distance to the axis 32, but to the axis of the opposite profile part 28. This particular design of the profile parts 26 and 28 allows both to pivot towards each other and then to form a secure anchorage and bearing to the recesses 16 of the bar 12 for the connecting strut 18.

[0076] The pivoted state of the profile parts 26 and 28 towards each other can be seen in FIG. 3. According to the illustration there, the recessed areas 40 engage with each other, and the surfaces described above in each case, in particular also the convex and the concave surfaces 42 and 46, lie against each other. This also applies to the end surfaces 45, which also abut one another.

[0077] The transverse leg 34 and the center leg 36 also have surfaces extending parallel to the bar 12. This includes an upper end face 47, which is formed on each of the profile parts 26 and 28, and both end faces 47 extend flush with each other in the assembled state shown in FIG. 4.

[0078] The transverse surfaces 49 of the two profile parts 26 and 28 opposite the end face 47 on the transverse leg 34 also extend flush with one another, as do the other surfaces of the two profile parts 26 and 28, which are aligned with one another. Side surfaces 43 of the transverse legs 34 of the profile parts 26 and 28 also extend flush with each other. As can be seen from FIG. 4, the connecting strut 18 can be placed and pushed onto the undercut profile 22 from above with the receiving device 20.

[0079] The pushed-on position can be seen in FIG. 5. Snap-in tongues 50 are provided at the lower end of the receiving device 20, which engage with notches not shown on the transverse leg 34 of the profile part 26 and hold the connecting strut 18 engaged on the bar 12. It is also apparent that the connecting strut 18 carries a receiving device 20 on each of its two end faces 51 and 53. At the upper ends of the receiving devices 20, this forms a stop 55 which abuts against the undercut profile 22 and prevents the strut 18 from moving further downwards.

[0080] FIG. 6 shows the undercut profile 22 received on the bar 12. The projections 30 each pass-through adjacent recesses 16. The projections 30 each have a central region 52 and an end region 54. The central region 52 has a slightly smaller diameter than the recess 16. The end region 54 projects upwards, or downwards in the case of the profile part 28. It engages behind the wall of the bar and in this respect forms a locking tongue.

[0081] The region 54 abuts on the inside of the bar 16, and the center leg 36 abuts on the outside of the bar. In this respect, the height of the central region 52 corresponds substantially to the wall thickness of the bar 12.

[0082] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the two profile parts 26 and 28. Identical reference signs correspond here as well as in the other figures to identical parts. In the embodiment according to FIG. 7, the projection 30 of the two profile parts 26 and 28 has a slightly different shape. However, it does in any case pass through the wall 60 of the bar 12 shown in FIG. 8. For this purpose, the projection 30 has a smaller diameter than the recess 16 in the wall 60.

[0083] The central region 52 of the projection 30 is not immediately apparent from FIG. 7, but extends between the end region 54 and the center leg 36, which is also not apparent, see FIG. 6. As previously explained, the end region 54 of the projection 30 engages behind the wall 60 of the bar 12. The center leg 36 rests against the outside of the wall 60, and the pivoting of the profile parts 26 and 28 towards each other forms a solid body which is also firmly anchored in the adjacent recesses 16 of the bar 12.

[0084] FIG. 8 shows a section through a connecting strut 18 anchored in the bar 12. The receiving device 20 is attached to the connecting strut 18, for example by a screw connection. The screw connection 62 is not shown in FIG. 8, but extends through a central region 64 of the receiving device 20.

[0085] In the sectional view shown in FIG. 8, the receiving device 20 has a C-shaped cross-section. In contrast, the undercut profile 22 has a T-shaped cross section. The T fits exactly into the C. The recess 16 is not evident from FIG. 8 because it is on a different horizontal plane than the section there. However, the projection 30 is shown passing through the recesses 16 in the wall 60. The bar has a double-T cross-section known per se. It is asymmetrical, and the recesses 16 are formed on the side of the longer transverse legs 70.

[0086] It is understood that the foregoing description is that of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined in the appended claims.