VEGETATION HANGING AND DRYING SYSTEM AND BRACKETS THEREOF

Abstract

A bracket for use in a vegetation hanging and drying system includes a mounting plate configured to couple to a vertical support shaft of the vegetation hanging and drying system, and a racking plate extending from the mounting plate and configured to receive a horizontal bar of the vegetation hanging and drying system.

Claims

1. A bracket for use in a vegetation hanging and drying system, the bracket comprising: a mounting plate configured to abut a vertical support shaft of the vegetation hanging and drying system; an anchor attached to the mounting plate and configured to secure the mounting plate to the vertical support shaft; a racking plate protruding from the mounting plate and defining a vertically-extending gap configured for receipt of a horizontal hanging bar; and a stabilizing plate extending away from the racking plate.

2. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the anchor is configured to be inserted through a slot defined in the vertical support shaft of the vegetation hanging and drying system.

3. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the anchor includes a body portion protruding from a face of the mounting plate, and an end portion affixed to the body portion.

4. The bracket of claim 3, wherein a diameter of the end portion is greater than a diameter of the body portion.

5. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the racking plate includes a pair of vertical fingers joined by a lower body to define the vertically-extending gap.

6. The bracket of claim 5, wherein the stabilizing plate is directly attached to the lower body of the racking plate and extends perpendicularly relative to the pair of vertical fingers.

7. The bracket of claim 5, wherein a first finger of the pair of vertical fingers is directly adjoined to the mounting plate and a second finger of the pair of vertical fingers is free-standing.

8. The bracket of claim 7, wherein the first finger of the pair of vertical fingers is taller than the second finger of the pair of vertical fingers.

9. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the mounting plate and the racking plate extend perpendicularly relative to one another.

10. The bracket of claim 9, wherein the mounting plate includes a pair of first and second mounting plates extending perpendicularly from a longitudinal edge of the racking plate, each of the first and second mounting plates having a respective anchor.

11. The bracket of claim 10, wherein the stabilizing plate extends between the pair of first and second mounting plates and coplanar with the racking plate, the stabilizing plate being configured to rest against an outer sidewall of the vertical support shaft of the vegetation hanging and drying system.

12. The bracket of claim 11, wherein the anchor of each of the first and second mounting plates is configured to bend outwardly.

13. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the stabilizing plate extends underneath and rearwardly beyond the mounting plate to provide additional leveraged support for the horizontal hanging bar of the vegetation hanging and drying system.

14. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the mounting plate includes a circular indentation configured to indicate a position of the anchor.

15. The bracket of claim 1, wherein the mounting plate includes a circular aperture configured to align with a secondary slot disposed on the vertical support shaft of the vegetation hanging and drying system, such that a fastener can be inserted through both the mounting plate and the vertical support shaft of the vegetation hanging and drying system.

16. A vegetation hanging and drying system, comprising: a vertical support shaft defining a plurality of slots along a length thereof; a hanging bar; and a bracket including: a mounting plate having a first face and an opposing second face; an anchor protruding from the first face of the mounting plate and configured for detachable locking engagement with a selected slot of the plurality of slots of the vertical support shaft; and a racking plate extending perpendicularly relative to the mounting plate, wherein the racking plate defines a vertically-extending gap configured for receipt of the hanging bar.

17. The vegetation hanging and drying system of claim 16, wherein the bracket further includes a stabilizing plate extending from the racking plate.

18. The vegetation hanging and drying system of claim 17, wherein the mounting plate includes a pair of first and second mounting plates extending from respective upper and lower portions of the racking plate, the stabilizing plate positioned between the pair of first and second mounting plates and extending coplanar with the racking plate.

19. The vegetation hanging and drying system of claim 16, wherein the racking plate includes a pair of vertical fingers joined by a lower body, the pair of vertical fingers being spaced from one another to define the vertically-extending gap.

20. The vegetation hanging and drying system of claim 19, wherein a first finger of the pair of vertical fingers is directly adjoined to the mounting plate and a second finger of the pair of vertical fingers is free-standing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0027] A better understanding of the features and advantages of the disclosed technology will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description that sets forth illustrative aspects, in which the principles of the technology are utilized, and the accompanying figures of which:

[0028] FIG. 1 is a rear, side perspective view of a pallet-rack bracket for use in a vegetation hanging and drying system in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0029] FIG. 2 is a front, side perspective view of the pallet-rack bracket of FIG. 1;

[0030] FIG. 3 is a front, side perspective view of the pallet-rack bracket of FIG. 1 in use with a vertical support shaft and a hanging bar from a vegetation hanging and drying system;

[0031] FIG. 4 is a side view of the pallet-rack bracket of FIG. 1;

[0032] FIG. 5 is a rear view of the pallet-rack bracket of FIG. 1;

[0033] FIG. 6A is a rear, perspective view illustrating another aspect of the bracket for use in a vegetation and drying system in accordance with the present disclosure;

[0034] FIG. 6B is a front, perspective view illustrating the bracket of FIG. 6A;

[0035] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the bracket of FIGS. 6A-6B being connected to a vertical support shaft of a shelving unit; and

[0036] FIG. 8 is a front, perspective view illustrating the bracket of FIGS. 6A-6B secured to the vertical support shaft of the shelving unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] Although illustrative systems of this disclosure will be described in terms of specific aspects, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art that various modifications, rearrangements, and substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0038] For purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of this disclosure, reference will now be made to exemplary aspects illustrated in the figures, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of this disclosure is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of this disclosure features illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of this disclosure as illustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of this disclosure.

[0039] As will be described in detail below, the present disclosure is directed to various aspects of brackets for use in vegetation hanging and drying systems. One of the vegetation hanging and drying systems includes a dry space, such as, a harvest hang harvesting structure, a tower hang harvesting structure, or a pod hang harvesting structure, at least one pair of brackets, at least one horizontal hanging bar, and at least one hanger, such as a vegetation hanger or a vegetation hanger.

[0040] FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a bracket, such as, for example, a pallet-rack bracket 100 generally including a mounting plate 110, a racking plate 130, and a stabilizing plate 140. The bracket 100 may be a monolithic structure formed from a single sheet of material (e.g., metal). During manufacturing, the section intended to be used as the mounting plate 110 is folded inward toward the racking plate 130 until the two plates 110, 130 are perpendicularly oriented to one another, as shown. Both plates 110, 130 share a common vertical axis (Y-axis), but are approximately perpendicular to one another horizontally so that the mounting plate 110 extends along the Z-axis, and the racking plate 130 extends along the X-axis. The stabilizing plate 140 remains in alignment with the racking plate 130 and also extends along the X-axis.

[0041] This process of reorienting the mounting plate 110 and the racking plate 130 by means of folding allows the pallet-rack bracket 100 to remain as one monolithic structure, while facing in different directions thereby avoiding the loss of structural integrity brought about by joining two separate pieces together. However, in some aspects, the structural integrity of the pallet-rack bracket 100 is not the only consideration and the orthogonal orientation of the mounting plate 110 relative to the racking plate 130 can be accomplished by the temporary or permanent joining of two separate pieces representing the mounting plate 110 and the racking plate 130. For example, the plates 110, 130 may be joined using adhesives, welding, fasteners, etc.

[0042] The mounting plate 110 provides an initial point of integration with the larger vegetation hanging and drying system 10 (FIG. 3) because the mounting plate 110 defines an anchor key 120 configured to be removably attached to a vertical support shaft 200 of the vegetation hanging and drying system 10. The racking plate 130 provides a secondary point of integration with the larger vegetation hanging and drying system 10, because the racking plate 130 defines a gap 134 configured to receive a hanging bar 300 of the vegetation hanging and drying system 10. The stabilizing plate 140 provides a third point of integration with the larger vegetation hanging and drying system 10. The stabilizing plate 150 rests against an outer sidewall 230 of the vegetation hanging and drying system 10 to hold the pallet-rack bracket 100 in place and to provide additional stability to the racking plate 130 when supporting the hanging bar 300.

[0043] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 4, the mounting plate 110 includes a distal or first face 111, and an anchor key 120 that protrudes from a top end portion of the distal face 111 of mounting plate 110. The anchor key 120 includes a body portion 121 that extends distally away from the mounting plate 110 and an end portion 122 affixed to the distal end of the body portion 121, such that the body portion 121 creates a small region of separation between the end portion 122 and the distal face 111 of the mounting plate 110. Additionally, the body portion 121 is smaller in diameter than the end portion 122 to facilitate coupling with the vertical shaft 200 (see FIG. 3) of the hanging and drying system 10.

[0044] Generally, the vertical shaft 200 includes a vertical slot 210 (see FIG. 3) that is broader at the top and narrower at the bottom. This design allows for the broader end portion 122 to be inserted through the top end of the vertical slot 210 and slid down into a secure position. Once in position, the narrower body portion 121 of the anchor 120 is supported by the narrower bottom end of the vertical slot 210 and the broader end portion 122 of the anchor plate 120 is also held in position by the narrower bottom end of the vertical slot 210. In aspects, the body portion 121 may be cylindrical in shape and the end portion 122 may be circular in shape such that the diameter of the end portion 122 is larger than the diameter of the body portion 121. In other aspects, the body portion 121 and end portion 122 can assume any suitable shape so long as the end portion 122 remains larger than the body portion 121, such that the anchor key 120 can be inserted through a vertical slot 210 and be thereby coupled to a vertical shaft 200 of the vegetation hanging and drying system 10. In yet other aspects, the anchor 120 can be molded from the same sheet as the mounting plate 110, such that the entire pallet-rack bracket 100 is one monolithic structure ensuring high structural integrity. Alternatively, in still other aspects, the anchor plate 120 can be formed from a completely separate piece, such that the mounting plate 110 and the anchor plate 120 are temporarily or permanently joined after the fact.

[0045] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, as previously mentioned, the racking plate 130 shares a vertical axis with the mounting plate 110. While the mounting plate 110 is focused on coupling the pallet-rack bracket 100 to a vertical support shaft 200 of the vegetation hanging and drying system 10, the racking plate 130 supports the hanging bar 300 from which vegetation is suspended during the drying process. The racking plate 130 includes a pair of vertical fingers 131, 132 that are joined together by a lower body 133 to define a gap 134 configured to receive a hanging bar 300 of the vegetation hanging and drying system 10. The gap 134 is large enough to receive the hanging bar 300, but at the same time is also narrow enough to prevent unnecessary shifting of the hanging bar 300 along the lower body 133 when installed. A first finger 131 of the pair of vertical fingers is directly adjoined to the mounting plate 110 and extends upward to the same height as the mounting plate 110. A second finger 132 of the pair of vertical fingers is free-standing and extends to a height less than that of the first finger 131.

[0046] In use, the pallet-rack bracket 100 may be installed at a high position on the vertical support shaft 200 that is difficult to reach for a person standing on the ground. The shorter height of the second finger 132 makes it easier for a person standing below the pallet-rack bracket 100 to place the hanging bar 300 into position in the gap 134 between the pair of vertical fingers 131, 132. In some aspects, the upper end of the second vertical finger 132 has a ramped edge 132a such that a hanging bar 300 being pushed upward will be more readily ejected from the gap 134. As such, the ramped edge 132a of the second finger 132 facilitates removal of the hanging bar 300 and/or positioning of the hanging bar 300 into the gap 134. In other aspects, the second vertical finger 132 may be coupled with a locking mechanism capable of firmly securing the hanging bar 300 within the gap 134 of the racking plate 130.

[0047] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the stabilizing plate 140 extends from the racking plate 130 in a downward direction to occupy a vertical space beneath both the mounting plate 110 and the racking plate 130. The stabilizing plate 140 also extends distally backward to occupy a longitudinal space behind both the mounting plate 110 and the racking plate 130. By occupying this space, both below and behind the other plates 110, 130, the stabilizing plate 140 is uniquely positioned to provide a form of leveraged support for the pallet-rack bracket 100 as a whole. In use, the stabilizing plate 140 rests against an outer sidewall 230 of the vertical support shaft 200 of the vegetation hanging and drying system 10. By resting against the outer sidewall 230, the stabilizing plate 140 ensures that the pallet-rack bracket 100 cannot rotate out of position in the clockwise direction. Further, when a hanging bar 300 is inserted into the gap 134 of the racking plate 130, any clockwise torque will push the stabilizing plate 140 against the outer sidewall 230 of the vertical support shaft 200. As such, in addition to the direct support provided by the racking plate 130, the stabilizing plate 140 also provides leveraged support for the hanging bar 300 inserted into the gap 134 that increases the overall stability of the vegetation hanging and drying system.

[0048] In aspects, the pallet-rack bracket 100 also includes a second slot 141 between the mounting plate 110 and the stabilizing plate 140. This second slot 141 provides the stabilizing plate 140 and the racking plate 130 with an additional range of lateral motion independent from the influence of the mounting plate 110. As such, in the event that excessive lateral force is applied to the bracket 100 while the mounting plate 110 is coupled to a vertical support shaft 200, the additional range of lateral motion provided by the second slot 141 gives the stabilizing plate 140 enough flexibility to potentially bend without breaking while continuing to provide leveraged support for the hanging bar 300.

[0049] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 5, the mounting plate 110 includes a proximal face 112 having a marker 113 that lines up directly with the position of the anchor key 120 on the distal face. In use, this marker 113 allows a person coupling a pallet-rack bracket 100 to a vertical support shaft 200 to line up the broad end portion 122 of the anchor key 120 with the broad upper portion of the vertical slot 210 without needing to see the mounting plate 110 from behind. In aspects, the marker 113 can be an indentation formed in the place where the anchor key 120 is pressed out to protrude from the distal face 111. In other aspects, the marker 113 can be any suitable visual indicator of position.

[0050] In aspects, the proximal or second face 112 of the mounting plate 110 may also includes an aperture 114 that aligns with a secondary slot 220 disposed on the vertical support shaft 200 of the vegetation hanging and drying system 10. The aperture 114 is sized to receive a fastener, such that the fastener can be inserted through both the mounting plate 110 and secondary slot 220 of the vertical support shaft 200 to further secure the position of the pallet-rack bracket 100 relative to the vertical support shaft 200.

[0051] With reference to FIGS. 6A-6C, 7, and 8, another type of bracket 400 for use in the vegetation hanging and drying system 10 (FIG. 3) is shown. The bracket 400 is similar to and may include any of the features of the bracket 100 of FIGS. 1-5 except as explicitly contradicted below.

[0052] The bracket 400 is configured to fixedly secure to a vertical support shaft 200 (FIGS. 7-8) of the vegetation hanging and drying system 10, and to support a horizontal hanging bar 300 (FIG. 3) from which vegetation is suspended during a drying process of the vegetation. In aspects, the vertical support shaft 200 may be part of a shelving unit 500 (FIG. 7). The bracket 500 generally includes a racking plate 430, a mounting plate 410 extending perpendicularly from a longitudinal edge 432 of the racking plate 430, and a support tab or stabilizing plate 440 projecting from the longitudinal edge 432 of the racking plate 430. The components of the bracket 400 may be monolithically formed from a single sheet of material (e.g., stainless steel). In other aspects, the components of the bracket 400 may be integrally connected to one another via any suitable fastener, such as, for example, adhesive, welding, or the like.

[0053] The racking plate 430 includes first and second vertically-extending fingers 436, 438 that are joined together by a lower body 433 of the racking plate 430. The fingers 436, 438 define a vertically-extending gap 434 therebetween configured to receive the hanging bar 300 (FIG. 3) of the vegetation hanging and drying system 10. The gap 434 may have a rectangular shape and a sufficient width to receive the hanging bar 300 and permit sliding along a longitudinal axis of the hanging bar 300 while preventing shifting of the hanging bar 300 within the gap 434.

[0054] The first finger 436 is directly adjoined to the mounting plate 410 and the stabilizing plate 440 and extends at a perpendicular angle relative thereto. The first finger 436 may have the same height as the mounting plate 410 and has an inner edge 442 extending approximately three-quarters of the height of the mounting plate 410. The second finger 438 is free-standing and extends upwardly from the lower body 433 to a height less than that of the first finger 436. The second finger 438 has an inner edge 444 having a linear lower portion 444a and a ramped upper portion 444b. The inner edge 442 of the first finger 436 and the linear lower portion 444a of the inner edge 444 of the second finger 438 define a rectilinear portion of the gap 434 therebetween. The ramped upper portion 444b of the inner edge 444 of the second finger 438 facilitates entry and removal of the hanging bar 300 into and from the gap 434.

[0055] The mounting plate 410 of the bracket 400 includes a pair of first and second mounting plates 410a, 410b that extend perpendicularly from the longitudinal edge 432 of the racking plate 430. The first and second mounting plates 410a, 410b are vertically separated from one another along a length of the racking plate 430 to define a gap 450 therebetween. The first mounting plate 410a extends perpendicularly from an upper portion of the first finger 436 of the racking plate 430 and the second mounting plate 410b extends perpendicularly from the lower body 433 of the racking plate 430. The first and second mounting plates 410a, 410b may each be square shaped and have a movable anchor or tab 452, 454 extending outwardly therefrom. It is contemplated that the tabs 452, 454 may be cut from the mounting plates 410a, 410b. The tabs 452, 454 may extend away from the respective first and second mounting plates 410a, 410b to define a recess 456, 458 configured for capturing an edge 202 (FIG. 8) of the vertical support shaft 200 therebetween. The tabs 452, 454 may statically bendable or deformable to allow for an adjustment of the size of the respective recess 456, 458.

[0056] The stabilizing plate 440 extends from and is coplanar with the first finger 436 of the racking plate 430. The stabilizing plate 440 extends through the gap 450 defined between the first and second mounting plates 410a, 410b and has a trapezoidal shape, but other shapes are also contemplated, such as, for example, rounded, squared, or the like. The stabilizing plate 440 is configured to rest against a first outer sidewall 230 (FIG. 7) of the vertical support shaft 200 of the vegetation hanging and drying system 10. By resting against the first outer sidewall 230, the stabilizing plate 440 ensures that the bracket 400 is resisted from rotating out of position. Further, when a horizontal hanging bar 300 is inserted into the gap 434 of the racking plate 430, any torque will push the stabilizing plate 440 against the outer sidewall 230 of the vertical support shaft 200. As such, in addition to the direct support provided by the racking plate 430, the stabilizing plate 440 also provides leveraged support for the hanging bar 300 inserted into the gap 434 that increases the overall stability of the vegetation hanging and drying system 10.

[0057] In use, the bracket 400 is positioned adjacent the vertical support shaft 200 of a shelving unit 500, as shown in FIG. 7. The first and second mounting plates 410, 410b are positioned into abutment with a second outer sidewall 232 of the vertical support shaft 200 and the stabilizing plate 440 is positioned into abutment with the first outer sidewall 320 of the vertical support shaft 200. The tabs 452, 454 of the mounting plates 410a, 410b are inserted within first and second tapered slots 204, 206 defined in the second outer sidewall 232 of the vertical support shaft 200 and the bracket 400 is translated downward.

[0058] During downward translation of the bracket 400 relative to the vertical support shaft 300, the tapered slots 204, 206 of the vertical support shaft 200 bend or deform the tabs 452, 454 of the mounting plates 410a, 410b to snugly secure the tabs 452, 454 with the tapered slots 204, 206 of the vertical support shaft 200, as shown in FIG. 8. This process is repeated with a second bracket (not shown), identical to bracket 400, to secure the second bracket with a second support shaft (not shown), identical to the first support shaft 200, of the shelving unit 500 and at a vertical location of the second support shaft that is horizontally aligned with the bracket 400 secured to the first vertical support shaft 200. With the brackets 400 secured to the vertical support shafts 200, the hanging bar 300 (FIG. 3) is positioned within the gaps 434 of the racking plates 430 of the brackets 400 to support the horizontal hanging bar 300 in a horizontal orientation.

[0059] It will be understood that various modifications may be made to the embodiments disclosed herein. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of various embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the claims appended thereto.