SHELF INSERTS

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a shelf insert.

[0002] FR 2 145 882 A discloses a shelving system in which the vertical shelf posts are held rigidly by means of strut connections that can be clipped into them.

[0003] Furthermore, DE 1 183 215 B shows a shelf in which the front and rear shelf posts are braced with support rails that grip the post on two outer surfaces.

[0004] The subject of DE 20 2018 102 791 is a racking system for installation in a vehicle, with two vertical rack posts and at least one horizontal insert arranged between them, e.g. a rack insert, wherein a fastening element is provided between the rack posts and the end faces of the inserts facing them.

[0005] DE 20 2019 106 307 U1 represents the closest prior art and relates to a shelf tray with a base, a back wall and two side walls made of sheet metal, wherein a front wall is provided which is designed as an extruded profile and is replaceable.

[0006] US Patent 2023 / 012 306 A1 describes a shelf insert comprising a base, an adjoining back panel, and two sheet metal side panels. Furthermore, two side panels are provided, which are connected to the respective side panel elements by a positive-locking connection. A similar design is shown in US Patent 1,806,642 A.

[0007] WO 2008 / 067 508 A2 shows a tool trolley with a U-shaped internal structure, which has three closed sides that are connected to each other. External cladding panels are attached to this and connected to the U-shaped structure by snap-fit ​​connections.

[0008] The production of well-known shelf inserts and trays is complicated and time-consuming, as the side walls have to be welded, soldered or screwed together with the often one-piece formed arrangement of base, back wall and front.

[0009] The task is therefore to design a shelf insert in such a way that its production is simple and cost-effective, and a stable shelf insert is created.

[0010] This problem is solved by the characterizing features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments can be found in the dependent claims.

[0011] In particular, the invention relates to a shelf insert with a base, a back wall adjoining it and two side wall elements made of sheet metal, wherein it has two side walls which are connected to the respective side wall elements by a positive locking connection and wherein the back wall, base and side wall elements are essentially made of aluminium and the side walls are essentially made of steel.

[0012] The positive locking connection is advantageously formed by at least one opening in the side wall elements and a hook on the side wall engaging in the upper edge of this opening. Furthermore, the side walls are advantageously equipped with a stop that rests against the lower edge of the opening in the side wall elements. This allows for quick and easy clicking of the side walls into the side wall elements, particularly when each side wall element has multiple openings and each side wall has multiple hooks or stops engaging in these openings.

[0013] Preferably, the back wall, base, and side wall elements are formed from a single piece of sheet metal by bending. Alternatively, the back wall, base, and side wall elements can also be formed from different pieces of sheet metal by welding, soldering, riveting, gluing, crimping, or screwing.

[0014] Preferably, a front wall is provided which connects the two side walls.

[0015] Preferably, the front wall is formed as an extruded aluminum profile, which has a groove that engages with a downwardly bent end of the base, and has lateral openings for receiving screws which are guided through openings in the side walls aligned therewith.

[0016] Finally, the steel side walls are advantageously galvanized.

[0017] An embodiment of the invention is described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Fig. 1: an exploded view of a shelf insert according to the invention; Fig. 2: the shelf insert Fig. 1 in compound form; Fig. 3:a shelving system particularly suitable for installation in a vehicle, comprising two shelf inserts according to the invention; Fig. 4: a side view of the shelf insert from the Figures 1 and 2 without side panels, with side panels snapped into the side wall elements; Fig. 5: a side view of a side panel as used to manufacture the shelf insert from the Figures 1 and 2 is used; Fig. 6: a side view of a side wall element of the shelf insert according to Figures 1 and 2 ; Fig. 7: a detailed representation of the locking connection between side wall element and side wall according to Fig. 4 ; and Fig. 8: a section through line AA Figure 4 .

[0018] The basic structure and installation situation of a shelf insert according to the invention is described using the following: Figures 1 to 3 explained. Here, the Figure 1An exploded view of a shelf insert 1 according to the invention, consisting of a base 2 and a back panel 3 as well as two side panel elements 4. This component is manufactured in one piece and the side panel elements 4 and the back panel 3 are produced by bending a sheet of metal, projecting from the base 2. The assembly is made of aluminum.

[0019] Insofar as the present description refers to a base 2, it should be noted that this does not necessarily have to be a continuous base, but that it can also be perforated, grooved or completely open as a mere outer frame for inserting base plates or directly inserting products.

[0020] The side wall elements 4 do not yet serve as finished side closures, but must be completed with side walls 5, which are made of steel. These side walls 5 are connected to the side wall elements 4 as described below. Finally, a side panel 16, usually made of plastic, is attached or screwed on, forming the side closure of the shelf insert. In this form, the shelf insert is mounted in a support system as described in the aforementioned DE 20 2018 102 791. This system consists, as described in Fig. 3 As shown, it consists of posts 17, between which the shelf inserts 1 are located, possibly adjustable.

[0021] The exact connection between the side wall elements 4 and the side walls 5 is shown in the Figures 4 to 8 presented in detail. Here, the Figure 4A side wall 5 is already connected to the side wall element 4. According to the invention, the connection between the side wall element 4 and the side wall 5 is achieved by a positive-locking snap-fit ​​connection. In the illustrated embodiment, each side wall element 4 has three openings 6, which are essentially square with rounded corners and into which hooks 8 engage, protruding from the side walls 5. These hooks 8 are formed by punching or molding from the side walls 5 and overlap the upper edge 7 of the respective opening 6 in the side wall elements. For stabilization, the side walls 5 additionally have a stop 10 located at the lower edge of the opening 6, so that the side walls 5 rest against the upper and lower edges 7 and 9 of the openings 6 of the side wall elements 4 via the hooks 8 and stops 10, respectively, and are positively connected to them.In this way, the side wall 5 is firmly connected to the side wall element 4, while still allowing for detachment. The connection between the hooks 8 or stops 10 with the upper edge 7 or lower edge 9 of the opening 6 within the side wall element 4 is shown in . Figure 7 presented in detail and in Figure 8 on average, whereby the Figure 8 a cut along line AA from Figure 4 represents.

[0022] As in the Figures 4 to 6 As shown, each side wall element 4 preferably has three openings 6, into which three hooks 8 and three stops 10 abut at their upper edges 7 and lower edges 9, respectively. The hooks 8 and stops 10 are formed from the side wall 5. Furthermore, a front wall 11 is provided, which connects the two side walls 5, preferably made of Figure 2The front wall 11 is preferably formed as an extruded aluminum profile which has a groove 13. This is particularly evident in Figure 1 The groove 13 engages with a downwardly bent end 14 of the base 2. Lateral openings are also provided for receiving screws 15, which are guided through openings in the side walls 5 aligned with these openings, so that in this way the front wall 11 can be placed over the groove 13 onto the bent end 14 of the base 2 and additionally fixed by the screws 15, which are guided through openings in the side walls 5.

[0023] According to the invention, the rear wall 3, the base 2, and the side wall elements 4 consist essentially of aluminum, while the side walls 5 consist essentially of steel. In the illustrated embodiment, the rear wall 3, the base 2, and the side wall elements 4 are manufactured from a single piece of sheet metal, whereas in an alternative embodiment not shown, this component can also be formed from different pieces of sheet metal by welding, soldering, riveting, gluing, crimping, or screwing.

[0024] Figure 8 shows a section along line AA through Figure 4 . In particular, this figure shows the arrangement of the hook 8 and the stop 10 as elements formed from the side wall 5 within the opening 6 and in operative connection with its upper edge 7 and lower edge 9.

[0025] In Figure 8The figure further shows that the side wall 5 has a rear tab 12 which is connected to the rear wall 3. This connection 18 is shown schematically by circles only. It can be made by welding, soldering, riveting, gluing, crimping, or screwing between this rear tab 12 of the side wall 5 and the rear wall 3. Preferably, the clinching process is used, as described, for example, in EP 2 921 241 A1. However, other permanent connections are also possible.

[0026] Since the side walls 5 are made of steel, they are galvanized in a preferred embodiment.

Claims

1. Shelf insert (1) comprising a base (2), an adjoining back wall (3), and two side wall elements (4) made of sheet metal, wherein the shelf insert comprises two side walls which are connected to the corresponding side wall elements (4) by means of an interlocking catch connection, wherein the back wall (3), base (2) and side wall elements (4) consist substantially of aluminum and the side walls (5) consist substantially of steel.

2. Shelf insert according to claim 1, characterized in that the interlocking catch connection is formed by at least one opening (6) in the side wall elements (4) and a hook (8) of the side walls (5) which engages in the upper edge (7) of this opening (6).

3. Shelf insert according to claim 2, characterized in that the side walls (5) comprise a stop (10) that abuts the lower edge (9) of the opening (6).

4. Shelf insert according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that each side wall element (4) comprises a plurality of openings (6) and each side wall (5) comprises a plurality of hooks (8) and stops (10) engaging in these openings (6).

5. Shelf insert according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the back wall (3), base (2) and side wall elements (4) are formed from one piece of sheet metal by way of folding.

6. Shelf insert according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the back wall (3), base (2) and side wall elements (4) are formed from various pieces of sheet metal by way of welding, soldering, riveting, adhesive bonding, crimping or screwing.

7. Shelf insert according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a front wall (11) is provided which connects the two side walls (5) to each other.

8. Shelf insert according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a further connection between the side walls (5) and the back wall (3) is made by welding, soldering, riveting, adhesive bonding, crimping or screwing between a rear tab (12) of each side wall (5) and the back wall (3).

9. Shelf insert according to any of claims 7 or 8 if dependent on claim 7, characterized in that the front wall (11) is formed as an extruded aluminum profile which has a groove (13) which engages with a downwardly folded end (14) of the base (2), and comprises side openings for receiving screws (15) which are guided through openings in the side walls (5) aligned therewith.

10. Shelf insert according to any of claims 8 to 9, characterized in that the side walls (5) are galvanized.