Flat pack shelf and bracket system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional shelf installation processes often face difficulties in ensuring support arms are at the same height, making it challenging to hang shelves level across the arms.
Innovation Solution
A shelf and bracket system featuring a main bracket bar with integrated level, interchangeable U-shaped support arms that can rotate between shelf support and folded storage positions, and adjustable spacing, allowing for easy alignment and secure attachment without additional hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional separate support arms are mounted on a wall, then the shelf can be supported, but it is difficult to install the support arms at the same height, making it hard to hang the shelf level
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple support arms into a single integrated bracket assembly with a main bracket bar. This merging eliminates the need to independently align multiple separate arms, as the integrated design ensures they are pre-aligned at the correct height and spacing, directly resolving the alignment precision issue while simplifying installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The support arms are pre-assembled and pre-aligned with the main bracket bar during manufacturing. This preliminary action ensures that when the bracket assembly is installed on the wall, the support arms are already at the correct height and orientation, eliminating the difficult field alignment process and enabling level shelf installation.
2Strength
If support arms are made fixed and rigid, then the shelf is securely supported, but the bracket assembly cannot be flattened for compact storage or shipping
Solution Approach 1:
The support arms are designed with rotational joints that allow them to pivot between a deployed position (where they provide full support strength) and a folded position (where they align with the main bracket bar for compact storage). This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction by enabling both strong support during use and compact storage when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The support arms are designed to fold back and nest against the main bracket bar when not in use, creating a compact, flat profile. This nesting capability allows the bracket assembly to be stored or shipped in a minimized volume while maintaining full structural integrity when deployed for shelf support.
3Adaptability or versatility
If interchangeable support arms are used to accommodate different shelf sizes, then versatility is improved, but the complexity of the hardware and assembly process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket assembly is designed with universal mounting features and adjustable components that can accommodate various shelf sizes and configurations without requiring different hardware sets. The interchangeable support arms can be configured in different arrangements, and the same basic hardware serves multiple functions, achieving versatility while controlling complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a shelf and bracket system that comprises a shelf and a bracket assembly. In various embodiments, the bracket assembly comprises a main bracket bar, a plurality of support arms, and hardware for attaching each of the plurality of support arms to the main bracket bar. In addition, in various embodiments, each support arm is disposed adjacent a respective end of the main bracket bar and the respective first hardware for the support arm is configured such that, when disengaged, the support arm is configured to rotate between a shelf support position and a folded storage position so that when each of the plurality of support arms are in the folded storage position, the bracket assembly is substantially flat.