US 4,934,645 · Granted 1990-06-19
The Adjustable Shelf Patent That Powers Retail Display Systems
Imagine a shelf in a store that can slide forward and backward AND tilt up and down without falling off its brackets. This patent covers the clever bracket and slot system that lets retail workers move shelves between stocking position (in back) and display position (angled forward) on standard metal shelf supports.
The plain-English version
What it protects
What's protected here is a shelving assembly with brackets that lock into slotted vertical standards and allow the shelf to slide and rotate. The claim covers a shelf that can move backward for restocking and forward for merchandising, plus the ability to tilt the shelf into different angles — all while staying securely fastened to the standard brackets.
Why it matters
This patent solves a real retail problem: store shelves need to be flexible enough for workers to restock efficiently while also allowing managers to angle products forward to catch customers' eyes. By building movement into the bracket design itself, the patent eliminates the need for complex tools or multiple shelf types, making store setup faster and cheaper.
Real-world use
Every time you walk into a grocery store or pharmacy and notice shelves that are tilted forward to display products or pulled back for restocking, you're likely looking at shelving that uses this bracket design.
Original USPTO abstract
A shelving assembly mountable on conventional vertical, slotted standards. The shelving assembly includes a shelf and brackets permitting movement of the shelf on the brackets between a rear merchandising position and a forward stocking position, and permitting movement into selected horizontal and inclined merchandising positions.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 4,934,645
- Filing date
- 1989-03-20
- Grant date
- 1990-06-19
- Assignee
- Rtc Industries, Inc.
- Inventor(s)
- BRESLOW; DAVID S.
- CPC class
- A47B96/07
Want to file your own patent?
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