WO1996029911A1

WO1996029911A1 - Moveable corner shelf

Info

Publication number: WO1996029911A1
Application number: PCT/EP1996/001343
Authority: WO
Inventors: Meir Amiram
Original assignee: BENEDUM ULRICH MAX
Current assignee: BENEDUM ULRICH MAX
Priority date: 1995-03-27
Filing date: 1996-03-27
Publication date: 1996-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 1997-09-27
Also published as: IL113155A; AU5497096A; IL113155A0

Abstract

A corner shelf for a wall corner which edge is protected by a metal protector, comprising a shelf (1), a supporter (2) connected to the shelf and at least one magnet (3) connected to the shelf or the supporter facing the edge of the corner. The shelf (1) and the supporter (2) have preferably a shape, seperately or in combination, which enfolds the wall corner from its two sides.

Description

MOVEABLE CORNER SHELF

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a magnetic corner shelf which can be hung straight at any suitable wall corner without any screws or nails and removed from the wall after use without leaving any marks.

Background of the Invention

The decoration of room walls takes a significant place in homes. The present invention provides a new interesting gadget which increases the diversity of home decoration and is useful for many other services.

A shelf for placing ornaments is a well-known article. The shelf is usually fastened at the wall by means of spikes or screws which, however, damage the wall. This also prevents that the location and use of the shelf will be changed or altered, limiting the creativity in home design.

The present invention provides a portable shelf which does not require spikes or screws for fixing at a wall and can be moved according to desire and need. This invention is useful for homes which walls are coated and whitewashed with mortar. Such buildings have usually pillars of cement or concrete which corners often protrude into the apartment or room. The protruding corners are often disturbing and often break the continuity of the straight walls, but they are a necessary part of the building construction. However, they usually bear a ferrous protector or support which shall protect the corner and its edges from disintegration in the course of time. The ferrous protector is mostly hidden under the mortar or concrete of the protruding corner.

The present invention makes use of such corners as a pedestal for a portable shelf, by attraction between a magnet provided with the shelf or with its supporter, and the ferrous corner protector hidden in the mortar. With that refreshing innovation, the house corners becomes esthetic and functional in a modern home. Summary of the Invention

The present invention relates to a corner shelf comprising a shelf, a supporter, and at least one magnet, which are fastened to any suitable corner by attraction between said magnet and a ferrous material inside the corner, wherein the supporter extends the arm of moment of the magnet attraction power by lowering the pivot point. Apart from that main function, the supporter may be connected to additional shelves, to magnets and friction increasing components, and may help in creating an efficient construction that stresses the corner

According to the present invention a shelf (that is any kind of wide and heavy object that a magnet cannot hold on a corner edge without the help of a supporter) is connected to a supporter, and the supporter itself or the combination of the shelf and its supporter creates a proper shape that fits the wall corner from its two sides The combination of shelf and supporter has at least one magnet facing the edge of the corner, or at least two magnets within right angle between them, each of them facing the other side of the corner near its edge It is also possible according to this invention to connect more than one shelf to the supporter. The concept is that a main magnet has to be at some high point of the appliance (commonly near the top of it), and wherein the combination of shelf and supporter creates a low meeting point between it and the wall which is a pivot point to the arm of moment of the magnet attraction power. Additional magnets and friction increasing components may be connected to the supporter or to the shelf, if necessary.

To prevent sliding of the shelf down the corner when it carries heavy objects on it, it is possible to increase the friction between the shelf (or its supporter) and the wall, by rubber knobs, by spiky knobs, or by making the junction between the shelf and the wall angled little less than 90 degrees so it will stress the corner

' A Shelf " according to this invention may also be a combination of a few shelves, and may also be shaped as any functional object, such as a box for writing tools, etc.

"A supporter" according to this invention can be any structural shape or combination of rigid material element or elements connected to the shelf lowering the pivot point and increasing the efficiency of the magnet attraction power by extending the arm of moment of the magnet. It may be used for additional functions as well. The supporter may be a separate unit connected to the shelf or an integral unit with the shelf.

"A magnet" according to this invention is one permanent magnet or one electromagnet, or any combination of few of them, thus if it is connected permanently to the shelf or to the supporter, or if it joined to them just when installing them to the corner. The magnet may be bare, or placed in an appropriate casing.

The supporter may be a simple right angled profile centering the corner, or a smart profile with grooves designed to contain lengthwise magnets, shelves, and friction increasing components, or shaped in any other way such as a closed angled border, an angled tree or any shape suited to the wall corner.

The magnet may be connected permanently to some high point of the construction created by the shelf and its supporter, it may also be a separate part to be attached to a suitable opening created for it on the shelf or on the supporter, or may be inserted through a special groove in the supporter, facing the edge of the corner, giving a modular ability.

Additional magnets may be added in the same ways, to high points for improving the carrying ability, and to low points to improve the friction by pressing the friction increasing components to the wall surface more intensely.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The present invention will now be described with reference to figures 1 to 9 which illustrate some representative embodiments of the invention but are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Figures 1 -3 and 5 illustrate in isometric views a few possible combinations of shelves and supporters attached to wall corners. Figure 4 is a side view of another possible combination of a shelf, a magnet, and a supporter attached to a wall corner, wherein the magnet is connected to the shelf, and the supporter touching the wall just at a low prop point, then separate and going far from the corner edge to its connecting point in the outside angle off the shelf .

Figure 6 shows an isometric view of two different multi-shelf constructions, attached to a wall corner one above the other.

Figures 7-9 describe in detail one chosen combination, wherein figure 7 shows its dismantled constituents in a top view, figure 8 describes them half connected in a side view, and figure 9 is a top view illustrating its full assembly attached to a wall corner.

Following is a detailed description of the above mentioned figures:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of an angled shelf ( 1 ) connected to the bottom of a straight angle supporter (2). A magnet (3) is located in an opening near the top of the supporter (2), pressing the supporter to the wall by the attraction of the magnet to the metal protector that is hiding in the edge of the corner (4) .

Figure 2 is an isometric view of another possibility of supporter, comprising two rods (5) and a magnet casing (6) wherein said rods are connected obliquely, one side of them to a shelf (7) near its end and the other side to the magnet casing (6) having a magnet inside, attracted to the corner protector.

Figure 3 is the same as figure 2 but the rods (8) of the supporter are standing parallel and connected to the angled shelf (9) near the edge of its inner angle.

Figure 4 describes a side view of an angled shelf ( 1 0) wherein a magnet in casing ( 1 1 ) is connected to the shelf ( 1 2) near the edge of its inner angle facing the edge of the corner, and an angled supporter ( 1 3) which protrudes obliquely from the bottom of the shelf near its exterior angle edge, towards a lower meeting point with the wall, and the angled supporter enfolds the corner from both sides. Figure 5 describes a supporter ( 14) connected to the bottom of an angled shelf (1 5) near its inner angle, and a magnet ( 1 6) connected to the supporter near its top, facing the edge of the wall corner.

Figure 6 describes in an isometric view, two multi-shelf combinations attached to one wall corner. In the highest combination two shelves (1 7a) ( 1 7b) are connected to a supporter ( 18) shaped as a closed border. In the lowest combination, three shelves (1 9a) (1 9b) (1 9c) are connected to a supporter (20). Hidden magnets are provided inside the supporters facing the corner edge.

Figure 7 describes a top view of a shelf (21 ) protrudes (22) in a fashion suitable for inserting it to a special groove (23) made in a supporter (24), wherein said groove fits also for accepting lengthwise of it magnet (25) of suitable size, and the supporter (24) have an additional grooves (26) for accepting friction increasing components (27).

Figure 8 describes a side view of the shelf of figure 7 (21 ) protrudes (22) in a fashion suitable for inserting it to a groove (23) made in the supporter (24) and magnets (25) also inserted lengthwise of said groove (23). Friction increasing components (27) are inserted through additional grooves (26).

Figure 9 describes a top view of the shelf of figures 7-8 (21 ) attached to a wall corner (28) by the attraction is made between a magnet (25) and a metal corner protector (29) hiding inside the wall. Sliding of the shelf down the corner is prevented by friction increasing component (27) stressed to the wall by the relations between the powers of magnet attraction and the weight of the shelf and the objects it carries. Friction can be induced also by decreasing the inner angle of the shelf as described by optional protrudings (30).

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 . A corner shelf for walls having corners with metal protector, comprising a shelf, a supporter connected to the shelf and at least one magnet connected to the shelf or the supporter facing the edge of the corner.

2. A corner shelf according to claim 1 wherein the shelf and its supporter have separately or in combination a shape that fits to enfold the wall corner from its two sides.

3. A corner shelf according to claim 1 wherein the supporter is connected to one magnet facing the edge of the corner.

4. A corner shelf according to claim 1 wherein the supporter is connected to two magnets with right angle between them and each of the said magnets facing other side of the corner near its edge.

5. A corner shelf according to claim 1 wherein the supporter is connected to more than one shelf.

6. A corner shelf according to claim 1 wherein a magnet is located at the top of the shelf and supporter combination.

7. A corner shelf according to claim 1 wherein friction increasing components are connected to the supporter or to the shelf .

8. A corner shelf according to claim 1 wherein the magnet is a separate part to be attached in suitable opening created for it on the supporter or on the shelf .

A corner shelf according to claim 1 wherein the magnet is located in the supporter by inserting it through a special groove in the supporter facing the edge of the corner. 10. A supporter according to claims 1 -9 heaving by itself a shape that fits a wal corner and adapted for connecting to it changeable shelves.