초록 ▼

An elongate horizontally-oriented shelf unit which is preferably constructed as a monolithic one-piece member, and is provided with a groove which opens upwardly from a bottom surface thereof and which extends lengthwise of the shelf for accommodating a detachable electrical accessory at any locatio

An elongate horizontally-oriented shelf unit which is preferably constructed as a monolithic one-piece member, and is provided with a groove which opens upwardly from a bottom surface thereof and which extends lengthwise of the shelf for accommodating a detachable electrical accessory at any location therealong for downward suspension from the shelf. The groove has a pair of low-voltage conductors embedded in the opposite side walls thereof to extend lengthwise of the groove, and accessible from the interior of the groove to provide electrical contact with an accessory which is inserted into the groove and moved into contact with the conductors. The conductors at one end of the groove, or at one end of a plurality of shelf units which are serially connected together, are joined to a suitable flexible electrical connector which joins to a conventional transformer plug for engagement with a conventional electrical outlet.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A shelf arrangement for attachment to an upright wall, comprising: a monolithic one-piece shelf unit constructed of an extrudable material; said shelf unit being horizontally elongated and having an L-shaped cross section defined by a horizontal leg part which adjacent a rear

What is claimed is: 1. A shelf arrangement for attachment to an upright wall, comprising: a monolithic one-piece shelf unit constructed of an extrudable material; said shelf unit being horizontally elongated and having an L-shaped cross section defined by a horizontal leg part which adjacent a rear edge is monolithically joined to a lower edge of an upright leg part which is cantilevered upwardly in generally transverse relation to the lower leg part, said lower leg part defining thereon a generally horizontally planar upper surface which functions as a support surface for removable objects, said lower and upright leg parts extending horizontally throughout the lengthwise extent of the shelf unit; said lower leg part having a nose part which extends lengthwise along a horizontally extending free edge thereof, said nose part defining therein a channel-like groove extending lengthwise therealong throughout the length of said lower leg part; a horizontally elongate metal reinforcing beam positioned within and extending lengthwise throughout substantially the lengthwise extent of said groove and maintained in engagement with said nose part for reinforcing the nose part of said lower leg part against vertical bending due to external loading of said upper surface; said lower leg part having at least one main groove formed therein and opens downwardly through an undersurface thereof, said main groove extending horizontally lengthwise throughout the lengthwise extent of the lower leg part in generally parallel but rearwardly spaced relation from the lengthwise extending free edge, said main groove in cross section having an undercut configuration to permit a removable bracket structure associated with a detachable accessory to be suportingly engaged therein; and a mounting bracket attached to said shelf unit and projecting rearwardly thereof for supportive engagement with an upright wall. 2. A shelf arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said lower leg part has a pair of generally parallel and sidewardly spaced elongate low-voltage electrical conductors mounted thereon and extending horizontally lengthwise thereof, said conductors being disposed adjacent opposite sides of said groove and accessible solely from said groove, and a detachable accessory bracket structure having a conductive member which, when positioned in said groove, is angularly displaced into conductive contact and engagement with said conductors. 3. A shelf arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said lower leg part includes a secondary groove which is formed therein and opens downwardly from the undersurface thereof, said second groove being sidewardly spaced from but extending generally parallel to said main groove and extending throughout the lengthwise extent of said lower leg part, said secondary groove having a cross section for engaging and securing a bracket associated with a second detachable accessory. 4. A shelf arrangement according to claim 2, including a low-voltage power supply cord arrangement which connects to said conductors adjacent one end of said lower leg part, said cord arrangement at the other end thereof having a plug-in transformer arrangement for connection to a conventional electrical outlet. 5. A shelf arrangement for attachment to an upright wall, comprising: a horizontally elongate shelf unit having a shelf part which extends horizontally throughout the horizontal extent of the shelf unit and defines thereon a substantially horizontally planar upper surface for supportive engagement with removable objects, said shelf part defining thereon a horizontally extending front free edge which is disposed in forwardly spaced relationship from an upright wall; bracket structure for attaching said shelf unit to said upright wall so that said shelf unit is positioned adjacent and cantilevered outwardly from an upright side surface of said wall; said shelf part having an electrical accessory attachment arrangement associated with an underside thereof and extending lengthwise therealong; said electrical accessory attachment arrangement including a horizontally elongate groove which is formed in said shelf part and which opens downwardly from the underside of said shelf part, said groove extending lengthwise throughout the length of said shelf part in generally parallel relationship to said front edge, said groove being spaced rearwardly from said front edge but forwardly from a rear edge of said shelf part, and a pair of generally parallel and sidewardly spaced elongate electrical conductors mounted on said shelf part adjacent said groove and accessible from said groove, said conductors extending lengthwise of said shelf part; and a detachable accessory engaged within said groove and projecting downwardly from said shelf part, said accessory having a mounting part which protrudes upwardly into and is stationarily engaged within said groove and which has an electrically conductive part disposed in conductive engagement with said sidewardly-spaced pair of electrical conductors. 6. A shelf arrangement according to claim 5, wherein said shelf part is a monolithic one-piece construction of an electrically insulative material and said electrical conductors are embedded therein adjacent opposite sides of and accessible solely from said groove. 7. A shelf arrangement according to claim 6, wherein said shelf unit includes an upright leg part which extends generally in transverse relationship to said shelf part and is monolithically joined to said shelf part adjacent the rear edge thereof so that the shelf unit has a generally L-shaped cross section. 8. A shelf arrangement according to claim 6, wherein said shelf part has a bracket-accommodating groove formed therein and opening downwardly through the underside thereof and extending horizontally throughout the lengthwise extent of said shelf part in rearwardly spaced but generally parallel relationship to said front edge, said bracket accommodating groove being sidewardly spaced relative to said electrical-accessory accommodating groove. 9. A shelf arrangement according to claim 6, wherein an enlarged nose part extends lengthwise along the front free edge of said shelf part, said nose part defining therein a channel which opens rearwardly and extends lengthwise therealong, and an elongate metal reinforcing beam positioned within and extending lengthwise of said channel in snug engagement with said nose part for providing bending strength in the lengthwise direction of the shelf part. 10. A shelf arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said nose part is formed monolithically with said shelf part. 11. A shelf arrangement for outward cantilevered attachment to an upright wall, comprising: a horizontally elongate shelf part having a lengthwise-extending rear edge positioned adjacent an upright wall and a lengthwise-extending free edge disposed in forwardly spaced relation from the upright wall, said shelf part defining thereon a substantially horizontally planar upper support surface for supportive engagement with removable objects positioned thereon; a low-voltage lighting arrangement carried on said shelf part adjacent an underside thereof for directing light downwardly below said shelf part; said low-voltage lighting arrangement including a horizontally elongate groove which is formed in said shelf part and opens downwardly from the underside thereof and extends lengthwise of said shelf part in generally rearwardly spaced but parallel relationship to said free edge, said groove having undercut groove portions on opposite sides thereof in upwardly spaced relation from the underside of said shelf part; said low-voltage lighting arrangement including a horizontally elongate light board positioned within said groove and supportingly engaged within the sidewardly opposed undercut groove portions, said light board being elongated along said groove and mounting thereon a plurality of electrically innerconnected low-voltage lights in spaced relationship therealong; a lens member supportingly engaged on said shelf part and extending lengthwise along said groove adjacent a mouth thereof in downwardly spaced relation from said light board for controlling downward emission of light from said low-voltage lights; and a low-voltage supply cord having one end thereof electrically engaged with said light board, said supply cord being coupled to a plug and transformer arrangement which can be electrically joined to a conventional electrical outlet. 12. A shelf arrangement according to claim 11, wherein said groove has a first opposed pair of said sideward undercut groove portions adjacent the upper end of the groove and extending lengthwise along the groove for supportive engagement with opposite edge parts of said light board, said groove having a second sidewardly opposed pair of undercut groove portions which are spaced downwardly from said first undercut groove portions and which supportingly engage edge flanges which extend lengthwise of said lens. 13. A shelf arrangement according to claim 12, wherein said lens has a downwardly protruding arcuate-shaped center part which extends between said edge flanges, said center part protruding downwardly through the mouth of said groove. 14. A shelf arrangement according to claim 12, wherein said shelf part has an accessory-accommodating groove opening downwardly from the underside thereof and extending lengthwise of said shelf part in sidewardly spaced but parallel relationship to said front edge, said accessory accommodating groove having an undercut cross section to permit a bracket associated with a detachable accessory to be supportingly engaged therein. 15. A shelf arrangement according to claim 14, wherein said shelf part is a one-piece monolithic structure of an extrudable material having said grooves formed in the underside thereof, and an enlarged nose part fixed to said shelf part and extending therealong and defining a front edge thereof, said nose part having an interior channel which opens rearwardly along the underside of the shelf part, and a horizontally elongate metal reinforcing beam snugly supported within and extending lengthwise along said channel for reinforcing the free edge of said shelf part. 16. A shelf arrangement according to claim 15, wherein said shelf part and said nose part are defined by a monolithic one-piece member formed of an extrudable material.