US Patent:
20090266775, Oct 29, 2009
Inventors:
Wiebe S Vanderhoek - Lynden WA, US
Mike Van Wingerden - Blaine WA, US
International Classification:
A47F 7/00
B60B 33/00
Abstract:
A rack assembly for transportation and display of potted plants and similar articles. The rack includes vertical supports, and a plurality of trays that are slidingly supported on the posts. The trays are extensible from a retracted position in which the trays are arranged in compact, vertically spaced relationship for transportation, to a deployed position in which the trays extend on opposite sides in an alternating arrangement with increased vertical spacing, and are tilted to a downwardly angled orientation so that the plants can be readily viewed and accessed by customers and other personnel. The posts and trays are mounted on a mobile frame that includes stabilizer legs which prevent the assembly from tipping when the trays are in the deployed position. The trays are slidingly mounted to the posts by means of guide channels and cooperating projections. The trays may be tilted to the downwardly angled orientation simultaneously, using vertically adjustable supports that engage the rearward edges of the trays. Alternatively, the guide channels may have upper and lower runs that receive projections at the sides of the trays, so that the trays are held in the angled orientation with projections at the rearward edges of the trays supported in the upper runs and projections at the middle portions of the trays supported in the lower runs. The posts and trays are removable from the frame, and can be broken down for storage.