Side access storage rack for cold storage units

摘要

A cold storage unit includes a side access storage rack for holding storage boxes. The storage rack includes a housing with a top wall, a bottom wall, and a rear side wall extending between the top and bottom walls to define a storage space. The storage rack also includes a plurality of vertical dividers extending from the rear side wall and a horizontal shelf configured to be engaged with the plurality of vertical dividers to split the storage space into a grid of box receptacles for the storage boxes. The horizontal shelf includes an angled front portion that is bent and is configured to frictionally engage divider slots in the vertical dividers to thereby hold the horizontal shelf in position with respect to the housing. This frictional engagement simplifies manufacturing and improves the functionality of the storage rack.

主权项

1. A side access storage rack for holding a plurality of storage boxes within a cold storage unit, comprising:
a housing including a top wall, a bottom wall, and a rear side wall defined by a single unitary sheet of material and extending between the top and bottom walls, the housing defining a storage space accessible through an open front side of the housing; a plurality of vertical dividers extending from the rear side wall toward the open front side of the housing, each vertical divider including a front edge and a plurality of divider slots extending rearwardly from the front edge; and a horizontal shelf including opposing front and rear edges, a plurality of shelf slots extending forwardly from the rear edge, and an angled front portion defined by a generally planar lip that is bent adjacent to the front edge from a remainder of the horizontal shelf, wherein the horizontal shelf is engaged with the plurality of vertical dividers when the horizontal shelf is slid into the divider slots and the vertical dividers are slid into the shelf slots, such that the angled front portion of the horizontal shelf is received within the divider slots and wedges into frictional engagement with the divider slots, wherein the frictional engagement holds the horizontal shelf in position such that the horizontal shelf and the plurality of vertical dividers split the storage space into a grid of box receptacles configured to receive the storage boxes, and wherein the rear side wall includes an outer frame and a plurality of support columns extending across the outer frame to define a plurality of apertures through the rear side wall, the plurality of apertures through the rear side wall being formed when the plurality of vertical dividers are punched out of the rear side wall and bent to be generally transverse to the rear side wall, and wherein the horizontal shelf further includes a blocking lip extending upwardly from the shelf at the rear edge, the blocking lip configured to block twisting or sliding movement of the storage boxes through the plurality of apertures in the rear side wall of the housing.