权利要求：
What is claimed is:
1. A modular shelving assembly comprising:
a plurality of shelving components that each include:
a body,
a male portion that extends from a first end of the body, the male portion having width and height dimensions that are both smaller than width and height dimensions of the body,
a female portion that defines a void in a second end of the body that is opposite the first end of the body, the female portion being sized and shaped to receive the male portion of another shelving component,
first apertures defined by and extending through the male portion, and second apertures defined by and extending through the female portion; and a plurality of posts that are sized and shaped to be inserted into overlapping apertures of a first shelving component and a second shelving component, the overlapping apertures com prising (i) a first aperture in the male portion of the first shelving component that has been inserted into a female portion of the second shelving component and (ii) a second aperture in the female portion of the second shelving component.
2. The modular shelving assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of shelving components and posts are assembled into a plurality of rows, each of the rows including one or more of the shelving components.
The modular shelving assembly of claim 2, wherein, from at least a second row to a top of the plurality of rows, the number of shelving components decreases by one shelving component for each successive row from the second row to the top row.
4. The modular shelving assembly of claim 3, wherein the plurality of rows comprise steps and shelves.
5. The modular shelving assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a male end cap that includes a male portion that extends from a first end of the male end cap and that is configured to be inserted into a last shelving component in a row of shelving components with an open female portion;
a female end cap that includes a female portion that defines a void and that is configured to receive a male portion from a first shelving component in a row of shelving components with an open male portion.
6. The modular shelving assembly of claim 1, wherein each post of the plurality of posts
includes a first locking feature near a first end and a second locking feature near a second end, and wherein a first locking feature of a first post of the plurality of posts is configured to engage with a second locking feature of another post of the plurality of posts.
7. The modular shelving assembly of claim 6, wherein the first locking feature is a tab a nd the second locking feature is a groove.
8. The modular assembly of claim 6, wherein the first locking feature is a protrusion and the second locking feature is a hole.
9. The modular assembly of claim 1, further comprising one or more lighting members,
wherein the one or more lighting members is selected from the group consisting of: a light strip, a light mat, and a light element sized for an aperture in the body of the shelving component.
10. The modular assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the shelving components includes, on an underside of its body, a plurality of post-receiving features, each configured to secure, for storage, a post of the plurality of posts.
11. The modular assembly of claim 1, further comprising a panel that includes an attachment feature configured to secure the panel to at least one post of the assembly.
12. The modular assembly of claim 11, wherein the attachment feature is selected from the group consisting of: a hook configured for a compression fit with the post, a curved end configured for a compression fit with the post, and a tab sized to be received by a slit in the post.
13. The modular assembly of claim 1, wherein the male portion comprises first and second extensions, and wherein the female portion comprises first and second voids.
14. The modular assembly of claim 1, further comprising a railing attached to one or more
shelving components of the modular assembly.
15. The modular assembly of claim 1, wherein each component in the plurality of shelving components has a rectangular sha pe.
16. The modular assembly of claim 1, wherein each component in the plurality of shelving
components has a wedge shape.
17. The modular assembly of claim 1, wherein the first apertures com prise a top aperture of the male portion and a bottom aperture of the male portion, wherein the second apertures comprise a top aperture of the female portion and a bottom aperture of the female portion, and wherein the top aperture of the male portion and the top aperture of the female portion each have a first size, and the bottom aperture of the male portion and the bottom aperture of the female portion each have a second size that is larger than the first size.
18. The modular assembly of claim 17 wherein, for at least one post of the plurality of posts, a top portion of the post is sized larger than a bottom portion of the post.
19. The modular assembly of claim 1, wherein the first apertures com prise a top aperture of the male portion and a bottom aperture of the male portion, wherein the second apertures comprise a top aperture of the female portion and a bottom aperture of the female portion, and wherein the top aperture of the male portion and the top aperture of the female portion each have a first size, and the bottom aperture of the male portion and the bottom aperture of the female portion each have a second size that is smaller than the first size.
20. The modular assembly of claim 19 wherein, for at least one post of the plurality of posts, a top portion of the post is sized smaller than a bottom portion of the post.
21. A modular shelving assembly comprising:
a plurality of shelving components comprising a first shelving component having a first length, a second shelving component having a second length that is shorter than the first length, and a third shelving component having a third length that is shorter than the second length, each of the shelving components defining a plurality of first apertures on a top side of the shelving component and defining a plurality of second apertures on a bottom side of the shelving component, wherein each of the second apertures is larger than each of the first apertures, and wherein at least one shelving component of the plurality of shelving
components includes an upper surface that includes a textured feature; and a plurality of posts, wherein each post of the plurality of posts includes that a top portion of the post that is sized larger than a bottom portion of the post; wherein the plurality of shelving components and posts are assembled into a plurality of rows, each of the rows including one of the shelving components, and wherein from at least a second row of the assembly upward, the included shelving component for a given row is longer than the included shelving component for the row above the given row.
22. The modular shelving assembly of claim 21, wherein each post of the plurality of posts includes a first locking feature on the top portion and a second locking feature on the bottom portion, the first locking feature of a first post being configured to engage with the second locking feature of another post.
23. A modular shelving assembly comprising:
a plurality of shelving components comprising a first shelving component having a first length, a second shelving component having a second length that is shorter than the first length, and a third shelving component having a third length that is shorter than the second length, each of the shelving components defining a plurality of first apertures on a top side of the shelving component and defining a plurality of second apertures on a bottom side of the shelving component, wherein each of the second apertures is smaller than each of the first apertures, and wherein at least one shelving component of the plurality of shelving components includes an upper surface that includes a textured feature; and
a plurality of posts, wherein each post of the plurality of posts includes that a top portion of the post that is sized smaller than a bottom portion of the post; wherein the plurality of shelving components and posts are assembled into a plurality of rows, each of the rows including one of the shelving components, and wherein from at least a second row of the assembly upward, the included shelving component for a given row is longer than the included shelving component for the row above the given row.
24. The modular shelving assembly of claim 23, wherein each post of the plurality of posts includes a first locking feature on the top portion and a second locking feature on the bottom portion, the first locking feature of a first post being configured to engage with the second locking feature of another post.