Abstract:
A device having vertically mobile shelves facilitating the storage of a container having an internal predetermined height and having an open upper surface of the trunk, suitcase, chest, drawer-type and the like, said device being characterized in that: at least one horizontal shelf is linked to at lest one vertical sliding means comprising at least three sliding segments which are fixed to the container at the lower segment, such that the said device can move between: a folded position, in which the height of the device is less than the predetermined height of the container, by folding of the sliding means, such that the shelves are close to one another in the container and allow storage of a content; and an unfolded position, in which the height of the device is greater than the predetermined height of the container, by extending the sliding means, such that the shelves are heightened and spread to allow handling of the content.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a National Phase Entry of International Application No. PCT/FR2007/001890, filed Nov. 19, 2007, which claims priority to French Patent Application Nos. FR 0610195, filed Nov. 22, 2006, and FR 0701337, filed Feb. 26, 2007, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a storage device having vertically mobile horizontal shelves for a container having a predetermined internal height and an open upper surface. 
       PRIOR ART 
       [0003]    The containers for the storage of the trunk, suitcase, chest, drawer type and the like have the advantage, contrarily to storage cabinets with shelves, of optimizing their storage capacity by minimizing their global volume and having a limited overall dimension in height. But they are often composed of a unique internal space which is too big to be practical and which impose an empirical and stressing storage method to the user. In addition, their topside opening system induces the restriction in the possibility of viewing the content at the upper layer while limiting the access to the bottom of the container and forbids the installation of horizontal shelves which could facilitate the organization and storage of the content, like in a cabinet with shelves, by dividing the internal volume into several storage spaces. 
         [0004]    The patent US no 2006/0000681 assigned to BARKER DEBORAH provides an attempt to organize the inside of a suitcase with mobile shelves. It discloses a set of horizontal shelves linked through gusseted elements to structures composing the body of the suitcase composed of two sliding segments and the capacity of extension of which is limited to the double of their folded length, which allows an elevation and a limited spreading of the shelves. Such a system, however, imposes the suitcase: a cubic shape, an additional opening system by disassembling the front side panel to access the lower storage spaces and a strict limitation of the number of shelves because of the small spreading amplitude obtained which makes it particularly unsuitable for the flat shape of suitcases of the common type and more generally to all the containers, the unique opening of which is on the upper face. It would then be advantageous to solve these problems with a device adapted to this type of container providing both reduced dimensions in height for the storage and a direct and easy access to the whole content for a facilitated storage. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    To solve one or several of the above mentioned drawbacks, a telescopic storage device for a container having a predetermined internal height and an open upper face includes:
       at least one vertical sliding means composed of at least three rigid sliding segments, said sliding means being fixed to the container by the lowest sliding segment,   at least one substantially horizontal shelf (or storage rack) linked to said sliding means,
 
so that said device is mobile between:
   a folded position obtained by folding the sliding means in which the height of the device is less than the predetermined internal height of the container so that at least one shelf divides the internal volume of said container into several storage gaps and in that each storage gap allows the storage of at least one content,   an unfolded position obtained by extending the sliding means wherein the height of the device is greater than the predetermined internal height of the container so that each shelf is heightened along said sliding means and in that the height of at least one storage gap is increased and in that each storage gap is accessible to allow the handling of each content.       
 
         [0010]    Characteristics of particular embodiments are as follows:
       The device includes several shelves linked to one another by at least one linking element of a flexible nature, the highest shelf being linked to the top of each sliding means.   The device includes several shelves linked to one another by at least one linking element of a flexible nature, with the highest shelf being fixed to the top of each sliding means.   Each shelf is linked through a linking element to the top of a sliding segment of each sliding means so that each linking element is fixed at the lower end thereof to a shelf and at the upper end thereof to the top of a sliding segment which is not fixed to the container.   The device includes several shelves so that each shelf is linked to a sliding segment lower than an adjacent and higher shelf and so that each linking element linking a designated shelf is longer than each linking element linking an adjacent and upper shelf with respect to the designated shelf.
 
This linking means makes it possible, among other things, to use linking elements of a rigid nature to link the shelves, which generates a greater stability for the shelves during the extension and folding phases and in both positions defined for the device.
   Each sliding means is fixed at the lowest segment thereof to a horizontal plane so that said plane resting on the bottom of the container is fixed to the bottom of the container by an unlockable fixing system.   Each sliding means is fixed to the container at the lowest sliding segment thereof by an unlockable fixing system.   The sliding means is composed of hollow sliding segments nested into one another in a telescopic way.
 
Using this type of sliding means makes it possible, among other things, to reduce the risk of interaction between the content and the sliding segments during the sliding process by avoiding clothes, for example, to be caught between two sliding segments.
   The device includes at least two sliding means and said sliding means are fixed together by the highest sliding segment thereof and by means of a linking bar.
 
This makes it possible, among other things, to unfold and fold the sliding means in a synchronized way.
   A shelf is fixed at the top of each sliding means and said shelf is used as a cover by providing the closing of the container in the folded position of said device.
 
This makes it possible, among other things, for the user to open the container and unfold the device in only one action.
   The sliding means include brakes holding it in unfolded position.
 
Using the devices is thus facilitated by making it possible for the user not to hold the device in unfolded position.
   At least one shelf includes at least one hole through which sliding means freely passes.
 
This makes it possible, for example, to position at the center of the container, sliding means which goes through each shelf by means of a hole.
       
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0022]    The invention will be better understood when reading the following description which is only given as an example, and referring to the appended Figures in which, for all the front views, the front of the container is not shown and the container and the cover thereof are shown in a sectional view for a better clarity of the drawings. 
           [0023]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a device according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the device of  FIG. 1  in unfolded position; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the device of  FIG. 1  in folded position; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view along section AA of a variant of the device of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is a detailed sectional view of the junction between a tubular element and a shelf of the device of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  is a front view of an unfolded position of a device according to a second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  is a front view of the device of  FIG. 6  in folded position; 
           [0030]      FIG. 8  is a front view in unfolded position of a device according to a third embodiment of the invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 9  is a front view of the device of  FIG. 8  in folded position; 
           [0032]      FIG. 10  is a detailed view of the section of a sliding means of  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 11  is a front view in unfolded position of a device according to a fourth embodiment of the invention; 
           [0034]      FIG. 12  is a front view in folded position of the device of  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0035]      FIG. 13  is a front view in folded position of a device according to a fifth embodiment of the invention; 
           [0036]      FIG. 14  is an isometric view of the device of  FIG. 13 ; 
           [0037]      FIG. 15  is a front view in unfolded position of the device of  FIG. 13 ; 
           [0038]      FIG. 16  is a detailed view of the section of sliding means of the device of  FIG. 17 ; 
           [0039]      FIG. 17  is an isometric view of a device according to a sixth embodiment of the invention; 
           [0040]      FIG. 18  is a front view of the device of  FIG. 17  in folded position; 
           [0041]      FIG. 19  is a front view of the device in folded position according to a seventh embodiment of the invention; 
           [0042]      FIG. 20  is a front view of the device of  FIG. 19  in unfolded position; 
           [0043]      FIG. 21  is a front view of the device in unfolded position according to an eighth embodiment of the invention; 
           [0044]      FIG. 22  is a front view of the device of  FIG. 21  in folded position; 
           [0045]      FIG. 23  is a front view of the device in unfolded position according to a ninth embodiment of the invention; 
           [0046]      FIG. 24  is a front view of the device of  FIG. 23  in folded position; 
           [0047]      FIG. 25  is an isometric view of the device according to a tenth embodiment of the invention; 
           [0048]      FIG. 26  is a front view of the device of  FIG. 25  in unfolded position; 
           [0049]      FIG. 27  is a detailed view of the linking element of  FIG. 26 ; 
           [0050]      FIG. 28  is a front view of the device of  FIG. 25  in folded position; 
           [0051]      FIG. 29  is an isometric of the device according to an eleventh embodiment of the invention; 
           [0052]      FIG. 30  is an isometric view of the device of  FIG. 29  in folded position; 
           [0053]      FIG. 31  is an isometric view of the device of  FIG. 29  in folded position; and 
           [0054]      FIG. 32  is an isometric view of the device of  FIG. 29  in folded position. Identical or similar elements of the various embodiments have the same reference numbers. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0055]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a device positioned in a container  1  includes four vertical sliding means  3  having the shape of four telescopic legs. Each telescopic leg includes four rigid and hollow segments sliding into each other. The four telescopic legs rest on the bottom and in the angles of the container, the other sides of which are not shown for clarity on the drawing. 
         [0056]    The sliding means support four horizontal storage racks or shelves. Intermediate or lower shelves are linked to the upper shelf by means of four linking elements  7  such as flexible strings. A content  9  illustrated by a box is positioned on an intermediate shelf. The upper shelf  5  (or upper rack) is fixed to the top of the sliding means by a fixing means  11  such as a screw or a rivet. The shelves are made of a rigid material such as plastic. 
         [0057]    The operation of the device is as follows. The user lifting the upper shelf  5  entails the unfolding of the sliding means  3  as well as the lifting and spreading of the various shelves  5 ,  FIG. 2 . The sliding means are unfolded so that the device has a height which is greater than the internal height of the predetermined storage H of the container  1 . The lower shelves are hanging under the upper shelf and linked by the linking elements of a flexible nature  7  which determine, by their length, the maximum spreading of the shelves, thus allowing the lifting and a distribution of the shelves along the height of the device and the sliding means. 
         [0058]    The unfolded device provides, out of the container, all the internal storage space provided with horizontal shelves with enlarged gaps and thus facilitates the access and the management of the content. Thus in this position, a user has an easy access to each storage gap to handle the content and store, for example, clothes. 
         [0059]    When the container  1  must be closed, a reverse mechanical action for example by pressing on the upper shelf, causes the folding of the sliding means and the successive folding of the intermediate shelves. The device is so that the rigid sliding segments are nested into one another and the height of the folded device is smaller than the internal storage height H of the container  3 . Thus, the container can be closed by a cover  13 ,  FIG. 3 . In the folded position of the device, the volume of the internal storage of the container is reduced by the telescopic support only and by the thickness of the shelves which get closer to one another and which separate said internal volume of the container into several storage gaps. The shape of the profile and the dimensions of the various shelves are so designed as to allow the device a free unfolding and folding without hitting the container. 
         [0060]    The lower and intermediate shelves include holes  15  gone through by the telescopic supports, the diameter of which is determined to allow the free sliding of the telescopic supports going there through. Each shelf thus provided with a hole for each sliding means is guided during the folding and unfolding thereof and is stabilized in the unfolded and folded positions of the device. The side panels  17  limit the intermediate shelves on three sides. They are fixed to the shelves at the lower part thereof and are made of a rigid material. Preferably, the sliding means are self locking and allow the holding in high position of the device. 
         [0061]    In a variant,  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the holes of the intermediate shelves are extended on the upper face side of the shelves by tubular structures or protection sheath  19  providing a protection for the sliding of the telescopic support  3  against a possible obstacle caused by the content stored on the shelves  5 . It should be noted that the side panels  17  and the protection sheath  19  are made so that their height allows the closing of the container in when the device is in folded position. 
         [0062]    In a second embodiment,  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the four telescopic supports  3  are fixed to the bottom and at the angles of the container  1 , each including three sliding segments having different diameters and they are positioned with the widest segment downwards and are fixed at the angles of the upper shelf by the upper ends thereof. The telescopic supports are self locking and make it possible to hold the device in high position. The shelves  5  are made of a rigid material. The intermediate shelves  5  have determined dimensions to allow a free vertical lifting motion without a shock with said telescopic supports  3 . The intermediate shelves are linked together and to the upper shelf by linking elements  7  which are made of a flexible material similar to strings and which are fixed at their angles and at their upper faces and lower faces. In the unfolded position of the device,  FIG. 6 , the length of the linking elements  7  allow similar gaps between the various shelves  5 . The lower shelf gives access to the storage space at the bottom of the container by lifting it to the level of the upper edge of said container. The intermediate shelves abut against the content  9  illustrated by boxes and on the bottom of the container  1  when the device is in the folded position,  FIG. 7 . 
         [0063]    The third embodiment,  FIGS. 8 ,  9  and  10  includes the same elements as the previous embodiment but is different therefrom in that the sliding means  3  rest in a recess  21  of the container  1  wall and are also different in that the upper shelf  5  is used as a cover by providing the closing of the container  1  when the device is in the folded position,  FIG. 9 , wherein the height of the device is smaller than the internal height H of said container.  FIG. 10  shows the section of the sliding means  3  of  FIG. 8  which has a substantially rectangular shape. 
         [0064]    In the fourth embodiment,  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the device includes three shelves  5 , the highest shelf being fixed to linking elements  7  made of a flexible material to the upper ends of the sliding segments of the highest level of the telescopic supports  3 . The shelves are linked together by flexible linking elements  7 . The telescopic supports are fixed to the bottom of the container  1  and include three sliding segments, and their spreading and folding is controlled by electric motors  23  positioned at the base thereof, with a battery  25  supplying said motors. When the device is in the unfolded position,  FIG. 11 , the various shelves  5  are hanging by their flexible linking elements  7 . When the device is in the folded position,  FIG. 12 , the shelves  5  are abutting against the content  9  illustrated by boxes and the bottom of the container  1 . A cover  13  closes the container. 
         [0065]    In the fifth embodiment,  FIGS. 13 ,  14  and  15 , the device includes four telescopic legs  3  resting on the bottom of the container  1  which are fixed to said container by unlockable fixing systems  26 , such as rotating latches. In  FIG. 13 , the rotating latches  26  are in closed position and fix each telescopic support  3  on the container  1 . When the latches  26  are open,  FIG. 15 , each telescopic supports  3  is no longer fixed to the container  1  and the device can be removed from said container. Rigid linking bars  27  made of a light metal are nested and glued on the highest sliding segments and thus link and fix the top of the telescopic legs two by two. The telescopic legs  3  are provided with brakes which makes it possible to hold them in unfolded position, and a trigger  29  releases the brake mechanism. The side panels  17  made of the flexible fabric material limits the internal storage space of the intermediate shelves  5  on three sides. The sides make it possible to prevent overflowing of the stored content and give the user an indication of the maximum height for the storage on each shelf. The side panels  17  are provided on the four sides of the upper shelf  5 , and link said upper shelf to the linking bars  27 . The three shelves  5  are linked together by flexible linking elements  7  which are fixed to the upper and lower faces of the shelves and to the side panels  17 . The shelves are made of a flexible fabric material positioned on a structure having a rigid profile and made of a light metal. A shelf made in this way is adapted to the shape and to the volume of the content stored on the shelf which is immediately under it, during the folding of the device which gives the user a margin of error as regards the estimation of the permissible storage volume for each shelf. The content  9  stored on the shelves is illustrated by boxes. 
         [0066]    To lower the device,  FIG. 15 , the user presses the triggers  29  to release the brake mechanism of the telescopic legs  3 . In  FIG. 13 , the height of the folded device is smaller than the internal height H on the container which is closed by a cover  13 , the side panels of the intermediate shelves not being shown for clarity of the drawing. 
         [0067]    In the sixth embodiment,  FIGS. 16 ,  17  and  18 , the device includes only one shelf  5  which has side panels  17  on four sides. Linking bars  27  link and fix the four sliding means at the top thereof. The side panels  17  link the shelf  5  to the linking bars  27 . The sliding means  3  are of the sliding type, include three sliding segments and are fixed to the external walls of the container by fixing legs  30 . The dimensions of the device are smaller in width than the container  1  so that the only shelf thereof  5  only separates a part of the internal volume of said container when the device is in the folded position,  FIG. 18 , leaving a free space for the storage beside the device, the height of which is equal to the internal height H for the storage in the container. The content  9  is illustrated by a box. The container  1  has casters  31  and can for example be positioned under a bed used as a cover  13 .  FIG. 18 , the sliding means  3  at the front are shown whereas the front of the container is not shown for clarity of the drawing.  FIG. 16  shows the sectional shape of a sliding means  3  of the slide type, in  FIG. 17 . 
         [0068]    In the seventh embodiment,  FIGS. 19 and 20 , the telescopic supports  3  are fixed by nesting and gluing on a plane  33  and rest on the bottom of the container  1 . In  FIG. 19 , unlockable fixing systems  26  such as rotating latches are in closed position and fix the plane  33  of the container  1 . When the latches  26  are open,  FIG. 20 , the plane  33  is no longer fixed to the container  1  and the device can be removed from said container. The upper shelf  5  made of a rigid material includes flexible side panels  17  and is linked by linking elements  7  made of a rigid material, such as hard plastic, to the various highest sliding segments of the telescopic supports. The other shelves  5  are linked by flexible linking elements  7  to segments at the same level. When the device is in the folded position,  FIG. 19 , the lowest shelf abuts against the content  9  illustrated by a box. When the device is in the unfolded position,  FIG. 20 , the lower shelf is raised to a height providing an easy access to the bottom of the container through the upper face of said container. Using linking elements of a flexible nature gives a shelf a greater adjustment tolerance to the volume of the content positioned on the adjacent and lower plane, which gives the user a greater freedom when using the various storage spaces. 
         [0069]    In the eighth embodiment,  FIGS. 21 and 22 , the device includes four telescopic supports  3  including five sliding segments with different diameters. The telescopic supports are self locking and allow the holding in high position of the device. The shelves  5  are made of a rigid material and are positioned between the telescopic supports  3 , the dimensions being determined to allow a free vertical lifting motion without a shock against said telescopic supports. The upper shelf  5  is linked to the highest tubular segments by linking elements  7  made of a rigid material (hard plastic). The two other shelves  5  are linked to each telescopic support  3  by flexible linking elements  7 . 
         [0070]    When the telescopic supports  3  are in the unfolded position,  FIG. 21 , the shelves  5  are spaced apart from each other, each shelf being horizontally held by the linking elements  7  thereof which have the same length. When the telescopic supports  3  are in the folded position,  FIG. 22 , the shelves  5  are closer, the length of the linking elements  7  give similar gaps between the bottom of the container  1 , the various shelves  5  and the cover  13  of the container. The rigid linking elements  7  of the upper shelf  5  induce a shifting downwards of the surface of the shelf with respect to the top of the sliding segments which it is linked to, and this shifting makes it possible to create, when the telescopic supports  3  are in the folded position, a gap between the surface thereof and the cover  13  of the container and induces the corresponding storage space. The linking elements  7  create more important shifting for the lower shelves  7 , which makes it possible to generate, when the telescopic supports  3  are in the folded position and in spite of the juxtaposition of the upper ends of the sliding segments which they are linked to, gaps between the surfaces on the shelves. Thus, the storage gaps between the shelves are generated, when the device is in the folded position, by the differences in the progressive length between the respective linking elements thereof. 
         [0071]    When a telescopic support is unfolded, the sliding segments thereof slide with respect to each other, which entails the spreading of the upper ends thereof, with each shelf being linked to a different segment, and the unfolding process makes it possible to increase the gaps separating the various shelves and makes it possible to reach the aim of improving accessibility to the various storage spaces by increasing their height. The maximum number of adaptable shelves for this embodiment depends on the number of the sliding segments composing the telescopic supports. The following combined data determine the lifting height of the various shelves  5  and the height of their respective gaps when the telescopic supports  3  are in the unfold position; length of the linking elements  7 ; length of the telescopic supports  3  and number of the respective sliding segments thereof; selection of the sliding segments which they are linked to. 
         [0072]    In the ninth embodiment,  FIGS. 23 and 24 , each telescopic support  3  including two sliding segments rests in a recess  21  which is outside the container  1 . During the extension and folding of a telescopic support  3 , the lowest sliding segment thereof slides in the recess  21  which is used as the third sliding segment and makes it possible, when the telescopic support is in the unfolded position, to fulfill the lifting goal of each shelf  5  and increase the height of the storage gaps to make them accessible. The shelves  5  are linked to the top of the sliding segments of the telescopic legs  3  by rigid linking elements  7  positioned vertically. The highest shelf  5  is linked to the highest sliding segment of each telescopic support  3 . The shelf  5  which is under the highest shelf is linked to a telescopic support by means of a sliding segment which is not as high as the upper shelf, but each shelf is linked to sliding segments at the same level. The linking elements  7  of the lowest shelf  5  are longer than the linking elements of the upper shelf. 
         [0073]    All the linking elements are made of a rigid material which induces specific constraints, as the length of the various linking elements must be determined to allow the complete folding of the telescopic supports. A rigid linking element  7  vertically positioned requests a particular attachment such as an attachment ring  37  which produces a horizontal shifting of the body thereof with respect to the surface of the sliding segment which it is fixed to, in order to eliminate the unduly locking of the body on the linking elements which abut, during the folding of the telescopic support  3 , against the angles produced by the differences in the diameter between the various sliding segments. In order to allow the juxtaposition of rigid linking elements  7  and the folding of the telescopic supports  3 , the attachment  37  thereof must shift, with respect to each other, the linking elements linking the same telescopic support and create a greater shift for a linking element linking a designated shelf than for a linking element linking a shelf adjacent to and under the designated shelf. The shifting obtained by the attachment rings  37  also makes it possible to position the sliding means  3  out of the container  1  which has notches  38  on the upper edge thereof, in which the fixing rings  37  come to rest when the device in the folded position,  FIG. 24 , which makes it possible to close the container with the cover  13 . 
         [0074]    In the tenth embodiment,  FIGS. 25 ,  26 ,  27  and  28 , the device is adapted to a container  1  having a cylindrical shape, it has only one telescopic support  3  fixed at the center of the container  1 , the shelves  5  have a disk shape. The upper shelf  5  is fixed to the top of the telescopic support and is used as a cover when closing the container when the device is in the folded position,  FIG. 28 , it includes a handle  39  facilitating the handling thereof to open the container  1  which includes hooks  41  enabling the unlocking of the cover. The intermediate shelf is linked to the top of a sliding segment by means of a rigid linking element  7  of a hollow tubular shape, it is provided with a central hole  15 . The telescopic support  3  goes through the hole  15  and the linking element  7  which provide, by the width of the internal diameter, a free sliding of the lower sliding segments.  FIG. 27  shows the junction between the linking element  7  of  FIG. 28 , the intermediate shelf  5  and the telescopic support  3 . 
         [0075]    In the eleventh embodiment,  FIGS. 29 ,  30 ,  31  and  32 , the device includes four telescopic legs  3  fixed on a horizontal plane  33  and fixed at the top thereof to a shelf  5 . The intermediate shelf  5  includes holes gone through by the telescopic legs  3  which are linked by tubular linking elements  7 . The intermediate shelf and the plane  33  have side panels  17 . The device can be operated without any container. In  FIG. 31 , the device is positioned in the container  1 , the side face of which is open.  FIG. 32  shows a variant of the device of  FIG. 30  which has no side panel and which is covered by a container  1  having an open lower face. 
         [0076]    The invention has been illustrated and described in details in the drawings and the previous description which can be considered as an illustration given as an example and not as limiting the invention to the description only. Any alternative embodiment is possible. 
         [0077]    Characteristics of not shown embodiments are as follows:
       The shelves are rigid and of a bucket type, their rigid side panels are fixed to the top of the sliding segments and are used as linking elements.   Linking bars are fixed to the top of the sliding means and each shelf is linked by a linking element to the top of the sliding segment of each sliding means.   The device has a shelf which is directly fixed to the top of the sliding means as well as linking bars linking the top of the sliding means so that said shelf can be made of a rigid but thin material so as to be light.   Only one linking element made of a flexible material such as a fabric is fixed on the edges of the side and rear sides of adjacent shelves and provides the linking between said shelves and is also used as a side panel for the shelves. In the claims, the word “including” does not exclude other elements and the article “one or a” does not exclude a plurality.