Overhead storage system for a bimini frame

An overhead storage system for a boat bimini top comprising an elongated unitized backing material. The backing material has a front end, a rear end, a left and right side, a top surface, and bottom surface. Attached to the bottom surface of the backing material is a series of storage pockets. The storage pockets are of varying sizes and are generally rectangular in shape and have a hinged lid. Along the bottom left and right side of the backing material is an edge channel housing a telescoping pole. The telescoping poles provide support and structure to the backing material and storage pockets. At the bow end of each telescoping pole is a V-shaped bend, which generally conforms to the contour of a bimini shade cover. Mounted perpendicular to the telescoping poles and below the backing material, are several spreader bars. On the top side of the backing material are a series of support battens and batten sleeves which keep the backing material from sagging. The backing material, storage pockets, and telescoping pole assembly is removably attached to the front end of a bimini shade cover frame by a bow hook and to the rear of a bimini frame by a stern hook assembly. The invention provides convenient, removable, overhead storage without any modifications or alteration to the boat bimini shade cover.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
 None.
 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
 This invention relates to an overhead storage system, specifically to an
 overhead storage system attachable to a boat bimini top.

2. Description of Prior Art
 The National Marine Manufacturers Association estimates that there are over
 sixteen million recreational boats in use today. These sixteen million
 boats consist mainly of outboard, stern drive, and inboard powered boats
 as well as personal watercraft and sailboats. One thing they all have in
 common is the need for storage within the cockpit and seating area. In
 particular, a convenient, safe, dry, and easily accessible compartment to
 store the personal items of the boat owner and passengers. As a result,
 boat builders have long sought to provide convenient, useful, and dry
 storage in the boats they manufacture. Commonly, a glove box compartment,
 seat back pouch, under-bow storage, or under-seat storage devices are
 built into new boats. These devices have their limitations. For instance,
 within a glove compartment personal items tend to become piled one atop
 another providing little or no organization. The same holds true seat-back
 storage. Under bow-storage provides abundant space but does not lend
 itself to organizing small personal items while requiring the boat
 operator or passenger to crawl on hands and knees to access the space.
 Under-seat storage further requires the boater to stand and remove the
 seat cushion to gain access. Furthermore, under-seat storage tends to be
 damp, and is not conducive to the orderly storage of personal items.
 Inventors have devised other storage systems such as U.S. Pat. No.
 4,466,374 which discloses a fabric windshield with storage pockets.
 However, this device only provides storage outside the cockpit, which
 possesses only two storage pockets and requires that special fittings be
 installed on the boat. U.S. Pat. No. 1,511,864 issued to Altmyer claims an
 overhead hat hanger for an automobile which is limited to top-hat storage.
 U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,455 issued to Kitner claims a saddlebag attachable to
 the engine compartment of a jet-propelled personal water craft. Although
 useful, the Kitner invention is limited to use only upon a personal
 watercraft.
 U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,114 issued to Bartholomew discloses a rigid boat top
 which attaches to a boat frame which permits the attachment of various
 accessories to the bow portion of the boat top such as solar cells, liquid
 cachment, and storage compartments. The combined weight of the panel
 members, solar cell, liquid cachment, and/or storage would crush the light
 weight aluminum structure of most bimini top frames. In addition,
 installation of any storage compartments is left up to the consumer to
 design, build and install.
 Whether designed by boat manufacturers or by independent inventors, all of
 the storage devices previously mentioned suffer from a number of
 disadvantages:
 (a) Access to these devices tends to be inconvenient because in most cases
 the boat operator must stop the craft, move to the location of the storage
 device, get on hands and knees, or lift a seat cushion before gaining
 access. This is most true of the seat back pouch, under-seat storage, and
 bow storage.
 (b) Many devices do not provide an effective way to organize the items
 being stored resulting in the user depositing personal items in a
 cluttered and unorganized manner one atop the other in the storage space
 generally resulting in damage to the personal items.
 (c) Accumulation of moisture in a storage device causes damage to the items
 being stored. Storage devices mounted outside the windshield tend to get
 wet from wind and wave spray. Storage space on or near the floor of the
 boat accumulate moisture from wet passengers or gear.
 (d) Storage devices in present use require tools and special fittings to
 install tend to be used sporadically due to the time required and the
 inconvenience suffered.
 3. SUMMARY
 In accordance with the present invention an overhead storage system for
 holding objects removably mounted to a bimini frame comprises a
 multiplicity of storage pockets fixedly attached to a backing material, a
 pair of longitudinal support means removably housed along the longitudinal
 edges of the backing fabric, and an attachment means for removably
 mounting the longitudinal support means to the bow and stern end of the
 bimini frame.
 4. OBJECT AND ADVANTAGES
 It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and
 useful storage system which attaches to water craft bimini tops while
 providing the greatest capacity of storage with the least amount of
 encroachment upon useable deck space and headroom. Further objects of this
 invention are as follows:
 (a) to provide an overhead storage system that can be adjusted to fit
 different sizes of bimini shade cover frames;
 (b) to provide a storage system that can be easily and conveniently
 removed, folded, and stored when not in use;
 (c) to provide an overhead storage system which does not significantly
 interfere with headroom under the bimini shade cover;
 (d) to provide an overhead storage system which is easily accessible to the
 boat operator and passengers;
 (e) to provide an overhead storage system which will keep stored items safe
 and dry;
 (f) to provide an overhead storage system whose installation does not
 require special tools or alterations to the bimini top or boat; and
 (g) to provide an overhead storage system whose storage pocket
 configuration can be modified by the user.
 Further objects and advantages of the current invention are to provide an
 overhead storage system which the boater can access while seated, is
 simple to install, aids boaters in keeping their craft organized, is
 lightweight, which does not increase wind noise inside the boat cockpit,
 and will not adversely effect the structural integrity of a bimini top.
 With the proliferation of hand held electronic devices the current
 invention provides a safe, readily accessible, and dry area for these
 devices, e.g., cell phones, global positioning devices, and small digital
 music players. Still further objects and advantages will become apparent
 from consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.

REFERENCE NUMBERS IN DRAWINGS
 10 backing material
 12 storage pockets
 14 hook and loop fastener
 16 telescoping poles
 18 storage pocket lid
 20 J-shaped stern hook
 22 bow hook
 24 swivel mounting base
 26 threaded rod
 28 nylon washer
 30 spring steel button
 32 edge channel
 34 spreader bar
 36 airfoil
 38 airfoil cuff
 40 airfoil sleeve
 42 support batten
 44 batten sleeve
 46 zipper
 48 nut and washer
 50 V-shaped bend
 51 restraint strap
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 A preferred embodiment of the overhead storage system is illustrated in
 FIG. 1 through FIG. 10. The overhead storage system is comprised of an
 elongated unitized backing material 10 consisting of a bow end or front, a
 stern end or rear, a left and right side, a top surface, and bottom
 surface. Attached to the bottom of the backing material 10 is a series of
 storage pockets 12 of varying sizes, generally rectangular in shape and
 having a top side attached to the bottom of the backing material 10, four
 vertical sides, and a hinged lid 18 securable to one of the vertical sides
 with either a hook and loop fastener 14 or a zipper 46. In the preferred
 embodiment, the backing material 10 and storage pockets 12 are a synthetic
 woven fabric such as Dacron, polyester, acrylon, or natural fibers. Within
 the storage pockets 12 are a plurality of restraint straps 51 comprised of
 an elongated elastic material fixedly attached at each end to the interior
 of the storage pocket.
 Along the bottom left and right side of the backing material 10 are an edge
 channel 32 (FIG. 4). Rolling the longitudinal edge of the backing material
 10 into a cylindrical shape and sewing the edge to the underside of the
 backing material 10 forms the edge channel 32. Each edge channel 32
 receives and houses a telescoping pole 16 (FIG. 2) consisting of a female
 bow end and a male stern end. The preferred embodiment consists of a
 circular cross-section telescoping pole constructed of rigid, lightweight,
 non-corrosive material such as aluminum, plastic or fiberglass. The male
 stern end adjustably slides within the female bow end. The telescoping
 pole 16 length is fixed by means of a locking mechanism. The preferred
 embodiment of the locking mechanism is a double eccentric lock as
 disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,896, issued to Lester. Alternatively, a
 cam lock as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,946 issued to Burton, may be
 substituted. At the bow end of each telescoping pole 16 is a V-shaped bend
 50, which generally conforms to the contour of a bimini shade cover.
 Removably mounted perpendicular to the telescoping poles 16 and below the
 backing material 10, are several spreader bars 34 (FIG. 2). Each spreader
 bar 34 consists of a narrow elongated body with a concave flare (FIG. 6)
 at each end. The spreader bar 34 is slightly longer than the distance
 between the telescoping poles 16. The radius of the concave flare
 approximates the diameter of the telescoping pole 16.
 On the top side of the backing material 10 are a series of support battens
 42 and batten sleeves 44 (FIG. 10). Each batten sleeve 44 is constructed
 or a narrow rectangular piece of fabric oriented perpendicular to the left
 and right edge of the backing material 10. The batten sleeves 44 are sewn
 on three sides to the top-side of the backing material 10. The open end of
 the batten sleeve 44 receives the support batten 42. The support batten 44
 is flat elongated support element of sufficient length, when inserted in
 the batten sleeve 44, that each end rests upon a telescoping pole 16. The
 spreader bar 34 and the support batten 42 are constructed of rigid,
 lightweight, non-corrosive material such as aluminum, fiberglass, or
 plastic.
 The backing material 10, storage pockets 12, and telescoping pole 16
 assembly is removably attached to the front end of the bimini shade cover
 frame by means of a bow hook 22 and to the rear of a bimini frame by means
 of a stern hook assembly (FIG. 8). The bow hook 22 consists of an integral
 J-shaped hook and an elongated cylindrical mounting base of a diameter
 slightly less than the inside diameter of the female portion of the
 telescoping pole 16. A longitudinal groove in the top of the mounting base
 houses a spring steel button 30 that aligns with a hole in the telescoping
 pole 16 and locks the mounting base into place. The stem hook assembly
 consists of a J-shaped stern hook 20, a swivel mounting base 24, a spring
 steel button 30, a threaded rod 26, and a nylon washer 28. One end of the
 threaded rod 26 is embedded in the J-shaped stern hook 20. The other end
 of the threaded rod 26 receives the nylon washer 28 and swivel-mounting
 base 24. A nut and washer 48 secure these elements. The swivel mounting
 base 24 of the stern hook assembly fits into the stern end of the male
 portion of the telescoping pole 16 and locks into place by means of the
 spring steel button 30.
 An airfoil 36 (FIG. 7) spans between the bow hooks 22. The airfoil consists
 of a rectangular piece of fabric with an airfoil sleeve 40 sewn into its
 left and right side and a cuff 38 at its top. The airfoil sleeve 40
 approximates the size and shape of the bow hooks 22. The bow hooks 22 are
 housed within the airfoil sleeve 40 and are stopped by the cuff 38. The
 rear of the airfoil 36 is secured to the backing material 10 by hook and
 loop fasteners 14.
 ADDITIONAL EMBODIMENTS
 An additional embodiment is shown in FIG. 11. In this case the backing
 material 10 and storage pockets 12 are constructed of small modular units.
 The number of modular units will vary depending on bimini top length and
 user preference. An edge channel 32 on the left and right side of the
 backing material 10 holds the modular unit on the telescoping poles 16. A
 hook and loop fastener 14 connects the modular units to one another. A
 combination of spreader bars 34 and battens 42, as described in previous
 paragraphs, keeps the backing material 10 taut between the telescoping
 poles l6.
 OPERATION
 To use the overhead storage system of the present invention, the
 telescoping poles 16 are inserted into the edge channels 32. Each edge
 channel 32 receives and houses a telescoping pole 16 (FIG. 2). The
 telescoping poles 16 provide support and structure to the backing material
 10 and storage pockets 12. The male stern end of the telescoping pole 16
 adjustably slides within the female portion allowing the length of the
 telescoping pole to be adjusted to fit bimini shade cover frames of
 varying sizes. The cylindrical base of the bow hooks 22 is inserted into
 the bow end of the telescoping poles 16 and the stern swivel hook assembly
 (FIG. 8) is connected to the stern end of the telescoping poles 16. The
 spring steel button 30 holds the hooks in place on the telescoping poles
 16. The airfoil 36 is slipped over the bow hook 22 and secured to the
 backing material 10 (FIG. 7).
 The J-shaped portion of the bow hooks 22 is then positioned at the front of
 the bimini frame and pushed rearward into place. The male end of each
 telescoping pole 16 is then slid out to align the J-shaped stern hooks 20
 with the rear of the bimini frame. The J-shaped stern hooks 20 are snapped
 into position on the rear bimini frame and the telescoping poles 16 are
 twisted to lock into place. The swivel configuration of the stem hook
 assembly (FIG. 8) allows twisting of the telescoping pole independently of
 the J-shaped stern hook 20.
 Thereafter, the spreader bars 34 and support battens 42 are installed. The
 spreader bars 34 fit in the transverse oriented space between adjacent
 storage pockets 12. In the preferred embodiment several spreader bars 34
 (FIG. 2) are wedged perpendicular between the left and right telescoping
 poles 16 thereby holding the telescoping poles apart. The spreader bars 34
 are of sufficient length that the backing fabric is stretched taut. The
 concave flare (FIG. 6) at each end of the spreader bar 34 snaps into
 position around the telescoping poles 16 and prevents the spreader bar 34
 from falling out of position. The support battens 42 are next inserted
 into the batten sleeves 44. The battens 42 are of sufficient length that
 each end rests upon a telescoping pole thereby supporting the backing
 material 10. The overhead storage system is now ready for storage of
 personal items. Personal items placed in the overhead storage system are
 retained in the storage pockets 12 by restraint straps 51.
 To use the modular storage pockets (FIG. 11), a number of the modular
 storage units are slid onto the telescoping poles 16. The number of
 modular units will vary depending on the length of a bimini top and
 preference of the user. The modular storage pockets are butted end-to-end
 and secured to each other along their transverse edge with hook and loop
 fasteners 14. Additionally, the modular storage pockets may also be used
 in combination with the unitized storage pockets.
 To remove the overhead storage system, the male stern end of telescoping
 poles 16 are unlocked and the J-shaped stern hook 20 and bow hook 22 are
 removed from the bimini frame. The storage system can be folded along its
 longitudinal centerline with the telescoping poles 16 still installed and
 stored under the bow or gunnels of the boat. The telescoping poles 16 may
 also be removed from the edge channels 32 by removing either the bow hooks
 22 or the stern hook assemblies. Once the telescoping poles 16 are
 removed, the backing fabric 10 and storage pockets 12 can be folded into a
 small package for convenient storage.
 CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE
 Accordingly, the reader will see that the overhead storage system
 attachable to a bimini top of the present invention can be easily
 installed, requires no special tools or fittings for installation, and is
 easily removed. In addition, the invention provides storage conveniently
 located in the cockpit area of the boat, within easy reach of the boat
 driver and passengers, and has enough storage pockets to allow each
 passenger to organize their personal items separately from others.
 Although the description above contains many specifications, these should
 not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely
 providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of
 this invention. For example, the backing fabric can be stiffened by sewing
 thin semi-rigid plastic sheets into its surface; the telescoping poles can
 be made of square tubing; the telescoping poles can be replaced by elastic
 cord; a multitude of storage pocket configurations, sizes, and shapes can
 be incorporated; the stern swivel hook can be made fixed if the
 telescoping pole locking mechanism is a cam-lock or spring button lock;
 the storage system can be scaled to fit the smaller bimini tops of
 personal watercraft; the telescoping poles could be fixedly attached to
 the bimini frame; the storage pockets could be removably mounted to the
 underside of the backing material with hook and loop fasteners, etc.
 Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims
 and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.