Abstract:
A portable tack room, including a method to make the same, commonly used in a typical horse trailer. The portable tackroom is a storage system made of a first vertical element having a first edge, a second edge, and a surface. The first edge of the first vertical element is removably attached to a second vertical element. The second edge of the first vertical element is attached to at least one rolling element. This storage system permits an organized and portable space to keep articles related to equine activity in a gooseneck trailer.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to copending U.S. Provisional Application entitled, “PORTABLE TACK ROOM,” having Ser. No. 60/802,589, filed May 23, 2006, which is entirely incorporated herein by reference. 
     
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    This invention generally relates to storage and organizing system, and particularly to a storage and organizing system applied to equine activities and hobbies. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    There are many types of trailers, both large and small, available for transporting horses. These trailers may be mobile on their own or could be towed by an automobile. Typically, a pick-up truck tows a horse trailer. A common style of a horse trailer is of the commonly-known “gooseneck” configuration. The “gooseneck” is a narrow, elongated extension of the box-like structure of the main body of the trailer. The “gooseneck” portion serves many purposes, such as accommodating the neck and the head of the horse(s) standing inside the trailer, providing a point of support and attachment of the trailer to the towing vehicle, usually the bed of a pick-up truck, and a storage space for equipment and accessories related to the equine activities and hobbies. 
         [0004]    A tack room is a space in the horse trailer where bridles, saddles, accessories, supplies, and other equipment, is kept. In a “gooseneck”-style trailer, the tack room is usually close to the “gooseneck” portion at the front of the trailer. Built-in or walk-in tack rooms are relatively expensive. Without a tack room, a person just heaps various items on the floor of the trailer, the towing vehicle, or the floor of the “gooseneck” portion. Articles stored in this manner can be disorganized, exposed to the elements, and/or unsafe to the occupants, both animal and human, of a moving or stopped trailer. 
         [0005]    Therefore, a need exists to address the aforementioned shortcoming and disadvantage. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    The present invention is related to a portable tack room, for example, as used in a typical horse trailer. A storage system is provided, which is made of a first vertical element having a first edge, a top edge, a second edge having a width, and a surface. The first edge of the first vertical element is removably attached to a second vertical element. The second edge of the first vertical element is attached to at least one rolling element, such as a castor. A cover is pivotably attached to the second edge of the first vertical element. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a storage system in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the storage system, in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the storage system, of double rack style, in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the storage system, of three-fourths rack style, in accordance with a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the storage system, installed on a door outside a trailer, in accordance with a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a front view of the storage system, illustrated with an open cover, installed on a door outside a trailer, in accordance with the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a front view of the storage system, illustrated with an arc of a track to guide a wheel supporting the storage system, in accordance with a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8A  is a front view of the storage system, illustrated with a straight track to guide a set of wheels supporting the storage system, in accordance with an exemplary sixth embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8B  is a close-up view of the storage system, in accordance with the sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a wheel in a track. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like structures in the various embodiments. For example, the reference numeral  145  indicates a lid on the storage bin  140  of the first embodiment of a storage system  100  shown in  FIG. 1 . In the second embodiment, i.e., the storage system  200 , the reference numeral  245  indicates a lid on the storage bin  240 . 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  depicts the first exemplary embodiment of the storage system  100 . The storage system  100  is shown installed inside a gooseneck trailer commonly used for transporting horses, wherein the storage system  100  is located within a gooseneck area  185  of the gooseneck trailer. The gooseneck area  185  is shown having a top portion that is a semicircular arch. A first vertical element  110  of the storage system  100  has a first edge  105 , a top edge  102 , a second edge  115  having a width W, and a front surface  116  of the vertical element. The first edge  105  of the first vertical element  110  is removably attached to a second vertical element  112  which may be a side wall of the gooseneck trailer or another type of transportable enclosure. Alternately, the second vertical element  112  may be attached to a trailer. The removable attachment of the first vertical element  110  may be achieved by a hinge  180 .  FIG. 1  shows a pair of hinges  180 . The second edge  115  of the first vertical element  110  is attached to at least one rolling element  130 . A cover  120  may optionally be pivotably attached to the second edge  115  of the first vertical element  110  through a suitable hinge. The cover  120  could also be attached to an object, in the present case, the storage bin  140  attached to the first vertical element  110 . Specifically, the cover  120  may prevent access to the storage system  100  for protection of items stored thereon or therein. 
         [0018]    For a person having ordinary skill in the art, the storage bin  140  may be synonymous with a tack box. One or more holding objects  190  are attached to the front surface  116  of the first vertical element  110 . The holding objects  190  may be in various shapes and sizes, such as, hooks or capstans. Some of such shapes and sizes have been shown in  FIG. 1 . A platform  155 , usable for placing a hat, for example, may also be attached to the surface of the first vertical element  110 . The storage system  100  may include a step  150  attached to the first vertical element  110 . In many cases, the step  150  may be in the form of a step stool. 
         [0019]    The storage bin  140  may be attached to the front surface  116  of the first vertical element  110 . A lid  145  may be attached to the storage bin  140 . Further, the cover  120  is pivotably attached to the storage bin  140  through hinge  170 .  FIG. 1  shows a pair of hinges  170 . The cover  120  may be configured to latch in a given position of a partly closed or a partly open state. 
         [0020]    As the storage system  100  finds application in equine activity, a fully loaded storage system  100  may become fairly heavy. Some mechanism to help move the storage system  100 , to a desirable angle, on the hinge  180 , may be preferable. An example of such a mechanism may be a position actuator element having a range of sophistication in design. The position actuator element may be able to latch the first vertical element  110  in a desired position so that a user may position the first vertical element  110  conveniently and stably. The position actuator element is attached to the first vertical element  110  and may be manual or power driven.  FIG. 1  shows a simple example where a position actuator element is a push-pull pole  160 , which may be tucked in an appropriate recess. 
         [0021]    The storage system  100  of  FIG. 1  is shown with a single rack. In other words, a single rack is similar to a single-leaf door. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of the storage system  100 , in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The storage system  100  is located within the gooseneck area  185 . The first vertical element  110  having a top edge  102 , resting on the rolling element  130 , is attached via the hinges  180 . Several holding objects  190  are also shown. The step  150  and platform  155  are illustrated. The storage bin  140  has the lid  145  and the push-pull pole  160  is shown in the recess on the storage bin  140 . The cover  120  is shown attached to the storage bin  140  through hinge  170 . In  FIG. 2 , the cover  120  is shown in an open position resting on the floor of the gooseneck trailer. 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  shows a front view of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, i.e., storage system  200 . Again, the storage system  200  is located within a gooseneck area  285 . The storage system  200  may have many racks.  FIG. 3  shows an embodiment with two racks, or an embodiment of a double-rack style. The first vertical element  210  is shown with two racks. Holding objects  290  are shown on both racks. The first vertical element  210  is removably attached to the second vertical element (not shown here) via hinges  282  and hinges  280 . The second vertical element may be a side wall of the gooseneck trailer or another type of a transportable enclosure. Alternately, the second vertical element may be attached to a trailer. 
         [0024]    In  FIG. 3 , each of the two racks has been shown with its own storage bin. For the rack on the left, there is storage bin  240  having a lid  245 . The push-pull pole  265  and  260  are also shown in their respective recesses. The rack on the left is resting on rolling elements  235  and the rack on the right is resting on the rolling elements  230 . The rack on the right contains a storage bin  252  having a lid  254 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  shows a front view of a storage system  300 , which is a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Again, the storage system  300  is located within a gooseneck area  385 . The storage system  300  features a first vertical element  310  having a width more than half of the width of a trailer but less than the width of the trailer. Stated differently, width b of the second edge  315  is less than a breadth bg of a gooseneck area  385 . In equine arts, such a storage system is termed as a “three-fourths” rack. Similar to the first and the second embodiments,  FIG. 4  shows hinges  380 , holding objects  390 , storage bin  340 , lid  345 , push-pull pole  360 , and roller elements  330 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  is a front view of a storage system  400 , installed on a door outside a trailer, in accordance with a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. A cover  420 , having a handle  495 , is shown in a closed position. The storage system  400  has a first vertical element  410  ( FIG. 6 ) having a first edge  405  ( FIG. 6 ) and a surface. The first edge  405  ( FIG. 6 ) of the first vertical element  410  ( FIG. 6 ) is removably attached to a second vertical element  412  via hinges  480 . The second vertical element  412  could be a door of a trailer. The cover  420  may be attached pivotably to the first edge  405  ( FIG. 6 ) of the first vertical element  410  ( FIG. 6 ) via hinges  480 . Alternately, the cover  420  may be attached, via a separate set of hinges, to the second vertical element  412 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  shows more details of the storage system  400  of  FIG. 5  with the cover  420  in an open state. The cover  420  may include a mirror  425 . A tack box  442  is shown at the top of the first vertical element  410 . Holding objects  490  and platform  455  are also shown. A storage bin  440  with a lid  445  is shown attached at the bottom of the first vertical element  410 . A second edge  415  of the first vertical element  410  is shown with a dashed line. A push-pull pole  460  is attached in a recess. 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is a front view of a storage system  600 , installed on a first track located within a gooseneck area, in accordance with a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. For clarity,  FIG. 7  only illustrates the areas relevant to describe the fifth embodiment. For example, the holding objects are not shown in  FIG. 7 . A first vertical element  610 , a first edge  605 , a second edge  615 , and a hinge  680  are also shown. A rolling element  630  is shown supported by a first track  654 . The first track  655  could be in many shapes, such as but not limited to, an arcuate track or a straight track. 
         [0029]      FIG. 8A  is a front view of a storage system  700 , in accordance with a sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, that is also located within a gooseneck area. For clarity,  FIG. 8  only illustrates the areas relevant to describe the sixth embodiment. As in some earlier embodiments, a second edge  715  is attached to at least one rolling element  730  supported by a first track  757 . The storage system  700  has a top edge  702  attached to at least one wheel  732  supported by a second track  756 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 8B  is a close-up view of the storage system  700 , in accordance with the sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a rolling element  730  in a first track  757 . The rolling element  730  is shown attached to a partly-shown first vertical element  710 . 
         [0031]    A method of making the present system includes: providing a first vertical element having a first edge, a second edge, and a surface; removably attaching the first edge of the first vertical element to a second vertical element; attaching the second edge of the first vertical element to at least one rolling element, such as a castor; pivotably attaching a cover to the second edge of the first vertical element; and attaching the second vertical element to a trailer. 
         [0032]    It should be noted that in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention, the features of the present system may be provided on a gate that is typically provided within a gooseneck trailer to prevent anyone or anything from accessing the gooseneck area. As is known in the art, a gate is typically attached to a portion of the gooseneck area, so as to provide capability of closing the gooseneck area from access. By placing the features of the present system on a backside of the gate, the features provided by the present system may be provided on a device that is already a portion of a gooseneck trailer. 
         [0033]    While the present invention has been shown herein and described in what are presently thought to be the most preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to a person having an ordinary skill in the art that many modifications may be made thereof within the scope of the invention. Such scope of the invention is to be given the broadest interpretation of the claims that follow so as to disclose all equivalent structures and methods.