Patent Publication Number: US-2010108627-A1

Title: Retractable garage storage container

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a system and method for utilizing ceiling space in a garage for storing items. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Home-owners desire to utilize their garage for multiple purposes. For example, some would like to use the garage as a workshop while others would like to park their vehicle(s) inside. However, often storing belongings takes up so much garage space that other usages are restricted. 
     Although it is common to store items on the floor, on shelves or hanging on the wall, both floor and wall space is limited. An opportunity exists to provide storage space overhead. The difficulty with many overhead storage devices is that they are not easy to access since the user must carry items onto a ladder for storage and retrieval. 
     Thus there is a need to allow a user to store and retrieve items in a storage container at floor level as if utilizing a closet, and to further provide means to easily retract the storage container to occupy the space above an open garage door and below the garage ceiling. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A garage may have any ceiling height. Typically in Canada and the U.S. a garage has a ceiling height of approximately nine or ten feet. The ceiling is usually constructed of joists or rafters and may be finished with drywall or sheet rock. The typical garage door opening is approximately seven feet high and wide enough to allow one or two vehicles to enter side by side. 
     Garage doors open by rolling upwards. This is accomplished by fitting the door with wheels on the two inside edges of the door. These wheels roll on wheel tracks which are fastened to the inside of the garage wall and ceiling. A torsion spring located on the garage door header inside garage wall above the garage door opening assists the raising and lowering operation. 
     Some garages utilize automatic garage door openers to facilitate the opening and closing operation. These openers consist of a motor typically mounted to the ceiling inside the garage with a transmission device such as a chain and/or rail attached to the garage door allowing the motor to raise and lower the door along the wheel tracks. 
     The garage door in its open position is generally oriented horizontally below the garage ceiling between the wheel tracks. There exists a space above the open garage door and below the garage ceiling which is typically not used and available for storage of items. Specifically, the portion of this space between one of the garage door wheel tracks and the garage door motor rail is utilized by embodiments of this invention to position a storage container in its retracted (overhead) position. As such, it provides significant overhead storage capacity. 
     Embodiments of the invention allow this storage container to be lowered from an overhead position to a lower position where items can be loaded and retrieved at floor level, thus eliminating the need to carry such items onto a ladder. 
     In its lowered position, the storage container defined in this invention is positioned generally vertically along the inside of the garage door opening (with the garage door closed) such that it is aligned in between one of the garage door wheel tracks and the garage door motor rail. 
     Embodiments of the invention provide the user all the advantages of overhead storage with the convenience of storing and retrieving items at floor level 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached Figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of two storage containers in the raised position; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of a storage container about to be lowered; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of a lowered storage container; 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of two storage container in the raised position; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the components of a storage container; 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of mounting hardware for a storage container; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the mesh components of the storage container; and 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a storage container with optional features. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As described above, embodiments of the invention are directed to providing overhead storage containers in a garage. The storage containers are provided with means for raising and lowering them from the ceiling of the garage. To describe in detail the embodiments we refer first to  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of two storage containers in the raised position. Two storage containers  12  and  14  are shown in the raised position proximate to ceiling  16 . Although two storage containers  12  and  14  have been shown, another embodiment may have a single storage container. Depending upon the dimension of the storage containers and the dimensions of the garage, any number of storage containers may be utilized. Storage containers  12  and  14  are surrounded by mesh  13  so that articles are contained within them. Mesh  13  may be of any form, such as a plastic or metal composite. More detail on mesh  13  is provided in the description of  FIG. 7 . 
     Storage containers  12  and  14  are mounted to mounting brackets  20 . Storage containers  12  and  14  pivot along mounting rod  22 . Storage containers  12  and  14  when raised, reside above garage door  24 . Garage door wheels  26  and  28  roll along or are contained within wheel tracks  30  and  32 , thus providing means for opening or raising garage door  24 . Torsion spring  34  provides resistance so that the lowering of door  24  can be controlled with resistance. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , an electric motor  36  is used to raise and lower door  24 . Motor  36  utilizes a rail  38  connected to door  24  by arm  40 . When activated, the motor  36  moves the arm  40  along rail  38  to raise or lower door  24 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2  a plan view of a storage container about to be lowered is shown. The mechanism for lowering and raising storage container  14  comprises, a pulley  54  secured to ceiling  16  by a hook or other securing device  56 . Securing device  56  attaches to ceiling  16  to a ceiling stud (not shown) or a ceiling bracket (not shown). One skilled in the art will appreciate that a solid attachment for securing device  56  must be provided. Two ropes pass through pulley  54 , pull rope  64  and ratchet release rope  66 . The same ropes pass through safety locking ratchet  60 . Ropes  64  and  66  are attached to storage container  14  by means of a hook or other attachment device  62 , positioned centrally at the base of the storage container  14 . 
     In use, a user  50  holds a pull rope  64  in one hand and a ratchet release rope  66  in the other hand. By slowly pulling on the ratchet release rope  66 , safety locking ratchet  60  is disengaged. Safety locking ratchet  60  is disengaged as long as ratchet release rope  66  is pulled. Each time the ratchet release rope  66  is pulled, the pull rope  64  will be released. This allows for slow and controlled lowering of the storage container  14 . An example of a safety locking ratchet  60  is provided under the brand name “Rope Ratchet”™ sold by Carolina North Mfg. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3  a plan view of a lowered storage container is shown. As such, the storage container resembles a closet. In this position articles in the storage container may be removed or more added. To raise the storage container  14 , pull rope  64  is used. Ratchet release rope  66  passes through safety locking ratchet  60  such that the storage container  14  will remain stationary in its position whenever the ratchet release rope  66  is released. The storage container  14  can be raised to its horizontal (retracted) position by performing a series of manual pulls on the pull rope  64 . The safety locking ratchet  60  works such that the ratchet release rope  66  is not required when raising storage container  14 . 
     Once the storage container has been raised to the ceiling  16  the pull rope  64  and ratchet release rope  66  may be coiled or hung from attachment device  62  or some other connection at the base of storage container  14 , so that they are out of the way of the garage door and people or pets in the garage. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4  a plan view of two storage containers in the raised position is shown to aid the reader in understanding how an embodiment of the invention may be installed. Here we have all of the features numbered as in previous Figures with the addition of cotter pins  92  which ensure that mounting rod  22  does not detach from mounting bracket  20 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5  a perspective view of the components of a storage container is shown generally as  14 . Storage container  14  is encased in mesh  13  (see  FIG. 7 ). Storage container  14  is constructed of a number of steel tubes and connectors. Steel has been used for strength, but aluminum or heavy wall PVC might also be used with any manner of connectors. It is not the intent of the inventors to restrict the materials used to the embodiment described. In one embodiment the tubing and fittings of QuixxSmart® Structures Inc. of Peabody Mass., were utilized. 
     In one embodiment the storage container  14  comprises the following components:
     a) four top base tubes  70 ;   b) eight bottom base tubes  72 ;   c) ten supporting tubes  74 ;   d) three base connection tubes  76 ;   e) six straight connectors  78 ;   f) fourteen angle connectors  80 ;   g) eight clamp connectors  82 ;   h) one mounting rod  22 . and   i) four cross connectors  84 .   

     Depending on the weight capacity and the strength of the tube material, the frame construction may vary, for example only six bottom base tubes may be used, so that there are three rows of bottom base tubes instead of four. 
     Although there is no restriction on the size of storage container  14  as long as it fits within the contained space and supports a required load, one that appears to be practical during testing utilized top base tubes  70  and bottom base tubes  72  having a length of three feet each, combining to make a total of six feet when connected by straight connectors  78 . 
     Supporting tubes  74  in one embodiment were eighteen inches in length and base connection tubes  76  were thirty eight inches in length. 
     By utilizing tubes and connectors that may be assembled as separate components, embodiments of the invention may be easily transported in compact packaging. 
       FIG. 6  is a plan view of mounting hardware for a storage container.  FIG. 6  illustrates mounting bracket  20  attached to wall  18 . Any mounting means capable of supporting storage container  14  may be utilized in one embodiment, mounting bracket  20  is mounted to head frame  17 , which is in turn secured to wall  18 . Mounting bracket  20  is connected to mounting rod  22  through the use of bolts  90 , nuts  92  and support plate  94 . Cotter pin  96  serves to prevent mounting rod  22  from detaching from mounting bracket  20 . This arrangement retains mounting rod  22  within mounting bracket  20  and allows storage container  14  to pivot. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7  a perspective view of the mesh components of a storage container is shown. Until now the mesh feature has been referred to solely as “mesh  13 ”; although it may be a single piece of mesh, wrapped around container  14  we here describe an alternative embodiment. Mesh  13  comprises bottom mesh  13   a,  base mesh  13   b  and top mesh  13   c.  Each of  13   a,    13   b  and  13   c  are secured to the tubes of container  14  through the use of a connecting device  108  such as a plastic tie down tie or wire tie. Multiple connecting devices may be employed to secure mesh  13  to the tubes of container  14 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8  a perspective view of a storage container with optional features is shown. Storage container  14  may be equipped with hooks  100  which allow for items to be stored hanging from a hook  100 . In addition load securing straps  106  may be utilized. Such a strap  106  may be of any design, but bungee cords are suggested. 
     A shelf  102  may also be utilized. The shelf  102  has base connection tubes  76  as a frame and clamp connectors  82  to attach to supporting tubes  74 . Mesh  13   d  serves as the base material for shelf  102 . 
     A closet rod  104  may also be utilized. Closet rod  104  has base connection tubes  76  and a supporting tube  74  to create a frame, which connects to supporting tubes  74  through the use of clamp connectors  82 . 
     The above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to be examples only. Alterations, modifications and variations can be effected to the particular embodiments by those of skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto. For example, although embodiments of the invention as described are for use in a garage, they may equally be used in other areas, such as attics or basements or in external structures such as barns.