Patent Abstract:
A convertible media and document storage system uses elements of common pallet rack framing and is convertible between open slot and container storage. The container storage includes pilasters hanging from horizontal beam elements of the framing, and vertically spaced apart pairs of adjustable wireform racks engage the pilasters and provide horizontal ledges for supporting containers of various sizes. The use of hanging pilasters minimizes strength and material requirements. The open slot storage includes tall vertical drawers riding on overhead rails attachable to the same horizontal beam elements and individually horizontally drawn for access to the stored material such as data tape and disk media. The storage system optimizes utilization of space and allows large facilities to reconfigure storage between open slot and container storage when demands change.

Full Description:
The present application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/100,484 filed Sep. 26, 2008, which application is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to document and media storage and in particular large scale storage requiring periodic reallocation of storage capabilities. 
     Both open slot storage and container storage are commonly utilized to store documents and media at offsite vaults. Open slot storage generally comprises vertical drawers individually horizontally drawn from a common cabinet and is commonly used for storing media such as data tapes and disks. The vertical drawers are configurable to allow creation of vertically spaced apart shelves holding rows of common sized media (e.g. tape or disk) containers and the media is accessible by horizontally drawing the drawer containing the media from the cabinet. U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,317 discloses a very efficient open slot storage unit manufactured by Russ Bassett, Corp. in Whittier, Calif. under the trademark Gemtrac™. The &#39;317 patent is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     Container storage includes vertically spaced apart horizontal shelves for containers. The containers hold multiple media, for example, tapes, typically 20-40 per container. Known container storage is constructed using common pallet racks as a frame. Unfortunately, the cabinets of open slot storage are very different from the pallet racking used to support container storage and share no common structure. For example, the vertically spaced apart horizontal shelves required for known container storage are not compatible with the full height vertical drawers of the open slot storage systems. Both storage systems require major installation expenditure decisions made years in advance as to the mix of open slot or case storage which will be needed in the future. When storage needs change, costs of converting from one to another are prohibitive, resulting in inefficient use of storage space. 
     A need thus exists for storage allowing convenient conversion between open slot and container storage. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a convertible media and document storage system which uses elements of common pallet rack framing and is convertible between open slot and container storage. The container storage includes pilasters hanging from existing horizontal beam elements of the framing, and vertically spaced apart pairs of adjustable wireform racks engage the pilasters and provide horizontal ledges for supporting containers of various sizes. The use of hanging pilasters minimizes strength and material requirements. The open slot storage includes tall vertical drawers riding on overhead rails attachable to the same horizontal beam elements and individually horizontally drawn for access to the stored material such as data tape and disk media. The storage system optimizes utilization of space and allows large facilities to reconfigure storage between open slot and container storage when demands change. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a reconfigurable hanging storage system. The hanging storage system includes framing having upper horizontal beams and laterally spaced apart pairs of pilasters hanging from the upper horizontal beams. The pilasters are adjustable laterally for positioning on the upper horizontal beams and for different width containers. Pairs of racks are attached to the pilasters for carrying containers and the racks are independently adjustable vertically for different height containers. Using hanging pilasters reduces both material requirements, because the pilasters are in tension versus compression, and less space consumed by the pilasters, because less material is required. Using the hanging pilasters further overcomes a need for fixed shelves which would interfere with conversion to open slot storage. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a configurable storage system. The configurable storage system includes a multiplicity of rectangular frames residing in parallel facing pairs, open slot storage units attached to the frames, and container storage attached to the frames. Each pair of the frames is separated by an aisle providing spacing S between the pairs frames of approximately one frame depth D. Each frame includes uprights, horizontal beams, and end bracing. The uprights comprise four horizontally spaced apart vertical uprights, one of the uprights at each corner of the frame, the uprights forming a rectangular horizontal footprint having the width W and the depth D. The beams comprise lower and upper horizontal beams. The lower horizontal beams are attached to the uprights along the width dimension at the same height. The upper horizontal beams are vertically spaced apart above each of the at least one pairs of lower horizontal beams and are attached to the uprights along the length dimension at the same height. The pair of lower horizontal beams and the pair of upper horizontal beams separated vertically by a section height Hs. The end bracing connects the uprights along the depth dimension and the length L, the width W, and the height Hs define a section of the storage system. The open slot storage units each include a horizontal overhead rail, a bottom drawer guide, and drawers. The horizontal overhead rails are configured for clamping attachment to one of the pairs of upper horizontal beams and reaching across the pair of upper horizontal beams and across the aisle to an adjacent pair of upper horizontal beams. The bottom drawer guide configured for clamping attachment to one of the pair of lower horizontal beams and reaching across the pair of lower horizontal beams. The drawers are slidably carried by the overhead rails and guided by the bottom drawer guides and are slidable into the aisle for providing access to stored material. The container storage includes laterally spaced apart pairs of pilasters adjustably configured for clamping attachment to one of the pairs of horizontal beams and having a multiplicity of vertically spaced apart holes, and pairs of opposing wireform racks configured for attachment to the pilasters using the multiplicity of vertically spaced apart holes and having opposing ledges for receiving containers. The pilaster separation is adjustable for different width containers. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a configurable hanging storage system. The configurable hanging storage system includes at least two rectangular frames and container storage. Each frame has a width dimension with width W and a depth dimension with depth D. Pairs of the frames reside in parallel with faces along the width dimension facing each other and separated by an aisle providing spacing S between the frames. Each frame includes uprights, horizontal beams, and end bracing. The uprights comprise four horizontally spaced apart vertical uprights, one of the uprights at each corner of the frame, the uprights forming a rectangular horizontal footprint having the width W and the depth D. The beams comprise lower and upper horizontal beams. The lower horizontal beams are attached to the uprights along the width dimension at the same height. The upper horizontal beams are vertically spaced apart above each of the at least one pairs of lower horizontal beams and are attached to the uprights along the length dimension at the same height. The pair of lower horizontal beams and the pair of upper horizontal beams are separated vertically by a section height Hs. The end bracing connects the uprights along the depth dimension and the length L, the width W, and the height Hs define a section of the storage system. The container storage resides in one of the sections of the storage system and comprises pairs of laterally (i.e, along the width dimension of the frame) pilasters hanging from the upper horizontal beams and pairs of opposing racks attached to the pilasters and providing ledges receiving containers. Pilaster top bars and top clamping fingers are attached at each end of the top bars for tightly sandwiching a horizontal bottom edge of the upper horizontal beams between the top bars and top clamping fingers to attach the pilasters to the upper horizontal beams. Pilaster bottom bars reaching the length of the bottoms of the pilasters and bottom clamping fingers are attached to bottom surfaces at each end of the bottom bars. A top horizontal edge of the lower horizontal beams is sandwiched between the bottom clamping fingers and the bottom bar to attach the pilasters to the bottom horizontal beams. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a multi-level convertible media and document storage system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of a pair of single level side by side frames positioned to provide support for the convertible media and document storage system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of a pair of two level side by side frames positioned to provide support for the convertible media and document storage system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2C  is a perspective view of a pair of three level side by side frames positioned to provide support for the convertible media and document storage system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a single three level frame suitable for supporting the convertible media and document storage system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3A  is a side view of one of the three level frames suitable for supporting the convertible media and document storage system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3B  is an end view of one of the three level frames suitable for supporting the convertible media and document storage system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3C  is a top view of one of the three level frames suitable for supporting the convertible media and document storage system according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 4A  is a front view of a first half of the document storage system according to the present invention including a top open slot storage section, an empty center section, and a bottom container storage section configured for storing tubs. 
         FIG. 4B  is a front view of a second half of the document storage system according to the present invention including a top open slot storage section, a center empty section, and a bottom container storage section configured for storing small containers. 
         FIG. 5A  shows the small storage container according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5B  shows a large storage container according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 5C  shows the tub according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  shows a pilaster configured for clamping to a pair of upper horizontal beams, and racks attached to the pilaster, according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 6A  shows detail  6 A of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 7  shows details of top clamping apparatus according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7A  shows a cross-sectional view of the clamping apparatus according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 7B  shows details of bottom clamping apparatus according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  shows the rack according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9A  shows an opposing pair of vertical drawers used with the open slot storage section according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9B  shows a single vertical drawer used with the open slot storage section according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  shows an end view of a storage facility including adjacent rows of the convertible media and document storage system according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims. 
     A perspective view of a convertible media and document storage system  10  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The convertible media and document storage system  10  includes side by side cooperating halves  10   a  and  10   b . The halves  10   a  and  10   b  each include a top open slot storage section  12 , a center empty section  16 , and a bottom container storage section  14 . The container storage bottom section  14  of the first half  10   a  is configured to carry small containers  32   a  (see  FIG. 5A ) and the container storage bottom section  14  of the second half  10   b  is configured to carry tub containers  32   c  (see  FIG. 5C ). All of the sections of the convertible media and document storage system  10  according to the present invention may be reconfigured into open slot storage sections, container storage sections, or empty sections as needs change. A walkway  13  is provided for access to the open slot storage section  12 . 
     A perspective view of a pair of side by side single level pallet rack frames  18   a  positioned to provide support for the convertible media and document storage system  10  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 2A , a perspective view of a pair of side by side two level pallet rack frames  18   b  positioned to provide support for the convertible media and document storage system  10  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 2B , and a perspective view of a pair of side by side three level pallet rack frames  18   c  positioned to provide support for the convertible media and document storage system  10  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 2C . The pallet rack frames  18   a ,  18   b , and  18   c  include upper horizontal beams  22   a  and lower horizontal beams  22   b  attached to vertical uprights  20 , and end bracing comprising horizontal end braces  24  and diagonal end braces  24 . Additionally, “X” bracing  21  is provided on rear faces of the bottom level in the two level frames  18   a  and on the bottom and middle level of the three level frames  18   c . The pallet rack frames  18   a ,  18   b , and  18   c  may comprise common pallet rack frames which are easily obtained. The “X” bracing is required in many cases because the frames have fewer horizontal beams to provide stability than typical pallet frames. 
     The upper horizontal beams  22   a  carry a large load and are preferably approximately eight inch high beams. The lower most lower horizontal beam  22   b  is preferably approximately three inches high and carries the least load of all the horizontal beams. The remaining lower horizontal beams  22   b  are preferably approximately five inches high and carry a moderate load due to supporting the walkway  13 . 
     A perspective view of one of the frames  18   c  is shown in  FIG. 3 , a side view of one of the frames  18   c  is shown in  FIG. 3A , a rear view of one of the frames  18   c  is shown in  FIG. 3B , and a top view of one of the frames  18   c  is shown in  FIG. 3C . Rails  40  (see  FIG. 9A ) for open slot storage units  30  and pilasters  38  (see  FIG. 6 ) for container storage are hung from the upper horizontal beams  22   a . The lower horizontal beams  22   b  provide support for the walkways  13 , for bottom guides  56  for open slot storage  30  or bottom attachment of the container storage  38 . 
     The frames  18   c  further have a width W and a depth D, and each section has a section height Hs. The lateral dimension in the following description is aligned with the width W, and the longitudinal dimension with the depth D as viewed by a user accessing the stored material. The depth D is preferably approximately  38  inches and the width W is preferably approximately ten feet. The preferred depth D facilitates using elements of existing vertical drawer systems which are a large component of the cost of constructing a convertible media and document storage system. For example, the Gemtrac™ vertical drawer system manufactured by Russ Bassett, Corp. in Whittier, Calif. and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,317 incorporated by reference above. 
     A front view (i.e., as viewed from the center aisle) of the first half  10   a  of the document storage system  10  according to the present invention, including the top open slot storage section  12 , the center empty section  16 , and the bottom container storage section  14  configured for tub containers  32   c  is shown in  FIG. 4A  and a side view of a second half  10   b  of the document storage system according to the present invention including the top open slot storage section  12 , the center empty section  16 , and the bottom container storage section  14  configured for small storage containers  32   a  is shown in  FIG. 4B . 
     The small storage container  32   a  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 5A , the large storage container  32   b  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 5B , and the tub container  32   c  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 5C . The container storage sections  14  of the document storage system  10  according to the present invention are easily convertible to store any of the containers  32   a ,  32   b , and  32   c . As described below, the container storage sections  14  may also be configured for other containers. The document storage system  10  may be configured with open slot storage sections  12  in any position, but preferably are opposite another open slot storage section  12 . Further, each section may be reconfigured from open slot storage to container storage and from container storage to open slot storage. 
     A pilaster  38  of a container storage section is shown in  FIG. 6 , details of the pilaster  38  are shown in  FIG. 6A , a clamping system according to the present invention for attaching the pilaster  38  to the upper horizontal beam  22   a  are shown in  FIG. 7 , a cross-sectional view of the clamping system is shown in  FIG. 7A . The pilasters  38  include top bars  36  which clamp onto the bottom horizontal edges  23  of the upper horizontal beams  22   a  allowing infinite adjustment of the lateral separation of pilasters  38  to accommodate containers of various widths. 
     The clamping attachment is preferably performed by top clamping fingers  40   a . The fingers  40   a  have a bent tab  41  which pass through a slot  36   a  in the top bar  36  of the pilaster  38 . A tightening stud  39  is used to tightly sandwich the bottom horizontal edge  23  of the upper horizontal beam  22   a  between the top bar  36  and the finger  40   a.    
     Details of a preferred bottom clamping apparatus according to the present invention are shown in  FIG. 7B . A bottom clamping finger (or bar)  40   b  is attached to the bottom bar  37  of the pilaster  38  by two screws  45 . The top horizontal edge  25  of the lower horizontal beam  22   b  is sandwiched between the finger  40   b  and the bottom bar  37  to secure the pilaster  38  to the frame. 
     The storage system according to the present invention includes the clamping attachments described in  FIGS. 7 ,  7 A, and  7 B to provide for simple conversion between container storage and open slot storage, and the pilasters and the open slot storage units are preferably attached only using the clamping attachments and require no additional attaching structure. 
     The racks  35  used with the pilasters  38  are shown in  FIG. 8 . The pilasters  38  includes vertical members  34  having vertically spaced apart holes  34 ′. The ranks  35  includes bent elements  41  which are insertable into the hold  34 ′ to attach the racks  35  to the pilasters  38 . The racks  35  further include opposing ledges  42  for carrying the containers  23   a ,  32   b , and  32   c  (see  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B, and  5 C). The multiplicity of holes  34 ′ allow adjustment of the racks  35  for different height containers. 
     A pair of vertical drawer elements  60  for use with slot storage sections according to the present invention are shown in  FIG. 9A  and a single vertical drawer element  60  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 9B . Details of a vertical drawer element are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,317 incorporated by reference above. Pairs of the slot storage sections generally face each other, and handle  48  are preferably alternated on opposing drawers to allow maximum opening. The drawers include rollers carried in horizontal overhead rails  50   a  and  50   b  connecting opposing slot storage sections for both carrying the drawers and providing support to the document storage system  10 . The rails  50   a  are attached to second top bars  52  which are preferably clamped to the upper horizontal members  22   a  as shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B . The vertical drawer elements  60  further include bottom guides  56  attached to second bottom bars  54 . The bottom bars  54  are preferably clamped to the top horizontal edges of the lower horizontal beams  22   b  in the same manner as shown in  FIG. 7B  for the pilaster  38 . The rails and top bars may be a single piece and the guides and bottom bars may also be a single piece. Because the rails  50   a  and  50   b  attach to the second top bars  52  in the same manner as the top bars  36  (see  FIG. 7 ), the vertical draw storage and the container storage are interchangeable, and may reside side by side in a single container storage. 
     An end view of a storage facility including adjacent rows of the convertible media and document storage system  10  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 10 . Commonly, the document storage system  10  is used in very large storage areas having many rows of storage. Each section has the depth D and the sections are separated by aisles providing a separation S approximately equal to the depth D. Walkways  13  are provided to access the center and top sections. 
     The present invention thus includes storage units, either container storage, or open slot storage, supported by hanging from a frame or other overhead support structure. Substantially all of the weight of the storage is supported in tension from the overhead structure, and while the storage may be attached to a frame at the bottom of the storage unit, such bottom attachment is primarily for stabilizing the storage unit, and does not provide substantial or required vertical support. Such method of supporting from above the storage facilitates the convertible storage system of the present invention and because columns in tension require much less strength than column in compression, the weight and size of the storage units is minimized. 
     While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0