Abstract:
An integrated insulated housing system with handrails and a system of seals for a pull down stairway opening is provided. The integrated housing system reduces air convection, moisture loss and dirt infiltration. The insulation of the housing system reduces heat loss. Handrails as part of the system are deployed by the action of the pull down stairway. No manual intervention is required. As the stairway is pulled down for use, the integrated housing above moves away from the access opening. Simultaneously, the two integrated handrails move into a stable position on the upper floor and to either side of the stairway. As the stairway is returned up to its closed position, the connected insulated housing moves back into position sealing the access opening.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/556,997, filed Mar. 26, 2004. The aforementioned provisional application is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The current invention is in the field of home improvement and home construction and more particularly, relates to a cover or housing system which may be integrated with a pull down stairway. The present invention addresses certain problems associated with access to an upper floor using a pull down stairway. In a further aspect, the present invention provides an improved method of access to and exit from an upper room such as an attic using an installed folding stairway. 
   There are various inventions that cover, insulate, or attempt to seal the opening above a pull down stairway. Pull down stairways are notorious for their inefficiency with loss of warm air and moisture up through the stairway access. Previous devices made of foam or fiberglass enclosures must be manually removed when access is needed and re-positioned manually while climbing back down the stairway or standing on a ladder. Other devices attempt to reduce the infiltration of warm air, but lack the insulation R-value recommended by the building industry. Other inventions are designed as trap door devices, but still require manual intervention. 
   The preferred embodiments of the present invention address air, moisture and dust infiltration and thermal loss associated with access through an upper floor opening using a folding or pull down stairway while also providing a handrail, positioned to be grasped by a user when the pull down stairway is deployed for assisting the user when entering and leaving the upper floor opening. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the invention, the integrated housing system is physically attached to and is activated by the up and down motion of the separately installed pull down stairway. 
   In one aspect of the invention, an integrated system activated by the action of a pull down stairway is provided. One or more handrails are deployed making it easy to enter and exit the stairway opening without the need to manually intervene in removing the housing box above the opening. The deployment of the one or more handrails is accomplished when the stairway is pulled down for use. In the preferred embodiments a pair of handrails are deployed, positioned on opposite sides of the upper floor opening; the handrail being pivotally connected to the cover such that in a closed position the handrail extends above the cover. 
   In another aspect, a highly insulated housing above the pull down stairway is provided that reduces the heat loss of the enclosed access into an upper space that may or may not be heated. 
   In yet another aspect, a sealed housing over the closed pull down stairway is provided that reduces the passage of warm air and moisture from rising into an upper room that may or may not be heated. 
   It still another aspect, a housing over the closed pull down stairway is provided that reduces the infiltration of dirt and debris from entering the living space below the pull down stairway opening. 
   In operation, as the pull down stairway assembly is deployed in a downward direction for use, the integrated housing above the stairway moves away from the access opening. Likewise, when the pull down stairway assembly is returned to its stored position, the housing returns to the closed position and seals the access opening. Unlike prior art stairway covers, additional manual intervention is not required to remove the cover from the opening in the floor above once the stairway has been deployed for use and/or to return the cover to the closed position when the pull down stairway is returned to the stored position. 
   In certain embodiments, the present invention is embodied in a sliding or rolling configuration wherein the housing rolls back and away from the access opening. In certain other embodiments, the present invention is embodied in a hinged configuration wherein the housing rises or pivots up and away from the access opening. 
   The activation is accomplished by one or more arms attached to a stairway rail and by one or more adjustable push pull sleeves connected to the one or more arms and a housing extension. The push pull sleeves differ in the two configurations, as described in the detailed description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention may take form in various components and arrangements of components, and in various steps and arrangements of steps. The drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used for like or analogous components throughout the several views, are only for purposes of illustrating preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the integrated housing system of the sliding configuration and in the opened position. 
       FIG. 2  shows a side view of the air convection seals at the front and back housing panels of the sliding cover configuration in the closed position. The side view also shows the handrail arm and push pull sleeve in the up and closed position. The rollers at the bottom edge of the side panels are shown. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the activated insulated housing of the hinged configuration held in the raised or open position by the handrail arms and the push pull sleeves. 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the activated hinged housing held in the closed position by the handrails and push pull rod attachments. 
       FIG. 5  is the left half cross-sectional view from the head of the folded stairway showing the activation apparatus of the integrated housing system in the closed position. 
       FIG. 6  shows the position of the air, moisture and dirt seal attached to the lower edge of the arm catcher and the sides and the back panels of the hinged popup housing configuration. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The primary components of the current invention are shown in the perspective views of  FIGS. 1 and 3 . A housing box or cover  1  is provided to selectively cover an opening in a building floor  5  which is accessible via a pull down stairway  7 . In a preferred embodiment, the housing box or cover  1  is fitted with insulation, which may be provided in a number of ways. For example, an insulating material may be provided on one or more exterior surfaces of the cover  1  and/or within the interior compartment defined by the housing box  1 . Alternatively, the insulating material may encased within the cover shell or the cover  1  may otherwise be formed of a thermally insulating material. The runners  3  in  FIG. 1  are attached to the upper floor  5  and are used for guiding the housing box  1  in the sliding configuration of the invention. The two curved arms  6  are pivotally attached to push pull sleeves  8  and function as actuators when the stairway  7  is in motion. The curved arms  6  also preferably act as handrails when the stairway  7  and housing box  1  are fully deployed. The push pull sleeves  8  each hold a respective one of the arms  6  in place for use as handrail when the cover  1  is in the open position as shown in  FIG. 1 . The push pull sleeves  8  cooperate with the handrails  6  and act as a component of the activator mechanism in moving the housing box  1  to the closed position as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
   A riser  10  provides for passage and positioning of the arms  6  when the cover  1  is in the closed position. The handrail posts  11  in  FIGS. 3 and 4  are fastened to the upper floor  5  by the post flanges  15  shown in  FIG. 3 . In  FIG. 2 , gasket or seal material  12  is attached under the arm catcher  30  and rear close stop  22  for reducing air and moisture infiltration into the upper room. The gasket material  12  in  FIG. 3  is applied under the housing side panels  18  that meet the floor. In  FIG. 1 , the gasket material  12  is applied along the lower outside portion of the housing side panels  18  overlaying and sealing the outside of the runners  3 . Sliding members  31  such as rollers, glides, or the like, appear in  FIG. 2  and may be provided for reducing friction and thus the effort required to effect the sliding movement of the cover. Finally, the hinge  2  in  FIG. 4  at the rear panel  4  of the housing  1  is used for the pivot location in raising the housing box  1 . 
   The construction of the housing member consists of a preferably lightweight box, which may be made of durable wood, plastic, or other suitable material, and may be molded or monolithically formed, or may comprise panels bonded or fastened on its connecting edges. The arms  6  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3  may be made of a plastic, preferably a dimensionally stable plastic composite, wood, treated wood, metal or metal alloy such as steel, or the like. The push pull sleeves  8  and  8 A include a channel or groove for receiving the handrail ends and may created, for example, from rigid tubing. Sleeves  8 A may have an adjustment rod  9  for length. The handrail posts  11  may be fabricated from metal or metal alloy, wood, or plastic material with a receptacle  14  to accept the upper end of the arms  6 . The height of handrail posts  11  and receptacle  14  is preferably adjustable. A flange  15  at the base of the post  11  is provided for securing the post to the upper floor  5 . 
   In operation, the housing box  1  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3  moves away from the stairway opening  17  as the pull down stairway  7  is moved in the downward direction when deploying for use. Conversely, as the pull down stairway  7  is raised toward its stored position, the housing box  1  moves back into the closed position, thereby sealing the living space below from thermal loss, moisture loss, air convection and dust infiltration. 
   Previous solutions require manual intervention to remove a cover from the access opening and to return the cover to its proper position. 
   In operating the present invention, no change in the operating procedure of the pull down stairway  7  is required. 
   A method for installing the housing apparatus of the present is described below. It will be recognized that the cover system of the present invention may be installed on an existing pull down stairway installation, or, may readily adapted for use with a new pull down stairway construction. The runners  3  shown in  FIG. 1  are fastened parallel to each other such that both runners are positioned equally on either side of the access opening  17  and aligned with the head of the stairway opening. With the stairway  7  in the down or open position as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the two arms  6  are fastened to the stair rails  20 . With the stairway  7  in the closed position as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the riser  10  is fastened to the head of the stairway flush with the upper floor  5 . The arms  6  may be adjusted for fit into the riser grooves and the fasteners that hold the lower portion of the arms  6  to the side rails  20  of the stairway  7  are tightened. 
   A boot  24  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4  is used to surround and clamp the lower portion of the arm  6  to the upper stairway rail  20  using bolt fasteners. 
   With the stairway fully open for the sliding configuration as shown in  FIG. 1 , the arms  6  are positioned into the sleeves  8 . The cross member  32  is added between the two arms  6  and sleeve joints. The sleeves  8  are attached to the housing extension  16 . The legs  25  which are attached to the arms  6  are adjusted to fit firmly onto the upper floor  5 . 
   With the stairway fully open for the hinged configuration shown in  FIG. 3 , the handrail posts  11  are positioned onto the upper floor just below the upper ends of the deployed arms  6 . The height of the post receptacles  14  at the top of the posts is adjusted to cradle the upper end of the activating arms  6 . The posts  11  are fastened to the upper floor  5  with the post base flanges  15 . The cross member  32 A is added between the two arms  6  and sleeve joints. The sleeves  8 A and adjustment rods  9  are attached to the housing extension  16 A. 
   With the stairway  7  in the closed position, the housing box  1  with gasket seals  12  is fit over the access opening  17  with a snug fit around the head of the stairway  7 , riser  10  and arms  6 . For the sliding configuration in  FIG. 2 , the push pull sleeves  8  are attached to the arms  6 . For the hinged configuration in  FIG. 4 , attach the sleeves  8 A with push pull rods  9  to the extensions  16 A. The length of the adjustment rods  9  is adjusted such that the front housing panel  13  fits snugly over the riser  10  at the head of the stairway with the arms  6  cradled in the notches at the top of the installed riser  10 . For the hinged configuration, the hinge  2  is attached at the rear portion of the cover  1 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . For the sliding configuration, the rear close stop  22  is attached as shown in  FIG. 2 . Insulation may be attached to the housing top  19 , sides  18 , front panel  13 , and/or rear panel  4 . 
   In operation, the two configurations shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3  differ in the method of opening the stairway access  17 . 
   For the sliding configuration shown in  FIG. 1 , the push pull sleeves  8  meet the housing extensions  16  attached to the sides  18  of the housing box  1 . The adjustable extension brace  26  is attached to the housing extension  16  and the side  18  of the housing box  1 . The extension brace  26  controls the position of the housing extension  16 , the arms  6  and the housing  1 . The extension brace  26  is adjusted with the housing box  1  in the closed position and the notches in the arm catcher  30  firmly around the arms  6  near the upper floor  5 . With the adjustable braces  26  firmly in place, open the housing system and fasten the rear open stop  23  to the upper floor  5  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   For the hinged configuration shown in  FIG. 3 , the push pull sleeves  8 A and adjustment rods  9  are attached to the extensions  16 A placed near the back of the housing sides  18  to give the proper moment arm force in relation to the hinge  2  location. The position and alignment of the apparatus in  FIG. 5  involves the stairway  7 , the arms  6 , the push pull rods sleeves  8 A, and the extension  16 A. The hinged configuration demands less floor space, which may be an advantage in certain situations. 
   Optionally, the arms  6  may be constructed in two components for packaging and shipping. During installation, the arms are joined as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 . Likewise, the runners  3  shown in  FIG. 1  may, optionally, be constructed in multiple sections for packaging and shipping. During installation the runners  3  are joined into contiguous segments for guiding the housing box  1 . Exemplary positions of the joint for the handrails  6  appear in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . Preferably the positions of the joints between the members are selected such that the parts will fit within the interior enclosure defined by the housing box  1 . In this manner, the individual components for constructing the apparatus of the present invention may be provided disassembled or partially disassembled as a kit. In a preferred kit embodiment, the housing box or cover  1  serves as packaging container and/or shipping box for the kit. 
   The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of the preceding disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation.