Abstract:
A new and improved window sill extension kit and method of using this kit is disclosed for use in extending the available space around the sill of a window. The window sill extension kit comprises a display deck and a support bracket. The generally rectangular display deck having a first planar area, a second planar area positioned substantially perpendicular to the first planar area and a third planar area positioned substantially perpendicular to the second planar area and positioned substantially parallel to the first planar area. The display deck configuration allows for a stable platform when the first planar area is placed in the sill and secured by a closed window. The support bracket adds additional stabilization to the display deck. The support bracket comprises an L-shaped brace, a cap attached to the top of the L-shaped brace and a base attached to the bottom of the L-shaped brace. The method of using the kit comprises the steps of opening, sliding, placing, closing, positioning, sticking, and mounting.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates storage areas for the household, more particularly to a window sill extension kit for use in providing additional storage/display space along a window. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     Often times it seems that no matter how organized a person is, there is a perpetual lack of storage spaces available within a modem household environment. Bookcases and shelves attached to walls rapidly become crowded with books, papers, toys, and other miscellaneous items. The window sill is an ideal locale for displaying plants or for even making available a perch for a pet, such as, a cat. Domestic cats typically enjoy spending large amounts of time on window sills staring at the outside world. However, many window sills tend to be relatively narrow for a cat to comfortably perch onto it. Shelves are known which can be attached by screws or the like, permanently to the interior window sill or by brackets extending outwardly beneath the window so as to be held by the closing of the window. However, these complex braces and leg support arrangements require a more or less permanent attachment of the entire shelf. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a window sill extension apparatus which does not necessarily have to be permanently mounted so that the display deck may be easily removed at the convenience of the household user. 
     A wide variety of window sill extension devices is currently available on the commercial market and an even larger number of these types of devices are known in the art of window sill extension devices, for example, the window perch for pet animals disclosed by Williams and Williams in U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,031; the window shelf for pets or flowers disclosed by Gordon in U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,451; the pet perch for attachment to a window sill disclosed by Elesh in U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,373; the post-n-perch disclosed by Batterton in U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,164; the combination window mounted pet/plant enclosure and carrying case in U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,455; and the window shelf disclosed by Curtin in U.S. Pat. No. D366,799. 
     While all of the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a window sill extension kit for having a support bracket comprising of an L-shaped brace, a cap attached to the top of the L-shaped brace and a base attached to the bottom of the L-shaped brace. These features that would specifically match the user&#39;s particular individual needs for making it possible to add additional support to the display deck by attaching the L-shaped brace onto the wall below the window sill and contacting the bottom of the display deck. The above-described patents make no provision for a support bracket comprising of an L-shaped brace, a cap attached to the top of the L-shaped brace and a base attached to the bottom of the L-shaped brace. 
     Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved window sill extension kit having a support bracket comprising of an L-shaped brace, a cap attached to the top of the L-shaped brace and a base attached to the bottom of the L-shaped brace so that additional support may be added to the display deck underneath a window. In this respect, the window sill extension kit according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a stable display deck mountable within a window sill and securable by both a closed window and a support bracket which is attachable to the wall below the window. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present device, according to the principles of the present invention, overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a new and improved window sill extension kit and method of using this kit is disclosed for use in extending the available space around the sill of a window. The window sill extension kit comprises a display deck and a support bracket. The generally rectangular display deck having a first planar area, a second planar area positioned substantially perpendicular to the first planar area and a third planar area positioned substantially perpendicular to the second planar area and positioned substantially parallel to the first planar area. The display deck configuration allows for a stable platform when the first planar area is placed in the sill and secured by a closed window. The support bracket adds additional stabilization to the display deck. The support bracket comprises an L-shaped brace, a cap attached to the top of the L-shaped brace and a base attached to the bottom of the L-shaped brace. 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known type window sill extension kit now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved window sill extension kit, which will be described subsequently in great detail, is to provide a new and improved window sill extension kit which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a display deck and a support bracket. The generally rectangular display deck having a first planar area, a second planar area positioned substantially perpendicular to the first planar area and a third planar area positioned substantially perpendicular to the second planar area and positioned substantially parallel to the first planar area. The display deck configuration allows for a stable platform when the first planar area is placed in the sill and secured by a closed window. The support bracket adds additional stabilization to the display deck. The support bracket comprises an L-shaped brace, a cap attached to the top of the L-shaped brace and a base attached to the bottom of the L-shaped brace. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution of the art may be better appreciated. 
     The invention may also include an optional adhesive pad, a plurality of screws, and a drip pan. There are of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims attached. 
     Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompany drawings. In this respect, before explaining the current embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved window sill extension kit that has all the advantages of the prior art window sill extension kit and none of the disadvantages. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved window sill extension kit that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved window sill extension kit that has a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such multipurpose storage unit and system economically available to the buying public. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new window sill extension kit that provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a window sill extension kit for having a support bracket comprising of an L-shaped brace, a cap attached to the top of the L-shaped brace and a base attached to the bottom of the L-shaped brace. This makes it possible to add additional support to the display deck by attaching the L-shaped brace onto the wall below the window sill and contacting the bottom of the display deck. 
     Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of using the kit comprises the steps of opening, sliding, placing, closing, positioning, sticking, and mounting. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompany drawings and description matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the window sill extension kit constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional side view of the window sill extension kit of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional frontal view of the window sill extension kit of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of two configurations of the display deck of the window sill extension kit of the present invention. 
     The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various figures. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, and in particular FIGS. 1 to  4  thereof, one preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and generally designated by the reference numeral  10 . One preferred embodiment of the present invention of the window sill extension kit  10  for use in extending the available space around the sill  14  of a window  12 , the window sill extension kit  10  comprising a display deck and a support bracket  24 . The display deck  16  has a generally rectangular shape. The display deck  16  including a first planar area  18 ; a second planar area  20 , the second planar area  20  substantially perpendicular to the first planar area  18 ; and a third planar area  22 , the third planar area  22  substantially perpendicular to the second planar area  20  and substantially parallel to the first planar area  18 . The support bracket  24  having an L-shaped brace  26 ; a cap  28  attached to the top of the L-shaped brace  26 ; and a base  30  attached to the bottom of the L-shaped brace  26 . 
     Another preferred embodiment of the window sill extension kit  10  comprises a display deck  16 , a support bracket  24  and an adhesive pad  32 . The display deck  16  has a generally rectangular shape. The display deck  16  including: a first planar area  18 ; a second planar area  20 , the second planar area  20  substantially perpendicular to the first planar; and a third planar area  22 , the third planar area  22  substantially perpendicular to the second planar area  20  and substantially parallel to the first planar area  18 . The display deck  16  further comprises an upper platform  38  and a lower platform  40 , the lower platform  40  slidably engageable with the upper platform  38 , the front end of the third planar area  22  of the upper platform  38  having an first L-shaped flap  42  extending downwardly and the back end of the first planar area  18  of the upper platform  38  having a second L-shaped flap  42  extending downwardly, wherein the first and second L-shaped flap  42 s defining a sleeve for slidably engaging the lower platform  40 . The support bracket  24  having an L-shaped brace  26 , a cap  28  attached to the top of the L-shaped brace  26 , and a base  30  attached to the bottom of the L-shaped brace  26 . The adhesive pad  32  is attached to the exposed surface of the base  30  of the support bracket  24 , in which the adhesive pad  32  is for attaching to the wall below the window  12 . 
     One preferred embodiment of the method of using the window sill extension kit  10  comprises the steps of: obtaining, connecting, opening, sliding, placing, closing, positioning, sticking, and mounting. The obtaining step comprises obtaining the window sill extension kit  10  comprising: a display deck  16  having a generally rectangular shape, the display deck  16  including a first planar area  18 ; a second planar area  20 , the second planar area  20  substantially perpendicular to the first planar; and a third planar area  22 , the third planar area  22  substantially perpendicular to the second planar area  20  and substantially parallel to the first planar area  18 ; wherein the display deck  16  comprising an upper platform  38  and a lower platform  40 , the lower platform  40  slidably engageable with the upper platform  38 , the front end of the third planar area  22  of the upper platform  38  having an first L-shaped flap  42  extending downwardly and the back end of the first planar area  18  of the upper platform  38  having a second L-shaped flap  42  extending downwardly, wherein the first and second L-shaped flap  42   s  defining a sleeve for slidably engaging the lower platform  40 ; a support bracket  24  having an L-shaped brace  26 ; a cap  28  attached to the top of the L-shaped brace  26 ; and a base  30  attached to the bottom of the L-shaped brace  26 ; and an adhesive pad  32  attached to the exposed surface of the base  30  of the support bracket  24 , the adhesive pad  32  for sticking to the wall below the window  12 . The connecting step comprises connecting together the upper platform  38  with the lower platform  40 . The opening step comprises opening the window  12 . The sliding step comprises sliding the upper platform  38  and lower platform  40  together to adjust the length of the display deck  16  by match the width of the window  12 . The placing step comprises placing the first planar area  18  of the display deck  16  under the window  12 . The closing step comprises closing the window  12  over the first planar area  18  of the display deck  16 . The positioning step comprises positioning the support bracket  24  underneath the display deck  16 . The sticking step comprises sticking the adhesive pad  32  to the wall below the window  12  so that the support bracket  24  supports the display deck  16 . The mounting step comprises mounting an item desired to be displayed onto the display deck  16 . 
     The display deck  16  of the window sill extension kit  10  may be composed of a unitary structure or composed of a more complex structure. One preferred configuration of a more complex structure of the display deck  16  is that it comprises an upper platform  38  and a lower platform  40 , the lower platform  40  slidably engageable with the upper platform  38 . Another preferred configuration of the slidably engageable display deck  16  that it comprises an upper platform  38  and a lower platform  40 , is that the front end of the third planar area  22  of the upper platform  38  has an first L-shaped flap  42  extending downwardly and the back end of the first planar area  18  of the upper platform  38  having a second L-shaped flap  42  extending downwardly, wherein the first and second L-shaped flap  42   s  defining a sleeve for slidably engaging the lower platform  40 . Yet another preferred configuration of the slidably engageable display deck  16  that it comprises an upper platform  38  and a lower platform  40 , is that the front end of the third planar area  22  of the lower platform  40  having an first L-shaped flap  42  extending upwardly and the back end of the first planar area  18  of the lower platform  40  having a second L-shaped flap  42  extending upwardly, wherein the first and second L-shaped flaps  42  defining a sleeve for slidably engaging the upper platform  38 . 
     An optional adhesive pad  32  may be added to the window sill extension kit  10 . The optional adhesive pad  32  may be attached to the exposed surface of the base  30  of the support bracket  24 , the adhesive pad  32  for sticking to the wall below the window  12 . The optional adhesive pad  32  may also be attached to the exposed surface of the cap  28  of the support bracket  24 , the adhesive pad  32  for sticking to the bottom of the display deck  16 . 
     An optional plurality of screws may be added to the window sill extension kit  10 . The plurality of screws is for securing the display deck  16  onto the window  12  and for securing the support bracket  24  to the wall below the window  12 . 
     An optional container containing an adhesive paste may be added to the window sill extension kit  10 . The optional container containing an adhesive paste is for securing the support bracket  24  to the wall below the window  12 . 
     An optional drip pan  34  may be added to the window sill extension kit  10 . The optional drip pan  34  is connectable to the third planar area  22  of the display deck  16  and positionable below the third planar area  22 . One preferred configuration of the optional drip pan  34  is that the display deck  16  may be made of magnetizable metal and the drip pan  34  has a magnet attached along the upper lip of the drip pan  34  so that the drip pan  34  is connectable to the third planar area  22  of the display deck  16 . Another preferred configuration of the optional drip pan  34  is that the drip pan  34  is slidably connectable with the third planar area  22  of the display deck  16 . Yet another preferred configuration of the slidably connectable drip pan  34  is that a pair of L-shaped flanges are attached to the two opposing sides of the third planar area  22 , wherein the L-shaped flanges are positioned substantially perpendicular to the third planar area  22  and extending below the third planar area  22  so that the bottoms of the pair of L-shaped flanges point towards each other, and a drip pan  34  slidably connectable to the third planar area  22  by being engageable with the pair of L-shaped flanges. To allow over spilled plant water to be efficiently collected in the optional drip pan  34 , the third planar area  22  may have a plurality of holes extending through the third planar area  22 . These the holes may be elongated slits. The elongated slits may extend laterally along the width of the third planar area  22  or the elongated slits may extend horizontally along the length of the third planar area  22 . 
     An optional line of perforations  36  may be added to the window sill extension kit  10 . The optional line of perforations  36  may extend laterally along the width of the display deck  16 . The perforation line is for allowing a user to adjustably shorten the length of the display deck  16  to fit within the sill  14  of the window  12  by allowing the user to break off a portion of the display deck  16  along the line of perforations  36 . A plurality of lines of perforations  36  may also be added to the window sill extension kit  10 , wherein all of the lines extending laterally along the width of the display deck  16  and all of the lines are substantially parallel with each other. 
     Referring now to FIG. 1 which depicts a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the window sill extension kit  10  comprises a display deck and a support bracket  24 . The display deck  16  has a generally rectangular shape. The display deck  16  including a first planar area  18 ; a second planar area  20 , the second planar area  20  substantially perpendicular to the first planar area  18 ; and a third planar area  22 , the third planar area  22  substantially perpendicular to the second planar area  20  and substantially parallel to the first planar area  18 . The optional drip pan  34  is connectable to the third planar area  22  of the display deck  16  and positionable below the third planar area  22 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, which depicts a cross sectional side view of the window sill extension kit  10  comprises a display deck and a support bracket  24 . The display deck  16  includes a first planar area  18 ; a second planar area  20 , the second planar area  20  substantially perpendicular to the first planar area  18 ; and a third planar area  22 , the third planar area  22  substantially perpendicular to the second planar area  20  and substantially parallel to the first planar area  18 . The support bracket  24  having an L-shaped brace  26 ; a cap  28  attached to the top of the L-shaped brace  26 ; and a base  30  attached to the bottom of the L-shaped brace  26 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 3, which depicts a cross sectional frontal view of the window sill extension kit  10  comprises a display deck, a support bracket  24  and an adhesive pad  32  The display deck  16  having a generally rectangular shape. The display deck  16  including a first planar area  18 ; a second planar area  20 , the second planar area  20  substantially perpendicular to the first planar area  18 ; and a third planar area  22 , the third planar area  22  substantially perpendicular to the second planar area  20  and substantially parallel to the first planar area  18 . The support bracket  24  having an L-shaped brace  26 ; a cap  28  attached to the top of the L-shaped brace  26 ; and a base  30  attached to the bottom of the L-shaped brace  26 . The adhesive pad  32  is attached to the exposed surface of the base  30  of the support bracket  24 , in which the adhesive pad  32  is for attaching to the wall below the window  12 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 4 which depicts a perspective view of two configurations of the display deck of the window sill extension kit  10 , in which one preferred configuration of the display deck  16  is that it comprises an upper platform  38  and a lower platform  40 , the lower platform  40  slidably engageable with the upper platform  38 . The slidably engageable display deck  16  comprises an upper platform  38  and a lower platform  40 . The front end of the third planar area  22  of the upper platform  38  has an first L-shaped flap  42  extending downwardly and the back end of the first planar area  18  of the upper platform  38  having a second L-shaped flap  42  extending downwardly, wherein the first and second L-shaped flap  42   s  defining a sleeve for slidably engaging the lower platform  40 . Another preferred configuration of the display deck  16  is that it has optional line of perforations  36  extending laterally along the width of the display deck  16 . The perforation line is for allowing a user to adjustably shorten the length of the display deck  16  to fit within the sill  14  of the window  12  by allowing the user to break off a portion of the display deck  16  along the line of perforations  36 . A plurality of lines of perforations  36  may also be added to the window sill extension kit  10 , wherein all of the lines extending laterally along the width of the display deck  16  and all of the lines are substantially parallel with each other. 
     As to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     While a preferred embodiment of the window sill extension kit has been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.