Patent ID: 7481027

Claim:
An elevated bicycle storage system comprising: a framework attached to a floor of a structure, the framework including a vertical support; and a horizontal mounting frame attached to the vertical support; the framework defining a lower bicycle storing space, a middle bicycle storing space, and an upper bicycle storing space, wherein the lower bicycle storing space includes a lower receiver, and the middle bicycle storing space includes an upper receiver, the upper receiver being pivotally mounted to the horizontal mounting frame with a pivot mechanism, the upper receiver being adapted to be extended from a horizontal storing position and pivoted down into a loading and unloading position, and retracted to the storing position, wherein the pivot mechanism further comprises a pair of fulcrum rollers rotatably attached to the mounting frame; a pair of deflection rails incorporated into the mounting frame, the deflection rails being generally horizontal at a distal end and curving upward at a proximal end; a deflection lever pivotally attached via a fulcrum bolt to the mounting frame, the lever further comprising a deflection roller at a proximal end and a first gas spring mount at a distal end; a second gas spring mount fixed inside the mounting frame adjacent to the deflection lever, where the upper receiver comprises an inverted-U channel having a pair of parallel rails oriented horizontally inside the lower edge of the inverted-U channel and capturing the fulcrum rollers; a pair of deflection rollers mounted outside the lower edge of the inverted-U channel and inside the deflection rails; and a gas spring attached to both of the gas spring mounts; an upper track comprising a horizontal rail; a shuttle movably engaging the rail; a cable winch incorporated into the shuttle; a bicycle support attached to the cable winch; an electric winch motor attached to the cable winch and a power source; an electric shuttle motor attached to the rail and the shuttle and the power source; a control box attached between the winch motor, the shuttle motor and the power source; an electric shuttle motor attached to the shuttle, the rail and a power source; a control handle linked to the shuttle motor; and a control loop attached to the cable winch via a reduction gear assembly.