STORAGE SYSTEM
A storage apparatus includes a reconfigurable mounting assembly adapted to couple to a ceiling. The mounting assembly includes an activatable drive system and a plurality of flexible members. The storage system includes a platform assembly that has a platform base and at least one post extending upwardly from the platform base. The activatable drive system is capable of moving the platform assembly between a raised position to fixedly couple the at least one post to the mounting assembly and a lowered position to suspend the platform assembly under the mounting assembly by the plurality of flexible members. The storage system can be installed by coupling the mounting assembly to the at least one joist. The platform assembly is connected to the mounting assembly via the plurality of flexible members.
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/003,179 filed Nov. 14, 2007 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/043,364 filed Apr. 8, 2008. These two provisional applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
BACKGROUNDConventional stationary overhead storage racks are often installed in garages, such as residential garages. Overhead storage racks are used to store items above a floor to increase usable floor space. It may be difficult to load and/or unload these overhead storage racks, especially if the items to be stored are bulky or heavy. A user may have difficulty lifting these types of items onto the storage racks. Additionally, it may be difficult to access items at the back of the rack without unloading many other items.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present disclosure generally relates to storage systems and, more particularly, to ceiling mounted storage systems used in commercial or residential settings.
BRIEF SUMMARYIn some embodiments, a storage apparatus includes a mounting assembly and a platform assembly. The mounting assembly includes a plurality of brackets, an activatable drive mechanism having a rotatable shaft with a plurality of spools, and a plurality of flexible members connected to corresponding spools of the activatable drive system. The platform assembly includes a platform base for supporting items and a plurality of elongate members extending generally perpendicularly from the platform base. The plurality of elongate members are supported by rollers connected to the brackets such that the platform assembly is movable between a raised position to lock the platform assembly to the mounting assembly and a lowered position to suspend the platform assembly under the mounting assembly by the plurality of elongate members. The platform base is substantially level or in a desired orientation as the platform is moved between the raised position and the lowered position.
In some embodiments, a method is provided that includes coupling a mounting assembly to a ceiling of a garage or other structure. For example, the mounting assembly can be coupled to joists in the ceiling. The platform assembly is connected to the mounting assembly via one or more flexible members. The platform assembly is moved between an elevated position to fixedly couple the platform assembly to the mounting assembly and a lower position to suspend the platform assembly under the mounting assembly by the one or more flexible members. In some embodiments, the platform is reoriented using a positioning mechanism, such as a leveling mechanism, before, during, or after connecting the platform assembly to the mounting assembly. Items can be loaded onto a planar deck of the platform assembly when the platform assembly is in the lowered position. The platform assembly can then be raised from the lowered position to the elevated position to store the items.
At least some embodiments disclosed herein are directed to storage systems that have a platform assembly that moves vertically between a lowered position for loading/unloading and a raised position for long term storage. A drive system integrated into the storage system can have a motor for conveniently raising and lowering the platform assembly via a plurality of flexible members, such as cables or straps. Items, such as storage boxes, can be placed onto a base of the platform assembly while the platform assembly is in the lowered position. After the base is loaded, the platform assembly is raised vertically until it is received by a stationary mounting assembly of the storage system. The base can remain generally level throughout this process to reduce, limit, or substantially prevent unwanted movement (e.g., shifting, sliding, etc.) of items carried by the base.
In some embodiments, a storage system includes a reconfigurable mounting assembly and a movable platform assembly. The mounting assembly is adapted to couple to a ceiling and includes an activatable drive system, a plurality of flexible members, and at least one elongate stabilizer fixedly coupled to the mounting assembly. The platform assembly is suspended under the mounting assembly by the flexible members extending between the drive system and the platform assembly. The platform assembly is movable relative to the mounting assembly between a raised position and a lowered position by the drive system. The platform assembly includes a base and at least one post extending upwardly from the base. The post is positioned to mate with the elongate stabilizer when the platform assembly is in the raised position.
In some embodiments, the post is sufficiently long such that an upper end of the post is adjacent to the ceiling to which the mounting assembly is coupled. The upper end of the post can be spaced apart from and generally below the elongate stabilizer when the platform assembly is in the lowered position. The post can have an adjustable length or a fixed length. The activatable drive system, in some embodiments, includes a motor that is capable of vertically moving the platform assembly. The motor can quickly raise and lower the empty or loaded platform assembly. For example, the empty platform assembly can be lowered to its lowered position for loading. Once loaded, the platform assembly can be raised to its raised position. The platform assembly can then be lowered to retrieve the stored items. The empty or partially loaded platform assembly can then be again elevated to its raised position.
The motor can be selected to move a platform assembly supporting a significant amount of weight. For example, the motor can be capable of raising and lowering the platform assembly when the base supports at least 100 lbs or 200 lbs. In some embodiments, the motor moves the loaded platform assembly from the fully lowered position to the raised position in less than 2 minutes, 1 minute, or 30 seconds, or ranges encompassing such lengths of time. The motor can be an electric motor controlled by a user. The motor can be turned off to hold the platform assembly in the raised position. In some embodiments, the motor that keeps the platform assembly in the raised position when in an OFF state and that moves the platform assembly when in an ON state
In some embodiments, the storage system includes four stabilizers and four posts positioned with respect to the four stabilizers such that the stabilizers slide into corresponding posts. The posts can have passageways for receiving the elongate stabilizers.
In some embodiments, a storage apparatus comprises a mounting assembly, a platform assembly, and a leveling mechanism. The mounting assembly includes a plurality of brackets, an activatable drive mechanism having a rotatable shaft with a plurality of spools, and a plurality of flexible members connected to corresponding spools of the activatable drive system. The platform assembly includes a platform base for supporting items. The plurality of elongate members extend generally perpendicularly from the platform base and are supported by rollers connected to the brackets such that the platform assembly is movable between a raised position to lock the platform assembly to the mounting assembly and a lowered position to suspend the platform assembly under the mounting assembly by the plurality of elongate members. The platform base is substantially level as the platform assembly is moved between the raised position and the lowered position. The leveling mechanism is operable to adjust the orientation of the suspended platform base with respect to the mounting assembly.
In some embodiments, a method comprises coupling a mounting assembly to a ceiling of a garage, connecting a platform assembly to the mounting assembly via a plurality of flexible members, and moving the platform assembly between an elevated position to fix the platform assembly to the mounting assembly and a lowered position to suspend the platform assembly under the mounting assembly by the plurality of flexible members. A storage space is formed between the raised platform assembly and the ceiling.
The platform assembly is leveled using a leveling mechanism after connecting the platform assembly to the mounting assembly. A plurality of leveling mechanisms can be used to adjust the positions of various portions, such as the corners, of the platform assembly. In some embodiments, the leveling mechanisms are used to controllably raise and lower portions of the platform assembly with or without the platform assembly being loaded with items.
Items are loaded on a planar deck of the platform assembly when the platform assembly is in the lowered position. The platform assembly carrying the items is raised to the elevated position to store the items for a desired length of time. The platform assembly can be lowered at a later point in time to access or unload the stored items.
The present detailed description is generally directed to storage systems having a loading/unloading configuration and a storing configuration. Many specific details of certain example embodiments are set forth in the following description and in
Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims which follow, the word “comprise” and variations thereof, such as, “comprises” and “comprising” are to be construed in an open, inclusive sense, that is as “including, but not limited to.”
As used in this specification and the claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to a storage system that includes “a motor” includes a storage system that has a single motor or a storage system that has a plurality of motors, or both. It should also be noted that the term “or” is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The storage system 100 is coupleable to various types of structures found in a wide range of settings, including, without limitation, commercial settings and residential settings. The storage system 100 can be coupled to ceilings, walls, rafters, beams, studs, joists, and the like. Commercial settings include, without limitation, warehouses, manufacturing facilities, machine shops, restaurants, retailers, and the like. Exemplary residential settings include, without limitation, dwellings (e.g., houses), apartments, carports, storage facilities (e.g., storage sheds such as outdoor storage sheds), and barns, as well as other structures associated with residential structures. To keep the platform assembly 120 properly positioned below the mounting assembly 110, the storage system 100 can be coupled to horizontally oriented structures such that a platform base 126 for supporting stored items is likewise generally horizontal. If the storage system 100 is coupled to sloped surfaces, positioning mechanisms can be used to level the platform base 126, as discussed in connection with
The mounting assembly 110 of
The mounting assembly 110 is reconfigurable for coupling to different types of structures. The mounting assembly 110 has the illustrated configuration for coupling to one type of structure and second configuration (see, e.g.,
Referring again to
Referring to
With continued reference to
The flexible members 212 can be straps that can be easily wound and unwound from the spools 180. Straps can be narrow strips of flexible material capable of withstanding significant tensile loads. In some embodiments, the flexible members 212 can be thin flat members made, in whole or in part, of metal (e.g., metal strands or wires), polymers (e.g., nylon), rubber, or the like. The width of the straps can be equal to or greater than about 2 times the thickness of the straps to minimize, limit, or substantially prevent unwanted twisting during winding and/or unwinding. Each spool 180 has a channel with a width that is slightly greater than the width of the respective strap. Each strap can therefore be uniformly wound about one of the spools 180. In other embodiments, the flexible members 212 are cables. The term “cable” is broadly construed to include, without limitation, a belt, wire, rope (including a rope made of strands of fiber or wire), or band of material suitable for withstanding significant tensile loads. The lengths of the cables and types of cables can be selected to achieve the desired distance of travel of the platform assembly.
A plurality of posts 192a, 192b, 192c, 192d (collectively 192) of the platform assembly 120 extend outwardly from the platform base 126. Each post 192 can be an adjustable post (e.g., a telescoping post) or a fixed length post. The illustrated posts 192 are adjustable and include pins 200 (
Referring again to
Referring to
The upper ends 193 of the posts 192 can be spaced from and below the alignment members 210 when the platform assembly 120 is in the lowered position, as shown in
Referring to
The storage system 100 can include one or more sensors to facilitate proper operation. Referring again to
The brackets 340a, 340c of
Locking mechanisms can be incorporated into the storage systems to limit or prevent unwanted lowering of the platform assembly.
Various types of platform bases can be used alone or in combination with a frame, such as the frame 196 illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment of
The support members 612 can be generally similar to each other and, accordingly, the following description of one of the members applies equally to the others, unless indicated otherwise. The illustrated member 612a of
As shown in
As shown in
The holder 740d of
In some embodiments, including the illustrated embodiment of
Various types of fences can be used to provide the desired path of travel of the guide 770d. The fence 900 can be in the form of an outwardly extending strip (illustrated in
Referring to
The cover 1030 can be moved to the open position 1032 to access the portion of the strap 1012 within the alignment member 1010, to thread the strap 1012 through the member 1020, or the like. The cover 130 extends across an opening of the housing 1034 when in the closed position. In some embodiments, the cover 1030 is rotatably coupled to the fixed bracket 1040 by a pin 1042. The cover 1030 can swing outwardly away from the main body 1034, as indicated by the arrow 1051 of
In some embodiments, the alignment member 1010 has a one-piece construction. For example, the alignment member 1010 can be a unitary tubular member having a passageway sized to receive the elongate member 1012. Thus, the alignment member 1010 can have a one-piece construction or multi-piece construction.
The storage systems disclosed herein can include one or more positioning mechanisms, such as leveling mechanisms, to adjust the orientation of the platform assemblies. Leveling mechanisms can be used to keep the platform assemblies generally level to minimize, limit, or substantially prevent items on platforms from shifting, falling, or sliding as the platform assembly is lowered and raised. In some embodiments, the leveling mechanism can independently raise and lower corners of the platform assembly, even when the platform assembly is suspended under the mounting assembly. In some embodiments, the leveling mechanism can be used to incrementally adjust the position the platform assembly. The leveling mechanism(s), in some embodiments, can be proximate to the platform assemblies. In some embodiments, the leveling mechanism(s) are contained within the platform assemblies or integrated into the platform assemblies.
The retainer 1102 of
One or more of the leveling mechanisms can be operated to position the platform assembly during installation. If the base 1122 becomes incorrectly positioned (e.g., the base 1122 is at a significant angle of inclination), the user can use one or more of the retainers 1102 to reposition the platform assembly. A carpenter's leveler can be used to ensure that the platform assembly is within a desired angle of inclination, such that the base 1122 is generally level.
Referring to
The rod 1204 can be a threaded rod with external threads that mate with internal threads of the retainer 1202. The rod 1204 is rotatable with respect to the base 1210, which can be fixedly coupled to a tubular outer body 1213 of the post 1224. The rod 1204 extends through the retainer 1202 and translates axially along the outer body 1213 as the rod 1204 is rotated. The illustrated retainer 1202 is in the form of a clamp that has a jaw capable of compressing the flexible member to fixedly couple the retainer 1202 to the flexible elongate member.
The storage systems can have a wide range of different types of controllers for operating the activatable drive systems or other components. Controllers can generally include, without limitation, one or more central processing units, processing devices, microprocessors, digital signal processors, central processing units, processing devices, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSP), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), readers, and the like. To store information (e.g., a drying program), the controller can also include, without limitation, one or more storage elements, such as volatile memory, non-volatile memory, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and the like. A controller can be programmed based on the desired speed for raising and/or lowering the platform assemblies, positioning of the platform assemblies, or the like. The controller can store one or more programs for controlling the operation of the activatable drive systems and can be connected to the activatable drive systems via a cord. In other embodiments, the controller can communicate wirelessly with the activatable drive system.
All patents and publications mentioned herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. Except as described herein, the embodiments, features, systems, devices, materials, methods and techniques described herein may, in some embodiments, be similar to any one or more of the embodiments, features, systems, devices, materials, methods and techniques described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,435,105; 6,715,427; and 7,152,535. For example, the elongate members 612 of
A skilled artisan will recognize the interchangeability of various features from different embodiments disclosed herein. Components can be mixed and matched, or even omitted, to form the desired storage systems. Similarly, the various features and acts discussed above, as well as other known equivalents for each such feature or act, can be mixed and matched by one of ordinary skill in this art to perform methods in accordance with principles described herein.
Although the invention has been disclosed in the context of certain embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. Accordingly, the invention is not intended to be limited by the specific disclosures of preferred embodiments herein.
Claims
1. A storage apparatus, comprising:
- a mounting assembly including a plurality of brackets, an activatable drive system having a rotatable shaft with a plurality of spools, and a plurality of flexible elongate members connected to corresponding spools of the activatable drive system;
- a platform assembly including a platform base for supporting items, the plurality of elongate members extending generally perpendicularly from the platform base and supported by rollers connected to the brackets such that the platform assembly is movable between a raised position to lock the platform assembly to the mounting assembly and a lowered position to suspend the platform assembly under the mounting assembly by the plurality of elongate members, the platform base being substantially level as the platform assembly is moved between the raised position and the lowered position; and
- a leveling mechanism operable to adjust the orientation of the platform base with respect to the mounting assembly while the platform assembly is suspended under the mounting assembly.
2. The storage apparatus of claim 1, wherein the platform base is a generally rectangular base having four corners, and each elongate member extends between one of the corners and the mounting assembly.
3. The storage apparatus of claim 1, wherein the leveling mechanism is carried within the platform assembly and coupled to at least one of the flexible elongate members.
4. A storage system, comprising:
- a reconfigurable mounting assembly adapted to couple to at least one joist, the mounting assembly including an activatable drive system and a plurality of flexible members; and
- a platform assembly including a base and at least one post extending upwardly from the base, the plurality of flexible members extend between the drive system and the platform assembly such that the drive system is capable of moving the platform assembly between a raised position to disengage the at least one post from the mounting assembly and to engage the at least one post with the mounting assembly and a lowered position to suspend the platform assembly under the mounting assembly via the plurality of flexible members.
5. The storage system of claim 4, wherein each of the flexible members is a strap wound about a shaft of the activatable drive system.
6. The storage system of claim 4, further comprising a leveling mechanism operable to adjust an orientation of the base with respect to the mounting assembly while the platform assembly is suspended from the mounting assembly.
7. The storage system of claim 4, further comprising means for leveling the platform assembly.
8. The storage system of claim 4, wherein an upper end of the at least one post is spaced apart from and below at least one elongate stabilizer of the mounting assembly when the platform assembly is in the lowered position.
9. The storage system of claim 4, wherein the at least one post has an adjustable longitudinal length.
10. The storage system of claim 4, wherein the mounting assembly includes four stabilizers and the at least one post includes four posts positioned with respect to the four stabilizers such that the stabilizers slide into corresponding posts of the platform assembly.
11. The storage system of claim 4, wherein the activatable drive system includes a motor that is capable moving the platform assembly between the raised position and the lowered position when the base supports at least 100 lbs.
12. The storage system of claim 4, wherein the mounting assembly is fixedly coupled to a ceiling of a garage.
13. The storage system of claim 4, wherein the base is a planar deck.
14. The storage system of claim 4, wherein the activatable drive system includes a motor that keeps the platform assembly in the raised position when in an OFF state and that moves the platform assembly when in an ON state.
15. A method comprising:
- coupling a mounting assembly to a ceiling of a garage;
- connecting a platform assembly to the mounting assembly via a plurality of flexible members; and
- moving the platform assembly between an elevated position to fix the platform assembly to the mounting assembly and a lowered position to suspend the platform assembly under the mounting assembly by the plurality of flexible members.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
- leveling the platform assembly using a leveling mechanism after connecting the platform assembly to the mounting assembly.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein moving the platform assembly includes translating a planar deck of the platform assembly between the elevated position and the lowered position.
18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:
- loading items on a planar deck of the platform assembly when the platform assembly is in the lowered position; and
- raising the platform assembly carrying the items to the elevated position to store the items.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein the flexible members are wound about respective spools of a drive system when the platform assembly is moved towards the elevated position.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 14, 2008
Publication Date: Oct 15, 2009
Inventor: Kurt Geffe (Bellevue, WA)
Application Number: 12/271,752
International Classification: A47F 5/08 (20060101); A47F 5/00 (20060101);