TELESCOPIC STORAGE DEVICE
A device having vertically mobile shelves facilitating the storage of a container having an internal predetermined height and having an open upper surface of the trunk, suitcase, chest, drawer-type and the like, said device being characterized in that: at least one horizontal shelf is linked to at lest one vertical sliding means comprising at least three sliding segments which are fixed to the container at the lower segment, such that the said device can move between: a folded position, in which the height of the device is less than the predetermined height of the container, by folding of the sliding means, such that the shelves are close to one another in the container and allow storage of a content; and an unfolded position, in which the height of the device is greater than the predetermined height of the container, by extending the sliding means, such that the shelves are heightened and spread to allow handling of the content.
This application is a National Phase Entry of International Application No. PCT/FR2007/001890, filed Nov. 19, 2007, which claims priority to French Patent Application Nos. FR 0610195, filed Nov. 22, 2006, and FR 0701337, filed Feb. 26, 2007, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention relates to a storage device having vertically mobile horizontal shelves for a container having a predetermined internal height and an open upper surface.
PRIOR ARTThe containers for the storage of the trunk, suitcase, chest, drawer type and the like have the advantage, contrarily to storage cabinets with shelves, of optimizing their storage capacity by minimizing their global volume and having a limited overall dimension in height. But they are often composed of a unique internal space which is too big to be practical and which impose an empirical and stressing storage method to the user. In addition, their topside opening system induces the restriction in the possibility of viewing the content at the upper layer while limiting the access to the bottom of the container and forbids the installation of horizontal shelves which could facilitate the organization and storage of the content, like in a cabinet with shelves, by dividing the internal volume into several storage spaces.
The patent US no 2006/0000681 assigned to BARKER DEBORAH provides an attempt to organize the inside of a suitcase with mobile shelves. It discloses a set of horizontal shelves linked through gusseted elements to structures composing the body of the suitcase composed of two sliding segments and the capacity of extension of which is limited to the double of their folded length, which allows an elevation and a limited spreading of the shelves. Such a system, however, imposes the suitcase: a cubic shape, an additional opening system by disassembling the front side panel to access the lower storage spaces and a strict limitation of the number of shelves because of the small spreading amplitude obtained which makes it particularly unsuitable for the flat shape of suitcases of the common type and more generally to all the containers, the unique opening of which is on the upper face. It would then be advantageous to solve these problems with a device adapted to this type of container providing both reduced dimensions in height for the storage and a direct and easy access to the whole content for a facilitated storage.
SUMMARYTo solve one or several of the above mentioned drawbacks, a telescopic storage device for a container having a predetermined internal height and an open upper face includes:
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- at least one vertical sliding means composed of at least three rigid sliding segments, said sliding means being fixed to the container by the lowest sliding segment,
- at least one substantially horizontal shelf (or storage rack) linked to said sliding means,
so that said device is mobile between: - a folded position obtained by folding the sliding means in which the height of the device is less than the predetermined internal height of the container so that at least one shelf divides the internal volume of said container into several storage gaps and in that each storage gap allows the storage of at least one content,
- an unfolded position obtained by extending the sliding means wherein the height of the device is greater than the predetermined internal height of the container so that each shelf is heightened along said sliding means and in that the height of at least one storage gap is increased and in that each storage gap is accessible to allow the handling of each content.
Characteristics of particular embodiments are as follows:
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- The device includes several shelves linked to one another by at least one linking element of a flexible nature, the highest shelf being linked to the top of each sliding means.
- The device includes several shelves linked to one another by at least one linking element of a flexible nature, with the highest shelf being fixed to the top of each sliding means.
- Each shelf is linked through a linking element to the top of a sliding segment of each sliding means so that each linking element is fixed at the lower end thereof to a shelf and at the upper end thereof to the top of a sliding segment which is not fixed to the container.
- The device includes several shelves so that each shelf is linked to a sliding segment lower than an adjacent and higher shelf and so that each linking element linking a designated shelf is longer than each linking element linking an adjacent and upper shelf with respect to the designated shelf.
This linking means makes it possible, among other things, to use linking elements of a rigid nature to link the shelves, which generates a greater stability for the shelves during the extension and folding phases and in both positions defined for the device. - Each sliding means is fixed at the lowest segment thereof to a horizontal plane so that said plane resting on the bottom of the container is fixed to the bottom of the container by an unlockable fixing system.
- Each sliding means is fixed to the container at the lowest sliding segment thereof by an unlockable fixing system.
- The sliding means is composed of hollow sliding segments nested into one another in a telescopic way.
Using this type of sliding means makes it possible, among other things, to reduce the risk of interaction between the content and the sliding segments during the sliding process by avoiding clothes, for example, to be caught between two sliding segments. - The device includes at least two sliding means and said sliding means are fixed together by the highest sliding segment thereof and by means of a linking bar.
This makes it possible, among other things, to unfold and fold the sliding means in a synchronized way. - A shelf is fixed at the top of each sliding means and said shelf is used as a cover by providing the closing of the container in the folded position of said device.
This makes it possible, among other things, for the user to open the container and unfold the device in only one action. - The sliding means include brakes holding it in unfolded position.
Using the devices is thus facilitated by making it possible for the user not to hold the device in unfolded position. - At least one shelf includes at least one hole through which sliding means freely passes.
This makes it possible, for example, to position at the center of the container, sliding means which goes through each shelf by means of a hole.
The invention will be better understood when reading the following description which is only given as an example, and referring to the appended Figures in which, for all the front views, the front of the container is not shown and the container and the cover thereof are shown in a sectional view for a better clarity of the drawings.
Referring to
The sliding means support four horizontal storage racks or shelves. Intermediate or lower shelves are linked to the upper shelf by means of four linking elements 7 such as flexible strings. A content 9 illustrated by a box is positioned on an intermediate shelf. The upper shelf 5 (or upper rack) is fixed to the top of the sliding means by a fixing means 11 such as a screw or a rivet. The shelves are made of a rigid material such as plastic.
The operation of the device is as follows. The user lifting the upper shelf 5 entails the unfolding of the sliding means 3 as well as the lifting and spreading of the various shelves 5,
The unfolded device provides, out of the container, all the internal storage space provided with horizontal shelves with enlarged gaps and thus facilitates the access and the management of the content. Thus in this position, a user has an easy access to each storage gap to handle the content and store, for example, clothes.
When the container 1 must be closed, a reverse mechanical action for example by pressing on the upper shelf, causes the folding of the sliding means and the successive folding of the intermediate shelves. The device is so that the rigid sliding segments are nested into one another and the height of the folded device is smaller than the internal storage height H of the container 3. Thus, the container can be closed by a cover 13,
The lower and intermediate shelves include holes 15 gone through by the telescopic supports, the diameter of which is determined to allow the free sliding of the telescopic supports going there through. Each shelf thus provided with a hole for each sliding means is guided during the folding and unfolding thereof and is stabilized in the unfolded and folded positions of the device. The side panels 17 limit the intermediate shelves on three sides. They are fixed to the shelves at the lower part thereof and are made of a rigid material. Preferably, the sliding means are self locking and allow the holding in high position of the device.
In a variant,
In a second embodiment,
The third embodiment,
In the fourth embodiment,
In the fifth embodiment,
To lower the device,
In the sixth embodiment,
In the seventh embodiment,
In the eighth embodiment,
When the telescopic supports 3 are in the unfolded position,
When a telescopic support is unfolded, the sliding segments thereof slide with respect to each other, which entails the spreading of the upper ends thereof, with each shelf being linked to a different segment, and the unfolding process makes it possible to increase the gaps separating the various shelves and makes it possible to reach the aim of improving accessibility to the various storage spaces by increasing their height. The maximum number of adaptable shelves for this embodiment depends on the number of the sliding segments composing the telescopic supports. The following combined data determine the lifting height of the various shelves 5 and the height of their respective gaps when the telescopic supports 3 are in the unfold position; length of the linking elements 7; length of the telescopic supports 3 and number of the respective sliding segments thereof; selection of the sliding segments which they are linked to.
In the ninth embodiment,
All the linking elements are made of a rigid material which induces specific constraints, as the length of the various linking elements must be determined to allow the complete folding of the telescopic supports. A rigid linking element 7 vertically positioned requests a particular attachment such as an attachment ring 37 which produces a horizontal shifting of the body thereof with respect to the surface of the sliding segment which it is fixed to, in order to eliminate the unduly locking of the body on the linking elements which abut, during the folding of the telescopic support 3, against the angles produced by the differences in the diameter between the various sliding segments. In order to allow the juxtaposition of rigid linking elements 7 and the folding of the telescopic supports 3, the attachment 37 thereof must shift, with respect to each other, the linking elements linking the same telescopic support and create a greater shift for a linking element linking a designated shelf than for a linking element linking a shelf adjacent to and under the designated shelf. The shifting obtained by the attachment rings 37 also makes it possible to position the sliding means 3 out of the container 1 which has notches 38 on the upper edge thereof, in which the fixing rings 37 come to rest when the device in the folded position,
In the tenth embodiment,
In the eleventh embodiment,
The invention has been illustrated and described in details in the drawings and the previous description which can be considered as an illustration given as an example and not as limiting the invention to the description only. Any alternative embodiment is possible.
Characteristics of not shown embodiments are as follows:
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- The shelves are rigid and of a bucket type, their rigid side panels are fixed to the top of the sliding segments and are used as linking elements.
- Linking bars are fixed to the top of the sliding means and each shelf is linked by a linking element to the top of the sliding segment of each sliding means.
- The device has a shelf which is directly fixed to the top of the sliding means as well as linking bars linking the top of the sliding means so that said shelf can be made of a rigid but thin material so as to be light.
- Only one linking element made of a flexible material such as a fabric is fixed on the edges of the side and rear sides of adjacent shelves and provides the linking between said shelves and is also used as a side panel for the shelves. In the claims, the word “including” does not exclude other elements and the article “one or a” does not exclude a plurality.
Claims
1-12. (canceled)
13. A telescopic storage device for a container having a predetermined internal height and having an open upper surface, the device comprising:
- (a) at least a vertical slide comprising at least three rigid sliding segments, said slide being fixed to the container at the lowest sliding segment;
- (b) at least one substantially horizontal shelf linked to said slide so that said device is mobile between: a folded position obtained by folding said slide in which the height of the device is less than the predetermined internal height of the container so that at least one shelf separates the internal volume of the container into several storage gaps each of which for storing at least one content; and an unfolded position obtained by extending said slide in which the height of the device is greater than the predetermined internal height of the container so that each shelf is heightened along said slide the height of at least one storage gap being increased and each storage gap being accessible to allow the handling of each content.
14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the device includes several shelves linked together by at least one linking element of a flexible nature, with the upper shelf being linked to the top of each slide.
15. The device according to claim 13, wherein the device includes several shelves linked together by at least one linking element having a flexible nature, with the upper shelf being fixed to the top of each slide.
16. The device according to claim 13, wherein each shelf is linked through a linking element to the top of a sliding segment of each slide so that each linking element is fixed at the lower end thereof to a shelf and at the upper end thereof to the top of a sliding segment which is not fixed to the container.
17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the device includes several shelves so that each shelf is linked to a sliding segment which is not so high as a higher shelf which is adjacent thereto and so that each linking element linking a designated shelf is longer than each linking element linking an adjacent and higher shelf to said designated shelf.
18. The device according to claim 13, wherein each slide is fixed by the lowest sliding segment thereof to a horizontal plane so that said plane resting on the bottom of the container is fixed to the bottom of the container by means of unlockable fixing means.
19. The device according to claim 13, wherein each slide is fixed to the container by the lowest sliding segment thereof, by an unlockable fixing system.
20. The device according to claim 13, wherein said slide is comprised of hollow sliding segments nested into one another in a telescopic way.
21. The device according to claim 13, wherein the device includes several slides and said slides are fixed to one another by the highest sliding segment thereof and by a linking bar.
22. The device according to claim 13, wherein a shelf is fixed to the top of each slide and said shelf is used as a cover by providing the closing of the container in the folded position of said device.
23. The device according to claim 13, wherein said slide includes brakes holding said slide in the unfolded position.
24. The device according to claim 13, wherein at least one shelf includes at least a hole through which said slide freely passes.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 19, 2007
Publication Date: May 13, 2010
Inventor: Stéphane Fortier (Seugy)
Application Number: 12/515,828
International Classification: A47B 57/06 (20060101);