GB2506576A

GB2506576A - Overhead storage assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2506576A
Application number: GB1214205.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colm Francis Moran
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-08-08
Filing date: 2012-08-08
Publication date: 2014-04-09
Also published as: GB201214205D0

Abstract

AbstractOverhead storage assemblyAn overhead storage assembly 50 has at least two saddle/u-shaped/c-shaped brackets 1, 6, 14 comprising a central span and a pair of legs extending orthogonally from the central span, arranged to be placed over and hung downwardly from at least one ceiling rafter with the central span uppermost and the legs hanging downwardly each side of the said rafter. The brackets 1, 6, 14 are connected to a support member 2, which is arranged to support an item to be stored by the overhead storage assembly 50 and to removably secure the overhead storage assembly 50 to the ceiling rafter, by an attaching/connecting means 5. The supporting member may take the form of a transverse bar and the attaching means may comprise at least one pair of substantially horizontally aligned holes 5 or slots to receive the bar.

Description

AN OVERHEAD STORAGE ASSEMBLY

Field of the invention

The present application relates to an overhead storage assembly for use in garages, sheds, and the like.

Background to the invention

Garages, sheds, and the like are used to store various bulky items and equipment used in the home and the garden. For security and weather protection, items such as ladders, mowers, and other tools cannot safely be left outside.

is These items are often placed on the floor or leant against walls and so clutter the limited available space. A further inconvenience is accessibility to stored items when needed. A ladder hung on wall hooks may be blocked in by other items stacked or leant against the wall, which is a particular problem if frequent access is required.

Particularly, where garage construction has a pitched roof, space exists above the open horizontal rafters at ceiling heighL This space is sometimes used to store bulkier, infrequently used items such as tents or other specialised gear by straddling two or more rafters. Although not impinging on useful floor or wall space in the main garage area, access can be difficult particularly when lifting large and heavy items up to the rafters and getting them down again, when required. Over possibly long time intervals between storing and needing to retrieve these items, it can also be difficult to remember just where they have been stored.

Known solutions to these storage problems generally comprise floor standing shelving, cupboards, wall mounted hooks, shelves, or brackets.

There are also various fixtures such as hooks and rails which can be screwed into overhead timber beams and rafters. However, many of these solutions have major limitations and can often create new difficulties, such as: i) a loss of floor space where floor-standing units are used, but also by the protrusion of wall-mounted shelving into the garage space; U) a weakening or splitting of structural timbers by drilling or screwing fixtures into them; or, Ui) an inflexibility to adapt to changing needs (for example, in winter, garden furniture may not be needed outside, but in summer storage will often be unnecessary. As well seasonal variations, children growing up, changes in leisure activities and lifestyle will ensure there is a constant shift in what has to be accommodated and for how long).

The storage device of the present invention aims to overcome or to substantially mitigate at least some of the above limitations.

Statements of invention

1. Accordingly to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an overhead storage assembly comprising: at least two brackets arranged to engage with at least one ceiling rafter of a structure, each bracket comprising a central span and a pair of legs extending substantially orthogonal to the central span at opposite ends thereof; a supporting member arranged to support an item to be stored by the overhead storage assembly; and, a means for attaching the supporting structure to the pair of legs of each bracket, wherein each bracket is configured to be placed over a ceiling rafter with the central span uppermost and the pair of legs hanging downwardly either side of the ceiling rafter and the bracket being held in position on the ceiling rafter by the supporting member to removably secure the overhead storage assembly to the at least one ceiling rafter.

This configuration enables the overage storage assembly to be dismantled, reconfigured, repositioned or removed whenever required in a straightforward manner and avoids the need to permanently fix or screw the overhead storage assembly to the ceiling rafters of the structure, which could result in damage to or a weakening of the ceiling rafters.

Preferably, the supporting member may comprise a transverse bar extending between the at least two brackets.

The means for attaching the supporting member to each bracket may comprise at least one pair of substantially horizontally aligned holes arranged to receive the transverse bar.

Is Alternatively, the means for attaching the supporting member to each bracket comprises at least one pair of substantially horizontally aligned downward sloping slots arranged to receive the transverse bar. The downward sloping slots improve the ease in which the transverse bar can be secured to and removed from the brackets.

Alternatively, the means for attaching the supporting member to each bracket comprises a combination of at least one pair of substantially horizontally aligned holes and at least one pair of substantially horizontally aligned downward sloping slots, the pair of holes and the pair of slots each being arranged to receive the transverse bar.

Preferably, the transverse bar is cylindrical. The fact that the transverse bar is cylindrical means that it is free to rotate in the holes or the slots of the brackets when the item to be stored by the overhead storage assembly is pushed into a storage position.

Preferably, the transverse bar is extendable. The fact that the transverse bar is extendable means that it can be held in position using three or more brackets placed over a single ceiling rafter or multiple ceiling rafters.

Preferably, the legs of the brackets are extendable. The fact that the legs of the brackets are extendable means that the height at which the storage position can be adjusted.

List of figures Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an overhead Is storage assembly in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an overhead storage assembly in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 3 is an underneath view of the overhead storage assembly of Fig. 1 and/or Fig.2; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a ladder being mounted on the rafters of a garage using the overhead storage assembly of Fig. 2; and, Fig. 5 is a side view of a ladder mounted on the rafters of a garage using the overhead storage assembly of Fig. 2.

Specific description

Fig. 1 shows an overhead storage assembly 50 comprising a pair of saddle brackets 1 and a substantially horizontal tube 2. The saddle brackets 1 are metallic, preferably manufactured from steel or aluminium but alternative materials offering similar strength characteristics may also be used, and are shaped to hang from a standard 38x73mm timber rafter 3. Each saddle bracket 1 is 40mm wide and has two 300mm long legs 4 joined by a 40mm span to sit on top of the rafter 3 with the legs 4 hanging down either side of it. For each saddle bracket 1 there are three pairs of openings 5 opposite each other on the legs 4 through which the tube 2 can be passed. The position of the tube 2 with respect to the saddle bracket 1 can be adjusted to vary the height at which items can be stored by using different pairs of openings 5.

Three variants of the overhead storage assembly 50 are described herein.

Fig. 1 shows the first variant of the overhead storage assembly 50 comprising a pair of captive saddle brackets 1 each with three pairs of openings 5, so that when the tube 2 is passed through the openings 5, the saddle brackets 1 are locked round the rafter 3, and the tube 2 can only be introduced (or removed) by feeding it in from (or withdrawing from) one of the sides of the saddle brackets 1.

Fig. 2 shows the second variant of the overhead storage assembly 50 comprising a pair of combined saddle brackets 6. Each combined saddle bracket 6 includes a combination of a pair of openings 5 and two pairs of downward sloping slots 7. The slots 7 are positioned on the legs 4 of the saddle bracket 6 below the openings 5. The slots 7 can be accessed from the front of the saddle bracket 6. The saddle bracket 6 is locked round the rafter 3 by feeding the tube 2 through the openings 5 from the side of the saddle brackets 6 or by placing the tube 2 in two adjacent pairs of slots 7 on two adjacent saddle brackets. The tube 2 can be removed from the slots 7 by being lifted upwards and forwards through the slots 7.

The third variant of the saddle bracket is an open saddle bracket (not shown) comprising three pairs of downward sloping slots.

The tube 2 is metallic and is preferably manufactured from steel or aluminium although other materials with similar strength characteristics are envisaged. The tube 2 is cylindrical having a diameter of 20mm and a length of between 0.75m and 1 m. The tube 2 forms a support rail when held in place by either two saddle brackets 1, 6 on adjacent rafters 3, or using an insert 8 (see Fig. 1) to run at right angles to the transverse tubes 2 io between two rafters 3.

The insert 8 is a metallic inner sleeve preferably manufactured from steel or aluminium. The insert 8 comprises three sides, each with three holes 9 to align with the openings 5 and/or the slots 7 of the saddle brackets 1, 6.

is The insert 8 fits between the legs 4 of the saddle brackets 1, 6, and is held in position either by the tube 2 or a retaining pin (not shown) or a bolt (not shown) passing through the openings 5 or the slots 7 of the saddle brackets 1, 6 and the holes 9 of the insert 8. A second tube 10 (see Fig. 3) can then be supported by passing through one of the holes 9 of the insert 8 at right angles to the transverse tube 2 connecting the adjacent saddle brackets 1, 6. This enables the tube 10, supported at either end by two inserts 8 secured by saddle brackets 1, 6 which are hung from the same rafter 3, to form a rail aligned with and running below the rafter 3. The tube may also a be metallic tube, preferably made from steel or aluminium or a material with similar strength characteristics.

The overhead storage assembly 50 is designed to provide a support structure utilising open overhead rafters 3 in the ceiling area of domestic garages and the like. A key component is the saddle bracket 1, 6, which can be placed over a rafter and used without any drilling, fixing or alterations to the structure or rafter 3 which supports it. The tubes 2, 10 each of which is supported between two saddle brackets 1, 6, serve to lock the brackets 1, 6 in position and form rails on which items for storage can be suspended in the available space between ceiling and head height of the garage.

Because the overhead storage assembly 50 is not permanently fixed or screwed in position, it can simply be dismantled, reconfigured, repositioned or removed whenever required. This also means that there is no risk of damage to or weakening of the timber structure of the garage itself.

The insert 8 allows the formation of rails suspended from and running parallel to the underside of rafters 3 from which other items can be suspended, or which can provide anchor points for additional supports for larger items suspended between two tubes 2, 10.

Fig. 3 illustrates possible applications of the overhead storage assembly 50 in a typical single garage.

The descriptions and illustrations here are concerned with the key elements and components of the overhead storage assembly 50. It would be apparent to those skilled in the art that the key elements and components could be configured in various different ways Furthermore, there are numerous possible applications and scope for utilising additional components and accessories not illustrated herein. Such applications and additional components may comprise a steel cable, attached by rings or hooks to the rails, which could replace or complement the tubes 2, 10 as supports under irregular shaped items to be suspended by the overhead storage assembly 50. Manual or power operated pulleys could be used to hoist heavier objects up to rafter height. Moreover, the overhead storage assembly 50 may further include a flat table top panel to create a worktop surface to be lowered for use and raised to rafter height when not required.

A flexible "hammock" in which smaller items and tools could be held in pockets and collectively stored at rafter height could also be used in combination with the overhead storage assembly 50.

Fig. 4 illustrates the overhead storage assembly 50 comprising combined saddle brackets 6 being used to store a ladder 11. In this example, two saddle brackets 6 are placed over adjacent rafters 3, and a first tube 2 passed through upper openings 5 to form a rail between the rafters 3. The ladder 11, with base 12 resting on the floor, is raised so the top end 13 can io be rested against the rail.

Two additional combined saddle brackets 14 are placed further along the same rafters 3 at a position of roughly about 80% of the length of the ladder 11 from the position of the saddle brackets 6 against which the top end 13 of the ladder 11 is rested (see Fig. 5).

Now the base 12 of the ladder 11 is lifted from the floor and raised until it is between the additional saddle brackets 14. A second tube 15 placed in the slots 7 into either the middle or lower positions of the additional saddle brackets 14 from beneath the lower end 12 of the ladder 11. The ladder 11 is then supported at both ends 12, 13 by the tubes 2, 15 across the two pairs of saddle brackets 6, 14 It will be apparent that the storage assembly described herein may be implemented with combinations of openings and/or slots other than those described herein. Also, although the above examples refer to pairs of saddle brackets mounted on adjacent rafters, it should be understood that it is not essential for the saddle brackets to be on adjacent rafters and one or more un-used rafters may be located between the pair of saddle brackets, depending upon the length of the tube 2. Furthermore, a single saddle bracket may be used in combination with two or more additional saddle brackets to provide more complex arrangements of rails at multiple orientations and heights. Moreover, where the insert 8 is used, the pair of saddle brackets may be mounted at different distances along a single rafter.

Claims

2. An overhead storage assembly comprising: at least two brackets arranged to engage with at least one ceiling rafter of a structure, each bracket comprising a central span and a pair of legs extending substantially orthogonal to the central span at opposite ends thereof; a supporting member arranged to support an item to be stored by the overhead storage assembly; and, io a means for attaching the supporting structure to the pair of legs of each bracket, wherein each bracket is configured to be placed over a ceiling rafter with the central span uppermost and the pair of legs hanging downwardly either side of the ceiling rafter and the bracket being held is in position on the ceiling rafter by the supporting member to removably secure the overhead storage assembly to the at least one ceiling rafter.
3. An overhead storage assembly according to claim 1, wherein the supporting member comprises a transverse bar adapted to extend between the at least two brackets.
4. An overhead storage assembly according to claim 2, wherein the means for attaching the supporting member to each bracket comprises at least one pair of substantially horizontally aligned holes arranged to receive the transverse bar.
5. An overhead storage assembly according to claim 2, wherein the means for attaching the supporting member to each bracket comprises at least one pair of substantially horizontally aligned downward sloping slots arranged to receive the transverse bar.
6. An overhead storage assembly according to claim 2, wherein the means for attaching the supporting member to each bracket comprises a combination of at least one pair of substantially horizontally aligned holes and at least one pair of substantially horizontally aligned slots, the pair of holes and the pair of slots each being arranged to receive the transverse bar.
7. An overhead storage assembly according to claims 2 to 5, wherein io the transverse bar is cylindrical.
8. An overhead storage assembly according to claims 2 to 6, wherein the transverse bar is extendable.is
9. An overhead storage assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the legs of the brackets are extendable.
10. An overhead storage assembly substantially as described herein with reference to Fig. 1.
11. An overhead storage assembly substantially as described herein with reference to Fig. 2.