GB2547659A

GB2547659A - Space saving storage device

Info

Publication number: GB2547659A
Application number: GB1603175.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Keicher Terence; Greenlees Keicher Peter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-02-24
Filing date: 2016-02-24
Publication date: 2017-08-30
Anticipated expiration: 2036-02-24
Also published as: GB2547659B; GB201603175D0

Abstract

A space saving storage device 10 for mounting to a ceiling comprises a body portion 11 displaceably mounted to a support portion 12. Means 13, 14 for raising and lowering the body 11 in and out of the support 12 are provided. Projections 15 extend from opposite sides of the support 12. In use, an installer may cut or leave an aperture in the ceiling of a size sufficient for the support portion 12. The device 10 may then be lifted into the gap, at which point the projections 15 may engage rafters 18 on opposite sides of the hole to hold the support 12 in the attic. The projections 15 may be biased outwardly into an extended position, being forced inward as their upper surface abuts the ceiling and pivoting to engage the joists 18 once they have sufficiently passed through the aperture.

Description

SPACE SAVING STORAGE DEVICE

This invention relates to a space saving storage device.

Many dwellings have rooms which are too small to accommodate the types of furniture needed for everyday living. Also some people prefer not to have too much furniture in a room, so as to make it look less cramped and cluttered.

With the foregoing in mind, it has been proposed to provide space saving storage devices which comprise a body portion that defines a storage area mounted to a support frame that can be set in a ceiling and means connected between the frame and body for raising and lowering the body into and out of the ceiling. Examples of such devices are disclosed in GB2496880 and GB2460702. Normally the body portion is raised, so that it occupies a space that would normally be unused in the ceiling void or roof space. The body can be lowered into the room when a person needs to take something out of or place something into the body portion. A disadvantage of such devices is that they are difficult to mount in existing ceilings without considerable amount of building work. Hence, such devices are normally fitted in-situ during construction of the building. I have now devised an improved space saving storage device.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a space saving storage device comprising a body portion that defines a storage area displaceably mounted to a support portion for setting in a ceiling, means being provided for raising the body portion into and lowering it out of the support portion, wherein projections extend from opposite sides of the support portion to engage respective rafters of the ceiling when the support portion is fitted in-situ.

In use, an installer simply has to cut or leave an aperture in the ceiling of a size sufficient for the support portion. The device is then lifted into the aperture, at which point the projections engage respective rafters on opposite sides of the aperture and hold the support portion in-situ. In this manner, the device can easily be installed into a ceiling.

In one embodiment, means are provided for extending the projections once the support portion is in-situ.

In a preferred embodiment, the projections are normally biased outwardly into an extended position, the projections being arranged to displace inwardly as an upper surface thereof abuts the ceiling, the projections being arranged to return to the extended position under the applied biased once the projections have sufficiently passed through the ceiling. This arrangement makes the device extremely easy to install because an installer simply has to lift the support portion into place, whereupon the projections extend to engage the rafters without the installer having to enter the ceiling or to perform any other operation.

Preferably a plurality of projections are provided on opposite sides of the support portion. Preferably each opposite side comprises two or more projections.

Preferably the projections are mounted in respective apertures formed in the opposite sides of the support portion.

Preferably the projections are pivotally mounted to the support portion for downwards movement against the applied bias.

Preferably each projection comprises an upper surface which, when extended, extends outwardly and downwardly to provide a camming surface which abuts the ceiling and causes the projection to be displaced inwardly against the applied bias as the support portion is lifted into situ.

Preferably each projection comprises a lower surface which extends perpendicular to the respective opposite side of the support portion. In use, the lower surface rests on the upper surface of the rafter.

Preferably each projection is provided with a downwardly-extending foot member, which can be displaced into a position to set the desired attitude of the support portion in the ceiling: this is useful when the upper surfaces of the opposed rafters do not lie in the same horizontal plane along their length.

Also in accordance with this invention, there is provided a method of installing a space saving storage device as hereinbefore defined in a ceiling, the method comprising forming an aperture in the ceiling between adjacent rafters, lifting the support portion of the device upwardly into the aperture until the projections engage respective rafters on opposite sides of the aperture.

Most modern dwellings comprise rafters which are spaced apart by a set uniform amount. An installer simply has to form an aperture which extends entirely between the rafters. The width of the support portion is set to be slightly less than the known rafter spacing and thus mounting the device in-situ is an extremely simple operation.

Preferably the projections are displaced inwardly as the support portion is lifted through the aperture in the ceiling, the projections then being displaced outwardly under the applied bias once they have passed through the ceiling.

The support portion maybe fitted into the ceiling with the body portion either disconnected or in its lowered position: in this way, an installer only has to lift the support portion and therefore the device is much easier to install.

It will be appreciated that the aperture in the ceiling may not exactly conform to the shape of the support portion and thus the ceiling could look unsightly if there is a gap along one or more sides of the support portion. Thus, the method may further comprise fitting a frame or frame members around or against the support portion to conceal the gap.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view from one side of a space saving storage device in accordance with the present invention, shown fitted between two rafters;

Figure 2 is a perspective view from below of the space saving storage device of Figure 1, when fitted into a ceiling; and

Figures 3A to 3C are sequential side views of a projection of the space saving storage device of Figure 1, illustrating how the projection engages with the ceiling.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a space saving storage device 10 comprising a body portion 11 that defines a storage area. The device also comprises a support portion 12 for mounting in a ceiling. The support portion 12 is boxed-shaped in construction and comprises an open bottom wall. The body portion 11 is connected to the support portion 12 by a chain, rope or other extendable member 13 connected to a motor 14.

Opposite side walls of the support portion 12 comprise a pair of projections 15 at their lower ends, which are pivotally mounted at their inner ends inside an aperture 16 in the side wall of the support portion 12. The upper surface 15A of the projection 15 extends outwardly and downwardly from the support portion 12 to form a camming surface. The bottom surface 15B of the projection extends substantially perpendicular to the side wall of the support portion 12. A typical ceiling 16 comprises an array of plasterboards 17 fixed to the underside of a plurality of rafters 18. The rafters 18 are normally set at a standard spacing and the support portion 12 is configured such that the distance between its opposite side walls is slightly less than the spacing.

In order to install the space saving storage device 10, an aperture is formed in the ceiling 16 between an adjacent pair of rafters 18, the width of the aperture extending fully between the rafters and being of a sufficient length to accommodate the support portion 12. The support portion 12 is relatively light in construction and can easily be lifted into the aperture single-handedly. The support portion 12 is inserted into the aperture until the upper surfaces 15A of the projections 15 abut the underside of the ceiling at 16, whereupon continued insertion of the support portion 12 into the aperture causes the projections 15 to pivot inwardly as shown in Figure 3A. The support portion 12 is then inserted further into the aperture until the projections 15 are able to return to their original extended position under an applied spring bias, as shown in Figure 3B. The support portion 12 is then lowered slightly to bring the bottom surface 15B of the projections 15 into contact with the upper surface of the rafters 18, as shown in Figure 3C.

It will be appreciated that the support portion 12 is now wedged in the ceiling 15 and is held in-situ by the influence of gravity. If necessary, the support portion 12 or the projections 15 can be fastened to the rafters 18 by screws or other fastenings. In the embodiment shown, each projection comprises a screw-threaded foot which extends downwardly from the bottom surface 15B thereof. The feet 19 can be adjusted to set the level of the support portion 12, for example if the upper surfaces of the rafters 18 do not lie in the same horizontal plane along their length. A frame 20 can then be fitted around the support portion 12 to conceal any gap between the support portion 12 and the ceiling 16.

The body portion can then be raised and lowered into and out of the support portion 12 by actuating the motor 14. A space saving storage device in accordance with the present invention is simple and inexpensive in construction and can easily and quickly be fitted in-situ.

Claims

1. A space saving storage device comprising a body portion that defines a storage area dispiaceably mounted to a support portion for setting in a ceiling, means being provided for raising the body portion into and lowering it out of the support portion, wherein projections extend from opposite sides of the support portion to engage respective rafters of the ceiling when the support portion is fitted in-situ.

2. A space saving storage device as claimed in claim 1, in which means are provided for extending the projections once the support portion is fitted in-situ.

3. A space saving storage device as claimed in claim 1, in which the projections are normally biased outwardly into an extended position, the projections being arranged to displace inwardly as an upper surface thereof abuts the ceiling, the projections being arranged to return to the extended position under the applied biased once the projections have sufficiently passed through the ceiling.

4. A space saving storage device as claimed in claim 3, in which the projections are pivotally mounted to the support portion for downwards movement against the applied bias.

5. A space saving storage device as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, in which each projection comprises an upper surface which, when extended, extends outwardly and downwardly to provide a camming surface which abuts the ceiling and causes the projection to be displaced inwardly against the applied bias as the support portion is lifted into situ.

6. A space saving storage device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a plurality of projections are provided on opposite sides of the support portion.

7. A space saving storage device as claimed in claim 6, in which each opposite side comprises two or more projections.

8. A space saving storage device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the projections are mounted in respective apertures formed in the opposite sides of the support portion.

9. A space saving storage device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each projection comprises a lower surface which extends perpendicular to the respective opposite side of the support portion.

10. A space saving storage device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each projection is provided with a downwardly-extending foot member, which can be displaced into a position to set the desired attitude of the support portion in the ceiling.

11. A space saving storage device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A method of installing a space saving storage device as claimed in any preceding claim defined in a ceiling, the method comprising forming an aperture in the ceiling between adjacent rafters, lifting the support portion of the device upwardly into the aperture until the projections engage respective rafters on opposite sides of the aperture.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, comprising forming an aperture which extends entirely between the rafters.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13, comprising displacing the projections inwardly as the support portion is lifted through the aperture in the ceiling, the projections then being displaced outwardly under an applied bias once they have passed through the ceiling.

15. A method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 14, comprising lifting the support portion into the ceiling with the body portion disconnected.

16. A method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 14, comprising lifting the support portion into the ceiling with the body portion in a lowered position.

17. A method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 14, comprising fitting a frame or frame members around or against the support portion to conceal any gap between the support portion and the ceiling.

18. A method of installing a space saving storage device, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.