초록 ▼

An apparatus and system for removably storing storage containers in an area, such as a garage or shed, having one or more overhead area supports, such as a joist, ceiling or the like, so as to position the storage containers below the area supports and above the floor of the area. The apparatus has

An apparatus and system for removably storing storage containers in an area, such as a garage or shed, having one or more overhead area supports, such as a joist, ceiling or the like, so as to position the storage containers below the area supports and above the floor of the area. The apparatus has a container engaging section that holds the container and a mounting section that mounts the apparatus to the area supports. The container engaging section has a static support member and a dynamic support assembly that define a container space for a container. The static support member engages one lip of the container. The dynamic support assembly has a plurality of dynamic supports that move along a rail assembly, each dynamic support has a biasing mechanism that biases a lip engaging device to engage an opposing lip of the container to secure the container in the apparatus.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A container storage apparatus for storing one or more storage containers below one or more area supports, each storage container having a container body with a first lip and a second lip extending outward from opposing walls of the container body, said apparatus comprising: a mounting section hav

1. A container storage apparatus for storing one or more storage containers below one or more area supports, each storage container having a container body with a first lip and a second lip extending outward from opposing walls of the container body, said apparatus comprising: a mounting section having a frame structured and arranged to attach said apparatus to at least one of the one or more area supports, said frame comprising a first lateral frame member at a front side of said apparatus, a second lateral frame member at a back side of said apparatus in spaced apart relation to said first lateral frame member and one or more transverse frame members interconnecting said first lateral frame member and said second lateral frame member; anda container engaging section attached to or integral with said mounting section, said container engaging section structured and arranged to engage the container body so as to position the storage container in a container space of said container engaging section, said container engaging section comprising a static container support member and a dynamic container support assembly that are cooperatively configured to support the storage container in said container space generally below said mounting section, said static container support member attached to or integral with one of said first lateral frame member and said transverse frame members, said dynamic container support assembly having a dynamic support, said dynamic support moveably supported by and engaged with a dynamic support rail assembly so as to dispose said dynamic support in spaced apart relation to said static container support member to define said container space, said dynamic support rail assembly supported by said frame so as to allow said dynamic support to move toward and away from said static container support member, said dynamic support operatively connected to a biasing mechanism that is configured to bias said dynamic support toward said static container support member to engage and support the storage container in said container space, said biasing mechanisms comprising a retractable cable wheel connected to said dynamic support by an elongated member, said retractable cable wheel structured and arranged to retract said elongated member to bias said dynamic support toward said static container support member so as to engage and support the storage container when the storage container is in said container space. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dynamic support comprises a lip support assembly moveably supported on said dynamic support rail assembly and connected to said biasing mechanism so as to be biased by said biasing mechanism toward said static container support member. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said static container support member has a lip engaging member sized and configured to engagedly support the first lip of the container body and said lip support assembly has a lip engaging device sized and configured to engagedly support the second lip of the container body to securely hold the storage container between said lip engaging member of said static container support member and said lip engaging device of said lip support assembly so as to removably support the storage container. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dynamic support comprises a moving mechanism configured to moveably engage said dynamic support rail assembly so as to move said dynamic support toward or away from said static container support member along said dynamic support rail assembly. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein each of said dynamic supports further comprises one or more support plates interconnecting said moving mechanism and a lip support assembly. 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said moving mechanism comprises one or more track engaging devices moveably engaged with said dynamic support rail assembly. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said one or more track engaging devices are structured and arranged to moveably engage a track defined by said dynamic support rail assembly. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first lateral frame member and said second lateral frame member have an upper surface configured to be attached to the one or more area supports. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a locking system, said locking system structured and arranged to engage said dynamic container support assembly and prevent movement of said dynamic support along said dynamic support rail assembly so as to prevent removal of the storage container from said container space of said apparatus. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said locking system comprises an elongated locking member, a handle connected to said locking member and one or more wheel engaging members fixedly mounted on said locking member, each of said wheel engaging members configured to engage said biasing mechanism associated with said dynamic support so as to prevent movement of said dynamic support along said dynamic support rail assembly, said handle configured to pivot said locking member and place said wheel engaging member in engagement with said biasing mechanism. 11. A container storage apparatus for storing a plurality of storage containers below one or more area supports, said apparatus comprising: a container engaging section structured and arranged to engage a first lip and a second lip of a container body of at least one of the plurality of storage containers so as to position the at least one of the plurality of storage containers in a container space of said container engaging section, the first lip and the second lip disposed on opposing walls of the container body, said container engaging section comprising a static container support member and a dynamic container support assembly in spaced apart relation to said static container support member to define said container space therebetween, said static container support member having a lip engaging member sized and configured to engagedly support the first lip of the container body, said dynamic container support assembly having a plurality of dynamic supports, each of said dynamic supports having a lip engaging device and a biasing mechanism, each of said dynamic supports configured to dispose said lip engaging device into said container space, said lip engaging device sized and configured to engagedly support the second lip of the container body, said biasing mechanism configured to bias said lip engaging device toward said lip engaging member of said static container support member to securely hold the at least one of the plurality of storage containers between said lip engaging member of said static container support member and said lip engaging device of one of said plurality of dynamic supports to secure the at least one of the plurality of storage containers in said apparatus; anda mounting section having a frame structured and arranged to attach said apparatus to at least one of the one or more area supports and to support said container engaging section, said frame comprising a first lateral frame member at a front side of said apparatus, a second lateral frame member at a back side of said apparatus in spaced apart relation to said first lateral frame member, one or more transverse frame members interconnecting said first lateral frame member and said second lateral frame member and a central lateral frame member attached to said one or more transverse members between said first lateral frame member and said second lateral frame member, each of said dynamic supports moveably engaged with a dynamic support rail assembly interconnecting said central lateral frame member and said second lateral frame member so as to be biased toward said front side of said apparatus to hold the at least one of the plurality of storage containers in said container space and to be moved toward said back side of said apparatus to place the at least one of the plurality of storage containers in said container space or to remove the at least one of the plurality of storage containers from said container space. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of dynamic supports has a moving mechanism associated with said dynamic support rail assembly and a lip support assembly interconnecting said moving mechanism and said lip engaging device, said moving mechanism configured to moveably engage said dynamic support rail assembly so as to move said lip engaging device toward or away from said lip engaging member. 13. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a locking system, said locking system structured and arranged to engage said dynamic container support assembly and prevent movement of each of said plurality of dynamic supports so as to prevent removal of the plurality of storage containers from said container space of said apparatus. 14. A container storage system, comprising: one or more area supports;a storage container having a container body with a plurality of walls, a first lip on one of said plurality of walls and a second lip on an opposing wall disposed in opposing relation to said one of said plurality of walls, each of said first lip and said second lip extending outward from said container body; andan apparatus for storing said storage container below said one or more area supports, said apparatus having a container engaging section and a mounting section,said container engaging section structured and arranged to engage said first lip and said second lip of said container body of said storage container so as to position said storage container in a container space of said container engaging section, said container engaging section comprising a static container support member and a dynamic container support assembly in spaced apart relation to said static container support member so as to define said container space therebetween, said static container support member having a lip engaging member sized and configured to engagedly support said first lip of said container body, said dynamic container support assembly a dynamic support with a lip engaging device and a biasing mechanism, said dynamic support configured to dispose said lip engaging device in said container space, said lip engaging device sized and configured to engagedly support said second lip of said container body, said biasing mechanism configured to bias said lip engaging device toward said lip engaging member of said static container support member to securely hold the storage container between said lip engaging member of said static container support member and said lip engaging device of said dynamic support so as to removably support said storage container in said apparatus; andsaid mounting section having a frame structured and arranged to attach said apparatus to at least one of said one or more area supports, said frame attached to or integral with said container engaging section to position said dynamic container support assembly in spaced apart relation to said static container support member so as to dispose the storage container below the area supports when the storage container is in said storage space. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein said dynamic support has a moving mechanism associated with said dynamic support rail assembly and a lip support assembly interconnecting said moving mechanism and said lip engaging device, said moving assembly configured to moveably engage said dynamic support rail assembly so as to move said lip engaging device toward or away from said lip engaging member. 16. The system of claim 14 further comprising a locking system, said locking system structured and arranged to engage said dynamic container support assembly and prevent movement of said dynamic support along said said dynamic support rail assembly so as to prevent removal of the storage container from said container space of said apparatus. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein said locking system comprises an elongated locking member, a handle connected to said locking member and one or more wheel engaging members fixedly mounted on said locking member, each of said wheel engaging members configured to engage said biasing mechanism associated with said dynamic support so as to prevent movement of said dynamic support along said dynamic support rail assembly, said handle configured to pivot said locking member and place said wheel engaging member in engagement with said biasing mechanism. 18. A container storage apparatus for storing a storage container below one or more area supports, the storage container having a container body with a first lip and a second lip extending outward from opposing walls of the container body, said apparatus comprising: a mounting section having a frame structured and arranged to attach said apparatus to at least one of the one or more area supports, said frame comprising a first lateral frame member at a front side of said apparatus, a second lateral frame member at a back side of said apparatus in spaced apart relation to said first lateral frame member and one or more transverse frame members interconnecting said first lateral frame member and said second lateral frame member;a container engaging section attached to or integral with said mounting section, said container engaging section structured and arranged to engage the container body so as to position the storage container in a container space of said container engaging section, said container engaging section comprising a static container support member and a dynamic container support assembly that are cooperatively configured to support the storage container in said container space generally below said mounting section, said static container support member attached to or integral with one of said first lateral frame member and said transverse frame members, said dynamic container support assembly having a dynamic support, said dynamic support moveably supported by and engaged with a dynamic support rail assembly so as to dispose said dynamic support in spaced apart relation to said static container support member to define said container space, said dynamic support rail assembly supported by said frame so as to allow said dynamic support to move toward and away from said static container support member; anda locking system, said locking system structured and arranged to engage said dynamic container support assembly and prevent movement of said dynamic support along said dynamic support rail assembly so as to prevent removal of the storage container from said container space of said apparatus, said locking system having an elongated locking member, a handle connected to said locking member and one or more wheel engaging members fixedly mounted on said locking member, each of said wheel engaging members configured to engage said biasing mechanism associated with said dynamic support to prevent movement of said dynamic support along said dynamic support rail assembly, said handle configured to pivot said locking member and place said wheel engaging member in engagement with said biasing mechanism. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said dynamic support comprises a moving mechanism configured to moveably engage said dynamic support rail assembly so as to move said dynamic support toward or away from said static container support member along said dynamic support rail assembly. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said moving mechanism comprises one or more track engaging devices moveably engaged with said dynamic support rail assembly.