Claims
- 1. An overhead storage device comprising a storage container, said storage container comprising at least one sidewall and a bottom wall, a reference plane defined generally parallel to said bottom wall and extending through said at least one sidewall, a frame pivotably connected to said storage container at a first end of said storage container and adapted to be connected to an overhead surface, a motor carried by and within said storage container, a spool carried by and within said storage container opposite said pivot axis, said spool having an axis generally parallel to said pivot axis, a transmitter surrounding said spool connecting said motor to said frame, said motor, said spool and said transmitter capable of controllably pivoting said storage container relative to said frame such that the reference plane moves between a generally horizontal position and a generally vertical position.
- 2. The overhead storage device of claim 1, wherein said transmitter has a first end in fixed relation to the overhead surface and said portion surrounding said spool is capable of being wound around said motorized spool so that rotation of said motorized spool in a first direction further winds said transmitter onto said spool thereby pivoting said storage container toward said generally horizontal position and rotation of said motorized spool in a second direction unwinds said transmitter from said spool thereby pivoting said storage container toward said generally vertical position.
- 3. The overhead storage device of claim 2, wherein said spool is located on a side of a longitudinal midline of the storage container opposite a pivot axis of the storage container.
- 4. The overhead storage device of claim 1 further comprising at least one roller mounted in fixed relation to said frame and said transmitter, said transmitter having a first end fixed to said storage container on a side of a longitudinal midline of said storage container opposite said spool and said transmitter being routed over said roller so that rotation of said spool in a first direction winds said transmitter onto said spool thereby pivoting said storage container toward said generally horizontal position and so that rotation of said spool in a second direction unwinds said transmitter from said spool thereby pivoting said storage container toward said generally vertical position.
- 5. The overhead storage device of claim 4, wherein said spool is located adjacent a pivot axis of said storage container and said first end of said transmitter is fixed to said storage container adjacent an opposite end of said storage container.
- 6. The overhead storage device of claim 1, wherein said spool is attached to said storage container and a transmitter loop formed by said transmitter has a first end fixed to said storage container on a side of a longitudinal midline of said storage container opposite said spool, a roller is mounted in fixed relation to said frame, said transmitter loop is routed over said roller so that rotation of said spool in a first direction further winds said transmitter onto said spool thereby decreasing the size of said transmitter loop and pivoting said storage container toward said generally horizontal position and so that rotation of said spool in a second direction unwinds said transmitter from said spool thereby decreasing the size of said transmitter loop and pivoting said storage container toward said generally vertical position.
- 7. The overhead storage device of claim 6, wherein said spool is located adjacent a pivot axis of said storage container and said first end of said transmitter is fixed to said storage container adjacent an opposite end of said storage container.
- 8. The overhead storage device of claim 1 further comprising a set of switches positioned to define a range of movement of said storage container.
- 9. The overhead storage device of claim 8, wherein said set of switches comprises at least one limit switch.
- 10. The overhead storage device of claim 9, wherein said at least one limit switch is mounted to said overhead surface.
- 11. The overhead storage device of claim 1, wherein said storage container comprises two portions that are joined together.
- 12. The overhead storage device of claim 11, wherein said storage container is manufactured from a resin-based material.
- 13. The overhead storage device of claim 11, wherein said storage container is manufactured from a plastic material.
- 14. An overhead storage assembly comprising a storage container comprising at least one sidewall and a bottom wall, said storage container defining a reference plane that extends generally parallel to said bottom wall and through said at least one sidewall, a frame pivotally connected to said storage container and adapted to be connected to an overhead surface, a motor carried by said storage container opposite said first end, a transmitter connecting said motor to said frame, said motor and said transmitter bring capable of controllably pivoting said storage container relative to said frame such that said reference plane moves between a generally horizontal position and a generally vertical position, and said motor being located within said container in said generally vertical position.
- 15. The overhead storage assembly of claim 14 further comprising a spool that is operatively connect to said motor, said transmitter having a first end in fixed relation to the overhead surface and a portion wound around said spool so that rotation of said motorized spool in a first direction further winds said transmitter onto said spool thereby pivoting said storage container toward said generally horizontal position and rotation of said spool in a second direction unwinds said transmitter from said spool thereby pivoting said storage container toward said generally vertical position.
- 16. The overhead storage assembly of claim 15, wherein said spool is located on a side of a longitudinal midline of the storage container opposite a pivot axis of the storage container.
- 17. The overhead storage assembly of claim 14 further comprising a spool that is operatively connected to said motor and attached to said storage container, at least one roller is mounted in fixed relation to said frame, said transmitter having a portion wound around said spool and a first end fixed to said storage container on a side of a longitudinal midline of said storage container opposite said spool, and said transmitter is routed over said roller so that rotation of said spool in a first direction further winds said transmitter onto said spool thereby pivoting said storage container toward said generally horizontal position and so that rotation of said spool in a second direction unwinds said transmitter from said spool thereby pivoting said storage container toward said generally vertical position.
- 18. The overhead storage assembly of claim 17, wherein said spool is located adjacent a pivot axis of said storage container and said first end of said transmitter is fixed to said storage container adjacent an opposite end of said storage container.
- 19. The overhead storage assembly of claim 14 further comprising a spool attached to said storage container, a transmitter loop formed by said transmitter, said loop having a portion wound around said spool and a first end fixed to said storage container on a side of a longitudinal midline of said storage container opposite said spool, at least one roller being disposed in fixed relation to said frame and said loop being routed over said roller so that rotation of said spool in a first direction further winds said transmitter onto said spool thereby decreasing the size of said loop and pivoting said storage container toward said generally horizontal position and so that rotation of said spool in a second direction unwinds said transmitter from said spool thereby decreasing the size of said loop and pivoting said storage container toward said generally vertical position.
- 20. The overhead storage assembly of claim 19, wherein said spool is located adjacent a pivot axis of said storage container and said first end of said transmitter is fixed to said storage container adjacent an opposite end of said storage container.
- 21. The overhead storage assembly of claim 14 further comprising a set of switches positioned to define a range of movement of said storage container.
- 22. The overhead storage assembly of claim 21, wherein said set of switches comprises at least one limit switch.
- 23. The overhead storage assembly of claim 21, wherein said at least one limit switch is mounted to said overhead surface.
- 24. The overhead storage assembly of claim 14, wherein said storage container comprises two portions that are joined together.
- 25. The overhead storage assembly of claim 24, wherein said storage container is manufactured from a resin-based material.
- 26. The overhead storage assembly of claim 24, wherein said storage container is manufactured from a plastic material.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/214,134, filed Jun. 26, 2000 is claimed. The disclosure of that application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. In addition, the present application is a Continuation in Part of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/484,308, filed Jan. 18, 2000, which claimed priority to, and expressly incorporated by reference, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/117,223, filed Jan. 25, 1999.
US Referenced Citations (16)
Provisional Applications (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/214134 |
Jun 2000 |
US |
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60/117223 |
Jan 1999 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/484308 |
Jan 2000 |
US |
Child |
09/694939 |
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US |