Patent Application
20090107056
The present invention relates to an enclosure for storing and displaying vehicles. In particular, the present invention relates to a vehicle enclosure for securely storing and displaying a vehicle such that the vehicle is protected from the external environment.
Many individuals own vehicles which are of high monetary or sentimental value or are rare collectors' items. The owners of such vehicles often go to great lengths to preserve the condition of the vehicles as well as possible so as to maintain or even increase the vehicles' value. Such vehicles include bicycles, motorcycles, automobiles, tractors, boats, and the like.
Proper storage of such vehicles will generally include protection of the vehicle from the elements of the outdoors such as moisture, wind, extreme temperature, dirt, dust, fire, mice and other rodents, and the like. Because many vehicles of this type are “antique,” protection from these elements is particularly important. In order to fully protect the components from corrosion, it is important not only to prevent rain and snow from collecting on the vehicle, but also to carefully control the moisture content of the air surrounding the vehicle. Providing a regulated temperature also helps prevent corrosion, as well as improves the functioning of various parts of the engine. Protection from dirt and dust is important because the owners of these vehicles generally invest substantial time and money into keeping the vehicle pristinely clean. Preventing the accumulation of dirt and dust from the environment on the vehicle will decrease the cost of owning and storing the vehicle. Protection from fire is obviously desirable and may even reduce the cost of insuring the vehicle.
The owners of valuable vehicles often also wish to showcase the vehicle for friends or other collectors. To do this, it is often desired to present the vehicle in a suitably attractive setting. Such a setting has lighting, flooring, and a background selected to accentuate the vehicle so that it may be fully appreciated.
The prior art fails to provide an adequate solution to the foregoing needs of those who own vehicles of high monetary or sentimental value. A standard garage, such as those attached to many houses, is inadequate even if it is climate controlled. Garages often contain other articles such as tools, bicycles, yard equipment, and the like which clutter the vehicle and could potentially damage it. Garages also often contain significant amounts of dirt and dust. Additionally, garages often do not present the most favorable setting for displaying the vehicle.
There are examples in the prior art of vehicle storage devices and structures that attempt to provide an adequate vehicle storage solution; however, none of them provide all of the desirable features discussed above. U.S. Pat. No. 4,242,846 to Hurd et al. discloses a motorcycle garage which has air vents to minimize interior heat accumulation and moisture condensation. Such vents, however, do not adequately protect the vehicle from moisture, dirt, and dust in the air. The garage also does not allow any vehicle stored inside to be displayed to people outside of the garage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,949 to Latimer discloses a modular garage structure with two housing enclosures that are telescopically moveable relative to one another. The garage structure provides no way of regulating the climate inside the structure, nor does it allow a vehicle inside it to be displayed. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,265,385 to Smith et al. and 5,369,920 to Taylor also disclose vehicle storage enclosures that suffer from these drawbacks, among others.
The garage disclosed in the Taylor patent is also exemplary of the problem with many storage enclosures of the prior art relating to access to the inside of the enclosure. The Taylor garage has a front door portion that is pivotable, a side wall portion that is pivotable, and a lid portion which is pivotable, all of which are intended to allow access to the vehicle stored in the enclosure. Such a design makes parking a vehicle in the enclosure and removing a vehicle from the enclosure a complicated process. Such a design also requires a large amount of open floor space surrounding the enclosure to accommodate the pivoting portions.
What is needed, therefore, is a vehicle storage enclosure that is substantially sealed from the outside environment and allows the environment inside the enclosure to be controlled. The vehicle storage enclosure should also permit display of the vehicle to persons outside of the enclosure. The storage enclosure should also have a minimal footprint so as to minimize the amount of floor space that it requires. The storage enclosure should allow for easy placement and removal of a vehicle within it. The storage enclosure should be easily accessible by persons.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle storage enclosure that is substantially sealed to the environment external to the enclosure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle storage enclosure that permits the display of the vehicle to persons outside of the enclosure.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle storage enclosure that will require a minimal amount of floor space.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle storage enclosure that allows for easy placement and removal of a vehicle within it.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle storage enclosure that is easily accessible by persons.
These and other objects are accomplished according to one embodiment of the present invention by provision of a vehicle storage enclosure, which includes a frame, a roof attached to a top portion of the frame, a subfloor attached to a bottom portion of the frame, and a plurality of vertical walls attached to the frame. The vertical walls, the roof, and the subfloor form an interior of the enclosure, and at least a portion of at least one vertical wall is comprised of a transparent material. At least one vertical wall comprises a side access door and at least one other vertical wall comprises a vehicle access door. A climate control unit is also included which is coupled to the interior of the enclosure by at least one opening in a vertical wall, the subfloor, or the roof.
In some embodiments, at least 50% of the total combined surface area of the plurality of vertical walls is comprised of a transparent material. In some embodiments, the side access door comprises a sliding door. In some embodiments, the vehicle access door comprises at least one accordion door. In some embodiments, the side access door comprises at least one accordion door. In some embodiments, the vehicle access door comprises two bi-fold doors. In some embodiments, the interior of the vehicle storage enclosure is substantially sealed to the environment external to the vehicle storage enclosure when the side access door and the vehicle access door are in a closed position. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises a fire detection system. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises a fire suppression system. In some embodiments, the climate control system comprises a heat pump. In some embodiments, the side access door and the vehicle access door include lock mechanisms which permit locking the side access door and the vehicle access door in a closed position. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises a gasoline vapor sensor. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises a floor on top of the subfloor in the interior of the vehicle storage enclosure. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises at least one ramp adjacent to the vehicle access door. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises at least one ramp adjacent to the side access door.
According to a second embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle storage enclosure is provided which includes a frame, a roof attached to a top portion of the frame, and a plurality of vertical walls attached to side portions of the frame. The vertical walls and the roof form an interior of the vehicle storage enclosure. At least one wall comprises a side access door and at least one other wall comprises a vehicle access door comprised of at least one accordion door. A climate control system is also included and coupled to the interior of the vehicle storage enclosure by at least one opening in a vertical wall. At least 50% of the total combined surface area of the vertical walls is comprised of a transparent material.
In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises a subfloor attached to a bottom portion of the frame. In some embodiments, the side access door comprises a sliding door. In some embodiments, the side access door comprises at least one accordion door. In some embodiments, the vehicle access door comprises two bi-fold doors. In some embodiments, the interior of the vehicle storage enclosure is substantially sealed to the environment external to the vehicle storage enclosure. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises a fire detection system. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises a fire suppression system. In some embodiments, the climate control system comprises a heat pump. In some embodiments, the side access door and the vehicle access door include lock mechanisms which permit locking the side access door and the vehicle access door in a closed position. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises a gasoline vapor sensor. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises at least one ramp adjacent to the vehicle access door. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises at least one ramp adjacent to the side access door.
According to a third embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle storage enclosure is provided which includes a frame, at least one rectangular roof panel attached to a top portion of the frame, at least one rectangular subfloor panel attached to a bottom portion of the frame, and a plurality of rectangular, vertical walls, at least a portion of which are comprised of a transparent material attached to side portions of the frame. One vertical wall is comprised of at least one accordion door forming a vehicle access door and one other vertical wall is comprised of a side access door. The vehicle access door and the side access door have closed positions. The roof panel, the subfloor panel, and the vertical walls form an interior volume of the vehicle storage enclosure. A climate control system is also included which is coupled to the interior volume of the vehicle storage enclosure by at least one opening in a vertical wall. The interior volume of the vehicle storage enclosure is substantially sealed to the environment external to the vehicle storage enclosure when the bi-fold doors and the side access door are in closed positions.
In some embodiments, at least 50% of the total combined surface area of the vertical walls is comprised of a transparent material. In some embodiments, the side access door comprises a sliding door. In some embodiments, the side access door comprises at least one accordion door. In some embodiments, the vehicle access door comprises two bi-fold doors. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises a fire detection system. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises a fire suppression system. In some embodiments, the climate control system comprises a heat pump. In some embodiments, the side access door and the vehicle access door include lock mechanisms which permit locking the side access door and the vehicle access door in a closed position. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises a gasoline vapor sensor. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises a floor on top of the subfloor in the interior of the vehicle storage enclosure. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises at least one ramp adjacent to the vehicle access door. In some embodiments, the vehicle storage enclosure further comprises at least one ramp adjacent to the side access door.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.
Frame 13 is formed of a suitable material having an appropriate strength and rigidity, for example, extruded aluminum, steel, plastic, or the like. The frame 13 must be strong enough and designed appropriately to support the weight of a vehicle as well as the materials that make up the roof, walls, floor assembly, and accessories, as described below. In some embodiments, the frame is also adapted to hold the roof, walls, and floor assembly in such a way that the interior of the enclosure 10 is substantially sealed to the environment external to the enclosure 10.
In the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown in
The floor assembly 12 of the enclosure 10 shown in
The floor 17 is placed or fixed on top of the subfloor and is generally chosen for its aesthetic or functional qualities such as water resistance and ease of cleaning. Floor 17 is shown in
The enclosure 10 has two means of access to its interior, a side door 18 and a vehicle access door 20. Side door 18 allows access via the side of the enclosure 10. In the embodiment shown in
The vehicle access door 20 comprises at least one accordion door. In the embodiment shown in
Although it is not shown in
A major difference between the embodiment shown in
Some embodiments of the present invention include interior lighting systems. Some embodiments have primary lights attached either to the upper portion of the frame 13 or the roof panels 15a and 15b. Some embodiments also have decorative accent lights placed in selected parts of the enclosure 10, for example around the perimeter of the floor 17.
Various sensors and alarms are incorporated in embodiments of the present invention. Sensors to detect the presence of gasoline vapors, carbon monoxide, smoke, and the like are linked to an audible alarm system to help protect the contents of the enclosure 10. In some embodiments, such sensors are linked to a home or office security system and controllable through the interface of such a system. In a similar fashion, the locking mechanisms for the vehicle access door and the side door are also linked to an audible alarm system or a home or office security system and controllable through the interface of such a system. Some embodiments are provided with a security camera linked to a remote monitor or computer for enhanced security. In some embodiments, a gasoline vapor sensor is linked to an electricity cut-off switch so that in the event that gasoline vapors build up in the enclosure, the electricity is automatically shut off to prevent ignition of the vapors.
In some embodiments, the enclosure 10 is provided with a dedicated fire suppression system, which may include a water sprinkler, but would more preferably include a system employing other wet or dry agents, such as Halon, to minimize incidental damage to the vehicle. Such a system is linked to a smoke alarm located within the enclosure 10. In some embodiments, the enclosure 10 is connected to the fire suppression system of the building in which it is located. The enclosure 10 is made generally of fire resistant materials and thus would provide protection of the contents from fires which originate outside of the enclosure 10. A fire suppression system improves this protection and also helps protect against fires which may originate inside the enclosure 10.
Some embodiments include various accessories with particular utility for the stored vehicle. A battery charger which is connected to an external electrical power source is included in some embodiments to maintain the stored vehicle's battery at a sufficient charge for ignition. An air compressor is provided in some embodiments so that the tires of the stored vehicle can be easily and conveniently inflated to proper pressure before use. For the long-term storage of a vehicle, the enclosure is provided with an air-lift bag system in some embodiments. In some embodiments, shelves and storage racks are provided in the interior of the enclosure and/or on the exterior of the enclosure.
The enclosure 10 shown in
Although the present invention has been described with reference to particular arrangements of parts, features and the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features, and indeed many other modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art.
