Retractable attic storage system

Abstract

A closet or enclosure 100 (closet) fit into an attic. A panel ( 110 ) forms the bottom of the closet. The panel can be lowered to the living space below manually or by using a return spring or electrical means. The panel holds a cabinet, box, or other storage item ( 105 or 2225 ). Air space ( 150 ) around the cabinet or items insulates it from thermal contact with the walls. Alternatively a cabinet is hung from a restraining member ( 145 ), or arm ( 1105 ), so it can be raised for storage and lowered for access. In this aspect, the panel is secured to the bottom of the cabinet. Optional vents ( 155 ) and fan ( 160 ) urge circulation between the air space and the living space, reducing temperature extremes in the air space and hence the cabinet. In other aspects, air treatment units (HVAC, dehumidifier, etc.) condition the air within the closet or enclosure.

1 . For use in a building with a room below and a room above, where said rooms are separated by a ceiling of said room below, which ceiling has an opening, a system for moving at least one item from said room below and storing said item in said room above, or moving said item from said room above to said room below, comprising:
 a raiseable panel that can be raised from a location in said room below to said opening in said ceiling, said panel having at least one vent or opening therein so that air can pass through said at least one vent or opening when said panel is raised to said opening in said ceiling, said panel arranged to seal said opening in said ceiling when said panel is raised to said opening in said ceiling, except for said at least one vent or opening,   a closet or enclosure in said room above, said closet or enclosure having a plurality of enclosing walls with inner sides, a top, and a downward-facing opening which communicates with said opening in said ceiling,   a fan positioned and arranged to move air between said room below and said closet or enclosure through said vent opening when said panel is raised to said ceiling,   means for (a) raising said panel upward from said location in said room below to said opening in said ceiling so that said panel seals said opening in said ceiling except for said at least one vent or opening, and (b) lowering said panel from said opening in said ceiling to said location in said room below,   said panel being capable of supporting a predetermined item so that when said panel is raised to said opening in said ceiling, said item will be located in said closet or enclosure in said room above, and when said panel is lowered to said location in said room below, said item will be accessible in said room below,   whereby when said panel is raised to said ceiling, said fan can circulate air through said at least one vent or opening between said room below and said closet or enclosure, so that the temperatures of said room below and said closet or enclosure will tend to equalize when the air in said room below and said closet or enclosure have different temperatures.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said item is a cabinet or box and said cabinet or box is positioned on said panel, said cabinet or box having a bottom, a top, and a plurality of sidewalls connecting said bottom and said top of said cabinet or box, said cabinet or box and said closet or enclosure being dimensioned so that when said cabinet or box is positioned on said panel and said panel is moved to said opening in said ceiling, there will be an air space around and surrounding said sidewalls and said top of said cabinet or box, between the outsides of said sidewalls and said top and said inner sides of said walls of said closet or enclosure, said air space around the outsides of said sidewalls and said top of said cabinet or box communicating with said at least one vent or opening so air can flow between said air space and said room below via said at least one vent or opening. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further including at least one a sensor, said sensor being selected from the group consisting of thermostats and humidistats, said sensor arranged and positioned to activate said fan to cause airflow through said vent opening. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further including an accessory cabinet or box, removably attached to said bottom of said panel so that when said panel is raised to said opening in said ceiling, said accessory cabinet or box remains exposed below said ceiling. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further including an air-treatment unit, selected from the group consisting of an air conditioner, a heater, a heat pump, a dehumidifier, and a heating, ventilating and air conditioning unit, connected to said closet or enclosure, said air-treatment unit, when energized, being arranged to force treated air through said closet or enclosure, thereby controlling the quality of air in said closet or enclosure. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further including:
 at least one flapper valve over said vent opening, said flapper valve being springably arranged to close said vent opening,   at least one fire-link holding said flapper valve in an open position so that air can freely pass between said closet or enclosure and said room below,   whereby in the event of a fire, said fire link will release said flapper valve, thereby allowing said flapper valve to close, and prevent said fire from passing between said room below and said closet or enclosure.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a duct connected to said closet or enclosure and said room below, said fan positioned to circulate air, via said duct, between said room below and said closet or enclosure. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said means for raising said panel upward into said closet or enclosure and lowering said cabinet or box downward out of said closet or enclosure is selected from the class consisting of manually powered and electrically powered means. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further including at least one sliding section slidably secured to a sidewall of said cabinet or box, with an upper portion of said sliding section located and arranged to maintain said cabinet or box in an upright posture when said cabinet or box is in a lowered position. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further including at least one airflow block arranged and positioned between an outer surface of said cabinet or box and an adjoining inner surface of said closet or enclosure so that when said panel is raised to said opening in said ceiling, said airflow block provides means for modulating the effects of said airflow. 
     
     
         11 . For use in a building with a room below and a room above, where said rooms are separated by a ceiling of said room below, which ceiling has an opening, a system for moving at least one item from said room below and storing said item in said room above, or moving said item from said room above to said room below, comprising:
 a raiseable panel that can be raised from a location in said room below to said opening in said ceiling,   a closet or enclosure in said room above, said closet or enclosure having a plurality of enclosing walls with inner sides, a top, and a downward-facing opening which communicates with said opening in said ceiling,   a fan positioned and arranged to move air between said room below and said closet or enclosure when said panel is raised to said ceiling,   means for (a) raising said panel upward from said location in said room below to said opening in said ceiling, and (b) lowering said panel from said opening in said ceiling to said location in said room below,   said panel being capable of supporting a predetermined item so that when said panel is raised to said opening in said ceiling, said item will be located in said closet or enclosure in said room above, and when said panel is lowered to said location in said room below, said item will be accessible in said room below,   whereby when said panel is raised to said ceiling, said fan can circulate air between said room below and said closet or enclosure, so that the temperatures of said room below and said closet or enclosure will tend to equalize when the air in said room below and said closet or enclosure have different temperatures.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein said item is a cabinet or a box and said cabinet or box is positioned on said panel, said cabinet or box having a bottom, a top, and a plurality of sidewalls connecting said bottom and said top of said cabinet or box, said cabinet or box and said closet or enclosure being dimensioned so that when said cabinet or box is positioned on said panel and said panel is moved to said opening in said ceiling, there will be an air space around and surrounding said sidewalls and said top of said cabinet or box, between the outsides of said sidewalls and said top and said inner sides of said walls of said closet or enclosure, said air space around the outsides of said sidewalls and said top of said cabinet or box communicating with said room below. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , further including a duct connected to said closet or enclosure and said room below, said fan positioned to circulate air, via said duct between said room below and said closet or enclosure. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11  wherein said panel has a vent opening and, when raised to said ceiling, is arranged to seal said opening in said ceiling except for said vent opening in said panel, said fan being arranged to move air between said room below and said closet or enclosure through said vent opening when said panel is raised to said ceiling. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11  wherein said panel is smaller than said opening in said ceiling so that said panel, when raised to said ceiling, has at least one space between said panel and said ceiling so that when said panel is raised to said opening in said ceiling, said fan can circulate air between said room below and said closet or enclosure through said space. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11  wherein said panel is smaller than said opening in said ceiling so that said panel, when raised to said ceiling, is surrounded by said space between said panel and said ceiling so that when said panel is raised to said opening in said ceiling, said fan can circulate air between said room below and said closet or enclosure through said space that surrounds said panel. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , further including at least one sensor, said sensor being selected from the group consisting of thermostats and humidistats, said sensor arranged and positioned to activate said fan to cause air to flow between said room below and said closet or enclosure. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , further including an air treatment unit, selected from the group consisting of an air conditioner, a heater, a heat pump, a dehumidifier and a heating, ventilating and air conditioning unit, connected to said closet or enclosure, which when energized, flows treated air through said closet or enclosure, thereby controlling the quality of air in said closet or enclosure. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , further including:
 at least one flapper valve over said vent opening, said flapper valve being springably arranged to close said vent opening,   at least one fire link holding said flapper valve in an open position so that air can freely pass between said closet or enclosure and said room below,   whereby in the event of a fire, said fire link will release said flapper valve, thereby allowing said flapper valve to close, and prevent said fire from passing between said first and second air spaces.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , further including at least one airflow block arranged and positioned between an outer surface of said cabinet or box and an adjoining inner surface of said closet or enclosure so that when said panel is raised to said opening in said ceiling, said airflow block provides means for modulating the effects of said airflow. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 11 , further including an air filter arranged and positioned to filter air passing through said closet or enclosure. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 11  further including an accessory cabinet or box, removably attached to said bottom of said panel so that when said panel is raised to said opening in said ceiling, said accessory cabinet or box remains exposed below said ceiling. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 11 , further including a pivoting bracket arranged and positioned between said cabinet or box and a wall when said cabinet or box is in a lowered position, thereby stabilizing said cabinet or box. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 11 , further including at least one closeable opening in said closet or enclosure for providing access to said panel said within room above when said panel in an elevated position. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 11 , further including at least one sliding section slidably secured to a sidewall of said cabinet or box, with an upper portion of said sliding section located and arranged to maintain said cabinet or box in an upright posture when said cabinet or box is in a lowered position.