RETRACTABLE VENTED ATTIC STORAGE SYSTEM

摘要

A closet 100 fits into an attic. A raiseable panel (4275) forms the bottom of the closet. The raiseable panel can be lowered to the living space below manually or by using a return spring or electrical means. The raiseable 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 closet 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, a bottom panel (110) 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.

主权项

1. A storage system comprising:
a closet having a plurality of enclosing walls with inner sides, a top, and a downward-facing opening, a cabinet, said cabinet being movable into and out of said closet, said cabinet having a bottom, a top, and a plurality of side walls connecting said bottom and said top of said cabinet, said cabinet and said closet being dimensioned so that when said cabinet is positioned in said closet, there will be a first air space around and surrounding substantially all of said side walls of said cabinet, between the outsides of all of said side walls and said inner sides of said walls of said closet and a second air space below said bottom of said cabinet, said first air space around and substantially surrounding the outsides of all of said side walls of said cabinet communicating with said second air space below said bottom of said cabinet so that air can flow therebetween, a panel attached to said bottom of said cabinet, said panel arranged to seal said downward-facing opening when said cabinet is raised into said closet, said panel including at least a first vent opening permitting communication between said first and said second air spaces, and means for raising said cabinet upward into said closet and lowering said cabinet downward out of said closet, whereby when said cabinet is raised into said closet, air can circulate around substantially the entire outside of said side walls of said cabinet and said first and second air spaces will be in communication so that air can flow between said first and second air spaces, and the temperatures of said first and said air spaces will tend to equalize when the air in said first air space is colder than the air in said second air space.