Storage device for raised homes

Abstract

A storage device for storing an article in a clearance space beneath a raised home comprises a base and a shelf that slides along the base. The base is secured to the floor of the clearance space, and has rollers rotatably mounted on its upper surface. The shelf has a top surface for the article to be stored, and a lower surface that engages with the rollers on the base. The shelf can slide out of the clearance space into an extended position for access, and in to the clearance space into a retracted position for storage. Methods are provided to install and use the storage device.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention pertains to the art of storage arrangements and more particularly to storage arrangements for raised homes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Raised homes are dwellings that include a clearance space beneath them. Raised homes can include mobile homes, modular homes, and manufactured homes, which are supported by jacks or other means to elevate the dwelling structure above the ground. Mobile homes generally require such a clearance space, to leave room for I-beams, wheels, transmissions, and other automotive structures that hang beneath the mobile home. Modular and manufactured homes are also often installed with such a clearance space beneath them, leaving room for such things as support beams, plumbing, electricity, and air conditioning. [0003] These clearance spaces typically have a floor made of earth or plastic sheets. A skirt typically surrounds and encloses the clearance space beneath the raised home. Such skirts can be made of wo...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] It is another object of the invention to provide a storage device for raised homes that can support a weight greater than that which is easily supported by drawer-type devices that hang from rails.

Problems solved by technology

Such skirts can be made of wood or metal, and render the clearance space relatively inaccessible.

Even without the skirt, the height of the clearance space is typically no more than a few feet, which makes it difficult for people to access areas deep inside the clearance space.

The sides of the drawers limit the available storage capacity to the area enclosed by the sides, so that bulky objects such as surfboards or Christmas trees can not be stored.

Because these drawer units hang from rails supported by clamps, they can not easily store articles of great weight, because the weight of the article plus the weight of the drawer itself must hang from clamps, even when the drawer is extended.

These drawer units also can not easily be made long enough to reach all the way into the available storage space of a double-wide mobile home.

Double-wide mobile homes are typically twenty-four (24) feet wide, and a drawer-type device as disclosed in Weiner would tend to break or deform if a drawer carrying a substantial weight of storage were extended a great distance out of its cabinet.

Drawer units and other hanging storage units can only be installed in a limited number of places and positions underneath a raised home.

Hanging units can generally not be placed diagonally, because the path would be blocked by obstacles hanging beneath the raised home.

Such devices can be difficult to slide in and out of the clearance space beneath a raised home, because the wheels may dig into the floor of the clearance space, since the wheels bear all the weight of the creeper and article to be stored, or because the panel may not follow a straight path in and out without guidance.

Also, if the patio is at a higher level than the floor of the clearance space, the panel will not remain level when it is moved between the clearance space and the patio, and it may be difficult to pull the wheels up onto the patio when the device is pulled out of the clearance space.

Further, these devices can be difficult to operate because of their weight, since the entire storage device must be moved whenever access to the stored article is desired.

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