Storage attachment for deck railing

• US 6,904,719 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2003
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John R. Braun, Joyce C. Braun
• Original Assignee: John R. Braun, Joyce C. Braun
• Inventors: Braun, J. Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner, Brian E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amiri, Nahid
• Application Number:
  US10/385,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20040177567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 527/202, 52/27, 52/791, 312/242, 312/245, 312/220, 312/345.1, 256/22, 256/1, 256/19, 446/476, 446/75, 446/76, 446/73
• US Class Current: 52/27
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/00 Cabinets or racks specially adapted for other particular purposes, e.g. for storing guns or skis

Abstract

A storage shed for attaching to the railing at the edge of a deck, such shed having an enclosure assembly mounted on the deck railing while being held in place by doors. The shed preserves deck floor space by hanging principally within and on the outside of the deck railing, and provides a stable storage container that may securely hold a variety of items. The shed can be finished to match the deck or the building to which the deck is attached. A plurality of shelves, hooks, drawers, pegboard, hangers, and partitions within the shed can be arranged for convenient storage of a variety of items.

Claims

1. A storage unit adapted to be mounted to a railing, said storage unit comprising:

at least one bottom wall;

at least one back wall;

at least first and second spaced-apart side walls, wherein

a. said back wall is connected to said first and second spaced-apart side walls at first and second longitudinal edges; and

b. said first and second spaced-apart side walls are connected at a bottom end to said bottom wall; and

at least one door, supported by at least one of said walls, wherein said door is selectively movable between a closed position and an open position, and wherein said door is adapted to obscure part of said railing between said first and second spaced-apart side walls when said door is in the closed position;

wherein

either of said first and second spaced-apart side walls contains a variance in its dimensions that permits the mounting of said storage unit on said railing such that said railing aligns with said side walls substantially perpendicularly.

2. The storage unit of claim 1, further comprising a roof.

3. The storage unit of claim 1, further comprising at least one support adapted for connection to at least one wall and said railing.

4. The storage unit of claim 1, further comprising at least one shelf disposed within said storage unit.

5. The storage unit of claim 4, wherein said at least one shelf is adjustable.

6. The storage unit of claim 1, wherein the variance in the dimensions of said first and second spaced-apart side walls permits a rail cap attached to said railing to be incorporated as a shelf within said storage unit.

7. The storage unit of claim 1, further comprising at least one drawer disposed within said storage unit.

8. The storage unit of claim 1, wherein said first and second side walls have an opening adapted to engage at least the top rail of said railing.

9. The storage unit of claim 1, further comprising at least one support adapted for connection to at least one wall and a deck structure to which said railing is attached.

10. The combination of a railing and a storage unit, said railing comprising at least a top rail, said storage unit comprising:

at least one bottom wall;

at least one back wall;

at least first and second spaced-apart side walls, wherein

a. said back wall is connected to said first and second spaced-apart side walls at first and second longitudinal edges; and

b. said first and second spaced-apart side walls are connected at a bottom end to said bottom wall; and

at least one door, supported by at least one of said walls, wherein said door is selectively movable between a closed position and an oven position, and wherein said door obscures part of said railing between said first and second spaced-apart side walls when said door is in the closed position;

wherein

either of said first and second spaced-apart side walls contains a variance in its dimensions that permits the mounting of said storage unit on said railing such that said railing aligns with said side walls substantially perpendicularly.

11. The combination of claim 10, said storage unit further comprising a roof.

12. The combination of claim 10, wherein said first and second spaced-apart side walls have an opening adapted to engage said railing.

13. The combination of claim 10, said railing further comprising a rail cap, a bottom rail, and a railing post, said combination further comprising at least one support connected to at least one wall and to said railing.

14. The combination of claim 10, wherein said railing is attached to a deck structure, said combination further comprising at least one support connected to at least one wall and to said deck structure.

15. The combination of claim 10, further comprising at least one shelf disposed within said storage unit.

16. The combination of claim 15, wherein said at least one shelf is adjustable.

17. The combination of claim 10, said railing further comprising a rail cap, wherein the variance in the dimensions of said first and second spaced-apart side walls permits said rail cap to be incorporated as a shelf within said storage unit.

18. The combination of claim 10, further comprising at least one drawer disposed within said storage unit.