Telescoping Ornament Storage Systems and Devices

Abstract

An ornament storage system and device is described that provides for secure, compartmentalized, and compact storage of ornaments and other similar objects (“ornaments”). The ornament storage system and device provides easy access to the ornaments through removal of the top and one or more sides of the system and device. Access is further improved by separating the stored ornaments onto individual storage trays or shelves. The individual storage trays or shelves are easily accessible by substantially vertically telescoping the storage trays or shelves in such a way as to provide increased vertical separation between each successive shelf. Additionally, each individual storage tray or shelf may be removable from the ornament storage system and device. In such a way, each ornament in the ornament storage system and device may be simultaneously viewed while in storage and may be easily stored in or accessed from the ornament storage system.

1 . An ornament storage apparatus comprising:
 a telescoping handle comprising:
 a grip; and 
 a plurality of telescoping segments at least partially slidingly nested within each other; and 
   a plurality of storage trays, wherein each storage tray is attached to a different telescoping segment so that when the telescoping handle is extended, the plurality of storage trays move with the telescoping segments and vertically separate from each other.   
   
   
       2 . The ornament storage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the telescoping handle and the plurality of storage trays telescope in a substantially linear and substantially vertical fashion. 
   
   
       3 . The ornament storage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of storage trays is removable from the telescoping handle. 
   
   
       4 . The ornament storage apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of storage trays comprises:
 a tray mounting bracket attached to at least one of the telescoping segments; and   a tray support attached to the tray mounting bracket.   
   
   
       5 . The ornament storage apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of storage trays further comprises:
 a wire tray; and   a compartmentalized cloth attached to the wire tray;   wherein the storage tray is removable in that the wire tray and the compartmentalized cloth rest on the tray support and may be selectively lifted off of the tray support.   
   
   
       6 . The ornament storage apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of storage trays further comprises a compartmentalized tray wherein the storage tray is removable in that the compartmentalized tray rests on the tray support and may be selectively lifted off of the tray support. 
   
   
       7 . The ornament storage apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an exterior case that surrounds the plurality of storage trays when the storage trays and the telescoping handle are in a collapsed position, the exterior case comprising a top, a bottom, and one or more sides, and wherein the top and at least one of the sides is removable to permit access to the storage trays and to permit telescopic expansion of the telescoping handle and the storage trays. 
   
   
       8 . The ornament storage apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the exterior case is soft-sided. 
   
   
       9 . The ornament storage apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the telescoping segments are configured so that they do not fully nest within each other but at most only partially nest within each other to provide a minimum separation between each of the plurality of storage trays when the telescoping handle is in a collapsed position. 
   
   
       10 . An ornament storage device comprising:
 a telescoping handle comprising:
 a grip; and 
 a plurality of telescoping segments at least partially slidingly nested within each other to provide a telescoping action to the telescoping handle, wherein when the telescoping handle is in a fully collapsed position, the telescoping segments have a minimal vertical separation between successive upper ends of immediately adjacent nesting telescoping segments; and 
   a plurality of storage trays, wherein each storage tray is removably attached to a different telescoping segment so that when the telescoping handle is extended, the plurality of storage trays move with the telescoping segments and vertically separate from each other, wherein the vertical height of the storage trays corresponds to the minimum vertical separation between the successive upper ends of the immediately adjacent nesting telescoping segments in the fully collapsed position.   
   
   
       11 . The ornament storage device of  claim 10 , further comprising an exterior case, wherein at least a portion of the exterior case is removable to provide access to the storage trays and to permit telescopic expansion of the telescoping handle and the storage trays. 
   
   
       12 . The ornament storage apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the telescoping handle and the plurality of storage trays telescope in a substantially linear and substantially vertical fashion. 
   
   
       13 . The ornament storage apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of storage trays comprises:
 a tray mounting bracket attached to at least one of the telescoping segments; and   a tray support attached to the tray mounting bracket.   
   
   
       14 . The ornament storage apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of storage trays further comprises:
 a wire tray; and   a compartmentalized cloth attached to the wire tray;   wherein the storage tray may be removed in that the wire tray and the compartmentalized cloth rest on the tray support and may be selectively lifted off of the tray support.   
   
   
       15 . The ornament storage apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of storage trays further comprises a compartmentalized tray wherein the storage tray is removable in that the compartmentalized tray rests on the tray support and may be selectively lifted off of the tray support. 
   
   
       16 . The ornament storage apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the tray mounting bracket and the tray support are one integral piece. 
   
   
       17 . An ornament storage system comprising:
 a base;   a telescoping handle attached to the base comprising:
 a grip; and 
 a plurality of telescoping segments at least partially slidingly nested within each other to provide a substantially-linear telescoping action to the telescoping handle; and 
   a plurality of storage trays removably connected to the telescoping handle, each storage tray comprising:
 a tray mounting bracket attached to at least one of the telescoping segments so that when the telescoping handle is extended, each storage tray moves with a different telescoping segment, causing increased vertical separation between the storage trays; 
 a tray support attached to the tray mounting bracket; and 
 a compartmentalized tray resting on the tray support; and 
   an exterior case surrounding the telescoping handle and the plurality of storage trays when the telescoping handle and the storage trays are in a collapsed position, wherein at least a portion of the exterior case is removable to provide access to the storage trays and to permit telescopic expansion of the telescoping handle and the storage trays.   
   
   
       18 . The ornament storage system of  claim 17 , wherein the compartmentalized tray comprises:
 a wire tray; and   a compartmentalized cloth attached to the wire tray.   
   
   
       19 . The ornament storage system of  claim 17 , wherein the storage trays are removable in that they may be lifted off of the tray support. 
   
   
       20 . The ornament storage system of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of telescoping segments comprise partially-nested tubular members.