Article storage device

Abstract

A shoe or article storage device, such as a shoe rack, includes a base and a shelf unit slidably mounted to the base for movement between a first position and a second offset position. The shelf unit is also rotatably mounted to the base for rotatable movement relative thereto. The shelf unit includes a first tier of article receptacles and a second tier of article receptacles stacked on top of the first tier. Each tier of article receptacles includes at least a first receptacle having a first receptacle access opening disposed at a first side of the shelf unit and at least a second receptacle having a second receptacle access opening disposed at a second, opposite side of the shelf unit.

1 . A shoe rack, comprising:
 a base; and   a shelf unit slidably and rotatably mounted to said base, said shelf unit defining a plurality of stacked shoe receptacles each dimensioned for receipt of a pair of shoes, said plurality of stacked shoe receptacles including at least a first shoe receptacle having a first shoe receptacle access opening disposed along a first side of said shelf unit and at least a second shoe receptacle having a second shoe receptacle access opening disposed along a second, opposite side of said shelf unit.   
   
   
       2 . The shoe rack of  claim 1  wherein said first shoe receptacle access opening and said first side of said shelf unit are disposed on a first side of said base when said shelf unit is in a first rotatable position relative to said base, and said second shoe receptacle access opening and said second side of said shelf unit are disposed on said first side of said base when said shelf unit is rotated to a second rotatable position relative to said base. 
   
   
       3 . The shoe rack of  claim 2  wherein said second rotatable position is approximately 180° relative to said first rotatable position. 
   
   
       4 . The shoe rack of  claim 1  wherein said shelf unit is linearly moveable relative to said base to allow said shelf unit to be moved relative to said base prior to rotating said shelf unit relative to said base. 
   
   
       5 . The shoe rack of  claim 4  wherein said shelf unit is linearly moveable from a first position wherein said shelf unit is disposed directly over said base to a second position wherein said shelf unit is offset relative to a front side of said base. 
   
   
       6 . The shoe rack of  claim 1  wherein said shelf unit has a major dimension or axis with which said first and second sides of said shelf unit are parallel and a minor dimension or axis extending between said first and second sides of said shelf unit, said minor dimension or axis less than said major dimension or axis. 
   
   
       7 . The shoe rack of  claim 6  wherein said shelf unit has an oval or elliptical horizontal shape defined by said major axis and said minor axis, opposite ends of said major axis defining first and second ends of said shelf unit. 
   
   
       8 . The shoe rack of  claim 7  wherein said shelf unit is slidable relative to said base from a first linear position to a second linear position a distance sufficient to allow said shelf unit to fully rotate while in said second position without said first and second ends of said shelf unit crossing through a plane defined by said second side of said shelf unit when in said first position. 
   
   
       9 . The shoe rack of  claim 7  wherein auxiliary storage is defined by a radial shelf disposed adjacent back-to-back first and second shoe receptacles and an adjacent one of said first and second ends of said shelf unit. 
   
   
       10 . The shoe rack of  claim 1  wherein said shelf unit includes at least two tiers of shoe receptacles with each tier having at least two first shoe receptacles that each have said first shoe receptacle access opening and at least two second shoe receptacles that each have said second shoe receptacle access opening. 
   
   
       11 . The shoe rack of  claim 1  wherein said shelf unit is knockdown components for easy assembly. 
   
   
       12 . A shoe or article storage device for optimizing storage and accessibility within a confined area, such as a closet, comprising:
 a base;   a shelf unit slidably mounted to said base for movement between a first position and a second offset position and also rotatably mounted to said base for rotatable movement relative thereto, said shelf unit including a first tier of article receptacles and a second tier of article receptacles stacked on top of said first tier, each tier of article receptacles including at least a first receptacle having a first receptacle access opening disposed at a first side of said shelf unit and at least a second receptacle having a second receptacle access opening disposed at a second, opposite side of said shelf unit.   
   
   
       13 . The shoe or article storage device of  claim 12  wherein said at least a first receptacle and said at least a second receptacle are disposed in back-to-back relation and share a common back wall. 
   
   
       14 . The shoe or article storage device of  claim 12  wherein said article receptacles of said first and second tiers are generally box-shaped. 
   
   
       15 . The shoe or article storage device of  claim 12  wherein said shelf unit further includes a third tier of article receptacles stacked on top of said second tier. 
   
   
       16 . The shoe or article storage device of  claim 12  wherein said second side of said shelf unit defines a positioning plane when said shelf unit is in said first position, said shelf unit fully disposed on one side of said positioning plane when in said second offset position and rotated through 360°. 
   
   
       17 . The shoe or article storage device of  claim 16  wherein said positioning plane is closely adjacent an associated rear wall of the confined space, and wherein slidably moving said shelf unit from said first position to said second position allows rotation of said shelf unit without impediment by the associated rear wall. 
   
   
       18 . The shoe or article storage device of  claim 12  wherein said shelf unit has a major dimension, with which said first and second sides are parallel, and a minor dimension defined between said first and second sides, said major dimension defining a length of said she f unit and said minor dimension defining a width of said shelf unit, said major dimension greater than said minor dimension. 
   
   
       19 . A rotatable and slidable article storage rack, comprising:
 a base; and
 a shelf unit slidably and rotatably mounted to said base, said shelf unit defining a plurality of tiered receptacles, said tiered receptacles including a first set of receptacles having first access openings facing outward from a first side of said shelf unit and a second set of receptacles having second access openings facing outward from a second side of said shelf unit, said first access openings facing in a first direction relative to said base when said shelf unit is in a first rotatable position relative to said base, said second access openings facing in said first direction when said shelf unit is rotated from said first rotatable position  1800  to a second rotatable position relative to said base. 
   
   
   
       20 . The rotatably and slidable article storage rack of  claim 19  wherein said shelf unit is only rotatable from said first rotatable position to said second rotatable position when said shelf unit is slidably displaced from a first slidable position to a second slidable position.