The subject of the present invention is a storeroom that can be used particularly for bicycles and other sports equip- ent in high-rise buildings and terraced houses.

Known in the prior art are storage areas for bicycles, skis etc. in basements or other such open spaces where bicycles are kept either hanging from the ceiling by the front wheel or on the walls by the handle bar, or simply standing on their parking stands. Similarly, skis are stored in the same fashion, leaning against the wall in an open space. A feature that is common to all the storage methods described above is that the bicycles and sports equipment are kept in a space which is accessible to all the people living in the building and even to unauthorized persons, if the door is left open. As a result, it is often that bicycles and other such equipment are subject to damage which may lead to relatively high economic losses. In addition, skis and other sports equipment are frequently stolen from the type of storage areas described above.

Also known in the prior art is a storage method wherein the bicycles are kept in a closed storeroom as described in the Finnish patent FI 62646 (B 62 H 5/00). The solution provided b the said patent is a construction in which the bicycle is hung

on hooks fixed to the lower surface of a tip-up door positioned horizontally, and when the door is closed, the hooks raise the bicycle into a vertical position against the door. The problem with this construction is that it is not so suitable for indoor use where bicycles are normally kept. Also, the construction is not suitable for storing other sports equipment such as skis, sleds etc.

As a result, the object of the present invention is to provide a storeroom for bicycles and sports equipment which is suit¬ able for use in the basement or other such space. As in the case of ordinary storerooms, there should be a separate room for each flat to eliminate the risk of damage and theft.

The characteristic features of the present invention, which is to provide a solution to the problems associated with con¬ ventional constructions as well as to fulfil 'the requirements presented above, are described in the patent claims attached hereto.

The storeroom for bicycles and sports equipment in accordance with the present invention is described below in greater detail with reference to the figure which gives a side view of the storeroom and its door construction.

The storeroom 1 as shown in the figure is an enclosed area

with chicken wire walls and a sliding door 2, to which are attached bicycle hooks 3, which may be several in number depending on the width of the door, and preferably placed alternately at two different heights for stability. The slidin

5 elements of the door 2 can, for example, consist of rollers 4 placed at both ends of the horizontal support 5. The rails 6 which are fixed to the ceiling 7 serve as counterparts. Anothe possible sliding element is a telescopic tube which is placed either near the ceiling 7, on the floor 8, or at both

10 locations. Furthermore, it is ^" possible to install the sliding rails 6 or the telescopic tube at a short distance from the ceiling, providing that they remain above the bicycle's front wheel when the bicycle is positioned vertically- The lower edg of the door 2 can be supported with additional rollers to

15 prevent the weight of the bicycles hung on the door 2 from being applied to the door fastening or the horizontal support 5. The hooks for bicycles to be fixed to the door can be such as described in registered design FI 6284 or FI 6921. Con¬ sequently, the bicycles are hung on the hooks 3 when the door

20 is open. When necessary, a spacer can be placed between the door and the bicycle's saddle to minimize the distance between t the door and the front wheel's outermost point.

It is also possible to fix to the door hooks for hanging other 25 sports equipment. Such hooks can be attached to the room's wall or support structures. To gain access to the room, the

door 2 is opened by pulling it, together with the bicycle, out to the corridor, after which it is possible to remove the bicycle or other sports equipment from the hooks.

A construction in accordance with the present invention is suitable for use in new buildings as well as renovated existing ones. The open storage areas common in old buildings can namely easily be converted into separate storerooms, one for each flat, because the minimum size of the room suitable for storing three bicycles including other sports equipment is 1 x 1.2 m. In this case the corridor should have a width of about 1.2 m. As a result, a storage space with a floor area of 4 x 8 m, i.e. 32 m ^ώ , provides room for 16 rooms each with 3 bicycles, or a total of 48 bicycles, plus other sports equip- ment.

It can be stated that a completely new type of storeroom has been developed for bicyles and other sports equipment which provides protection from damage and theft, which have caused certain problems when using conventional storage systems. It should be pointed out, however, that the construction in accordance with the present invention has above been described mainly as an example, and so it is not in any way intended to limit the scope of the invention as described in the patent claims attached hereto.