Hose real, and method of using thereof

• US 20120325952A1
• Filed: 06/21/2011
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keter-Plastic Limited
• Original Assignee: Keter-Plastic Limited
• Inventors: Evans, Richard Douglas, Maltz, Avraham
• Granted Patent: US 8,702,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 242/390.8
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/33 Hollow or hose-like material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/241 axially adjustable reels or bobbins
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/40 mobile or transportable
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4465 Foldable or collapsible
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4478 relating to handling of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4494 Arrangements or adaptations of the crank

Abstract

The present invention includes an expandable hose reel, which may include: a housing defined by at least one or more base members; a spool rotatably disposed within the housing, wherein the spool is adapted to connect to a flexible hose; a winding mechanism to rotate the spool and to coil the flexible hose around the spool; and an expansion mechanism to modify a length of the spool.

Claims

1. A hose reel comprising:

a housing defined by at least one or more base members;

a spool rotatably disposed within the housing, wherein the spool is adapted to connect to a flexible hose;

a winding mechanism to rotate the spool and to coil the flexible hose around the spool; and

an expansion mechanism to modify a length of the spool.

2. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein the expansion mechanism comprises a telescopic mechanism having two or more nested tubes of gradually-decreasing diameters.

3. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein the expansion mechanism comprises one or more materials able to stretch in length upon application of force.

4. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein the expansion mechanism comprises a self-expanding mechanism to self-expand in response to an increase in volume of the flexible hose coiled around the spool.

5. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein the winding mechanism comprises a handle, and wherein a length of the expansion mechanism is to expand in response to a pulling of the handle away from the spool.

6. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein a length of the expansion mechanism is to gradually expand during coiling of the flexible hose around the spool.

7. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises one or more expansion mechanisms to expand a width of the housing in response to an increase in volume of the flexible hose coiled around the spool.

8. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a support frame defined by first and second sides;

wherein the expansion mechanism is to increase a distance between the first and second sides of the support frame in response to at least one of;

an increase in volume of the flexible hose coiled around the spool; and

a pulling of a handle of the winding mechanism in an outwardly direction away from the spool.

9. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein the one or more base members of the housing comprise one or more, respective, expansion mechanisms to expand a length of the one or more base members of the housing.

10. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a top member usable as a carrying handle, wherein the top member comprises an expansion mechanism to expand a length of a top member of the housing.

11. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein the spool comprises a connector to detachably attach the flexible hose to the spool.

12. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein a lower part of the hose reel comprises two or more wheels to allow manual wheeling of the hose reel.

13. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein the winding mechanism comprises a fixed non-folding handle.

14. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein the winding mechanism comprises a multiple-position handle able to pivot from a raised position to a lowered position.

15. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein the winding mechanism comprises an electric motor.

16. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein a width of the housing is modifiable.

17. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein the length of the spool is modifiable.

18. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein at least the spool and the expansion mechanism are formed of plastic.

19. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein at least the spool and the expansion mechanism are formed of one or more injected plastic materials.

20. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein substantially all components of the hose reel are formed of plastic.

21. The hose reel of claim 1, wherein substantially all components of the hose reel are formed of one or more injected plastic materials.

22. The hose reel of claim 1, further comprising said flexible hose, wherein the flexible hose is detachably attached to the spool.