Retractable reel assembly for telephone extension cord

• US 5,094,396 A
• Filed: 06/21/1990
• Issued: 03/10/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonix Incorporated (Astronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Paul C. Burke
• Inventors: Burke, Paul C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jillions, John M.
• Application Number:
  US07/541,846
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 242/107.1, 242/107.11, 242/107.12, 242/107.13, 242/107.14, 242/107.15, 242/107.7, 191/12.2 R, 191/12.4, 379/441, 379/442, 379/454
• US Class Current: 242/378.2
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/44 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4449 Arrangements or adaptations to avoid movable contacts or rotary couplings, e.g. by the use of an expansion chamber for a lenght of the cord or hose
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/15 Protecting or guiding telephone cords

Abstract

To provide a highly functional yet very compact retractable reel assembly for a telephone extension cord, a housing is provided which is adapted to be mounted on a wall in proximity to a telephone or telephone jack for utilization with either wall mounted or table telephones, respectively. The retractable reel assembly includes a reel biased for rotation in one direction, a ratchet for selectively restraining rotation of the reel in the one direction, and an expansion chamber for a length of the cord within the housing, whereby the portion of the cord leading to the telephone or telephone jack can normally be wound in a radially and axially confined planar helical array. With this arrangement, the retractable reel assembly can allow the portion of the cord to be repositioned to a radially expanded helical array during withdrawal of the remainder of the cord from the housing and returned to the radially and axially confined helical array during retraction of the remainder of the cord into the housing.

Claims

1. A retractable reel assembly for a telephone extension cord, comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted in proximity to a telephone or telephone jack;

a reel defined by a cylindrical wall journaled for

out an axis in said housing;

a spring for biasing said reel for rotation in one direction, said spring being mounted to extend between said housing and said reel;

a ratchet in said housing for selectively restraining rotation of said reel in said one direction;

said reel having a pair of cord-retaining radial walls on one side thereof, said radial walls being disposed in closely spaced adjacent relation, said radial walls defining a radial cord expansion chamber in said housing;

said housing having a first opening disposed about the perimeter thereof and leading to said expansion chamber, said housing having a second opening disposed about the perimeter thereof and leading from said reel;

one of said radial walls of said reel having an axially extending aperture leading from said expansion chamber to a cord interconnection chamber, said cord interconnection chamber being radially inwardly of said cylindrical wall, said cylindrical wall of said reel having a radially extending aperture leading from said cord interconnection chamber to a cord winding surface of said cylindrical wall;

said cord including a flat cord portion normally being wound in a radially confined helical array about said axis of said reel in said expansion chamber;

said flat cord portion being maintained in an axially confined planar helical array by said radial walls of said reel, said flat cord portion having an end extending from said first opening in said housing by a distance sufficient to reach said telephone or telephone jack, said flat cord portion having a connector on said extending end for connection to said telephone or telephone jack;

said flat cord portion having a second end extending through said axially extending aperture in said one of said radial walls into said cord interconnection chamber;

said cord also including a round cord portion normally being substantially entirely wound on said cord winding surface of said cylindrical wall, said round cord portion being of a length to permit withdrawal of at least a portion thereof through said second opening in said housing by pulling on an end of said round cord portion extending through said second opening in said housing to rotate said reel in a direction opposite said one direction to accommodate movement of said telephone or a telephone handset from one location to another, said round cord portion having a connector on said extending end for connection to said telephone or telephone handset;

said round cord portion having a second end extending through said radially extending aperture in said cylindrical wall into said cord interconnection chamber;

means for connecting said flat cord portion to said round cord portion within said cord interconnection chamber;

said spring accommodating retraction of said round cord portion by biasing said reel for rotation in said one direction;

said flat cord portion being repositioned to a radially expanded helical array during withdrawal of said round cord portion and being returned to said radially confined helical array during retraction of said round cord portion.

2. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 1 wherein said housing includes a spindle and said reel is carried by said spindle for rotation thereon, said spindle being integral with said housing and said spring being mounted to operatively extend between said reel and said spindle of said housing.

3. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 2 wherein said reel has an additional cord-retaining radial wall, said additional cord-retaining radial wall along with said cylindrical wall and one of said pair of cord-retaining radial walls defining a cord extension chamber, said spring being disposed between the outermost ones of said radial walls and radially inwardly of said cylindrical wall, said spindle extending substantially coaxially of said radial walls and said cylindrical wall.

4. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 1 wherein said reel includes an additional cord-retaining radial wall having a disc portion axially recessed within said cylindrical wall, said ratchet including a ratchet gear and spring biased pawl lever cooperatively nested within said axially recessed disc portion of said additional cord-retaining radial wall.

5. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 4 wherein said housing includes a spindle and said reel is carried by said spindle for rotation thereon, said spindle being integral with said housing and said spring being mounted to operatively extend between said reel and said spindle of said housing.

6. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 5 including a spring retainer axially recessed within said cylindrical wall of said reel, said spring having one end secured to said spindle and the other end secured to said spring retainer, said disc portion substantially entirely isolating said spring retainer and spring in an enclosed chamber within said reel.

7. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 1 wherein said housing includes a cylindrical reel-receiving wall, said cylindrical reel-receiving wall being dimensioned so as to receive said cord-retaining radial walls therein, said cylindrical reel-receiving wall and said reel substantially entirely encasing said flat cord portion therebetween.

8. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 7 wherein said housing includes a spindle and said reel is carried by said spindle for rotation thereon, said spindle being integral with said housing and said spring being mounted to operatively extend between said reel and said spindle of said housing.

9. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 8 wherein said reel includes an additional cord-retaining radial wall having a disc portion axially recessed within said cylindrical wall, said ratchet including a ratchet gear and spring biased pawl lever cooperatively nested within said axially recessed disc portion of said additional cord-retaining radial wall.

10. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 1 wherein said housing is square in shape, said housing including fastener-receiving openings for mounting said housing in proximity to said telephone or telephone jack, said housing also including a removable cover wherein said housing and said cover include releasable engagement means.

11. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 1 further including strain relief means for each of said flat and round cord portions and means for retaining said cord connecting means in a preselected position within said cord interconnection chamber.

12. The retractable reel assemble as defined by claim 11 wherein said strain relief means includes a plurality of lugs for each of said flat and round cord portions, said lugs being arranged to define a serpentine path within said cord interconnection chamber in closely spaced relation to said cord connecting means for each of said flat and round cord portions.

13. The retractable cord assembly as defined by claim 11 wherein said retaining means comprises a plurality of lugs adapted to receive and retain said cord connecting means for each of said flat and round cord portions in said preselected position within said cord interconnection chamber.

14. The retractable cord assembly as defined by claim 1 including strain relief means for said flat cord portion adjacent said first opening in said housing to prohibit withdrawal of said end extending from said first opening by a distance greater than said distance sufficient to reach said telephone or telephone jack.

15. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 1 including adjustable stop means associated with said round cord portion externally of said housing, said adjustable stop means being slidably disposed on said round cord portion for varying the amount of said cord remaining outside said housing.

16. A retractable reel assembly for a telephone extension cord, comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted in proximity to a telephone or telephone jack;

a reel defined by a cylindrical wall journaled for rotation about an axis in said housing;

a spring for biasing said reel for rotation in one direction relative to said housing;

said housing including a spindle and said reel being carried by said spindle for rotation thereon, said spindle being integral with said housing, said spring being mounted to operatively extend between said reel and said spindle;

a ratchet in said housing for selectively restraining rotation of said reel in said one direction;

said reel having a pair of cord-retaining radial walls substantially on opposite sides thereof, said radial walls being disposed in axially spaced relation relative to said cylindrical wall, said radial walls and said cylindrical wall defining a cord extension chamber in said housing;

said reel also defining a cord expansion chamber in said housing;

a disc portion axially recessed within said cylindrical wall of said reel radially inwardly of one of said radial walls, said axially recessed disc portion having a central opening defined by an axially outwardly extending circumferential flange through which said spindle extends, said ratchet including a ratchet gear having a circumferential recess adapted to receive said circumferential flange therewithin, said circumferential recess guiding rotational movement of said reel through said circumferential flange;

means for securing said ratchet gear to said spindle such that said circumferential recess serves as a bearing for said circumferential flange during rotation of said reel;

said housing having a first opening disposed about the perimeter thereof and leading to said expansion chamber, said housing having a second opening disposed about the perimeter thereof and leading from said reel;

said reel having an aperture leading from said expansion chamber to a point radially inwardly of said cylindrical wall, said reel also having an aperture leading from said radially inwardly point to a cord winding surface of said cylindrical wall;

said cord including a first portion normally wound in a radially confined helical array within said expansion chamber about said axis of said reel in said housing, said expansion chamber being adapted to maintain said first portion of said cord in an axially confined planar helical array, said first portion of said cord having an end extending from said first opening in said housing by a distance sufficient to reach said telephone or telephone jack;

said first portion of said cord also extending into said point radially inwardly of said cylindrical wall;

said cord also including a second portion normally being substantially entirely wound on said cord winding surface of said cylindrical wall, said second portion of said cord being of a length to permit withdrawal of at least a portion thereof through said second opening in said housing by pulling on an end of said second portion of said cord extending through said second opening in said housing to rotate said reel in a direction opposite said one direction to accommodate movement of said telephone or a telephone handset from one location to another, said second portion of said cord having a connector on said extending end for connection to said telephone or telephone handset;

said second portion of said cord also extending from said point radially inwardly of said cylindrical wall;

said spring accommodating retraction of said second portion of said cord by biasing said reel for rotation in said one direction;

said first portion of said cord being repositioned to a radially expanded helical array during withdrawal of said second portion of said cord and being returned to said radially confined helical array during retraction of said second portion of said cord.

17. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 16 including a spring retainer axially recessed within said cylindrical wall of said reel, said spring retainer being generally disc-shaped and having a central opening through which said spindle extends including means for securing said spring retainer to said reel for rotation therewith, said spring having one end secured to said spindle and the other end secured to said spring retainer.

18. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 16 wherein said housing is square in shape, said housing including fastener-receiving openings for mounting said housing in proximity to said telephone or telephone jack, said housing also including a removable cover wherein said housing and said cover include releasable engagement means.

19. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 16 wherein said housing includes a cylindrical reel-receiving wall, said cylindrical reel-receiving wall being dimensioned so as to receive said cord-retaining radial walls therein, said cylindrical reel-receiving wall and said reel substantially entirely encasing said first cord portion therebetween.

20. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 19 wherein said housing includes a cover and said second opening in said housing is in said cover, said cylindrical reel-receiving wall having a cutout aligned with said second opening in said cover and said cutout has a cord guide insert having a rounded portion thereabout, said second portion of said cord extending from said reel completely through said aligned opening and cutout in contact only with said cord guide insert.

21. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 16 wherein said first portion of said cord is a flat cable portion and includes a plug-in connector on said extending end thereof and said second portion of said cord is a round cable portion and includes a plug-in connector on said extending end thereof.

22. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 16 including adjustable stop means associated with said cord externally of said housing, said adjustable stop means being slidably disposed on said cord for varying the amount of said cord remaining outside said housing.

23. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 16 wherein said axially outwardly extending flange of said disc portion is substantially continuous and said circumferential recess is defined by a pair of radially spaced axially inwardly extending flanges.

24. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 23 wherein a radially inwardly one of said flanges is substantially continuous and a radially outwardly one of said flanges is periodically circumferentially interrupted.

25. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 16 wherein said reel has an additional cord-retaining radial wall, said additional cord-retaining radial wall along with said cylindrical wall and one of said pair of cord-retaining radial walls defining said cord expansion chamber in said housing, said spring being disposed between the outermost ones of said radial walls and radially inwardly of said cylindrical wall, said spindle extending substantially coaxially of said radial walls and said cylindrical wall.

26. A retractable reel assembly for a telephone extension cord, comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted in proximity to a telephone or telephone jack;

a reel defined by a cylindrical wall journaled for rotation about an axis in said housing;

a spring for biasing said reel for rotation in one direction relative to said housing;

said housing including a spindle and said reel being carried by said spindle for rotation thereon, said spindle being integral with said housing, said spring being mounted to operatively extend between said reel and said spindle;

a ratchet in said housing for selectively restraining rotation of said reel in said one direction;

said reel having a pair of cord-retaining radial walls substantially on opposite sides thereof, said radial walls being disposed in axially spaced relation relative to said cylindrical wall, said radial walls and said cylindrical wall defining a cord extension chamber in said housing;

said reel also defining a cord expansion chamber in said housing;

a spring retainer axially recessed within said cylindrical wall of said reel, said spring retainer being generally disc-shaped and having a central opening through which said spindle extends, and including means for securing said spring retainer to said reel for rotation therewith;

said spring comprising a coil spring having one end secured to said spindle and the other end secured to said spring retainer;

a disc portion cooperating with said cylindrical wall of said reel at a point radially inwardly of one of said radial walls, said disc portion having a central opening through which said spindle extends, said disc portion substantially entirely isolating said spring retainer and spring in an enclosed chamber within said reel;

said housing having a first opening disposed about the perimeter thereof and leading to said expansion chamber, said housing having a second opening disposed about the perimeter thereof and leading from said reel;

said reel having an aperture leading from said expansion chamber to a point radially inwardly of said cylindrical wall, said reel also having an aperture leading from said radially inwardly point to a cord winding surface of said cylindrical wall;

said cord including a first portion normally wound in a radially confined helical array within said expansion chamber about said axis of said reel in said housing, said expansion chamber being adapted to maintain said first portion of said cord in an axially confined planar helical array, said first portion of said cord having an end extending from said first opening in said housing by a distance sufficient to reach said telephone or telephone jack;

said first portion of said cord also extending into said point radially inwardly of said cylindrical wall;

said cord also including a second portion normally being substantially entirely wound on said cord winding surface of said cylindrical wall, said second portion of said cord being of a length to permit withdrawal of at least a portion thereof through said second opening in said housing by pulling on an end of said second portion of said cord extending through said second opening in said housing to rotate said reel in a direction opposite said one direction to accommodate movement of said telephone or a telephone handset from one location to another, said second portion of said cord having a connector on said extending end for connection to said telephone or telephone handset;

said second portion of said cord also extending from said point radially inwardly of said cylindrical wall;

said spring accommodating retraction of said second portion of said cord by biasing said reel for rotation in said one direction;

said first portion of said cord being repositioned to a radially expanded helical array during withdrawal of said second portion of said cord and being returned to said radially confined helical array during retraction of said second portion of said cord.

27. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 26 wherein said housing is square in shape, said housing including fastener-receiving openings for mounting said housing in proximity to said telephone or telephone jack, said housing also including a removable cover wherein said housing and said cover include releasable engagement means.

28. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 26 wherein said first portion of said cord is a flat cable portion and includes a plug-in connector on said extending end thereof and said second portion of said cord is a round cable portion and includes a plug-in connector on said extending end thereof.

29. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 26 including adjustable stop means associated with said second cord portion externally of said housing, said adjustable stop means being slidably disposed on said second cord portion for varying the amount of said cord remaining outside said housing.

30. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 26 wherein said housing includes a cylindrical reel-receiving wall, said cylindrical reel-receiving wall being dimensioned so as to receive said cord-retaining radial walls therein, said cylindrical reel-receiving wall and said reel substantially entirely encasing said first cord portion therebetween.

31. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 30 wherein said housing includes a cover and said second opening in said housing is in said cover, said cylindrical reel-receiving wall having a cutout aligned with said second opening in said cover and said cutout has a cord guide insert having a rounded portion thereabout, said second portion of said cord extending from said reel completely through said aligned opening and cutout in contact only with said cord guide insert.

32. The retractable reel assembly as defined by claim 26 wherein said reel has an additional cord-retaining radial wall, said additional cord-retaining radial wall along with said cylindrical wall and one of said pair of cord-retaining radial walls defining said cord expansion chamber in said housing, said spring being disposed between the outermost ones of said radial walls and radially inwardly of said cylindrical wall, said spindle extending substantially coaxially of said radial walls and said cylindrical wall.