Dual reel cord take-up device

• US 5,114,091 A
• Filed: 06/04/1990
• Issued: 05/19/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edwin R. Peterson, Retractable Cord Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Edwin R. Peterson
• Inventors: Wheeler, Edwin L., Peterson, Edwin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jillions, John M.
• Application Number:
  US07/532,648
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 242/107.11, 242/107.12, 242/100.1, 242/107.1
• US Class Current: 242/378.3
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/486 Arrangements or adaptations of the spring motor
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/15 Protecting or guiding telephone cords

Abstract

A dual take-up reel device (10) is disclosed which includes a dual reel spool assembly (27) having a pair of winding hubs (29) axially secured together and separated by a main spool disc (28). An arcuate cord slot (31) is provided in main spool disc (28) for centrally attaching a flat tape cord (11) around winding hubs (29). Dual reel spool assembly (27) is rotatably held and encased by first and second main housing halves (13) and (19). The two ends of flat tape cord extend outward from the housing through first and second cord slots defined by first and second cord slot defining notches 59a and 59b and 60a and 60b. A flat coil spring (48) is attached within its own casing and between dual reel spool assembly (27) and second main housing house (19) via spring locking key (51) and radially biases dual reel spool assembly (27) about its axis to retract any slack in flat tape cord (11) into the housing and around the reels on dual reel spool assembly (27).

Claims

1. A dual reel cord take-up device for retrieving and storing flat tape cord having a first end and a second end, which comprises:

a first main housing half formed in the shape of a cylindrical cap having an inner surface and an outer surface;

said first main housing half having a first extending cylindrical wall portion including a first annular retaining ridge circumvolving an inner surface of said first extending wall portion;

a cylindrical spacer bearing retaining wall being concentrically attached to and extending from the inner surface of said first main housing half;

said first main housing half inner surface having a cylindrical spacer bearing retaining groove concentrically disposed therein;

a second main housing half formed in the shape of a cylindrical cap having an inner and an outer surface;

said second main housing half having a second extending cylindrical wall including a first annular retaining groove circumscribing an outer surface of said second extending cylindrical wall and being sized for and in engagement with said first annular retaining ridge;

said second main housing half further having a square locking key hole being centrally disposed therein and a locking pin hole being adjacent to said locking key hole;

said second main housing half further having a spring housing bearing groove in its inner surface circumscribing the square locking keyhole and a spring housing bearing boss extending therearound;

a dual reel spool assembly comprising;

a main spool disc having a pair of cylindrical winding hubs being axially attached to and extending from each side thereof;

each of said winding hubs having an angular through hole therethrough;

said main spool disc having an arcuate cord slot therethrough for attaching said flat tape cord at a point halfway in between its first and second ends to said main spool disc;

a first side spool disc having a main cylindrical spacer bearing axially attached to and extending from a first side and being in slidable and rotatable engagement with said cylindrical spacer bearing retaining wall and said cylindrical spacer bearing retaining groove;

an angular hub stub being axially attached to and extending from a second side of said first side spool disc and being in frictional engagement with a first angular through hole in one of said cylindrical hubs;

a second side spool disc having a marginal edge and a cylindrical key receiving bore axially disposed on a first side;

said first side of said second side spool disc having a concentric key receiving groove therein which circumscribes said cylindrical key receiving bore;

an annular spring housing wall portion being attached around and extending from the marginal edge of said second side spool disc;

a third annular retaining ridge being attached to and circumvolving an inner surface of said annular spring housing wall portion;

a main spring housing formed in the shape of a cylindrical cap and having an outer surface;

said main spring housing having a third extending cylindrical wall including a fourth annular retaining ridge circumscribing an outer surface thereof and being in locked engagement with said annular spring housing wall portion and said third annular retaining ridge;

said main spring housing further having a spring housing cylindrical spacer bearing axially attached to and extending from the outer side of said main spring housing being in rotatable and slidable engagement with said spring housing bearing groove;

said main spring housing further having a spring housing bearing boss groove in its outer surface circumscribing said spring housing cylindrical spacer bearing and being in slidable and rotational engagement with said spring housing bearing boss;

said main spring housing further having an annular locking key hole axially disposed within said spring housing cylindrical spacer bearing;

said third extending cylindrical wall having a spring retaining slot therein and a spring retaining recess thereon for receiving and retaining one end of a flat coil spring;

a flat coil spring having a first inner end and a second outer end wherein said second outer end is engaged within said spring retaining slot and said spring retaining recess;

a spring locking key having an annular retaining flange including an outer surface having an angular winding recess axially disposed thereon and an inner surface having a locking pin attached thereto and being in frictional engagement with said locking pin hole in said second main housing half;

said spring locking key having a cylindrical spring hub being axially attached to and extending from its second side;

said cylindrical spring hub having a plurality of locking dogs being radially attached thereto in spaced relation to said annular retaining flange and in frictional engagement with the inner side of said second main housing and having a cylindrical bearing surface in slidable and rotational engagement within the concentric key receiving groove in said second side spool disc;

said cylindrical spring hub further being in slidable and rotational engagement within the annular locking key hole in said second main housing;

a center axle stub being coaxially attached to and extending out from said cylindrical spring hub and being in slidable and rotational engagement with the cylindrical key receiving bore in said second side spool disc; and

said center axle stub and said cylindrical spring hub having a diametrically disposed spring engagement slot therethrough being frictionally engaged with the first inner end of said flat coil spring for holding the same under tension and radially biasing said dual reel spool assembly about its axis.

2. A cord take-up reel device which comprises:

a dual reel spool assembly having a pair of winding hubs axially secured together and separated by a center partition;

cord attachment means for attaching a cord between said winding hubs;

a cord, having a first end and a second end, being centrally attached therebetween by said cord attachment means to define two cord portions, each being wound around one of said hubs;

a main housing encasing and rotatably holding said spool assembly;

said main housing having passage means for receiving and passing said first and second cord portions therethrough; and

spring biasing means for radially biasing said spool assembly about its axis with respect to said main housing, said biasing means comprising;

a flat coil spring having a first inner end and a second outer end, said second outer end being attached to said spool assembly, and said first inner end being attached to a spring locking means, said spring locking means comprising;

a locking key hole in a spring housing;

a locking key receiving bore and a concentric locking key receiving groove in said spool assembly;

a spring locking key comprising;

an annular retaining flange;

a cylindrical spring hub axially attached to the inner surface of said annular retaining flange;

a center axle stub coaxially attached to and extending out from said cylindrical spring hub;

a spring engagement slot disposed diametrically within and through said cylindrical spring hub and center axle stub for receiving and frictionally engaging the first inner end of said flat coil spring; and

said cylindrical spring hub having a cylindrical bearing surface at one and thereof received in and rotationally engaging the concentric locking key receiving groove, the cylindrical spring hub at the other end thereof being received in and in slidable engagement with said locking key hole and the center axle stub being received in and in rotational engagement with said locking key receiving bore.

3. The cord take-up device of claim 2, wherein said cord attachment means is defined by a slot in said partition for receiving and holding said cord at an approximate center point.