Reel inside bucket

• US 5,915,641 A
• Filed: 10/18/1994
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Reel-A-Pail Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Reel-A-Pail Incorporated
• Inventors: Barberg, Daniel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, JOHN QUOC
• Application Number:
  US08/325,549
• Time in Patent Office: 1,715 Days
• Field of Search: 242/85, 242/86, 242/96, 242/106, 242/129, 242/139, 242/388, 242/388.5, 242/395, 242/395.1, 242/405, 242/405.3, 242/406, 242/588.6, 242/400, 191/12.2 R, 191/12.2 A
• US Class Current: 242/395.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/533 Storage compartments for accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/40 mobile or transportable
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4471 Housing enclosing the reel

Abstract

A device for storing and managing an elongate flexible member having a first end and a second end includes a container, a spool, a foot plate, a retainer, and a knob. The container includes a base, a sidewall, and a first access hole. The spool is disposed within the container and includes a bottom, a top having a second access hole, and a column between the top and the bottom. The column defines a surface for wrapping the length of flexible member around so that the second end of the flexible member passes through the second access and so that the first end of the flexible member passes through the first access hole of the container. The foot plate is secured to the base of the container and includes mounting holes which extend through the foot plate. The retainer is coupled to the container and holds the spool within the container. The knob is coupled to the top of the spool and permits rotation of the spool within the container.

Claims

1. A device for storing an elongate flexible member having a length, a first end and a second end, the device comprising:

a container having a base, a cylindrical side wall having a rim opposite the base and defining an interior of the container, and a first access hole extending through the side wall;

a spool disposed within the container, the spool comprising;

a bottom freely resting upon the base of the container, a top having a second access hole extending therethrough, and a column vertically mounted between the top and the bottom, the column having a surface for winding the length of flexible member around, wherein the second end of the flexible member passes through the second access hole and wherein the first end of flexible member passes through the first access hole of the container;

a foot plate secured to an exterior of the base of the container, the foot plate having a generally horizontal surface extending below the base of the container beyond the side wall so that force may be applied to the horizontal surface for stabilizing the device as the spool is rotated and when the spool is being removed from the container, the footplate further including mounting holes which extend through the foot plate for mounting the device; and

means for rotating the spool within the container.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the mounting holes are spaced equidistantly about a perimeter of the foot plate.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the elongate flexible member is an electrical cord and wherein the means for rotating the spool within the container comprise:

a bottom bearing member coupled to the base of the container;

a bottom bearing race coupled to the bottom bearing member, the bottom bearing race being made of an electrically conductive material;

a top bearing member coupled to the bottom of the spool;

a top bearing race coupled to the top bearing member, the top bearing race being made of an electrically conductive material;

bearing balls rotatably fitted between the bottom bearing race and the top bearing race;

a first electrical member electrically coupled to the bottom hearing race; and

a second electrical member electrically coupled to the top bearing race.

4. The device of claim 3 further including:

means for sealing between the bottom bearing member and the top bearing member.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the means for sealing comprises a gasket between the bottom bearing member and the top bearing member.

6. The device of claim 3 wherein the first electrical member comprises an electrical plug, and wherein the second electrical member comprises an electrical outlet.

7. A device for storing an elongate flexible member having a length, a first end and a second end, the device comprising:

a container having a base, a cylindrical sidewall, and a first access hole defined through the side wall;

a spool disposed within the container, the spool comprising;

a bottom freely resting within the container, a top having a second access hole extending therethrough, and a column vertically mounted between the top and bottom independent of the base, the column having a surface for winding the length of flexible member around, wherein the second end of the flexible member passes through the second access hole and wherein the first end of the flexible member passes through the first access hole of the container;

means for rotating the spool within the container; and

means for retaining the spool vertically and concentrically within the container freely resting within the container so that the spool may be removed from the container as one piece.

8. A device for storing an elongate flexible member having a length, a first end and a second end, the device comprising:

a bucket having a base, a cylindrical sidewall and a hole extending through the sidewall;

a spool disposed within the bucket, the spool comprising;

a top plate having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a hole extending through the top plate from the top surface to the bottom surface;

a bottom plate having a top surface and a bottom surface;

a tube vertically mounted between the top plate and the bottom plate independent of the base and concentric with the hole in the top plate and having one end secured to the top surface of the bottom plate and the other end secured to the bottom surface of the top plate, the tube having an outer surface for winding the length of the flexible member around and a cavity enclosed by the outer surface extending from the outer surface to the hole of the top plate;

a bearing member secured to the bottom surface of the bottom plate and freely resting upon but not attached to the base of the bucket to allow the spool to be rotated within the bucket and to allow the spool to be lifted and removed from the bucket, and

means coupled to the top plate for rotating the spool within the bucket,

wherein the sidewall engages peripheral edges of the top plate and the bottom plate of the spool to concentrically and vertically retain the spool within the bucket during rotation of the spool and wherein the first end of the flexible member passes through the hole of the bucket, the length of the flexible member winds around the outer surface of the tube and the second end of the flexible member passes through the cavity and through the hole in the top plate of the spool.

9. A device for storing an elongate flexible member having a length, a first end and second end, the device comprising:

a container having a base, a sidewall and a first access hole extending through the sidewall;

a spool disposed within the container, the spool including;

a bottom freely resting upon but not attached to the base of the container to allow the spool to be rotated within the container and to allow the spool to be lifted and removed from the container;

a top having a second access hole extending therethrough; and

a column vertically mounted between the top and the bottom independent of the base, the column having an outer perimeter for winding the length of flexible member around, wherein the first end of the flexible member passes through the second access hole, the length of the flexible member winds around the column and the second end of the flexible member passes through the first access hole of the container;

a footplate fixedly coupled to an exterior of the base of the container, wherein the footplate includes a substantially horizontal portion which extends beyond the sidewall of the container for stabilizing the container during rotation of the spool; and

means for rotating the column within the container.

10. A device for storing an elongate flexible member having a length, a first end and a second end, the device comprising:

a bucket having a base, a cylindrical sidewall integrally extending upward from the base and a first access hole defined by the sidewall, and a handle coupled to the sidewall;

a spool disposed within the bucket, the spool comprising;

a bottom having a round bottom plate and bearing means coupled to the bottom plate for freely resting and supporting the spool upon the base so that the spool is free from attachment within the bucket to allow the spool to be rotated within the bucket and to allow the spool to be lifted and removed from the bucket, a round top plate having a second access hole extending therethrough, and a column vertically mounted between the round top plate and the round bottom plate independent of the base, the column having an outer surface for winding the length of flexible member around, wherein the round top plate retains the elongate flexible member concentrically around the outer surface of the column when the spool is within the bucket and when the spool is removed from the bucket and wherein the sidewall engages peripheral edges of both the round top and bottom plates of the spool to concentrically and vertically retain the spool within the bucket during rotation of the spool, wherein the second end of flexible member passes through the second access hole and wherein the first end of flexible member passes through the first access hole of the bucket; and

means for rotating the spool within the bucket to wind the flexible member around the column.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the first access hole of the bucket comprises an elongate slot extending through and along a substantial length of the side wall of the bucket from near the bottom plate to near the top plate of the spool to permit the flexible member to be wound substantially around the entire outer surface of the column.

12. The device of claim 10 further including compartments secured to the side wall of the bucket for holding tools.

13. The device of claim 10 further including an apron secured to the bucket, the apron having pockets for holding tools.

14. The device of claim 10 further including a compartment within the column for holding tools.

15. The device of claim 10 further including slits within the top of the bucket for holding tools.

16. The device of claim 10 further including means for releasably securing an end of the flexible member to the bucket.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the means for releasably securing an end of the flexible member comprise slits within the side wall of the bucket.

18. The device of claim 10 further including a foot plate secured to an exterior the base of the bucket, wherein the footplate has a substantially horizontal portion extending beyond the sidewall so as to permit force to be applied to the foot plate for stabilizing the bucket during rotation of the spool.

19. The device of claim 10 wherein the elongate flexible member is a cord and wherein the first and second access holes have a circumference large enough to receive the cord through the first and second access holes.

20. The device of claim 10 wherein the top plate comprises a generally flat disk and wherein the second access hole extends through the disk.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein the top plate further includes a brace extending across the disk.

22. The device of claim 10 wherein the column further includes a cavity bounded by the outer surface extending from the outer surface to the second access hole, wherein the second end of the flexible member extends through the cavity and through the second access hole and wherein the first end of the flexible member extends therethrough the first access hole of the bucket.

23. The device of claim 10 wherein the means for rotating the spool within the bucket comprises:

a nut secured to the top of the spool for permitting the spool to be rotated with a nut driver.

24. The device of claim 10 wherein the means for rotating the spool comprises:

a bearing unit between the bottom of the spool and the base of the bucket; and

a crank secured to the top plate of the spool.

25. The device of claim 24 wherein the crank is retractable.