Cleat having retractable retaining arms

• US 5,924,642 A
• Filed: 02/09/1998
• Issued: 07/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rexair LLC
• Original Assignee: Rexair, Inc.
• Inventors: Alberts, John J. III, Krebs, Alan Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RIVERA, WILLIAM ARAUZ
• Application Number:
  US09/020,714
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 242/400.1, 242/407.1, 242/571, 242/575.2, 242/596.1, 242/577.3, 242/577.4, 191/42 R, 191/12.2 R
• US Class Current: 242/400.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/26 Incorporation of winding devices for electric cables devices specially adapted for repeatedly paying-out or re-storing cables B65H75/34; arrangements of electrical cables or lines between relatively-movable parts H02G11/00

Abstract

A cleat for attachment to a device having a power cord. The cleat includes a center support attached to the device for selectively retaining the power cord adjacent to the device. A pair of cord retaining arms extend from the center support in opposite directions. The pair of cord retaining arms are supported by the center support for rectilinear movement between an extended position forming a cord wrapping pocket between each of the arms and the device for retaining the power cord about the center support and in the pockets and a retracted position closing the arms for releasing the power cord from the center support. In a preferred embodiment, the cleat further includes an intercoupling mechanism interconnecting the pair of arms for synchronous movement of one of the arms in response to the rectilinear movement of the other arm. The synchronous movement is movement in a direction opposite and through the same distance as the other arm. The intercoupling mechanism includes a first rack attached to one of the arms, a second rack attached to the other arm, and a ring gear meshed between the first rack and the second rack.

Claims

1. An electrical device having a cleat for selectively retaining an electrical power cord to said device, said cleat comprising:

a center support having first and second end attached to said device for supporting said power cord adjacent to said device; and

a pair of cord retaining arms moveably supported by said center support, wherein each of said arms is moveable along a rectilinear path between a retracted position with said arms positioned completely between said first and second ends for releasing said power cord from said center support to an extended position with said arms extending outside of said first and second ends forming a cord wrapping pocket between each of said arms and said device for receiving and retaining said power cord within said pockets and supported by said center support.

2. An electrical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cleat further includes an intercoupling mechanism interconnecting said pair of arms for providing synchronous movement of said arms between said retracted and extended positions.

3. An electrical device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said synchronous movement of one of said arms is defined by movement in a direction opposite and through the same rectilinear distance as said other of said arms.

4. An electrical device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said intercoupling mechanism includes a first rack attached to one of said arms, a second rack attached to said other arm, and a ring gear meshed between said first rack and said second rack.

5. An electrical device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said center support includes a pair of slots for receiving said respective pair of cord retaining arms, said pair of slots providing said rectilinear movement of said arms with respect to said center support between said retracted and extended positions.

6. An electrical device as set forth in claim 5 wherein each of said cord retaining arm including a handle for manually and simultaneously moving both of said arms between said retracted and extended positions.