Cord reel and storage device

• US 5,992,787 A
• Filed: 02/06/1997
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald D. Burke
• Original Assignee: Donald D. Burke
• Inventors: Burke, Donald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RIVERA, WILLIAM ARAUZ
• Application Number:
  US08/796,151
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 242/388.1, 242/388, 242/388.5, 242/388.6, 242/398, 242/405.1, 242/129, 254/134.3, 206/702, 206/409
• US Class Current: 242/388.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/143 at least one end flange being shaped to cover the windings
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum

Abstract

A cord storage device is provided which allows the simultaneous winding and unwinding of both halves of a cord while maintaining both cord ends in position for use and the device also permits unwinding of the cord from the storage device while one cord end is held in a fixed position.

Claims

1. A cord winding and storage apparatus comprising:

a generally annular-shaped container comprising a hollow interior and an inner wall and a flexible outer wall,

a continuous circumferential openable slit in said outer wall of said container to provide access to said container interior and to allow user insertion of the cord upon flexing said outer wall to open said slit to access said interior,

a divider within said hollow interior extending, generally, from said inner wall and terminating proximate to said circumferential openable slit for partitioning said interior into a first storage half and a second storage half, and

a void in said divider to permit cord communication between said first and second halves for windable cord storage about said container inner wall of a first cord-portion in said first half and for windable storage about said container inner wall of a second cord-portion in said second half to accomplish separated cord-portion storage to allow both independent as well as simultaneous winding and unwinding of said first and second cord-portions.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said divider is a generally flat disk having a central void therein for passage of said inner wall therethrough and a plurality of tabs extending about the perimeter of said central void, said tabs being oriented at right angles to said disk to assist the centering of said disk between said first and second halves.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said divider is substantially non-rotatable about said inner wall.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a flat flange extending outwardly from the outer wall of each of said first and second halves, said flat flange of said first half being registerable and biased against said flange of said second half to exclude dirt and moisture from the hollow interior of said container and to retain the cord in a selected position.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said flanges contact and are biased against said divider to exclude dust and moisture from the interior of said first and second halves and to retain the cord in a selected position.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said generally annular-shaped container comprises a first half-annulus shell for registerable joining to a second half-annulus shell, said joined shell halves providing said hollow interior for storage of the cord therein.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6 wherein said first and second halves are provided with registerable telescope-joint interior walls for connecting said halves.

8. The device as claimed in claim 6 wherein said first and second halves are provided with registerable grooves on said interior walls of said first and second halves for interconnecting said halves.

9. A cord winding and storage apparatus comprising:

a generally annular-shaped container comprising a hollow interior and an inner wall and a flexible outer wall,

a continuous circumferential openable slit in said outer wall of said container to provide access to said container interior and to allow user insertion of the cord upon flexing said outer wall to open said slit to access said interior,

a divider within said hollow interior extending, generally, from said inner wall and terminating proximate to said circumferential openable slit for partitioning said interior into a first storage half and a second storage half,

a first void in said first half inner wall, and

a second void in said second half inner wall, said first and second voids permitting passage of the cord between said first and second halves for windable storage about said container inner wall of a first cord-portion within said first half and for windable storage about said container inner wall of a second cord-portion within said second half to accomplish separated cord-portion storage to allow both independent as well as simultaneous winding and unwinding of said first and second cord-portions.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9 wherein said divider is a generally flat disk having a central void therein for passage of said inner wall therethrough and a plurality of tabs extending about the perimeter of said central void, said tabs being oriented at right angles to said disk to assist the centering of said disk between said first and second halves.

11. The device as claimed in claim 9 wherein said divider is substantially non-rotatable about said inner wall.

12. The device as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a flat flange extending outwardly from the outer wall of each of said first and second halves, said flat flange of said first half being registerable with and biased against said flange of said second half to exclude dirt and moisture from the hollow interior of said container and to retain the cord in a selected position.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12 wherein said flanges contact and are biased against said divider to exclude dust and moisture from the interior of said first and second halves and to retain the cord in a selected position.

14. The device as claimed in claim 9 wherein said generally annular-shaped container comprises a first half-annulus shell for registerable joining to a second half-annulus shell, said joined shell halves providing said hollow interior for storage of the cord therein.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14 wherein said first and second halves are provided with registerable telescope-joint interior walls for connecting said halves.

16. The device as claimed in claim 14 wherein said first and second halves are provided with registerable grooves on said interior walls of said first and second halves for interconnecting said halves.

17. An apparatus for winding and storage of a cord therein comprising:

a generally donut-shaped shell comprising a first shell-half for joining to a second shell-half, said joined shell-halves defining a hollow interior for storage of the cord and presenting an inner wall and a flexible outer wall,

a continuous circumferential openable slit in said outer wall of said donut-shaped shell to provide access to said hollow interior and to allow user insertion of the cord upon flexing said outer wall to open said slit to access said interior,

a divider within said shell to maintain separation between said first shell-half hollow interior and a second shell-half hollow interior, said divider extending from said inner wall of said donut-shaped shell toward said outer wall of said shell, and

a means for cord communication between said first hollow interior and said second hollow interior for windable storage about said inner wall of a first cord-portion within said first half interior and for windable storage about said inner wall of a second cord-portion within said second half interior to accomplish separated cord-portion storage to allow both independent as well as simultaneous winding and unwinding of said first and second cord-portions.

18. The device as claimed in claim 17 further comprising opposed flat flanges extending from the outer perimeter of each of said halves to exclude dust and moisture from the interior of said first and second halves and to provide cord restraining pressure against the cord to hold the cord in position.

19. The device as claimed in claim 17 wherein said first and second halves are joined by registerable grooves on said interior wall of said first and second halves for interconnecting said halves.

20. The device as claimed in claim 17 wherein said first and second halves are joined by registerable telescoping interior walls on said first and second halves for connecting said halves.

21. The device as claimed in claim 17 wherein said means for cord communication is a void in said divider.

22. The device as claimed in claim 17 wherein said means for cord communication is a first void in said first half inner wall and a second void in said second half inner wall.

23. The device as claimed in claim 17 wherein said divider is substantially non-rotatable about said inner wall.