Cable manager for a rechargeable electric vehicle

• US 6,338,450 B1
• Filed: 05/08/2000
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jerry Schwendinger
• Original Assignee: Jerry Schwendinger
• Inventors: Schwendinger, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Jonathan R.
• Application Number:
  US09/566,351
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 242/388.9, 242/388.91, 191/12.R, 254/337, 254/336, 254/392, 254/414
• US Class Current: 242/388.9
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/003 using gravity-loaded or spring-loaded loop
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A cable manager has a support member and a bracket that mounts the support member to a ceiling joist of a golf cart shed. A first pulley wheel attaches to the top end of the support member, and a second pulley wheel attaches to a pulley mounting bracket. A coil spring entrained about the first pulley wheel has one end attached to the pulley mounting bracket and the other end attached to the bottom end of the support member. The second pulley wheel is suspended at a lower elevation than the first pulley wheel and moves down against the force of the spring when the power cable entrained over it is pulled down to connect to a golf cart for recharging. While recharging occurs, the lower pulley is fixed to the support member by attaching its bracket to an S-hook that attaches the spring to the vertical support member. When the power cable is released, the pulley moves up but its upward travel is limited by a cable bracket that captures the power cable and holds it in position for easy retrieval for the next use. The cable manager is suspended from the ceiling above the tops of the golf carts leaving the area floor area of obstructions for the golf cart.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an elongated support having a top end portion and a bottom end portion;

a first pulley wheel rotatably attached to said top end portion of said support member;

a pulley mounting bracket;

a second pulley wheel rotatably attached to said pulley mounting bracket; and

a coil spring having a first end, a second end and a middle portion intermediate said ends, said first end being attached to said bottom end portion of said support member, said second end being attached to said pulley mounting bracket, said middle portion being entrained about said first pulley wheel to suspend said second pulley wheel at a lower elevation than said first pulley wheel.

2. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said support member has at least one threaded opening and including a support member mounting bracket having a threaded member for engaging said at least one threaded opening to mount said support member.

4. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, including means for releasably attaching said second pulley to said bottom end portion of said elongated support member.

7. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, including a cable bracket fastened to said bottom end portion of said elongated support member for engaging and holding an electrical power cable.

8. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said cable bracket includes:

a base member having left and right end portions;

a first inverted U-shaped member having one end of the U fastened to said left end portion of said base member and a distal end portion; and

a second inverted U-shaped member having one end of the U fastened to said right end portion of said base member and a distal end portion, said U-shaped members being positioned alongside one another with said distal end portions spaced a preselected distance from one another.

9. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 8, including a stop member attached to one of said elongated support member and cable bracket and lying a preselected distance above said cable bracket.

3. An apparatus, comprising:

an elongated support member having a top end portion and a bottom end portion;

a first pulley wheel rotatably attached to said top end portion of said elongated support member;

a pulley mounting bracket;

a second pulley wheel rotatably attached to said pulley mounting bracket;

a retractile member having a first end, a second end and a middle portion intermediate said ends, said first end being attached to said bottom end portion of said elongated support member, said second end being attached to said pulley mounting bracket, said middle portion being entrained about said first pulley wheel to suspend said second pulley wheel at a lower elevation than said first pulley wheel; and

a platform mounting bracket having an inverted hook on one end and a platform on the other end.

5. An apparatus, comprising:

an elongated support member having a top end portion and a bottom end portion;

a first pulley wheel rotatably attached to said top end portion of said elongated support member;

a pulley mounting bracket;

a second pulley wheel rotatably attached to said pulley mounting bracket;

a retractile member having a first end, a second end and a middle portion intermediate said ends, said first end being attached to said bottom end portion of said support member, said second end being attached to said pulley mounting bracket, said middle portion being entrained about said first pulley wheel to suspend said second pulley wheel at a lower elevation than said first pulley wheel; and

an electrical power cable entrained about said second pulley wheel.

6. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 5, including a cable bracket fastened to said bottom end portion of said elongated support member for engaging and holding said electrical power cable.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

an elongated support member having a top end portion and a bottom end portion, said bottom end portion defining an opening;

a first pulley mounting bracket attached to said top end portion of said elongated support member;

a first pulley wheel mounted on said first pulley mounting bracket;

a second pulley mounting bracket;

a second pulley wheel mounted on said pulley mounting bracket; and

a coil spring entrained about said first pulley wheel and having one end attached to said bottom end portion of said elongated support member via said opening and having its other end attached to said second pulley mounting bracket, said second pulley wheel being suspended on said spring at a lower elevation than said first pulley wheel.

11. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said top end portion of said support member defines first and second vertically spaced threaded bores, and including a support member mounting bracket having threaded members for engaging said threaded openings to mount said support member.

12. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, including a platform mounting bracket having an inverted hook on one end and a platform on the other end.

13. Apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, including an electrical power cable entrained about said second pulley wheel.

14. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 13, including a cable bracket fastened to said bottom end portion of said elongated support member for engaging and holding said electrical power cable.

15. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 10, including a cable bracket fastened to said bottom end portion of said elongated support member for engaging and holding an electrical power cable.

16. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 15, wherein said cable bracket includes:

a base member having left and right end portions;

a first inverted U-shaped member having one end of the U fastened to said left end portion of said base member and a distal end portion; and

a second inverted U-shaped member having one end of the U fastened to said right end portion of said base member and a distal end portion, said U-shaped members being positioned alongside one another with said distal end portions spaced a preselected distance from one another.

17. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 16, including a stop member attached to one of said support member and cable bracket and lying a preselected distance above said cable bracket.

18. An apparatus for managing a power cable for recharging an electric vehicle in a building, said building having a ceiling joist, said apparatus comprising:

a vertical support member having a top end portion and a bottom end portion, said top end portion defining first and second vertically spaced threaded bores, said bottom end portion defining an opening;

a support member mounting bracket having threaded members for engaging said threaded openings to mount said vertical support member, said support member mounting bracket being positioned on one side of the ceiling joist and said vertical support member being positioned on the other side of the ceiling joist so that the ceiling joist supports said vertical support member;

a first pulley mounting bracket fastened to said top end portion of said support member;

a first pulley wheel mounted on said first pulley mounting bracket;

a second pulley mounting bracket;

a second pulley wheel mounted on said pulley mounting bracket with the power cable entrained about said second pulley wheel;

a coil spring entrained about said first pulley wheel and having one end attached to said bottom end portion of said support member via said opening and having its other end attached to said second pulley mounting bracket, said second pulley wheel being suspended on said spring at a lower elevation than said first pulley wheel; and

a cable bracket fastened to said bottom end portion of said vertical support member for engaging and holding the power cable.

19. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 18, including a platform mounting bracket having an inverted hook on one end and a platform on the other end, said hook being draped over the joist to support said platform and a battery charger on said platform containing the power cord.