Cord retainer

• US 6,957,978 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2003
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Drew Zoller
• Original Assignee: Drew Zoller
• Inventors: Zoller, Drew
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Briggitte R.
• Application Number:
  US10/631,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20050026495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 439/369, 439/501, 439/470, 439/445, 242/400.1, 242/405, 242/405.1, 242/400
• US Class Current: 439/501
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/34 electric cords or electric power cables
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4473 without arrangements or adaptations for rotating the core or former
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/72 Means for accommodating flexible lead within the holder
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/15 Protecting or guiding telephone cords

Abstract

A cord retainer is utilized in association with a portable electrical device, such as a cellular phone or a portable disc player. The cord retainer includes a base which is connected with the electrical device and a flange which is connected with and extends from the base. The flange and base may cooperate with a surface of the electrical device to at least partially define a groove into which a cord may be manually wound. The cord retainer may be integrally formed as one piece with the electrical device. The cord retainer may have a plurality of flanges which at least partially define the groove into which the cord is wound. The cord retainer may be movable between extended and retracted positions.

Claims

1. A portable electrical device having a cord, said portable electrical device comprising a housing having a side and a cord retainer which is connected with said side of said housing, said cord retainer includes a flange and a base, said flange having an inner side which faces toward and is spaced from said side of said housing, said base being connected with said flange and said side of said housing, said base having a side which extends transverse to said side of said flange and to said side of said housing and which cooperates with said side of said housing and said side of said flange to at least partially define a groove which extends completely around said base and in which a plurality of turns of the cord are disposed when the cord is manually wound around said cord retainer, at least a portion of said plurality of turns of the cord being disposed in engagement with said side of said housing when said plurality of turns of the cord are disposed in the groove.

2. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 1 further including a reclosable multiple layered fastener disposed between said base and said side of said housing to interconnect said cord retainer and said housing.

3. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said base includes a recess, said cord retainer includes a fastener which is at least partially disposed in said recess and is engagable with said side of said housing to interconnect said cord retainer and said housing.

4. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one complete turn of said plurality of turns of the cord is disposed in engagement with said side of said base.

5. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flange and said groove have a noncircular configuration.

6. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cord retainer is integrally formed as one piece with at least a portion of said housing.

7. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cord retainer is formed separately from said housing and is connected with said housing by a fastener.

8. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said base has a first end portion which is fixedly connected with said housing and a second end portion which is fixedly connected with said flange.

9. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said base and said flange have oval cross sectional configurations as viewed in a plane extending perpendicular to a central axis of said cord retainer.

10. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said base and said flange are integrally formed as one piece.

11. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cord retainer at least partially encloses a component of said portable electrical device.

12. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said base of said cord retainer is hollow and at least partially encloses a component of said portable electrical device.

13. A portable electrical device having a cord, said portable electrical device comprising a housing and a cord retainer, said cord retainer including a flange which is fixedly connected with said housing and which at least partially defines a groove into which the cord may be manually wound, said cord retainer includes a base having a first end portion which is fixedly connected with said housing and a second end portion which is fixedly connected with said flange, said cord retainer has a central axis which extends through said housing, said base and said flange have oval cross sectional configurations as viewed in a plane extending perpendicular to the central axis of said cord retainer, said housing has a surface area which cooperates with said flange to further define the groove into which the cord may be manually wound.

14. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said base and flange are integrally formed as one piece.

15. A portable device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said groove has an oval cross sectional configuration as viewed in a plane extending perpendicular to the central axis of said cord retainer.

16. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said flange includes first and second parallel portions disposed adjacent to opposite sides of said base, said first and second parallel portions of said flange each having a recess which is engagable with electrical cord to grip the electrical cord.

17. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said cord retainer at least partially encloses a component of the electrical device.

18. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said base of said cord retainer hollow and at least partially encloses a component of said portable electrical device.

19. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said cord retainer includes a fastener which fixedly secures said cord retainer to one side of said housing.

21. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 13 wherein said cord retainer is formed separately from said housing and is connected with said housing by a reclosable fastener.

22. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said fastener includes adhesive which engages said housing.

23. A cord retainer as set forth in claim 13 further including a plurality of spaced apart recesses formed in a peripheral portion of said flange, said cord being positionable in any one of said plurality of recesses to connect said cord with said flange at any one of a plurality of locations along the peripheral position of said flange.

20. A portable electrical device as set forth in clam 13 wherein said cord retainer is integrally formed as one piece with at least a portion of said housing.

24. A portable electrical device having a cord, said portable electrical device comprising a housing and a cord retainer, said cord retainer including a flange which is fixedly connected with said housing and which at least partially defines a groove into which the cord may be manually wound, said cord retainer includes a base having a first end portion which is fixedly connected with said housing and a second end portion which is fixedly connected with said flange, said cord retainer has a central axis which extends through said housing, said base and said flange have oval cross sectional configurations as viewed in a plane extending perpendicular to the central axis of said cord retainer, said cord retainer includes a fastener which fixedly secures said cord retainer to one side of said housing, said one side of said housing includes a surface area which cooperates with said flange to further define the grove in which the cord may be manually wound.

25. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 24 wherein said base and flange are integrally formed as one piece.

26. A portable device as set forth in claim 24 wherein said groove has an oval cross sectional configuration as viewed in a plane extending perpendicular to the central axis of said cord retainer.

27. A portable electrical device as set forth in claim 24 wherein said flange includes first and second parallel portions disposed adjacent to opposite sides of said base, said first and second parallel portions of said flange each having a recess which is engagable with the electrical cord to grip the electrical cord.