Mobile hose reel

• US 9,738,488 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2016
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Suncast Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Suncast Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Kopp, Robert G., Vogler, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Murphy, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trinidad-Borges, Josephine
• Application Number:
  US15/003,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20170210590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 13735512, 13735516, 13735526, 13735527, 280 4718, 280 4717
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2402/42 Mobile apparatus, i.e. mounted on mobile carrier such as tractor or truck
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/33 Hollow or hose-like material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/533 Storage compartments for accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/403 Carriage with wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4465 Foldable or collapsible
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4478 relating to handling of fluids

Abstract

A mobile hose reel traversable between a mobile mode and a stationary mode. The mobile hose reel comprises a first side frame assembly having a first rotatable side wall and a first side frame assembly elongated body. The first side frame assembly elongated body is slidably engaged with at least a portion of the first rotatable side wall and is configured to secure to a first pair of stability members. A second side frame assembly comprises a second rotatable side wall and a second side frame assembly elongated body. The second side frame assembly elongated body is slidably engaged with at least a portion of the second rotatable side wall and is configured to secure to a second pair of stability members. Traversal of the first and second side assemblies upwardly or downwardly about a longitudinal axis traverses the mobile hose reel between a mobile orientation and a stationary orientation.

Claims

1. A mobile hose reel traversable between a mobile mode and a stationary mode comprising:

a first side frame assembly comprising a rotatable side wall configured to rotate a sufficient distance to move said mobile hose reel about a surface, said rotatable side wall having a first member secured to a second member to form an interior space therebetween, and a first side frame assembly arm traversable within said interior space and comprising a pair of rotatably attached legs thereto, said pair of legs having a sufficient length to extend out of said rotatable side wall when in a stationary position and rest within said rotatable side wall when in a mobile position;

a second side frame assembly comprising a rotatable side wall configured to rotate a sufficient distance to move said mobile hose reel about a surface, said rotatable side wall having a first member secured to a second member to form an interior space therebetween, and a second side frame assembly arm traversable within said interior space and comprising a pair of rotatably attached legs thereto, said pair of legs having a sufficient length to extend out of said rotatable side wall when in said stationary position and rest within said rotatable side wall when in said mobile position;

a spool assembly comprising a hub having a first radial expanding flange attached at one end and a second radial expanding flange at a second end.

2. The mobile hose reel according to claim 1 wherein said spool assembly is configured to rotate independently of movement of said first side frame assembly or said second side frame assembly.

3. The mobile hose reel according to claim 1 wherein said first member of said first rotatable side wall comprises a channel sized and shaped to guide said first side frame assembly arm as it traverses within said first side frame assembly;

and said first member of said second rotatable side wall comprises a channel sized and shaped to guide said second side frame assembly arm as it traverses within said second side frame assembly.

4. The mobile hose reel according to claim 1 wherein each said pair of legs comprises a first member of a leg to arm locking assembly configured to engage with a second member of a leg to arm locking member associated with said first side frame assembly arm or said second side frame assembly arm;

whereby said leg to arm locking assembly maintains positioning of each said leg relative to said first side frame assembly arm or said second side frame assembly arm when in said mobile position or said stationary locking position.

5. The mobile hose reel according to claim 1 further including a cross bar connecting said first side frame assembly arm and said second side frame assembly arm.

6. The mobile hose reel according to claim 1 wherein each of said first side frame assembly arm and said second side frame assembly arm contains a curved surface configured to guide said leg as said leg is rotated.

7. The mobile hose reel according to claim 1 wherein each of said first side frame assembly arm and said second side frame assembly arm is further positionable at an angle from a longitudinal axis.

8. The mobile hose reel according to claim 1 further including a first side frame assembly arm self locking mechanism for mating said first side frame assembly arm in an angled position, said first side frame assembly arm self-locking mechanism comprising a first locking member rotatable coupled to said first side frame assembly arm, and a side frame locking member having a seat sized and shaped to receive said first locking member;

and

a second side frame assembly arm self locking mechanism for mating said second side frame assembly arm in an angled position, said second side frame assembly arm self-locking mechanism comprising a second locking member rotatable coupled to said second side frame assembly arm, and a second side frame locking member having a seat sized and shaped to receive said second locking member.

9. The mobile hose reel according to claim 1 wherein the first radial expanding flange is adjacent said first rotatable side wall, and said second radial expanding flange is adjacent said rotatable side wall.

10. A mobile hose reel traversable between a mobile mode and a stationary mode comprising:

a first side frame assembly comprising a first rotatable side wall configured to rotate a sufficient distance to move said mobile hose reel about a surface and a first side frame assembly elongated body, said first side frame assembly elongated body sized and shaped to slidably move within at least a portion of said first rotatable side wall, said first side frame assembly elongated body having a first portion configured to secure to a first end of an elongated cross bar and a second portion configured to secure to a first pair of deployable stability members, said first pair of deployable stability members configured to extend out of said first rotatable side wall when in a stationary position and rest within said rotatable side wall when in a mobile position;

a second side frame assembly comprising a second rotatable side wall configured to rotate a sufficient distance to move said mobile hose reel about a surface and a second side frame assembly elongated body, said second side frame assembly elongated body sized and shaped to slidably move within at least a portion of said second rotatable side wall, said second side frame assembly elongated body having a first portion configured to secure to a second end of an elongated bar and a second portion configured to secure to a second pair of deployable stability members, said second pair of deployable stability members configured to extend out of said second rotatable side wall when in said stationary position and rest within said rotatable side wall when in said mobile position; and

a spool assembly comprising a hub having a first radial expanding flange attached at one end and a second radial expanding flange at a second end, said hub sized and shaped to receive an elongated flexible hose;

whereby traversal of said first side frame assembly and said second side assembly upwardly or downwardly about a longitudinal axis traverses said mobile hose reel between a mobile orientation and a stationary orientation.

11. The mobile hose reel according to claim 10 wherein said spool assembly further includes a crank handle operatively coupled to at least one radial expanding flange and an inlet-outlet tube assembly.

12. The mobile hose reel according to claim 10 wherein said spool assembly is configured to rotate independently of rotation of said first rotatable side wall or said second rotatable side wall.

13. The mobile hose reel according to claim 10 wherein said first pair of stability members are rotatably secured to said first side frame assembly elongated body and said second pair of stability members are rotatably secured to said second side frame assembly elongated body.

14. The mobile hose reel according to claim 10 wherein said first side frame assembly elongated body and said second side frame assembly elongated body are traversable about the circumference of said first rotatable side wall and said second side frame assembly elongated body is traversable about the circumference of said second rotatable side wall.

15. The mobile hose reel according to claim 14 further including a first side frame assembly arm self locking mechanism for mating said first side frame assembly arm in an angled position, said first side frame assembly arm self-locking mechanism comprising a first locking member rotatable coupled to said first side frame assembly arm, and a side frame locking member having a seat sized and shaped to receive said first locking member;

and

a second side frame assembly arm self locking mechanism for mating said second side frame assembly arm in an angled position, said second side frame assembly arm self-locking mechanism comprising a second locking member rotatable coupled to said second side frame assembly arm, and a second side frame locking member having a seat sized and shaped to receive said second locking member.

16. The mobile hose reel according to claim 15 wherein said self-locking mechanism including at least a first portion provided within said first side frame assembly elongated body or said second side frame assembly elongated body, at least one corresponding second portion positioned within said first side frame assembly or said second side frame assembly elongated body, and a securing member pivotally coupled to said first side frame assembly elongated body or said second side frame assembly elongated body.

17. The mobile hose reel according to claim 10 wherein said first side frame assembly elongated body and said second side frame assembly elongated body each contain a slotted region.

18. The mobile hose reel according to claim 10 wherein said at least one of said first side frame assembly or said second side frame assembly contains a cap secured to said rotatable side wall.

19. The mobile hose reel according to claim 18 wherein said cap comprises a slotted region sized and shaped to receive and hold a portion of a flexible hose.