Retractable cord reel

• US 8,387,763 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2010
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konnectronix Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Telefonix Incorporated (Astronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Burke, Paul C., Skowronski, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jason C
• Application Number:
  US12/951,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20120126047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 191/12.2 R, 191/12.R, 242/378, 242/378.4, 254/395, 254/396, 254/393
• US Class Current: 191/12.2R
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/5305 Cooling parts or areas of handling machine
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/34 electric cords or electric power cables
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/528 Heating or cooling devices
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4449 Arrangements or adaptations to avoid movable contacts or rotary couplings, e.g. by the use of an expansion chamber for a lenght of the cord or hose
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum

Abstract

A retractable cord reel is disclosed. The retractable cord reel may have a rotatable ferrule configured to adapt to an expandable coil having various trajectories within the cord reel. The retractable cord reel may have a splicing chamber filled with an epoxy or similar substance. Improved heat dissipation vents and fins and a thermal overload device may also be provided.

Claims

1. A retractable cord reel apparatus, the apparatus comprising

a housing,

a spool within and arranged for rotation relative to the housing,

wherein the spool is axially divided into a plurality of chambers, said spool defining a rotating aperture mounted on the rotating spool near the axis of spool rotation,

a cord traversing the interior of the housing and terminating in retractable and stationary ends external to the housing,

wherein, within a first of the plurality of chambers, the cord comprises a retractable coil wound around the axis of the spool and attached at its periphery to said retractable end through an aperture in the housing,

wherein, within a second of said chambers, the cord comprises an expandable coil wound around the axis of the spool, said expandable coil having first and second ends, said expandable coil having its first end attached to the housing wherein, during retraction of the cord from the first chamber, the expandable coil expands towards the perimeter of the second chamber, after which, the expandable coil winds back into the core of the second chamber wound in a direction opposite that which it began,

wherein the expandable coil enters the core of the second chamber through a rotating aperture arranged for rotation about its own axis, and

wherein the rotating aperture rotates to accommodate the changing trajectory of the expandable coil.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a third chamber axially adjacent to the second chamber and interior to the first chamber contains a segment of cord connecting the retractable and expandable coils.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rotating aperture is a ferrule and the segment comprises an expandable coil adjacent to the ferrule and centered about the axis of the ferrule.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the third chamber comprises a splicing section, the splicing section containing at least one type of filler selected from among the group consisting of silicone, thermoplastic polymer and epoxy.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the expandable coil enters the aperture in the housing via a splice block in the corner of the housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the splice block containing at least one type of filler selected from the group consisting of epoxy, thermoplastic polymer and silicone.

7. A retractable cord reel apparatus, the apparatus comprising

a housing,

a spool within and arranged for rotation relative to the housing,

wherein the spool is axially divided into a plurality of chambers, said housing defining a rotating aperture mounted on the housing near the axis of spool rotation,

a cord traversing the interior of the housing and terminating in retractable and stationary ends external to the housing,

wherein, within a first of the plurality of chambers, the cord comprises a retractable coil wound around the axis of the spool and attached at its periphery to said retractable end through an aperture in the housing,

wherein, within a second of said chambers, the cord comprises an expandable coil wound around the axis of the housing, said expandable coil having first and second ends, said expandable coil having its first end of the expandable cable is attached to the rotating spool near the perimeter of the second chamber wherein, during retraction of the cord from the first chamber, the expandable coil expands towards the perimeter of the second chamber, after which, the expandable coil winds back into the core of the second chamber wound in a direction opposite that which it began,

wherein the expandable coil enters the core of the second chamber through a rotating aperture arranged for rotation about its own axis, and

wherein the rotating aperture rotates to accommodate the changing trajectory of the expandable coil.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a third chamber axially adjacent to the second chamber and interior to the housing contains a segment of cord coiled to accommodate connecting the retractable and expandable coils.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the rotating aperture is a ferrule and the segment comprises an expandable coil adjacent to the ferrule and centered about the axis of the ferrule.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the third chamber comprises a splicing section, the splicing section containing at least one type of filler selected from among the group consisting of silicone, thermoplastic polymer and epoxy.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the rotating spool contains a splicing section axially adjacent to the second chamber and interior to the first chamber.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the splicing section contains at least one type of filler selected from the group consisting of epoxy, thermoplastic polymer and silicone.

13. A retractable cord reel apparatus, the apparatus comprising

a housing, wherein the housing comprises a base mountable to a surface and a cover opposite the base,

a spool within and arranged for rotation relative to the housing,

wherein the spool is axially divided into a plurality of chambers, said spool defining a rotating aperture mounted on the rotating spool near the axis of spool rotation, wherein, within a first of the plurality of chambers, the cord comprises a retractable round cord wound around the axis of the spool and attached at its periphery to said retractable end through an aperture in the housing,

wherein the outer extremity of the retractable cord coil comprises a retractable end capable of withdrawal through a hole in the housing,

wherein, within a second of said chambers, the cord comprises flat cord wound around the axis of the spool, said flat cord having first and second ends, said flat cord having its first end attached to the housing wherein, during retraction of the cord from the first chamber, the flat cord expands towards the perimeter of the second chamber, after which, the flat cord winds back into the core of the second chamber wound in a direction opposite that which it began,

wherein the outer extremity of the flat coil forms a stationary end by exiting the apparatus via a hole in the housing,

wherein the inner most portions of each of the round and flat coils are spliced together in a third chamber interior to the round cord chamber, and

wherein the flat cord chamber is located adjacent to the cover.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the flat cord chamber is delineated on its side nearest to the cover at least partially by a radial flange attached to the spool.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the flange comprises a plurality of ventilation holes.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the cover comprises a plurality of ventilation holes.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the cover comprises a plurality of heat dissipation ridges lining its surface.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein a splicing section within the third chamber containing at least one type of filler selected from the group consisting of silicone, thermoplastic polymer and epoxy.

19. A retractable cord reel apparatus, the apparatus comprising

a housing supporting a cord,

wherein the cord comprises an expansion segment and a retractable segment, each of which is coiled around a rotatable spool, each of said expansion and retractable segments having a first end and a second end, the first end of the expansion segment in operating communication with the first end of the retractable segment

wherein the retractable segment may be withdrawn from the housing, causing rotation of the spool and simultaneous expansion of the expansion segment within an expansion chamber,

wherein the second end of the expansion segment forms a stationary end outside of the housing,

a thermal overload protection device coupled to the cord,

wherein the thermal overload protection device stops a flow of electricity through the apparatus during overheating, and

wherein the thermal overload protection device comprises a manual reset button.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the reset button is protected by, but still accessible through an elastomer boot.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first end of the expansion segment and the first end of the retractable segment are connected via a splicing segment of cord in an interior chamber located radially inward of the portion of the spool supporting the retractable cord.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the thermal overload protection device is coupled to the splicing segment of cord.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the section of the interior chamber connecting the splicing segment contains at least one type of filler selected from the group consisting of epoxy, thermoplastic polymer and silicone.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the button external to the housing may be coupled to a rod through the axis of the spool, wherein the rod is in communication with the thermal overload protection device, and wherein pressing of the external button causes pressing of the reset button.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the reset button may be accessed via a button external to the housing.