Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~06i889
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a cord reel assembly hub for use in the storing and
deployment of
automotive jumper cables.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Jumper cables are typically stored in the vehicle trunk where they are
subjected to tangling,
freezing and breakage.The use of these cables, a well known procedure,
necessitates the
placement of clamps of corresponding polarity onto the terminals of a
decharged and charged
battery. This may be difficult if the cables have become frozen and
misshapen.A cord reel can
1o be used for the orderly storage and deployment of jumper cables.
In deploying jumper cables from a reel it would be necessary to set down the
reel on a
convenient area such as the vehicle bumper.This must be accomplished without
twisting the
cables about the axis of the reel, so as to prevent tensioning the cables,
which may cause the
toppling over of the reel and unclasping the clamps. Furthermore the cord reel
assembly must
have as few mechanical parts as possible, so as to maximize durability and the
ease of
deployment of the assembly under the extreme conditions inherent to its
use.This is of
particular significance where water, debris and freezing make deployment
difficult.
The prior art has not adequately addressed the requirements of a cord reel
assembly adaptable
2o to use with heavy gauge jumper cable under extreme conditions. In US.
patent 3, 337, 695 to
Brown, there was taught a reel containing a multitude of parts and
connections, which when
subjected to the herein mentioned extreme conditions may corrode and fail. In
particular the
reel does not allow for the use of a uninterrupted standard jumper cable, thus
compromising
strength, safety and reliability. Present day cord reels such as US. patent
4,467,979 to
Koehler, and US. patent 4,656,320 to Maddock, used in the deployment of a
simple electrical
cord, are not wholly suited for the deployment of more complex, multistrand,
uninterupted
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jumper cables and the attached clamps, in that bilateral access to the storage
area and the
requirements of simplicity and strength for use under extreme conditions are
not adequately
addressed.
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2061889
OBJECT OF INVENTION
It is the object of my invention to provide an improved cord reel assembly
allowing its
use under extreme conditions and with complex jumper cables.
s SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention generally provides for a central hub for a reel assembly
suited
for the storage and deployment of automotive jumper cables. The assembly has a
circular reel housing having a radial wall surrounded by a perpendicular wall.
A cable
entry aperture in the perpendicular wall, surrounded by a secondary storage
area is
i o referred to as the cable feeding end of the housing. Said radial wall
further has central
aperture, the housing aperture, flanked by a circumferential and perpendicular
aperture
ridge.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a central hub
having a radial
wall opened centrally by a large aperture, that is perpendicularly flanked by
two
is parallel circumferential hub walls. Said walls are separated from each
other by a space
slightly larger than the width of the housing aperture ridge, and engage the
radial
housing aperture ridge in a male-female interaction,creating the cable winding
surface
between the radial walls of the hub and the housing.The hub is maintained in
the
assembly by affixing the inner hub wall to a hub plate that resides around the
outside
20 of the housing aperture. The hub plate has an aperture which has features
similar to
the hub aperture.
In accordance with the present invention the central hub has an inner hub wall
with
several openings and defines a central storage compartment capable of
maintaining the
jumper cable clamps therein without the need for devices or closures.
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CA 02061889 1999-03-31
This may be accomplished by angling and slicling the oddly shaped clamps into
the
hub compartment and through the inner hub wall openings. The handle end of the
clamps may thus be anchored in place, through the inner hub wall,through which
the
clamp cable already passes.The second hub wall being devoid of all but one
opening
,which is large enough for transit of the cable only, acts to effectively
arrest the handle
end of the stored clamps and separates the hub storage compartment and clamps
from
the winding surface of the reel preventing interference of the winding cable
with the
stored clamps.
1 o In accordance with the present invention there is provided a storage
compartment which is
accessible through the hub or hub plate apemares on either opposite sides of
the reel
assembly,thereby allowing the assembly to be placed on a convenient surface
such as the
inner hood compartment or bumper,after the clamps at the feeding end have been
pulled
from a secondary clamp storage area for subsequent attaching to another car
battery. This
allows access to the compartmentalized storage clamps by which ever side of
the reel
assembly is uppermost after laying it down. This eliminates the need to twist
the cable
about the reel assembly, which may otherwise camse the stiffened cables to
detach or cause
the reel assembly to dangerously topple into the engine compartment under
twisting
tension.Thus, under a stressful situation the first or feeding end clamps are
prepared for
2 o attaching to the first car battery with disregard fir the orientation of
the reel assembly and
the second storage clamps are pulled from which ever aperture is easiest to
access, by
virtue of bilateral hub openings.
In accordance with the present invention the hub and hub plate circular
aperture walls
may have two opposite, parallel linear walls so disposed as to square off the
circular
aperture.The walls act as a clamp retention bacli:up to further retain the
clamps, should
the clamp handles not have been properly secured in the inner hub wall
apertures.
S
In accordance with the present invention the inner hub wall may further have
retaining
clips or rubber cushions set in the inner hub wall openings, to secure the
clamping end
of the clamps in the storage compartment .
In accordance with this invention the overlapping of the hub walls and housing
aperture
s ridge creates an attachment that has ample overlap and thickness to provide
for a strong
attachment capable of enduring heavy gauge cable winding under extreme(frozen)
conditions.
In accordance with this invention the reel assembly provides for a second
clamp storage
area at the feeding end of the housing, characterized by an entry port, an
inner clamp
io retaining wall, and further comprising a carrying handle.
In accordance with this invention the hub and assembly may have a plurality of
apertures to shed water and debris, being angled in the direction of winding
to act as
shedding vanes.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention the assembly is suited for
the use of
i5 uninterrupted standard jumper cables having oddly shaped bulky clamps at
both the
feeding and storage ends.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention the assembly and hub
provide for
simplicity of construction and a minimum of parts, thus being well suited for
the
inherent extreme conditions of use during the winter months.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
IN THE DRAWINGS
FIG.1- is a perspective view of a reel assembly in accordance with the
invention, with
clamps disposed in the "stored" configuration;
FIG.2_ is a perspective view similar to Fig. l with the cable and clamps
removed for
clarity;
1o FIG.3- is a plan view of the reel assembly clarifying the path of the cable
with clamps
extracted at the feeding end;
FIG.4_ is a fragmented perspective view, in section, of the central hub;
FIGS- is a fragmented view similar to Fig.4 more readily showing the clamp
handle
and cable;
FIG.6_ is a view along line 6-6 of Fig.3;
FIG.7- is a perspective similar to Fig.6 with the cable and clamps removed for
clarity;
FIG.B- is a perspective similar to but on a line slightly medial to Fig.7 with
a portion
of the hub wall apertures and components visible;
2o FIG.9- is a plan view of the hub plate outlining the point of contact, "A",
with the
first hub wall;
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the preferred embodiment of the instant invention there is
provided a reel
assembly numeral 1, for the storage and deployment of jumper cables. The reel
comprises a circular housing 2 having a radial wall 3 surrounded by a
perpendicular,
circumferential wall 4 . Said perpendicular wall having an opening 5 for the
entry of a
cable, and said opening being surrounded by a secondary storage area 6. ( Fig.
6) As
to seen in Fig. 7, radial wall 3 is provided with a large central housing
aperture 7 which is
flanked by a circumferential ridge 8. Said ridge 8 being perpendicular to
radial wall 3
and having sufficient thickness to provide a strong fulcrum of rotation and
act as a
spacer between the hub walls which will be mounted thereto. Mounted in said
housing
2, for the coiling and uncoiling of cable, is a central hub 9. Central hub 9
is provided
with a radial wall 10, with a slightly smaller radius than radial housing wall
3, and has
a large central hub aperture 11 which is flanked by a first, circumferential,
hub wall 12
and a parallel, second, circumferential, hub wall l3.Hub walls 12 and 13 being
separated by a space slightly larger than ridge 8, and rotationally engaged
onto said
ridge in a female-male interaction, as seen in Figs. 1 and 7. Said central hub
9 being
2o rotationally maintained in housing 2 by affixing of first hub wall 12 to a
hub plate 15
residing in a recessed groove 16 surrounding the outer aspect of housing
aperture 7.
Hub wall 13 has a length slightly shorter than perpendicular wall 4,and
engages
radial wall 3 in a rotatable fashion in lateral apposition to ridge 8. Hub
wall 12 has
length slightly longer than wall 13 so as to abut against plate 15, at "A",
being thereto
affixed by screws.(Fig.6) As seen in Figs 1 and 5 the first hub wall 12
defines a
central storage area 17 capable of maintaining stored jumper cable clamps 21
therein.
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Said hub wall 12 presents a plurality of openings 18 acting as conduits for
jumper
cable 19 and cable clamp handles 20. Openings 18 are slightly less high than
the
overlap created by the engagement of wall 12 and 13 with ridge 8. Said
openings 18
further comprise the stored cable clamp 21 retention means.
Hub wall 13 is disposed so as to create a solid wall,parallel to wall 12 .A
single
opening 22 in wall 13, being smaller than opening 18 acts as a conduit for
jumper cable
19 while the remainder of said solid wall acts to arrest cable clamp handles
20. Said
handles are arrested at wall 13 due to preferential movement of the smaller
cable 19
through opening 22 while excluding the larger stored clamp handles 20. Clamps
21
1 o have been stored in the central hub storage area 17 once the attached
handles 20 have
been inserted through openings 18 so as to releasably anchor the handles
therein.
In the preferred embodiment central hub 9 has a handle 23 on the external
aspect of radial hub wall 10 to impart rotational movement to said hub. Ridge
8
provides for a solid fulcrum of rotation while allowing for the creation of a
uniform
t5 winding area 26 delineated by the inner aspect of radial walls 3 and 10 and
the second
hub wall surface 14. Furthermore the circular axial positioning of the hub 9
in the
housing 2 is rotatably maintained by the thick overlap of the hub walls 12 and
13 with
the housing ridge 8, so as to provide an attachment which is suitable for the
winding of
heavy cables 19, and prevents any entrapment of the winding cable 19 within
the
2o moving parts. Hub plate 15 being so configured as to maintain the
attachment in a
rotatable fashion. Said plate 15 being attached to the first hub wall 12 by
several screws
24 at several holes 25. Hub plate 15 comprises a flat uniform ring with a
diameter
larger than the diameter of the first hub wall 12 and whose beveled edge
resides in
housing recess 16. Said hub plate 15 has a large central aperture 27
equivalent to hub
25 aperture 11. Aperture 27 having two opposite,parrallel and linear walls 28,
so disposed
as to square off the circular aperture 27, best seen in Fig 6 and 9. Said
walls 28 act as
a clamp retention backup to further retain the stored clamps 21 in the storage
area 17,
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CA 02061889 1999-09-10
should the clamp handles 20 not have been properly anchored in the hub wall
openings
18. Hub opening 11 is also configured with similar walls 28.
In another embodiment hub openings 18 may have metal clips 29 fastened to
their
periphery, to secure the clamping ends 30 of stored clamps 21 while they are
inserted
across two opposite openings 18.
In yet another embodiment hub openings 18 may have rubber cushions 31
fastened io their periphery, to secure the clamping ends 30 of stored clamps
21 while
they are inserted across two opposite openings 18.
Secondary clamp storage area 6 being molded from the housing 2, is provided to
encircle the housing cable entry opening 5, and best seen in Fig.2 and 7. Said
storage
area 6 comprises a back 32 , two side walls 34, a forward retaining wall 35,
and has a
semicircular handle 33. The opening delineated by the above mentioned walls
defines the
extent of the secondary storage area 6. The housing entry port 5 allows for
preferential
passage of the smaller jumper cable 19 while the perpendicular housing wall
area 37,
surrounding the cable entry opening 5, within the area defined by the
secondary storage
area acts as a retaining wall arresting the larger feeding clamps 38 at their
handle ends
39. Clamps 38 remain partially extruded from the storage area 6 and are
maintained
therein by tension on the wound cable 19,(Fig. b).
In the preferred embodiment the housing radial wall 3 and perpendicular wall 4
and the hub radial wall 10 may have a plurality of apertures 40 angled in the
direction of
winding io act as vanes for the shedding of water and debris.
To employ the reel assembly, the handle 33 is grasped in one hand.The
protruding feeding clamps 38 at the feeding end 36 of assemble 1 are grasped
wish the
other hand and the eniire length of cable 19 is exteriorized by pulling and
uncoiling. Said
cable clamps 38 are attached to a first car battery. The assembly 1 may then
be placed on
a convenient surface such as the inner hood compartment or bumper of a second
car. In
accordance with the present invention there is provided a storage compartment
17 which
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is accessible through the hub or hub plate apertures 11 and 27 on either
opposite sides of
reel assembly 1. This, allows access to the compartmentalized storage clamps
21 by
which ever side of said assembly 1 that is uppermost and easiest to access,
after laying it
down. Clamps 21 may be freely drawn from either aperture 11 or 27. This
eliminates the
need to twist the cable 19 about assembly 1, which may otherwise cause the
stiffened
cables to detach or cause reel assembly 1 to dangerously topple into the
engine
compartment under twisting tension.Thus, under a stressful situation the first
or feeding
end clamps 38 are attached to the first car battery with disregard for the
orientation of
reel assembly 1, and the second storage clamps 21 are grasped through either
bilateral
opening 11 or 27, angled across the storage compartment 17 and pulled outward
so as to
bypass the hub or hub plate linear walls 28 and pulled freely out of the
storage areas 17.
Assembly 1 may if necessary be slid along the extruded jumper cable 19 so as
to adjust
the ratio of cable length which is exteriorized at the feeding end 36 and the
end extruded
through storage area 17.
Storage is accomplished by reversing the procedure by, pulling cable 19 back
through the feeding end, storage area 6, while angling and sliding the oddly
shaped
storage clamps 21 into hub compartment 17, passed the hub or hub plate linear
walls 28,
and through an inner hub wall opening 18 so as to anchor the handle end 20 of
the
clamps in place,through an inner hub wall opening 18, through which the jumper
cable
19 already passes.The clamp handles 20 may be aided in their anchorage by
virtue of
their spring tensioning.The second hub wall 13 being devoid of all but one
opening 22,
which is large enough for transit of the cable only, acts to effectively
arrest the handle
end 20 of the stored clamps 21, and separates the hub storage compartment 17
and
clamps 21 from winding area 26. Hub handle 23 is grasped and rotated so as to
wind
cable 19 onto the winding surface 14 of assembly 1. Thus the feeding clamps 38
are
pulled into the second storage area 6 by the winding cable 19 wherein the
clamp handles
39 of the feeding clamps 38 come to rest against the housing wall 37, leaving
only a
X061889
only a portion of clamps 38 outside the storage area 6, where they may be
grasp for
subsequent deployment.This is best seen in figs.l and 6.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that innovative hub 9 provides a
storage
means free from mechanical retainers and covers, which may otherwise be prone
to
failure under use in harsh conditions,and a bilateral hub access suited toward
use of
frozen, stiffened cables, and further providing a housing attachment suited
for the use
of heavy gauge cables.
It should be understood that the foregoing relates only to a preferred
embodiment of the invention which has been by way of example only, and that it
is
1o intended to cover all changes and modification of the example of the
invention herein
chosen for the purpose of the disclosure which do not constitute departures
from the
scope of the invention.
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