IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0187187
(2005-07-21)
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등록번호 |
US-7419038
(2008-09-02)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Caamano,Ramon A.
- Gerard,Christian Okonsky
- Anderson,Nicholas H.
- Cogburn,Christopher A.
- Tracey,James B. A.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
22 인용 특허 :
33 |
초록
▼
A reel includes a reel drum enclosed within a housing comprising a first housing portion, a second housing portion, and a middle housing portion positioned therebetween. A spindle member has a first end connected to the first housing portion and a second end connected to the second housing portion.
A reel includes a reel drum enclosed within a housing comprising a first housing portion, a second housing portion, and a middle housing portion positioned therebetween. A spindle member has a first end connected to the first housing portion and a second end connected to the second housing portion. The spindle member extends through an opening in the drum so that the drum is rotatable about a spindle axis defined by the spindle member. The middle housing portion encircles the drum and has an aperture through which linear material can extend, the linear material of a type that may be spooled on the drum. The middle housing portion is rotatable about the spindle axis independently of the drum. In preferred embodiments, the reel is a cord reel and the linear material is electrical cord. In preferred embodiments, the middle housing portion is rotatable at least 360�� about the spindle axis. In preferred embodiments, the drum is powered by an electric motor. In preferred embodiments, the housing is substantially spherical and the reel further comprises one or more support structures that include handles and are configured to prevent the housing from contacting a flat surface such as a floor or wall. In preferred embodiments, one or more temperature-sensitive switches are configured to shut off power to a spooled electrical cord in the event that a temperature of the reel exceeds a given threshold. In preferred embodiments, a solenoid is provided for locking the middle housing portion with respect to the first and second housing portions while the motor is rotating in a direction to spool the linear material onto the drum.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A reel assembly comprising: a reel onto which a linear material can be spooled; a first housing portion; a second housing portion; a spindle member having a first end connected to the first housing portion and a second end connected to the second housing portion, the spindle
What is claimed is: 1. A reel assembly comprising: a reel onto which a linear material can be spooled; a first housing portion; a second housing portion; a spindle member having a first end connected to the first housing portion and a second end connected to the second housing portion, the spindle member extending through an opening in the reel so that the reel is rotatable about a spindle axis defined by the spindle member; a middle housing portion encircling the reel and positioned between the first and second housing portions, the middle housing portion having an aperture through which linear material can extend, the middle housing portion being rotatable about the spindle axis independently of the reel; and a mechanism having a restricted position and a non-restricted position and configured to restrict rotation of the middle housing portion with respect to the first and second housing portions when the reel rotates in a direction to spool the linear material onto the reel; wherein the first, second, and middle housing portions collectively form a housing for the reel. 2. The reel assembly of claim 1, wherein the first housing portion, second housing portion, and spindle member are fixed with respect to one another. 3. The reel assembly of claim 1, wherein the middle housing portion is freely rotatable through at least 360�� about the spindle axis. 4. The reel assembly of claim 1, wherein the spindle member is formed integrally with the first housing portion. 5. The reel assembly of claim 1, further comprising a motor configured to rotate the reel with respect to the spindle member. 6. The reel assembly of claim 5, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the reel through a gear reduction assembly. 7. The reel assembly of claim 5, wherein the motor is configured to produce rotation of a ring gear on the reel. 8. The reel assembly of claim 5, further comprising a remote control configured to control the motor. 9. The reel assembly of claim 8, wherein the remote control is secured at or near an end of linear material spooled onto the reel. 10. The reel assembly of claim 1, further comprising one or more temperature sensitive switches configured to shut off power to a power connector in response to detecting a temperature of the reel assembly that exceeds a threshold, the power connector being configured to be connected to an electrical cord that may be spooled on the reel. 11. The reel assembly of claim 10, wherein the switch is configured to react to a detected temperature of a surface of the reel onto which the electrical cord is spooled. 12. The reel assembly of claim 1, wherein the reel comprises a substantially cylindrical member, a first end plate at a first end of the cylindrical member, and a second end plate at a second end of the cylindrical member; the reel assembly further comprising: a set of concentric, electrically conductive rings on the first end plate; a power connector mounted on the second end plate and configured to deliver electrical power to an electrical cord spooled on the reel, the power connector being in electrical communication with the rings; and a set of electrically conductive contact elements maintained in electrical contact with the rings during rotation of the reel, the contact elements configured to be in electrical communication with a source of electrical power so that electrical power can be delivered through the contact elements, rings, and power connector to the spooled cord. 13. The reel assembly of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and middle housing portions collectively form a substantially spherically shape when assembled together. 14. The reel assembly of claim 1, further comprising a first support structure mounted to the first housing portion, the first support structure comprising two handle portions positioned generally on opposing sides of the first housing portion. 15. The reel assembly of claim 14, further comprising a second support structure mounted to the second housing portion, the second support structure comprising two handle portions positioned generally on opposing sides of the second housing portion. 16. The reel assembly of claim 15, further comprising a mounting element configured to be secured to a wall or a ceiling, the mounting element configured to support the reel by locking onto two of the handle portions. 17. The reel assembly of claim 16, wherein the mounting element is configured to lock onto one of the handle portions of the first support structure and one of the handle portions of the second support structure. 18. The reel assembly of claim 16, wherein the mounting element is configured to lock onto both of the handle portions of either the first support structure or the second support structure. 19. The reel assembly of claim 16, wherein the mounting element comprises: a generally planar element configured to be mounted to a wall or ceiling; a hook member at a first end of the planar element, the hook member sized and shaped to receive one of the handle portions; and a latch member at a second end of the planar element, the latch member defining a recess sized and shaped to receive one of the handle portions; wherein the mounting element is configured so that when one of the handle portions is received within the hook member, the reel assembly can be rotated about the hook member so that one of the other handle portions partially deflects the latch member and then snaps into the recess. 20. The reel assembly of claim 1, further comprising one or more support structures secured to at least one of the housing portions, the one or more support structures configured to prevent the housing portions from contacting a generally planar support surface regardless of the orientation of the reel assembly. 21. A reel assembly comprising: a reel onto which a linear material can be spooled; a first housing portion; a second housing portion having a similar configuration to the first housing portion; an elongated spindle member having a first end connected to the first housing portion and a second end connected to the second housing portion, the spindle member extending through an opening in the reel so that the reel is rotatable about a spindle axis defined by the spindle member; a middle housing portion encircling the reel and positioned between the first and second housing portions, the middle housing portion having an aperture through which linear material can extend, the middle housing portion being rotatable about the spindle axis independently of the reel; and one or more support structures secured to at least one of the housing portions, the one or more support structures configured to prevent the housing portions from contacting a generally planar support surface regardless of the orientation of the reel assembly. 22. The reel assembly of claim 21, wherein at least one of the one or more support structures includes a handle portion. 23. The reel assembly of claim 21, wherein the first, second, and middle housing portions collectively form a spherical shape that substantially surrounds the reel. 24. A reel assembly comprising: a reel onto which a linear material can be spooled; a first housing portion; a second housing portion; a spindle member having a first end connected to the first housing portion and a second end connected to the second housing portion, the spindle member extending through an opening in the reel so that the reel is rotatable about a spindle axis defined by the spindle member; a middle housing portion encircling the reel and positioned between the first and second housing portions, the middle housing portion having an aperture through which linear material can extend, the middle housing portion being rotatable about the spindle axis independently of the reel; a motor configured to produce rotation of the reel in a first direction for spooling linear material onto the reel, and a second direction opposite the first direction for unspooling linear material from the reel; and a mechanism having a first position in which the mechanism restricts rotation of the middle housing portion with respect to the first housing portion, and a second position in which the mechanism does not restrict rotation of the middle housing portion, the mechanism configured to move to the first position when the motor causes the reel to rotate in the first direction. 25. A reel assembly comprising: a reel onto which an electrical cord can be spooled; a power connector on the reel for connection to the cord; a first housing portion; a second housing portion having a similar configuration to the first housing portion; a spindle member having a first end connected to the first housing portion and a second end connected to the second housing portion, the spindle member extending through an opening in the reel so that the reel is rotatable about a spindle axis defined by the spindle member; a middle housing portion encircling the reel and positioned between the first and second housing portions, the middle housing portion having an aperture through which linear material can extend, the middle housing portion being rotatable about the spindle axis independently of the reel; one or more switches configured to sense a temperature of the reel assembly and shut off electrical power supplied to the power connector in response to detecting a temperature that exceeds a threshold. 26. The reel assembly of claim 25, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to sense a temperature of a surface of the reel onto which linear material is spooled. 27. The reel assembly of claim 25, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a plurality of sensors connected in parallel. 28. A method of reeling linear material, comprising: providing a spool of linear material on a reel; providing first and second housing portions; rotating the reel about a spindle axis defined by a spindle member having a first end connected to the first housing portion and a second end connected to the second housing portion, the spindle member extending through an opening in the reel; providing a middle housing portion between the first and second housing portions, the middle housing portion having an aperture through which the linear material extends, the first, second, and middle housing portions collectively forming a housing for the reel; rotating the middle housing portion independently of the reel about the spindle axis; and switching a mechanism to a position for restricting rotation of the middle housing portion with respect to the first and second housing portions while rotating the reel in a direction to spool the linear material onto the reel. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein rotating the middle housing portion comprises rotating the middle housing portion at least 360�� about the spindle axis. 30. The method of claim 28, further comprising positionally fixing the first housing portion, second housing portion, and spindle member with respect to one another. 31. The method of claim 28, wherein the spindle member is formed integrally with the first housing portion. 32. The method of claim 28, wherein rotating the reel comprises activating a motor that causes the reel to rotate. 33. The method of claim 32, wherein activating a motor comprises activating a motor that rotates the reel through a gear reduction assembly. 34. The method of claim 32, wherein the motor is electrically powered, the method further comprising: providing a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the reel; and providing a switch that automatically shuts off power to the motor in response to the sensor detecting a temperature of the reel that exceeds a threshold. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein providing a temperature sensor comprises providing a sensor that detects a temperature of a surface of the reel onto which linear material is spooled. 36. The method of claim 32, wherein rotating the reel comprises rotating a ring gear on the reel. 37. The method of claim 28, wherein providing a spool of linear material on the reel comprises: providing a substantially cylindrical member with a first end plate at a first end of the cylindrical member and a second end plate at a second end of the cylindrical member; and winding an electrical cord onto the cylindrical member between the end plates, the method further comprising: providing a set of concentric, electrically conductive rings on the first end plate; configuring the reel so that the rings are in electrical communication with the cord spooled on the reel; maintaining a set of electrically conductive contact elements in electrical contact with the slip rings during rotation of the reel; electrically connecting the contact elements with a source of electrical power; and housing a power connector and the plug of the electrical cord on the second end plate, the power connector being electrically connected to the plug, the power connector being electrically connected to the slip rings. 38. The method of claim 28, wherein the first, second, and middle housing portions collectively form a substantially spherically shape when assembled together. 39. The method of claim 28, further comprising mounting a first support structure to the first housing portion, the first support structure comprising two handle portions positioned generally on opposing sides of the first housing portion. 40. The method of claim 39, wherein mounting the first support structure comprises mounting a pair of elongated mounting portions on opposing sides of the first housing portion, each mounting portion having one end coupled to an end of one of the handle portions and another end coupled to an end of the other of the handle portions, each end of the handle portions being coupled to only one of the mounting portions. 41. The method of claim 39, further comprising mounting a second support structure to the second housing portion, the second support structure comprising two handle portions positioned generally on opposing sides of the second housing portion. 42. The method of claim 41, further comprising: locking a mounting element onto two of the handle portions; and securing the mounting element to a wall or a ceiling. 43. The method of claim 42, wherein locking the mounting element comprises locking the mounting element onto one of the handle portions of the first support structure and one of the handle portions of the second support structure. 44. The method of claim 42, wherein locking the mounting element comprises locking the mounting element onto both of the handle portions of either the first support structure or the second support structure. 45. The method of claim 41, further comprising: providing a generally planar element; providing a hook member fixed with respect to a first end of the planar element, the hook member sized and shaped to receive one of the handle portions; providing a latch member fixed with respect to a second end of the planar element, the latch member defining a recess sized and shaped to receive one of the handle portions; mounting the planar element to a wall or ceiling; receiving one of the handle portions within the hook member; and rotating the reel about the hook member so that one of the other handle portions partially deflects the latch member and then snaps into the recess. 46. The method of claim 28, further comprising securing one or more support structures to at least one of the housing portions, the one or more support structures configured to prevent the housing portions from contacting a generally planar support surface regardless of the orientation of the reel. 47. The reel assembly of claim 24, wherein the mechanism comprises an electrical mechanism. 48. The reel assembly of claim 24, wherein the mechanism comprises a solenoid. 49. The reel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mechanism in its retracted position restricts rotation of the middle housing portion with respect to the first and second housing portions, and wherein the mechanism in its non-restricted position does not restrict rotation of the middle housing portion with respect to the first and second housing portions. 50. The reel assembly of claim 1, wherein the mechanism comprises a solenoid.
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