Electrical cord-reel apparatus

Claim 2

In retractable electrical cord-reel apparatus, the improvement comprising a unitary hub-and-flange member having a generally flat face with a plurality of annular recesses therein spaced radially from one another to accomodate annular electrical conductor rings, the intervening face portion having means thereon to retain such rings in place, wherein the intervening face portion is raised at intervals alongside the recesses and adapted to be upset laterally to overlie the edges of such rings therein and thereby retain the rings in place.

Claim 3

In retractable electrical cord-reel apparatus, the improvement comprising a unitary hub-and-flange member having a generally flat face with a plurality of annular recesses therein spaced radially from one another to accommodate tabless annular electrical conductor rings such rings positioned therein, the intervening face portion having means thereon to retain such rings in place.

Claim 4

In retractable electrical cord-reel apparatus, the improvement comprising a unitary hub-and-flange member having a generally flat face with a plurality of annular recesses therein spaced radially from one another to accommodate tabless annular electrical conductor rings such rings positioned therein, the intervening face portion having means thereon to retain such rings in place.

Claim 5

Cord-reel apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each recess communicates with the back of the hub-and-flange member via an intervening opening therethrough.

Claim 6

Cord-reel apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the back of the hub portion includes a cylindrical wall portion adapted to receive one end of a multiple-conductor electrical cord therein for attachment to the conductor rings through the communicating openings.

Claim 7

Cord-reel apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the cylindrical hub wall portion has a gap therein to accommodate the electrical cord for essentially tangential exit therethrough, and the back of the hub portion includes a plurality of axially opposed bosses spaced to accommodate the cord in serpentine configuration thereabout, in alternative clockwise and counterclockwise configuration from the ring openings to the wall gap.

Claim 8

In retractable electrical cord-reel apparatus, the improvement comprising a hub-and-flange member having on the back thereof a cylindrical hub wall portion adapted to receive one end of a multiple-conductor electrical cord therein and to retain the cord frictionally against longitudinal removal therefrom, wherein the cylindrical hub wall portion has a gap therein to accommodate the electrical cord for essentially tangential exit therefrom, and wherein the back of the hub portion includes a plurality of bosses spaced to accommodate the electrical cord in serpentine configuration thereabout, in alternative clockwise and counterclockwise configuration, to the wall gap from a location on the opposite side of the reel axis.

Claim 9

In retractable electrical cord-reel apparatus, the improvement comprising a hub-and-flange member having on the back thereof a cylindrical hub wall portion adapted to receive one end of a multiple-conductor electrical cord therein and to retain the cord frictionally against longitudinal removal therefrom, wherein the cylindrical hub wall portion has a gap therein to accommodate the electrical cord for essentially tangential exit therefrom, and wherein the back of the hub portion includes a plurality of bosses spaced to accommodate the electrical cord in serpentine configuration thereabout, in alternative clockwise and counterclockwise configuration, to the wall gap from a location on the opposite side of the reel axis.

Claim 10

Cord-reel apparatus according to claim 6, including a first such boss between the axis and the gap and including also a plurality of such bosses at each side of the axis, the bosses on either side and the first boss accommodating one direction of cord configuration and retaining the cord frictionally against lengthwise withdrawal through the gap.

Claim 11

Cord-reel apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the member has a plurality of openings therethrough at such opposite location for communication between the back and the face of the reel.

Claim 12

Cord-reel apparatus according to claim 8, Including a plurality of annular electrical conductor rings carried on the face of the member and respectively overlying such openings for attachment to the ends of the respective electrical conductors of the cord.

Claim 13

Retractable electrical cord-reel apparatus comprising an arbor, a pair of hub-and-flange reel members supported rotatably thereon and secured together in sheave-like configuration to accommodate an electrical cord wrapped therearound and having a pair of conductors terminating within the hub after passage of the cord through a gap in a cylindrical hub wall portion of one of the reel members, a pair of ringlike electrical conductors supported on the face of that one of the reel members and communicating by way of a pair of openings therethrough with the ends of the electrical conductors therewithin, a pair of electrical brush contacts contiguous with the respective ringlike conductors for interconnection with an external circuit and supported for rotation relative to the reel, a helical spring motor within a cylindrical hub wall portion of the other of the reel members and attached at its opposite ends to the arbor and the hub wall, and bracket means for stationary support of the arbor and the brush contacts, wherein the hub portion of the first hub-and-flange member is open toward the other hub-and-flange member, whose hub portion is closed relative thereto but open toward the latching and unlatching mechanism.

Claim 14

Retractable electrical cord-reel apparatus comprising an arbor, a pair of hub-and-flange reel members supported rotatably thereon and secured together in sheave-like configuration to accommodate an electrical cord wrapped therearound and having a pair of conductors terminating within the hub after passage of the cord through a gap in a cylindrical hub wall portion of one of the reel members, a pair of ringlike electrical conductors supported on the face of that one of the reel members and communicating by way of a pair of openings therethrough with the ends of the electrical conductors therewithin, a pair of electrical brush contacts contiguous with the respective ringlike conductors for interconnection with an external circuit and supported for rotation relative to the reel, a helical spring motor within a cylindrical hub wall portion of the other of the reel members and attached at its opposite ends to the arbor and the hub wall, and bracket means for stationary support of the arbor and the brush contacts, wherein the hub portion of the first hub-and-flange member is open toward the other hub-and-flange member, whose hub portion is closed relative thereto but open toward the latching and unlatching mechanism.

Claim 15

Cord-reel mechanism according to claim 10, wherein the electrical cord is retained frictionally against longitudinal withdrawal from the reel hub by a plurality of bosses upstanding on the back of the first hub-and-flange member and accommodating the cord in serpentine configuration thereabout.

Claim 16

In retractable electrical cord-reel apparatus, wherein a hub member is flanked by a pair of flanges to accommodate an electrical cord wrapped about the hub and retained between the flanges, the improvement comprising a unitary member including a hub portion and a flange portion extending therefrom, having one face configured to accommodate and to retain a plurality of spaced electrically conducting members in contact therewith having the opposite face configured to accommodate an electrical cord for terminal interconnection with the spaced electrically conducting members.

Claim 17

In retractable electrical cord-reel apparatus, wherein a hub member is flanked by a pair of flanges to accommodate an electrical cord wrapped about the hub and retained between the flanges, the improvement comprising a unitary member including a hub portion and a flange portion extending therefrom, having one face configured to accommodate and to retain a plurality of spaced electrically conducting members in contact therewith having the opposite face configured to accommodate an electrical cord for terminal interconnection with the spaced electrically conducting members.

Claim 18

Cord-reel apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the opposite face has strain-relief means accommodating the cord for substantially tangential pay-out in either clockwise or counter-clockwise direction.

Claim 19

Cord-reel apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the unitary hub-and-flange member is composed of a polycarbonate.

Claim 20

Cord-reel apparatus according to claim 14, including also a complementary hub-and-flange member of like composition bonded thereto with the respective hub portions in coaxial juxtaposition.

Claim 21

Cord-reel apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the component hub-and-flange member are molded articles and are bonded together by ultrasonic welding.

Claim 22

In combination, in a unitary cord-reel member having a hub portion and a flange portion extending therefrom, a face thereof configured to accommodate a plurality of spaced electrically conductive members thereon and an opposite face thereof configured with cylindrical bosses thereon to provide strain-relief for electrical cord of various sizes and optional clockwise or counter-clockwise tangential cord pay-out from the hub portion thereof.

Claim 23

In combination, in a unitary cord-reel member having a hub portion and a flange portion extending therefrom, a face thereof configured to accommodate a plurality of spaced electrically conductive members thereon and an opposite face thereof configured with cylindrical bosses thereon to provide strain-relief for electrical cord of various sizes and optional clockwise or counter-clockwise tangential cord pay-out from the hub portion thereof.

Claim 24

For use in an electrical cord-reel, the improvement comprising a unitary reel member according to claim 17, wherein the hub portion comprising substantially half of the full width of a hub of such cord-reel, and the flange portion comprises one of two flanges of such reel.

Claim 25

An electrical cord-reel comprising a unitary reel member according to claim 17 in conjunction with a complementary hub portion and a similar flange portion secured thereto and thereby spaced from the first flange portion.

Claim 26

A unitary cord-reel member according tO claim 17, wherein the configuration of the first face to accommodate the plurality of electrically conductive members comprises a plurality of spaced annular recesses therein.