The present invention relates to a portable device, and more particularly to a portable cable management device.
Nowadays, wearable devices are very popular products. Some wearable devices are wireless wearable devices, but some wearable devices are wired wearable devices. The wired wearable device has a connecting cable. Through the connecting cable, the user can operate the wired wearable device conveniently. In addition, the connecting cable can enhance the flexibility of connecting two individual objects. Take a headphone as an example. The length of the connecting cable of the headphone influences the flexibility of using the headphone. Generally, the longer connecting cable can increase the flexibility of using the headphone. However, if the headphone is not used, it is important to manage the connecting cable in order to be conveniently used in the next time. Consequently, various cable management devices have been disclosed.
For example, a conventional cable management device comprises a box-shaped main body. A winding shaft is disposed within the box-shaped main body for winding a connecting cable thereon. However, this design has some drawbacks. For example, before the box-shaped main body is closed, the user has to accurately wind the connecting cable around the winding shaft to manage the connecting cable. In addition, the limited inner space of the box-shaped main body becomes hindrance from smoothly and conveniently winding the connecting cable.
Furthermore, some cable management devices with lovely shapes have been disclosed. In these cable management devices, a shaft body is used for winding the connecting cable thereon. Since the connecting cable is exposed outside, some drawbacks occur. For example, if the cable management device is placed beside another object, the object is possibly entangled by the connecting cable and thus the connecting cable is pulled by the object. Under this circumstance, the connecting cable and the device connected with the connecting cable are possibly damaged.
Therefore, there is a need of providing an improved cable management device for facilitating storing and releasing a connecting cable while protecting the connecting cable and achieving a portable function.
An object of the present invention provides a cable management device with an elastically deformable main body. The main body is selectively in an unwrapped state or a wrapped state. By applying a small force to the main body, the main body can be switched between these two states. Consequently, the connecting cable can be wrapped around or released from the cable management device.
Another object of the present invention provides a cable management device for wrapping an object having a connecting cable. For example, the object is a headphone, a connector or an adapter. The cable management device can be selectively in an unwrapped state or a wrapped state. Regardless of whether the cable management device is selectively in the unwrapped state or the wrapped state, the cable management device can be easily carried. Moreover, the cable management device comprises a main body with an accommodation space. A part of the object connected with the connecting cable can be easily accommodated within the accommodation space by the user.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cable management device. The cable management device includes a first main body and a second main body. The first main body has at least one outer surface as a winding shaft. A connecting cable is wound around the at least one outer surface. The second main body is connected with the first main body. The second main body is elastically deformable, and selectively in an unwrapped state or a wrapped state. When the second main body is in the wrapped state, the first main body is wrapped by the second main body, and an interspace is formed between the second main body and the outer surface of the first main body, so that the connecting cable wound around the at least one outer surface is disposed within the interspace and fixed between the first main body and the second main body.
In an embodiment, the cable management device further includes a connection element. The first main body and the second main body are connected with each other through the connection element. The connection element includes an extension structure of the first main body and a complementary structure of the second main body matching the extension structure. Alternatively, the connection element comprises an extension structure of the second main body and a complementary structure of the first main body matching the extension structure. Alternatively, the connection element is an individual component for connecting the first main body and the second main body. Alternatively, the connection element is integrally formed with the first main body and the second main body.
In an embodiment, the second main body is an elongated flat strip having a first end and a second end. A junction between the first main body and the second main body is at the first end, at the second end or arranged between the first end and the second end.
In an embodiment, when the second main body is in the unwrapped state, the first main body is not covered by the first end and/or the second end of the second main body, and the first end and the second end are far away from or close to each other. When the second main body is in the wrapped state, the first end and the second end of the second main body are close to each other or overlapped on the outer surface of the first main body.
In an embodiment, the first main body is fixedly, rotatably or movably connected with the second main body, or the first main body is integrally formed with the second main body.
In an embodiment, the outer surface of the first main body has one or more openings or cavities.
In an embodiment, the first main body is a solid body, or the first main body has an accommodation space that is defined by the outer surface.
In an embodiment, the second main body is a resilient strip made of a metallic material, an alloy material, a plastic material or a composite material.
In an embodiment, the first main body is a solid body, a hollow body with rigidity, or an elastic body.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cable management device. The cable management device includes a first main body and a second main body. The first main body is used as a winding shaft. A connecting cable is wound around the first main body. The second main body is connected with the first main body, and includes an elongated strip with a first end and a second end. When the second main body is in an unwrapped state, the first main body is uncovered by at least one of the first end and the second end of the second main body. When the second main body is in a wrapped state, the first end and the second end of the second main body are close to each other and disposed around the first main body.
In an embodiment, the cable management device further includes a connection element. The first main body and the second main body are connected with each other through the connection element. The connection element includes an extension structure of the first main body and a complementary structure of the second main body matching the extension structure. Alternatively, the connection element comprises an extension structure of the second main body and a complementary structure of the first main body matching the extension structure. Alternatively, the connection element is an individual component for connecting the first main body and the second main body. Alternatively, the connection element is integrally formed with the first main body and the second main body.
From the above descriptions, the present invention provides a cable management device. The cable management device includes a first main body and a second main body. The second main body is connected with the first main body. The second main body is elastically deformable, and selectively in an unwrapped state or a wrapped state. When an elongated strip of the second main body is in the unwrapped state, two ends of the elongated strip are far away from each other. Consequently, a connecting cable can be easily wound around the first main body. After the connecting cable is wound around the first main body, the second main body is elastically deformed to the wrapped state in response to an external force applied to the second main body. In the wrapped state, the two ends of the second main body are close to each other, and the connecting cable on the first main body is confined. Consequently, the cable management device can protect the connecting cable, and the cable management device has a compact and small size.
The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:
In this context, the first main body is used as a winding shaft of a cable management device of the present invention. The first main body is a solid body, a hollow body with rigidity or an elastic body with rigidity so as to withstand an external force. The first main body is composed of one or more outer surfaces that are made of identical or different material, or the first main body is an integral part or an assembled component. For facilitating winding a connecting cable, the outer surface of the first main body may be inwardly concaved or threaded. Optionally, the first main body further comprises one or more openings or cavities. The shapes, number, sizes or positions of the openings or cavities are not restricted. The openings or cavities may be used for decoration. Alternatively, an inner space of the first main body is in communication with the outside of the first main body through the one or more openings. The functions of the openings are not restricted to those mentioned above. In addition, an accommodation space within the first main body may be defined by the outer surface of the first main body. The accommodation space can be used to accommodate a part of an object including the connecting cable. In case that the first main body is a solid body, a three-dimensional shape is constructed by the outer surface of the first main body. An example of the three-dimensional shape includes but is not limited to a cylindrical shape, a semi-cylindrical shape, a spherical shape, an ellipsoid shape, a hourglass shape or any other shape suitable for winding the connecting cable thereon.
In this context, a second main body is elastically deformable and selectively switched between at least two states. The second main body is an elastically deformable component that is made of a metallic material, an alloy material, a plastic material or a composite material. Optionally, an outer layer is formed on the elastically deformable component in order to be suitably contacted by the user's hand. The second main body will be illustrated by taking an elongated strip as an example. It is noted that the shape of the second main body is not restricted. Preferably, the second main body has the shape with two recognizable ends. Moreover, by applying an external force to the second main body, the second main body can selectively switched between the two states. When the second main body is switched between the two states, the relative positions between the two ends of the second main body along the longitudinal axis can be adjusted. Preferably but not exclusively, the two ends of the second main body along the longitudinal axis are close to each other or overlapped with each other. Consequently, an interspace or a receiving space is formed between the first main body and the second main body. Since the second main body is switched between the at least two states, the second main body and the first main body can cooperatively achieve the functions of the cable management device.
In this context, a connection element is used for connecting the first main body and the second main body. For example, the connection element comprises an extension structure from the outer surface of the first main body and a complementary structure (e.g., a recess) of the second main body matching the extension structure. Alternatively, the connection element comprises an extension structure of the second main body and a complementary structure (e.g., a recess or an opening) of the first main body matching the extension structure. Alternatively, the connection element is an individual component for connecting the first main body and the second main body by a penetrating means, an adhering means, an attaching means or any other appropriate fixing means. Alternatively, the connection element is integrally formed with the first main body and the second main body by a suitable material and a suitable fabricating process.
It is noted that the shape of the first main body is not restricted.
Please refer to
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Some methods of using the cable management device of the present invention will be illustrated as follows.
Please refer to
In case that the second main body 22 is in the unwrapped state, the outer appearance of the second main body 22 is substantially a flat strip, and the first end and the second end of the second main body 22 are far away from each other. Except for the junction between the first main body 42 and the second main body 22, the first end and the second end of the second main body 22 are also far away from the first main body 42. That is, the space between the second main body 22 and the first main body 42 is completely open. Consequently, the user can operate the object and the cable management device of the present invention in the unrestrained space. Moreover, in case that the second main body 22 is in the unwrapped state, the outer surface 421 of the first main body 42 can be used as a winding shaft. Under this circumstance, the connecting cable 32 can be freely wound around the outer surface 421 of the first main body 42. As previously described, some of the conventional cable management devices have a limited space for managing the connecting cable. Since the connecting cable can be wound around the first main body 42 (i.e., the winding shaft) in the unrestrained space when the second main body 22 is in the unwrapped state, the cable management device of the present invention is more advantageous. Under this circumstance, the connecting cable can be managed according to the habit of the user.
Please refer to
As mentioned above, the second main body is elastically deformable. If the user intends to use the object, the first end and the second end of the second main body can be both poked away from each other with the user's fingers. Consequently, the second main body is returned to the unwrapped state. Under this circumstance, the object can be easily removed from the cable management device so as to be used. That is, by applying a small force to the second main body, the second main body can be easily switched between the unwrapped state and the wrapped state. Moreover, since the second main body can be switched between these two states, the connecting cable of the object can be wound around the first main body in the unrestrained space. In response to the deformation of the second main body, the object with the connecting cable can be in close contact with the outer surface of the first main body. Consequently, the object and the cable management device are combined as the compact portable device, which can be easily carried.
In addition to the unwrapped state and the wrapped state, the second main body can be operated in an automatic coiled state. In the automatic coiled state, the second main body is automatically coiled in response to the elastic deformation. However, the second main body in the automatic coiled state is not coiled around the first main body but coiled in the direction away from the first main body. Under this circumstance, the space between the coiled second main body and the first main body is also an unrestrained space. When the second main body is in the automatic coiled state, the connecting cable can be wound around the main body through the unrestrained space between the first main body and the second main body. In contrast, if the user intends to use the coiled second main body to wrap the first main body and the wound connecting cable, the user has to apply a force to flatten the coiled second main body. Then, the second main body is wrapped around the first main body (i.e., the wrapped center). That is, the first main body is the wrapped center, and the elastically deformable second main body is wrapped around the first main body so as to be in a wrapped state. Under this circumstance, the connecting cable is confined between the first main body and the second main body. Consequently, the connecting cable is effectively managed by the cable management device of the present invention.
While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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103120514 | Jun 2014 | TW | national |