The disclosure relates generally to a cable management system and more specifically it relates to wrapping and tying an electrical power cord or the like for electronic devices, appliances, power tools, power cables or other similar cables and employed for quick and easy storing of coiled power cords of different sizes.
The increasing popularity and availability of portable electronic devices has resulted in an increasing demand for cable and cord management solutions for such portable electronic devices, which include MP3 and other music players, cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and the like. In use, a user commonly holds or wears the portable electronic device and such device comes with an ear phone which is positioned in the user's ear. The ear phone has a flexible lengthy cable that generally extends from the ear mounted ear phone to the portable electronic device to couple the signal from the portable electronic device to the earphone. When left unmanaged, the various headphone cables, power cables, and other cables used by such portable electronic devices and the like tend to become tangled and disorganized, especially when transported. Untangling such cables prior to use becomes time consuming and potentially leads to a situation in which such cables can become permanently tangled, caught on other objects, broken, or disengaged from the portable electronic device.
Moreover, electrically powered products such as appliances, tools, etc., are commonly equipped with an elongated power cord adapted for removable plug-in connection to an appropriate power source. In this regard, the power cord is typically provided with a sufficient length to accommodate anticipated normal use requirements, with the result that the cord has an unsightly excessive length which can become entangled in some applications. Moreover, when the electrical product is disconnected from a power source, difficulties are often encountered in wrapping the cord to a compact and neatly stored configuration ready for a subsequent use with minimum risk of cord entanglement. Alternately, although the cord might be neatly coiled for storage, unsatisfactory storage conditions often result in the cord becoming tangled or untangled prior to re-use of the electrical product or excessive wear to the cord causing premature cracking or failure. Similar problems arise with respect to electrical extension cords used to extend the length of a power cord for an electrical product.
A variety of devices have been proposed for use in retaining all or part of a cord in a neatly stored configuration. Such devices have included various tie strap structures designed to be tied about a coiled cord, particularly for maintaining a neat and attractive cord appearance when the electrical product is new. However, these tie straps have been intended to be discarded when the electrical product is first used. Another style of wrap devices is a reel or spool, designed for winding the cord thereabout, again for maintaining the cord in an untangled state especially for ease of use without having to untangle the cord prior to use. Moreover, tie straps and wrap devices are not designed for permanent attachment to an associated cord, such that the strap or wrap device is physically separated from the cord during normal use and thus easily becomes lost or resulting in the cord becoming tangled and disorganized.
Therefore, it is readily apparent that there is a recognizable unmet need for a clipable cable management system and method of use for wrapping and tying a cable or the like, wherein the cable management system is removably affixed to the cable, wrapped there around, and, thereby, prevents the cable from becoming tangled and disorganized between uses, ready for a subsequent use with minimum risk of cord entanglement or separation of the cable management system from the cord.
Briefly described, in an example embodiment, the present apparatus overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and meets the recognized need for a clipable cable management system and method of use that is removably affixed to the cable comprising, in general, a coiled cable, a clip affixed to a pliable elongated member, the clip removably affixed to one end of the coiled cable, wherein the pliable elongated member is configured to wrap around the coiled cable and, thus, functions to maintain the coiled cable in an organized manner ready for a subsequent use with minimum risk of cord entanglement.
According to its major aspects and broadly stated, the present system meets the recognized need for a clipable cable management system comprising, in general, a cable management system to retain a flexible cable, the system comprising: a clip affixed to a pliable elongated member in parallel proximity with one section of the flexible cable; wherein the clip is removably affixed to one end of the flexible cable, and wherein said pliable elongated member is configured to wrap one or more times around a series of adjacent loops of the flexible cable.
In a further exemplary embodiment of a cable management system, the system includes a cable management system to retain a flexible cable in an untangled configuration ready for subsequent use with minimum risk of cable entanglement, the system comprising: a pliable elongated member positioned in parallel proximity to one section of the flexible cable; wherein said pliable elongated member affixed to said one section of the flexible cable; wherein said pliable elongated member is configured to wrap one or more times around a central region of a series of adjacent loops of the flexible cable.
In still a further exemplary embodiment of a cable management system, the system includes a cable management system to retain a flexible cable in an untangled configuration ready for subsequent use with minimum risk of cable entanglement, the system includes: a clip, the clip configured to be removably affixed to the flexible cable, a pliable elongated member affixed to the clip, wherein the pliable elongated member is configured to wrap one or more times around a series of adjacent loops of the flexible cable.
In still a further exemplary embodiment of a cable management system, the system includes a cable management system to retain a flexible cable in an untangled configuration ready for subsequent use with minimum risk of cable entanglement, the system includes: a clip, the clip configured to be removably affixed to the flexible cable, a swivel joint affixed to the clip, a pliable elongated member affixed to the swivel joint, wherein the pliable elongated member is configured to wrap one or more times around a central region of a series of adjacent loops of the flexible cable.
In still a further exemplary embodiment, the method of method of retaining a flexible cable in a neat, organized, and untangled manner ready for subsequent use with minimum risk of cord entanglement includes the steps of utilizing a pliable elongated member, positioning the pliable elongated member in parallel proximity to one end of flexible cable, affixing the pliable elongated member to the one end of flexible cable to form a cable management system, coiling flexible cable in a series of adjacent elongated loops, and wrapping the cable management system around the series of adjacent elongated loops.
In still a further exemplary embodiment, the method of retaining a flexible cable in a neat, organized, and untangled manner ready for subsequent use with minimum risk of entanglement, includes the steps of providing a cable management system to retain a flexible cable, the system comprising a clip, the clip configured to be removably affixed to the flexible cable, a pliable elongated member affixed to the clip, wherein the pliable elongated member is configured to wrap one or more times around a series of adjacent loops of the flexible cable, clipping the clip to the flexible cable, coiling flexible cable in a series of adjacent loops, and wrapping the pliable elongated member around the series of adjacent loops.
Accordingly, a feature of the cable management system is its ability to accommodate and maintain various sizes, shapes and dimensions of cable and or cord in an untangled state.
Another feature of the cable management system is its ability to integrate the cable management system with the cable or cord, whereby the cable or cord cannot be physically separated from the cable or cord or lost.
Still another feature of the cable management system is its ability to provide a substantially simple construction and simple use for neatly tying and storing an electrical power cord or the like or excess length portions of a power cord in use.
Yet another feature of the cable management system is its ability to hold the cable or cord in a compact storage configuration by wrapping a section of the cable or cord integrated with the cable management system snugly about a central region of the cable or cord coiled and shaped into a series of adjacent elongated loops.
Yet another feature of the cable management system is its ability to provide a cable or cord management system that reduces entanglement during repeated dispensing, storage and utilization.
Yet another feature of the cable management system is its ability to provide a cable or cord management system that is capable of organizing and storing cable, cord, string, rope, and other lengthy coiled or looped items in an organized manner.
Yet another feature of the cable management system is its ability to provide a cable or cord management system that allows a user to transport a cable or cord without entanglement.
Yet another feature of the cable management system is its ability to provide an attachment device having a tacky surface for retaining its state of being wound about the coiled or looped cable without slippage.
Yet another feature of the cable management system is its ability to eliminate any tangled cable or cord and to take up any slack to provide a neat appearance of the cable or cord.
Yet another feature of the cable management system is its ability to take up excess slack of the cable or cord that is not in use.
Yet another feature of the cable management system is its ability to provide an extension or jumper cable, which can function as a cable tie.
Yet another feature of the cable management system is its ability to retain the cable or cord snugly in a tensioned manner without any locking, clasping or latching member.
Yet another feature of the cable management system is its ability to retain the cable or cord snugly in a tensioned manner without utilizing a component which may be separated or lost.
Yet another feature of the cable management system is its ability to be adapted for directly affixing to the cable or cord so that the cable management system will not become displaced or lost when the cable management system is not in use.
Yet another feature of the cable management system is its ability to incorporate a loop to enable placement of the loop over a hook or nail to store the cable or cord.
Yet another feature of the clipable cable management system is its ability to integrate a removable clip or clasp with the cable management system to enable removal and attachment to a variety of cables.
Yet another feature of the clipable cable management system is its ability to provide a swivel connection between the clip and the pliable elongated member to enable the two to move, bend, hinge, or rotate independently to prevent a stress point or kink in the junction between the clip and the elongated member.
Yet another feature of the clipable cable management system is its ability to provide a removable verses integrated cable management system rather than a cable management system integrated with the cable to prevent repeated bending of the cable resulting in cracked cables, decreased connectivity, and/or transmission quality.
These and other features of the clipable cable management system will become more apparent to one skilled in the art from the following Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Drawings, Detailed Description and Claims when read in light of the accompanying drawings.
The present cable management system and method of use for wrapping and tying a coiled cable or the like will be better understood by reading the Detailed Description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference to numerals denote similar structures and refer to like elements throughout, and in which:
It is to be noted that the drawings presented are intended solely for the purpose of illustration and that they are, therefore, neither desired nor intended to limit the disclosure to any or all of the exact details of construction shown, except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the claimed invention.
In describing the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, as illustrated in
Referring now to
An exemplary flexible cable or cord such as cable C, shown in
Referring now to
Referring now to
It is contemplated herein that cable C may have a variety of sizes, shapes, and dimensions and includes, but is not limited to, cables, cords, hose, tube, string, rope, and other lengthy coiled or looped items. Moreover, cable C may serve a variety of functions such as, but not limited to, power or communication with electrically powered products such as appliances, tools, electronic devices or media device such as portable electronic device, which includes MP3 and other music players, cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablets, notebooks, laptops, computers, large appliances, small appliances, tools and the like. Furthermore, cable C may preferably include a variety of connectors, fittings, plugs or adapters such as electrical connectors positioned at one or both end(s) or distal end(s) of cable C including, but not limited to, a variety of shapes and dimensions of plugs, pronged plugs, adapters, terminals, posts, headphones, connectors, couplers, plug or socket, blade, ring, spade, male or female ends and the like (collectively plug P).
Wire 12 is preferably formed of a suitable flexible, semi-flexible, pliable or bendable material, such as lead, tin, or the like, or metal alloys, or composite materials, shape memory metals or shape memory alloys, or other malleable material, and combinations thereof, braided wire, or other material providing a releasable fixed shape or the property of retaining a fixed shape. Preferably, the material includes other suitable characteristics, such as flexibility, malleability, resiliency, repeatable bending without breaking, elasticity, durability, torsion strength, water-resistance, light weight, heat-resistance, chemical inertness, oxidation resistance, ease of workability, or other beneficial characteristic understood by one skilled in the art.
Rubber coat 14 is preferably formed of a suitable material, such as silicone, plastic, rubber, polymer, thermoplastic, insulated plastic, vinyl, polyvinyl, resin, layered materials, compositions, laminations, foam, heat shrink or shrink wrap material, film, tape, tape with peel and stick, or the like, and combinations thereof capable of providing a coated structure or cover material over cable C, and cable C and solder 12 of cable management system 10. Preferably, the material includes other suitable characteristics, such as flexibility, pliable, resiliency, elasticity, durability, friction or tacky surface, insulation, water-resistance, light weight, heat-resistance, chemical inertness, oxidation resistance, ease of workability, and combinations thereof or other beneficial characteristic understood by one skilled in the art.
It is further contemplated herein that cable management system 10 may be fabricated as an integral component of the original cable C, such as for headphones H with a cable management system 10 or by adding cable management system 10 as an after market product utilizing a conversion kit to integrate cable management system 10 with cable C, resulting in an after market headphones H with a cable management system 10.
It is still further contemplated herein that the length of cable management system 10 is configured to be any desired length provided it is of satisfactory length for the storage of cable C, such as being configured to wrap one or more times around adjacent elongated loops of cable C.
Referring now to
It is contemplated herein that extension cable EC may have a variety of sizes, shapes, and dimensions and includes, but is not limited to, cables, cords, string, rope, and other lengthy coiled or looped items. Moreover, extension cable EC may serve a variety of functions such as, but not limited to, power or communicate with electrically powered products such as appliances, tools, electronic devices or media device such as portable electronic device, which includes MP3 and other music players, cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablets, notebooks, laptops, computers, large appliances, small appliances, tools and the like. Furthermore, extension cable EC may preferably include a variety of electrical connectors positioned at one end or distal end of extension cable EC including, but not limited to, a variety of shapes and dimensions of plugs, pronged plugs, adapters, terminals, posts, crimp connectors, plug or socket, blade, ring, spade, and the like.
Preferably, subsequent use of the cord or cable for its intended purpose may be achieved by tugging or pulling on plug P2 or the end of extension cable EC to unwrap or uncoil cable management system 10, and thus, to free untangled flexible lengthy cord or cable for lengthy extension of the cord or cable.
It is further contemplated herein that plug P1 or P2 of extension cable EC and the plug of the cord or cable may be locked or latched in position when for example plug P2 of extension cable EC and the plug of the cord or cable are connected.
It is still further contemplated herein that
It is yet further contemplated herein that cable management system 10 may be configured with a hanger or strap such as loop configured to support cable management system 10 and coiled or looped cord or cable may be positioned on a hook, nail or the like for storage of the cord or cable (as shown in
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
It is contemplated herein that heat shrink tape/tube 16 may be configured with an inside diameter greater than plug P in
It is further contemplated herein that heat shrink tape/tube 16 may be configured as an adhesive shrink wrap film, or peel and stick shrink wrap film, as shown in
Heat shrink tape/tube 16 and heat shrink tape/tube 16 are preferably formed of a suitable heat shrinkable material capable of tightly bundling cable C and wire 12, such as nylon, polyolefin, polymer plastic, plastic, rubber, polymer, thermoplastic, insulated plastic, tape, peel and stick, or the like, capable of providing a coated structure or covering to cable C, and cable C and wirer 12 of cable management system 10. Preferably, the material includes other suitable characteristics, such as flexibility, resiliency, elasticity, durability, friction or tacky surface, protection from dirt and moisture, insulation, water-resistance, light weight, chemical inertness, oxidation resistance, ease of workability, or other beneficial characteristic understood by one skilled in the art.
Referring now to
It is contemplated herein in
It is further contemplated herein that cable management system 10 may be wrapped or coiled around adjacent coiled loops of cable C, as shown in
Referring now to
It is contemplated herein that cable management system 10 may be positioned on cable C to enable cable C to be wrapped around products such as appliances, tools, electronic devices or media device such as portable electronic device, which includes MP3 and other music players, cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablets, notebooks, laptops, computers, appliances, tools and the like, whereby cable management system 10 is positioned at one section, one end or distal end of cable C and configured to be the last or approximate to the last wrap around such products; and, thus, functions to releasably retain the wrapped cable C in a neat configuration and organized in a manner about such appliance, ready for repeated subsequent unwrapping, dispensing, utilization, wrapping again, and re-wrapping of cable C, wherein risk of entanglement of cable C is minimized or substantially eliminated.
Referring now to
Referring now to
It is recognized herein that wire 12 may be affixed to clip 11 by wrapping one end of wire 12 around clip 11, or by having clip 11 configured with an eyelet end or crimpable device to enable attachment of wire 12 to clip 11.
Furthermore, clip 11 may include a rotational or bendable member, such as swivel joint 13 positioned between wire 12 and clip 11 and configured to enable wire 12 and clip 11 to move, bend, or rotate independently of each other. It is contemplated that swivel joint 13 may be positioned between wire 12 and clip 11 and may be utilized to enable wire 12 and clip 11 to move, tilt, bend, or rotate independently, rotate up to 360 degrees, to prevent stress point or kink in the junction between wire 12 and clip 11, and along wire 12, and to preferably extend the life cycle of clipable cable management system 10B.
The foregoing description and drawings comprise illustrative embodiments of the present invention. Having thus described exemplary embodiments, it should be noted by those ordinarily skilled in the art that the within disclosures are exemplary only, and that various other alternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention. Merely listing or numbering the steps of a method in a certain order does not constitute any limitation on the order of the steps of that method. Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to one ordinarily skilled in the art to which this invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Although specific terms may be employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Moreover, the present invention having been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated herein, but is limited only by the following claims.