Patent Application
20100102157
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hose reels and, more specifically, to a deck box hose reel having a direct drive and an autotrack assembly.
2. Background Information
Hose reel assemblies are devices structured to assist in transporting and using hoses, typically garden hoses for dispensing water. Generally, the hose reel assembly includes a base or housing assembly structured to rotatably support a reel, or “basket assembly.” The basket assembly's primary components are a barrel, around which an outlet hose is wrapped, two hubs which are coupled to the housing assembly, and guide plates which define the usable area of the barrel. The basket assembly also includes a crank, used to turn the basket primary components, and a water conduit having a movable outlet and a generally stationary inlet. The stationary inlet of the conduit extends away from the reel and is structured to be coupled to a supply hose which is further coupled to a water supply. The movable outlet of the conduit is disposed on the circumference of the reel. The outlet hose is coupled to the movable outlet and is used to deliver water to the end use. Hose reel assemblies also may include an autotrack device structured to wind the outlet hose on the reel in a controlled manner. In this configuration, an outlet hose may be coupled to the movable end of the conduit and, when the reel is rotated, the hose is wrapped, or unwrapped, about the reel. Thus, a hose may be transported and/or stored on the hose reel assembly.
Because the basket assembly is centrally disposed in the housing assembly, which is a relatively low location when the deck box is on the ground, hose reels typically include a handle having a geared hub that is disposed at a higher elevation on the housing assembly. One or more gears operatively link the handle to the basket assembly so that rotational motion in the handle is transferred to the basket assembly. Additional gears link the handle assembly to the autotrack device and cause the autotrack device to translate as required for the controlled placement of the hose on the basket assembly.
The concept disclosed and claimed below relates to a hose reel wherein the crank assembly/handle is directly coupled to the basket assembly or barrel. This configuration allows for rotational energy, provided by the user, to be directly transferred to the basket assembly. Thus, energy loss due to friction in the gear assembly is reduced. Further, the prior art gear assemblies, which were typically made from plastic, were prone to becoming jammed. By eliminating the gears between the crank assembly and the basket assembly, these problems are reduced. The concept further includes a transfer assembly that couples the crank assembly to the autotrack device. The transfer assembly may include a gear, a belt, a chain or similar devices structured to transfer rotational motion from one component to another.
A full understanding of the invention can be gained from the following description of the preferred embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
As used herein, “coupled” means a link between two or more elements, whether direct or indirect, so long as a link occurs.
As used herein, “directly coupled” means that two elements are directly in contact with each other.
As used herein, “fixedly coupled” means that two components are coupled to move in a fixed relationship, i.e. to move as a single component.
As used herein, “removably fixedly coupled” means that two components are coupled to move in a fixed relationship, i.e. to move as a single component, but may also be decoupled from each other.
As used herein, the phrase “tension member” means a member capable of supporting a load while in tension, but which is generally flexible under a compressive force.
As used herein, “operatively engage” when used in reference to gears, or other components structured to transfer rotational motion, means that the components engage each other in a manner so that when one component rotates the other component must rotate as well.
As used herein, directional terms, e.g., “above,” “below,” “upper,” “lower,” etc., are used for convenience relative to the Figures and are not intended to limit the claims.
As shown in
The basket assembly 40 is structured to support a hose (not shown). More specifically, the basket assembly 40 is structured to have a hose coiled thereabout and to allow the hose to be substantially coiled thereabout for storage and to feed the hose out of the hose reel assembly 10 for use. As shown in
The crank assembly 50 is fixedly coupled to the barrel 42 and is structured to rotate the barrel 42 within the housing assembly 20. The crank assembly 50 includes an elongated crank arm 52 and handle assembly 70. The crank arm 52 includes a base portion 54 and an elongated body 56. The base portion 54 has, preferably, an outer disk 58 and an inner hub 60. The outer disk 58 and/or the crank assembly hub 60 is structured to be disposed in a generally circular opening on the housing assembly 20. The crank assembly hub 60 includes a coupling device 62. The coupling device 62 is structured to fix the orientation of the crank assembly 50 relative to the barrel 42. As shown, the coupling device 62 is a keyed socket configuration. That is, the barrel 42 includes a lug 43 having a non-circular periphery, and preferably having at least one groove 45. The crank assembly hub 60 has a socket 64 with a cavity that substantially corresponds to the shape of the lug 43 periphery, and preferably includes at least one ridge 65 structured to be disposed in the lug groove 45. Thus, when the crank assembly socket 64 is disposed about the lug 43 with the crank assembly socket ridge 65 disposed in the lug groove 45, the crank assembly 50 must rotate at the same rate as the barrel 42. That is, the crank assembly 50 is fixedly coupled to the barrel 42. It is further noted that, while a user may use the crank assembly 50 to uncoil the hose from the barrel 42, the crank assembly 50 is typically used to take up the hose. Accordingly, for the following discussion, use of the crank assembly 50 shall be referred to in association with taking up the hose.
The autotrack device 100, shown in
The autotrack device retaining edge 104 is coupled to, and extends between, the housing assembly first lateral side 24 and the housing assembly second lateral side 26. The autotrack device retaining edge 104 includes a distal edge 120 and plurality of support ribs 122. The support ribs 122 extend in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the retaining edge 104. The support ribs 122 are spaced apart, preferably by a distance less than the width of the follower assembly 106. The autotrack device follower assembly 106 has a retaining edge groove 107 structured to enclose a portion of the autotrack device retaining edge distal end 120. In this configuration, the autotrack device retaining edge 104 prevents the follower assembly 106 from rotating along with the guide rod 102 and ensures that the follower assembly 106 moves back and forth as the guide rod 102 rotates.
The transfer assembly 150 is structured to provide rotational motion to the autotrack device 100. That is, the transfer assembly 150 is coupled to both the crank assembly 50 and the autotrack device 100 so that, when a user actuates the crank assembly 50, the rotational motion provided thereto is transferred to the autotrack device 100 as well. As noted above, when the autotrack device 100, and more specifically, the guide rod 102 is rotated, the follower assembly 106 moves back and forth over the guide rod 102. Thus, as a user actuates the crank assembly 50, the barrel 42 rotates and the follower assembly 106 moves back and forth over the guide rod 102. This combined motion allows the hose to be coiled about the barrel 42 in a series of generally regular layers.
In one embodiment the transfer assembly 150 utilizes at least two gears 160A, 160B, and preferably a total of four gears 160A, 160B, 160C, 160C, extending between the crank arm hub 60 and the guide rod 102. The first gear 160A, or hub gear 160A, is fixed to, or incorporated with, the crank arm hub 60. Accordingly, the hub gear 160A rotates whenever the crank assembly 50 is actuated. The second gear 160B, or guide rod gear 160B, is fixed to, or incorporated with, the guide rod 102. As the hub gear 160A is disposed generally adjacent to either the housing assembly first lateral side 24 or second lateral side 28, the guide rod gear 160B is preferably disposed adjacent to the same housing assembly first lateral side 24 or second lateral side 28. The hub gear 160A and the guide rod gear 160B operatively engage each other so that when the hub gear 160A rotates, the guide rod gear 160B rotates. That is, when the crank assembly 50 is actuated, the crank arm hub 60, and therefore the hub gear 160A, rotates. This rotational motion is transferred from the hub gear 160A to the guide rod gear 160B which in turn causes the guide rod 102 to rotate. Thus, in this configuration, when the user actuates the crank assembly 50, the rotational motion provided thereto is transferred to the autotrack device 100 as well.
In a more preferred embodiment, at least one intermediate gear 160C, and more preferably two intermediate gears 160C, 160D, is/are disposed between, and operatively engaging, both the hub gear 160A and the guide rod gear 160B. Use of the at least one intermediate gear 160C allows for the gears 160A, 160B, 160C, 160D to have a smaller diameter thereby allowing the gears 160A, 160B, 160C, 160D to fit within the housing assembly 20 and reducing manufacturing costs. As before, because all the gears 160A, 160B, 160C, 160D operatively engage the adjacent gears 160A, 160B, 160C, 160D, when the user actuates the crank assembly 50, the rotational motion provided thereto is transferred to the autotrack device 100 as well. It is noted that the relative rate of rotation of the rotating components may be controlled by adapting the size of the intermediate gears 160C, 160D to achieve the desired rotational speeds.
Preferably, the housing assembly 20 includes a barrier 29 surrounding the gears 160A, 160B, 160C, 160D. The barrier 29 extends generally perpendicular to the lateral side 24, 26 adjacent to the gears 160A, 160B, 160C, 160D. The barrier 29 helps resist the ingress of dirt and other debris into the system of gears 160A, 160B, 160C, 160D.
In an alternate embodiment, the transfer assembly 150 utilizes a tension member 170. The tension member 170 is disposed between, and operatively engages both, the crank assembly 50 and the autotrack device 100 so that, when a user actuates the crank assembly 50, the rotational motion provided thereto is transferred to the autotrack device 100 as well. In one embodiment, the tension member 170 is a belt 172. The belt 172 wraps partially about, and may frictionally engage, the crank arm hub 60. The guide rod 102 may also have an enlarged hub 103 fixed thereto. The belt 172 wraps partially about, and may frictionally engage, the guide rod 102 or it's hub 103. Thus, when the user actuates the crank assembly 50, the rotational motion provided thereto is transferred to the autotrack device 100 as well.
The belt 172 may include a plurality of lateral ridges 174 on the inner surface. The crank arm hub 60 and the guide rod 102, or it's hub 103, may include a plurality of grooves 176 on each of their respective outer surfaces. The spacing of the belt lateral ridges 174 and both hub's plurality of grooves 176 have a corresponding spacing. Thus, the lateral ridges 174 are structured to operatively engage the crank arm hub grooves 176 and the autotrack device guide rod hub grooves 176. This configuration is less prone to slippage than a pure frictional engagement system.
In another embodiment, the tension member 170 is a roller chain 180 structured to operatively engage a first sprocket 182 and a second sprocket 184. The first sprocket 182, or hub sprocket 182, is fixed to, or incorporated with, the crank arm hub 60. Accordingly, the hub sprocket 182 rotates whenever the crank assembly 50 is actuated. The second sprocket 184, or guide rod sprocket 184, is fixed to, or incorporated with, the guide rod 102. The roller chain 180 extends over, and operatively engages the hub sprocket 182 and the guide rod sprocket 184. Thus, when the user actuates the crank assembly 50, the rotational motion provided thereto is transferred to the autotrack device 100 as well.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of invention which is to be given the full breadth of the claims appended and any and all equivalents thereof.
