Patent Application
20050042914
The present invention relates generally to electrical apparatus of the type having a transformer in a housing coupled to a source of commercial AC power and an electrical cable delivering power to an electrical device with which the apparatus is used. The invention deals more specifically with a cover integrally carried on the transformer housing surface for manual retraction and housing of the electrical cable.
It is known to use AC adapters to provide power to portable electronic devices such as laptop computers, mobile telephones, and other such portable electronic devices and for charging batteries powering such devices. These AC adapters may typically have a transformer carried in the housing. An electrical plug compatible with the electrical service of a given country is provided for connection to a commercial AC electrical output to provide input power to the adapter. An electrical cable generally having a suitable power plug is also provided for delivering power to the electronic device with which the adapter is used. The AC adapter may be of different operational modes and have means to function for example, as a switch mode power supply, voltage regulator, AC to DC converter or in other operational electrical circuit configuration means necessary to provide the desired power to the electronic device with which the adapter is used. The electrical plug may be integral with the housing to provide a “wall mounted” unit wherein the adapter is plugged directly into the AC outlet without an intervening cord. The electrical cable coupling the AC adapter to the electronic device with which the adapter is used is of an indeterminate length sufficient to reach from the commercial AC outlet to the location of the electronic device. In some instances, the electrical cable may be upwards of ten (10) feet.
One disadvantage associated with such AC adapters is there is no convenient method or means for housing the electrical cable when the AC adapter is not in use and the electrical cable becomes twisted, tangled and knotted.
A further disadvantage is the electrical cable may become twisted, tangled or knotted when the AC adapter is in use because the full length of the electrical cable may not be required between the AC outlet and the electronic device.
Various mechanical mechanisms have been proposed for use in electronic devices to automatically retract cords such as earphone/microphone chords, data/telephone line chords and the like. Typically such mechanisms are used for retracting relatively small flexible cables such as used for earphone/microphone and data connections and are not suitable for heavier electrical cables such as power cables used to carry power from an AC adapter to an electronic device. Additionally, such mechanical devices and winding mechanisms are complex, and costly. Further, integration of such retraction mechanisms add to the cost and weight of the electronic apparatus utilizing such mechanisms.
Cable organizing devices have been proposed for the manual retraction and storage of excess cable length. These devices are typically accessory devices and not part of the AC adapter consequently subject to detachment from the cable and separation from the adapter. Further, such organizers take up additional storage room when the adapter is not in use.
It would be desirable therefore to provide an inexpensive and convenient means for manual retraction and storage of the electrical cable of an AC adapter.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a convenient and inexpensive means for manual retraction of the electrical cable of an AC adapter for housing the electrical cable when the AC adapter is not in use and such that when in use, a desired length of the electrical cable is withdrawn for connection to the electrical device with which the AC adapter is used.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, an electrical apparatus of the type having a transformer carried in a housing and an electrical cable for coupling the transformer output to an electrical device with which the apparatus is used is presented. The electrical apparatus is characterized by a cover located on an outer surface of the transformer housing and an interior cavity defined between the inner surface of the cover and the transformer housing outer surface. The interior cavity retractably houses the electrical cable within the interior cavity when the electrical apparatus is not in use and when in use, a desired length of the electrical is withdrawn from the interior cavity for connection to the electrical device. The cover is made of a resilient deformable material of a suitable type having a shape retention memory wherein the cover is flipped up away from the transformer housing outer surface so that the inner surface of the cover faces outward and a portion of the inner surface of the cover juxtapositioned the transformer housing outer surface defines a tower around which the electrical cable is manually retracted and wound. The cover is flipped down toward the transformer housing outer surface for retaining the retracted electrical cable in the interior cavity defined between the inner surface of the cover and the transformer housing outer surface. The cover may be flipped up to manually pay off a desired length of the electrical cable.
In a further aspect of the invention, a closeable opening is defined along and between the peripheral lip of the cover and the transformer housing outer surface through which closeable opening the electrical cable is manually retracted into the interior cavity and wound around a tower defined within the interior cavity. Additionally, the electrical cable passes through the closeable opening when manually uncoiled from the tower to pay off a desired length of the electrical cable.
Preferably, the electrical apparatus has an electrical plug integral with the housing for coupling a source of commercial electrical power to the transformer input.
Preferably, the electrical apparatus is a charger. Preferably, the electrical apparatus is a charger and the electrical device is a mobile phone.
Preferably, the electrical apparatus is a switched mode power converter and said electrical device is a mobile phone.
In another aspect of the invention, an electrical apparatus includes a housing for carrying a transformer that has an input and output. An electrical plug integral with the housing is provided for coupling an AC commercial voltage outlet to the transformer input. An electrical cable has one end coupled to the transformer output and an opposite end terminated in a suitable power plug for coupling the transformer output to a desired electronic device. A cover made of a resilient deformable material has shape retention memory characteristics and is located integral with and on an outer surface of the housing. An interior cavity is defined between the inner surface of the cover and the outer surface of the housing. The interior cavity is further defined by a continuous wall having an inner peripheral wall portion and an outer peripheral wall portion spaced from the inner peripheral wall portion. The inner peripheral wall portion juxtapositioned the housing outer surface defines a tower around which the electrical cable is manually retracted and wound for storage within the interior cavity.
In a yet further aspect of the invention, a method is presented for retractably housing the electrical cable in an electrical apparatus of the type having a transformer carried in a housing for coupling the transformer output to an electrical device with which the electrical device is used and includes the steps of: providing a cover; locating the cover on an outer surface of the transformer housing to define an interior cavity between the inner surface of the cover and the transformer housing outer surface; retractably housing the electrical cable within the interior cavity when the electrical apparatus is not in use, and withdrawing a desired length of the electrical cable from the interior cavity for connection to the electrical device.
Preferably, the method further includes the steps of: providing a cover made of a resilient deformable material having a shape retention memory; flipping the cover up away from the transformer housing outer surface whereby the inner surface of the cover faces outward and a portion of the outwardly facing inner surface juxtaposed the transformer housing outer surface defines a tower; manually retracting and winding the electrical cable around the tower, and flipping the cover down toward the transformer housing outer surface to retain the retracted electrical cable.
Preferably the method further includes the steps of: providing a closeable opening along and between the peripheral lip of the cover and the transformer housing outer surface, and manually retracting the electrical cable into the interior cavity through the closeable opening.
Preferably, the method further includes the step of winding the electrical cable around a tower defined within the interior cavity.
Other features, benefits and objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following written description taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:
Turning now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 to 4, and considering the invention in further detail, electrical apparatus generally designated 10 of the type having a transformer generally designated 12 carried in a housing 14 includes an electrical cable 16 having one end 18 coupled to the transformer output and an opposite end 20 having a suitable configured power plug 22 for connection to an electrical device with which the electrical apparatus 10 is used. The electrical apparatus 10 includes an electrical plug 24 having suitably configured and arranged prongs 26 arranged for insertion and electrical connection with a commercial AC power outlet (not shown). The electrical plug 24 is configured and arranged to be integral with the housing 14 such that the housing 14 and electrical plug 24 form and define a unitary assembly 28. Further, the electrical plug 24 may alternately be located and positioned at any desired location on the housing suitable to permit insertion of the prongs 26 into a power outlet. It will also be noted by those skilled in the art that there are many different prong arrangements and configurations to accommodate the electrical power distribution schemes as used in various different countries and accordingly all such prong and plug arrangements are contemplated by the present invention.
A cover generally designated 30 is arranged and located on an outer surface 32 of the housing 14. The cover 30 has an outer surface 34 and an inner surface 36. The cover 30 has an outer peripheral edge 40 and a inner peripheral edge 42 in a spaced relation with the outer peripheral edge 40 defining an open end of the cover 30 therebetween generally designated 43 and terminating substantially at the outer surface 32 of the housing 14. The cover 30 may be of any desired geometric shape and contour having a continuous wall portion with an interior wall 44 extending to an outer wall 46 and defining an interior cavity 38 between the cover inner surface 36 and the outer surface 32 of the housing 14.
The cover inner surface 36 along the interior wall 44 defines a tower-like structure generally designated 48 around which the electrical cable 16 is manually retracted and wound such that the retracted electrical cable 16 is stored within the interior cavity 38 as best illustrated in
The cover 30 may alternately be flipped up as illustrated in
It will be recognized that the electrical apparatus 10 may include a transformer 12 as illustrated in the dash-line box in
It will be further recognized that the cross-sectional geometric shape of the cover 30 may be that other than shown in the figures and for example may be doughnut shaped, trapezoidal shaped, rhomboid shaped, or other desired suitable shape and configuration to accommodate the housing with which the cover is utilized.
Electrical apparatus characterized by a cover integral with and located on an outer surface of the transformer housing and defining an interior cavity for housing a manually retracted electrical cable has been described above in several preferred embodiments. It will be recognized and appreciated that numerous modifications and alterations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention has been described by way of illustration rather than limitation.
