Patent Application
20060071113
This invention relates to a device for winding elongate flexible members such as hoses and cords into coiled configurations. This invention also relates to an associated method for forming the coils.
Working with hoses and electrical cords or cables frequently entails storing those items in the intervals between successive usages. It is generally agreed that the most efficient form of storage is a coil. A hose or cord may be arranged by hand, for instance, by coiling the elongate flexible member about a hand and an upper arm. However, everyone knows that no matter how carefully one winds material over the hand and forearm, when one attempts to unwind, the material will snag and tangle. This is very frustrating and a waste of time.
Winding devices have been provided for assisting in the disposition of hoses and cords in coiled storage configurations. These known devices store the hose or cord on the device itself so that each hose or cord must be provided with its own winding and storage device.
A general object of the present invention is to provide an improved hose- and cord-winding device.
Another general object of the present invention is to provide a new method for arranging elongate flexible members into wound storage configurations.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a hose- or cord-winding device that may be used for coiling multiple hoses and/or cords even while previously wound hoses and cords remain in their coiled storage configurations.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a device that is easy to use.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide such a device that easily winds elongate flexible members, allows the removal of the wound and bound material for neat storage, and permits the return of the wound material to the winding assembly to enable a quick unwinding of the material, tangle-free.
A further object of the present invention is to provide such a device that is inexpensive to manufacture.
These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the drawings and descriptions herein.
A hand-held cord and hose winding apparatus comprises, in accordance with the present invention, a handle member defining a winding axis and a winding assembly including a hub rotatably mounted to the handle member for rotation about the axis and further including a pair of discs attached to the hub for rotation therewith about the axis. The discs are spaced from one another along the hub. The winder further comprises a binding element removably connectable to the winding assembly for rotating therewith about the axis and for binding a flexible member wound in a coiled configuration on the hub by a turning of the winding assembly about the axis. At least one of the discs is removably attached to the hub for enabling a removal from the winding assembly of the flexible member in the coiled configuration together with the binding element.
Pursuant to additional features of the present invention, the binding element is an elongate tensile element binding the flexible member in the coiled configuration by wrapping around the coiled flexible member and is provided with a coupling element slidably secured to the tensile element for fastening one end of the flexible member to the hub prior to the winding operation. The tensile element may have a specific form including two parallel strands, the coupling element connecting the strands to one another to form therewith a coupling loop of variable size. The coupling element may be a band surrounding the strands.
Pursuant to another feature of the present invention, the tensile element is provided with a second coupling element for rotatably securing an end of the tensile element to the handle member and more specifically to a projecting end of an axle of the handle member. Thus, the tensile element can rotate with the winding assembly relative to the axle of the handle member. The second coupling element may also be slidably secured to the tensile element. Where the tensile element has two parallel strands, the second coupling element connects the strands to one another to form therewith a coupling loop of variable size.
Pursuant to a further feature of the present invention, the tensile element is provided with a stop block at an end opposite the second coupling element. Where the discs of the winding assembly are formed with slots traversable by the tensile element, the stop block is a relatively large element (such as a knob) that prevents the tensile element from being pulled through one of the slots. The stop block is disposable on an outer side of one of the discs opposite the hub, while the second coupling element is disposable on an outer side of another one of the discs opposite the hub and the tensile element is disposable in part in a linear configuration along the hub between the slots.
The discs are spaced from one another along the hub to define therewith a substantially toroidal winding volume. One portion of the tensile element is disposable along the hub and another portion of the tensile element is disposable effectively outside of the toroidal winding volume during a winding operation. The flexible member is wound about the one portion of the tensile element during the winding operation. After the winding operation, the other portion of the tensile element is wrapped about an outer side of the wound flexible member to bind the same.
The tensile element is provided with coupling components at opposite ends for maintaining the one portion of the tensile element disposed along the hub and the other portion of the tensile element outside of the toroidal winding volume. The stop block or knob serves in part as one such coupling element, while a slider serves in part as another coupling element. The slider ends the user to form a loop, slide the loop over a free end of the axle, and then close the loop about the axle.
The handle member preferably includes a handgrip disposed on one side of the hub. The removable disc is disposed on a side of the hub opposite the handgrip.
A hand-held cord and hose winding apparatus comprises, in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, a handle member with a winding axis and a winding assembly including a hub rotatably mounted to the handle member for rotation about the axis and further including a pair of discs attached to the hub for rotation therewith about the axis. The discs are spaced from one another along the hub to define therewith a substantially toroidal winding volume. An elongate tensile element is removably connectable to the winding assembly for rotation therewith about the axis. Connector components are provided on the tensile element for cooperating with corresponding structure on at least one of the winding assembly and the handle member to hold a first portion of the tensile element along the hub between the discs during a winding operation and to maintain a second portion of the tensile element outside of the toroidal winding volume during the winding operation and for locking the tensile element, after termination of the winding operation, in a loop about a coiled flexible member arranged around the hub and in the toroidal winding volume during the winding operation. At least one of the discs is removable from the hub after termination of the winding operation, to permit removal of the coiled flexible member together with the looped tensile element.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the tensile element is provided with a slider or other coupling device for enabling a fastening of one end of the flexible member to the hub prior to the winding operation. Where the tensile element has two parallel strands, the slider connects the strands to one another to form therewith a coupling loop of variable size.
The connector components may include a stop block (e.g., knob) at one end of the tensile element and a slider at another end of the tensile element, the slider serving to generate a variably sized loop. Where the discs are formed with slots traversable by the tensile element, the stop block is disposable on an outer side of one of the discs opposite the hub, while the slider is disposable on an outer side of another one of the discs opposite the hub, the tensile element being disposable in part in a linear configuration along the hub between the slots.
A hose and cord binder comprises, in accordance with the present invention, a flexible tensile element folded back on itself to form a pair of parallel strands, a connector coupling free ends of the strands to one another, and at least one slider connected to the strands to form the strands into at least two contiguous loop portions each of a variable size.
The flexible tensile element is preferably an elastic member such as a bungee cord. The connector may be a knob-shaped stop block, while the slider is a band substantially surrounding the strands of the tensile element.
Preferably, the slider is one of two sliders on the tensile member. One slider serves to form a variably sized loop enabling a user to insert a free end of a hose or cord to be wound. The slider is moved in one direction to enlarge the loop for facilitating hose or cord insertion and in an opposite direction to close the loops about the inserted hose or cord. In this manner the hose or cord may be fastened to a winding assembly, specifically to a hub of a winding member.
A method for winding an elongate flexible member into a coil comprises, in accordance with the present invention, providing a winder having a handle and a sheave-type winding member rotably mounted to the handle, rotating the winding member about a rotation axis so that the flexible member forms a coiled configuration on the winding member, binding the flexible member in the coiled configuration while the flexible member is disposed on the winding member, and removing the bound flexible member in the coiled configuration from the winding member.
In accordance with a further feature of the present invention, binding of the flexible member includes wrapping a tensile binding element about the flexible member in the coiled configuration. A free end of the flexible member is attached to the winding member prior to the rotating of the winding member. The attaching of the flexible member to the winding member may include attaching the free end of the flexible member to the tensile binding element and attaching the tensile binding element to the winding member.
Where winding member includes a pair of discs spaced from one another along a hub, the attaching of the tensile binding element to the winding member includes inserting the tensile binding element along slots in the discs. The slots are preferably at least partially radial slots, so that the inerting of the tensile element occurs at least partially in a radial direction, relative to the hub and the rotation axis of the winder.
In accordance with an additional feature of the present invention, the binding of the flexible member in the coiled configuration includes wrapping a loose portion of the tensile binding element about the coiled configuration and locking the wrapped tensile binding element in a loop about the coil so as to maintain the flexible member in the coiled configuration.
The tensile binding element is preferably attached to the winding member prior to the rotating of the winding member, the coiled configuration of the flexible member being formed about a portion of the tensile binding element.
A method for winding an elongate flexible member into a coil comprises, in accordance with a more specific embodiment of the present invention, providing a winder having a handle and a sheave-type winding member rotably mounted to the handle, attaching a tensile binding element to the winding member, attaching a free end of the flexible member to the winding member over a portion of the tensile binding element, rotating the winding member about a rotation axis so that the flexible member forms a coil on the winding member about the portion of the tensile binding element, wrapping a loose portion of the tensile binding element about the coil, locking the wrapped tensile binding element in a loop about the coil so as to maintain the flexible member as the coil, and removing the coil and the tensile binding element from the winding member.
Where the winding member includes a hub and a pair of spaced discs attached to the hub, the removing of the coil and the tensile binding element from the winding member includes removing one of the discs from the hub and sliding the coil off of the hub. Where the discs are formed with respective slots, the attaching of the tensile binding element to the winding member includes sliding the tensile binding element along each of the slots in a radial direction relative to the hub.
The attaching of the free end of the flexible member to the winding member may be implemented by attaching the free end to the tensile binding element. The attaching of the free end of the flexible member to the winding member may further include shifting a slider along the tensile binding element to change a size of a coupling loop in the tensile binding element, the attaching of the flexible member to the winding member additionally including inserting the free end through the coupling loop.
The present invention provides a winding device for arranging elongate flexible members such as hoses and cords into wound storage configurations. The device may be used for coiling multiple hoses and/or cords even while previously wound hoses and cords remain in their coiled storage configurations. The device is easy to use.
A winding apparatus in accordance with the present invention easily winds elongate flexible members such as cords and hoses and allows the removal of the wound and bound material for neat storage. Moreover, a winding apparatus in accordance with the present invention permits the return of the wound material to the winding assembly to enable a quick unwinding of the material, tangle-free.
As illustrated in
Discs 24 and 26 are attached to hub 22 for rotation therewith about axis 20. Discs 24 and 26 are spaced from one another along hub 22 so as to define a toroidal space or volume (not separately designated) for receiving a hose, cord or other flexible elongate member during a winding operation.
Binding element 12 is removably connectable to winder 10 as illustrated in
Binding element 12 is used in part to bind the wound hose, cord or other flexible member in a coiled configuration. As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Slider 40 is moved away from knob or block 38 to increase the size of loop 44 to enable a user to insert a free end of a hose, cord or other flexible member to be wound. After insertion of the free end of the flexible member through enlarged loop 44, slider 40 is moved towards knob or block 38 to close loop 44 about the flexible member. Binding element 12 with the flexible member coupled thereto is then inserted along a slot 50 in disc 24, so that knob or block 38 lies along the outside of the disc, as shown in
Thus, binding element 18 serves in part to fasten a hose, cord or other flexible member to winding assembly 21 at the onset of a winding operation. As indicated above, binding element 12 also serves to subsequently hold the flexible member in a wound or coiled configuration.
After the attachment of the flexible member to winding assembly 21 via binding element 12, the user holds handgrip 16 of handle member 14 with one hand and turns the winding assembly 21 about axis 20 with the other hand. To effectuate the rotation, that hand grasps a rotation knob 56 on disc 26. During the winding operation, loop 48 turns about the projecting end 54 of axle 18. Thus, binding element 18 rotates with winding assembly 21.
After a completion of the winding operation, i.e., after the flexible member has been entirely taken up onto winding assembly 21, in the toroidal space defined by hub 22 and discs 24 and 26, binding element 12 is manipulated to bind the wound flexible member to itself. More particularly, slider 42 is shifted along strands 34 and 36 away from axle end 54 to enlarge loop 48, which is then slid off of the axle. Binding element 12 is then wrapped around the wound flexible member. During this wrapping operation, binding element 12 is slid in part radially outwardly along slot 52 and inserted in part radially inwardly along slot 50. Loop 48 is then looped about knob or block 38 and closed thereon by shifting slider 42 along strands 34 and 36 towards the knob or block. Loop 48 and knob or block 38 cooperate to lock binding element 12 to the wound flexible member.
After the closing of loop 48 about knob or block 38, disc 26 is removed from axle 18, thereby enabling a sliding of the wound and bound flexible member off of hub 22. Hub 22 has a smaller diameter at disc 26 than at disc 24, which facilitates the removal of the wound and bound flexible member. Thereafter the wound and bound flexible member is suspended from a hook (not shown) or laid on a horizontal surface or otherwise stored. Disc 26 may be remounted to axle 18 for enabling another winding operation.
To unwind a coiled flexible member, the above-described process is reversed. Again, the tapered profile of hub 22 facilitates the easy sliding of the coiled flexible member onto the hub for rewinding. The return of the wound material to hub 22 and the subsequent unwinding of the material occurs quickly and tangle-free.
Handle member 14 may be provided with a pivoting joint (not shown) permitting a shifting of handgrip 16 from the illustrated orientation parallel to disc 24 to an orientation substantially perpendicular to disc 24. The variability in handgrip orientation facilitates use of the cord and hose winding apparatus to wind flexible members that are disposed along different paths. For example, where strings of holiday electrical lights are disposed along railing or on vegetation, the perpendicular handgrip orientation may be used.
Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of the claimed invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof.
