The present disclosure relates to a mechanism for winding a cord.
JP-T-2001-513979 discloses an apparatus for accommodating or storing a cable having a plurality of conducting wires. The apparatus is provided with a winding drum that can rotate around an axis to accommodate the cable. A lead wire of the cable is connected to a first connecting device and is connected to a wiring of a supply system via the first connecting device in an electrically conductive state. The first connecting device is connected to the winding drum and has a first electrical contact, and the first electrical contact is connected to the lead wire of the cable and is disposed on a circle coaxial with the axis of the drum. The electrical wiring guided to the supply system is connected to a second connecting device, which is axially movable along the axis of the drum and has a second electrical contact, and the second electrical contact forms an electrically conductive state with the first electrical contact.
The present disclosure provides a mechanism for winding a cord that enables compact and efficient cord storage.
According to the present disclosure, there is provided a mechanism for winding a cord including a storage space in which a cord is wound around a central axis, in which the storage space includes a first storage space which is provided to allow the cord to be wound in one row in a predetermined direction intersecting a direction of the central axis, and has a first height in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction that is substantially the same as a diameter of the cord, and a second storage space which is provided on one or both of an outer circumference and an inner circumference of the first storage space, and has a second height along the direction of the central axis at least twice the diameter of the cord, and is provided to allow the cord to be wound in a plurality of rows along the central axis.
According to the present disclosure, it is possible to enable compact and efficient cord storage.
In a cord reel in the related art, since the cord is wound irregularly in a storage space, a gap is generated between the cords when the cord is wound, and thus an extra space than the volume of the cord to be stored is required. This is a factor that hinders the miniaturization of the cord reel or causes a cord clogging. On the other hand, as disclosed in JP-T-2001-513979, there is also a winding mechanism in which the cord is wound so as to be aligned in one row, and the size is reduced without providing an extra space. However, since a radius at the beginning of winding becomes small, a length of the cord that can be wound within a predetermined number of rotations becomes short, and products that can be used are limited, resulting in lack of versatility.
Therefore, in the following embodiment, an example of a mechanism for winding a cord that enables compact and efficient cord storage will be described.
Hereinafter, embodiments in which the mechanism for winding a cord according to the present disclosure is specifically disclosed will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, more detailed description than necessary may be omitted. For example, detailed description of already well-known matters and duplicate explanations for substantially the same configuration may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy of the following description and to facilitate the understanding of those skilled in the art. Note that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided for those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.
In the handset device 13, the cord reel 11 is fixed to the upper surface on one end side of a base 17 having a rectangular shape in a plan view. In the present specification, “lower” means the side on which the base 17 is located, and “upper” means the side on which the cord reel 11 is located with respect to the base 17.
In the cord reel 11, the central axis 21 of the reel 19 (refer to
The handset device 13 is attached so that only the handset 25 is exposed, for example, on a back surface of a backrest of a front seat located in front of a seat in an aircraft, or on an inner surface of an armrest portion provided on a side portion of the seat. In the handset device 13, the cord 15 is pulled out from the cord reel 11 when the user takes out the handset 25. The pulled out cord 15 is locked so as not to be pulled in. Further, when the handset 25 is returned to the cradle 23, when the lock is released, the cord 15 is automatically wound around the cord reel 11. The lock may be released by pulling out the cord 15 or by pressing a release button or the like by the user.
The upper case 31 and the lower case 33 are formed with a cord entry and exit portion 39 that swells in the tangential direction of the circumference of the cylinder. For example, the cord entry and exit 41 opens to the cord entry and exit portion 39 of the upper case 31. The cord 15 wound around the reel 19 is taken in and out from the cord entry and exit 41. The cord 15 pulled out from the cord entrance 41 is passed through the cord through hole 29 of the cradle 23.
The storage space 43 includes a first storage space 49 and a second storage space 51.
In the first storage space 49, the cord 15 is provided to be in a row, when being wound around the reel 19, in a predetermined direction (refer to below) which is a direction intersecting the direction of the central axis 21.
In the first embodiment, the predetermined direction is a direction perpendicular to the direction of the central axis 21. The first storage space 49 has a height h1 in a direction perpendicular to a predetermined direction which is substantially the same as a diameter d of the cord 15. Therefore, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
In the mechanism for winding a cord, the cord 15 is aligned in an L shape illustrated in
Next, an operation of the mechanism for winding a cord according to the first embodiment will be described.
The mechanism for winding a cord according to the first embodiment has a central axis 21 and a storage space 43 in which the cord 15 is wound around the central axis 21. The storage space 43 includes the first storage space 49 in which the cord 15 is provided to be in a row, when being wound, in a predetermined direction which is a direction intersecting a direction of the central axis 21, and the height h1 in the direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction is substantially the same as a diameter of the cord 15, and the second storage space 51 which is provided on an outer circumference, an inner circumference, or both of the first storage space 49 and in which the height h2 in a direction along the central axis 21 is at least twice the diameter of the cord 15, and the cord 15 is provided to be in a plurality of rows in a direction along the central axis 21 when the cord 15 is wound.
In the mechanism for winding a cord according to the first embodiment, when the storage space 43 rotates around the central axis 21 while the cord 15 is pulled out, the cord 15 is wound from the inside in the first storage space 49 in the radial direction of rotation. The first storage space 49 has a height h1 in a direction perpendicular to a predetermined direction which is substantially the same as a diameter d of the cord 15. That is, in the first storage space 49, the cord 15 is wound in a row outward in the radial direction without being shift in the direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction.
In the first storage space 49, the cord 15 is wound in a row outward in the radial direction, so that no extra space is generated. Further, since the cord 15 is not wound irregularly, the cord 15 is not entangled. As a result, in the first storage space 49, the cord is less likely to be clogged, and the cord 15 can be efficiently wound.
The second storage space 51 is provided on the outer circumference, the inner circumference, or both of the first storage space 49. The second storage space 51 has a height h2 in the direction along the central axis 21 which is at least twice the diameter d of the cord 15. As a result, in the second storage space 51, the cord 15 can be wound in a plurality of rows (at least two rows) in the direction along the central axis 21. The cord 15 aligned in the first storage space 49 and wound in one row is wound in a plurality of rows in the second storage space 51 with the cord 15 shifted in the direction along the central axis 21 for each turn. That is, it is spirally wound around the outer circumference of the reel 19. Also in this second storage space 51, the cord 15 is wound in an aligned manner and are is wound irregularly, so that the cord 15 is not entangled. As a result, the second storage space 51 can be less likely to cause cord clogging. In the mechanism for winding a cord, a cord storage amount can be increased without increasing the outer diameter of the storage space 43 by providing the second storage space 51.
As a result, the mechanism for winding a cord enables compact and efficient cord storage while preventing cord clogging. Further, since the cord reel 11 having the mechanism for winding a cord can increase the cord storage amount, the range of target products that can be used is expanded, and the versatility can be enhanced.
Further, in the mechanism for winding a cord, the predetermined direction can be set as a direction perpendicular to the direction of the central axis 21.
In this mechanism for winding a cord, a predetermined direction that intersects the direction of the central axis 21 is a direction perpendicular to the direction of the central axis 21. That is, in the first storage space 49, the cord 15 is wound in a row outward in the radial direction in the direction perpendicular to the central axis 21. As a result, the first storage space 49 can reduce the formation space of the reel 19 in the direction along the central axis 21 as compared with the case where the winding direction of the cord 15 intersects the central axis 21 diagonally. As a result, the cord reel 11 having the first storage space 49 perpendicular to the central axis 21 can have a smaller height (thickness) in the direction along the central axis 21, and the built-in space becomes shallower, and thereby the versatility can be further improved.
Further, in the first storage space 49 in which the cord 15 is wound in a row in the direction perpendicular to the central axis 21, in the vicinity of the cord entry and exit 41, the cord 15 can be pulled out and wound in the direction along the tangent line of the outermost circle of the wound cord 15 almost without bending of the cord 15. As a result, the mechanism for winding a cord can realize the cord reel 11 in which the cord 15 can be smoothly taken in and out.
The cord 15 can be pulled out and wound in the direction along the tangent line of the outermost circle of the wound cord 15 almost without bending of the cord 15, a width w of the second storage space 51 in the direction perpendicular to the central axis 21 is substantially the same as the diameter d of the cord 15.
In this mechanism for winding a cord, only one cord 15 is aligned in the second storage space 51 in the direction perpendicular to the central axis 21. That is, the cord 15 is not wound so as to overlap in the direction perpendicular to the central axis 21. As a result, in the second storage space 51, the cord 15 is less likely to be entangled due to being wound in an irregular manner, and the cord 15 can be smoothly taken in and out.
Further, in the mechanism for winding a cord, the cord 15 may be aligned in an L shape, in the cross section of the storage space 43 including the central axis 21 taken along the central axis 21.
In the mechanism for winding a cord, the cord 15 is aligned in an L shape, in the cross section of the storage space 43. In the L-shaped storage space 43, the first row of the second storage space 51 is wound side by side in the direction intersecting the central axis 21 on the outside of the cord 15 wound around the outermost circumference of the first storage space 49. That is, the cord 15 in the first row of the second storage space 51 is aligned on the extension of the cord rows arranged in the first storage space 49. In the second storage space 51, the cord 15 in the second row moves from a track in the circumferential direction of the first row to a track in the second row shifted in the direction along the central axis 21 by substantially the diameter d of the cord 15. As a result, in the second storage space 51, the cord 15 is sequentially wound around in a spiral direction along the central axis 21.
In the L-shaped storage space 43, the second storage space 51 may be provided on the winding start side, the winding end side, or both the winding start side and the winding end side of the first storage space 49.
In the storage space 43 in which the second storage space 51 is provided on the winding start side of the first storage space 49, the winding end of the cord 15 is the outermost circumference of the first storage space 49 wound in one row. In this case, when the cord 15 is pulled out and stored, the cord 15 can be pulled out and wound in the direction along the tangent line of the outermost circle of the wound cord 15 almost without bending of the cord 15. As a result, the mechanism for winding a cord can realize the cord reel 11 in which the cord 15 can be smoothly pulled out and wound.
In the storage space 43 in which the second storage space 51 is provided on the winding end side of the first storage space 49, the winding length of the cord 15 can be increased by the circumferential length when the winding radius of the second storage space 51 is the maximum winding radius Rmax as illustrated in
Next, the second embodiment will be described.
In the mechanism for winding a cord according to the second embodiment, the cord 15 is aligned in a T shape, for example, in the cross section of the storage space 43 including the central axis 21 taken along the central axis 21. The T-shape means a form in which a plurality of cords 15 are arranged in a row in the first storage space 49, and a plurality of cords 15 are line-symmetrically arranged at a center line 59 as a boundary passing through the center of the plurality of cords 15 arranged in a row in the first storage space 49 in the second storage space 51.
In the case of the T-shaped storage space 43, the second storage space 51 is provided on the winding end side of the first storage space 49.
In the T-shaped storage space 43, between the first storage space 49 and the second storage space 51, the track is transitioned from the cord 15 wound around one of the storage spaces 43 to the other storage space 43 at a part in the circumferential direction.
Next, an operation of the mechanism for winding a cord according to the second embodiment will be described.
In the mechanism for winding a cord according to the second embodiment, the cord 15 may be aligned in a T shape, for example, in the cross section of the storage space 43 including the central axis 21 taken along the central axis 21.
In this mechanism for winding a cord, since the second storage space 51 is provided on the winding end side of the first storage space 49, the winding length of the cord 15 can be increased by the circumference length on the cord winding end side that maximizes the winding radius. Therefore, in the T-shaped storage space 43, the length of the cord 15 that can be wound within a predetermined number of rotations can be increased.
Further, in the T-shaped storage space 43, in the second storage space 51, a plurality of cords 15 can be arranged line-symmetrically at the center line 59 of the first storage space 49 as a boundary, as compared to the L-shaped storage space 43 in which the cord 15 is wound on only one side at the center line 59 as a boundary, the outer peripheral surface of the reel 19 can be used more efficiently. In this case, in the T-shaped storage space 43, since the first storage space 49 can be arranged at the center position (D/2) of the reel 19 in the thickness direction D, the mass of the reel 19 is not biased to one side in the direction along the central axis 21, and the reel 19 can be rotated smoothly.
Next, the third embodiment will be described.
The mechanism for winding a cord according to the third embodiment further includes the guide 63 for aligning the cord 15 in the second storage space. The cord 15 of the second storage space 67 is aligned and wound along the central axis 21 by the guide 63.
A part of the guide 63 in the circumferential direction is cut out by the slit 61 through which the cord 15 can pass. The slit 61 is formed shorter than the circumferential length of the guide 63. The slit 61 has a track switching portion 75 formed so that the projecting height of the guide 63 is gradually lowered on the start end side and the finish end side of the slit 61. By providing the track switching portion 75 in the slit 61, in the second storage space 67, it possible to smoothly transition the track when the cord 15 is wound and pulled out by shifting in the direction along the central axis 21.
In the above description, the cord 15 is wound around the first storage space 49 three times, and the cord 15 on the fourth and fifth laps is wound around the second storage space 67; however, this is an example, and the number of windings may be appropriately set, for example, the cord 15 is wound around the first storage space 49 five times, and the cord 15 on the sixth and seventh laps is wound around the second storage space 67.
Next, an operation of the mechanism for winding a cord according to the third embodiment will be described.
The mechanism for winding a cord according to the third embodiment further includes the guide 63 for aligning the cord 15 in the second storage space.
In this mechanism for winding a cord, in the second storage space 51, the cord 15 wound in the direction along the central axis 21 is aligned by the guide 63. That is, the cords 15 wound in the direction along the central axis 21 are arranged adjacent to each other with the guide 63 switched therebetween. As a result, the cords 15 wound around the second storage space 51 are prevented from being too far apart from each other or being too close to each other, and can be smoothly taken in and out of the cord reel 11.
Further, in the mechanism for winding a cord, the guide 63 projects outward in the radial direction with the central axis 21 as the center and extends in the circumferential direction, and a part in the circumferential direction is cut out by the slit 61 through which the cord 15 can pass.
In this mechanism for winding a cord, the guide 63 is provided with a slit 61 through which the cord 15 can pass. The slit 61 is formed by cutting out a part of the guide 63 that projects outward in the radial direction of the reel 19 and extends in the circumferential direction.
For example, in the storage space 43 provided with the second storage space 51 on the outer circumference of the first storage space 49, the height h2 of the second storage space 51 in the direction along the central axis 21 is at least twice as high as the diameter d of the cord 15. In the L-shaped storage space 43, when the cord 15 is wound, the cord 15 is wound in, for example, two rows in the direction along the central axis 21.
The guide 63 is provided to extend in the circumferential direction between the cords 15 wound in the two rows in the second storage space 51. The slit 61 enables a transition from the first row to the second row and a transition from the second row to the first row of the track around which the cord 15 is wound by cutting out a part of the guide 63 in the circumferential direction.
For example, in the storage space 43 in which the cord 15 on the third lap is wound in one row in the direction perpendicular to the central axis 21 in the first storage space 49, and the cord 15 is wound in the two rows in the direction along the central axis 21 in the second storage space 51, the cord 15 is wound five times in total. In this case, the cord 15 in the first row wound in the second storage space 51 corresponds to the cord 15 in the fourth lap wound outside the cord 15 having the outermost diameter wound in one row in the first storage space 49. The cord 15 in the second row wound in the second storage space 51 is the cord 15 in the fifth lap wound with the guide 63 sandwiched with respect to the cord 15 in the first row.
In the L-shaped storage space 43, when the cord 15 is wound on the fourth lap in the second storage space 51, the slit 61 of the guide 63 that aligns the cord 15 on the fourth lap becomes the cord on the fifth lap is rotated and arrives immediately before the winding start position of the cord 15 on the fifth lap. Here, the cord 15 is not further wound outward in the radial direction of the fourth lap, and by passing through the slit 61, the track is transitioned from the first row to the second row, and the cord on the fifth lap is wound as the second row in the second storage space.
In this mechanism for winding a cord, by providing the guide 63 provided with the slit 61, the tracks of the cord 15 wound in a plurality of rows in the second storage space 51 are transitioned, and the cord 15 can be smoothly and surely wound and pulled out from the direction intersecting the central axis 21 to the direction along the central axis 21.
Therefore, according to the mechanism for winding a cord according to the first, second, and third embodiments, it is possible to enable compact and efficient cord storage while preventing cord clogging.
Although various embodiments have been described with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modifications, revisions, substitutions, additions, deletions, and equality within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that those also belong to the technical scope of the present disclosure. Further, the respective constituent elements in the various embodiments described above may be optionally combined without departing from the spirit of the invention.
The present disclosure is useful as a mechanism for winding a cord that enables compact and efficient cord storage while preventing cord clogging.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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3626495 | Bastian, Jr. | Dec 1971 | A |
6109957 | Fladung | Aug 2000 | A |
6616080 | Edwards | Sep 2003 | B1 |
6780021 | Owen | Aug 2004 | B1 |
9174712 | Klotz | Nov 2015 | B2 |
10230200 | Tomasko | Mar 2019 | B1 |
20180093852 | Morey | Apr 2018 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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2001-513979 | Sep 2001 | JP |
2012-206809 | Oct 2012 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20220234863 A1 | Jul 2022 | US |