Patent Application
20250000246
This invention relates to retractors, and in particular, retractor systems convenient, reliable and robust mechanisms for connecting to a user.
Retractable tethering devices have been developed that can be attached to a person through use of common attachment mechanisms such as snaps, clips, Velcro straps, pin mounting systems, bracket mounting devices and belt clipping devices. Conventional belt clipping and bracketing systems are desirable for some applications in that they are easy to mount to an article of clothing that does not have means for attaching snap, Velcro or pinning attachment. A belt clipping system also provides an attachment means that reduces the overall hanging length of the device and minimizes its movement during activities.
One disadvantage of most conventional retractable tethering devices (“tethering devices”) using a belt clipping system is that when the retracting tether is mounted, it is generally in a fixed orientation in relation to its mounting point. Many different devices can be attached to the retracting tether's cable, such as keys, cell phones, pagers and PDAs, and when the device is in use the cable is extended from the retracting tether against a spring force. Because of its fixed orientation, the tethering device does not change its orientation to compensate for the cable being retracted at different angles. For example, keys can be attached to the cable of conventional tethering devices and the cable can be extended at different angles depending on the heights of the lock. However, most conventional retracting tethers do not rotate in relation to the clipping (mounting) point so regardless of height that the keys are being used, the housing hole remains in a fixed orientation. This causes excessive resistance and cable flexing or fatigue which can result in reduced overall life of the product.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,158 to Huang, discloses a tethering device for mounting on a user and having a housing assembled from an upper lid and a bottom lid. A male upper cover and a female lower cover are provided in the housing to form a reel axle for a coil spring and an extendable/retractable cable. One end of the cable is exposed to the exterior of the housing and a stop prevents the cable from fully retracting into the housing. A rivet sleeve is extended through aligned central holes in the bottom lid, the reel and the lining sleeve and is rivet fastened with its end extended through the lining sleeve. A reel axle is formed by the male upper cover, the female lower cover, and the lining sleeve, which are serially and tightly connected.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,137 to Poulson discloses a retractable tethering device that is attached to a user's belt with its cable clipped to the rear surface of a cellular telephone case to prevent the phone from falling in the event it is accidentally dropped. The device includes a housing that swivels on its belt connection. The cable includes a strong cord wound on a spring-biased spool within a housing which is pivotally connected to a spring steel belt clip. The belt clip is attached to near the center of the device's housing to the central shaft that passes through the housing with the preferred central shaft being a flat head screw journalled within a bushing sleeve spanning the side with the housing so that the housing spins around its axis.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,966,519 and 7,478,776 to Salentine et al., disclose a rotatable retractor device for holding a personal article, such as keys or a cell phone, and comprising a housing having a locking post on its outside surface. The apparatus also includes an attachment mechanism, such as a belt clip, for attaching to a body and a retaining section, the attachment mechanism being integral to the retaining section. The retaining section has a retaining section hole sized to mate with the locking post and the locking post has a mechanism for holding the post in the retaining section hole. The inside surface of the retaining section hole rides on an outside surface of the locking post to provide for smooth rotation of the retractor housing in relation to the retaining section.
The present invention is directed to retractor systems comprising a retractor and a clamp to mount the retractor in the desired location for use. In some embodiments, the retractor can be mounted to the clothing of the user, and different clamps can be used such as alligator clamps. The system according to the present invention allows for robust and reliable mounting of the retractor while allowing for some movement of the retractor housing during use to reduce wear on the line extending from the retractor housing.
One embodiment of a retractor and clamping system according to the present invention comprising a retractor having a front and back surface, and at least one edge surface. A clamp is included that is arranged for attaching directly to a user's piece of clothing, wherein the clamp is integral to the retractor at one of the surfaces of the retractor and wherein the clamp extends beyond one of the at least one edge surfaces with the clamp opening away from the retractor. A line is included that is capable of being extended and retracted from and back into the retractor, with a connector included on the line for connecting to a personal article.
The systems according to the present invention can comprise many different features as described below. These and other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example in the features of the invention.
The present invention is directed to different retractor and clamp systems used to mount a retractor in place with a personal article also attached to the extendible line of the retractors. In some embodiments, the clamp is particularly arranged for mounting to a user of the personal device, such as to a user's clothing. The clamps can be mounted to many different pieces of clothing including pants, shirt or jacket, but are particularly adapted for mounting to Molle Vest or safety vest. In some embodiments the clamp can be mounted to or formed integrally to the retractor housing and can comprise an alligator clamp with jaws that close on the piece of clothing to hold the retractor to the housing. In some embodiments, the clamp can also comprise a locking tab that is closed to lock the jaws in the closed position so that the clamp and its retractor are reliably mounted to the user.
The retractor also has an extendible internal line that can be extended from the retractor by a pulling force against a retraction force provided by the retractor's internal spring. When the pulling force is removed, the internal line is retracted into the retractor housing by the internal spring. The line also has a has an attachment clip that works as a stop to prevent the internal line from retracting fully into the retractor housing.
The user's personal article can also be attached to the line at the attachment clip. When a pulling force is applied to the personal article, the line extends from the retractor against the retraction force provided by the retractor's internal spring. When the pulling force is removed, the line is retracted back into the retractors by the internal spring, thereby pulling the personal article back to the retractor. For example, if a cell phone were attached to the retractor at the attachment clip, the internal line can extend from the retractor when the cell phone is used by the user, such as to make a call. When the user is finished using the cell phone, the line can retract into the retractor, and the user can release the cell phone without danger of dropping, losing or damaging the cell phone. The retractor and the cell phone remain connected to the user by the clamp.
It is understood that this is just one of the many different arrangements that can be used to connect the handheld device to the retractor and to connect the retractor to a user. Different embodiments can use different brackets, mounts and clips having different shapes and sizes for connecting to the handheld device or the rail. It is also understood that the present invention is directed use with many different personal articles, including but not limited to cell phones, hand guns, binoculars, fishing poles, fishing nets, etc. and can be used with any handheld device.
The present invention is described herein with reference to certain embodiments, but it is understood that the invention can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. It is further understood that different embodiments can comprise different materials arranged in different ways, and can comprise different features. Different embodiments can also be arranged for mounting to other locations other than directly to a user.
It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on” or “connected to” another element, it can be directly on, or in contact with the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on”, or “directly connected to” another element, there are no intervening elements present. Although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, and/or sections, these elements and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, or section from another element, or section. Thus, a first element or section discussed herein could be termed a second element, or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention.
Embodiments of the invention are described herein with reference to perspective view illustrations that are schematic illustrations of an embodiment of the invention. As such, the actual thickness or size of components can be different, and variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances are expected. Embodiments of the invention should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes as illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. A region or element illustrated or described as being generally square or rectangular can have rounded or curved features due to normal manufacturing tolerances. Thus, the features illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the precise shape of a feature of a device and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
In the embodiment shown, the clamp 14 is arranged longitudinally with the body of the retractor 12, but it is understood that in other embodiments, the clamp can be arranged at other angles on the retractor 12, with some embodiments having a clamp 14 that is mounted orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the retractor's body, while in other embodiments the clamp 14 can be mounted at a 45 degree angle to the longitudinal axis of the retractor's body. It is understood that these are only a few of the different orientations for the clamp 14 on the body of the retractor.
In still other embodiments, the clamp can be rotatably attached to the body of the retractor. In these embodiments, when the retractor is mounted to a user the pulling force on the extendable line (described below) can cause rotation of the body in relation to the clamp. This can allow for the body of the retractor to align with extending line under the pulling force on the line. This alignment in turn can reduce the friction between the extending line and the body of the retractor, which can reduce wear on the line and increase the life of the line. This alignment between the body and the extending line can also allow for easier retraction of the under lower pulling force.
In some embodiments, the clamp 14 has opposing first and second jaws 18, 20 that can close on a piece of users clothing. In some embodiments the jaws can be spring loaded to close on the user's clothing to hold the retractor in place. In other embodiments, the clamp 14 can comprise a locking tab 22 and when the tab 22 is in the open position as shown in
In different embodiments, the clamp can extend beyond an edge of the body of the retractor, which can allow for more convenient mounting of the retractor and clamp system 10 to a user. In the embodiment shown, a portion of the clamp 14 extends beyond the edge of the body that is opposite to the extendable line, but it is understood that the clamp 14 can be arranged to extend beyond any of the four edges of the body of the retractor 12. By extending the clamp 14 in the manner shown, the opening of the clamp 14 when the jaws 18, 20 are separated, also extends beyond the edge of the body. This allows for ease of mounting of the system 10 to a user by simply directing the clamp opening between the jaws 18, 20 over the desired mounting location, such as a piece of clothing, and closing the jaws 18, 20 of the clamp. This extended arrangement of the clamp 14 on the body of the retractor 12 allows for convenient access to clamp during mounting and locking by closing locking tab 22 as described above. The clamp 14 can extend different distances beyond the body's edge, with some embodiments extending less than 50 percent of the clamp's length. It is understood, however, that the clamp can also extend at different lengths.
In the embodiment shown and as described above, the retractor 12 further comprises an extendable line (not shown) that is coiled and housed within the retractor housing 16. The extendable line extends from the retractor housing against the force of an internal spring (not shown) that urges retraction of the extendable line. The retractor 12 further comprises an attachment clip 40 that is connected to the extendable line and prevents the extendable line from being fully retracted into the retractor by the internal spring.
Many different attachment clips can be used according to the present invention, with some embodiments being similar to the universal clip shown in U.S. Design Patent No. D593,403, which is incorporated herein by reference. The attachment clip 40 can comprise a female portion 42 that cooperates with the male portion 44 that is connected to the handheld device. The male portion can be inserted into the female portion to hold the male and female portions together, to mount the handheld device to the retractor 12. The clip 40 can also be operated to separate the male and female portions 44, 42 to remove the handheld device from the retractor 12. The male portion 44 can be added to the handheld device such as on a lanyard or other line, or can be affixed to the handheld device such as by tape or glue. In other embodiments, portions of the attachment clip can be formed integral to the handheld device. A lanyard 46 can also be included that is attached to male portion of the attachment clip 40.
The clip 40 can also comprise a ball and socket arrangement to allow for ease of rotation of the clip in relation to the line. In some embodiments, the end of the line extending from the retractor 12 can have a ball, and the female portion 42 that can have a socket sized and arranged to hold the ball. The socket is also sized to hold the ball and allow it to be rotated within the socket, while at the same time not allowing the ball to fall from the socket. This ball and socket arrangement further reduces wear on the line during use.
During operation of the system 10 handheld devices can be attached to the retractor at the attachment clip 40. When the handheld device is used, a pulling force can be applied to the attachment clip to extend the retractor's internal line. Following use of the handheld device, the pulling force can be removed, and the line can retract into the retractor under the force of the internal spring, which pull the personal article toward the retractor 12. This arrangement allows for use of the handheld device while keeping the device attached to the rail. It allows for use of the personal article without the danger of losing or damaging the handheld device from dropping.
The present invention provides for flexibility in mounting the retractor to many different locations, with the clamp providing for robust and reliable holding of the retractor in the desired location. It is understood that the systems according to the present invention can have many different features arranged in different ways. In some embodiments, magnets can be included in different locations to hold the handheld device in place when in the retracted position to prevent it from swinging. Preventing swinging can reduce wear on the line and can allow for more convenient access to the handheld device by the user. In some embodiments, a first magnet can be mounted to the piece of clothing in the desired location to cooperate with second magnet on the handheld device. In other embodiments, only one magnet may be needed on the user for metal handheld devices that are drawn to the magnet. In other embodiments, a magnet may only be needed on the handheld device that can be drawn to a metal feature on the user's clothing.
The present invention provides many features and advantages described above, but different embodiments can have many different features and advantages. It is understood that by attaching the system 10 to a flexible piece of clothing, such as a Molle vest, the retractor 12 can be free to move at different angles during use. This can allow for the retractor 12 to move in relation to its mounting location to align with the extendible line. This can reduce the wear and tear on the line and can extend the life of the system 10.
It is understood that many different mechanisms and arrangements can be used in the different systems according to the present invention. It is also understood that many different personal articles can be used beyond cell phones, such as bar code readers, flashlights, box cutters, aerosol spray cans, etc. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to certain configurations thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the invention should not be limited to the versions described above.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Pat. Appl. Ser. No. 63/471,151, filed on Jun. 5, 2023.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63471151 | Jun 2023 | US |
