DE29812129U1 - Cable collector - Google Patents

Description

Description Cable collector as cable collection pipe or as cable collection column State of the art:

Usually, electrical cables between a socket and an electrical device or between several electrical devices are only routed in cable ducts in exceptional cases, e.g. in open-plan offices (IT, telephone), but these are installed by specialists (e.g. in the floor) or are already built into the furniture. There are also fold-out cable guide strips (e.g. in lecture halls) and cable winders to store a single electrical cable.

Problem:

However, it is a fact that in a normal household and in most small offices, many electrical cables are too long and lie next to each other in a messy "cable tangle". This not only looks unsightly, but is also a source of danger (especially for children and older people, tripping, getting caught, etc., but also for pets, e.g. chewing on the power cables) and always a problem when cleaning. This applies, for example, in the following areas:

• Office: e.g. IT, telephone, fax, etc.

• Living area: e.g. television, video recorder, CD player, radio, record player

• Lighting: e.g. lighting systems, floor lamps, reading lamps

• Kitchen: e.g. coffee machine, egg cooker, mixer, microwave

• Bathroom: e.g. hairdryer, shaver, toothbrush

• Bedroom: e.g. radio alarm clock, bedside lamp

• Craft corner: e.g. drill, sander

Solution:

This problem is solved with the features listed in claims 1 and 2. The cable collecting pipe and the cable collecting column ensure that there are no superfluous cables in the room, but only the necessary, tightly routed cable sections, and the sources of danger are thus significantly reduced. The cables are stored in a lockable and dirt-repellent container in an attractive way, bringing greater order to the home and office and also making it easier to care for and clean the power cables. Opening and closing are easy to handle even for older people and people with little technical experience. Several cables can be stored and tidied at the same time. In addition, different sizes (length, geometric cross-section, diameter, capacity) and interior features ensure that the cable collector can be purchased according to requirements and, so to speak, individually adapted.

External shape (H

The housing (1a to 1c) of the cable collector (see sketch 1 cable collector pipe and sketch 2 cable collector column) is made of a smooth plastic that does not charge, and is therefore antistatic and antimagnetic. The length of the pipe, which consists of two longitudinal halves and is round (1a, 1b) or square (1c) in cross-section, should be between 20 cm and 90 cm at intervals of 10 cm. The pipe is provided with a hinge strip (2) on one long side and can be opened and closed on the other using a locking strip (3). The openings on the front side (4) of the pipe are sealed with a soft, pliable material to keep out dust, dirt and vermin, through which the various cables can enter and exit the interior of the pipe (5), with the material clinging tightly to the cables. The side panels (4) are removable or can be taken out, to allow the front inserts (4) to be cleaned separately.

The cable collection column (sketch 2) is a free-standing pipe with a length of up to 90 cm that can be attached to a wall using a device provided (7) (see below). Free-standing cable collection columns have a widened support surface (8) on the underside that can be attached and removed again, depending on how the product is used. The column can be attached using a support plate (7b) that is fixed to the wall and into which the column is then inserted, or by directly dowelling/screwing the column (7a) or using a double-sided adhesive strip (no sketch).

Variations on the external form (1b. 1c):

• Oval to elliptical (1a) with a diameter of 5 or 10 cm, an opening angle of at least 90 degrees and with a flattened area on the underside (6) as a support surface for the floor, table, etc.

• Circular (1b) with a cross-section of e.g. 7 cm, with a flattened area on the underside (6) as a support surface for the floor, table, etc.

• Quadrilateral (1c) (rectangular or square) with different cross-sectional dimensions

• Upper half round or oval or elliptical, lower half square with different cross-sectional dimensions

• Overall shape triangular for positions in room corners

Variations on the closure (3)

• At least two snap hooks (3) (such as those found on conventional wallets), the number depends on the length of the cable collector.

• Plastic slot strip (without sketch) on one long side, into which a plastic rail is pressed from the other long side (comparable to the closure on some plastic packaging)

• Velcro fastener (without sketch)

• Hook closure (without sketch) e.g. as used in coffee or storage containers

• Snap fastener system (without sketch)

• Tenon and eyelet system (without sketch) or tenon and plug

Variations of the frontal finishes (4)

• Plastic brushes (4)

• Soft foam whose openings close automatically when the cables are pulled out (no sketch).

Interior (5)

The interior (5) of the cable collector allows the routing and storage of the redundant cable sections for several cables at the same time, so that the cables run short, taut and straight on the cable section between the socket and the cable duct or the cable duct and the electrical devices. It can be round or with corners.

Variations of interior design (5)

• Smooth, unfilled and unstructured cavity (5)

• Filled with soft, malleable material into which the cables can be pressed to secure them and which regenerates when the cables are removed (without sketch)

Color scheme

Common colors that are also used for cables and multiple plugs, e.g. white, gray, brown, beige, black. In addition, current colors for home furnishings should be used, e.g. cornflower blue, pink, yellow

Ri ke Drauschke

i Utility model protection cable collector.doc

Claims (2)

Rike Drauschke Döbersing, 24.08.1998 Am Sonnenhügl 4 Tel/Fax 09977/1478 93495 Weiding-Döbersing German Patent Office
80297 Munich Granting of utility model protection
here: cable collector ref.: 298 12 129.8 to the 2nd letter dated 18.08.98 Ref.: 29812129.8 Ladies and Gentlemen I hereby submit claims for protection for the following formulated product/s
The following products are referred to collectively as "cable collectors". 1. Cable collection pipe 2. Cable collection column. Protection claims (two-part version) 1. Cable collection tube: Single, hinged container with different lengths, geometric cross-sections and diameters, used to store redundant cable runs from electrical devices in order to ensure order and facilitate cleaning, characterized, that it can be laid horizontally on the floor or other surfaces on which electrical cables run by means of a support surface (6) and that it consists of two halves (1) which are connected on one long side by a hinge strip (2), on the other long side by a locking strip (3) and are closed on the end face (4) by a cable-permeable but dirt-repellent material. 2. Cable collection column: Single, hinged container with different lengths, different geometric cross-sections and diameters, which is used to store redundant cable runs from electrical devices in order to ensure order and facilitate cleaning, characterized, that it can be placed vertically on the floor or other surfaces on which electrical cables run, or can be fastened vertically or diagonally to a wall (7) by means of a support surface (8) and that it consists of two halves (1) which are connected on one long side by a hinge strip (2), on the other long side by a locking strip (3) and closed at the front (4) by a cable-permeable but dirt-repellent material.