GB2166115A

GB2166115A - Storage devices

Info

Publication number: GB2166115A
Application number: GB08425041A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin John Richard Cowling
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-10-04
Filing date: 1984-10-04
Publication date: 1986-04-30
Also published as: GB8425041D0

Abstract

A storage device 10 for cable and the like comprises winch means 12 formed with a slot 16 within a housing 18 having separable portions 20 and 22 whereby the cable 38 can be located in a slot 16 of the winch and both ends of the cable can be wound-in, thereby to store excess cable. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Storage devices This invention relates to storage devices for electrical cables and like articles. For example, the invention is applicable to storage devices suitable for storing the electrical cable of conventional domestic electric appliances such as television sets, washing machines etc., and for fiexible piping such as hose pipes, cord or rope, and many other similar flexible articles.

The electrical cable or "flex" provided for domestic electric appliances is usually of a length such as to meet the maximum reasonable length requirement of the user. Accordingly, it frequently happens that a user does not require the full length of the cable, because the appliance may be located near to the electrical outlet socket, and therefore surplus cable is present and is usually unsightly, may be dangerous, and is liable to be damaged over a period of time.

Accordingly, there is a need for some means to avoid the disadvantages of redundant cable for electrical appliances. There is a corresponding requirement in many other situations, and an aim of the present invention is to provide a storage device for electrical cables and like articles offering improvements in relation to one or more of the requirements identified above, or generally.

There is disclosed below, in an embodiment of the invention, apparatus for taking up slack in an electrical cable which is quick and simple to operate, simple in construction and which does not involve the cutting of the cable nor any damage thereto.

According to the invention there is provided a storage device for electrical cables and like articles, the device being adapted to be connected to such an article between the ends thereof and to wind in both ends of the article.

Preferably, the storage device comprises a rotary winch. The winch is preferaby arranged so that a central portion of an article to be wound can be inserted into the winch in an axial direction with respect to rotation of the winch.

The winch device may be provided with formations defining an axially facing slot to receive the article. Said formations are preferably shaped to cause the article to be wound to follow a generally S-shaped path as it extends through the winch.

The storage device preferably comprises a housing formed with two openings to receive both said ends of the article.

Preferably also, the winch device comprises a central divider plate extending circumferentially with respect to the winch and serving to divide the housing into two portions serving to receive the two portions of the article on opposite sides of the storage device.

The housing may comprise two main pieces including a main housing portion and winch drum or spool, together with a cover therefor.

Preferably, the winch is provided with manual rotation means.

The invention also provides a storage device comprising any novel feature disclosed herein or any novel combination of features disclosed herein.

In an embodiment described below, a storage device for co-axial T.V. aerial cable comprises a two piece housing having a central winch spindle formed with a groove or recess to accept the cable, so that the latter adopts a generally S-shaped configuration as it passes through the spindle. The spindle protrudes from one side of the housing portion. On the other side thereof a groove or slot is provided for a screwdriver together with finger and thumb levers or the like for manual rotation of the spindle. The other main piece of the housing is a cover or disc which can be clipped onto and rotate around the spindle, and having two slots at diametrically opposed positions, each wide enough to allow the cable or the like to pass freely through it.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of a storage device having an electrical cable located in a groove formed in a central spindle of a winch device; Figure 2 shows a section through the apparatus of Fig. 1 and showing a cover mounted on the housing and locked in position and free to rotate around a centralizing boss of the cover; and Figure 3 shows an elevation view of the storage device showing the cover and two cable access slots.

As shown in the drawings, a storage device 10 for electrical cables and like articles comprises winch means 12 including a winch drum 14 formed with a slot 16 and located within a housing 18.

Housing 18 comprises a housing portion 20 in the form of a disc, and a second housing portion 22 which is of dished configuration forming a cover.

Cable inlet and outlet openings 24, 26 are formed in cover 22. Disc 20 is drivably coupled to winch drum 14 and finger and thumb levers 28, 30 and a handle 32 are provided on disc 20 to rotate the winch drum.

A flange or disc 34 extends circumferentially around winch drum 14 to divide housing 18 into two portions, one for one end of the cable, and the other for the other end.

A hub 36 is formed on winch drum 14 and projects axially therefrom to receive cover 22.

The whole assembly may be formed from moulded components of plastics material, or whatever other material may be suitable for a particular application.

In use, housing 18 is first separated into housing portions 20 and 22. Approximately the centre (mid point along the length) of the surplus portion of cable 38 is laid on the disc housing portion 20 below the flange 34 and is bent round the drum 14 and through the slot 16 and out above the flange 34. The cover portion 22 of the housing 18 is then inserted over the assembly with the cable 38 extending through the openings 24, 26. The cover 22 is then pressed home and thereby locked to the disc 20, thereby closing the housing 18.

To take up the slack in the cable 38, the cover 22 is held manually while the disc 20 is rotated clockwise by means either of the screwdriver slot 40 formed in the disc, or by the finger and thumb levers 28, 30, or the handle 32.

Rotation of drum 14 causes the cable 38 to be wound in from both directions around the drum 14, but separated by the flange 34.

To pay out the stored cable, the latter is pulled outwards from both sides of the storage device 10.

The diameter of the cable 38 and the minimum safe radius of bend of the cable determines the size of the slot 16 formed in drum 14 and the diameter of the drum itself. The amount of slack to be stored determines the height of the drum 14 in the axial direction and the diameters of disc 20 and cover 22.

For example, for coaxial T.V. aerial cable of diameter 6.4 millimetres, a drum of diameter 5. 1 centimetres is suitable with a drum axial depth of 3.8 centimetres and a diameter of disc 20 of 8.9 centimetres. This assembly will store about 305 centimetres of cable-in eight revolutions of the assembly.

The storage device of the invention is applicable for use with supply cable to most electrical appliances such as T.V., radio, lamps, washing machines, mixers, toasters, kettles, vacuum cleaners, lawnmowers, etc., and indeed telephones, microphone cables, radio and television aerial cables, etc.. It will be appreciated that the storage device will enable the substantiai elimination of the "spaghetti" of jumbled wires which are usually stuffed behind a conventional domestic radio/tape recorder/record player assembly.

Another application lies in a storage device of significantly smaller dimensions for use inside electrical appliances for taking up the slack in conductors or even non-conductive elements having similar physical characteristics and form. Thus for example, a button-size storage device as disclosed above might well be employed to take up the slack between certain internal connections in many kinds of electronic apparatus, thereby rendering the layout and operation far easier to comprehend.

Such storage devices might well be brought down in size to a diameter of one centimetre or below.

It will be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above not only provide an important tidying function, but also, in many instances, a more fundamental safety function in that by storing away excess cable damage to such cable over a period of time is greatly reduced whereby shorting between conductors may well be avoided.

The invention is also applicable to cord and ropes and can incorporate winch power and locking mechanisms two control the length of rope available and to neatly store the surplus.

Many modifications could be made in the above described embodiment while remaining within the scope of the invention, such modifications include changes in the shape and size of the winch drum and the housing portions 20, 22, the size and relative dispositions of the openings 24, 26, and indeed the form and location of the manual winding means 28, 30, 32 and 40.

Claims

1. A storage device for electrical cables and like articles, the device being adapted to be connected to such an article between the ends thereof and to wind-in both ends of the article.

2. A storage device according to claim 1 comprising a rotary winch.

3. A storage device according to claim 2 wherein the winch is arranged so that a central portion of an article to be wound can be inserted into the winch in an axial direction with respect to rotation of the winch.

4. A storage device according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the winch comprises formations defining an axially facing slot to receive the article to be wound.

5. A storage device according to claim 4 wherein said formations are shaped to cause the article to be wound to follow 9 generally S-shaped path as it extends through the winch.

6. A storage device according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a housing formed with two openings to receive both said ends of the article.

7. A storage device according to claim 2, or any one of claims 3 to 6 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the winch comprises a central divider plate extending circumferentially with respect to the winch and serving to divide the housing into two portions serving to receive the two portions of the article on opposite sides of the storage device.

8. A storage device according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the housing comprises two main pieces including a main housing portion and winch drum or spool, together with a cover therefor.

9. A storage device according to any one of claims 2 to 8 wherein the winch is provided with manual rotation means.

10. A storage device for electrical cables and like articles substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.