Bucket and cord

Abstract

A bucket and cord combination comprising a cylindrical bucket having a predetermined diameter and height for storing an elongated flexible cord therein between an inner cylindrical surface of the bucket and an outer curved surface of an axial insert received in the bucket and forming therewith an annular space for the storage of the cord, the insert having a vertical height equal to or less than the height of the bucket and having a diameter less than the diameter of the bucket, the bucket having a substantially flat circular bottom with a hole therein whose diameter is less than the diameter of the bucket, the bottom of the insert being provided with a flat shoulder extending horizontally outward from the periphery of the insert to the inner periphery of the bucket and spaced from the bottom of the bucket so as to form therewith a doughnut shaped space for storage therein of one terminal end of the cord, the other end of the cord extending from the lower terminal end thereof through a hole in the flat horizontal circular member up into the annular area between the insert and the bucket for storage of the majority of the length of the cord therein.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a storage device (bucket) for an elongated cable, such as an electrical extension cord, including a container and lid that allow for easy storage while providing protection to and preventing entanglements of the extension cord.

2. Prior Art

Extension cords are essential accessories for residential, industrial and commercial use of electrical items. They free electrical devices from the requirement of only being operated within a relatively short distance of five or six feet from a power source. Extension cords, thus, permit the use of such electrical devices at distances of twenty-five, fifty or even more feet away from the power source. Electricians or other workers who use electrical extension cords in lengths of twenty-five feet, fifty feet or other substantial lengths understand the difficulty and inconvenience of unwinding the cord in use and also rewinding the cord for storage purposes because such cords are difficult to keep under control. The receptacle ends of the cords become easily entangled within the length of the cord itself. In some instances workers have become so frustrated with tangled cords that they have simply thrown them away rather than take the time to untangle the cord.

Whether the cord becomes tangled or not, workers spend a considerable amount of time unwinding and rewinding the cords. In addition, workers have no convenient place to store the cords either on the job site or in their truck/vehicles.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,968,955 shows a storage device for an electrical extension cord having a male end and a female end. The storage device includes a cylindrical container which could be broadly described as a bucket, the cord being wound inside the bucket.

Meyer U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,878 shows a bucket where a cord can be wound partially inside of the bucket.

Listenberger U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,457 shows a bucket where the cord is wound in spiral fashion inside the bucket.

Cannon U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,067 shows a cord and bucket combination referred to as a “cord caddy” wherein the cord is partially wound on the outside of the bucket and partially on the inside of the bucket.

Douglas U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,685 shows a cord and bucket combination wherein the bucket is provided with a central cylindrical device and wherein the cord is wound inside the bucket in the annular space between the cylindrical cord and the bucket itself.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes a bucket and cord combination wherein the bucket is provided with an insert having a central axial member which, considered in light of the interior cylindrical shape of the bucket, provides an annular space wherein the cord is stored. The insert need not be exactly cylindrical but can be provided with a slight taper as shown. The bottom of the insert connects with a flat circular plate which is disposed above the bottom of the bucket in parallel relation thereto. The bucket has a central hole in the bottom. The circular plate at the bottom of the insert, considered in light of the bottom of the bucket with the hole therein provides a doughnut shaped space in which the coil or pig tail end of the cord may be stored while the remainder of the cord is stored above the plate in the annular space between the insert and the bucket.

For the purpose of providing a convenient location for an electrical tool, for example, an electrical drill, the side of the insert is provided with a slot from which the end of the tool may protrude into the annular space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of all of the parts which comprise the bucket and cord.

FIG. 2 is a transverse view of the top of the insert looking along viewing line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse view of the top of the bucket looking along viewing line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of all of the components shown in FIG. 1 except for the lid, with the elements being associated in their normal conditions of use.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section view taken along section line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a transverse view taken along viewing line 6-6 of FIG. 4 showing the cord wound up inside of the bucket in the annular space between the insert and the bucket itself.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the insert itself.

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the bucket in section showing the cord loosely wound around the insert in the annular space between the insert and the bucket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a bucket 10 preferably made of plastic and about one foot in diameter or slightly less and approximately eighteen to twenty inches high. The bucket 10 is used to store an elongated cable, such as an electrical cord 12, which in this case, is approximately fifty feet in length. When the cord 12 is stored in the bucket 10, a lid 14 may be used to cover the top of the bucket.

In order to provide an ease of storing of the cord 12 in the bucket 10, a tapered conical insert 16 is fitted into the bucket so as to provide an annular space 18 into which the majority of the cord 12 may be coiled (see now FIG. 4). Actually, the insert 16 can be cylindrical or it can be provided with a slight taper as shown. The lower end of the insert 16 is provided with a horizontal circular shoulder (plate) 20 to which is attached a short cylindrical skirt 22 which is adapted to fit against the bottom inside of the bucket 10 when the insert 16 is fitted all the way in, as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The bottom of the bucket 10 is provided with a hole 24 which, in combination with the shoulder 20 and skirt 22 provide a doughnut shaped space 26 in which the lower end, or pig tail 28, of the cord may be coiled. The circular shoulder 20 is provided with a hole 30 through which the cord 12 passes, the majority of the cord 12 being coiled in the annular space between the insert 16 and the bucket 10 and the remainder or pig tail section 28 being coiled in the doughnut shaped section 26.

In order to move the bucket conveniently from one location to another, a bail or handle 36 is provided. Generally, when one is wanting to use the cord 12 in the bucket 10, the latter is moved through the use of the handle 36 and transported to a place where the bucket 10 is allowed to rest on its side as shown in FIG. 8. The pig tail 28 can be connected to an electrical slot and the portion of the cord 12 which is stored in the annular space 28 can be paid out of the bucket by merely pulling lightly on the cord 12 as it unwinds from the insert 16.

In order to permit storage of a tool such as a drill 32 (shown in FIG. 4) the main body of the insert 16 is provided with a U-shaped slot 34 which permits the drill 32 to be carried in the interior of the insert 16 with the nose of the drill projecting out through the slot 34.

Although this disclosure refers to a cable broadly and to an electrical extension cord 12 specifically, other types of cables can be employed in this bucket & cable combination; for example, the cable referred to herein can be a water hose or an hydraulic (air) hose. The bucket 10, which has been described as being made of plastic material is preferably made of polypropylene.

Claims

1. A cylindrical bucket having a predetermined diameter and height for storing an elongated flexible cable therein between an inner cylindrical surface of the bucket and an outer curved surface of an axial insert received in the bucket and forming therewith an annular space for the storage of the cable, the insert having a vertical height equal to or less than the height of the bucket and having a diameter less than the diameter of the bucket, the bucket having a substantially flat circular bottom with a hole therein whose diameter is less than the diameter of the bucket, the lower end of the insert being provided with a flat shoulder extending horizontally outward from the periphery of the insert to the inner periphery of the bucket and spaced from the bottom of the bucket so as to form therewith a doughnut shaped space for storage therein of one terminal end of the cable, the other end of the cable extending from the lower terminal end thereof through a hole in the flat horizontal circular member up into the annular area between the insert and the bucket for storage of the majority of the length of the cable therein.

2. A bucket and cable as set forth in claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the insert is tapered convergingly upwardly as to form a substantially conical surface.

3. A bucket and cable combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein the conical surface is provided with a slot to accommodate the end of a tool in the interior of the insert.

4. A bucket and cable combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cable is an electrical extension cord.

5. A bucket and cable combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cable is a water hose.

6. A bucket and cable combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cable is an air hose.