Apparatus For Shortening or Storing Elongate Flexible Materials

Abstract

A device for shortening or storing a length of an elongate and flexible material such as rope, string, wire, electrical cable or cable-like items includes a two-part housing. A first portion of the housing forms a window or passage for receiving a loop of the flexible material. A second or opposing portion includes a spindle arranged with a member extending therefrom for engaging the loop. The first and second portions engage each other along an inner surface of their respective perimeters to enclose a volume that surrounds the spindle. One of the first portion or the second portion is rotated with respect to the remaining portion to draw a desired length of the flexible material into a volume enclosed by the housing, thereby shortening, protecting and storing the enclosed length of material in a reversible, none-damaging manner.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/539,204, entitled, Enclosed Reel Device for Shortening Cables, which was filed on Sep. 26, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to storage devices for long flexible materials such as cables, wires, fibers, strings, cords, ropes, hoses, and the like. More particularly, to an apparatus for shortening and storing the same.

BACKGROUND

In this description, the term “cable” is used as a generic term and should be taken to mean any long flexible physical structure which can be wound about a spindle, or cylinder and which has a length long enough to allow more than one width of the material to be wound side-by-side on the same spindle or cylinder. To amplify this meaning, toilet paper which (for example) is a long and flexible physical structure, would not be considered to be a “cable” for the purposes of this description because the width of the paper is about the same as the width of the spindle on which it is wound, and therefore, “more than one width” could not “be wound side-by-side on the same spindle”. Further, in this context, the term “cable” might apply to any long flexible physical structures (within the above limitation) varying from the finest of threads, to sewing thread, knitting wool, string or jewelry chain at the small end of the size spectrum to tanker mooring lines, chains, or to fiber optic cables or heavy duty high tension lines at the other end of the spectrum and all different sizes in between and beyond these two extremes. This definition of the word “cable” also includes long flexible physical structures which can be deployed to transport or transfer things such as gases, fluids, electricity, light or transfer some form of force.

The basic usefulness of a cable derives from the fact that it connects two points for some purpose, or transfers something between two points, and does so in a flexible and often variable-length or different-length manner. But it is this undefined and potentially variable distance between those two points to be joined, which generates its own problems, firstly in terms of length adjustment and secondly in terms of problems concerning the storage of the excess length of cable, which it is undesirable to permanently remove (by cutting for example) as the extra length may be needed in future. While some uses of cables, such as for supporting suspension bridges, are uses where the length is a fixed length (at least in the final form), most cables derive a considerable part of their usefulness from the fact that because they are flexible, the distance between the two points they connect is not fixed and can be varied at will up to the maximum length of the cable. That of course leads to the problem that in order for the cable to be long enough for some uses, it is invariably too long for many other uses. In turn, this gives rise to the further problem of how to shorten a cable without cutting it, preferably in a manner which looks neat, while protecting it from dust, damaging exposure to ultraviolet radiation or other contamination, so that if in the future it is ever lengthened again, the lengthened part does not look as if it just emerged from the Roman catacombs, and is also not alternatively covered in hard-to-remove bands of dried adhesive left behind by the adhesive tape sometimes used to temporally shorten it.

Electrical devices particularly come with a length of cable that is often too long for convenient use. Due to ends with molded plugs that are common with such cables, and for other reasons, it is often impractical or undesirable to physically cut the cable and shorten it, not the least reason being that the shortened cable may be too short for some other future use.

In the state of the art, this general problem of how to deal with the excess length of a cable has given rise to a large market in several different families of cable management systems such as straps of many kinds (sometimes provided with strapping tools to apply them), wraps which wrap around the cables (sometimes in the form of simple wire that may be plastic-covered which is then wound round the coiled cable to hold it in place), conduits into which cables can be inserted, guides to which they can be attached, reels and even self-adhesive tape is pressed in to service but can leave unsightly marks when later removed.

However, all of these solutions produce the sort of unsightly, unaesthetic solutions which are not something one is proud to display in their house or office. Additionally some of these solutions are quite difficult to remove and in some cases changing the effective length of the cable can mean re-doing the whole shortening process from scratch. The exposed hand-coiled cable, which is then secured in some manner is a common solution but one which become dirty over time and impossible to clean without undoing the coiled cable just to clean it. One way and another, the whole process is so much trouble and is anyway so unattractive even when done, that often it is not done at all, and the spare cable is simply left as an unsightly bird's nest of cables behind many a computer and TV—a tangle which is also extremely confusing if just one cable has to be replaced or changed.

In some cases, there is no real solution to the problem. In yachting for example, long ends of ropes used to raise sails and ropes for these and other uses such as mooring the vessel are invariably coiled by hand, and usually lie around the deck or in lockers or on hooks, with the coil often held together by the simple expedient of tying the tail end of its own rope around it to prevent the coil unraveling. This is not particularly sightly and also has the disadvantage that when needed (which is often necessary in a hurry), it takes time to undo the ties, and even when the coil is then opened, the rope often tangles especially if the rope is long—leading to frustration and sometimes dangerous delay while it is untangled. Equally, anyone who has attempted to store a long string by winding it up on their hand is familiar with the tangles and knots that result when it comes to the time to undo this “storage” mechanism and use the string again. In other uses, such as trucking, where ropes are used to secure cargo, the same kinds of storage problems occur when the ropes are not in use, and equally with the loose end of a rope where the body of the rope is securing cargo, or performing some other function. Similar problems occur wherever ropes, string, or cables are used for any non-permanent use. Many cable-like materials such as rope will last longer when they are protected from sunlight, dirt and other contaminants, but many shortening methods provide no protection at all.

In theory, a reel is often the ideal device for both changing the length of a cable and for storing and protecting the shortened unused portion at the same time. The wide use of closed reels for these purposes with a wide range of corded electrical apparatus from computer mice to vacuum cleaners is testimony to the effectiveness of the closed reel as a variable-length storage mechanism. But while the closed reel is so obviously the ideal mechanism for the purpose, the bird's nest of wiring which exists behind nearly every TV, stereo or computer installation is testimony to the fact that an unsolved cable management problem still exists despite this solution. The fact that the enclosed reel is clearly and theoretically an ideal cable shortening and storage mechanism and yet is equally obviously not used under many circumstances where it could theoretically be useful, indicates that some kind of problem exists with it, which the prior art has not resolved despite a great deal of trying as the many families of cable management systems attests. This seems to indicate that the solution, whatever it may be, is not at all self-evident to those that face the problem or those skilled in the art attempting to propose solutions for storing and/or shortening lengths of cables.

Cable reels are either open or enclosed. Open reels generally need relatively little ingenuity in order to attach a cable to them. For example, this can be done by turning the cable once round the reel and trapping the short end under the longer end or by attaching it to a clip on the spindle or on the wall of the reel provided for such a purpose. While the cable can be attached easily enough, open reels present three problems for many uses. First, and minor in the scale of problems, is that the final cable end also needs to be to be attached to the reel in some way so that it does not unwind of its own accord. The second and also usually a minor problem is that since such reels are open, they do not protect the stored cable from dust, light, and exposure to other contaminants. However, the final and most significant problem is that they are not aesthetically neat and this is important where domestic or office use is concerned—who wants to see wires lying in odd places around their office or home which are going to reels, which look like they fell out of an electrician's toolbox? Such a solution is perhaps almost never used because it would be less aesthetic than the problem it was intended to solve.

On the other hand, enclosed reels where the reel resides within a potentially aesthetic housing and the cable to be stored enters the housing through an opening in the casing dedicated for that purpose, are entirely another matter and present a number of advantages over open reels. Such enclosed reels solve the first problem of open reels because generally, it is easy to arrange a friction brake or other mechanism that prevent the cable or material from unwinding off the reel unintentionally. Enclosed reels solve the second problem as the housing protects the excess cable from damage or disfiguration and dirt. Finally enclosed reels are good solution to the third problem because enclosures surrounding such reels can be a much more aesthetically pleasing way to store unneeded cable and lend themselves to being made with different colors, forms and designs so as to make them a pleasing decorator item. The ability of a design or invention to be made aesthetically pleasing is an essential requirement for widespread deployment in office or home.

However, the closed reel does have one considerable disadvantage which effectively prevents such enclosed reels from being used under many circumstances where they could be useful in theory. This difficulty and the unsolved problem in closed reel designs is the difficulty of attaching the short end of the cable (or a loop of it from the middle of a cable to be shortened) to the hub or spindle lurking in the dark and inaccessible interior of the housing so that the spindle will wind in the cable when the spindle is rotated by any of many obvious mechanisms.

To explain this problem, unless the reel and its housing are as large as they might be for storing a tanker's mooring lines, the opening into the interior of the reel through which the cable feeds is so relatively small that it requires time and patience to feed a cable end (or a loop in the middle of the cable) through the access slot, and then encourage it to make its way round the central spindle and then somehow fish it out through the same access slot and finally then, use one end to trap the other (which is not a self-evident proceeding either) so that the cable can be finally reeled or drawn into the enclosure. In the state of the art, there are only three alternatives to this troublesome procedure.

One of these alternatives is to have a reel whose enclosure can be opened in some manner. However, having to open the reel, manipulate parts to attach the cable to the spindle, and then close the reel can be time consuming, difficult and inconvenient.

The second alternative—as found on the internet—is one in which a slot in both the casing and the spindle permits the cable to be placed in the casing and spindle slots—which must first be aligned with one another. When the spindle is turned relative to the casing, the cable is wound in. Such designs are semi-open, by which is meant, the stored cable is only partially concealed by the device—an example is a device called, “Cord-it” found on the internet. This design is not aesthetically pleasing, and is only partially closed and has not achieved any noticeable commercial success.

The third alternative allows the user to wind a cable around a semi-concealed spindle. U.S. Pat. No. 6,544,218 to Douglas is an example of this genre of device.

None of these attempts at temporary reel-based storage for connected cables achieve noticeable commercial success for home or office use to shorten cables and generally the design principle makes the resulting device not very pleasing aesthetically, and (with the exception of the reel enclosure, which can be opened by the user) only partially protects the cable within. Such devices seem to achieve only minor acceptance even for desktop or wall use and are aesthetically unsatisfactory at best if dangling from a free standing suspended wire as would occur with TV, computer or stereo installations.

The difficulties and annoyances of what should be a simple process of attaching a cable to an enclosed reel are so considerable in the state of the art in practice that such systems are almost never seen in use, and consequently a tangle of wires behind most stereo, TV or computer installations still reigns supreme. It is for these reasons, no doubt, that closed reels are today widely commercialized only as part of devices where the cable is already attached to the reel and there is no normal need to remove it.

Hence there exists a need for a device that can be used to shorten cables quickly and easily where one, both or neither ends are attached to something else, in such a manner that the cable is protected and so that the result is neat, and so that the shortening can be removed easily without risking the lengthened cable becoming tangled and without having to re-do the entire shortening process as one does with cable ties, for example. Cables are everywhere and there is a universal need to get them under control quickly, easily and aesthetically.

SUMMARY

A device for shortening or storing a length of an elongate and flexible material such as rope, string, wire, electrical cable or cable-like items includes a two-part housing. A first portion of the housing forms a window or passage through a wall thereof for receiving a loop of the flexible material. A second or opposing portion is attached to a spindle. The spindle is arranged with a member extending therefrom for engaging the loop. The first and second portions engage each other along an inner surface of their respective perimeters to enclose a volume that surrounds the spindle. Once a loop of the material is engaged by the member extending the from the spindle, one of the first portion or the second portion is rotated with respect to the remaining portion to draw a desired length of the flexible material into the volume enclosed by the two-part housing, thereby shortening, protecting and storing the enclosed length of material in a reversible, none-damaging manner.

An embodiment of the device includes an enclosure or housing that surrounds a spindle. The housing includes a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions oppose one another. One of the portions forms a passage through a wall of the housing. The remaining portion of the housing is attached to the spindle. A member extends from the surface of the spindle and is arranged to engage a loop of an elongate flexible material that is to be stored within a volume enclosed by the housing.

An alternative embodiment of a device for storing and adjusting a length of an elongate and flexible material includes a pair of contra-rotatable half-shells that engage each other to enclose a volume between them. One of the half-shells forms a passage through which a loop of the elongate and flexible material can be introduced into the volume. The remaining half-shell supports a spindle with a member extending therefrom. The member is positioned to engage the loop of material introduced into the volume. Upon such engagement, a desired length of the elongate and flexible material can be gathered within the enclosed volume by rotation of one of the half-shells about the remaining half-shell.

These and other features and advantages of the device will become apparent from the following description, drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The apparatus for shortening or storing elongate flexible material can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is an external view of an embodiment of an apparatus constructed from two contra-rotating half shells.

FIGS. 2A and 2B include a right-side plan view and a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3A-3C include a right-side plan view and partial cross-sectional views of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 includes a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows an exterior view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 engaged with a cable that it has shortened.

FIGS. 6A and 6C include a side plan view and a top plan view of the spindle of FIGS. 1 and 2B.

FIG. 7 includes a side plan view of an alternative embodiment of the spindle of FIGS. 1 and 2B.

FIG. 8 includes a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 revealing an alternative embodiment of the spindle and half shells.

FIG. 9 includes a side plan view of an alternative embodiment of one of the half shells of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 includes a side plan view of an alternative embodiment of one of the half shells of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

The invention solves the problem of how to attach an elongate flexible material such as a cable to the spindle within an enclosure by arranging the spindle with an engaging member or hook on it (hereinafter called a spindle hook). The spindle hook is constructed so that when the spindle and the attached spindle hook are rotated the spindle hook engages a loop of cable, which has been presented to it by introducing the loop of the cable or flexible material to be stored or shortened through an opening in the enclosure. This spindle hook can be of various shapes for different purposes and can be shaped so that it does not matter in which direction the spindle is rotated, because the engaging member will still catch or engage the loop of cable if rotated in either direction.

To use the invention, a loop of cable is made and inserted through the passage or opening provided in the enclosure into the interior of the enclosure. The spindle can be rotated until the inserted loop of cable is caught by the engaging member or spindle hook. As the spindle is further rotated, using any of many mechanisms well known in the state of the art, the cable is drawn into the enclosure and is rotated around the spindle until it has been shortened to the desired length. In the event that the cable is not very stiff, as would be the case with sewing thread or with a chain, this kind of material can be fed using gravity—dangled—into the interior of the reel through the cable presentation window in such a fashion that the spindle hook can catch it and engage the loop.

The present invention solves the problem of removably attaching a cable to the spindle within an enclosure and does so in such a manner that the cable can be shortened or lengthened at will while still attached at one, both, or neither end. It enables the length to be changed without first entirely undoing previous shortening arrangements as one has to do with wire or plastic ties or cable warps. It enables the length of a cable to be changed at any time without significant disassembly or delay once a loop is arranged and introduced within the enclosure. The invention is applicable and scalable to any elongate flexible material from the tiniest thread one might think of to the largest cable one can imagine and can be usefully employed across a wide range of domestic, business, commercial, leisure and industrial markets. The described apparatus can store a desired length of elongate flexible material such as thread, yarn, rope, wire, or even multiple-conductor cables in an enclosure that can be manufactured so as to be aesthetically pleasing.

One of the simplest of ways to manufacture an apparatus or KableKache consistent with the invention, is in the form of two opposing shells. Preferably, the opposing shells each enclose about half of the final volume within the assembled enclosure. When these two half-shells are assembled, they enclose between them an adequate volume to contain the spindle and its spindle hook and an adequate quantity of flexible material. In this design, a peripheral circumferential tongue on a male half-shell rotates in a peripheral circumferential groove in a female half-shell. One of the two half-shells includes a passage or cable introduction window, while the other half-shell carries or is fixably attached to the spindle and its spindle hook. In this design, which consists of only two parts, the action of counter-rotating one half-shell in a first direction in relation to the other half-shell engages and draws in the flexible material which is then wrapped about the spindle. A friction brake (which can be as simple as a tight fit or desired clearance between an engaging portion of the male half-shell and the surface or surfaces of a channel in the female half-shell) holds the cable in place by preventing the two half-shells from rotating too easily and thereby allowing the cable to unwind from within the enclosure of the KableKache of its own accord. The friction brake is arranged such that a desired force applied tangentially on the ends of the cable is enough to overcome this friction and counter-rotate the half shells in the opposite (unreeling) direction, thereby lengthening the cable again or enabling it to be removed entirely by pulling it out all the way.

If the KableKache is required to store a loose cable—a length of rope as used by truck transporters, climbers or yachtsmen for example—where one or both ends are not attached, then a short loop is made at the end from which one wants to start reducing and storing the length of cable concerned. The loop is picked up or engaged by the spindle hook as previously described, and as the loop is reeled or drawn into the enclosure by the relative rotation of the half-shells, the short end is trapped under the long end by twisting the cables proximal to the opening as they enter the KableKache, thereby effectively trapping the short end of the cable under the long end and clamping the short end to the spindle. In this manner the remainder of the cable can be drawn into the enclosure without slippage. If, on the other hand, the KableKache is needed to reduce the length of a cable where both ends are attached—as in the case of for example, a lamp wire, a USB cable, or a power cable—then a short loop is made somewhere in the middle of the cable (at the point where one wants the KableKache to finish up) and that loop is introduced through the cable presentation window or opening into the interior of the enclosure where the spindle hook or engaging member extending from the spindle engages the loop. Any number of mechanisms can be applied to one, the other, or both half-shells of the enclosure to reel in the cable as relative rotation of the opening in a first half-shell and the spindle which is fixed to opposing or remaining half-shell results in the cable rotating about the spindle within the enclosure.

Some cables—fiber optic for example—are delicate and some—such as hoses—carry fluids and in examples such as these, the cable should not be allowed to form a kink, which might cut off the flow of fluid or damage the cable. The radius of the spindle should be sufficiently large so as to prevent kinking or damage to the flexible material introduced in the enclosure and wound on the spindle. For uses such as these, the spindle hook or engaging member can be made in the form of a concave drum-like appendage where one end of the axis of the drum is attached to the spindle and the other end is free to catch or engage the loop of cable as the spindle is rotated. When a loop of cable is then presented to this drum-like spindle hook, the outer surface of the concave drum engages the loop and the cable is wound onto the spindle as previously described. For this refinement, the radius of the drum-like appendage or spindle hook should be sufficient to prevent kinking or damage to the cable in question and the KableKache should be wide enough to accommodate the radius of this form of spindle hook together with a loop of cable over it.

In a further variant, the spindle hook can be connected to a built-in spring, and once the loop of cable is inserted within the enclosure and arranged about the engaging member or hook, a winding mechanism of which many are well known in the state of the art can be used to tension the spring. Tensioning the spring rotates the spindle hook and thereby draws in the cable, which has been looped over the spindle hook. When the desired length of flexible material or cable is drawn into the KableKache, the spring can then be wound a little more to provide additional tension. In this embodiment, the reeled-up cable can be pulled in and out against the tension provided by the spring. Additionally, a locking and unlocking mechanism (of which many are well known in the state of the art and as are often used various cable enclosures, e.g., a vacuum cleaner for example) can be provided to take the tension off the cable at any particular chosen length. This embodiment can also be used to maintain a variable length cable under tension—for example, to adjust the length of boat mooring lines in a tidal port, while keeping them under tension, or when handling a boat in a lock where the length of mooring lines has to be continuously re-adjusted while maintaining tension. To remove the cable entirely, either the spring can be unlocked, or the cable pulled off the reel until the loop pulls off the spindle hook—and then the spring will rewind of its own accord.

The invention lends itself to a wide variety of embodiments for different purposes. For example, a single housing may contain more than one reel in separate chambers of the housing, with each reel separately rotated via concentric spindles connecting to concentric rings on the exterior of the casing which can be used to rotate them individually. Particularly for commercial, sports, yachting and some household uses it may be convenient to provide the spindle with an exterior handle to rotate it while the shell or enclosure remains fixed and does not move. In permanent installations, such as in yachts and boats, it may be convenient to fix the shell or enclosure to a support or other structure in some way, and rotate the spindle within it using an exterior handle or crank mechanically attached to the spindle. It should be further understood that in some applications, the force required to turn the crank will require mechanical amplification and or machines capable of producing the required force. Persons skilled in the art will be capable of applying mechanical assemblies including those powered using pneumatic principles, hydraulic principles, or both to introduce the required rotational force to controllably shorten or lengthen a length of flexible material as may be desired.

While this invention may be used for many mundane purposes such as those so far described, with suitable materials and decorations it also enables fashion accessories such as necklaces, bracelets and belts to be created with considerable ease. It is sufficient to take something such as a gold necklace chain, wind some of it into one or more KableKaches made of ceramic or precious metals, or otherwise decorated, in order to have a piece of jewelry, which can change from day to day depending on the different KableKache's used, and serve as a belt today and as a bracelet tomorrow depending on how much of the jewelry “cable” is wound into it.

Generally, the minimalist design of external surfaces of the half-shells can serve a decorative purpose. For example, the KableKache can be manufactured from the kind of attractive materials used to manufacture the shells of laptops, tablets or mobile phones. Equally, a manufacturer can take advantage of the aesthetic form and blank palette a KableKache offers and manufacture it in the kind of range of fashion designs which the company Swatch employs for watches or with company logos for promotion purposes.

FIG. 1 shows an external view of an embodiment of a device or apparatus 1 referred to above as a KableKache. One of the half shells 10 which makes up the casing or enclosure includes an opening or passage 15 through which a loop of flexible material is introduced to engage a spindle hook 50 in the interior of the enclosure. The spindle hook 50 is connected to a spindle which is obscured by the half shell 10 and the half shell 20. The spindle is arranged along an axis 30, which intersects the half shell 10 and the half shell 20 proximal to their respective centroids. The other half shell 20 engages the first half shell 10 in a manner which will be described in further detail along with the illustrations in FIGS. 3A-3C. Line A-A defines the location of the sectional view illustrated in FIG. 4, which is introduced to show how a loop of flexible material introduced through the passage 15 is engaged by the spindle hook 50. While many enclosure arrangements are possible, including those where the opposing shells do not enclose half the interior volume, this particular embodiment is suitable for home or office use and is relatively easy to manufacture as it consists of an interior assembly surrounded by a pair of half shells.

FIG. 2A includes a right-side plan view of the device or KableKache 1 of FIG. 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the half-shell 20 is substantially round in shape about a centroid 22. Line B-B defines the location of the sectional view B-B illustrated in FIG. 2B. As described above, a spindle 40, with a spindle hook 50 extending therefrom, is attached to the half-shell 20. Details of the engagement or connection at the perimeter of the half shell 10 and the opposed half-shell 20 are described in association with FIGS. 3A-3C and are omitted from the sectional view B-B in FIG. 2B.

Sectional view B-B is located in a plane that intersects the axis 30. It will be remembered that the opening 15 (FIG. 1) is formed in the left half shell 10 and as illustrated in FIG. 2B, the spindle hook 50 is offset from the center of the enclosure by as much as the opening 15 is, so that the opening 15 and the spindle hook 50 are aligned or in substantial registration with one another. In contrast, the right half shell 20 carries the spindle 40 and its attached spindle hook 50. From this, it will be understood that while one half shell forms an opening or passage 15 through which a cable or other flexible material is introduced into the enclosed volume between the half shells, the other half shell carries and rotates the spindle 40 and its integral spindle hook 50. The effect of this arrangement is that if the two halves are rotated in opposite directions then any loop of cable introduced through the passage 15 will be engaged by the spindle hook 50 as it rotates about the axis 30 and the result will be that the loop of cable will be drawn into the interior bringing the rest of the cable with it. If the cable feeding into the device 1 is given a twist or two as it goes in, the longer end will trap the shorter end underneath it, between itself and the spindle 40, which will prevent the cable from slipping, thereby enabling as much cable to be drawn into the interior of the device 1 as is desired. In this embodiment it does not matter which half shell is male and which is female, or which one includes the opening 15 and which one carries or is attached to the spindle 40 and its spindle hook 50, so long as one shell includes the opening 15 and the remaining shell carries the spindle 40 with its spindle hook 50. When the spindle 40 is fixably attached to a shell, rotation of the shell in either direction about the axis 30 results in a relative movement between the opening 15 in the opposed shell and the spindle 40 with its spindle hook 50. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) a spring or other mechanism can be used to rotate the spindle 40 with its spindle hook 50 about the axis 30 to drawn in a desired length of an elongate flexible material engaged by the spindle hook 50.

FIG. 3A includes a side plan view of the device 1 including line C-C, which defines the location of the cross-sectional views illustrated in FIGS. 3B and 3C. FIGS. 3B and 3C reveal details showing the fashion in which respective edges of the two half shells of the device or KableKache 1 engage and rotate with respect to one another about axis 30. The axis 30 passes through centroid 22 of the shell 20. Line C-C is in the same plane as line B-B (FIG. 2A).

In an example embodiment, as indicated in FIG. 3B, the left-side or male half shell 10, which includes the opening 15, also carries a male protuberance or member 60 along the inner surface of its periphery. The male member 60 engages a matching channel 70 in the right side shell 20, this also being in this case the same half shell, which carries the spindle 40 and its attached spindle hook 50. As indicated in FIG. 3C, after the two half shells have been manufactured they are mechanically pressed together, which causes one or both of the left-side shell 10 and the right-side shell 20 to deflect and splay open enough for an engaging portion 62 of the male member 60 to clip into the matching channel 70 of the opposed shell 20—a process which is not easily reversed without damaging the half shells. A surface 75 along the inner portion of the periphery of the right-side shell 20 is arranged to promote deflection of the engaging portion 62 on its way to engagement in the channel 70. The clearance between the engaging portion 62 and the matching channel 70 determines the ease with which the two half shells 10, 20 can be rotated about axis 30 and hence, the ease with which cable can be pulled out of the interior of the device or KableKache 1. Of course other friction control mechanisms are easily envisaged instead of or in addition to this male-female arrangement. For example, a central fine-threaded screw, which traverses the volume from one of the half shells 10, 20, into a suitable threaded socket in the other half shell could be used to hold the two half shells together. Tightening the screw with a coin or with a fold-flat tab attached to the screw head then enables the ease with which the two halves can rotate to be adjusted on the fly, or, if tightened sufficiently, enables the two halves to be locked in a given position, preventing the cable within from being pulled out.

FIG. 4 illustrates section A-A as located by line A-A which traverses the device or KableKache 1 of FIG. 1. As indicated in FIG. 1, line A-A traverses the spindle 40 and the spindle hook 50. As illustrated in FIG. 4, a loop 95 formed in a length of a cable 90 or other elongate flexible material, which has been inserted through the opening 15 in shell 10, is engaged by rotation of the spindle 40 and its spindle hook 50. As the spindle 40 is rotated in a clockwise manner (in this illustrative example) while keeping the male shell 10 fixed, the effect will be to draw the cable 90 into the interior space created by the half shells 10, 20, and wind the cable round the spindle 40, thereby shortening it, while protecting it and hiding it from view in an aesthetical manner.

FIG. 5 shows an exterior view of the device or KableKache 1 with a cable 90 that it has engaged and shortened by drawing a desired length of the cable 90 about the spindle 40 in the volume enclosed by the shell 10 and the shell 20. It should be understood that relative rotation of the shell 10 and the opening 15 about the shell 20 and the spindle 40 and spindle hook or member 50 will both draw the engaged cable 90 into the volume and wrap the cable 90 about the spindle 40. A reversal of the relative rotation used to draw the cable 90 into the enclosure is all that is required to remove or lengthen the cable 90 outside the enclosure. As described above, various mechanical devices may be deployed to adjust the rotational force required to draw or remove the cable 90 from the device 1. As also described, various brakes, locks, or pins can be arranged to controllably prevent the cable 90 from being removed from the enclosure. Furthermore, both the shell 10 and the shell 20 provide a respective external surface for logos or designs. Accordingly, the device 1 is minimalistic, neat and provides a blank palette upon which designers can work their magic, and companies can imprint their logos.

In this manner a device 1 or KableKache—within the limits of its physical capacity—winds up any required length of cable, whether or not one, both, or neither of the ends of the cable concerned are attached to something, or fixed to something such as a plug which is too large to go traverse the opening 15 into the interior.

FIGS. 6A and 6B include a side plan view and a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of the spindle 40 and spindle hook 50. As shown in FIG. 6A, the spindle 40 is arranged with a slot or recess 45 shaped to closely receive a correspondingly shaped portion of the spindle hook 30. The slot 45 is arranged with a surface such that when contacted by the exterior of the spindle hook 50 results in the desired placement along the spindle 40. In a manufacturing step, the spindle hook 50 is placed in registration with the spindle 40 and relative movement between the two along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spindle results in the attachment of the spindle hook 50. As further illustrated in FIG. 6A, a desired number of strips 100 of a compressible material may be applied along the exterior surface of the spindle 40. The compressible material may be selected for providing a suitable coefficient of friction with the surface of the cable 90 or other flexible material to be shortened and or stored within the enclosure of the device 1. In addition, the material may exhibit other physical properties that promote safe handling and damage free storage of the cable 90 or flexible material.

As shown in the top plan view presented in FIG. 6B, the strips 100 of compressible material are arranged along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spindle 40. However, it should be understood that the spindle 40 can alternatively be covered with a strip that is rotated about and arranged such that it does not overlap itself. Such a strip may guide at least the first few rotations of cable along the spindle 40. In still another embodiment, the spindle 40 may be arranged with a sleeve formed from a material with physical properties that promote safe handling and damage free storage of the flexible material. As also shown in FIG. 6B, the spindle hook 50 may be configured such that the engaging exterior surface is round and of a radius that will not kink or damage the cable 90 or other flexible material. The spindle 40 has a respective radius that is of an appropriate size such that contact and wrapping of the cable 90 about the spindle 40 will not result in damage to the cable 90 or other flexible material drawn and stored within the enclosure provided by the device 1.

FIG. 7 includes a side plan view of an alternative embodiment of the connection between the spindle 40 and the spindle hook 50. As shown in FIG. 7, the spindle hook 50 is connected to the spindle 40 with a fastener 102. The fastener 102 and the spindle hook 50 are arranged such that no portion of the fastener 102 can contact the cable 90.

FIG. 8 includes a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 revealing an alternative embodiment of the spindle 40 and the left-side shell 10. As shown, the opposed end (i.e., the end opposed from the right-side shell 20 that carries and/or is fixed to the spindle 40) is arranged with a recess 46 for receiving a guide pin 16 arranged along the inner surface of the left-side shell 10 at the intersection with the axis 30. In this way, the spindle 40 may be capable of drawing and storing a longer length of cable or other flexible material without unduly stressing the junction between the spindle 40 and the right-side shell 20.

FIG. 9 includes a side plan view of an alternative embodiment of one of the half shells of FIG. 1. In this alternative embodiment, the shell 20 includes external surfaces 120 suitable for contacting an external mechanism to provide a tangential force to promote rotation of the shell 20. It should be understood that any number of external surfaces 120 can be arranged about the perimeter of the shell 20.

FIG. 10 includes a side plan view of an alternative embodiment of one of the half shells of FIG. 1. In this alternative embodiment, the shell 10 includes external surfaces 110 recessed below the remaining portion of the external surface of the shell 10 suitable for engaging or otherwise receiving an external mechanism that provides a tangential force to promote rotation of the shell 10. It should be understood that any number of external surfaces 110 can be arranged about the perimeter of the shell 10.

While certain embodiments are described above with particularity, these should not be considered as limitation on the scope of the invention. It should be understood, therefore, that the foregoing relates only to exemplary embodiments of the present apparatus, and that numerous changes may be made therein without departing from the invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a housing including a first portion and a second portion, the second portion opposed to the first portion, wherein at least one of the portions forms an opening through a wall of the housing;

a spindle attached to a remaining portion absent the opening; and

a member extending from the spindle and in registration with the opening, the member arranged to engage a loop formed in an elongate flexible material to be stored within a volume enclosed by the housing.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the spindle is fixed along an axis extending proximally from a centroid of the housing.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein a compressible material is arranged along at least a portion of the surface of the spindle.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the member is engaged in a slot arranged along the surface of the spindle.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the member is fixed to the spindle with a fastener.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the second portion engage one another along respective inner surfaces.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein one of the first portion and the second portion includes a male member including an engaging portion that extends therefrom.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein a remaining portion includes a channel arranged to closely receive the engaging portion of the male member.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein when the remaining portion including the channel is forcibly brought together with the portion including the male member the remaining portion deflects to receive the engaging portion of the male member.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein both the male member and the remaining portion including the channel deflect when the portion including the male member and the remaining portion are forcibly brought together.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the first portion or the second portion rotates with respect to the remaining portion.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein both the first portion and the second portion rotate with respect to the other portion.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the first portion or the second portion is arranged with a surface arranged to engage an external mechanism.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the surface forms a concave region.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the surface forms a convex region that extends radially from the portion.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the spindle includes a recess at an opposed end for receiving a pin extending from the inner surface of a remaining portion of the housing.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein an exterior surface of the member extending from the spindle has an adequate radius to prevent damage to the elongate flexible material introduced in the volume and looped over the member.

18. A device for storing and adjusting a length of an elongate and flexible material, the device comprising:

a pair of contra-rotatable half-shells forming a generally enclosed volume between them;

one of the half-shells forming a passage through which a loop of the elongate and flexible material can be introduced into the volume, and

the remaining one of the half-shells fixably supporting a spindle with a member extending therefrom, the member positioned to engage the loop of the material introduced into the volume, wherein after the loop is engaged against the member, a desired length of the elongate and flexible material can be gathered within the enclosed volume by rotation of one of the half-shells about the remaining half-shell.