RETRACTABLE REEL BADGE

Abstract

A double retractable reel badge is presented. The double retractable reel badge has a reel which has multiple coils. The first coil is used for extending or retracting a first line and a second coil is used for extending or retracting a second line. The first line and the second line can be actuated separately, thus a user is able to extend the first line or the second line or extend both. The user may also extend one of the first or second lines and retract the other first or second line. The user may also retract both lines simultaneously. The first line and second line each have a connector for connecting items, each may have different items for use in their jobs.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to badge reels. More particularly, it relates to retractable badge reels.

BACKGROUND

Many individuals are required to carry badges containing identifying information, which they are required to slide or “swipe” through or near a stationary sensing device for security purposes. A common way to carry such a badge is attached to a retractable badge reel, with a clip on its backside for securing the badge reel to the wearer, a retractable cord attached to a bob which is attached to a badge holding strap, and the face side of the reel (opposite the clip side) either plain or with logos, pictorial displays, or the like.

Devices of this general type are shown as retractable badge holder with spinning display, reel device carried on one's person, retraction reel for keys and the like, retraction reel for keys and the like, retractable golf utility device, and security key-ring.

One previous attempt at a badge reel was a reel device carried on one's person having a housing made up of an upper lid and a bottom lid. The upper lid has a hole designed for receiving a decorative piece, which can be sized and shaped to match the hole or can be made of a pad that is sandwiched between the upper lid and a lining sleeve that sits atop the reel interior.

To achieve a decorative design on the face of the reel, the upper lid and decorative piece must be installed to cover over the central hole through which a rivet passes, holding the reel together. The presence of the rivet extending through the central hole makes the imprinting of the lining sleeve so as to have the face of the lining sleeve be the visible outer face of the housing undesirable. In this fashion, the reel device requires a multitude of components to achieve a decorative marking. Further, there is no teaching that the decorative piece or the upper lid is removable to allow for changing of the decorative element once the reel has been assembled.

Another previous attempt was a badge reel with billboard display that has a retractable badge reel with a billboard that can be independently embossed, painted, or silkscreened, allowing the artwork to be produced separately from the badge reel. However, it contemplates only conventional methods for transferring the artwork onto the billboard, including pad printing and silk-screening, which limit artwork to a small number of colors and require that it be produced in large quantities using specialized printing equipment.

Prior buttons are typically a novelty item, and are known by a variety of names, sometimes called a “campaign button” or “pin.”

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustrated double retractable reel badge.

FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B is a first illustrated example of the use of the illustrated double retractable reel badge of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B is a second illustrated example of the use of the illustrated double retractable reel badge of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The phrases “in one embodiment,” “in various embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” and the like are used repeatedly. Such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. The terms “comprising,” “having,” and “including” are synonymous, unless the context dictates otherwise. Such terms do not generally signify a closed list.

“Above,” “adhesive,” “affixing,” “any,” “around,” “both,” “bottom,” “by,” “comprising,” “consistent,” “customized,” “enclosing,” “friction,” “in,” “labeled,” “lower,” “magnetic,” “marked,” “new,” “nominal,” “not,” “of,” “other,” “outside,” “outwardly,” “particular,” “permanently,” “preventing,” “raised,” “respectively,” “reversibly,” “round,” “square,” “substantial,” “supporting,” “surrounded,” “surrounding,” “threaded,” “to,” “top,” “using,” “wherein,” “with,” or other such descriptors herein are used in their normal yes-or-no sense, not as terms of degree, unless context dictates otherwise.

Reference is now made in detail to the description of the embodiments as illustrated in the drawings. While embodiments are described in connection with the drawings and related descriptions, there is no intent to limit the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents. In alternate embodiments, additional devices, or combinations of illustrated devices, may be added to, or combined, without limiting the scope to the embodiments disclosed herein.

Referring to FIG. 1, a double retractable reel badge 100 is shown. The double retractable reel badge 100 is useful when a user needs to have multiple items available for safety or use of items. The double retractable reel badge 100 has the ability to hold a ID badge, a flashlight, a writing utensil, etc. The double retractable reel badge 100 may be worn around a user's neck, a user's wrist, a user's belt, etc.

In one example, the user may be a hospital employee. The hospital employee would have a ID badge to access narcotics to administer and/or accessing computer information about an employee. Often times, the hospital employee performs functions for patients when the room has been darkened and the patient is sleeping, these functions could be taking a pulse, changing an IV bag, inserting an IV, etc.

When the room is dark, the hospital employee may have trouble reading a label or seeing a line to couple an IV line into, etc. When this occurs, the hospital employee must find a flashlight or turn the room lights up, which may cause the patient to be disturbed and awoken. In other cases, a doctor may not have a clear view of a wound. The doctor may need to access a light to inspect the wound to see if the wound is healing, more infected, etc. The doctor also may have the need to assess a patient by looking closely into their eyes, mouth, nose, ears or other parts of their body.

The double retractable reel badge 100 has a lanyard 108, a reel 110, a first line 104 and a second line 106. The reel 102 is useful in retracting or extending the first line 104 and retracting or extending the second line 106. The first line 104 may have a first connector 105. The second line 106 may have a second connector 107.

The first line 104 has a distal end 140. The distal end 140 is coupled to the reel 110. The first line 104 has a proximal end 142. The proximal end 142 of the first line 112 is securely coupled to the first connector 105.

The second line has a distal end 150. The distal end 150 is securely coupled to the reel 110. The second line further has a proximal end 152. The proximal end 152 of the second line 106 is securely coupled to the second connector 107.

The reel 110 may be made of any material such as hard plastic, metal, aluminum, etc. The first line 104 may be made of any material such as nylon, cotton, etc. The second line 106 may be made of any material such as nylon, cotton, etc. The first line 104 and the second line 106 may be made of the same material or may be made of different materials. The lanyard 108 may be made of any material such as nylon, cotton, etc.

The first connector 105 may be made of a durable material such as plastic, metal, etc. The second line 106 may have a second connector 107. The second connector 107 may be made of a durable material such as plastic, metal, etc. The first connector 105 and the second connector 107 may be made of the same material or made of different materials.

The reel 110 has a first coil ring 112 and a second coil ring 114. The first coil ring 112 may be extended by releasing the first line 104 in a clockwise direction. The first coil ring 112 may be retracted by rotating in a counter-clockwise direction and thus reducing the amount of the first line 104 that is exterior to the reel 102.

The second coil ring 114 may be coupled to the second line 106. When the second line 106 is to be shortened or retracted, the second coil 114 may be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, thus retracting the second line 106 and coiling it around the second coil ring 114. Thus, the exterior extension of the second line 106 is shortened. If the second line 106 is to be extended, the second coil ring 114 may be rotated in the counter-clockwise direction, the second line 106 would be released from the second coil ring 114 and thus would extend further externally from the reel 102.

Moving back to FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, a first example use of the double retractable reel badge 100 is illustrated. In FIG. 2A, the double retractable reel badge 100 has a reel 110. The reel 100 is coupled to the distal end 140 of the first line 104. The reel 100 is also securely coupled to the distal end 150 of the second line 106.

The first line 104 has a first length. The first length may be any length and is the measurement of the first line 104 that is extended and external to the reel 110. The proximal end 142 of the first line 104 is securely coupled to the first connector 105.

The first connector 105 is further coupled to a first item 210. The first item 210 may be any item such as an ID badge, a report, a pen, a pen light, etc. The first connector 105 for this example is securely coupled to an ID badge 210.

The second line 106 has a second length. The second length may be any length and is the measurement of the second line 106 that is extended and external to the reel 110. The proximal end 152 of the second line 104 is securely coupled to the second connector 107.

The second connector 107 is further coupled to a second item 220. The second item 220 may be any item such as an ID badge, a report, a pen, a pen light, etc. The second connector 107 for this example is securely coupled to a pen light 220.

When the second item 220 may be a pen light or flashlight and has one or more lamps 222. The one or more lamps 222 may be any type of lamp but is preferably a light emitting diode (LED) lamp.

In FIG. 2B, the user has determined that they will not need the use of the first item 210 securely coupled to the first connector 105 or the second item 220 securely coupled to the second connector 107.

The user actuates the reel 110 such that the first coil ring 112 rotates in the counter-clockwise direction to retract the first line 104′ and first line 104′ is coiled onto the first coil ring 112. Thus, the first line 104′ is retracted and the length of the first line 104′ that is extended or external to the reel 102 is now lessened.

The user further actuates the reel 110 such that the second coil ring 114 rotates in the clockwise direction to retract the second line 106′ and the second line 106′ is coiled onto the second coil ring 114. Thus, the second line 106′ is retracted and the length of the second line 106′ that is extended or external to the reel 102 is now lessened.

Moving back to FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, a second example use of the double retractable reel badge 100 is illustrated. In FIG. 3A, the double retractable reel badge 100 has a reel 110. The reel 100 is coupled to the distal end 140 of the first line 104. The reel 100 is also securely coupled to the distal end 150 of the second line 106.

The first line 104 has a first length. The first length may be any length and is the measurement of the first line 104 that is extended and external to the reel 110. The proximal end 142 of the first line 104 is securely coupled to the first connector 105.

The first connector 105 is further coupled to a first item 210. The first item 210 may be any item such as an ID badge, a report, a pen, a pen light, etc. The first connector 105 for this example is securely coupled to an ID badge 210.

The second line 106 has a second length. The second length may be any length and is the measurement of the second line 106 that is extended and external to the reel 110. The proximal end 152 of the second line 104 is securely coupled to the second connector 107.

The second connector 107 is further coupled to a second item 220. The second item 220 may be any item such as an ID badge, a report, a pen, a pen light, etc. The second connector 107 for this example is securely coupled to a pen light 220.

In FIG. 3B, the user has determined that the room is too dark and they are not able to read the print on the IV bag that needs to be replaced and thus need to access the second item 220 that is securely coupled to the second connector 107.

The user does not actuate the first coil ring 112 as the current position of the first item 210 is sufficient and does not need to change the length of the first line 104.

The user actuates the reel 110 such that the second coil ring 114 rotates in the counter-clockwise direction to extend the second line 106 and the second line 106′ is released from the second coil ring 114. Thus, the second line 106′ is extended and the length of the second line 106′ that is extended or external to the reel 102 is now extended and the second item 220 is now able to be used further away from the body without having to find the second item 220 in a pocket or the like.

The second item 220 has a lamp 222. The lamp 222 is preferably a light emitting diode (LED) lamp but may be any type of lamp desired by a user. The user would then actuate the lamp 222 such that the LED lamp 222 emits light for easy viewing.

In the numbered clauses below, specific combinations of aspects and embodiments are articulated in a shorthand form such that (1) according to respective embodiments, for each instance in which a “component” or other such identifiers appear to be introduced (with “a” or “an,” e.g.) more than once in a given chain of clauses, such designations may either identify the same entity or distinct entities; and (2) what might be called “dependent” clauses below may or may not incorporate, in respective embodiments, the features of “independent” clauses to which they refer or other features described above.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the foregoing specific exemplary processes and/or devices and/or technologies are representative of more general processes and/or devices and/or technologies taught elsewhere herein, such as in the claims filed herewith and/or elsewhere in the present application.

The features described with respect to one embodiment may be applied to other embodiments or combined with or interchanged with the features of other embodiments, as appropriate, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.

Claims

1. A double retractable reel badge, comprising:

a lanyard;

a reel, said reel being coupled to said lanyard and having a first coil ring and a second coil ring;

a first line having a proximal and distal end and wherein said distal end of said first line is coupled to said reel;

a second line having a proximal and distal end and wherein said distal end of said second line is coupled to said reel;

a first connector, said first connector being coupled to said proximal end of said first line; and

a second connector, said second connector being coupled to said proximal end of said second line.

2. The double retractable reel badge of claim 1, wherein said reel is made of hard plastic.

3. The double retractable reel badge of claim 1, wherein said reel is made of metal.

4. The double retractable reel badge of claim 1, wherein said reel is made of aluminum.

5. The double retractable reel badge of claim 1, wherein said first line and said second line is made of nylon.

6. The double retractable reel badge of claim 1, wherein said first line and said second line is made of cotton.

7. The double retractable reel badge of claim 1, wherein said lanyard is made of nylon.

8. The double retractable reel badge of claim 1, wherein said lanyard is made of cotton.

9. The double retractable reel badge of claim 1, wherein said first connector and said second connector is made of plastic.

10. The double retractable reel badge of claim 1, wherein said first connector and said second connector is made of metal.

11. The double retractable reel badge of claim 1, wherein said first connector and said second connector are made of different materials.

12. The double retractable reel badge of claim 1, wherein said first line and said second line are made of different materials.

13. The double retractable reel badge of claim 1, wherein said first coil ring is extended by releasing said first line in a clockwise direction;

14. The double retractable reel badge, of claim 1, wherein said second line is extended by rotating said second coil ring in a counter-clockwise direction.

15. The double retractable reel badge of claim 1, wherein said first connector is coupled to a first item.

16. The double retractable reel badge of claim 1, wherein said second connector is coupled to a second item.

17. The double retractable reel badge of claim 15, wherein said first item is selected from the group consisting of an ID badge, a report, a pen, and a pen light.

18. The double retractable reel badge of claim 15, wherein said second item is selected from the group consisting of an ID badge, a report, a pen, and a pen light.