Flexible Enclosure for Object Storage

Abstract

A flexible enclosure having an opening that is used to retain and store a cord or other object. The flexible enclosure is shape holding and reversible, and in use may be reversed around the object to be stored.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a unique holder for a cord or other objects that require individual containment for effective storage. Tangled cords are a common occurrence with our dependence on electronic devices. The cords could be earphone cords, charging cords, printer or device cords, or a variety of other cords. Various approaches have been taken to try to keep cords contained and organized. While the term “cords” is used in this description, it is understood that the present invention covers the storage of any objects that are best stored individually in a confined space such as the space that the present invention affords. Key elements of a satisfactory cord or object holder are (1) a manner of securing the cord or object to keep it wrapped or contained, (2) a way to keep the cord or object from getting tangled with or snagged on other loose items, (3) protection of the cord or object and attached components (e.g. ear buds, microphone) from dirt or damage, and (4) convenient access to the cord or object. Convenient storage could involve a container holding a set shape, or being flexible and collapsible for storage, depending on the situation. Most approaches that attempt to address all of these elements are bulky and therefore are not consistently used. Some approaches only address a few of these elements, like looping a cord and fastening it with a securing means (elastic strap, loop and hook closure, etc.) and are not fully satisfactory.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a three-dimensional, flexible, enclosure having a flexible opening. The flexible enclosure is preferably substantially shape holding, and may be reversed around the object to be stored and return to substantially the same shape. The cord or object to be stored may be neatly wrapped and placed in the enclosure or simply contained within the enclosure without wrapping.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the general configuration of the enclosure.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention with the enclosure forming an indentation for receiving an object and the beginning of the reversal process.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention with a spindle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a flexible, hollow enclosure made of a stretchable material such as silicone, rubber, latex, or a similar material that returns to its original shape after being stretched. The enclosure is reversible—meaning that it can be turned inside out. Preferably, when reversed, the enclosure has substantially the same shape as prior to being reversed. With this reversibility, a cord or other object to be stored may be placed adjacent to the enclosure and the enclosure may then be reversed over it, thereby containing the cord or other object inside the reversed enclosure.

As shown in FIG. 1, the shape of enclosure 2 of the present invention is preferably a sphere. Other suitable shapes include an ellipsoid, an egg shape, a flattened sphere, a three dimensional polygon, a polyhedron, or other three dimensional shapes. If a three dimensional shape has only flat faces, the preferable the number of faces is six or more, and more preferably 10 or more. An alternative preferred shape is a regular dodecagon, with a sufficient number of flat faces so that the enclosure is properly reversible as described in this description. Alternatively, the shape of the object could be primarily a sphere but with one or more flat surfaces 6 incorporated in the sphere as shown in FIG. 2. If one flat surface is used, it is preferably on the side of the sphere opposite the opening and has a diameter (since it is a circle) approximately the same as the diameter of the opening, or less depending on the nature of the cord or object being stored, but preferable no greater than the diameter of the opening. An advantage of a shape that includes a flat surface is that the flat surface may be more suitable for printing or embossing than a spherical surface. Since the enclosure is intended to be reversible, any markings on the enclosure would be designed accordingly.

FIG. 2 shows the enclosure 2 of the present invention with opening 4 and cord 3 stored inside the enclosure. The size of the enclosure is a function of the cord or object to be contained within it and would be a matter of choice for one skilled in the art. For storage of device cords, a preferred diameter of a spherical enclosure (before stretching) is between 4 centimeters (cm) and 15 cm, ideally between 6 cm and 10 cm.

As shown in FIG. 1, enclosure 2 includes opening 4. Opening 4 in the enclosure is ideally circular, although other opening shapes would also be suitable. The preferred size of the opening in the enclosure is determined in part by the dimensions of the cord or other object being stored in the enclosure, to reduce or eliminate the chance of the cord or object falling out of the opening. An opening having a diameter between 10% and 70% of the diameter of the sphere is preferred, with 20% to 50% the most preferred range. The opening should preferably stretch with finger pressure to at least between 80% and 120% the diameter of the unstretched sphere, thereby facilitating reversal of the enclosure. This should ideally correspond to using finger pressure to increase the size of the opening to 150% of its un-stretched dimensions, and preferably at least 200%. It is desirable that the size of the opening be large enough to permit a user to insert their thumb and three fingers (other than their little finger) into the opening. Avoiding a larger opening is desirable with objects that might tend to fall through a larger opening. Preferably the opening 4 in the enclosure 2 is defined by a plane intersecting a spherical enclosure, a suitable distance from the center of the sphere to result in a circular opening having the dimensions described above.

Preferably the hollow, flexible enclosure of this invention is shape holding, meaning that (i) it holds a shape when free standing, with or without an object inside, and (ii) returns to that shape when reversed without user manipulation (other than the reversing process itself). For example, a spherical enclosure would keep its spherical shape when free standing and empty. With an object inside the enclosure, the enclosure would remain in a spherical shape, with some deviations resulting from the presence of the object inside pressing against the enclosure. The enclosure might rest on a surface with its opening down, or on a flat face (if any) or could rest in any other orientation. When reversed, the enclosure would return to a spherical shape without user manipulation. Shape holding does not mean that the shape cannot be altered by pressing on the flexible enclosure—it means that in the absence of external forces, the enclosure retains its natural “held” shape.

Any flexible, stretchable material is suitable for the enclosure of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the Shore durometer of the material (a measure of flexibility or softness) should be between 5 and 30 Shore A durometer and ideally between 10 and 20 Shore A durometer. The thickness of the enclosure material would be preferably between 0.25 millimeter (mm) and 3 mm, and more preferably between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm. The material of the enclosure should be selected to be dirt resistant (less dirt “pick up”) or alternatively the outer surface of the enclosure may be coated with a dirt resistant coating. Suitable materials and coatings would be well known to one skilled in the art. The optional coating could be a hydrophobic coating to make it easy to clean the surface, to make it water resistant, and to make it dirt and smudge resistant. Hydrophobic coatings for materials like silicone are well-known in the art. Alternatively, an oleophobic coating could be used for similar reasons. The appropriate coating would be a nano particle coating and be bonded to the silicone material at the nano scale.

Where the shape of the enclosure is not a sphere and/or the opening in the enclosure is not round, the dimensions described above would be applied to an approximately equivalent sphere that would encompass the enclosure and an approximately equivalent circle that would encompass the opening. The opening could also be a slit in the enclosure. In the case of a slit in the enclosure, the slit length should be between 20 and 75% of the diameter of the enclosure. All of the relative dimensions discussed above refer to the unexpanded dimensions of the enclosure and/or opening.

The enclosure material is preferably clear or translucent so a cord or other object contained within it could be seen and identified through the enclosure material.

In a preferred embodiment, the material and dimensions of the enclosure are elected so that the enclosure forms a cup or indentation (as shown in FIG. 3) on the face of the sphere approximately opposite the opening as the user's fingers are expanded and a cord or other object is in the indentation prior to turning the enclosure inside out over it. The cord could be removed through the opening in the enclosure without the need to turn the enclosure inside out.

In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the enclosure is a sphere with a diameter of 8 cm. It is made of a silicone material with a durometer of 15 Shore A and a thickness of 1 mm. The plane defining the opening is 3.2 cm from the center of the sphere, resulting in an opening approximately 5 cm in diameter. With normal finger pressure, the opening increases in size to approximately 7 cm.

In use, the object to be stored is placed adjacent to the enclosure 2. The user inserts his or her fingers inside the opening 4 of the enclosure and by increasing the distance between fingers enlarges the opening of the enclosure as shown in FIG. 3. As also shown in FIG. 3, an indentation forms on the face of the enclosure opposite the opening and the cord or object to be stored is placed partially inside that indentation. The enclosure may then be reversed by moving the fingers in the direction of the object to be stored and allowing the enclosure to take its previous shape around the object, but with the reverse face of the enclosure now on the outside. The user essentially turns the enclosure “inside out” over the cord using his or her fingers.

As shown in FIG. 4, an optional spindle 8 is incorporated in the enclosure of the present invention protruding from the surface of the enclosure opposite the opening. Preferably spindle 8 is molded as part of the enclosure and is made of the same material as the enclosure. In this configuration the enclosure could be utilized with the spindle protruding from the surface of the enclosure and a cord or other object wrapped around the spindle. The user would then reverse the enclosure as described above so that the protruding spindle and any cord or object wrapped around it would be contained within the enclosure.

FIG. 4 also shows another desirable feature of the present invention. Opening 4 is defined by reinforced lip 10 around the circumference of the opening. This reinforced lip constitutes a thicker portion of the material of the enclosure, preferably between 2 and 10 times the thickness of the enclosure material remote from the lip (with remote from the lip meaning at least one lip thickness away from the lip). For example, if the enclosure material is 1 mm thick, the material around the circumference of the lip would be at least 2 mm thick. The reinforced area ideally extends a distance from the opening at least equal to the thickness of the lip. The thicker lip enables use of a thinner overall enclosure material, even one that would not be fully shape holding. The reinforced lip may be designed to provide the characteristics necessary for suitable expansion of the opening and reversal of the enclosure. Although FIG. 4 shows the reinforced lip in the configuration with spindle 8, the reinforced lip is equally desirable in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 with no spindle.

Various sizes for the enclosure and opening could be utilized based on the cord or object to be contained in the enclosure, and this invention should not be interpreted narrowly based on the dimensions described above.

When the cord is contained in the enclosure of this invention, it may be placed in a user's enclosure, purse, bag, etc. and is both protected and isolated from other items that could snag, entangle, or damage the cord. Surprisingly, a cord that is just wadded up and placed in the enclosure is relatively easy to untangle—taking no more effort than the effort to unwrap a looped and tied cord. When the enclosure is empty (not containing a cord), it is very light and takes up very little space in a purse, bag, clothing pocket, etc. The enclosure of this invention also easily receives additional components attached to the cord (such as a charging transformer, etc.) that would otherwise not be contained or protected by a simple cord wrapping.

Claims

1. A container for storing an object comprising a flexible, shape-holding, reversible enclosure having an opening.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein said enclosure has a spherical shape and has a diameter.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein said opening is round and has a diameter.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein said enclosure has at least one flat surface.

5. The container of claim 3, wherein said opening has a diameter at least 10% of the diameter of said enclosure.

6. The container of claim 3, wherein said opening has a diameter less than 70% of the diameter of said enclosure.

7. The container of claim 1, said enclosure having a thickness and further comprising a reinforced lip at the perimeter of said opening with said lip having a thickness greater than said enclosure thickness remote from said lip.

8. The container of claim 1, further comprising a spindle.

9. The container of claim 8, said enclosure having a thickness and further comprising a lip at the perimeter of said opening with said lip having a thickness greater than said enclosure thickness remote from said lip.

10. The container of claim 1, said enclosure having a dirt resistant, hydrophobic, or oleophobic coating.

11. The container of claim 1, wherein said enclosure forms an indentation opposite said opening when said opening is stretched.

12. A method for storing an object comprising placing the object adjacent to a flexible enclosure having an opening and reversing said enclosure around said object.