Manually Operated Patents (Class 242/385.4)
  • Patent number: 6997410
    Abstract: A positioning device for a reel is disclosed. The positioning device contains a spring-loaded reeling disc, wherein when the cable or wire is pulled to rotate for a half round, a positioning mechanism is made. A button is used to control either a single step or multiple steps retraction of the cable or wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Inventor: Kui-Hsien Huang
  • Patent number: 6871812
    Abstract: A multi-stages retractable coiling cord is disclosed. The coiling cord comprises a front cover, a spiral spring, a sliding disc, a retraction cord, a positioning bead and a rear cover. The cord is retracted and is positioned once when the sliding disc rotates once. A slight pull will allow the coiling cord to release from engaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Inventor: Wen-Han Chang
  • Patent number: 6866218
    Abstract: A wire winding box used for winding a wire includes a bottom cover, a upper cover, a rotating disk, a spiral spring and a control button. Therein, the upper cover has an opening; the rotating disk has a central hole and a stopping ring; the spiral spring is disposed between the rotating disk and the bottom cover; the control button is capable of moving upwardly or downwardly within the opening of the upper cover and indentations of the stopping ring; a position restricting structure is formed between the control button and the upper cover. The control button is disposed within the opening of the upper cover and the central hole of the rotating disk to integrate the necessary functions and components of the wire winding box so as to reduce the volume of the wire winding box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Inventor: Sheng Hsin Liao
  • Publication number: 20040232267
    Abstract: A wire winding box used for winding a wire includes a bottom cover, a upper cover, a rotating disk, a spiral spring and a control button. Therein, the upper cover has an opening; the rotating disk has a central hole and a stopping ring; the spiral spring is disposed between the rotating disk and the bottom cover; the control button is capable of moving upwardly or downwardly within the opening of the upper cover and indentations of the stopping ring; a position restricting structure is formed between the control button and the upper cover. The control button is disposed within the opening of the upper cover and the central hole of the rotating disk to integrate the necessary functions and components of the wire winding box so as to reduce the volume of the wire winding box.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventor: Sheng Hsin Liao
  • Patent number: 6808138
    Abstract: A wire-winding box structure with an increased use area has a wire-winding box body, a wire-winding disk, a communication wire and a power spring. One end of the communication wire is wound around a wire-winding pivot of the wire-winding disk to form an inner ring portion. The other end of the communication wire is wound in a receiving groove to form an outer ring portion. The communication wire, can thus be disposed around the wire-winding pivot and in the receiving groove at two faces of a first disk body of the wire-winding disk, respectively. The power spring is received in a spring receiving groove of the wire-winding disk. One fastening end of the power spring is fastened at the wire-winding disk, and the other fastening end thereof is fastened at the wire-winding box body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Inventor: Sheng Hsin Liao
  • Publication number: 20040200919
    Abstract: Retractable cord reels are disclosed. The retractable cord reels include a housing portion and a spool disposed within the housing portion. The spool has an outer surface associated with an expansion chamber within the housing portion, an inner channel configured to hold a wound length of flat electrical cable and a passage extending between the outer surface and the inner channel. The retractable cord reels also include a flat electrical cable having a first portion disposed in the expansion chamber, a second portion disposed in the inner channel, and a third portion disposed in the passage to follow a path from the outer surface of the spool to the inner channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Paul C. Burke, D. Scott Kalous
  • Publication number: 20040094650
    Abstract: A strap fastener system includes a strap fastener for fastening a belt and a winding device for winding the strap. The winding device includes a housing, a reel, a control device and a torque spring. The reel is put in the housing for winding the strap. The control device is partially and movably installed in the housing between a rotational position and a non-rotational position. A torque spring is arranged between the reel and the control device for automatically rotating the reel in the non-rotational position of the control device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventor: Han-Ching Huang
  • Publication number: 20040084558
    Abstract: An automatic winding device is provided for a strap fastener. The automatic winding device includes a housing, a reel rotationally received in the housing for winding a strap introduced through the strap fastener and a spring connected between the housing and the reel. A shaft is securely received in the housing for supporting the reel. The spring is a coil spring mounted on the shaft and received in the reel. The spring includes an internal end secured to the shaft and an external end secured to the reel. In an aspect, at least one ratchet wheel is formed on the reel, and a detent is movably mounted on the housing for releasable engagement with the reel. The detent is biased by means of a second spring. The housing defines a slot through which the detent is inserted. The housing includes a stem formed thereon within the slot. The detent includes a groove defined therein for receiving the stem and the second spring. Thus, the second spring is compressed between the stem and a portion of the detent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventor: Han-Ching Huang
  • Patent number: 6698560
    Abstract: A cord retention device for a personally carried appliance such as a cell phone is disclosed. The cell phone has a cord which is attached to a microphone and ear piece for hands free operation of the phone. One example of the invention includes a base member having a back surface with adhesive for attachment to the appliance. The opposite surface of the base member has a pair of prongs. The cord may be wrapped around the prongs when not in use. Another example of the invention includes the installation of retractable prongs on the side of the cell phone. The prongs may be extended and locked in place thus allowing the cord to be wrapped when not in use. The prongs may be retracted to be flush with a surface of the appliance when a cord is not used with the appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Inventors: Gavin Reardon, Carrie Lyons
  • Patent number: 6675861
    Abstract: A window covering including a head rail, a bottom rail, a window covering material extending between the head rail and bottom rail, a first and second lift cords extending between the head rail and the bottom rail, a spring motor configured to bias the bottom rail toward the head rail, mounted in the bottom rail, and operatively coupled to the first and second lift cords, and a brake mounted in the bottom rail and configured to releasably couple to the first lift cord to prohibit the spring motor from taking up the first cord, prohibiting the bottom rail from being raised or lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Newell Window Furnishings, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger C. Palmer, Zazu Ciuca
  • Publication number: 20030173445
    Abstract: A recoil device (100) having a mounting member (101), a recoiling member (108), and a stopping member (117) is mounted onto an attachment surface (131) of an existing decoy (130) without compromising the structural integrity of the decoy (130). An anchor line (126) is operatively connected to the recoiling member (108) proximate the center (132) of the decoy (130) and is locked in place by the stopping member (117) proximate the front (133) of the decoy (130). The line (126) is locked in place when the stopping member (117) is in a first position, and the line (126) may be either drawn from the recoiling member (108) or automatically retracted by the recoiling member (108) when the stopping member (117) is in a second position (121b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventor: Tyler John Lebens
  • Patent number: 6616080
    Abstract: A retractable device is provided for an earphone/microphone used with a cell phone. The device is formed of a housing with one rewinding spool for the earphone end of the cord with allowance for twisting of the connector end of the cord. The device with two spools allows for independent rewinding of earphone end portion of the cord and the connector end portion of the cord on different spools and the confinement of a middle portion of the cord in reversible winding cavity with the ends of the middle portion of the cord fixed so that middle portion can wind and rewind in the reversible winding cavity without leaving the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Speculative Product Design, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Philip Edwards, Craig M. Janik, Andrew Ivan Poutiatine
  • Patent number: 6536697
    Abstract: A structure of an automatic suspender reeling device, and especially a device in which an engaging member and a ratchet wheel are mutually engaged with or separated from each other to control pulling out or retracting of a wound suspender. The reeling device includes a receiving box, a cover, a ratchet wheel and an engaging member. The receiving box has a receiving space therein. One side of the receiving space is an opened side to place in the ratchet wheel and the engaging member. An engaging portion on the bottom of the engaging member engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel. A suspender is wound onto the ratchet wheel. One end of the suspender extends through a through hole on the engaging member and out of the receiving box, after which, a cover is put on the opened side of the receiving space to complete the reeling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Inventor: Chin-Yuan Tsan
  • Publication number: 20030042350
    Abstract: An extendible and retractable lead that can be extended or retracted and locked in position in a single action. The lead comprises a casing (4) housing a reel (14), a lead windable about the reel, the casing having an outlet (8) for passage of the lead and further comprising a moveable member (12) for engagement and disengagement with the reel, a part (32) of the moveable member being engageable with a retainer (52) on movement of the member towards the reel to lock the member against the reel in a single action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventor: Andy Irving
  • Patent number: 6502778
    Abstract: An electric power cord retrieving mechanism for a vacuum cleaner includes a cord reel rotatable in an unwind direction for paying-out a cord, and in a cord wind-up direction for winding up the cord. A brake is normally urged to a reel- engaged position for preventing rotation of the reel in the cord wind-up direction, and is movable to a reel-disengaged position for permitting rotation of the reel in the cord wind-up direction. A cord button is displaceable by a manual force for moving the brake out of the reel-engaged position. A selector button is mounted on the cord button and is movable between a semi-automatic position wherein the brake returns to the reel-engaged position when the manual force is released from the cord button, and an automatic position wherein the brake remains in the reel-engaged position when the manual force is released from the cord button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Kwangju Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Gi-Man Kim
  • Patent number: 6488225
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for removing rotation clamping members in which a rotor of a cable reel is temporarily clamped to a stator. Rotation clamping members which are temporarily positioned over the stator and the rotor of the cable reel are connected with a vertical piece through a hinge that allows a lateral piece to pivot downwardly easily from a root. When removing the rotation clamping member for permitting rotation of the rotor, the lateral piece of the rotation clamping members which is lifted up engages against the periphery of the wheel hub followed by downward pivoting from the root, so that the clamping members are removed smoothly through the side of the wheel boss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihito Maegawa
  • Publication number: 20020170999
    Abstract: The present invention provides a unidirectional wire-winding box comprising a box body, a wire-winding disk, a communication wire, and a scroll spring. The box body has a receiving room therein to receive the communication wire, the wire-winding disk, and the scroll spring. The box body has two wire holes. A disk body of the wire-winding disk has a wire-winding shaft with a wire groove thereon. The wire-winding disk is pivotally disposed in the box body. The communication wire is wound around the wire-winding shaft. One end of the communication wire protrudes out from a wire hole, and the other end thereof penetrates into the wire-winding shaft from the wire groove and then protrudes out from the other wire hole. The wire groove has locating parts therein to fix the communication wire. The scroll spring is connected between the box body and the wire-winding disk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2001
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Inventor: Sheng Hsin Liao
  • Patent number: 6416009
    Abstract: A retractable hose reel assembly comprises a reel (2) rotatably mounted in a casing (1) and a torsion spring (8) for rotating the reel in a direction corresponding to winding of the hose on the reel (2). A ratchet (14) and pawl (18) prevent or limit rotational movement of the reel (2) in the winding direction. A lever (20) is manually movable to a locking position in which unwinding movement of the reel (2) is prevented, for example to prevent vandalism or to prevent a child pulling the hose from the reel and suffering discomfort or injury as a result of retraction of the hose by the spring (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Hozelock Limited
    Inventors: Nicolino Iaciofano, Michael Lars George Hill
  • Publication number: 20020053622
    Abstract: An improved retractable modem cord device wherein a window in the front face of the case of the device is provided, through which a design, such as a pattern, inscription, or logo can be seen. When a retractable cord of this device is pulled out of the case it causes the design to rotate or spin. Likewise, when the cord is retracted back into the case of the retractable modem cord device, the design spins. Thus, anyone observing the retractable modem cord device will see the spinning design. It is believed this spinning design will be interesting to observers, thus lending special appeal to the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventor: David Kagel
  • Patent number: 6378797
    Abstract: The present invention proposes an improved structure of a wire winding box, which comprises a housing, a rotary disk, a communication cable, a spiral spring, and a locking button. The housing comprises a top cap and a bottom cap. The rotary disk is pivotally installed in a rotary disk tank in the housing. A shaft bushing is installed or integrally formed on one disk surface of the rotary disk for the penetrating and winding of the communication cable. A ring is installed on another disk surface of the rotary disk to be hooked by the spiral spring received in a receiving tank beside the rotary disk tank to provide uniform rewinding force for the rotary disk with respect to the communication cable. The locking button is worked by a resilient element to let a push part thereof protrude out of the housing. A bump is formed on the locking button and extends to the rotation path of a slanting retaining block preset on the rotary disk to stop the retaining block timely to lock the rotary disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Inventor: Sheng Hsin Liao
  • Publication number: 20020040945
    Abstract: A retractable cable reel assembly that has a spring loaded cable reel which attaches to a midpoint of a cable and when rotated by the spring, winds both ends of the cable up on the cable reel. A releasable detent arrangement is used to retain a desired amount of cable extending from the assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Publication date: April 11, 2002
    Inventors: George Stepancich, Yuval Shenkal
  • Publication number: 20020008172
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric power cord retrieving device for a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly to an electric power cord retrieving device which can select an automatic or a semi-automatic mode to completely inlet the power cord by pushing once a cord button section in the automatic mode, and to inlet only for the time when the cord button section is pushed by a user in the semi-automatic mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventor: Gi-Man Kim
  • Patent number: 6315231
    Abstract: A micro-type communication wire winder includes a housing, a rotary disk, a buckling piece, a communication wire and a spiral spring. The rotary disk is pivotally installed in the receiving groove of the housing and one surface thereof is installed with an axle bush and an outer circular cover with slots for fixing and winding a communication wire. While another surface is installed with a ring protrusion for receiving and engaging a spiral spring or receiving the spiral spring in a cavity adjacent to the rotary disk so that the spiral spring can be wound around the ring protrusion. Thus, the communication wire has a rewinding force applied thereon. The rim of the rotary disk is further installed with a tilt buckling groove. A buckling piece at the side of the housing obliquely resists against the rim of the rotary disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Inventor: Sheng-Hsin Liaom
  • Patent number: 6250578
    Abstract: A cable winding housing for a cable used to interconnect a computer and an external peripheral device. The housing includes a spring-operated, winding cylindrical shaft around which the cable is wound, a teeth wheel assembly superposed around the shaft, and a spring-loaded locking element configured for locking between two of the teeth on the teeth wheel, wherein the locking element is releasable from outside of the housing. When the locking element is locked into the teeth wheel, the shaft is prevented from rotating such that the cable can not be unwound from or wound into the housing. When the locking element is released from the teeth wheel, the shaft can rotate and the cable can alternatively be either wound into or unwound from the housing. The housing prevents a cable used to interconnect two devices from becoming entangled with other cables and ensures that each cable is taut and does not sag downward, thereby providing a neat connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Venakata Krishna Roa Manda
  • Patent number: 6243921
    Abstract: A clip assembly for a pacifier includes a fastener, a cover having one side fixedly engaged with the fastener and another side provided with a resilient projection, a circular container having radial outlet and an axle at a central portion thereof, a reel fitted within the circular container and having a center hole receiving the axle, the reel having a circular recess provided with a plurality of radial teeth on an inner circumference thereof and two positioning members adjacent to the radial teeth, a spiral spring fitted within the circular recess of the reel and having an inner end fixedly secured to the axle and an outer end fixedly connected to the positioning members, a circular plate mounted in the circular recess to prevent the spiral spring from getting out of the circular recess, a cord having an end fixedly secured to the circumferential groove, and a retainer fixedly connected to another end of the cord and having a fastening member and a linking chain having a plurality of ball-shaped elements en
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Inventor: Kuo Pin Chang
  • Patent number: 6213421
    Abstract: In a clamping lock for antiskid chains with a housing supporting an actuating lever which has a catch position in which a clamping rope which can be pulled through a housing opening into the housing for purposes of clamping can be locked against its clamping direction and has a release position in which the clamping rope can be released from this locking, the clamping rope is connected inside the housing to a winding device which is pretensioned in the wind-up direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Contiweiss Weissenfela GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Charles R. Franklin
  • Patent number: 6199784
    Abstract: An automatically rewindable wire device includes a stationary member having a stationary shaft, and a rotary member mounted rotatably on the stationary member and having a windup portion around the shaft. The windup portion and the shaft confine a space. The windup portion has an opening which is communicated with the space and which is spaced apart radially from the shaft. The device further includes a wire having a first portion fixed to the stationary member and a second portion extending outwardly of the stationary member from the first portion of the wire. The second portion of the wire is wound around the shaft in a first angular direction within the space and then wound around the windup portion in a second angular direction by passing through the opening. The second angular direction is opposite to the first angular direction. A windup spring is connected to the rotary member to urge the windup portion to wind up the wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Ceramate Technical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Wang, Jack Wang
  • Patent number: 6199785
    Abstract: A ratchet mechanism for a retractor includes a flat spring (72), securely disposed between an interior surface of the sidewall (30) and an outside diameter surface (64) of a cylindrical spool (60). The flat spring has a detent (92) integrally formed thereon. The detent slidably engages notches (68) formed on the outside diameter surface to permit rotation in one direction but not the other. The ratchet mechanism further includes a thumb slide (74) that engages the flat spring and releases the detent from the notches to allow the spool to rotate under the force of the torsional spring (62).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Inventor: Edward C. Paugh
  • Patent number: 6179238
    Abstract: A reeling device is provided which allows an electrical lead to be wound up without the need for slip-rings. The lead is partially wound around a spool and is electrically connected to contacts in a spindle, about which the spool rotates. A portion of the lead is sprung and is loaded as the spool rotates to pay out the lead. A ratchet and pawl mechanism is provided to lock the lead in its extended configuration. The ratchet and pawl mechanism can be relased so that the lead is retracted using the energy stored in the sprung portion of the lead. A pair of the reeling devices may be combined back-to-back to provide convenient storage for earpiece and plug leads for a headset. The reeling device may also be integrated into a portable electronic apparatus for storing earpiece or microphone leads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Inventor: John Quentin Phillipps