Electricity: transmission to vehicles – Flexible extensions – Reels
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-17
2001-07-24
Le, Mark T. (Department: 3617)
Electricity: transmission to vehicles
Flexible extensions
Reels
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264016
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCES
There are no applications related to this application filed in this or any foreign country.
BACKGROUND
Retractable electrical extension cord units are well-known, and have been incorporated in known applications. U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,979, issued Aug. 28, 1984 to Koehler, is an example. Such a cord retraction device allows the cord to be extended only to the degree desired, thereby resulting in a neater appearance, improved safety and protection for the cord not currently used. After use, the cord is then retracted in a convenient manner that protects the cord and enhances appearance.
Similarly, it is known that a license plate holder may be constructed with a cord reel, and that the cord stored on the reel may be used to manually extend and manually retract an electrical electrical plug. U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,698, issued Oct. 15, 1991 to Kozakevich and U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,767, issued Oct. 26, 1993 to Norwood, are both examples.
However, known license plate holders having a cord reel have failed to provide a number of structures which support functionality that would be useful to many motorists, hunters, fishermen, outdoorsmen and many others. For example, known license plates having a reel for electrical cord have failed to provide structures which are adapted for use with either a 120 VAC powered vehicle block heater and also with a 12 VDC to 120 VAC converter.
Similarly, where the vehicle is equipped with a 12 VDC to 120 VAC converter, known license plate holders having an electrical cord reel have failed to provide structures which assist in plugging distant devices into the 120 VAC power sources.
Also, known license plate holders having an electrical cord reel have failed to provide the structures needed to store additional cord, where the built-in reel is insufficient to support the required length of electrical cord. Known devices have also failed to provide a spring-loaded device to retract the cord, and have failed to provide a device to clean the cord as it retracts.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an automatic retractable electrical cord that can be adapted for use with either a block heater or a 12 VDC to 120 VAC converter. The electrical cord assembly should automatically retract and clean the cord. The device should also be adapted for both acquiring and for distributing power. Additionally, the mobile power center with self-retracting cord should provide additional structures which allow the storage of additional cord when required.
SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to an apparatus that satisfies the above needs. A mobile power center with self-retracting cord is disclosed that is adapted for use with either a block heater or a 12 VDC to 120 VAC converter, the electrical cord assembly should also be adapted for both acquiring and for distributing power, and additional structures should allow the storage of additional cord when required.
The mobile power center with self-retracting cord of the present invention provides some or all of the following structures.
(A) An enclosure 20 is sized for mounting on a vehicle's front bumper, and provides a front plate which is typically recessed to support a license plate.
(B) A spring-loaded reel 50 is carried within the enclosure. The reel allows an extension cord 70 to be extended to a desired length, or retracted for storage. The spring is tightened as the extension cord is extended, thereby providing the power to retract the cord back onto the reel.
(C) A dual socket receptacle is carried in a side panel of the enclosure, and allows two standard, three-prong AC plugs to be inserted. Both sockets are electrically connected to the inner end of the extension cord.
(D) At least one block heater 200 is mounted on the engine, and provides an electrical plug which may be inserted into at least one socket of the dual socket receptacle.
(E) A 12 VDC to 120 VAC converter is mounted within the engine compartment, where it is connected to the 12 VDC and ground sides of the vehicle's electrical system. The 12 VDC to 120 VAC converter supplies power through a short extension cord which may be inserted into a recessed male plug carried by the enclosure.
(F) A female to female adapter 80 allows the extension cord to be used as a source of power for tools or other devices in the circumstance where an extension cord supplies power from a 12 VDC to 120 VAC converter to the mobile power center.
(G) A preferred cord restraint provides rounded handles extending from the left and right sides of the enclosure. This allows an additional extension cord to be wrapped around the outside of the enclosure, and kept in place by the cord restraint.
It is therefore a primary advantage of the present invention to provide a novel mobile power center with self-retracting cord having an enclosure which conceals an electrical extension cord within an attractive license plate holder, and which allows the electrical cord to be extended as needed to reach an AC socket, and which provides an AC socket into which may be plugged one or more block heaters.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a mobile power center with self-retracting cord which provides a 12 VDC to 120 VAC converter having a power plug which may be inserted into a recessed male socket carried by the enclosure, thereby allowing a power tool or other electrical load to be plugged into an AC socket for operation.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a mobile power center with self-retracting cord which includes a grommet which cleans the extension cord as it retracts, thereby preventing debris from entering the enclosure.
A still further advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel mobile power center with self-retracting cord which provides a female to female adapter connectable to the male plug of the extension cord, thereby allowing a power tool or other load to be powered by the 12 VDC to 120 VAC converter when plugged into female to female adapter at a remote location.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3837448 (1974-09-01), Hagstrom
patent: 4467979 (1984-08-01), Koehler
patent: 4585194 (1986-04-01), Schwob
patent: 5056698 (1991-10-01), Kozakevich
patent: 5255767 (1993-10-01), Norwood
patent: 5657841 (1997-08-01), Morvan
patent: 5669471 (1997-09-01), Unze
patent: 5803216 (1998-09-01), McNaught
patent: 5819894 (1998-10-01), Okamoto
Le Mark T.
Thompson David S.
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