Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Flexible flow line or outlet storage or retrieval means – With retrieval facilitating means
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-18
2004-02-17
Hwu, Davis (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Flexible flow line or outlet storage or retrieval means
With retrieval facilitating means
C239S195000, C239S198000, C239S526000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06691930
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reel, and more particularly to a reel adapted to be used with a hose having a connector connected to a free end of the hose and a sprinkler detachably connected to the connector. The reel has a pair of rollers spatially and oppositely located with each other so as to expel residual water in the hose when being rolled up to be stored inside the reel and a stop pivotally mounted on an opening in a housing of the reel so as to prevent the hose from unintendedly uncoiling from the reel.
2. Description of Related Art
People often use a sprinkler to water the flowers and the lawn. After watering the flowers and the lawn, people always find it difficult and troublesome to sort out and store the tangled hose. Moreover, the water left in the hose not only causes the storage to be even more difficult, but also makes the storage place wet. Therefore, reels are invented to solve the tangle problem. One of the conventional reels (
6
) is shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6
, which has a base (
60
) and a cover (
64
) together with the base (
60
) to define therebetween a space (not numbered) to store the hose (
50
). The base (
60
) has a positioning ring (
61
) and a limiting ring (
62
) respectively formed on a side face of the base (
60
) so that a rotation disk (
63
) is able to be rotatably mounted between the positioning ring (
61
) and the limiting ring (
62
) and between the base (
60
) and the cover (
64
). A cutout (
68
) is defined in a peripheral edge of the rotation disk (
63
) to correspond to an opening (
66
) defined in the reel (
6
).
When this conventional reel (
6
) is to be stored after, the user first folds a small portion of the hose (
50
) and inserts the folded portion of the hose (
50
) into the cutout (
68
). Then, the user rotates the rotation disk (
63
) to roll up the hose (
50
) into the space inside the reel (
6
) until the entire length of the hose (
50
) is received in the reel (
6
).
However, after the entire length of the hose (
50
) is received in the reel (
6
), there is no room to store or to position the sprinkler head (
52
) or the connector (
51
) for the sprinkler (
52
), such that when the user is carrying the reel (
6
) from one place to another place, the weight of the connector (
51
) and the sprinkler head (
52
) would pull the hose (
50
) out of the reel (
6
), which causes the user trouble.
Furthermore, when the hose (
50
) is being pulled into the reel (
6
), the periphery of the hose (
50
) constantly engages with sides of the opening (
66
) and the friction therebetween reduces the life span of the hose (
50
).
Still, because there is not any auxiliary device attached to the reel (
60
) for positioning the sprinkler head (
62
) and/or the connector (
61
), the hose (
50
) is not secured inside the reel (
6
).
Another drawback of the conventional reel (
6
) is that the user will have to fold the hose (
50
) first, then insert the folded portion into the cutout (
68
), which is not convenient for the user.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide an improved reel to mitigate and obviate the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objective of the present invention is to provide an improved reel having a pair of rollers spatially and oppositely located with each other so as to expel residual water in the hose when being rolled up to be stored inside the reel and a stop pivotally mounted on an opening in a housing of the reel so as to prevent the hose from falling out of the reel.
In order to accomplish the foregoing objective, the reel is composed of a base having therein a recess, a seat formed on a bottom face defining the recess so as to position a rotation disk thereon, an opening defined in a side face defining the recess to communicate with the recess and for oppositely receiving two rollers, a gap defined to communicate with the opening. The rotation disk has a first disk rotatably seated on top of the seat, a second disk securely connected to the first disk by means of a connection shaft. The second disk has an indent defined in a mediate portion thereof and a channel defined to communicate with both the indent and the opening of the base.
With such an arrangement, the user is able to place the connector of the hose in the indent and the hose around the connection shaft. Then the user rotates the rotation disk to gradually roll up the entire length of the hose inside the recess. Finally, the sprinkler is able to be hung on a receiving recess defined in a side face of the base.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1322604 (1919-11-01), Nuhring
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patent: 3484979 (1969-12-01), Wansch
patent: 3625450 (1971-12-01), Lloyd
patent: 3779478 (1973-12-01), Fugate
patent: 3869096 (1975-03-01), Hogan et al.
patent: 4195794 (1980-04-01), Ricci et al.
patent: 4200249 (1980-04-01), Synstelien
patent: 4220293 (1980-09-01), Gename
patent: D260985 (1981-09-01), Moylan
patent: 4306688 (1981-12-01), Hechler, IV
patent: 4330005 (1982-05-01), Kjarsgaard
patent: D270996 (1983-10-01), Houghton
patent: 4484718 (1984-11-01), Jones-Fenleigh
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patent: 4540017 (1985-09-01), Prange
patent: 4583700 (1986-04-01), Tschurbanoff
patent: 4586676 (1986-05-01), Johnston et al.
patent: D286610 (1986-11-01), Brusadin
patent: 4748937 (1988-06-01), Musetti
patent: D299618 (1989-01-01), Drought et al.
patent: 5014925 (1991-05-01), Cump
patent: 5782412 (1998-07-01), Plantz et al.
patent: 5826608 (1998-10-01), Pierce
patent: 5938140 (1999-08-01), Fundak
patent: D431179 (2000-09-01), Kovacik et al.
patent: 6152395 (2000-11-01), Corriveau et al.
patent: 6224038 (2001-05-01), Walsten et al.
patent: 2002/0020777 (2002-02-01), Cielker et al.
patent: 1-214591 (1989-08-01), None
patent: 2-13578 (1990-01-01), None
Chao Fei-Fei
Hwu Davis
Venable LLP
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