Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Reeling device – With spring motor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-18
2001-01-30
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Reeling device
With spring motor
C242S378200, C242S385400, C242S388100, C242S388300, C191S012400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179238
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a reeling device for an electrical lead.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
It is known that it is desirable to be able to wind up electrical leads when they are not in use. A problem with reeling devices for electrical leads is that an electrical connection must be made to a lead on a rotating spool. The prior art solutions to this problem fall into two categories. In one category are devices which employ two coils of different diameters arranged such that as a lead is drawn from the large coil, the turns of the smaller coil can separate, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,805. The other category comprises devices that use slip rings to make electrical connections to a lead on a spool, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,461.
Devices in the first category have not established themselves in the marketplace and it is believed that this is because they have proved unreliable. Devices in the second category are unsuitable for small signal applications, for example microphone or headphone leads, because of noise caused by the slip ring contacts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an aim of the present invention to overcome the afore-mentioned problems.
According to the present invention, there is provided a reel device comprising an elongate structure, providing a continuous electrically conducting path along substantially its whole length and including an electrical lead, a fixed spindle to which an end of the structure is fixedly connected and rotary means for winding the lead around the spindle for bringing the lead into a retracted configuration from an extended configuration. Thus, according to the present invention, there is no relative motion between one end of an electrical lead and the static portions of the reeling device.
The rotary means may comprise a rotatable disc with an aperture through which the lead extends such that as the disc is rotated, the lead is wound up or unwound. However, preferably, the rotary means comprises a spool onto which the lead is wound when the lead is in its retracted configuration.
Preferably, a releasable locking means is provided for locking the reeling device with the lead in an extended configuration. The locking means preferably comprises a ratchet and pawl mechanism, the ratchet being provided on the rotary means. However, the locking means may be in the form of a brake acting on the rotary means or the lead.
Preferably, a spring means is configured to drive the rotary means for retracting the lead from an extended configuration. More preferably, the spool is coupled to the spindle by a spring. The spindle is preferably coaxial with the spool and is conveniently within the spool.
Preferably, the afore-mentioned structure is integrated with the spring. In this case, the structure may comprise a flexible conductor mounted to the spring. However, the flexible conductor may merely follow the path of the spring, e.g. between the coils of the spring, without being attached thereto or being unattached along a substantial portion of the length of the spring. More preferably, the conductor and the spring are embedded together in a flexibly resilient polymeric material. An alternative is to use a polymeric spring, for example formed from polycarbonate, and form conductive foil tracks on the spring in the manner of a printed circuit board.
The present invention is particularly useful where the lead is to carry small signals such as those to headphones or from microphones.
Conveniently, a device according to the present invention may be mounted in an electronic data processing apparatus or in connection with a headset.
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McDermott & Will & Emery
Rivera William A.
Walsh Donald P.
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