Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Helical or random winding of material – Including particular drive
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-25
2001-07-03
Mansen, Michael R. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Helical or random winding of material
Including particular drive
C242S902000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254029
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to weed trimmers and, more specifically, to a weed trimmer line rewinder device.
2. Description of Related Art
A relatively thin string or line is used as the cutting mechanism on the spools of weed trimmers. In operation, as the spool spins, through either gas or electric power, a segment of the line rapidly rotates inside a housing that is open to the ground. The line is usually nylon and somewhat stiff. As a given line segment rotates about the spool, it slashes at and severs plant material, often working against tough weeds. Hence, the line breaks apart fairly rapidly, and each time this happens, a new segment is deployed into the housing. The rotating or dispensing spool on the weed trimmer is removable from the weed trimming machine and is capable of holding fifteen to twenty-five feet of trimmer line. As the line on the weed trimmer spool runs out, it must be replaced with new line from a filler spool. Typically, a filler spool will hold one hundred or more feet of line. It is not difficult for an average adult to replenish the weed trimmer line. But, for those who most often use weed trimmers, i.e., the elderly, it can be a difficult task, particularly for those with arthritic hand conditions. The difficulty relates to gripping a small string with the fingers and winding it in small circles around the weed trimmer spool. The task is made somewhat more difficult by virtue of the fact that the weed trimmer line is somewhat stiff and therefore requires more digital dexterity than other types of string. Moreover, the line can get caught in the lugs of the spool, or it can be placed upon the spool in a manner that is non-uniform, and it can become tangled for any of these reasons. Thus, a device is needed to assist the elderly and those having arthritic conditions, in maintaining their weed trimmers.
The related art discussed below is representative of developments prior to our invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,632, issued to Chilcoat et al. on Nov. 17, 1992, describes a winder for a monofilament weed cutter. Chilcoat et al. do not teach the present invention as claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,172, issued to Koehler et al. on Mar. 10, 1998, describes a fishing reel winding and unwinding device. Koehler et al. do teach the present invention as claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,903,196, issued to H. G. Fowler on Sep. 8, 1959, describes a fishline reel stand. Fowler does not teach the present invention as claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,086, issued to J. Q. Crow on Jan. 5, 1988, describes a spool rewinder. Crow does not teach the present invention as claimed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,326, issued to L. A. Webb on Dec. 6, 1994, describes a spool rewinder. Webb does not teach the present invention as claimed.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a weed trimmer line rewinder assembly used by the elderly and those having arthritis in the hands. The device includes a horizontally planar base board supporting a solid lubricant disc at one end of the base board. The disc is intended to reduce friction between the board and a weed trimmer spool which is centered, seated upon, and overhangs the lubricant disc.
The main work performed by the present invention rests with a hand crank having a finger knob on a first end, and a weighted second end about which the crank is rotatable. A crank shaft connects the two ends. The shaft has a flat lower side from which extends at least one sliding lug key that can be placed in any location along a track in the shaft so as to be engageable with lugs on various sized spools, including both electric-powered, and gas-powered weed trimmer spools.
A vertically oriented filler string spool axle is on the opposite end of the base board. The filler spool axle has a bottom end and, for convenience, a sharpened top end used to poke through plastic in which the filler spool is typically wrapped.
Midway between the weed trimmer spool and the filler spool is an F-shaped guide peg affixed to the base board. The guide peg provides horizontal guidance and imparts tension upon the weed trimmer string as it is wound around and replenishes the weed trimmer spool.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a lightweight, simple, and compact device for rewinding the spool of a gas-powered or electric-powered weed trimmer.
It is another object of the invention to provide a weed trimmer line rewinder device that can be readily used by the elderly, or by those having severe arthritic conditions of the hand, and for whom the seemingly simple task of winding a string around a spool is very difficult.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device that will place a line on a spool uniformly and without tangles.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2903196 (1959-09-01), Fowler
patent: 3042329 (1962-07-01), Signorella
patent: 3175780 (1965-03-01), Nettles
patent: 3647155 (1972-03-01), Jorgenson
patent: 4717086 (1988-01-01), Crow
patent: 5163632 (1992-11-01), Chilcoat et al.
patent: 5370326 (1994-12-01), Webb
patent: 5636808 (1997-06-01), Colin
patent: 5725172 (1998-03-01), Koehler et al.
Robertson Judy K.
Robertson Tyler J.
Litman Richard C.
Mansen Michael R.
LandOfFree
Weed trimmer line rewinder device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Weed trimmer line rewinder device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Weed trimmer line rewinder device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2472003