Patent ID: 6019304
Filing Date: 2000-02-01
Classification: B65H,H02G,H04M

Abstract:
A retractable reel assembly, comprising:a housing;a spool in said housing and mounted for rotation about an axis, said spool and said housing defining a plurality of chambers within said housing around said axis;a length of electrical cable wound on said spool in said housing and around said axis in a first one of said chambers defining a cable storage chamber for a first portion of said length of cable and in a second one of said chambers defining a cable expansion chamber for a second portion of said length of cable, said housing having a first opening generally radially outward of said cable storage chamber for extension therethrough of an end of said first portion of said cable and a second opening from said cable expansion chamber for extension therethrough of an end of said second portion of said cable;a constant force spring disposed in part around said axis in a third one of said chambers defining a spring containing chamber, said constant force spring being the only spring in said reel assembly;said housing having a spring takeup compartment radially outward from and in communication with said third chamber, said spring having one end operatively coupled to said spool in said third chamber and an opposite end in said spring takeup compartment, said spring urging said spool to rotate in a cable retracting direction that winds said first portion of said cable onto said spool in said cable storage chamber, said first portion of said cable being manually unwindable, against the urging of said spring, off of said spool and out of said cable storage chamber through said first housing opening.