The wall-mounted retractable holster comprises a holster, a tether, and a retractor. The retractor may retrieve a retrievable object that is coupled to the tether so that the retrievable object may be stored in the holster. As non-limiting examples, the retrievable object may be a remote control or a cell phone. The end of the tether may attach to the retrievable object via a device attachment located at one end of a tether cord. The other end of the tether cord may be wrapped around a spool within the retractor. A pawl and ratchet may allow the tether cord to be pulled out of the retractor but may prevent the cord from being pulled into the retractor unless a retract button on the retractor is activated. The spool may be spring loaded so that the cord is pulled in automatically when the retractor button is activated.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the fields of personal organizers, more specifically, a wall-mounted retractable holster.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The wall-mounted retractable holster comprises a holster, a tether, and a retractor. The retractor may retrieve a retrievable object that is coupled to the tether so that the retrievable object may be stored in the holster. As non-limiting examples, the retrievable object may be a remote control or a cell phone. The end of the tether may attach to the retrievable object via a device attachment located at one end of a tether cord. The other end of the tether cord may be wrapped around a spool within the retractor. A pawl and ratchet may allow the tether cord to be pulled out of the retractor but may prevent the cord from being pulled into the retractor unless a retract button on the retractor is activated. The spool may be spring loaded so that the cord is pulled in automatically when the retractor button is activated.

An object of the invention is to retrieve an object when a retractor button is activated.

Another object of the invention is to store the retrieved object in a holster that may be mounted to a wall.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spring that automatically pulls the tether cord into the retractor and wraps the cord around a spool when the retractor button is activaed.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a pawl and ratchet that allows a tether cord to be pulled out of the retractor but prevents the spring from pulling the object back without activating the retractor button.

In this respect, before explaining the current embodiments of the wall-mounted retractable holster in detail, it is to be understood that the wall-mounted retractable holster is not limited in its applications to the details of construction and arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustration. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the concept of this disclosure may be readily utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the wall-mounted retractable holster.

It is therefore important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the wall-mounted retractable holster. It is also to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for purposes of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

The wall-mounted retractable holster100(hereinafter invention) comprises a holster200, a tether290, and a retractor250. The retractor250may retrieve a retrievable object900that is coupled to the tether290such that the retrievable object900may be stored in the holster200. As non-limiting examples, the retrievable object900may be a remote control or a cell phone.

The holster200may comprise a front wall202, a rear wall204, a left side wall206, a right side wall208, a bottom wall210, and a coupler214. The holster200may be an open-top container for holding the retrievable object900. The left edge of the front wall202may be coupled to the front edge of the left side wall206. The right edge of the front wall202may be coupled to the front edge of the right side wall208. The bottom edge of the front wall202may be coupled to the front edge of the bottom wall210. The left edge of the rear wall204may be coupled to the rear edge of the left side wall206. The right edge of the rear wall204may be coupled to the rear edge of the right side wall208. The bottom edge of the rear wall204may be coupled to the rear edge of the bottom wall210. The bottom edge of the left side wall206may be coupled to the left edge of the bottom wall210. The bottom edge of the right side wall208may be coupled to the right edge of the bottom wall210. The retractor250may be coupled to the front surface of the front wall202. The front wall202may comprise an access cutout212. The access cutout212may be a notch at the top center of the front wall202. The access cutout212may provide access to grasp the retrievable object900that is stored within the holster200.

The coupler214may attach the holster200to a mounting surface. As non-limiting examples, the mounting surface may be a wall or a piece of furniture.

The tether290may comprise a cord292and a device attachment294. The tether290may couple the retractor250to the retrievable object900. The cord292may be flexible material that is coupled to a spool252at one end of the cord292and is coupled to the device attachment294at the opposite end of the cord292. The device attachment294may be a fastener that couples the cord292to the retrievable object900. In some embodiments, the device attachment294may couple to the retrievable object900using suction or an adhesive.

The retractor250may comprise the spool252, an axle264, a ratchet258, a pawl260, a spring256, a retract button254, a housing262, and a tether aperture266. The retractor250may organize the tether290when the tether290is not extended. The tether290may be extended from within the retractor250by pulling on the tether290. The tether290may be recalled into the retractor250by activating the retract button254on the retractor250.

The spool252may be a reel which the cord292wraps around when the tether290is not extended. The spool252may be cylindrical and may comprise a central spool aperture268. The spool252may be free to rotate around the axle264which passes through the central spool aperture268. The axle264may be coupled to the front wall202of the holster200, to the housing262or to both.

The ratchet258may be a wheel comprising angled teeth270. The ratchet258may be coupled to the spool252. The angled teeth270may engage the pawl260such that the ratchet258is free to rotate in a first direction280and is prevented from rotating in a second direction285unless the pawl260is disengaged.

The pawl260may be a pivoting, curved bar whose free end engages the angled teeth270of the ratchet258. The pawl260may pivot as the ratchet258rotates in the first direction280, thus allowing the ratchet258to rotate. The pawl260may not pivot as the ratchet258rotates in the second direction285, thus preventing the ratchet258from rotating.

The spring256may be coupled to the spool252at one end of the spring256and to the axle264at the opposite end of the spring256. The spring256may cause the spool252to rotate in the second direction285, causing the cord292to pull into the retractor250and to wrap around the spool252.

The retract button254may cause the pawl260to disengage from the ratchet258, thus allowing the ratchet258to turn in the second direction285. The retract button254may be activated to disengage the pawl260by pressing the retract button254.

The housing262is a covering for the spool252and the ratchet258. The retract button254passes through the front surface of the housing262. The rear of the housing262may couple to the front surface of the front wall202. The tether aperture266may be an aperture in the housing262. The tether290may exit and enter the housing262via the tether aperture266.

In use, the holster200may be attached to the mounting surface using the coupler214on the rear wall204of the holster200. As non-limiting examples, the mounting surface may be the wall or the piece of furniture and the coupler214may be a self-adhesive strip. The device attachment294, which may be located at the end of the tether290that is outside of the housing262, may be attached to the retrievable object900. As non-limiting examples, the retrievable object900may be the remote control or the cell phone.

To use the retrievable object900, a user may grasp the retrievable object900and pull on it. Responsive to being pulled, the tether290may cause the spool252to rotate in the first direction280, which the ratchet258and the pawl260will permit, and the tether290may extend from within the housing262. When the user stops pulling, the spring256will attempt to turn the spool252in the second direction285. The ratchet258and the pawl260will not permit the spool252to rotate in the second direction285and the retrievable object900may be released without being pulled by the tether290.

To reclaim the retrievable object900for storage, the user may press the retract button254to disengage the pawl260. With the pawl260disengaged, the spring256may cause the spool252to rotate in the second direction285, pulling the tether290back into the housing262and wrapping the cord292around the spool252. As the tether290is pulled into the housing262, the retrievable object900may be dragged back to the holster200and the user may place the retrievable object900into the holster200.

DEFINITIONS

As used in this disclosure, an “aperture” is an opening in a surface. Aperture may be synonymous with hole, slit, crack, gap, slot, or opening.

As used in this disclosure, an “axle” is a cylindrical shaft that is inserted through the center of an object such that the center axis of the object and the center axis of the axle are aligned and the object can rotate using the axle as an axis of rotation.

As used herein, the words “couple”, “couples”, “coupled” or “coupling”, refer to connecting, either directly or indirectly, and does not necessarily imply a mechanical connection.

As used in this disclosure, “flexible” refers to an object or material which will deform when a force is applied to it, which will not return to its original shape when the deforming force is removed, and which may not retain the deformed shape caused by the deforming force.

As used herein, “front” indicates the side of an object that is closest to a forward direction of travel under normal use of the object or the side or part of an object that normally presents itself to view or that is normally used first. “Rear” or “back” refers to the side that is opposite the front.

As used in this disclosure, a “housing” is a rigid casing that encloses and protects one or more devices.

As used in this disclosure, a “notch” is an indentation formed in an edge or a cavity or aperture formed within a surface.

As used in this disclosure, a “ratchet” is a device comprising a pawl or hinged catch that engages the sloping teeth of a wheel or bar permitting motion in one direction only. A “ratcheting mechanism” is a device that incorporates a ratchet. “Ratcheting motion” refers to motion along a ratcheting mechanism.

As used herein, a “reel” refers to a cylindrical object with side walls around which a wire, filament, thread, cord, cable, string, line, rope, hose, tubing, or other rope-like object is wound.

As used in this disclosure, a “spool” is a cylindrical device upon which a flexible material, including but not limited to a rope, a cable, a yarn, a cord, or a tape, can be wound. Depending on context, a spool may also contain the flexible material stored upon the spool.

As used in this disclosure, a “spring” is a device that is used to store mechanical energy. This mechanical energy will often be stored by deforming an elastomeric material that is used to make the device, by the application of a torque to a rigid structure, or by a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the rigid structure to which torque is applied may be composed of metal or plastic.

As used in this disclosure, a “tether” is a cord, line, webbing, or strap that is attached to an object to restrict movement.

As used in this disclosure, a “wheel” is a circular object that revolves around an axle or an axis and is fixed below an object to enable it to move easily over the ground.