Abstract:
A molded portable single-member housing assembly for securing and protecting elongated elements having an aesthetically pleasing design is provided. The molded portable single-member housing assembly having a lid and a depressed housing portion connected via a live hinge. The lid is engaged by a user via an aperture which permits the user to physically manipulate the lid rotatably about a hinge axis. The elongated element is store or housed within the base portion and permitted access out of the housing via at least two indentions. Further, the molded portable single-member housing assembly has at least four legs.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     None. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to housing devices for elongated elements to protect said elongated elements from their surroundings and more specifically, to an aesthetically pleasing, portable single-member housing assembly to protect an electrical extension cord. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Many different devices have been developed to assist users in keeping and protecting their electrical cords. Anyone that has ever used an electrical extension cord in lengths exceeding twenty five feet understands the difficulty of protecting the cord from the environment and further neatly storing the cord out of the way of nearby persons. 
     In storing the electrical cord, homeowners will sometimes simply wind up the electrical cord and hang it on a hook in the garage. However, this does not protect the cord from the surrounding elements and it is further unsightly and unappealing to the homeowner. 
     One way this is overcome is by using winding assemblies that are mounted to the wall and allow the electrical cord to be reeled and wound up. However these mounted assemblies have drawbacks because they are not portable. Portability is a key component of an electric extension cords. The cords must travel from the nearest electrical outlet to the desired unelectrified or unwired workspace. 
     Other prior art approaches have attempted to solve this by creating portable cord caddies shown, however these are generally designed for commercial use, such as to assist a contractor in their manufacturing or repair duties. They are usually utilitarian and intended for these specific professional contractors, they do not have aesthetically pleasing features. Further, they are generally not molded from a single member, they usually consist of a container and a lid. 
     While some patents have overcome some of the problems noted abvope, they do not overcome all of the problems, and further, fall short in meeting the needs of the “weekend warrior” homeowner who are seeking to protect elongated elements via a practical and aesthetically pleasing, portable single-member housing container for protecting and storing and electrical cord. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a housing devices for elongated elements to protect said elongated elements from their surroundings 
     It is a feature of the present invention to provide an aesthetically pleasing, mushroom shaped portable single-member housing assembly to protect an electrical cord. 
     Briefly described according to the preferred embodiment with the present invention, a portable single-member housing intended to protect an elongated element placed inside of the housing from the surrounding element, while providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The single-member housing employs a single body created from molded rubber or plastic, and formed in a way that moving components cooperate and mate to create different portions of the housing while remaining connected as a single molded material. 
     An advantage of the present invention is that it is lightweight and easily transportable by the owner as it may be picked up and moved to a desired location. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is its aesthetically pleasing designing which allows the owner to display the single-member housing without the unsightliness of having an otherwise conventional utilitarian extension cord housing in plain sight for others to observe. 
     These and other object of the present invention are attained by various embodiments incorporating the teachings of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of the molded portable single-member housing assembly according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a section detail across segment A-A as depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the molded portable single-member housing assembly shown with electrical extension cords extending through said molded portable single-member housing assembly; 
         FIG. 4  is a section detail across segment B-B as depicted in  FIG. 3  shown with cords extending through said molded portable single-member housing assembly; 
         FIG. 5  is an elevation view of said molded portable single-member housing assembly; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the molded portable single-member housing assembly, shown with the cover lid in the open position; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the molded portable single-member housing assembly, shown with the cover lid in the closed position. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following detailed description illustrates by way of example and not by way of limitation. This description will clearly enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the invention, including what is currently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the invention. 
     Throughout this entire application, it will be understood that the term “elongated element” includes such products as an electric extension cord, hose, wire, or any kind of elongated element which is desirably wound, housed, and stored as well as unwound relative to itself in a portable single member molded rubber housing. 
     It is further understood that the present invention is not to be limited by design, shape or size of the portable single member molded rubber housing. 
     Referring now to the  FIGS. 1-7 , it will be seen that the mushroom cord protector of the present invention is a portable single member molded housing  10 . The single molded member  10  is one piece that comprises a plurality of connected and cooperating components. The single molded member  10  is anticipated to be molded from a single and continuous piece of material. The material will likely be rubber or plastic, however other conventionally accepted materials may also be used. 
     The single molded member  10  comprises a cover lid  15 , a depressed housing  20 , at least two recessed indentions  25 , and legs  30 . The cover lid  15  and the depressed housing  20  are physically connected via a live hinge  35 . 
     When the lid  15  is closed, the single molded member  10  is generally hemispherical in shape and oriented in a manner that the planar circular portion is parallel to the surface on the single mold member  10  is atop. 
     The cover lid  15  is also hemispherical in shape. The cover lid  15  may be opened and disengaged from the depressed housing  20  or closed and engaging the depressed housing  20  as a result of physical manipulation. When the cover lid  15  is open and disengaged from the depressed housing  20  it is the shape of a bowl. When the cover lid  15  is closed and mating or engaging with the depressed housing  20  it is the shape of a dome or mushroom top 
     The cover lid  15  comprises a live hinge  35  and an aperture  40 . Said live hinge  35  and aperture  40  are approximately linearly related on the same line that intersects the cross-sectional perimeter of the hemispherically shaped cover lid. It is anticipated that the aperture  40  will be directly across the cover lid  15  from the live hinge  35 . The live hinge  35  is in direct physical connection with the depressed housing  20 . 
     The cover lid  15  includes a circumferentially continuous outer rim  16  which is adapted to matingly engage an inner rim  21  circumferentially continuous to the depressed housing  20 . The outer rim  16  is sufficiently flexible to cover the inner rim  21  of the single member molded housing  10  for cooperative mating engagement therewith, as shown in  FIG. 2  of the drawings 
     The cover lid  15  further includes an interior concave surface  17  and an exterior convex surface  18 . It is anticipated that both of these surface will have a smooth finish however molded designs and textures are available. The exterior convex surface may have a writing area  19 . The writing area  19  may be a cut out or partially geometrically removed or recessed portion of the exterior convex surface so as to create a distinct zone or area where a person&#39;s vision will be intentionally engaged. It is anticipated that the writing area  19  will have the shape of a rectangle. The length of the writing area  19  rectangle is expected to be linearly parallel with the linear relationship line created by the alignment of the live hinge  35  and the aperture  40 . 
     The live hinge  35  has a rotating axis  36 . The rotating axis  36  of the live hinge  35  is parallel to the surface on which the single molded member  10  is atop and perpendicular to the line that intersects the cross-sectional circumferential perimeter of the hemispherically shaped cover lid  15 , on which the live hinge  35  is in linear orientation with the aperture  40 . The live hinge  35  permits the cover lid  15  to rotatably pivot about rotating axis  36 . 
     Since the portable single member molded housing  10  is constructed of a solid molded piece of material, the live hinge  35  operates and rotates using unique molded design to instigate the folding or rotating action upon physical manipulation as opposed to an ordinary door hinge which requires two plates pinned together via supports. 
     The aperture  40  is anticipated to be large enough for a user to insert at least one finger into said aperture  40 . By allowing a person to insert at least one finger, the aperture  40  acts as a contact point for the person to urge the cover lid  15  by physical manipulation to rotate about the rotating axis  36  of the live hinge  35 . Effectively allowing the person to open or close the cover lid  15 . 
     As previously stated, the depressed housing  20  is physically connected via the live hinge  35  to the cover lid  15 . The depressed housing  20  shaped is best described as having a continuous circumferential housing sidewall  40  which tapers inward and upward toward an imaginary apex point. Connected to the top of the housing sidewall  40  is a continuous circumferential convex housing portion  41  which shapes a portion of the depressed housing  20 . The circumferential convex housing portion  41  then continues on to create and form the depressed portion  42  of the depressed housing  20 . 
     Another means of expressing the shape of the depressed housing  20  is by describing the shape in terms of Calculus. In Calculus, there is a method known as “the method of cylindrical shells.” This allows for volume of variably shaped objects to be calculated through means of integration. The method allows for volume of objects to be determined by rotating the object around an axis. The shape of the depressed housing  20  is similar to the shape created when the volume of an object must be obtained by rotating about the y-axis the region bounded by
 
 y =sin(½ X )+1 and  y= 0.
 
The x axis integration limits be bound from 0 to 3 π . 3-D graphing the following formula in a computer module would yield a shape similar to the shape in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . So the formula would appear as:
 
     
       
         
           
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     Integrated into the continuous circumferential convex housing portion  41  are at least two indentions  25 . The indentions  25  operate to permit an elongate element access to the depressed portion  42  of the depressed housing  20 . 
     Integrated into the continuous circumferential housing sidewall  40  are at least two slots  26 . The at least two slots  26  permits ingress and egress into the depressed housing  20  when the cover lid  15  is closed. The at least two slots  26  are connected to and function with the at least two indentions  25 . 
     Permanently connected the bottom of the continuous circumferential housing sidewall  40  are at least four legs  30 . An alternative embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 1-7 , shows the mushroom cord protector having 1000 six legs  30 . The legs are anticipated as being three-quarters inch wide (0.75″) however, this may be adjusted appropriately to adequately support the molded portable single-member housing assembly  10 . 
     Attached and integrated into at least on leg  30  is a catch  50 . The catch  50  operates to releasably secure the cover lid  15  when it is closed and engaging the depressed housing  20 . 
     From the foregoing it will now be appreciated that the portable mushroom cord protector of the present invention enables an elongated element  55  to be inserted into the depressed portion  42  and wrapped in a coil formation with each end of the elongated element traveling through the indentions  25 . Thus the elongated element  55  can be stored in a protected environment, without subjecting the elongated element to the outside weather possibly resulting in damage. The portable mushroom cord protector may be easily moved to any location desired. 
     The foregoing description is included to illustrate the operation of the preferred embodiment and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. As one can envision, an individual skilled in the relevant art, in conjunction with the present teachings, would be capable of incorporating many minor modifications that are anticipated within this disclosure. The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.