Patent Publication Number: US-2006016480-A1

Title: Hose storage gear with delivery function

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      (a) Technical Field of the Invention  
      The present invention is related to a hose storage gear, and more particularly to one allows the retracted hose still be capable of delivering liquid.  
      (b) Description of the Prior Art  
      As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the accompanying drawings, a hose storage gear  1  of the prior art is comprised of a first bracket  10 , a second bracket  11 , a reel  12  and an operating member part  13 . Wherein, a grip  101  extends from the top of the first bracket  10 , and a frame  102  disposed with multiple hollowed parts extends from the bottom of the first bracket  10 . An opening  103  is disposed in the mid of the frame  102  and a pair of footages  104  is provided at the bottom of the frame  102 . Furthermore, multiple sleeves  105  and matching studs  106  are respectively provided on the peripheral of the grip  101  and in the pair of footages  104 . The form and the structure of a second bracket  11  is identical with that of the first bracket  10  with the only exception that multiple sleeves  115  and matching studs  116  provided to the second bracket  11  are at where alternatively with their counterparts on the first bracket  10 . A hollow casing pipe  121  is inwardly formed on the wall of the reel  12  and a spool  123  is provided to a central partition  122  of the reel  12 . The operating member  13  is comprised of an insertion part  131  and a rocker  132 .  
      One end of the spool  123  of the reel is inserted through the central opening  103  in the frame  102  of the first bracket  10 . A central hole  113  in the second bracket  11  is inserted into the other end of the spool  123  of the reel  2  while those sleeves  105  and matching studs  105  from the first bracket  10  are respectively engaged with those matching studs  116  and sleeves  115  from the second bracket  11  with of those sleeves  105 ,  115  each secured externally with a screw to fasten to their corresponding studs  106 ,  116 . Accordingly, the first bracket  10 , the second bracket  11  and the reel  12  are incorporated in one piece. The insertion part  131  of the operating member  13  is made in a shape that can be inserted into that of the inner diameter of the spool  123  of the reel  12 . Upon dialing the rocker  132 , the reel  12  rotates as driven by the insertion part  131  inserted into the spool  123  to complete an assembly of the hose storage  1  gear of the prior art.  
      In practical use, one end of a hose A is inserted into the casing pipe  121  and the rocker  132  is operated to execute rotation at its original place, thus to drive the reel  12  to execute synchronous rotation to wind up the hose A for storage.  
      However, the hose storage gear  1  is prevented further improvement for the disassembly of the hose A and the application of the delivery of a fluid (gas or liquid). When the service of the hose A is required, it must be fully pulled out of the hose storage gear  1  and one end of the hose A is connected to a liquid supply source, such as a tap, for delivering the fluid. When the hose A is not desired, it is retracted to the storage gear  1 . Such an application of the prior art is limited only for the purpose of storage.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a hose storage gear that is capable of delivering the liquid even with the hose is retracted to the storage gear. To achieve the purpose, a first joint is provided in a spool of a reel to connect to a adapter to access to a fluid source and the fluid is delivered through a first guide duct in the first joint to a second guide duct of a second joint where is further connected to another adapter and a hose.  
      The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.  
      Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a hose storage gear of the prior art.  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the hose storage gear of the prior art.  
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a hose storage gear of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the hose storage gear of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a side view of a reel of the hose storage gear of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view showing a local part of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a schematic view showing that the preferred embodiment of the present invention is in service.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a preferred embodiment of the present invention related to a hose storage gear with delivery function includes a first bracket  20 , a second bracket  21  and a reel  22 . Wherein, both brackets  20 , 21  are in symmetric to each other. A grip  201  extends from the top of the first bracket  20  and a frame  202  disposed with multiple hollowed spaces extends from the bottom of the first bracket  20 . A central opening  203  is provided in the mid section of the bracket  202  and a pair of footages  204  is formed at the bottom of the frame  202 . Multiple sleeves  205  and matching studs  206  are respectively provided on the peripheral of the grip  201  and the pair of footages  204 .  
      The shape and structure of the second bracket  21  are identical with that of the first bracket  20  with the only exception that multiple sleeves  215  and matching studs  216  provided to the second bracket  21  are alternatively arranged in relation to their counterparts of those sleeves  205  and matching studs  206  from the first bracket  20 .  
      A spool  221  is externally extends from a partition  220  from the reel  22  and the outer diameter each of both ends of the spool  22  is identical with the inner diameter of the central opening  203 , and also identical with the inner diameter of a central opening  213  in a frame  212  of the second bracket  21 . Now referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , multiple holes inside the spool are not connected through one another. Multiple channels  222  are provided on both ends of the spool  221 . A polygonal insertion part  223  is formed in one end of the spool  221 , and a first joint  224  is formed in the other end of the spool  221 . The first joint  224  contains a first guide duct  225  and the first guide duct  225  is connecting through a second guide duct  226  externally from the edge of the wall of the first guide duct  225 . A second joint  227  is formed at the outlet of the second guide duct  226 . A recessed space is defined on the outer circumference of the reel  22  to accommodate the second joint  227 . To facilitate the mold injection process for the production of the present invention, the second guide duct  226  externally extends from the first guide duct  25  to pass all the way through the outer circumference of the reel  22  before turning into another direction to form the second joint  227 . A plug  229  is provided to block a hole  228  created on the outer circumference of the reel  22  as a result of the penetration by the second guide duct  226 . Both of the first and second joints  224 , 227  may be threaded or provided in any other form to facilitate the connection of a subsequent device such as adapter or a fast connector for application.  
      An operating member  23  related to a disk  231  having a chute  232  formed on one side for a rocker  233  to be fixed into, multiple tenons  234  disposed on the other side of the disk  231  at where close to its outer circumference, and an insertion member  235  provided in the operating member  23 ; provided, however, that the insertion member  235  is in a shape, e.g., a polygonal, that matches with the inner edge of the insertion part of the reel.  
      A cover  24  is related to a ring shape provided with a central hole  241  and has multiple tenons  242  disposed on one side of the cover  24 .  
      Upon assembling, either end of the spool  221  of the reel is inserted through the central opening  203  in the frame  202  of the first bracket  20 . Of course, the spool  221  of the reel  22  may be first inserted through the central opening  212  in the frame  212  of the second bracket  21 . Whereas the process and motion are the same, only the assembly of the reel  22  and the first bracket  20  will be described below. Either end of the spool  221  of the reel  22  is inserted through central opening  203  in the frame  202 ; and the central opening  203  in the frame  212  of the second bracket  21  is aligned to the other end of the spool  221  of the reel  22 . Meanwhile, those sleeves  205  and matching studs  206  provided on the peripheral of the grip  201  and on the pair of footages  205  of the first bracket  20  are respectively engaged in those studs  216  and sleeves  215  from the grip  221  and the pair of footages  214  from the second bracket  21 ; then each is secured with a screw from the external end of each set of the sleeve  205  and  215  to secure both of the studs  216 , 206  to each other. Accordingly, the first bracket  20 , the second bracket  21  and the reel  22  are incorporated into one piece.  
      One end of the insertion part  223  of the spool  221  in the reel  22  is engaged with the insertion member  235  from the operating member  23  while those multiple tenons  234  in the operating member  23  are locked to those channels  222  provided at the edge of the end of the spool  221  to further complete the assembly of the operating member  23 . One end containing the first joint  224  of the spool  221  from the reel  22  is sealed with the cover  24  and those tenons  242  of the cover  24  are merely locked to those channels  222  provided at the edge of the end of the spool  221 .  
      As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , an adapter  25  passes through the central hole  241  in the cover  24  to be fixed to the first joint  224  of the reel  22  so that a passage  251  of the adapter  25  is connected through the first guide duct  225 . One end of a fast connector  26  is connected to the adapter  25  and the other end of the fast connector  26  is fixed to a hose  261 . An access device such as a hose nozzle  28  is connected to the terminal of the hose  261 . Another adapter  27  is fixed to the second joint  227  of the reel  22 , and the adapter  27  is further connected to another hose  271  (a band three-hole hose as illustrated, or a general round hose) in a length as required to extend to a fluid (gas or liquid) source, such as a tap.  
      The fluid to be fetched for the application enters from the hose  271 , the adapter  27 , and the second joint  227  into the second guide duct  226 ; then is delivered through the second guide duct  226  into the first guide duct  225 , the first joint  224 , the hose  261 , and finally reaches the hose nozzle  28  for application. When the hose  271  is to be stored, the rocker  233  of the operating member  23  is turned to drive the reel  22  to rotate since the insertion member  234  in the operating member  23  is engaged with the insertion part  223  of the reel  22 . Meanwhile, the adapter  25  connected to the fast connector  26  also rotates at its original place without causing any interference to the rotation of the reel  22 . Consequently, the hose  271  is wound up by the reel  22  to be stored between both brackets  20 , 21 . On the contrary, by pulling out the terminal of the hose  271  releases it from the reel  22 . Therefore, the fluid is accessible through the hose  271  whether the hose  271  is released from the reel  22  or not. With the garden hose for example, the user has only to connect the hose  271  to a tap, hold the handle (combination of the grip  201  from the first bracket  20  and the grip  211  of the second bracket  21 ) with one hand and walk around as desired and the hose  271  is released as the user is reaching farther from the hose storage gear. Meanwhile the user holds the hose nozzle  28  from the hose  261  with another hand to water the lawn. Upon finish the watering, the user operates the rocker  233  of the operating member  23  for the reel  22  to wind up the hose  271  to retract the hose  271  to the hose storage gear while walking back to the house.  
      It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.  
      While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.