Patent Publication Number: US-6991196-B2

Title: Storage device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to storage devices and more particularly to a storage device for storing and dispensing electrical wire. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   A well-known problem encountered by electricians and other electrical workers when dispensing electrical wire from a coil, such as ROMEX™ wire, is kinks, nicks, tears, knots, twists, etc. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,092 issued Apr. 24, 1973 to Marcell and U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,980 issued Aug. 17, 1976 to Marcell, this problem is resolved by using a wire reel having a base plate for supporting a coil of wire. A plurality of flexible lines are secured to the plate at points symmetrical arranged around the center of the plate that converge and are secured together and connected to a clip that may be hung on a hook for suspension from a rafter or pipe. The coils of wire to be dispensed by the Marcell reels rest upon the base plates. A plurality of handles is formed in the base plate for carrying the Marcell reels. Neither of the Marcell patents teaches storing small electrical supplies, such as twist-on wire fasteners, connectors, etc., commonly used by electricians and other electrical worker. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,032,102 issued Jun. 28, 1977 to Wolf et al. teaches a tray suspension means for hanging potted plants and such that provides for coupling modular configurations of trays with one tray suspended below another. The upper tray is provided with means for interlocking with couplers at one end of suspension members. The suspension members have a second end terminating in a hanger having a hook for rotatably suspending the tray. Additional suspension members are provided for further suspending additional trays. The suspension members are made of cloth, elastic material, plastic or even metal. 
   None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a storage device solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The storage device of the present invention is provided in the form of a reel for dispensing electrical wire. The reel includes a small disk at one end rotatably mounted to an eyebolt for suspension by hook from an overhead structure such as a rafter, pipe or the like. The small disk includes equidistantly spaced slots forming passages through the disk around the perimeter of the disk. 
   A second end of the reel is provided in the form of a thick circular disk having a plurality of recessed pockets symmetrically arranged around the center of the top face of the disk. Each pocket is provided with a divider dividing each pocket into a plurality of storage compartments and a lid covering the storage compartments. A plurality of equally spaced slots is provided adjacent the perimeter edge of the large disk. 
   One end of a flexible strap is secured within each slot of the large disk. A second end of the straps is provided with eyelets that are received around the shaft of the eyebolt after passage through the slots in the small disk. When the small disk with straps attached is passed through the center of a coil of electrical wire and the eyebolt connected for suspension from a ceiling structure, the coil of wire is supported upon the flexible straps of the reel above the top face. This unique arrangement allows for storing and dispensing wire from the reel and also the storing and dispensing of electrical supplies as desired. 
   Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a storage device in the form of a reel that allows for the storing and dispensing of electrical wire from the reel and also the storing and dispensing of electrical supplies as needed. 
   It is another object of the invention to provide a reel for convenient use by electricians and other electrical workers. 
   It is a further object of the invention to provide a storage device that enables users to be more productive and provide a better quality of work. 
   Still another object of the invention is to provide a storage device that lessens the chance of forming kinks, nicks, tears, knots and twists in the wire thus reducing wasted wire, time and electrical problems. 
   It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof 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. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a storage device according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the storage device with a coil of electrical wire rotatably supported thereon. 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the small disk assembly. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the small disk assembly taken along line  4 — 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the small disk assembly. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective of the tray of the storage device according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a top view of the tray according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of one of the tray of the storage device. 
   

   Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The present invention is provided in the form of a reel  30  for dispensing a coil  70  of electrical wire as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . One end of the reel  30  includes a small disk  32  a large disk  33  and a plurality of flexible straps  45  connecting the small disk  32  to the large disk  33 . Small disk  32  and large disk  33  may be formed from any suitable material. Preferably the disks are formed from wood, plywood or a durable hard plastic material. Flexible straps  45  are preferably formed from a durable canvas or nylon material. 
   As best seen in  FIGS. 2–5 , small disk  32  includes a central aperture  34  sized to rotatably receive the shaft  41  of eyebolt  40 . Disk  32  is rotatably mounted to the eyebolt  40  upon a washer  42  held on the shaft  41  of eyebolt  40  by a nut  43  for suspension by hook from an overhead structure such as a rafter, pipe or the like. The small disk  32  includes a plurality of slots  35  equally spaced along the perimeter of the disk  32  and passing through the disk  32 . 
   A second end of reel  30  is provided in the form of a large disk  33 . In the preferred form, disk  33  is formed of plywood, plastic or other suitable materials and includes a top layer  37  and a bottom layer  38 . A plurality of equally spaced slots  36  is provided through the top layer  37  of the large disk  33  adjacent the perimeter edge. 
   A plurality of recessed pockets  51  are symmetrically arranged around the center of the top face  50  of disk  33 . Each pocket  51  is provided with a plastic divider  52  dividing each pocket  51  into a plurality of storage compartments  55 – 57 . The divider has a base in the shape of pocket  51  and includes an arcuate wall  53  and a straight wall  54  connected to the center of the arcuate wall  53  to form interior compartments  55 – 57  within each pocket  51 . A hinge means is provided for pivotally connecting a compartment cover  60  to the inner wall of each pocket  51 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 6–8  where it is shown that in a preferred form, the hinge means are provided in the form of a pair of pivot pin receiving recesses  58  in top face  50  adjacent the sidewalls of each pocket  51 , and a pair of pivot pins  61  extending from opposite side edges at a pivot end of each plastic compartment cover  60 . Recesses  58  are constructed so that pins  61  are pivotally received in recesses  58  with a snap fit. Each cover  60  is provided with a cover latch  62  extending from a front edge of the cover  60 . Cover latch  62  is V-shaped in cross-section and is provided with a locking groove  63  and a finger tab portion  65 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 8 , a stepped recess  59  is provided in top face  50  of disk  33  for receiving the cover latch  62 . A locking tongue  64  protrudes outwardly from a first step of stepped recess  59  for engagement with locking groove  63  to securely lock cover  60  to disk  33  so as to be flush with top face  50 . When cover  60  is in the locked position, finger tab  65  lies upon the first step of stepped recess  59  in position to be easily manipulated by a finger to release latch  62  from recess  59  and pull cover  60  to an open position. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 7 , a plurality of equally spaced slots  36  is provided adjacent the perimeter edge of the upper layer  37  of large disk  33 . One end of each flexible strap  45  is passed through a corresponding slot  36  of layer  37  and is tacked and adhesively secured between layers  37  and  38  of disk  33 . The second ends of the straps  45  are provided with eyelets  46  and are passed through corresponding slots  35  in small disk  32 . The eyelets  46  are rotatably received around the shaft  41  of eyebolt  40  as best shown in  FIG. 5 . The ends of flexible straps  45  may also be tacked or adhesively secured within slots  35  and  36 . 
   To use the reel  30 , the small disk  32  with straps  45  attached to the eyebolt  40  is passed through the center of a coil  70  of electrical wire. The eyebolt  40  is connected to a hook or other means for suspension from a ceiling structure. The coil of wire  70  is supported upon the flexible straps  45  of the reel  30  above the top face  50  of large disk  33 . This unique arrangement allows for storing and dispensing electrical wire from the reel  30  and also the storing and dispensing of electrical supplies from the compartments  55 – 57  in large disk  33  as desired. 
   It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.