Patent Publication Number: US-7222811-B2

Title: Positioning device of a dual direction cable reel

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (a) Technical Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to positioning device, and in particular, positioning device of a cable reel for cable retraction. 
     (b) Description of the Prior Art 
     Conventionally, the extended cable used in computer is either folded or simply clustered around the PC. This will cause a safety in transmission and the quality of transmission. Thus, in order to obtain highest quality of transmission and highest efficiency of transmission, it is important that the coiled cable or transmission cable should be properly coiled or handled. 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  show a conventional cable reel A 10  including a front cover A 1 , a spring A 2 , a sliding seat A 3 , a transmission cable A 4 , a positioning bead A 5  and a rear cover A 6 . The spring A 2  retracts the transmission cable A 4  and a positioning mechanism is a steel bead A 5  to position the cable A 4 . In order to allow the positioning of the steel bead A 5 , the bottom section of the sliding seat A 3  is provided with a plurality of steel bead rail A 31  so that the steel bead A 5  could be adapted onto the rail A 31 . However, the design of the rail is difficult and the assembly of the components is troublesome. Further, if the gap of the rail A 31  is too large, or damaged, it posses its functionality. As a result, conventional cable reel A 10  sometimes disengaged and could not be positioned. Conventional cable reel provides one time cable retraction and it could not have multiple stage cable retraction. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a positioning device of a dual direction cable reel, which overcomes the above drawbacks and short comings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a positioning device of a dual-direction cable reel having a top cover, a pad, a reeling disc top cover, a reeling disc, a lead wire, a spring, a bottom cover and positioning member, characterized in that the reeling disc and the positioning element mounted at the outer side of the bottom cover alternately interact to achieve a positioning function, wherein the positioning element includes a peg and a pulling spring and the peg is pivotally mounted to the peg at the outer edge of the bottom cover, and the rear direction is a pulling spring to provide correct direction, and can swing in accordance with the operational rails at the bottom section of the reeling disc to provide an alternate engaging and disengaging swinging action, and the functional rails include a pushing section, a second pushing section, a direction-rotating section, an engaging slot and a stopping leading face, wherein the pushing section is a protruded section of the rail, allowing the peg to be pushed at a larger angle so that the peg will fully disengage from engaging mechanism, a second pushing section positioned at the rear direction of the pushing section so that the peg is again pushed to a larger angle to disengage from the engaging mechanism; a direction-rotating section is a recessed section at the rail allowing the peg to be reversed to an engaging corner awaiting reverse rotation to have an engaging mechanism; an engaging slot which is mounted at the rear direction of the pushing section which allows the peg after reverse rotation to be engaged; and the sloping leading face is positioned on the rail to lead the peg into the engaging slot or the pushing section and the peg to implement exact engaging or disengaging mechanism. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a positioning device of a dual direction cable reel, which allow an appropriate length being retracted or extended to be positioned. 
     Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a positioning device of a dual direction cable reel, wherein the extension or retraction of cable can be achieved by one action or by multiple-stage. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a positioning device of a dual direction cable reel, wherein the positioning of cable at an appropriate length is accurate. 
     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 a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the positioning device of a dual direction cable reel of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the reeling disc rail and the positioning structure of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 5 to 9  show schematic views of the reeling disc and the positioning structure in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a conventional exploded view of the steel bead positioning cable reel. 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic view showing the bottom section of the sliding seat of the conventional bead positioning cable reel. 
     
    
    
     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. 1 ,  2  and  3 , there is shown a positioning device of a dual direction cable reel comprising a top cover  1 , a pad  2 , a reeling disc top cover  3 , a reeling disc  4 , a coiled cable  5 , a spring  6 , a bottom cover  7 , and a positioning member  8 . The center of the spring  6  is connected to the engaging slot  12  of the center shaft  11  of the top cover  1 . The outer end  61  of the spring  6  is engaged with the engaging slot  41  of the reeling disc  4 . When the reeling disc  4  rotates clockwise or anti-clockwise, the spring  6  within the reeling disc  4  will either become taut or loosen. The tautness of the spring  6  provides a retraction force to the cable reel. 
     A clipping plate  42  is provided to the edge wall of the reeling disc  4  and the coiled cable  5  is led via the corresponding slit  421 . The coiled cable  5  is led to the outer edge of the reeling disc  4 , and the middle section of the coiled cable  5  is guided along the clipping plate  42  and the opening  422  to wind onto the reeling disc  4 . An upper and lower frame position divide the coiled cable  5 . 
     In accordance with the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the positioning member  8  includes a peg  81  and a pulling spring  82 , and the peg  81  is pivotally mounted to a positioning peg  71  at the outer side of the inner edge of the bottom cover  7 . The pulling spring  82  is pulled to keep the peg  81  at a correct direction. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the bottom section of the reeling disc  4  is provided with a plurality of functional rails  43  which include a pushing section  431 , a second pushing section  431 - 1 , a direction-changing section  432 , an engaging slot  433  and a sloping leading face  434 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the peg  81  has a large angle inclined upward, following the direction of rotation and will not generate engaging action. The peg  81  has a coiled cable  5  being pulled out from a related position of the peg  81 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , when the cable reel is loosened, the spring  6  restores its power and the reeling disc  4  rotates in a counter clockwise. At this instance, the peg  81  is led to the engaging slot  433  and the cable reel has a positioning function. In particular, the engaging positioning is tangential to the bottom cover peg  71 , the peg  81 , and the peg  81  is fully engaged without swinging. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , when the peg  81  is loosened, the engaged cable reel is pulled and the reeling disc  4  rotates in a reverse direction. The corresponding peg  81  moves along the leading face  434  into the pushing section  431  so that the peg  81  is rapidly pushed. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the second pushing section  431 - 1  causes the peg  81  to form a large angle to enter the range of the direction-rotating section  432 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , at this instance, the cable reel is at a loosening status, and therefore, the coiled wire  5  retracted back at one retraction of the spring. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , when the retraction is to be subsequently made, before the coiled cable  5  is retracted, the coiled cable  5  is pulled once again, and the coiled cable  5  rotates in a reverse direction about the reeling disc  4 , and at this instance the peg  81  being limited by the direction-rotating section  432  to reverse the direction of the peg, the peg  81  is at a status shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , which shall be engaged by the engaging slot  433  if it rotates in a reverse direction. 
     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.