Patent Publication Number: US-2007108334-A1

Title: Cord reel

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      Japan Utility Model (Registered) 3121865  
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
      Not Applicable  
     REFERENCE TO MATERIAL SUBMITTED SEPARATELY  
      Not Applicable  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      When the cord of any type of headphone or earpieces for a mobile telephone or portable sound device is wound around a cord reel that employs a take-up system with a hook attached to a bobbin core that snags the center of a cord for winding, such as that described in Japan Utility Model (Registered) 3119484, for example, in order to wind two cords together the gap between the winding cords becomes larger and part of the wound cord becomes thicker. This restricts such a take-up system to cords of very short length. Basically, cord reels of portable devices should be downsized and made of lighter materials, but the efficiency of the abovementioned device is poor, making a mechanism that should be downsized larger than it should be and not easy to use.  
      Also, the cord hook attached to the core of the bobbin is a projection that snags the cord as the bobbin rotates in one direction or is directionless. For this reason, if the direction of winding is reversed the device cannot wind and the cord can easily come off the bobbin. Therefore, the configuration of such a device makes the cord reel difficult to use.  
      At present there is no concept for a cord reel that employs a take-up system with a hook attached to the core of the bobbin to snag the center of the cord winding that can reduce the size of the useless gap at the center of the cord and can improve the efficiency of winding.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      [Purpose] 
      The invention is designed to improve the efficiency of the cord winding system with a bobbin in a take-up wherein the center of the cord is snagged by a hook attached to the core of the bobbin that prevents the cords from tangling. Also, the hook on the core of the bobbin is a projection shaped like a bar that can hook the cable in one direction. The mechanism is difficult to use because the method of winding is fixed in one direction.  
      [Method] 
      The center of the core ( 2 ) inside the core reel ( 1 ) is divided into two parts by attachment of a circular-shaped separator ( 3 ). The partial cutout of the circular separator ( 3 ) functions like a hook ( 4 ). As the shape of the cutout is vertically symmetrical, the winding direction of the cord ( 5 ) is not fixed and the reel can wind in either direction. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
      Cord Reel With a Separator Attached to the Core 
      ( 1 ) Cord Reel     ( 2 ) Core     ( 3 ) Separator     ( 4 ) Hook     ( 5 ) Cord    

    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      [Problem to Be Solved] 
      The invention is designed to improve the efficiency of the cord winding system by preventing the cords from tangling by employing a bobbin in a take-up wherein the center of the cord is snagged by a hook attached to the core of the bobbin.  
      Also, the hook on the core of the bobbin is a projection shaped like a bar that can hook the cable in one direction. The mechanism is difficult to use because the method of winding is fixed in one direction.  
      [Means to Solve the Problem] 
      A separator, attached to the center of the bobbin and shaped like a circular plate, divides the center of the cord reel into two parts so the wound cord can be divided into two parts (left and right) as it is taken up.  
      Also, around the edge of the circular core there left and right cutouts that functions as hooks.  
      The implementation of this invention will make it possible to divide a snagged cord into to parts as it is wound, eliminate tangling, and improve the efficiency of cord winding.  
      Also, by using either the left or right cutout as a hook to snag the cord for winding, there is no need to limit the direction of winding.  
     IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION: EXAMPLE  
      The center of the core ( 2 ) inside the core reel ( 1 ) is divided into two parts by attachment of a circular-shaped separator ( 3 ). The partial cutout of the circular separator ( 3 ) functions like a hook ( 4 ). As the shape of the cutout is vertically symmetrical, the winding direction of the cord ( 5 ) is not fixed and the reel can wind in either direction.