Patent Publication Number: US-9403662-B1

Title: Retractable oxygen tube assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Field of the Disclosure 
     The disclosure relates to oxygen tube assemblies and more particularly pertains to a new oxygen tube assembly for providing an oxygen tube that can be safely retracted into and out of a housing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a housing and an aperture extending through the housing. A reel is positioned in an interior space of the housing. A hose has a first end coupled to the reel and a second end selectively extendable from the reel through the aperture in the housing. An oxygen port coupled to the housing is in fluid communication with the hose dispensing oxygen through hose. A motor is coupled to the housing and selectively engages the reel wherein the reel is rotated by the motor retracting the hose onto the reel when the motor is actuated. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a bottom side perspective view of a retractable oxygen tube assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a top side perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure in an open position and motor engaged position. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure in an open and motor disengaged position. 
         FIG. 5  is an electrical circuit diagram of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 5  thereof, a new oxygen tube assembly embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the retractable oxygen tube assembly  10  generally comprises a housing  12  having a bottom wall  14  and a perimeter wall  16  coupled to and extending from the bottom wall  14  defining in interior space  18  of the housing  12 . A top edge  20  of the perimeter wall  16  defines an opening  22  into the interior space  18  of the housing  12 . A lid  24  is pivotally coupled to the housing  12 . The lid  24  is pivotable between an open position  26  wherein the lid  24  permits access to the interior space  18  through the opening  20  and a closed position  28  wherein the lid  24  covers the opening  20  into the interior space  18 . At least one latch  30  is coupled to the housing  12 . The latch  30  selectively engages the lid  24  such that the lid  24  is held in the closed position  28  by the latch  30 . 
     An aperture  32  extends through the housing  12  and may more particularly extend through the perimeter wall  16  of the housing  12 . A reel  34  is coupled to the housing  12  and positioned in the interior space  18  of the housing  12  proximate the aperture  32 . A hose  36  has a first end  38  coupled to the reel  34 . The hose  36  is extended around the reel  34  wherein a second end  40  of the hose  36  is selectively extendable from the reel  34  through the aperture  32  in the housing  12 . Each of a plurality of rollers  42  may be coupled to the housing  12 . Each roller  42  may be elongated and substantially cylindrical. The rollers  42  are arranged coextensive with edges  44  of the aperture  32  wherein the rollers  42  reduce friction between the edges  44  of the aperture  32  and the hose  36  when the hose  36  contacts the edges  44  of the aperture  32 . 
     An oxygen port  46  is coupled to the housing  12 . The oxygen port  46  is configured for coupling to an oxygen source, such as an oxygen tank, by way of tubing or the like. Thus, oxygen is delivered through the oxygen port  46 . The oxygen port  46  is in fluid communication with the hose  36  wherein the hose  36  is configured for receiving oxygen into the hose  36  and dispensing oxygen through the second end  40  of the hose  36 . The second end  40  of the hose  36  may be coupled to a conventional mask or outlet positionable adjacent to or in one of more nostrils of a person requiring or desiring supplemental oxygen. The oxygen port  46  may extend through the bottom wall  14  of the housing  12 . The oxygen port  46  may include a circumferentially notched distal extent  82  designed to engage the tubing from the oxygen source. A panel  84  having a rectangular shape may be incorporated into the oxygen port  46  coplanar with the bottom wall  14  to prevent rotation of the oxygen port  46  relative to the bottom wall  14 . Fluid communication between the oxygen port  46  and the first end  38  of the hose  36  coupled to the reel  34  may be provided in a conventional manner such that rotation of the reel  34  is not restricted. 
     A motor  48  is coupled to the housing  12 . The motor  48  is selectively engageable to the reel  34  wherein the reel  34  is rotated by the motor  48  to retract the hose  36  onto the reel  34  when the motor  48  is actuated. Thus, the assembly  10  allows for use of a hose  36  have a long length permitting the person to move freely without having to also carry or transport the oxygen source. Retraction of the hose  36  onto the reel  34  prevents the hose  36  from tripping the person, snagging on objects, or the like, while the person remains in closer proximity to the housing  12  and oxygen source. 
     A tension mechanism  50  is coupled to the housing  12 . The motor  48  is coupled to the tension mechanism  50 . The tension mechanism  50  adjustably urges the motor  48  into abutment with the reel  34  wherein frictional engagement between the motor  48  and the reel  34  is adjusted by the tension mechanism  50 . The tension mechanism  50  may comprise a post  52 . The motor  48  is slidably coupled to the post  52  by way of a harness or seat  54  positioned proximate a first end  56  of the post  52 . A wing nut  58  or similar screw type block is coupled to the post  52  by threading  60 . The wing nut  58  is selectively positionable along a length of the post  52  a selectable distance from the first end  56  of the post  52 . A biasing member  62  is coupled to the post  52  extending between the wing nut  58  and the motor  48  such that adjustment of the wing nut  58  along the post  52  compresses or expands the biasing member  62  to vary resistance to sliding of the motor  48  relative to the post  52 . A frictional layer  64  or band may be coupled to a perimeter of the reel  34  to be contacted by the motor  48  facilitating frictional engagement of the motor  48  to the reel  34 . The tension mechanism  50  may be set to allow slippage between the motor  48  and the reel  34  such that the motor  48  is prevented from rotating the reel  34  when the hose  36  exerts resistance to being retracted beyond a desired threshold. The threshold may be set sufficiently low that the motor  48  will not forcefully detach the second end  40  of the hose  36  from a user, pull the user over, pull the housing  12  over, or the like. A tension arm  66  has a first end  68  pivotally coupled to the housing  12 . The tension mechanism  50  may be coupled to the tension arm  66 . A piston  70  is coupled to the housing  12  and the tension arm  66 . The piston  70  selectively pivots the tension arm  66  between a first position  72  and a second position  74 . The motor  48  engages the reel  34  in the first position  72  and the motor  48  is disengaged from the reel  34  in the second position  74  wherein the motor  48  is selectively engaged to and disengaged from the reel  34  by the piston  70 . 
     A remote control  76  may be provided and carried by a person using the assembly  10  to provide oxygen. The remote control  76  is communicatively coupled to the motor  48  wherein the motor  48  is selectively activated by operation of the remote control  76 . The remote control  76  may include an activation button  78  which causes the piston  70  to engage the motor  48  to the reel  34  while the motor  48  is activated. 
     Protection from excessive wear on the motor  48  or the abutting surface of the motor  48  and the reel  34  may be provided. A motion detector  80  may be coupled to and positioned in the housing  12  monitoring rotation of the reel  34 . The motion detector  80  is communicatively coupled to the motor  48  and the piston  70  wherein the piston  70  disengages the motor  48  from the reel  34  upon the motion detector  80  detecting a lack of rotation of the reel  34  while the motor  48  is activated. A first time delay mechanism  86  is operationally coupled to the motor  48  such that the motor  48  is prevented from being deactivated during an initial period of time when the motor  48  is first actuated. The initial period of time may be determined by a duration of time equivalent to permit one full rotation of the reel  34  while the motor  48  is actuated. A second time delay mechanism  88  is operationally coupled to the motor  48  in combination with the first time delay mechanism  86 . Each may be a form of relay in circuit with the motor  48  and piston  70  such that closing of the circuit through either of the first time delay mechanism  86  or the second time delay mechanism  88  is required to deactivate the motor  48 . The motion detector  80  may be operationally coupled to the second time delay mechanism  88  such that the motor  48  is prevented from being deactivated for a pre-determined time increment when the motion detector  80  detects continuing movement of the reel  34 . The pre-determined time increment may be a duration of time equivalent to one half rotation of the reel  34  while the motor  48  is actuated. The second time delay mechanism  88  is automatically reset upon expiration of each pre-determined time increment when the motion detector  80  detects continued motion at the expiration of an immediately prior time increment. Thus, the motor  48  will continue to retract the hose  36  onto the reel  34  so long as the motion detector  80  detects continued motion of the reel  34 . 
     In use, the assembly  10  allows for free extension of the hose  36  from the housing  12  through the aperture  32  permitting a user to move an extended distance from the housing  12 . When returning to a position near the housing  12 , the remote control  76  may be manipulated to engage the motor  48  to the reel  34 , retracting the hose  36  into the housing  12 . Frictional engagement of the motor  48  to the reel  34  is adjustable to permit slippage of the motor  48  relative to the reel  34  when excess tension is present in the hose  36 . Automatic deactivation of the motor  48  is provided for as described above when the reel stops moving due to excess tension in the hose  36 , which may be from snagging or full retraction of the hose  36 . 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.