Patent Publication Number: US-2002001990-A1

Title: Electrical-cord retainer

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001] The invention pertains to the general field of electrical receptacles and electrical cords and more particularly to an electrical receptacle located within an electrical-cord retainer which allows access electrical cord to be wrapped around the retainer prior to plugging the cord plug into the receptacle.  
       BACKGROUND ART  
       [0002] There are two means by which electrically-powered devices can be supplied with power. The first is by use of a battery and the second is by plugging the device into a utility-power electrical receptacle located on walls throughout a structure.  
       [0003] Depending on what device is being used, a manufacturer will try to determine the necessary cord length, with one end of the cord attached to the device, and the other end attached to a plug. Some devices, such as vacuum cleaners, require substantially long cords, so as to facilitate the vacuum&#39;s movement throughout a room. Other devices, such as radios, have shorter cords, since it is anticipated that the radio will be placed close to an outlet.  
       [0004] Unfortunately, people often have other plans for the placement of their electrically-powered devices. Apparently, the manufacturers decided that it is better to provide the consumer with a longer cord than is necessary, as opposed to a cord that is too short. Some manufacturers do provide other means of varying cord length; the most popular is having a long length of cord that can extend out from, or retract into, the device. The use of these types of cords are limited though by space considerations—the device must have enough room to store a completely retracted cord. The most common use for these cords is on vacuum cleaners; it is simply not feasible to use them on most other devices.  
       [0005] As a result, there is usually a substantial amount of cord left in the way after a device is plugged in. In addition to being unsightly, the cords can become safety hazards, especially when left haphazard on the floor or ground. Obviously, it would be very beneficial to have a means by which excess power cord could be placed out of way in a safe and aesthetic manner.  
       [0006] A search of, the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention however, the following U.S. patents were considered related:  
                                                       U.S. PAT. NO.   INVENTOR   ISSUED                          5,934,919   Cross, et al   August 10, 1999           5,110,303   Hardy   May 5, 1992                      
 
       [0007] The 5,934,919 patent discloses a system for retaining a plug carried by a cord in a socket of an electrical receptacle. The system includes a plate mountable to the receptacle. The plate has opposed lugs on each side of the socket. The lugs form opposed slots to receive flanges formed on one end of resilient arms of a retainer. A retention device is formed near the other end of the arms to hold the cord. Deflectable tines are received in the opposed slots and shoulders extend from the top of the cover plate to engage a top edge of the lugs. In a second embodiment, a gap may be provided to separate each lug so that the system may be employed to cover just a single socket.  
       [0008] The 5,110,303 patent discloses an electrical cord retainer apparatus adapted for securing the interconnection of two or more electrical cords. The retainer includes a flexible housing fitted with a longitudinally non-stretchable retainer strip. The housing is adapted to be encased about a connection of electrical power cords and to provide a high coefficient of friction fit between the interior of the housing and the electrical cord plugs sufficient to retain those plugs in intercooperation notwithstanding the application of forces to the cords at a distant location. The housing is fitted with a connection structure such as a zipper which is adapted to close the housing about the structure of electrical cord for purposes of creating this friction union.  
       DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009] The electrical-cord retainer is designed to be used in combination with an electrical receptacle and an electrical cord. The cord can consist of a utility power cord that terminates with a plug or cords that are used with various electronic equipments that terminate with a specialized connector.  
       [0010] The basic design of the electrical-cord retainer is comprised of a molded integral unit consisting of a base that is surrounded by a perimeter channel. The channel boundary can be configured in various geometric designs such as a rectangle or a circle. The circle design is particularly suitable for commercial use where long lengths of cord are often used.  
       [0011] The base includes a means for attaching the electrical receptacle to the base. The means consists of an opening substantially centered on the base. Near the upper and lower edges of the opening is located a bore which is in alignment with a pair of receptacle mounting bores located on a pair of tabs extending from the upper and lower ends of the electrical receptacle. When a threaded bolt is inserted through each of the bore pairs the electrical receptacle is attached to the bore. When the bolt is further threaded into a pair of respective bores located on a junction box embedded within a wall structure, the electrical-cord retainer is attached to the wall. To complete the attachment of the retainer, a conventional wallplate having a centered bore is used. To attach the wallplate a threaded bolt is inserted through the wallplate and into a centered bore located on the electrical Receptacle.  
       [0012] The perimeter channel includes on its upper and side surfaces a plurality of cord retaining slots that can be randomly located. However, the slots are preferably located at 0°, 90°, 180° and 270° as referenced from a centered vertical line.  
       [0013] To utilize the electrical-cord retainer the excess portion of the electrical cord extending from an electrical appliance or an electronic unit is initially wrapped around the interior of the perimeter channel. When a practical, minimum cord length is reached, the cord is inserted into the nearest cord retaining slot, from the slot the cord is then inserted into the electrical receptacle.  
       [0014] In view of the above disclosure it is the primary object of the invention to provide an electrical-cord retainer which allows access cord to be wrapped around the electrical-cord retainer prior to being plugged into a wall receptacle.  
       [0015] In addition to the preferred object of the invention it is also an object of the invention to produce an electrical-cord retainer that:  
       [0016] can be produced in various colors to accent or compliment the decor of the room,  
       [0017] can be made in various geometric shapes and sizes to accommodate various types and lengths of electrical/electronic cords,  
       [0018] can be designed to fit various designs and types of receptacles and wallplates,  
       [0019] provides a safety factor in that excess cord is eliminated,  
       [0020] eliminates clutter and projects a neater, more aesthetic appearance,  
       [0021] is cost-effective from a manufacturing and consumer points of view.  
       [0022] These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0023]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rectangular electrical-cord retainer having a base with an opening dimensioned to accommodate a duplex utility power receptacle shown with a wallplate attached.  
     [0024]FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the electrical-cord retainer having a base with an opening dimensioned to accommodate a flush-mount utility-power receptacle shown attached without a wallplate.  
     [0025]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of an electrical-plug retainer which has a perimeter channel having a rediused upper center section.  
     [0026]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of an electrical-cord retainer which has a perimeter channel having a substantially square upper center section.  
     [0027]FIG. 5 is an elevational front view of circular electrical-cord retainer shown with an electrical cord wrapped around the perimeter channel, the cord inserted into one of the cord retaining slots and with the electrical cord plug inserted into an electrical receptacle.  
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION  
     [0028] The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of a preferred embodiment for an electrical-cord retainer which functions by allowing access electrical cord from an electrical appliance or an electronic unit to be wrapped around the retainer prior to attaching the cord plug into a power receptacle. The preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGS.  1 - 5 , is presented in terms of two design configurations: a square electrical-cord retainer and a circular electrical-cord retainer. Both designs of the retainer  10  are comprised of a single structure consisting of a base  12  having integrally attached a perimeter channel  22 .  
     [0029] The electrical-cord retainer  10  is designed to be used in combination with an electrical cord  60 , an electrical receptacle  68  and preferably a receptacle wallplate  82 .  
     [0030] Note that the reference to an electrical cord is intended to be generic to a utility power cord, which terminates with a utility power plug  62 , an electronic equipment cord which terminates with an electronic equipment connector  66 , a telephone cord or the like.  
     [0031] The electrical-cord retainer  10  is integrally molded preferably by an injection molding process of a plastic such as acrylic, phenolic, polyethylene or polyvinylchloride (FPVC). The plastic retainer can also be produced in a variety of colors and finishes and may include various indicia to enhance the aesthetics of the retainer. Additionally, the retainer can be produced in a transparent or translucent plastic to allow the finish of the wall, to which the retainer is attached, to be visible through the retainer  10 .  
     [0032] The baes  12 , as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and  3 , has an outer perimeter edge  14  and a substantially centered opening  16 . The opening, as best shown in FIG. 2, is dimensioned to substantially enclose the electrical receptacle  68  which can consist of a duplex receptacle  70 , as shown in FIG. 1, or a flush-mounted receptacle  72  as shown in FIG. 2. The base  12  also includes a means  18  for attaching the electrical receptacle  68  to the base  12 . The preferred attachment means  18  is by having the base  12  include a set of bores  20  that are in alignment with a set of receptacle mounting bores  74  located on a set of mounting tabs  76  projecting from the electrical receptacle  68  as shown in FIG. 2. When a threaded bolt  84 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, is inserted into the respective bores  20 ,  74  and threaded into a junction box (not shown) located within a wall structure the electrical-cord retainer is attached. To complete the attachment of the electrical-cord retainer  10 , the wallplate is placed over the electrical receptacle  68 . The wallplate is attached by inserting a threaded bolt through a center bore on the wallplate and into a centered threaded bore on the electrical receptacle  68 .  
     [0033] Integral to the base  12  is a perimeter channel  22 , as shown in FIGS.  1 - 5 . The perimeter channel  22  has an inner edge  24  that is molded integral with the outer perimeter edge  14  of the base  12 , an upper center section  26  and a downward extending outer edge  32  that terminates above the outer perimeter edge  14  of the base  12 . As best shown in FIG. 1, the area encompassing the outer perimeter edge  14  of the base and the inner edge  24  of the perimeter channel forms an inner extending cavity  34 . The cavity  34  is dimensioned to allow the electrical receptacle  68  and an attached wallplate  82  to be located within the confines of the cavity  34 .  
     [0034] The perimeter channel  22  can be designed with an upper center section  26  having a radiused surface  28  as shown in FIG. 3. Optionally, the upper center section  26  can be designed to have a substantially flat surface  30  as shown in FIG. 4.  
     [0035] The perimeter channel  22 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 also incorporates at least one cord retaining slot  38 . Preferably the channel  22  incorporates a plurality of slots  38  which can be located in a random pattern around the surface of the perimeter channel. For practical and aesthetic purposes the preferred count of cord retaining slots  38  is four. The four slots  38  are preferably located at 0°, 0°, 180° and 270° as measured from a vertical line taken across the middle of the retainer  10 .  
     [0036] The boundary  44  of the perimeter channel  22  can be configured in a number of geometric shapes  46 . Two of the preferred shapes is a rectangle  48 , as shown in FIG. 1 or a circle  50 , as shown in FIG. 5. The circular electrical-cord retainer  10  is particularly suited for industrial use. The industrial use utilizes a retainer having an outside diameter of approximately 10-inches (22.9 cm) which can accommodate a cord length of up to 30 feet (9 meters).  
     [0037] In whatever shape is utilized, the perimeter channel  22  is dimensioned to allow an excess length of the electrical cord  60 , connected to an electrical or electronic unit  80 , to be wrapped around the interior of the channel  22 . When a practical length is reached, the electrical cord  60  is inserted into one of the cord retaining slots  38  prior to inserting the cord plug  62  or connector  66  into the electrical receptacle  68 .  
     [0038] While the invention has been described in complete detail and pictorially shown in the accompanying drawings it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof. For example, the cord from an appliance or electronic equipment can be initially inserted into the perimeter channel and exit through a cord retaining slot, or the cord can initially be inserted into a first slot, then into the channel and exit through a second slot. Hence, it is described to cover any and all modifications and forms which may come within the language and scope of the claims.