Patent Publication Number: US-2011062268-A1

Title: Retractable cable device having protecting function

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a receiving device of the communication cable, in particular to a retractable cable device having protecting function. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     With the advancement of the society and the novel technology of each passing day, electronic communication apparatus are extensively developed to provide people with convenient lives. The apparatus like PDA, cell phones, MP3, MP4, personal computers, and other computer peripheral equipment are all equipped with proper cables that contain USB or HDMI provided at the two ends thereof, so that the information could be communicated. However, the communication cable is often long, and the redundant cable is usually left on the floor or piled on the desk corner, hence incurring an untidy and disorderly arrangement that even occupies spaces. Moreover, the redundant cable is also prone to get entangled or damaged by the rude pulling and dragging force, which affects the communication efficiency and results in an impractical usage. 
     Several retractable cable devices have been already marketed for preferably achieving the object of effectively using and receiving the communication cable. The marketed retractable cable device substantially includes a housing, and a spool disk, a spiral spring, and an arresting system that are all installed within the housing. Wherein, the communication cable is received in the housing and wound around the spool disk. The spiral spring provides the spool disk with a reeling force, and the arresting system controls the reeling-in and reeling-out of the retractable cable device. Therefore, in using the communication cable, it can be pulled out and arrested until a needed length is reached; oppositely, when users do not need the communication cable, it can be completely received within the housing to accomplish the convenient storage and carrying efficiency. 
     Although providing users with the storage efficiency, the marketed retractable cable device still lacks the preferred applicable competence since it is deficient in its structural design and properties. Especially, the design of the marketed retractable cable device merely emphasizes the convenience of the reeling-in and reeling-out of the communication cable but neglects the protective design of the communication cable. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the fastening structure of the communication cable in the marketed retractable cable is usually achieved by a spool disk  30 ′ having an immovable clip  60 ′ installed thereon. Thereby, an inner winding of the communication cable would be clipped between the immovable clip  60 ′ and an outer wall of the spool disk  30 ′, and while the communication cable  50  stretches out of the immovable clip  60 ′, one end of which  501 ′ would be reversely bent as illustrated. However, in the practical application, the communication cable  50  is often entirely pulled out. Thus, after a long-term pulling and dragging of the product, the core of the communication cable is subjected to fracture, hence incurring an inferior communicative quality of the product. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a retractable cable device having protecting function that prevents the core of the communication cable from breakage via improving the fastening structure of the communication cable&#39;s inner winding so as to avoid an inferior quality of the product. 
     The present invention in conformity with the present invention applies the following techniques: 
     The present invention mainly comprises a housing, a spiral spring, a spool disk, an arresting system, and a communication cable. Wherein, the spool disk is pivoted on a shaft inside the housing, and the communication cable is wound around the spool disk. Moreover, one end of the spiral spring is coupled to the spool disk, and other end thereof is coupled to the shaft, so the spool disk is provided with a reeling force to retract the communication cable. A rotation of the spool disk is flexibly controlled by the arresting system to decide a protruding length of the communication cable. The spool disk further includes a swaying member installed thereon, and the housing further has a limiting ring installed thereon to limit the outward swaying scope of the swaying member. Wherein, a first end of the swaying member is vertically and pivotally coupled to the spool disk, thereby forming a fixed interval between the first end and an outer wall of the spool disk. Additionally, a second end of the swaying member is directed to a movable portion. Thereby, the communication cable passes through the fixed interval to be reversely bent at the second end so as to wind on the swaying member. 
     Preferably, the swaying member includes an inner portion and an outer portion integrally formed thereon, and the inner portion and the outer portion are connected at the second end by a smooth arc. 
     Preferably, the arresting system includes a movable engaging member and a plurality of limiting notches defined on the spool disk. Wherein, the limiting notches are defined on an upper end of the spool disk as well as evenly and compactly spread around the shaft, and each of which has its respective inward and upward cavity. Additionally, a locating ring is further disposed on a center of the upper end of the spool disk. Moreover, the movable engaging member includes an operating portion, an annular portion, an engaging portion, and a relocating portion integrally formed thereon. Wherein, the shaft is surrounded by the annular portion so as to define a lateral interval therebetween. The operating portion and the engaging portion are respectively and integrally connected to two opposite sides of the annular portion. The operating portion is upwardly protruded out of the housing, a middle portion of the operating portion is inserted in a transverse notch of the housing, a hook is downwardly extended from an extended tail of the engaging portion, and the hook is downwardly stretched into the limiting notch. The relocating portion is integrally, slantingly, and downwardly extended from a lower surface of the engaging portion, and the extended tail is elastically propped against an external portion of the locating ring. 
     Preferably, the upper end and a lower end of the outer wall of the spool disk respectively and integrally provide with an ear for the first end of the swaying member to be pivoted therebetween. 
     Preferably, the second end of the swaying member further installs a limiting structure to limit the moving scope of the communication cable. 
     Preferably, the limiting structure adopts a curve penetrating slot that is integrally formed on the swaying member for the communication cable to pass through. 
     Preferably, the limiting structure adopts a soft limiting member mounted on the second end of the swaying member, and the soft limiting member further provides with a curve penetrating slot for the communication cable to pass through. 
     Accordingly, the present invention performs preferable advantages and benefits. The present invention replaces the conventional immovable clip via the swaying member that is outwardly movable installed on the spool disk. By means of the swing of the swaying member, the bent angle of the communication cable at the second end can be increased, and the communication cable is subjected to a less sharp degree of bending. Therefore, the communication cable preferably avoids the damage and favorably becomes protected, especially for the core. Moreover, the arrest of the spool disk is accomplished via the cooperation of the movable engaging member and the circularly and densely spread limiting notches. Thus, the structure of the product could be more compact, and the brake performance of the spool disk could be greatly improved, which results in a more precise positioning control of the communication cable&#39;s stretching length and conduces to the using convenience. 
     The advantages of the present invention over the known prior arts will become more apparent to those of ordinary skilled in the art by reading the following descriptions with the relating drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view showing a conventional invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial exploded view showing the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial view showing the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view showing the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged view showing the movable engaging member of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded and enlarged view showing the spool disk and the swaying member of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view showing the present invention in time of operating, and the communication cable will be entirely pulled out as arrowed; 
         FIG. 9  is another schematic view showing the present invention in time of operating, and the communication cable is entirely pulled out; 
         FIG. 10  is an enlarged perspective view showing another swaying member of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded perspective view showing the swaying member adopting a soft limiting member. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 11 , the present invention mainly comprising a housing  10 , a spiral spring  20 , a spool disk  30 , an arresting system, and a communication cable  50 . 
     Wherein, the housing  10  includes an accommodation, at the center of which an upright shaft  11  is installed, and two output exits  12 ,  13  are respectively disposed at two opposite sides of the accommodation. 
     The spool disk  30  is mounted in the accommodation and is pivoted on the shaft  11  inside the housing  10 . Especially, the spool disk  30  further includes a swaying member  60  installed thereon. As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 7 , a first end  601  of the swaying member  60  is vertically and pivotally coupled to ears  33  that are laterally extended from the outer wall of the spool disk  30 , thereby forming a fixed interval  701  between the first end  601  and the outer wall of the spool disk  30 . Additionally, a second end  602  of the swaying member  60  is directed to a movable portion and is curvedly extended to surround the spool disk  30 . Preferably, the swaying member  30  includes an inner portion  61  and an outer portion  62  integrally formed thereon, and the inner portion  61  and the outer portion  62  are connected at the second end  602  by a smooth arc. 
     An inner winding of the communication cable  50  passes through the fixed interval  701  for being densely clamped and gets a reverse bent at the second end  602  for winding round the swaying member  60 . Thus, the communication cable  50  could surround the spool disk  30 . 
     The housing  10  further has a limiting ring  14  installed thereon to limit the outward swaying scope of the swaying member  60 . 
     One end of the spiral spring  20  is coupled to the spool disk  30 , and other end thereof is coupled to the shaft  11 , so the spool disk  30  is provided with a reeling force to retract the communication cable  50 . 
     A rotation of the spool disk  30  is flexibly controlled by the arresting system to decide a protruding length of the communication cable  50 . Substantially, the arresting system includes a movable engaging member  40  and a plurality of limiting notches  31  defined on the spool disk  30 . 
     Wherein, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the limiting notches  31  are defined on an upper end of the spool disk  30  as well as evenly and compactly spread around the shaft  11 , and each of the limiting notches  31  has its respective inward and upward cavity. Additionally, a locating ring  32  is further disposed on a center of the upper end of the spool disk  30 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 4 , the movable engaging member  40  includes an operating portion  41 , an annular portion  42 , an engaging portion  43 , and a relocating portion  44  integrally formed thereon. Wherein, the shaft  11  is surrounded by the annular portion  42  so as to define a lateral interval therebetween. The operating portion  41  and the engaging portion  43  are respectively and integrally connected to two opposite sides of the annular portion  42 . The operating portion  41  is upwardly protruded out of the housing  10 , a middle portion of the operating portion  41  is inserted in a transverse notch  15  of the housing  10 , a hook  45  is downwardly extended from an extended tail of the engaging portion  43 , and the hook  45  is downwardly stretched into the limiting notches  31 . The relocating portion  44  is integrally, slantingly, and downwardly extended from a lower surface of the engaging portion  43 , and the extended tail is elastically propped on an external portion of the locating ring  32 . 
     Before operation, the communication cable  50  is entirely received in the accommodation of the housing  10 . Moreover, the hook  45  of the movable engaging member  40  is inserted in the notches  31  to limit the rotation of the spool disk  30 . Especially, in view of the specific calculation and design of the inclined angle of the notches  31 &#39;s side walls and the engaging portion  43 &#39;s elastic deformation force, the hook  45  provides the spool disk  30  with an ideal limiting force via the limiting notches  31 . Wherein, the limiting force should be slightly larger than the maximum reeling force provided by the spiral  20 , so that the rotation of the spool disk  30  can be limited. As it should be, the limiting force should not be so large that users need not impart great effort to pull out the communication cable  50 . 
     When a certain length of the communication cable  50  is needed, users need to concurrently pull out the plug connectors (not shown) at the two ends of the communication cable  50 . If the pulling force is larger than the limiting force bestowed on the spool disk  30  by the hook  45  through the limiting notches  31 , the reeled communication cable  50  can be outwardly pulled to correspondingly bring the reverse rotation of the spool disk  30 . Herein, the hook  45  is throbbed between the notches  31 . 
     When users draw the communication cable with the desired length, the dragging force would be naturally released. Herein, since the outward dragging force is decreased or vanished, the hook  45  could be inserted into the limiting notches  31  again to limit the re-rotation of the spool disk  30 , so that the spool disk  30  would impede the reeling of the communication cable  50 , and the communication cable  50  could be fixed with a proper length. 
     When the communication cable  50  is entirely drawn out as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the swaying member  60  outwardly swings in accordance with the moving direction of the communication cable  50  until it props against the internal portion of the limiting ring  14 . 
     After using, if the partial or entire communication cable  50  needs to be reeled in, users needs to outwardly pull the operating portion  41  of the movable engaging member  40 , so that the entire movable engaging member  40  would laterally slide in one direction. Thereby, the hook  45  of the movable engaging member  40  would also be laterally slipped out of the limiting notch  31 , which counteracts the limiting force imparted toward the spool disk  30 . Herein, since the spool disk  30  is merely rotated by the single reeling force provided by the spiral spring  20 , the spool disk  30  could be speedily and reversely rotated to reel in the communication cable  50 . As to the swaying member  60 , it would inwardly swing in conformity with the movement of the communication cable  50  to resume its position. If the communication cable  50  is taken up to a certain length, the pulling force to the operating portion  41  is released. By means of the elastic relocation of the relocating portion  44  functioning on the movable engaging member  40 , the movable engaging member  40  could be inserted into the limiting notch  31  again to limit the rotation of the spool disk  30 , and the communication cable  50  would be suspended at the corresponsive protruding length. As it should be, if users keep outwardly pulling the operating portion  41 , the entire communication cable  50  could be reeled in the housing  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , preferably, the second end  602  of the swaying member  60  further installs a limiting structure to limit the moving scope of the communication cable  50 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , the limiting structure adopts a curve penetrating slot  63  that is integrally formed on the swaying member  60  for the communication cable  50  to pass through. Thereby, the limiting structure would force the communication cable  50  to steadily stay close to the second end  602  of the swaying member  60 . Therefore, the communication cable  50  would not be loosened to affect the regular reeling. 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , the limiting structure adopts a soft limiting member  80 , which is made of PVC or rubber, mounted on the second end of the swaying member  60 . Wherein, the soft limiting member  80  further provides with a curve penetrating slot  81  for the communication cable  50  to pass through. Preferably, the soft limiting member  80  not only forces the communication cable  50  to stay close to the second end  602  of the swaying member  60  but also provides with a shock absorption efficiency to protect the communication cable  50 . 
     To sum up, the present invention takes advantages of the swaying member  60  that is outwardly movable installed on the spool disk  30  to replace the conventional fastening structure provided by the immovable clip applied to the communication cable. By means of the movement of the swaying member  60 , the bent angle  501  at the second end  602  of communication cable  50  would be widened, so that the communication cable  50  is needless to be bent that sharp. Therefore, the communication cable preferably avoids the damage and gets favorably protected; the core contained therein is especially protected. Moreover, the arrest of the spool disk  30  is accomplished via the cooperation of the movable engaging member  40  and the circularly and densely spread limiting notches  31 . Thus, the structure of the product could be more compact, and the brake performance of the spool disk  30  could be greatly improved, which results in a more precise control of the communication cable  50 &#39;s stretching length and conduces to the using convenience. 
     While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.