Patent Abstract:
A cord keeper strap is disclosed herein having an elongated flexible strap with resilient elastic properties and a plurality of holes along its longitudinal axis. Through employment of a selected hole a cincture can be made about a cord. Other selected holes may be employed by a button fastener and to secure bundled or coiled articles for storage.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    Not applicable.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    1. Field of Invention  
           [0003]    This invention relates to flexible band retainers; specifically, a means to keep electrical cords coiled or bundled up, and a means to secure male to female connections.  
           [0004]    2. Description of Prior Art  
           [0005]    In the past, attempts have been made to provide a means to keep or secure coiled or bundled electrical cord. U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,676 discloses a strap, which secures a bundled cord using hook latch material. However, this fastener is rendered ineffectual when it collects dirt and debris. U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,402 to Hamel, another strap type device, is for use exclusively on small tools and appliances. U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,005 reveals another strap type cord keeper with a cumbersome mechanism to cinch up the strap. A need has long existed to provide a simple cord keeper.  
           [0006]    A need has also existed for a means to keep secure the connection of male to female plug ends on electrical cords. Many contemporary patents that address this problem suffer from deficiencies and disadvantages. A keeper should have high retentive properties without requiring excessive accuracy of location. Some keepers heretofore known are very complicated for such a simple task. Many of these could cause damage to the electrical cord resulting in electrical short. A keeper should be made of nonconductive material as to be effectively insulated electrically.  
           [0007]    Examples of contemporary keepers which present some of the above mentioned problems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,690,476; 5,104,335; and 5,732,445.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0008]    In accordance with the present invention a cord keeper strap comprises a strap with elastic properties, a plurality of holes along the longitudinal axis thereof, and a button fastener.  
         OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES  
         [0009]    Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention:  
           [0010]    (a) to provide a simpler keeper that can be easily attached to a single strand of electrical cord;  
           [0011]    (b) to provide a keeper that by means of its resilient elastic character can be stretched around bundled or coiled strands of electrical cord, rope, hoses or the like, thereby securing said article for storage;  
           [0012]    (c) to provide a keeper which can be used to secure the connection between male and female plug ends on electrical cords;  
           [0013]    (d) to provide a keeper suitable for securing unwanted slack in electrical cords on household appliances, and;  
           [0014]    (e) to provide a keeper suitable for securing the bundled cord of a small tool or appliance to said article. 
       
    
    
     DRAWING FIGURES  
       [0015]    In the drawings a closely related figure has the same number and an alphabetic suffix.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cord keeper strap.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a button fastener.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2A is a plan view of a button fastener.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a cord keeper strap attached to a typical electrical cord.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a cord keeper strap in a typical application securing a coiled electrical cord.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cord keeper strap securing the male to female connection of electrical cords.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cord keeper strap securing a bundled electrical cord.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a cord keeper strap securing a bundled cord to a tool. 
     
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS  
       [0024]    [0024]                                               10   cord keeper strap   12   round hole       14   cross shaped hole   16   slotted hole       18   billet end of strap   20   head of button fastener       22   circular flange   24   base of button fastener       26   shank of button fastener   28   electrical cord       32   male electrical cord plug   34   female electrical cord plug       36   tool (drill motor)                    
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0025]    A preferred embodiment of the present invention the cord keeper strap is illustrated in FIG. 1. The strap  8  is composed of a flexible and elastic material, preferably, fabricated from a suitable grade of rubber or plastic, to achieve the desired elasticity. The strap  8  has a plurality of holes aligned along the longitudinal axis. Round hole  12  is designed to accept the button fastener as illustrated in FIG. 2. Head  20  and shank  26  can be forcibly inserted through hole  12  by means of the strap material surrounding the hole yielding to the thrust of insertion. The base  24  comes to rest against said strap while circular flange  22  is seated in hole  12 . The diameter of circular flange  22  is slightly greater than the diameter of hole  12  to ensure a proper seating abutment.  
         [0026]    As illustrated in FIG. 3, while base  24  rests against cord  28 , cross shaped hole end of strap is wound part way around cord  28 . Billet end  18  is passed through cross shaped hole  14  thus encircling cord  28 . Furthermore, since the composition of the strap is substantially elastic, flexible and resilient, by stretching and pulling a tight cincture can be made about cord  28 .  
         [0027]    As illustrated in FIG. 4, once a cincture has been made and strap  10  is attached to cord  28 , the remainder of strap  10  can be stretchably wrapped around the whole of coiled cord  28 . After wrapping cord  10  one or more times around said coiled cord  28 , select an appropriate slotted hole  16  as to provide a tight cincture, and pull said hole over head  20 . Allow the elastic properties of the strap to pull the slotted or narrower end of hole  16  against shank  26  completing a cincture and securing cord  28  for stowage.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 5 illustrates another application of the present invention. While strap  10  is already affixed to the male end  32  of an electrical cord, and the male end  32  to female end  34  connection is made with another cord, it is desirable to keep that connection secure. Strap  10  can be stretchably wrapped around and over female plug end  34  and accompanying cord  28  one or more times, configuration is determined by the size and shape of said plug ends  32  and  34 . Select an appropriate hole  16  and by pulling it over button head  20 , as described above, said male to female connection will be held secure.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. The cord keeper strap can be wholly smaller yet proportionately the same. In this embodiment the base  24  and flange  22  may be molded as part of strap  10  leaving only shank  26  and head  20  outwardly exposed. In this application a bundled electrical cord  28  can be secured by using the same method as described for FIG. 4. Since cincture to any electrical cord is not restricted by excessive accuracy of location the same method of securing can be used on a bundle of slack anywhere on the length of said electrical cord.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 7 illustrates another application of the present invention. A bundled electrical cord  28  with affixed cord keeper strap  10  can be secured to its host tool  36  or small appliance. While holding said bundled cord  28  against a suitable part of tool  36 , the strap  10  is stretchably wrapped around both cord  28  and the suitable part of tool  36 . Select a proper hole  16  and pull it over button head  20 . The tool and cord are now ready for storage.  
         [0031]    In view of the forgoing, it can be seen that the present invention provides an improved cord keeper. By means of its resilient elastic character the cord keeper strap is an effective and useful tool for securing electrical cords and like articles in many applications.  
         [0032]    While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described some changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of the present invention. Therefore, it is the aim of the appended claims to cover all such embodiments.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8