Abstract:
A cable holder comprises a substantially hollow transparent plastic upper member, a substantially hollow plastic lower member and a retaining member forming a pair of grooves. Each groove holds a protruding cable terminal and section of cable when each end of cable is mounted in each groove. The retaining member fits with the substantially hollow upper or lower member in a recessed position when a user depresses the retaining member into the substantially hollow member.

Description:
DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART  
       [0001]     The need to permit digital electronic communication between two or more digital electronic devices and apparatus has rapidly growing in the past five years. To implement the digital electronic communication between the computers and the network, various communication protocols have been developed. Universal Serial Bus (USB) is one of the protocol interfaces being commonly adopted nowadays.  
         [0002]     Traditionally, computer cable packages such as USB cables, serial cables and phone cables were packaged in blister packages or plastic bags. Other disposable methods for packaging cables included hang tags and other packaging that included means for retail display of cable.  
         [0003]     A cable and the terminals at each end of the cable come in a wide variety and are difficult to distinguish. A purchaser often encounters a wide variety of seemingly similar cables. The similarity in packaging creates frustration and confusion.  
         [0004]     Unfortunately, frustrated consumers trying to purchase the correct cable type often purchase the wrong kind of cable and are frustrated in selecting from different kinds of cable. Oftentimes, the cable is hidden in an opaque container. Retail stores additionally have the problem of opened containers because of frustrated consumers who opened the containers in an attempt to verify the correct cable type. Many opened containers cannot be easily closed and cleaned up after a consumer opens the package. Some kinds of packaging such as blister packaging, cardboard boxes or plastic bags do not recover cosmetically after a consumer rips open the packaging.  
         [0005]     A consumer is also unable to use the packaging after purchase. The packaging can no longer store the cable once opened.  
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is a primary object of the invention to provide a reusable canister for holding a cable. It is a secondary object of the present invention to display cable terminals to a consumer shopper.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective exploded view of the present invention  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a diagram of the invention showing vertical cable storage  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a diagram showing helical cable storage  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the lower member  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the upper member  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of the upper member  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is a top of view of the upper member  
         [0014]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the lower member of second embodiment  
         [0015]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the upper member of second embodiment 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]     The present invention,  FIG. 1 , includes a pair of housing members joining to form a unitary housing for holding a cable. The hollowed upper member  150  and hollowed lower member  110  attach at a junction forming a housing. The cable is wound and held in the lower member. The opposite ends of the cable form terminal connections adapted to connect to electronic equipment. The pair of opposite ends of the cable is held in a retaining member  120  having a pair of grooves  122 . Each groove receives an end of cable and holds the terminal connection vertically for display in the transparent upper member.  
         [0017]     The lower member is transparent and allows viewing of the cable terminals. The upper member is preferably cylindrical forming a cover or upper cap showing the opposite ends of the cable. The transparent upper member and substantially hollow plastic lower member have a circular cross section. Alternatively, the transparent upper member and substantially hollow plastic lower member may have a rectangular or an oval cross section.  
         [0018]     The hollowed members are preferably thin walled and made of plastic material such as polypropelene or polystyrene material used in disposable plastic cups. The transparent upper member is made of a flexible plastio material. A transparent disposable plastic cup may be used for the upper member.  
         [0019]     The cable may be wound around the inside of the hollowed lower member. The retaining member is formed from a circular disk of cardboard stock punched to form a pair of grooves, which ca also be made of plastic. The retaining member is folded. The circular disk defines a cross section of the hollow inside wall of the lower member, where the periphery preferably matches the periphery of the inside of the lower member.  
         [0020]     The lower member may be formed of a vertical cross section increasing from the open end and diminishing to a closed end. The closed end cross section being smaller than that of the open end cross section.  
         [0021]     A cylindrical inside cross section retains by interference fit a circular disk of card stock having a size between the closed-end cross section and the larger open end cross section such that it falls down vertically to an equilibrium position when placed inside the hollow lower member. A user presses in the retaining member to form an interference fit.  
         [0022]     The ends of the cable holding the connector members are displayed in the transparent upper cover member. When a user places the ends of the cable in the grooves of the circular disk, the grooves retain the cable by interference fit. The cable when placed into the lower hollow member can be wound in a number of ways. The cable may be wound having an axis parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the canister. The cable may also be wound vertically traveling up and down parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the canister.  
         [0023]     The upper member can be formed to have a threaded portion to fit into a threaded portion formed on the lower member. The upper member and the lower member are formed to either threaded or, alternatively, snap together. A band of shrink wrap plastic can also be used around the interface periphery of the upper and lower member to retain the upper and lower member together.  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  The upper member threaded portion  152  and the lower member threaded portion  112  can be formed by thermoplastic deforming of the wall. The upper and lower members twist together to form a canister. The retaining member  120  fits into the inside of the lower member  110  and creates a platform capable of holding a USB cable between a groove  122  in the circular retaining member  120 . The circular shape platform  120  conforms to the inside of the lower portion  110 . The circular shape platform  120  can be constructed of cardboard. The cardboard conforms to the inside of the lower portion  110  when a user pushes the cardboard into the lower portion. When installed, the connector ends of the cable protrude upward from the retaining member.  
         [0025]     Alternatively, in  FIG. 8, 9 , the upper and lower members twist together to form a canister. The retaining member  120  fits into the inside of the upper member and creates a platform capable of holding a USB cable between a groove  122  in the circular retaining member  120 . The circular shape platform  120  conforms to the inside of the upper member. The circular shape platform  120  can be constructed of cardboard. The cardboard conforms to the inside of the upper member when a user pushes the cardboard into the upper member. When installed, the connector ends of the cable protrude upward from the retaining member. The retaining member can be made of a plastic spongy foam piece.  
         [0026]     The lower portion stores a cable. Cable has a first end and a second end. These terminals are displayed and held by the slot  122 . The transparent upper portion  150  displays the terminals so that a user may see the terminals without seeing the length of cable stored in the lower portion  110 .  
         [0027]     The cable can be wrapped as shown,in  FIG. 2 . Cable is often wound vertically and retained by a wire tie. In this case, a wire tie is not necessary. The cable can also be stored in a spiral as shown in  FIG. 3 . The spiral helix travels the length of the interior wall of the lower portion  110 .  
         [0028]     In  FIG. 4 , the side view shows that the formation of the wall is sufficient to form a helical thread.  FIG. 5  shows the same formation  152  in the upper portion  150 .  FIG. 6  shows the cross section of the upper portion  150 . The upper portion has a slot  154 ,  FIG. 7 , capable of retaining a planar tag  180 . The slot has a pair of through slots or holes  158  that protrude from the outside of the upper portion  150  to the inside of the upper portion  150 . The tag  180  has a pair of protrusions  182  that protrude through the through holes  158  and into the inside of the upper portion  150 . The protrusions retain the tag firmly against the top of the upper portion  150 . The tag  180  can be perforated so that a user can hang the entire device using the hangtag.  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  to  FIG. 7  display the preferred embodiment showing the radius of the opening of upper member is substantially larger than the opening of lower member. Alternatively from  FIG. 8  to  FIG. 9 , the housing members can be made as opposite, whereas the opening of the lower member is substantially larger than the upper member. In the alternative embodiment, the upper member and the lower member are formed to thread together, having the threaded portion of the upper member fit into the threaded portion formed on the lower member. The retaining member is inserted into the member having the smaller radius.  
       Call Out List of Elements  
       [0030]    
       
           110  Lower Member  
           112  Threaded Portion Of Lower Member  
           120  Retaining Member  
           122  Retaining Notch  
           150  Upper Member  
           152  Threaded Portion Of Upper Member  
           154  Through Slot  
           158  Slot For Holding Tag  
           180  Hang Tag  
           182  Hang Tag Protrusions  
           225  USB Cable