Abstract:
Taught is a powered fish tape having an integrated electric rewinding mechanism that winds a tape onto a rotating reel using an electric motor. A cross-member is mounted to the rotating reel. A flexible shaft and a mechanical clutch couple the cross-member to the electric motor. The powered fish tape is beneficially powered by a rechargeable battery.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     There are currently no applications co-pending with the present application. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The presently disclosed subject matter is directed towards electrician fish tapes. More specifically, the present invention relates to fish tapes having motor-driven rewinding mechanisms. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Having the proper tools is critical to a job that is well done. Those who perform physical labor can readily attest that the proper tools can save time and money, produce a higher quality job, increase safety, and reduce damage to equipment and to the job site. 
     Each field of work has its own specialty tools that perform specialized tasks. Electricians and their helpers often face the specialized but common task of pulling wires or cables through conduits, wall cavities, ceiling cavities, and the like. To do so electricians often employ a fish tape (sometimes called a draw wire or draw tape). A fish tape is a thin, flattened, relatively rigid, continuous steel band that can be pushed and guided (fished) through conduits, wall cavities, ceiling cavities, and the like. Once the end of the fish tape is through, wires or cables are attached to the exposed end. The fish tape is then pulled back through the conduits, wall cavities, ceiling cavities and the like along with the attached wires or cables. When the ends of the wires or cable are exposed they are removed from the fish tape and electrically connected. This process can be repeated as many times are required. 
     Fish tapes work very well and have been successfully used around the world for many decades. The are tough, rugged, long lasting, easy to use, relatively low in cost, are capable of being used by one person (albeit two (2) people make most jobs much easier). Furthermore, as almost all fish tapes are stored coiled on a reel, hundreds of feet of fish tape can be easily carried and used by unwinding the fish tape from the reel. But, therein lies probably the biggest problem with fish tape. After the fish tape is used and the wire or cable has been pulled there can be literally hundreds of feet of a continuous steel band lying around. 
     Re-spooling hundreds of feet of fish tape can be both tiring and time consuming. Do it several times a day and your arms and hands can hurt and you lose valuable productive time. Therefore, a need exists for a technique that enables easy and quick rewinding of fish tapes onto reels. Beneficially, such rewinding can be done at reasonable cost by a single person. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The principles of the present invention provide for a mechanism that can easily and quickly rewind a fish tape onto a reel. Beneficially, those principles can be implemented at reasonable cost and in a manner that enables a single person to rewind the fish tape. 
     A powered fish tape in accord with the principles of the present invention has an annular hollow hub with an inner perimeter that is formed by a centrally-located, disc-shaped rotating member. The hub includes an opening into its interior. An elongated tape connects at one (1) end to the rotating member and also passes out of the opening. A cross-member attaches to the rotating member such that the rotating member rotates when the cross-member rotates. The cross-member includes a centrally located cross-member driver with a shaft. A motor is coupled to a chuck. A flex drive extension with a coupler driver at one (1) end and a socket at the other is configured such that when the coupler driver rotates the socket also rotates. The chuck connects to the coupler driver while the socket connects to the shaft. When the motor turns the chuck turns the flex drive extension which turns the cross-member which causes the tape to wind onto the rotating member. 
     Preferably the powered fish tape including a handle that is integrally molded with the hub. The handle beneficially includes a handle grip and a trigger that locks the tape in position. Usefully, at least part of the motor is inside the handle. In practice the motor will be battery-powered. For convenience the battery should form part of an outer surface of the handle. A switch can selectively electrically connect the battery to the motor. The elongated tape should be a thin, flattened, relatively rigid, continuous steel band. The flex drive extension should be removable and of the type that has a rotatable flexible steel cable. To assist a user handle the flex drive a socket grip should be located adjacent the socket. 
     To reduce operational problems a clutch adjustment preferably couples the motor to the chuck. The clutch adjustment should be used to control the maximum torque that can be applied to the cross member. A plurality of fasteners that pass through apertures can be used to attach the rotating member to the cross-member. While other shapes are possible a square coupler driver is useful. The powered fish tape can further include a battery charger. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like elements are identified with like symbols and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a powered fish tape  10  that is in accord with the principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a housing  20  of the powered fish tape  10  depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the housing  20  shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a side, partially broken-away view of the housing  20  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ; and, 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a coupler  40  used in the powered fish tape shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
     
         
         
           
               10  powered fish tape 
               20  housing 
               21  hub 
               22  rotating member 
               23  cross-member 
               24  cross-member driver 
               25  fasteners 
               26  handle 
               27  handle grip 
               28  trigger 
               29  battery 
               30  switch 
               31  opening 
               32  steel tape 
               33  motor 
               34  clutch adjustment 
               35  chuck 
               36  cross-member aperture 
               37  reel aperture 
               38  electrical contacts 
               40  coupler 
               41  coupler driver 
               42  flex drive extension 
               43  socket 
               44  socket grip 
               50  charger 
               51  power cord 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1 through 5 . However, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment, and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention, and that any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. 
     The preferred embodiment of present invention is herein depicted using  FIGS. 1 through 5 . Those principles provide for a powered fish tape  10  that assists electricians or similar professionals in routing electrical wire through conduit, cavities, or other openings. The powered fish tape  10  is similar to common electrician fish tapes, yet includes enhanced features that make the powered fish tape  10  easier and faster to use. 
       FIG. 1  presents a perspective view of a preferred embodiment powered fish tape  10 . The powered fish tape  10  has a housing  20  comprising a hollow annular hub  21  and a handle  26 . The housing  20  enables a user to handle, use, wind, and unwind an elongated steel tape  32 . The powered fish tape  10  also comprises an attachable coupler  40  that is used for rewinding the steel tape  32  using a motor  33  (see  FIG. 4 ). The powered fish tape  10  is used in a conventional manner to unwind the steel tape  32  and to fish it into a desired location. The motor  33  and coupler  40  can then be used to re-wind the steel tape  32 . 
     Refer now as required to  FIG. 2 , an exploded perspective view of the housing  20 ; to  FIG. 3  another perspective view of the housing  20 ; and to  FIG. 4  a side, partially broken-away view of the housing  20 . The housing  20  includes the hollow annular hub  21  that forms a space for storing the steel tape  32 . The hub  21  is beneficially fabricated from a durable plastic. The hub  21  includes both a centrally-located, disc-shaped rotating member  22  that forms its inner perimeter and an opening  31  that enables access to the hub interior. A length of steel tape  32 , preferably made from spring steel or a similar material, is wound (coiled) around and connected at one (1) end to the rotating member  22 . The other end of the steel tape extends from the opening  31 . The steel tape  32  can be unwound and re-wound through the opening  31  from and onto the rotating member  22 . 
     A cross-member  23  is attached to the rotating member  22  to enable connecting the rotating member  22  to the coupler  40 . The cross-member  23  is preferably fabricated from a durable metal, yet other materials may be utilized without limiting the scope of the invention. The cross-member  23  is beneficially attached to the rotating member  22  by inserting fasteners  25  through cross-member apertures  36  and into reel apertures  37 . The rotating member  22  rotates when the cross-member  23  rotates. A side surface of the cross-member  23  includes a cross-member driver  24  which is comprised of a rectangular shaft which engages a socket  43  (see  FIG. 5 ) of the coupler  40 . This enables rotating motion to be applied to the rotating member  22  and to the cross-member  23  as is subsequently described. 
     The handle  26  is beneficially integrally molded with the hub  21 . The handle  26  provides gripping surfaces that enable easy handling of the powered fish tape  10 . The handle  26  includes an intermediately positioned ergonomic handle grip  27  that is used for grasping and holding the housing  20 . An underside surface of the handle  26  includes a protruding trigger  28  which locks or secures the steel tape  32  in position. An upper portion of the handle  26  includes a rechargeable battery  29  that provides current through a switch  30  to the motor  33 . The battery  29  is recharged as needed with a charger  50  (see  FIG. 1 ). The charger  50  includes a power cord  51  which enables the charger  50  to be inserted into a common household circuit. The battery  29  beneficially slides into place to engage the upper surface of the handle  26  and secures via a snap fit to engage a pair of electrical contacts  38 . This helps maintain a contoured outer profile of the handle  26 . The contacts  38  electrically interconnect the battery  29  to the switch  30  and to the motor  33 . 
     An upper surface of the handle  26  includes a switch  30  which selectively activates and deactivates the motor  33 . The switch  30  is depicted as a toggle switch, yet other devices may also be used. The switch  30  is electrically interconnected by electrical wire  39  to the motor  33  and to the contacts  38 . The motor  33  is beneficially housed within the handle  26  and provides the powered fish tape  10  with a force to rotate the cross-member  23 . The motor  33  is preferably a 12-volt direct current (DC) electric motor. The motor  33  connects to a clutch adjustment  34  that enables a user to adjust the maximum torque that can be applied to the cross-member  23 . The clutch adjustment  34  includes a chuck  35  that engages and secures a coupler driver  41  (see  FIG. 5 ) of the coupler  40 . The chuck  35  utilizes common methods to retain sockets upon ratchet devices such as a spring-loaded ball bearing; hog ring connector; or the like. 
       FIG. 5  presents a perspective view of the coupler  40  which is used to rotate the cross-member  23 . The coupler  40  includes the coupler driver  41 , a flex drive extension  42 , and a socket  43 . The coupler driver  41  inserts into the chuck  35  as abovementioned. The coupler driver  41  is depicted as a common square driver, yet it is known that other drivers also may be used. The coupler driver  41  is integral to one (1) end of the flex drive extension  42 . The flex drive extension  42  is beneficially of the type comprised of an inner flexible steel cable that rotates inside an outer shell. The coupler  40  extends from the chuck  35  to the cross-member driver  24 . Opposing the coupler driver  41  is a socket  43  which accepts the cross-member driver  24  on the cross-member  23 . Encompassing the socket  43  is a rubberized ergonomic socket grip  44  which a user grasps during use. When the chuck  35  is turned by the motor  33  the flex drive shaft causes the cross-member  23 , and thus the rotating member  22  to turn. That causes the steel tape  32  to wind onto the rotating member  22 . 
     It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the powered fish tape  10  it would be installed as indicated in  FIG. 1 . 
     The method of installing and utilizing the powered fish tape  10  may be achieved by performing the following steps: acquiring the powered fish tape  10 ; charging the battery  29  with the charger  50  as needed; engaging the battery  29  onto the handle  26 ; unwinding a desired length of fishing tape  32 ; engaging the coupler device  41  into the chuck  35  and engaging the socket  43  to the cross member driver  24 ; and, activating the motor  33  with the switch  30  as needed to rotate the rotating member  22  and wind the fishing tape  32 . 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention and method of use to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions or substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but is intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.