Patent ID: 8225433

Claim:
An apparatus for minimizing entanglement and bunching of a retracting or extending elongate unit, the apparatus comprising: a support unit; and a moving unit, the moving unit being adapted and constructed to allow the flexible elongate unit to be movably supported thereon, said moving unit comprising a plurality of rollers each having at least one groove, said plurality of rollers being rotatably supported by the support unit and adapted to slidably rotate around an outer circumference of the support unit in response to any forces provided by the elongate unit when being retracted or extended, to minimize entanglement and bunching, said apparatus including guide unit including guard or elongate unit retainer such that the elongate unit is not able to jump from the groove of each roller, wherein the support unit includes a first shaft having a length, each roller is in a substantially perpendicular orientation with respect to the first shaft and is able to move parallel to the length of the first shaft, the plurality of rollers are shaped to allow the flexible elongate unit on each roller to be rotatably supported thereon, and the plurality of rollers are slidably supported on the first shaft, the first shaft being stationary.