Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation application of application Ser. No. 12/100,413 filed Apr. 10, 2008 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,701,086, now allowed, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present inventive concept relates to an extension cord with an integrated remote control. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Remote control power cords are known in the art. For example, see West, U.S. Pat. No. D411,169. One disadvantage to this type of device is that it may be easy for the user to lose the remote control. 
     What is needed is a remote control extension cord which has a mechanism to discourage the loss of the remote unit. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an aspect of the present general inventive concept to provide an improved remote control extension cord. 
     The above aspects can be obtained by an apparatus that includes (a) a plug connected to a first end of a cord; (b) a base attached to an intermediate portion of the cord, the base comprising a housing unit adapted to removably receive a remote control; and (c) a plurality of extension sockets attached to a second end of the cord; (d) wherein the remote control controls power to the plurality of extension sockets. 
     These together with other aspects and advantages which will be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a top view of a remote control; 
         FIG. 1B  is a top view of the extension cord; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the remote control and extension cord; 
         FIG. 3  is an orthogonal view of the remote control outside of the extension cord; and 
         FIG. 4  is an orthogonal view of the remote control inserted inside the extension cord. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. 
     Embodiments of the invention relate to an extension cord which is operated by a remote control, and a housing attached to the extension cord which is used to house the remote control. By locating the housing on the extension cord itself, and adapting the housing to securely, but removably, receive the remote control, a user would be less likely to lose the remote control. 
       FIG. 1A  is a top view of a remote control. 
     A remote control unit  100  is used to turn on/off power to sockets  108  (not pictured in  FIG. 1A ). 
       FIG. 1B  is a top view of the extension cord. 
     A plug  104  is plugged into an electrical outlet (not pictured), typically located on a wall. A first section of a power cord  106  connects the plug  104  to a base  102 . The base  102  is used to house the remote control unit  100 . The base comprises a hollow portion  101  inside the base which is sized to receive the remote control unit  100 . The hollow portion  101  also comprises a housing floor  103 , which is a surface that is recessed below an outer surface of the base  102 . When the remote control unit  100  is inserted into the hollow portion  101 , the remote control unit  100  will rest on the housing floor  103 . 
     The hollow portion  101  comprises a hole  105  which can be used by an operator to dislodge the remote control unit  100  when the remote control unit  100  is secured inside the base  102 . This can be done by the operator pressing his or her finger through the hole  105 , thereby pushing the remote control unit  100  out of the base  102 . 
     A second section of the power cord  107  connects the base  102  to the sockets  108  (not pictured in  FIG. 1B ). The first section of the power cord  106  and the second section of the power cord  107  are typically part of the same cord and there is no interruption of the cord or the conductive material throughout the cord. The cord passes through, or under, the base  102 . 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the remote control and extension cord. 
     A remote control unit  100  is pictured alongside a base  102 . The base is connected to a cord which has a first section  106  and a second section  107 . 
       FIG. 3  is an orthogonal view of the remote control outside of the extension cord. 
     The base  102  comprises a hollow portion  101  which comprises a hole  105 . The base is attached to first section of a cord  106  which is attached to a plug  104 . The base  102  is also attached to a second section of a cord  107  which is in turn connected to sockets  108 . The hollow portion  101  is the ovular portion which is really not a physical structure at all since it is a hollow portion. On the bottom of the hollow portion  101  is the housing floor  103 , which the remote control unit  100  rests on when the remote control unit  100  is secured inside the base (see  FIG. 4 ). 
     The remote control unit  100  is used to turn power on and off to the sockets. The remote control unit  100  can turn all of the sockets  108  on or off. Alternatively, the remote control unit  100  can be used to turn individual sockets on and off. 
     The remote control unit  100  would typically comprise an internal battery (not pictured) and a transmitter, as known in the art. The base  102  can comprise a battery (or other power source) to power a receiver (not pictured) which would detect a signal from the remote control unit  100 . 
     Illustrated is the remote control unit  100  separated from the base  102 . In this configuration, the user is free to walk around the room and operate the unit (e.g., turn power to the socket(s) on/off). 
       FIG. 4  is an orthogonal view of the remote control inserted inside the extension cord. 
     When the user is done operating the remote control unit  100 , the operator may wish to secure the remote control unit  100  in the base  102  for safekeeping (which would prevent the remote control unit  100  from being lost). The hollow portion  101  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) is sized and adapted to allow the remote control unit  100  to make a snug fit therein. The housing floor  103  (show in  FIG. 3 ) is used to support the remote control unit  100  so that the remote control unit  100  cannot be inserted any deeper into the base  102 . Once inserted, the remote control unit  100  would remain inside due to internal physical force, until removed by the operator. 
     The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification and, thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Technology Category: 5