Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a retractable overhead Charging cord dispenser which has multi-positioning capability to provide plug-in electric power to PHEVs parked at various positions in a garage or the like. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Plug-in electric vehicles (PHEVs) may require connection to a 110-volt electrical outlet periodically for recharging purposes. Although it may be carried out indoors or outdoors, recharging of a PHEV is frequently carried out in an owner&#39;s garage. The manner in which the charging cord is connected to the vehicle depends typically on four factors: (1) the layout of the garage (whether a 1, 2 or three-car garage); (2) the location of the 110V electrical outlet in the garage; (3) the location of the charging port on the vehicle; and (4) the location of the PHEV relative to other vehicles in the garage. 
         [0003]    In typical recharging of the PHEV, a charging cord is first connected to the vehicle and then to the electrical outlet, which may be positioned about 2˜4 feet off the floor. A standard length charging cord (about 25 ft.) may hinder access to the garage or opening of vehicle doors, become a trip hazard or be driven over multiple times and thereby become damaged. 
         [0004]    Therefore, a retractable overhead Charging cord dispenser which has multi-positioning capability to provide plug-in electric power to PHEVs parked at various positions in a garage or the like is needed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present disclosure is generally directed to a retractable overhead charging cord dispenser which has multi-positioning capability to provide plug-in electric power to PHEVs parked at various positions in a garage or the like. An illustrative embodiment of the retractable overhead charging cord dispenser includes an arm assembly, a cord guide arm carried by the arm assembly, a cord reel or other suitable cord-storage device provided in the arm assembly and a retractable charging cord extendable from the cord reel or other suitable cord-storage device and extending through and protruding from the cord guide arm. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The disclosure will now be made, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a top view of an illustrative embodiment of the retractable overhead Charging cord dispenser; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a side view of an illustrative embodiment of the retractable overhead Charging cord dispenser, mounted on a ceiling (in section) of a garage; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view of an illustrative embodiment of the retractable overhead Charging cord dispenser, mounted on a pair of track rails provided on a ceiling of a garage; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an interior view of a garage, with an illustrative embodiment of the retractable overhead charging cord dispenser mounted on a pair of longitudinally-mounted track rails provided on the ceiling of the garage and multiple PHEVs parked in various locations in the garage, more particularly illustrating multi-positioning capability of a charging cord extending from the dispenser to facilitate recharging of the PHEVs; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4A  is an interior view of a garage, with an illustrative embodiment of the retractable overhead charging cord dispenser mounted on a pair of transversely-mounted track rails provided on the ceiling of the garage; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram which illustrates selective activation of a cord reel or cord storage device motor, a guide arm motor and a track motor elements of an illustrative embodiment of the retractable overhead Charging cord dispenser; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an interior view of a PHEV, with control features for the cord reel or cord storage device motor, the guide arm motor and the track motor provided on a ceiling console of the PHEV. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. 
         [0015]    Referring initially to  FIGS. 1-4  of the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of the retractable overhead Charging cord dispenser, hereinafter dispenser, is generally indicated by reference numeral  1 . The dispenser  1  may include a mount frame  2  and an arm assembly  3  provided on the mount frame  2 . The arm assembly  3  may include a generally cylindrical arm frame  4  which is rotatably mounted on the mount frame  2  according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art. As shown in  FIG. 2 , a guide arm motor  5  may be provided on the mount frame  2  and engage the arm frame  4  to rotate the arm frame  4  with respect to the mount frame  2 . The guide arm motor  5  may be remote-controlled, as will be hereinafter described. 
         [0016]    A cord guide arm  8  extends from the arm frame  4 . In some embodiments, the cord guide arm  8  is selectively extendable and retractable and may include an arm mount bracket  9  which is provided on the arm frame  4 . At least two arm sections  10  are pivotally mounted on the arm mount bracket  9  and telescopically extendable from each other. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the cord guide arm  8  includes a first arm section  10   a  pivotally mounted on the arm mount bracket  9 ; a second arm section  10   b  telescopically extendable from the first arm section  10   a;  and a third arm section  10   c  telescopically extendable from the second arm section  10   b.  By operation of the guide arm motor  5  ( FIG. 2 , the cord guide arm  8  is capable of 360 degree positioning around the arm frame  4 , as shown in phantom in  FIG. 1 . Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the cord guide arm  8  is capable of selectively pivoting between the horizontal, outwardly-extended position indicated by the solid lines and the vertical, downwardly-extended position indicated by the phantom lines. A spring (not shown) or other bias mechanism may be provided to normally bias the cord guide arm  8  in the upper, generally horizontal position indicated by the solid lines. 
         [0017]    A cord reel or other suitable cord storage device  14  is rotatably mounted on the mount frame  2  inside the arm frame  4 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the cord storage device  14  may include a reel shaft  15  which may be engaged for rotation by an electric cord storage device motor  17  that may be mounted on the mount frame  2 . In some embodiments, the cord storage device motor  17  may be a cord reel motor. A circular reel panel  16  may be provided on the reel shaft  15 . A charging cord  18  is wound on the reel shaft  15  and extends through an opening (not shown) provided in the arm frame  4  and through the arm sections  10  of the cord guide arm  8 . Accordingly, by operation of the cord storage device motor  17 , a selected length of the cord  18  may be selectively unwound from the cord storage device  14  and extended from the cord guide arm  8  or wound on the cord storage device  14  and retracted into the cord guide arm  8 . The cord storage device motor  17  may be remote-controlled, as will be hereinafter described. 
         [0018]    As shown in  FIGS. 2-4 , in some applications the dispenser  1  may be utilized as a vehicle charging system  20 . For example, at least one track rail  22  may be attached to a ceiling  32  of a garage  30  having spaced-apart side walls  31 . The garage  30  may be a single-car garage or a multi-car garage. A pair of generally parallel, spaced-apart track rails  22  may be attached to the ceiling  32  according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art. As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , a pair of spaced-apart rail brackets  6  may be provided on the mount frame  2  of the dispenser  1 . The rail brackets  6  slidably engage the track rails  22  on the ceiling  32  of the garage  30 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , a track motor  23  is provided on the ceiling  32  and drivingly engages an attachment structure  24  which is attached to the dispenser  1 . The attachment structure  24  may be any structure which is capable of transmitting movement from the track motor  23  to the dispenser  1  along the track rails  22 . Accordingly, by selective operation of the track motor  23 , the dispenser  1  travels along the track rails  22  as the attachment structure  24  is extended and retracted by the track motor  23 . The track motor  23  may be remote-controlled, as will be hereinafter described, or alternatively, may be programmed for automatic operation. In some applications, the dispenser  1  may be attached to or incorporated into a garage door opener (not shown) which is provided on the ceiling  32 . 
         [0019]    Referring next to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , in some applications a remote control unit  40  ( FIG. 5 ), which may be a hand-held unit, for example and without limitation, may be adapted to effect remote-controlled operation of the cord storage device motor  17 , the guide arm motor  5  and/or the track motor  23 . In some applications, the remote control unit  40  may be provided on or as a part of a key fob, a homelink/universal garage door opener or other device (not shown). Accordingly, a reel motor control  41 ; an arm motor control  42 ; and a track motor control  43  may be provided on the remote control unit  40 . Manipulation of the reel motor control  41 , the arm motor control  42  and the track motor control  43  facilitates the emission of RF signals  44  which wirelessly operate the cord storage device motor  17 , the guide arm motor  5  and the track motor  23 , respectively, from a remote location. The RF signals  44  may be Bluetooth enabled. 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , in some applications the reel motor control  41 , the arm motor control  42  and the track motor control  43  may alternatively or additionally be provided inside a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV)  36 . For example and without limitation, the reel motor control  41 ; the arm motor control  42 ; and the track motor control  43  may be provided on the ceiling console  53  on the ceiling  52  of the PHEV  36 . The reel motor control  41 , the arm motor control  42  and the track motor control  43  may alternatively be provided on the dashboard  48 , the steering wheel  49 , the windshield frame  50  or other location inside the PHEV  36 . 
         [0021]    Referring next to  FIGS. 4 and 4A , in typical application the retractable overhead Charging cord dispenser  1  is utilized as part of a vehicle charging system  20  to facilitate charging of a PHEV  36 . Accordingly, the dispenser  1  is installed on the ceiling  32  of the garage  30  typically as was heretofore described with respect to  FIGS. 2-4 . The charging cord  18  ( FIG. 2 ) of the dispenser  1  is connected to an electrical power source (not shown) such as a 120-volt electrical outlet (not shown) for example. A PHEV  36  can be parked at any location in the garage  30  to facilitate recharging of the PHEV  36 , regardless of the location of the charging port  37  on the PHEV  36 . The charging cord  18  can be dispensed from the cord storage device  14  and through the cord guide arm  8  until the length of the charging cord  18  is sufficient to plug the charging cord  18  into the charging port  37  of the PHEV  36 . This may be facilitated by operating the cord storage device motor  17 . The dispenser  1  can be adjusted along the track rails  22  by operation of the track motor  23  as needed to position the charging cord  18  in general alignment with the charging port  37 . Furthermore, the position of the cord guide arm  8  around the circumference of the arm frame  4  of the dispenser  1  can be selectively adjusted by operation of the guide arm motor  5  to enhance proximity of the charging cord  18  to the charging port  37 . The cord guide arm  8  can be selectively pivoted from the straight, horizontal position shown in solid lines to the angled position shown in phantom lines in  FIG. 4 , typically by manually pulling downwardly on the charging cord  18 , to extend the reach of the charging cord  18  to the charging port  37 . After charging of the PHEV  36  is completed, the charging cord  18  can be retracted back into the cord storage device  14  in the dispenser  1 . In some embodiments the cord storage device motor  17 , the guide arm motor  5  and the track motor  23  can be operated from a remote location such as by manipulation of the reel motor control  41  on the remote control unit  40  ( FIG. 5 ) or inside the PHEV  36  ( FIG. 6 ), for example, as was heretofore described. As shown in  FIG. 4A , in some applications the track rails  22  of the dispenser  1  may be mounted on the ceiling  32  of the garage  30  in transverse relationship rather than longitudinal relationship with respect to a PHEV or PHEVs  36  parked in the garage  30 . The track rails  22  are generally parallel to a front wall  33  and to a garage opening  35  provided in a rear wall  34  of the garage  30 . 
         [0022]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that in some applications, operation of the cord storage device motor  17  to extend the charging cord  18  may be triggered or initiated by opening of the charging port  37  and/or upon turning of the engine (not shown) of the PHEV  36  off. Operation of the cord storage device motor  17  retract the charging cord  18  may be triggered or initiated by closing of the charging port  37  and/or upon turning of the engine of the PHEV  36  on. Operation of any or all of the cord storage device motor  17 , the guide arm motor  5  and the track motor  23  may be implemented by remote control or may be automatic. 
         [0023]    While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications can be made in the invention and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

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