Anti-theft cable storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025178859-A1
Application number	US-202418969818-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 5, 2024
Priority date	Dec 5, 2023
Publication date	Jun 5, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cable storage system including a housing having a top portion, a bottom portion, and an opening, a drive pulley within the top portion of the housing, a cable at least partially contained in the housing having a proximal end in the housing and a distal end outside of the housing, the cable extending over the drive pulley and through the opening, and a motor driving the drive pulley to extend or retract the cable via the opening in response to a signal. The bottom portion of the housing is sized to permit the cable, in a retracted configuration, to hang in the bottom portion of the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cable storage system, comprising:
a housing having a top portion, a bottom portion, and an opening; a drive pulley within the top portion of the housing; a cable at least partially contained in the housing having a proximal end in the top portion of the housing and a distal end outside of the housing, the cable extending over the drive pulley and through the opening; and a motor driving the drive pulley to extend or retract the cable via the opening in response to a signal, wherein the bottom portion of the housing is sized to permit the cable, in a retracted configuration, to hang in the bottom portion of the housing.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cable is an electric vehicle charging cable, the proximal end of the electric vehicle charging cable being attached to a power supply.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the signal is indicative of a user validation.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the user validation includes a validation of user credentials or a payment method.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first frame member and a second frame member, wherein the drive pulley is rotatably secured between the first and second frame members.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the motor is secured on an exterior of one of the first frame member or the second frame member.

7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the housing includes a cable head pocket including the opening, wherein the cable head pocket is attached to the first and second frame members.

8 . The system of claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of pinch rollers adjacent to the drive pulley, wherein the cable extends between the plurality of pinch rollers and the drive pulley.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of pinch rollers has an axle positioned in a first slot in the first frame member and a second slot in the second frame member, the axle being biased in a direction towards the drive pulley by a spring.

10 . The system of claim 5 , further comprising an idler pulley rotatably secured between the first and second frame members, wherein the cable extends at least partially around the idler pulley.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes at least one panel with a vent.

12 . A drive system for a cable, comprising:
a first frame member; a second frame member; a drive pulley rotatably secured between the first and second frame members and configured to receive the cable; a plurality of pinch rollers rotatably secured between the first and second frame members adjacent to the drive pulley, each of the plurality of pinch rollers being spring-biased toward the drive pulley; a motor attached to one of the first or second frame members for driving the drive pulley; and a sensor for determining a position of the drive pulley.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of pinch rollers has an axle positioned in a first slot in the first frame member and a second slot in the second frame member, the axle being biased in a direction towards the drive pulley by a spring.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the sensor is an encoder on an axle of the drive pulley.

15 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a count plate rotatable coaxially with the drive pulley, the count plate having a plurality of teeth about a circumference of the count plate, wherein the sensor is a proximity sensor mounted adjacent to the circumference of the count plate.

16 . An electric vehicle charging system, comprising:
a terminal including a power supply and at least one input device for receiving input from a user; and a cable storage system including a housing having a top portion, a bottom portion, and an opening; a drive pulley within the top portion of the housing; a charging cable at least partially contained in the housing having a proximal end attached to the power supply and a distal end outside of the housing, the charging cable extending over the drive pulley and through the opening; and a motor driving the drive pulley to extend or retract the charging cable via the opening in response to a signal from the terminal, wherein the bottom portion of the housing is sized to permit the charging cable, in a retracted configuration, to hang in the bottom portion of the housing.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the input includes user credentials or a payment.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the signal is indicative of a user validation.

19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the cable storage system further comprises an idler pulley rotatably secured in the housing, wherein the idler pulley is positioned forward of the drive pulley in the housing, wherein the charging cable extends at least partially around the idler pulley.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the cable storage system further comprises a first frame member and a second frame member, wherein the drive pulley and the idler pulley are rotatably secured between the first and second frame members.

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Klawitter Scott Roger
• Knutson Brett Anthony

Classifications

• Y02T10/7072

  Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors · CPC title

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title

• B65H2701/34

  electric cords or electric power cables · CPC title

• B60L2270/34

  of parts · CPC title

• B60L53/18

  Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles · CPC title