Cord winder and rail storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9902589-B2
Application number	US-201213647633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2012
Priority date	Oct 13, 2011
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A winder accessory comprises a gripper assembly adapted to be releasably attached to a rail. A cord winder mechanism is supported on the gripper and comprises a spooling mechanism for winding a cord. The spool mechanism rotates on a rotating joint about a first axis of rotation relative to the gripper. The spooling mechanism may comprise a wireform. A detachable pivot joint may be provided between the cord winder mechanism and the gripper assembly that defines a second axis of rotation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A winder accessory for use in a rail storage system, the rail storage system comprising a rail configured to be mounted to a vertical surface, the rail comprising a first horizontally extending channel and a second horizontally extending channel spaced vertically from the first horizontally extending channel, the winder accessory comprising:
a gripper assembly adapted to be releasably attached to the rail, the gripper assembly comprising a support having a downwardly facing hook that engages the first channel, and a movable latch that engages the second channel, the movable latch being rotatable, relative to the support, between a first position where the latch engages the second channel and a second position where the latch is disengaged from the channel such that the gripper assembly may be removed from the rail; and
a cord winder mechanism supported on the gripper assembly and comprising a support fixed to the gripper assembly and a spooling mechanism for winding a cord, the spooling mechanism being rotatable at a rotating joint relative to the support of the cord winder mechanism about a first axis, the first axis being disposed substantially horizontally and substantially perpendicular to a length of the vertical surface when the gripper assembly is mounted on the rail, and the spooling mechanism being further rotatable relative to the support of the cord winder mechanism about a second axis that is different from the first axis; the second axis is substantially perpendicular to the length of the vertical surface and substantially parallel to a height of the vertical surface when the gripper assembly is mounted on the rail.

2. The winder accessory of claim 1 wherein the spooling mechanism comprises a wireform support structure comprising at least one arm where a distal end of the wireform support structure is bent to form a plug holder.

3. The winder accessory of claim 1 wherein the spooling mechanism comprises a wireform support structure comprising at least one arm where a first end of the wireform support structure is bent to form a handle.

4. The winder accessory of claim 3 wherein a second end of the wireform support structure is bent to form a plug holder.

5. The winder accessory of claim 2 wherein the support structure comprises two arms spaced from one another about the rotating joint.

6. The winder accessory of claim 5 wherein the spooling mechanism comprises a pair of cord retainer mechanisms, one of the cord retainer mechanisms being mounted to each of the arms.

7. The winder accessory of claim 6 wherein the cord retainer mechanisms comprise substantially U-shaped members secured to the arms such that the open ends of the U-shaped members extend outwardly.

8. The winder accessory of claim 6 wherein the cord retainer mechanisms comprise a pair of spaced legs that extend away from the support arms.

9. The winder accessory of claim 8 wherein ends of the legs are flared outwardly to facilitate the capture of the cord when the spooling mechanism is rotated.

10. The winder accessory of claim 1 wherein the rotating joint comprises a stud extending from the support and defining the first axis and a sleeve where the sleeve fits over the stud such that the sleeve rotates over the stud.

11. The winder accessory of claim 10 further comprising a bushing located between the stud and the sleeve such that the sleeve rotates on the bushing.

12. The winder accessory of claim 11 wherein the bushing comprises a slot that extends through the bushing such that the bushing may be compressed between the sleeve and the stud.

13. The winder accessory of claim 11 wherein the bushing creates an interference fit between the sleeve and the stud where friction generated by the interference fit slows the rotation of the sleeve relative to the stud such that the sleeve does not freely rotate relative to the stud.

14. A cord winder accessory for use in a rail storage system, the rail storage system comprising a rail configured to be mounted to a vertical surface, the cord winder accessory comprising:
a gripper assembly adapted to be releasably attached to the rail, the gripper assembly comprising a latch movable between a first position where the latch engages the rail and a second position where the latch is disengaged from the rail such that the gripper assembly may be removed from the rail; and
a cord winder mechanism supported by the gripper assembly, the cord winder mechanism comprising a support coupled to the gripper assembly and a spooling mechanism for winding a cord, the support being supported by the gripper assembly, the spooling mechanism being rotatable relative to the support about a first axis of rotation, and a pivot joint between the spool mechanism and the gripper assembly allowing the spool mechanism to pivot relative to the gripper assembly about a second axis of rotation,
wherein the spooling mechanism comprises a bearing sleeve that is fitted over a portion of the cord winder mechanism and is rotatable relative to that portion of the cord winder mechanism, a pair of arms extending outwardly from the bearing sleeve, and a cord retainer structure comprising a pair of substantially U-shaped members extending outwardly from the pair of arms, respectively, the cord retainer structure adapted to retain the cord.

15. The winder accessory of claim 14 wherein the pivot joint detaches the cord winder mechanism from the gripper assembly such that the spool mechanism is removable from the gripper assembly without removing the gripper assembly from the rail.

16. The winder accessory of claim 15 wherein the pivot joint comprises a stud that is releasably inserted into a vertically oriented sleeve along the second axis of rotation.

17. The winder accessory of claim 16 wherein the stud comprises a first end and a second end where each of the first end and the second end are releasably insertable into the sleeve.

18. The winder accessory of claim 16 wherein the second axis of rotation is disposed substantially vertically and the first axis of rotation is disposed substantially horizontally.

19. A cord winder accessory for use in a rail storage system, the rail storage system comprising a rail configured to be mounted to a vertical surface, the cord winder accessory comprising:
a gripper assembly adapted to be releasably attached to the rail, the gripper assembly comprising a latch movable between a first position where the latch engages the rail and a second position where the latch is disengaged from the rail such that the gripper assembly may be removed from the rail; and
a cord winder mechanism supported by the gripper assembly, the cord winder mechanism comprising a support coupled to the gripper assembly, a winder body pivotably coupled to the support, and a spooling mechanism for winding a cord, the spooling mechanism and the winder body being pivotable relative to the support about a first axis of rotation, and the spool mechanism being pivotable relative to the gripper assembly about a second axis of rotation different from the first axis of rotation,
wherein the cord winder mechanism further comprises a post having a first end, a second end, and a central portion between the first and second ends, one of the first and second ends being received by a portion of the support to pivotably couple the winder body to the support, the winder body coupled to the central portion of the post and extending outwardly from the central portion of the post in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis

Assignees

• Rubbermaid Inc

Inventors

• Gregory Michael
• Lay Jordan
• Warner Jr Robert J

Classifications

• B65H75/4468

  Tubular frame · CPC title

• B65H75/4492

  Manual drives · CPC title

• B65H54/585

  Reels for rolling tape-like material, e.g. flat hose or strap, into flat spiral form; Means for retaining the roll after removal of the reel · CPC title

• B65H75/446 Primary

  for releasably or permanently attaching the frame to a wall, on a floor or on a post or the like · CPC title