US 7,000,746 B2Granted

Electric cord reel

AssigneeWoodhead Industries, Inc.

InventorsMichael P. Mackin, Scott A. Hagen, Timothy A. Hill, Don Zito, Gregory J. Maley

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Abstract

An electrical cord reel includes a metal housing of rectangular shape which is adapted to be mounted set in a wall or on the surface of the wall. The electric cord is mounted on a retractable reel mounted within the housing and may be connected to a source of electricity. An outlet receptacle is mounted to the cord for supplying power to remote locations in the room or work area as the cord is unwound from the reel. A series of guide rollers permit the cord to be paid out in a direction generally perpendicular to the wall, but over a large space for flexible application. The receptacle may be reeled in for storage and used as a wall outlet in the storage position. The receptacle is secured in a recess in the front wall of the housing; and the receptacle may be moved from the storage position to a release position where it is readily removed from the housing for remote use.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An electric cord reel comprising:

a housing having side walls, a back wall and a removable cover, at least one of said walls including an opening or knockout for receiving electrical feed wires;
a cord reel mounted to said back wall for rotation about a generally horizontal axis generally perpendicular to said front wall of said housing;
an electrical cord received on said reel;
an electrical outlet receptacle on a free end of said cord;
a plurality of rollers routing said cord from said reel to a direction generally parallel to said axis of rotation of said reel;
and
a holder for said receptacle mounted within said housing for receiving said electrical outlet receptacle;
said front wall of said housing defining an opening adjacent said holder and characterized as having tapered side edges defining a relatively narrow portion for securing said electrical outlet in a storage position in said holder, and a relatively wider portion permitting said outlet and said cord to be removed from said holder in a direction generally parallel to said axis of rotation of said reel.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.