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US 7,350,737 B2Granted
Adjustable lead, cord, rope or sheet storage device
AssigneeNone recorded
InventorVaughan John Hutchinson
Life of this patent
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AssigneeNone recorded
InventorVaughan John Hutchinson
Estimating the term…
A storage device (1) for storing a lead, rope, chain, solid sheet or elongate material, including a body (3) including one elongate backbone (4) and at least one elongate tine (5) interconnected thereto (12) but separated from by a defined distance to form a channel (6) adapted to receive a lead, rope, chain, solid sheet or elongate material, support elements (9) and a latch apparatus (8), the channel (6) being of a dimension to allow only one length of a lead, rope or chain to fit between the backbone (4) and tine (5) at a time (5), preventing tangling of the lead, rope or chain. The storage device (1) may be attached to a wheeled frame or stand for ease of transport.
A storage device for use with at least one article, said storage device including:
A method of manufacturing a storage device for storing at least one article, said storage device including a body, said body including at least one substantially elongate backbone and at least one substantially elongate tine interconnected thereto but separated therefrom by a defined distance to form a channel adapted to receive one width at a time of the article positioned therein, and a supporting means attachable to said body, said supporting means including at least handle means pivotally attached to said body and moveable in relation thereto enabling the storage device to pivot between a substantially vertical orientation to a substantially horizontal orientation as required to enable the object to be received within the channel and removed from the channel, respectively as required;
A method of varying an article storage capacity of a storage device for storing either or both leads and substantially solid sheet materials, said storage device including a body, said body including a substantially elongate backbone and multiple substantially elongate tines interconnected to said backbone, each said tine being separated from the backbone by a defined distance to form a channel adapted to conform to the width of the article positioned therein, each said tine also being further separated from each other by a defined distance, said storage device further including supporting means attachable to said backbone of the body and moveable in relation thereto enabling the storage device to pivot between a substantially vertical orientation to a substantially horizontal orientation as required to enable the object to be received within the channel and removed from the channel, respectively as required, said method including the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Without essentially involving the use of a core or former internal to a stored package of material, e.g. with stored material housed within…
In which the load is intended to be transferred totally to the wheels: involving means for grappling or securing in place objects to be carried;…
Portable or hand-held apparatus: details or the parts to be hold by the user, e.g. handle
Handling thin or filamentary material
Term ended 16 Aug 2024 (estimated)
The present invention is directed to improvements in and relating to storage devices.
In particular, the invention relates to aspects of the features, manufacture, operation and application of an improved storage device for the managing and storing of a range of articles, not only flex, cord, flexible tubing made of plastics material and so forth for electrical extension leads, for garden hoses, for rope, for rubber tubing, for gas hoses associated with various types of equipment, such as air hoses, hoses for welding equipment and the like, but also for use with glass, wall-boards and solid sheet materials or similar, along with other articles that may from time-to-time benefit from the use of this invention. The device may also be used not only for storage of these articles, but for transport to sites were they are required to be carried for use.
The storage device is envisaged for use to store such articles safely and neatly, yet also enables easy access to, carrying of and use of such articles as required on site. Where it is used to store leads, tubing, rope and so forth it does so in a manner that enables the leads etc. to be safely and neatly stored until use, yet enables the leads, etc. to be unwound from the device in a tangle-free manner. Where it is to be used for electrical leads, its design enables the leads to be used whilst still wound on the storage device, due to reduced effects of heating and magnetic field generation effected by the arrangement of the leads on the device.
Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the storage device in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 2a-c are a top plan view, a side view and a back plan view of the storage device of FIG. 1 in accordance with that preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
With reference to the diagrams (FIGS. 1 to 23) by way of example only, there is provided a storage device (generally indicated by arrow (1)). Whilst the storage device is described and referenced for use with electrical extension leads, it should be appreciated this invention may have application outside of this field.
Accordingly, FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate one preferred embodiment of the present invention, where the storage device 1 is configured to store at least one lead 2.
The storage device includes a body 3, which includes a substantially elongate backbone 4 and at least one substantially elongate tine 5 interconnected thereto in a substantially parallel arrangement, but separated therefrom by a defined distance 6 to form a substantially uniform U-shaped channel 7. The back bone 4 and tine 5 may take any dimensions and shape, as can be seen in the various figures, as appropriate to the embodiment and purpose for which it is to be used. In some embodiments, such as in FIGS. 10 and 17, where multiple channels are included, the tine of a prior adjacent channel in effect operates as, or supports, the backbone of the next channel.