US 8,757,532 B2Granted

Retractable lanyard

AssigneeTenacious Holdings, Inc.

InventorsThomas Votel, Justin Kostner, Jeffrey A. Popowski

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Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a novel heavy duty, weather and shock resistant retractable lanyard. In one aspect of the disclosure, the retractable lanyard comprises dual independently retractable lanyard cords that share a common axis. In another aspect of the disclosure, the retractable lanyard employs a multi-piece reader arm pivotally connected to a reader arm bracket to assist the lanyard in operating under heavier loads. In another aspect of the disclosure, the lanyard may employ deeper tracks on the spool's track system to allow the reader arm to stay in contact with the tracks when the lanyard cord is under heavier loads. In another aspect of the disclosure, the lanyard comprises a robust power spring that allows it to retract under heavier loads.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A retractable lanyard comprising:

a housing having an exterior side and an interior side, the interior side defining a volume;
the housing having disposed within the volume:
a spool having a track side, a recessed side and a cord accepting portion on its perimeter;
the track side of the spool having at least one dead-end track and one open-ended track;
a power spring having an inner end and an outer end;
the power spring inner end being fixably attached within the recessed side of the spool, and the outer end being fixably attached to the housing;
a reader arm having a first end and a second end, the second end including a spring member and a sleeve member;
a reader arm bracket having one portion configured to pivotally accept the first end of the reader arm and a second portion configured to fixably connect the reader arm bracket to the housing;
and, wherein the reader arm second end is configured to ride within the tracks of the track side of the spool and the spring member is configured to urge the sleeve member of the reader arm second end into the tracks.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/326,576Filed 15 Dec 2011 · us provisional application
Priority: 17 Dec 2010
Published: US 2012/0153064 A121 Jun 2012
Granted: 24 Jun 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

B65H 75/4434
Acting on the reel or on a reel blocking mechanism: actuated by pulling on or imparting an inclination to the material
B65H 75/48
Constructional details: automatic re-storing devices
B65H
Handling thin or filamentary material