Automatically rewindable wire device

[0002] 1. Field of the invention

[0003] This invention relates to an automatically rewindable wire device, more particularly to an automatically rewindable wire device for storing a flexible wire strip therein.

[0004] 2. Description of the related art

[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional automatically rewindable wire device for storing a connecting wire of an electronic device, such as a telephone set, a TV set, or a computer. The rewindable wire device normally includes a housing having upper and lower housing halves 1, 2. A pair of positive and negative electrodes in the form of concentrically conductive rings 1aare mounted on the upper housing half 1, and are connected to a connecting wire 3 which extends outside the housing. The lower housing half 2 has a first receiving recess 2afor receiving a rotary member 4, and a second receiving recess 2bfor receiving a windup spring 5. The rotary member 4 includes a disc 4c, an annular frame 4aextending upwardly from the disc 4c, and a plurality of through-holes 4bformed in the disc 4cand surrounded by the annular frame 4a. A circular-shaped connecting wire receptacle 6 is mounted on the bottom side of the disc 4c, and has a surrounding wall 6cand a plurality of conductive plates 6afixed thereon. Each conductive plate 6ais aligned with the corresponding one of the through-holes 4b. A connecting wire 6bis connected to the conductive plates 6a, and extends outside the housing. A conductive spring 7 extends through each through-hole 4bso as to be in sliding contact with the corresponding one of the conductive rings 1aand the corresponding one of the conductive plates 6a, thereby connecting electrically the connecting wire 3 to the connecting wire 6b. The windup spring 5 is connected to the annular frame 4ato urge the surrounding wall 6cof the receptacle 6 to windup the connecting wire 6baround the surrounding wall 6c.

[0006] Since the aforementioned device requires the use of the conductive rings 1a, the conductive plates 6a, and the conductive springs 7 so as to prevent the connecting wire 3 from twisting upon rotation of the rotary member 4, it is complicated and laborious to assemble. Moreover, since the conductive rings 1aand the conductive plates 6aare in sliding contact with the conductive springs 7, poor electrical connection between the conductive rings 1aand the conductive plates 6acan easily occur.

[0007] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatically rewindable wire device that dispenses with the aforementioned conductive rings, the conductive plates, and the conductive springs, thereby eliminating the occurrence of poor electrical connection as described above.

[0008] According to one aspect of this invention, an automatically rewindable wire device of this invention comprises: a stationary member having a stationary shaft; a rotary member mounted rotatably on the stationary member and having a windup portion around the shaft, the windup portion and the shaft confining a space, the windup portion having an opening which is communicated with the space and which is spaced apart radially from the shaft; a wire having a first portion fixed to the stationary member and a second portion extending from the first portion of the wire, the second portion of the wire being wound around the shaft in a first angular direction within the space and then wound around the windup portion in a second angular direction by passing through the opening, the second angular direction being opposite to the first angular direction; and a windup spring connected to the rotary member to urge the windup portion to wind up the wire.

[0009] According to another aspect of this invention, an automatically rewindable wire device of this invention comprises: a stationary shaft; a rotary member mounted rotatably on the shaft and having a windup portion sleeved around the shaft, the windup portion and the shaft confining a space, the windup portion having an opening which is communicated with the space and which is spaced apart radially from the shaft; a wire having a first portion fixed to the shaft and a second portion extending outwardly of the space by passing through the opening from the first portion; and a windup spring connected to the rotary member to urge the windup portion to wind up the second portion of the wire around the shaft in a first angular direction within the space and around the windup portion in a second angular direction opposite to the first angular direction simultaneously.

[0010] In drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention,

[0011] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a conventional automatically rewindable wire device;

[0012] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an automatically rewindable wire device embodying this invention;

[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the automatically rewindable wire device of FIG. 2;

[0014] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the automatically rewindable wire device of FIG. 3;

[0015] FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of the automatically rewindable wire device of FIG. 3 in an extended state;

[0016] FIG. 6 is a schematic top view of the automatically rewindable wire device of FIG. 3 in a retracted state;

[0017] FIG. 7A is a schematic view of a press button of the automatically rewindable wire device of FIG. 3; and

[0018] FIG. 7B is another schematic view of the press button of the automatically rewindable wire device of FIG. 3 in a position different from that shown in FIG. 7A.

[0019] FIGS. 2 to 4 illustrate an automatically rewindable wire device 9 embodying this invention. The device 9 includes a housing 10, a seat 20, a rotary member 30, a windup spring 40, a guide plate 50, a connecting wire 60, and a press button 70.

[0020] The housing 10 includes upper and lower housing halves 11, 12 and has curved enlarged and tapered ends at the circumference thereof. The upper and lower housing halves 11, 12 define a top wall 13, a bottom wall 14, a surrounding wall 15, and a receiving space 111. First and second outlet slots 121, 112 are formed in the surrounding wall 15. A stationary hollow shaft 113 is raised uprightly from and is fixed to the bottom wall 14. The shaft 113 has an outer periphery 116, an axial passage 114 extending inside the shaft 113, and a slit 115 extending radially from the axial passage 114 and opening at the outer periphery 116.

[0021] The seat 20 is mounted on the bottom wall 14 adjacent to the tapered end of the housing 10. A pair of opposing restriction plates 21 extend inwardly of the housing 10 toward each other from the seat 20. The seat 20 includes an interference protrusion 22 extending outwardly from the seat 20 toward the rotary member 30. A flange 23 extends downwardly from the protrusion 22.

[0022] The rotary member 30 includes a disc 35, an annular upper extension 32 extending upwardly from the disc 35, and an annular lower extension 33 opposite to the upper extension 32 and extending downwardly from the disc 35. The disc 35 has a central hole 31 so as to permit the rotary member 30 to sleeve around and to rotate about the shaft 113. The lower extension 33 has a windup portion 332 around the shaft 113 so as to define a windup space 333 between the windup portion 332 and the shaft 113. The windup portion 332 has a grooved outer surface 334 and an opening 331 which is in communication with the windup space 333 and the receiving space 111, and which is spaced apart radially from the shaft 113. The disc 35 has a toothed peripheral edge 34 to engage the protrusion 22 of the seat 20.

[0023] The windup spring 40 is seated on and is confined by the seat 20. The windup spring 40 has one end connected to the upper extension 32 to urge the windup portion 332 to wind up the connecting wire 60.

[0024] The guide plate 50 is mounted on the seat 20 above the rotary member 30, and has two opposite ends, an aperture 52 formed in one of the two opposing ends and aligned above the axial passage 114, and a groove 51 extending from the aperture 52 to the other one of the two opposing ends adjacent to the first outlet slot 121.

[0025] The connecting wire 60 includes a first portion 61 fixed to the shaft 113 and a second portion 62 extending outwardly of the windup space 333 from the first portion 61 of the wire 60. The first portion 61 of the wire 60 extends inwardly of the shaft 113 via the axial passage 114, is received in the groove 51 by passing through the aperture 52, and then exits the housing 10 by passing through the first outlet slot 121. The second portion 62 of the wire 60 extends outwardly of the windup space 333 via the opening 331, and exits the housing 10 by passing through the second outlet slot 112. The second portion 62 of the wire 60 is also wound around the shaft 113 in a first angular direction within the windup space 333 and then wound around the windup portion 332 in a second angular direction. The second angular direction is opposite to the first angular direction.

[0026] Referring now to FIGS. 7A and 7B in combination with FIGS. 2 to 4, the press button 70 is slidably mounted on the surrounding wall 15, and has a pushing arm 71 projecting into the receiving space 111 of the housing 10 so as to slidably push the protrusion 22 to disengage the protrusion 22 from the toothed peripheral edge 34.

[0027] Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6 in combination with FIGS. 2 to 4, as the second portion 62 of the wire 60 is pulled out from the receiving space 111 of the housing 10 (see FIG. 5), the windup spring 40 will be wound around the upper extension 32 (not shown). Since the windup spring 40 is in a tensioned condition, as the pulling action on the second portion 62 of the wire 60 is released, the windup spring 40 will urge the windup portion 332 to rotate, thereby winding up the second portion 62 of the wire 60 around the windup portion 332 in the second angular direction and around the shaft 113 in the first angular direction simultaneously (see FIG. 6). It is noted that, during the winding action of the second portion 62 of the wire 60 around the windup portion 332, the innermost portion of the second portion 62 of the wire 60 that was looped around the windup portion 332 will also be pulled into the windup space 333 by passing through the opening 331 and then wound around the shaft 113 upon the rotation of the windup portion 332.

[0028] In contrast with the winding action described above, as the second portion 62 of the wire 60 is pulled out of the housing 10, the outermost portion of the second portion 62 of the wire 60 that was looped around the shaft 113 will be pulled out of the windup space 333 by passing through the opening 331 and then wound around the windup portion 332 upon the rotation of the windup portion 332. The above described winding action of this invention prevents the first portion 61 of the wire 60 from twisting upon winding or pulling action on the second portion 62 of the wire 60.

[0029] Referring again to FIGS. 7A and 7B in combination with FIGS. 2 to 4, as the second portion 62 of the wire 60 is pulled out to an extended state, the windup spring 40 will be under tension and provides a restoring force to rotate the windup portion 332 about the shaft 113. However, due to the interference of the protrusion 22 with the toothed peripheral edge 34, the windup portion 332 is restricted from moving. When the press button 70 is slid relative to the surrounding wall 15 from a position shown in FIG. 7A to a position shown in FIG. 7B, the pushing arm 71 will push the flange 23, thereby moving the protrusion 22 away from the toothed edge 34 and rendering the windup portion 332 to rotate about the shaft 113.

[0030] With the invention thus explained, it is apparent that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be limited only as recited in the appended claims.