NL2011365C2

NL2011365C2 - Cable or hose organizing device.

Info

Publication number: NL2011365C2
Application number: NL2011365A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Jacobus Antonius Petrus Paulissen
Original assignee: Jacobus Antonius Petrus Paulissen
Priority date: 2013-09-02
Filing date: 2013-09-02
Publication date: 2015-03-03

Description

Cable or hose organizing device

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a cable or hose organizing device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Lengths of cable or hose generally have a high risk of getting entangled. Even when one has done an effort of arranging or storing the cable or hose in an organized manner, they may cause serious cluttering problems when used a next time. Arranging or storing the cable or hose is not easily done. Having an entangled and/or cluttered cable easily results in damage to the cable or hose, and any plugs and/or connectors, etcetera connected to the cable or hose.

Reel systems are available for reeling or winding the lengths of cable or hose. However, such reels are bulky. Further, a length of cable carrying electrical current may run into very serious heating problems when wound onto a reel, which effectively causes a limitation of the power load of such systems.

Lengths of cable or hose may also be provided in a collection of loops that are kept together by one or more tie wraps, a piece of rope, etcetera. However, to tie the loops together one requires another tie wrap or piece of rope, which mostly is just not available. Further, once tied together a knife, scissors or the like are required to release the loops again. It is not convenient and efficient to make use of such aids.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a cable or hose organizing device and/or method that allows an effective organization of a length of cable or hose.

It is another or alternative object of the invention to provide a cable or hose organizing device that may be manufactured with small dimensions.

It is another object of the invention to provide a cable or hose organizing device and/or method that prevents cluttering and/or entangling problems of a length of hose or cable.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a cable or hose organizing device or method that provides a safe environment where the cable or hose is being used.

It is yet another or alternative object of the invention to provide a cable or hose organizing device that allows organizing a length of cable carrying an electrical current without causing heating problems.

At least one of the above objective is achieved by a cable or hose organizing device comprising a slit arrangement having a slit with a slit entrance and configured for holding multiple cable parts or hose parts of loops of a length of cable or hose that is collected or to be collected in a number of loops so as to provide an organized collection of loops of the length of cable or hose such that the cable parts or hose parts are stacked in a direction along the slit.

In a preferred embodiment the slit width is such that the slit may hold a maximum of one or two cable parts or hose parts in a direction of the slit width. Having a slit width matched to only hold one or two cable parts across its slit width provides the best results in getting and keeping cables or hoses in an uncluttered and well-organized manner.

In another preferred embodiment the slit width is between one and two times a diameter of a cable or hose to be organized by the organizing device, especially approximately 1.5 times such diameter. Such a slit width provides a good optimum between getting and keeping cable or hoses well-organized in the slit and the number of cable parts or hose parts that can be stacked along the slit.

In yet another preferred embodiment the slit width is adjustable, which allows optimizing the organizing device for cable or hoses of various diameters.

Advantageously, the slit arrangement comprises a constriction at the slit entrance such that the constriction provides a slit entrance width that is reduced with respect to a slit width, which provides a limitation to the cable parts or hose parts from coming out from the slit.

Preferably, the slit entrance width is substantially equal to or less than a diameter of the cable or hose, which provide a very affective limitation on the cable or hose part coming out of the slit. Mostly, the cable or hose can be deformed to some extent due to resilience of the cable parts or hose so that it can pass the slit entrance to be taken out of the slit.

In a preferred embodiment the slit arrangement is resilient such that a slit width may be increased or decreased in a direction from a bottom of the slit towards the slit entrance, which allows the slit entrance to be further opened and/or further closed to tightly keep cable parts or hose parts in the slit.

In an embodiment the slit width decreases from a bottom of the slit towards the slit entrance, which allows to tightly keep the cable parts or hose parts within the slit by exerting a squeezing force. It further assures that heavy-duty type of cable or wires are kept within the slit.

In another embodiment the organizing device further comprises a closing arrangement constructed and arranged for opening and closing the slit entrance. The opening arrangement, such as a latch, can close off the slit to keep cable parts within the slit.

In an advantageous embodiment (claim 10) the closing arrangement in a closed position induces a decreasing slit width in a direction from a bottom (11.2) of the slit towards the slit entrance, which causes a further closing of the slit entrance to tightly keep the cable parts or hose parts within the slit by exerting a squeezing force.

In an embodiment the cable or hose organizing device further comprises a suspension arrangement, which allows the organizing device to be suspended.

In an advantageous embodiment the suspension arrangement is arranged in the region of the slit entrance, which makes that the slit entrance will be directed upwards when the organizing device is suspended and stored at some location.

In an embodiment the slit arrangement is made of one or more of a plastic, a metal and a metal alloy.

In another aspect the invention provides a contact plug or multiple socket, or a electrical device provided with the above cable organizing device. In yet another aspect the invention provides a cable and/or a hose comprising device, wherein the cable and/or a hose comprising device further comprises the above cable and/or hose organizing device.

The invention also provides a method for organizing a length of cable or hose, the method comprising - a step of providing a cable part or hose part of the length of cable or hose into the slit of a cable or hose organizing device according to any one of claims 1 to 14; - a step of providing a next cable part or hose part into the slit of the cable or hose organizing device such that a loop is formed in the length of cable or hose; and - repeating the previous step until the length of cable or hose is formed into an organized collection of loops of the length of cable or hose.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent by a description of the invention by way of non-limiting and non-exclusive embodiments. Embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like or same reference symbols denote like, same or corresponding parts, and in which

Figure 1 shows a cross-section of an embodiment of a cable or hose organizing device according to the invention;

Figure la shows a variation to the embodiment of figure 1;

Figure lb shows another variation to the embodiment of figure 1;

Figure 2 shows another embodiment of a cable or hose organizing device according to the invention;

Figure 3 shows a schematic overview of an embodiment of a cable or hose organizing device according to the invention with a number of loops of cable or hose organized with the device;

Figure 4 shows yet another embodiment of a cable or hose organizing device according to the invention;

Figure 4a shows yet another embodiment of a cable or hose organizing device according to the invention;

Figures 5 and 6 show a mains plug and multiple socked according to embodiments of the invention, respectively;

Figure 7 shows an electrical device according to an embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 8 shows a trolley comprising a cable or hose organizing device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 shows a cable or hose organizing device 1, which comprises a slit arrangement 10 with a slit 11. The slit arrangement 10 is made of a suitable material, like a plastic, a metal, a metal alloy or a combination thereof. The slit 11 is elongated in the vertical direction as shown in the figure and has a width W in a width direction perpendicular to the elongated direction of the slit.

The width W of the slit matches the thickness or diameter of a cable or hose C to be brought into and kept in an organized state by the organizing device 1. The slit width W is, at least in the bottom part 11.2 at one end of the slit, slightly larger than the diameter of the cables C so that cable parts can be held within the slit and can be taken out and put into the slit. Figure 1 shows three cable parts Cl being held in the bottom part 11.2 of the slit. The cable parts Cl have been received by the slit through slit entrance 11.1 at another end of the slit opposite the bottom end 11.2. The order of the cable parts within the slit will remain and not get mixed-up since the slit width W is less than twice the diameter of the cables or hoses.

The slit entrance 11.1 has a restriction 12 that provides the slit width with a slit entrance width W1 that is smaller than the width W of the slit. The entrance width W1 is slightly smaller than a cable diameter. Restriction 12 therefore provides that the cable parts are kept within the slit. The slit arrangement 10 is resilient such that first and second legs 10.1, 10.2 of the slit arrangement can move with respect to one another in the plane of the drawing as indicated by arrow A, for instance, by the incorporation of a metal spring assembly. By moving second leg 10.2 to the right with respect to first leg 10.1 the width of the slit entrance 11.1 is increased so that a cable part Cl can be received in or taken out of the slit 11. The resilience of the slit arrangement allows the slit width W to be increased as seen from the bottom part 11.2 towards the slit entrance 11.1 when the first and second legs are moved away from one another.

The resilience also allows the slit width W to be decreased in the direction from the bottom 11.2 towards the slit entrance 11.1, which will result in some squeezing force to be exerted onto the cable parts by the legs 10.1, 10.2, so that the cable parts are securely held in place within the slit. Figure la shows an alternative embodiment in which a closing arrangement taking the form of a latch 14 is provided at the slit entrance 11.1 to keep the legs 10.1, 10.2 in a position in which they have been moved towards one another when the latch 14 is in a closed position as shown. In the closed position of the latch 14 a squeezing force is thus exerted onto the cables parts Cl to securely keep them in place. The cable parts or hose parts Cl can be taken out of the slit when the latch is in an open position.

In another variant of the embodiment shown in figure 1 the slit width W decreases slightly in a direction from the slit bottom 11.2 towards the slit entrance 11.1 in a neutral position of the first and second legs 11.1, 11.2. This variant is shown in figure lb. The dash-dotted line in figure lb depicts a reference referring to an embodiment with constant slit width along the slit. Cable parts can be received in or taken out of the slit by moving both legs 10.1, 10.2 apart, after which the legs will move back again when released. The embodiments of figures la and lb can be combined as well.

Figure 2 shows an embodiment in which the slit can hold two cable parts or hose parts C in a direction of the slit width W. When collecting cable parts into the slit width one has to take care that a layer of two cable parts is completed before stacking a next layer of cable parts into the slit 11. One may envisage slit widths allowing more than two cable parts or hose parts to be stacked in a width direction. However, in such embodiments there is some change of the cable or hose getting disorganized.

When organizing a length of cable or hose using any embodiment of the cable or hose organizing device one first provides a cable part or hose part of the length of cable or hose into the slit. One then provides a next cable part or hose part into the slit such that a loop is formed in the length of cable or hose. The loop should be of an appropriate size to be selected by the user. This step is repeated until the length of cable or hose is formed into an organized collection of loops of the length of cable or hose. Figure 3 schematically shows an organizing device with 1 multiple loops of a length of cable or hose C organized in the organizing device. Such organizing of lengths of cable or hose is applicable in various situations, for instance, at home and at building and/or construction sites. It is further applicable in, for instance, cable management of music bands, orchestra’s, and generally various performance situations, such as DJ performances, during which a large number of cables and very long lengths of cable are to be organized and managed.

The loops are generally formed by stretching ones arms when holding a certain length of the cable or hose, which will then measure about 1.5 meter. The length between top and bottom of a loop will measure about half of this length, so about 0.75 meter. Having a total length of 25 meter of cable having a diameter of 8 millimeter to be organized yields than 16 loops, and thus 16 cable parts to be stacked. This will take a height of 12 centimeter in the embodiments of figures 1, la andlb, so a length of the slit in these embodiments should be at least 12 centimeter, and preferably somewhat larger to hold such a length of cable.

Figure 4 shows an embodiment having a slit width of approximately 1.5 times the diameter of the cable or hose parts Cl. The order of the cable parts or hose parts will be maintained and not get scrambled when these parts are stacked within the slit. They may sit partly next to one another so that a stack of cable parts will take less height as compared to a stack of cable parts that sit exactly on top of one another. Such embodiment provides a good optimum between having a cable or hose well-organized and the height over which its parts are stacked when the cable or hose is organized in loops.

Figure 4a show a variant to the other embodiments. In the embodiment of figure 4a the slit width is adjustable to the diameter of the cable or hose to be organized. At the bottom end of the slit both legs 10.1, 10.2 abut against one another by toothed surface. The legs are held together by a screw arrangement 18. When the crew arrangement is released the toothed surfaces can slide with respect to one another.

Since the orientation of the toothed surface is at an angle with the elongation direction of the slit a sliding of the surfaces with respect to one another will yield a slit width adjustment. By tightening the screw arrangement the legs will be secured again to one another.

The embodiments of figures 1,1a and lb have a suspension arrangement 13 provided in a region of the slit entrance 11.1. The suspension arrangement of the figures 1,1a and lb embodiments have the form of a hook. Such suspension arrangement 13 allows the organizing device to be suspended from a wall, ceiling or any suitable element. Figure 2 shows another embodiment of the suspension arrangement 13. Arranging the suspension arrangement in the region of the slit entrance makes that the slit entrance will be directed upwards when the organizing device is suspended so that cable parts will not drop out of the slit.

Figures 1,1a and lb further show that the organizing device is provided with a hand piece 15 for holding the organizing device. The figure 2 embodiment shows a variant in which the hand piece 15 is hollow with an entrance 15.1 and an exit 15.2 for a cable or hose C. The figure 2 embodiment of the hand piece allows the cable or hose C to be guided through the hand piece 15, which enhances organization of the length of cable or hose by the organizing device. It also keeps cable or hose and organizing device together.

Figure 5 shows another embodiment in which the hand piece is provided with or replaced by a female connector 16 of an electrical power plug with an integral electrical cable, allowing to make the organizing device 1 an integral part of an extension cord or cable. An LED may be present to indicate whether the cable is connected to a mains or not. Figure 6 shows an embodiment in which the organizing device is part of a multiple socket 20 with an electrical power cord C. The multiple socket 20 provides one of the legs of the organizing device 1. Figure 7 shows an embodiment in which the organizing device 1 is an integral part of another device 25. A drilling machine is shown in figure 7, but the organizing device 1 may be part of any other device that is comprises cables or hoses. A trolley is shown in figure 8, the organizing device 1 being an integral part of the trolley. The trolley allows handling of heavy-duty 3-phase type or any other heavy type of cables.

Various other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to the skilled person when having read the above disclosure in connection with the drawing, all of which are within the scope of the invention and accompanying claims.

Claims

A cable or hose organizing device (1) comprising a slot arrangement (10) provided with a slot (11) with a slot entrance (11.1) and configured to hold a plurality of cable members or hose sections (C1) of a length of cable or hose that is collected or to be collected in a number of loops to provide an organized collection of loops of the cable or hose length such that cable parts or hose parts (C) are stacked in a direction along the slot.

The cable or hose organizer according to the preceding claim, wherein a slot width (W) is such that the slot (11) can hold a maximum of one or two cable sections or hose sections (C1) in a direction of the slot width.

The cable or hose organizing device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the slot width (W) is between one and two times a diameter of a cable or hose (C) organized with the organizing device.

The cable or hose organizing device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the slot width (W) is adjustable.

The cable or hose organizer according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the slot arrangement (10) comprises a restriction (12) at the slot entrance (11.1) such that the restriction provides a slot input width (W1) that is reduced with respect to up to a slot width (W).

The cable or hose organizing device according to the preceding claim, wherein the slot input width (W1) is substantially equal to or smaller than a diameter of the cable or hose (C).

The cable or hose organizing device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the slot arrangement (10) is resilient such that a slot width (W) can increase or decrease in a direction from a bottom (11.2) of the slot (10) to the slot entrance (11.1).

The cable or hose organizer according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the slot width (W) decreases from a bottom (11.2) of the slot (11) to the slot entrance (11.1).

The cable or hose organizer according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the cable or hose organizer further comprises a closing device (14) constructed and arranged for opening and closing the slot entrance (11.1).

The cable or hose organizing device according to the preceding claim, wherein the closing device (14) in a closed position causes a decreasing slot width (W) in a direction from the bottom (11.2) of the slot (11) to the slot entrance (11.1) .

The cable or hose organizing device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the cable or hose organizing device further comprises a suspension device (13).

The cable or hose organizing device according to the preceding claim, wherein the suspension arrangement (13) is arranged in an environment of the slot entrance (11.1).

The cable or hose organizing device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the slot arrangement (10) is made from one or more of a plastic, a metal and a metal alloy.

A contact plug or socket provided with a cable organizer according to one or more of the preceding claims.

An electrical device provided with a cable organizer according to one or more of the preceding claims.

A cable and / or a hose-comprising device, wherein the cable and / or the hose-comprising device comprises a cable and / or hose-organizing device according to one or more of claims 1-13.

A method of organizing a length of cable or stroke, which method comprises - a step of providing a cable part or hose part (C1) of the length of cable or hose (C) in the slot (11) of a cable or hose organizer (1) according to one or more of claims 1-16; - a step of providing a next cable part or hose part (C1) in the slot of the cable or hose organizing device such that a loop is formed in the length of cable or hose; and - repeating the previous step until the length of cable or hose is formed in an organized set of loops of the length of cable or hose.