U.S. patent application number 09/766527 was filed with the patent office on 2002-07-25 for portable electric appliance with cord holder.
Invention is credited to Carbajal, Francisco J., Tsuji, Masao.
Application Number | 20020096411 09/766527 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25076708 |
Filed Date | 2002-07-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020096411 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tsuji, Masao ; et
al. |
July 25, 2002 |
Portable electric appliance with cord holder
Abstract
A portable electric appliance (10) has a housing with recesses
(20) in which posts (25) are mounted for movement between extended
and retracted positions. The appliance power cord is wrapped about
the posts for storage in their extended positions and held in a
notch (31) of a post flange (30).
Inventors: |
Tsuji, Masao; (Germantown,
TN) ; Carbajal, Francisco J.; (Cordova, TN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Dorian B. Kennedy
Baker, Donelson, Bearman & Caldwell
Suite 900
Five Concourse Parkway
Atlanta
GA
30328
US
|
Family ID: |
25076708 |
Appl. No.: |
09/766527 |
Filed: |
January 22, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
191/12R ;
242/400.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 75/4476 20130101;
H01R 13/72 20130101; H02G 11/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
191/12.00R ;
242/400.1 |
International
Class: |
B65H 075/44; H02G
011/02 |
Claims
1. A portable electrically powered appliance having a housing and a
power cord which extends out of said housing for connection to a
source of electric power, and wherein said housing has a generally
flat side formed with two recesses and two posts with manually
gripable flanges repositionably mounted to said two side recesses
for movement inboard between a retracted position with said flanges
located inboard said side recesses and an extended position with
said flanges located outboard of said side recesses, whereby the
power cord may be wrapped about the posts for appliance
transportation and storage with the posts in their extended
positions and the posts retracted when the appliance is in use.
2. The portable electric appliance of claim 1 wherein said flanges
have a notch in which an end of said electric cord may be held.
3. The portable electric appliance of claim 1 wherein one of said
housing recesses has a hole through which said electric cord
extends adjacent one of said posts.
4. A portable electrically powered appliance having a housing
through which a power cord extends and means for holding said power
cord flushly aside said housing which means includes a post that is
retractably and extendably mounted to said housing.
5. The portable electrically powered appliance of claim 4 wherein
said cord holding means comprising a second post retractably and
extendably mounted to said housing spaced from the other post.
6. The portable electrically powered appliance of claim wherein
said housing has a generally flat rear side formed with recess in
which said post is mounted.
7. The portable electrically powered appliance of claim wherein
said post is formed with a flange with a notch through which said
power cord may be passed.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to portable, electric powered
appliances such as humidifiers, air purifiers and fans.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Portable electric appliances commonly have a power cord that
is several feet long. The cord terminates with a plug that may be
plugged into a wall socket to access a source of municipal power.
This is done when the appliance is ready for or actually is in use.
When not in use, as when being moved about or stowed, the power
cord must be held or otherwise it will drag during transport.
During storage it should be held or coiled for compactness and
neatness.
[0003] Heretofore portable electric appliances have been equipped
with means for holding their power cord. Vacuum cleaners, for
example, commonly have hooks or cleats mounted to their vacuum
tubes. Their power cords are wrapped over these along the tubes
when the appliance is not in use. Other appliances have been
equipped with means for retracting and storing the cord inside the
appliance housing. These employ spring loaded reels and thus have
moving parts and are more expensive. Others have had racks mounted
to their housing for this purpose. Exemplary of these are those
shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,033,491, 3,476,331 and 6,003,804.
[0004] Most power cord holders have provided projections in one
form or another. This presents little problem when the cord is
wrapped about them. However, when the appliance is not in use these
projections not only present a hazard, they also prevent the
appliance from being placed flushly or a least closely aside a
wall. Small appliances are commonly located on kitchen countertops
where space is at a premium. Even those larger ones that are set
upon floors, such as air purifiers, humidifiers, space heaters and
fans, are preferably located closely aside a wall.
[0005] Accordingly, it is seen that a need has long existed for
portable, electric powered appliances to be provided with power
cord holders that are readily accessible and easy to use and yet
which do not provide protrusions of significance when not in use.
It thus is to the provision of such that the present invention is
primarily directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In a preferred form of the invention, a portable
electrically powered appliance has a housing, an electric load
housed within the housing, and an electric power cord coupled with
the load. The power cord extends out of the housing for connection
to a source of electric power. The housing has a generally flat
side formed with two recesses and two posts with manually gripable
flanges. The posts are repositionably mounted to the housing side
recesses for movement between a retracted position with their
flanges generally coplanar with the housing side and an extended
position with their flanges located outboard of the side. So
constructed, the electric power cord may be wrapped about the posts
for appliance transportation and storage with the posts in their
extended positions and the posts retracted when the appliance is in
use so that they do not present protrusions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air purifier that
incorporates principles of the invention in a preferred form shown
with its power cord loose.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the air purifier of FIG. 1
shown with its power cord stowed.
[0009] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view, in perspective, of one of the
two cord holding posts shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0010] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the air purifier
showing one of its cord holding posts in its retracted position
while FIG. 5 shows; it in its extended position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] Referring now in more detail to the drawing, there is shown
an air purifier 10 that is of conventional structure save for its
inclusion of means for holding its power cord in a stowed
configuration. The air purifier has a housing with a grill 11 on
its front side that provides an air inlet and another grill 12 on
its top that provides an air outlet. The housing also has a bottom
12, two opposite sides 13 and a back 14. The air purifier has an
unshown blower and filter conventionally mounted inside the housing
between the air inlet and air outlet. The blower fan is driven by
an electric motor from which a power cord 15 extends. The cord
terminates with a plug 16. Upon insertion of the plug into a socket
the unit may be connected with a source of municipal power upon
operation of its on/off switch. The housing is formed with two hand
grips 18 for portability.
[0012] The back side 14 of the housing is generally flat except for
two recesses in its two bottom corners. The principal walls 21 of
the recesses are flat and parallel to the back side 14. One recess
wall 21 is formed with a hole 22 through which the power cord 15
extends. Each recess is formed with a central opening through which
a cylindrical post 25 extends. The inboard end of the post is
formed with two pairs of short slits 26 that straddle a chambered
or beveled locking tab 27. The outboard end of the post is formed
with a disc-shaped or maple leaf flange 30 that has three angularly
spaced notches 31. The post may be readily mounted to the housing
rear side by inserting its end whereupon the tabs are momentarily
flexed inwardly and then spring back to serve as stop. The posts
may then be moved between the retracted position shown in FIG. 4
and the extended positions shown in FIG. 5. In their retracted
positions their flanges are located in the recesses 20 while in
their extended positions they are located outboard of the rear side
14.
[0013] In use the power cord plug is inserted into an electrical
receptacle like a common wall socket. The posts are recessed as
shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. So configured they do not provide
protrusions that can present a hazard. This also enables the
purifier to be set closely beside a wall. Indeed, this enables the
unit, whether it be an air purifier, or humidifier, or simply a
fan, to be placed flush against a room wall. If full flush
placement is desired a small channel is formed in the rear side
that extends from a recess 30 to a side 13 to receive the cord
15.
[0014] During storage or transportation the cord is wrapped about
the post as shown in FIG. 2. This is done by manually pulling the
two flanges 30 outwardly and then wrapping the cord about the post
25. The cord is then seated in a notch 31.
[0015] It thus is seen that a portable electric appliance is now
provided with improved means for holding its power cord. Although
the invention has been shown and described in its preferred form,
it should be understood that many modifications, changes or
additions may be made without departure from the spirit and scope
of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
* * * * *