Miniature retractable cord reel

Abstract

A cord reel device for connecting a signal source to remote device comprises a spool rotatable on an arbor, the spool having an inner chamber and an outer trough. A retractable cord is removably held in the trough. A spring for urging rotation of the spool in a direction to retract the cord is held in the inner chamber. An inner cable is wound with the spring in the spool inner chamber. The inner cable is electrically connected to the retractable cord. The cord reel of the invention may preferably include EMI-RFI shielding, and may find particular utility in applications requiring a substantially miniature cord reel, such as with a cellular telephone or the like.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A retractable cord reel rotatable on an arbor, comprising: 
 a) a spool, rotatably mounted on the arbor, said spool having an annular wall defining an outer trough and an inner chamber, said spool having a diameter of less than about 4 cm;    b) a retractable cord removably held in said outer trough;    c) means attached to said spool for rotating said spool in a cord retracting direction; and    d) an inner cable in said spool inner chamber, said inner cable connected to said retractable cord.    
     
     
         2 . A retractable cord reel as in  claim 1 , wherein said rotating means comprises a spring in said spool inner chamber, said inner cable helically wound with said spring, said spring having one end attached to the arbor and the other end attached to said spool.  
     
     
         3 . A retractable cord reel rotatable on an arbor, comprising: 
 a) a spool, rotatably mounted on the arbor, said spool having an annular wall defining an outer trough and an inner chamber;    b) a retractable cord removably held in said outer trough;    c) a spring coiled in said spool inner chamber, one end of said spring attached to the arbor and the other end of said spring attached to said spool, said spring for rotating said spool in a cord retracting direction; and    d) an inner cable in said spool inner chamber, helically wound with said spring, said inner cable connected to said retractable cord.    
     
     
         4 . A retractable cord reel as in  claim 3 , wherein said spool is shielded.  
     
     
         5 . A retractable cord reel as in  claim 3 , the cord reel electrically connecting a source to a remote device, a portion of said inner cable having extending axially out of the reel at the arbor for connection to the source, said retractable cord being connected to the remote device.  
     
     
         6 . A retractable cord reel as in  claim 3 , further comprising a housing for containing said spool, said housing having a radial opening through which said retractable cord passes.  
     
     
         7 . A retractable cord reel as in  claim 3 , further comprising a ratchet operatively engaged with said spool for selectively restraining rotation of said spool.  
     
     
         8 . A retractable cord reel as in  claim 3 , wherein said retractable cord and said inner cable are unitary.  
     
     
         9 . A retractable cord reel as in  claim 3 , wherein said retractable cord comprises an outer jacket and at least one inner conductor, said outer jacket attached to said spool.  
     
     
         10 . A retractable cord reel as in  claim 3 , wherein said retractable cord comprises plural conductors and a shield layer surrounding at least one of said conductors; said inner cable comprises plural conductors, each connected to a respective one of said retractable cord conductors, and a shield conductor connected to said retractable cord shield layer; and further comprising an shield substantially surrounding said spool inner chamber, said inner chamber shield, spring, shield conductor and shield layer being electrically connected to each other.  
     
     
         11 . A retractable cord reel as in  claim 3 , wherein said inner cable comprises a substantially flat ribbon cable.  
     
     
         12 . A retractable cord reel as in  claim 3 , wherein said inner cable is bonded to said spring.  
     
     
         13 . A retractable cord reel as in  claim 3 , wherein said inner cable comprises at least one conductive strip carried on said spring.  
     
     
         14 . A retractable cord reel as in  claim 3 , wherein said spool having a diameter of less than approximately 4 cm and having a thickness of less than approximately 2 cm.  
     
     
         15 . A retractable cord reel rotatable on an arbor, comprising: 
 a) a spool, rotatably mounted on the arbor, said spool having an annular wall defining an outer trough and an inner chamber;    b) a retractable cord removably held in said outer trough, said cord having a first end adjacent said annular wall;    c) a spring coiled in said spool inner chamber, one end of said spring attached to the arbor and the other end of said spring attached to said spool, said spring for rotating said spool in a cord retracting direction; and    d) an inner cable carried on said spring, one end of said inner cable connected to said first end of said retractable cord.    
     
     
         16 . A retractable cord reel as in  claim 15 , wherein said spring has an insulating coating and said inner cable comprises at least one conductive strip adhered to said spring coating.  
     
     
         17 . A retractable cord reel, comprising: 
 a) a housing having a substantially cylindrical interior, a radial opening, and an axial opening;    b) an arbor in said housing;    c) a spool mounted for rotation on said arbor, said spool having an annular wall defining an outer trough and an inner chamber, said annular wall having a radial opening therein;    d) an electromagnetic shield surrounding said spool;    e) a retractable cord removably wrapped in said trough, said cord comprising a plurality of conductors, said conductors having a first end adjacent said opening in said spool annular wall, a shield layer over at least one of said conductors, one end of said shield layer conductively connected to said spool shield, and a reinforcing member, a first end of said reinforcing member anchored to said spool;    f) a spring in said spool inner chamber, said spring having one end attached to said arbor and another end attached to said spool;    g) an inner cable in said spool inner chamber helically wound with said spring, said inner cable having a first end electrically connected to said first end of said retractable cord conductors, and a second end extending axially out of said reel at said arbor.    
     
     
         18 . A miniature retractable cord reel for making a plural signal connection between a source and a remote device, comprising: 
 a) a housing having a radial opening and an axial opening;    b) an arbor in said housing;    c) a spool mounted for rotation on said arbor, said spool having a diameter of less than approximately 4 cm and a thickness of less than approximately 2 cm, said spool having an annular wall defining an outer trough and an inner chamber, said annular wall having a radial opening connecting said inner chamber and said outer trough;    d) a spring in said spool inner chamber, one end of said spring attached to said arbor and a second end attached to said spool;    e) a substantially flat inner cable in said spool inner chamber helically wound with said spring, said inner cable having one end extending to said opening in said annular wall and a second end exiting said housing axial opening, said second end connected to one of said source or remote device, said inner cable having plural signal conductors, and a shield conductor between said plural signal conductors;    f) an electromagnetic shield surrounding at least said spool inner chamber and electrically connected to said spring and said inner cable shield conductor;    g) a retractable cord removably wrapped in said spool trough, said cord having a first end adjacent said opening in said spool annular wall, and a second end extending through said radial opening in said housing, said second end connected to the other of the source or remote device, said retractable cord comprising plural signal conductors, each of said cord conductors electrically connected to a respective one of said inner cable conductors, a shield layer surrounding at least one of said retractable cord conductors, a first end of said cord shield layer electrically connected to said inner cable shield conductor, and a fabric braid layer over said conductors, a first end anchored to said spool and a second end anchored to said other of the source or remote device.    
     
     
         19 . A miniature retractable cord reel within a housing, comprising 
 a) a spool rotatably mounted in the housing, said spool having only two compartments, namely an outer compartment and an inner compartment;    b) a retractable cord removably held in said outer compartment of said spool;    c) an inner cable helically wound in said inner compartment of said spool, said inner cable connected to said retractable cord; and    d) means for rotating said spool in a cord retracting direction.    
     
     
         20 . A combination headset and retractable cord reel, comprising 
 a) a headset having a head band and at least one ear piece and a speaker in said ear piece;    b) a spool rotatably mounted to said headset, said spool having an outer trough and an inner chamber;    c) a cord wound in the trough of said spool, one end of said cord being retractable from said spool and said headset;    d) a helical spring in said inner chamber, said spring for rotating said spool in a cord retracting direction; and    e) an inner cable, at least a portion of said inner cable helically wound with said spring in the inner chamber of said spool, one end of said inner cable being connected to the speaker in said headset and the other end of said inner cable being connected to the other end of said retractable cord.