Hose reel

Abstract

A portable hose reel for storing and transporting a garden hose is disclosed. The spool of the hose reel has blow-molded flanges and single core to simplify assembly and provide increased strength. The hose reel also includes an unobtrusive hose connector and strain relief member to align the hose on the spool. In addition, a bow tie shape of the spool in combination with a metal frame geometry increases stability while winding or unwinding a garden hose. The hose reel further includes seal having a double O-rings each with a polytetrafluoroethylene backer to improve performance and longevity. Improved torque transmission from the hose reel crank to the spool is provided by a combination of the hose connector being embedded in a spool flange with a tabbed spacer block connected to the spool axel by a set bolt.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A garden hose reel comprising:
 a frame;   a main axle supported by the frame;   a rotatable spool supported by the main axle, the rotatable spool comprising a hose-side flange having a front profile, a handle-side flange, and a core;   a rotary coupler supported by the frame;   a male hose connector hydraulically connected to the rotary coupler;   wherein a majority of the male hose connector is positioned within the front profile of the hose-side flange.   
     
     
         2 . The garden hose reel of  claim 1  wherein the male hose connector comprises a male hose connector upright having a longitudinal axis and a male hose connector elbow having a longitudinal axis wherein an angle between the male hose connector upright longitudinal axis and the male hose connector elbow longitudinal axis in side elevation is between 55-70 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The garden hose reel of  claim 1  wherein the male hose connector comprises a male hose connector upright having a longitudinal axis and a male hose connector elbow having a longitudinal axis wherein an angle between the male hose connector upright longitudinal axis and the male hose connector elbow longitudinal axis in front elevation is between 25-35 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The garden hose reel of  claim 1  wherein the male hose connector comprises a male hose connector upright having a longitudinal axis and a male hose connector elbow having a longitudinal axis wherein an angle between the male hose connector upright longitudinal axis and the male hose connector elbow longitudinal axis in side elevation is between 55-70 degrees and wherein an angle between the male hose connector upright longitudinal axis and the male hose connector elbow longitudinal axis in front elevation is between 25-35 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The garden hose reel of  claim 1  wherein a 75 percent of the male hose connector is positioned within the front profile of the hose-side flange. 
     
     
         6 . The garden hose reel of  claim 1  wherein a 90 percent of the male hose connector is positioned within the front profile of the hose-side flange. 
     
     
         7 . The garden hose reel of  claim 1  wherein the hose-side flange comprises a male hose connector cutout and the male hose connector resides at least partially within the male hose connector cutout. 
     
     
         8 . The garden hose reel of  claim 7  wherein the hose-side flange further comprises a male hose connector pocket and the male hose connector further comprises a male hose connector upright wherein the male hose connector upright rests at least partially within the male hose connector pocket. 
     
     
         9 . The garden hose reel of  claim 8  wherein the male hose connector is mechanically coupled to the main axle. 
     
     
         10 . The garden hose reel of  claim 9  further comprising a crank mechanically coupled to the main axle. 
     
     
         11 . The garden hose reel of  claim 9  further comprising a spacer block mechanically coupled to the main axle between the crank and the handle-side flange. 
     
     
         12 . The garden hose reel of  claim 11  wherein the spacer block comprises tabs and the handle-side flange comprises tab receivers and wherein the spacer block is mechanically coupled to the handle-side flange via the tabs mounting within the tab receivers. 
     
     
         13 . The garden hose reel of  claim 1  wherein rotary coupler comprises a rotary coupler axle in a hydraulic connection to a rotary coupler housing, the rotary coupler axle being coaxial with the main axle. 
     
     
         14 . The garden hose reel of  claim 13  wherein the rotary coupler axle comprises an O-ring with a polytetrafluoroethylene backer on either side of the hydraulic connection. 
     
     
         15 . The garden hose reel of  claim 14  wherein the rotary coupler axle is mechanically coupled to the main axle. 
     
     
         16 . The garden hose reel of  claim 1  wherein the spool has a bowtie shape front profile. 
     
     
         17 . The garden hose reel of  claim 1  wherein hose-side flange and handle-side flange comprise prongs and the core comprises prong receivers and wherein the core is mechanically coupled to hose-side flange and to the handle-side flange via the prongs mounting within the prong receivers. 
     
     
         18 . The garden hose reel of  claim 16  wherein the hose-side flange comprises a hose indent. 
     
     
         19 . The garden hose reel of  claim 18  wherein the hose-side flange comprises a male hose connector cutout in which the male hose connector resides at least partially and the hose indent is adjacent the male hose connector cutout. 
     
     
         20 . The garden hose reel of  claim 19  wherein the hose-side flange further comprises a male hose connector pocket and the male hose connector further comprises a male hose connector upright wherein the male hose connector upright rests at least partially within the male hose connector pocket. 
     
     
         21 . The garden hose reel of  claim 3  further comprising a strain relief strap having a longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         22 . The garden hose reel of  claim 21  wherein an angle between the male hose connector upright longitudinal axis and the strain relief strap longitudinal axis in side elevation is between 140-160 degrees. 
     
     
         23 . A rotatable spool for a garden hose reel comprising:
 a unibody hose-side flange and a unibody handle-side flange, each flange comprising prongs; and   a unibody core between the hose-side flange and the handle-side flange, the core comprising prong receivers into which the prongs of the flanges mount.   
     
     
         24 . The rotatable spool for a garden hose reel of  claim 23  wherein the hose-side flange and the handle-side flange are blow-molded. 
     
     
         25 . The rotatable spool for a garden hose reel of  claim 24  wherein the rotatable spool has a bowtie shape front profile. 
     
     
         26 . The rotatable spool for a garden hose reel of  claim 25  wherein the hose-side flange and the handle-side flange each comprise a handle slot. 
     
     
         27 . The rotatable spool for a garden hose reel of  claim 25  further comprising a strain relief strap having a longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         28 . The rotatable spool for a garden hose reel of  claim 25  wherein the hose-side flange comprises a male hose connector cutout. 
     
     
         29 . The rotatable spool for a garden hose reel of  claim 28  wherein the hose-side flange comprises a male hose connector pocket. 
     
     
         30 . The rotatable spool for a garden hose reel of  claim 29  wherein male hose connector pocket comprises a longitudinal axis wherein an angle between the male hose connector pocket longitudinal axis and the strain relief strap longitudinal axis in side elevation is between 140-160 degrees. 
     
     
         31 . The rotatable spool for a garden hose reel of  claim 29  wherein the hose-side flange comprises a hose indent. 
     
     
         32 . The rotatable spool for a garden hose reel of  claim 31  wherein hose indent is adjacent to the male hose connector pocket. 
     
     
         33 . An axle for a garden hose reel comprising:
 a main axle;   a rotary coupler comprising a rotary coupler axle in a hydraulic connection to a rotary coupler housing wherein the rotary coupler axle is coaxial to and mechanically coupled to the main axle.   
     
     
         34 . The axle for a garden hose reel of  claim 33  wherein the rotary coupler axle comprises an O-ring with a polytetrafluoroethylene backer on either side of the hydraulic connection. 
     
     
         35 . The axle for a garden hose reel of  claim 34  further comprising a crank. 
     
     
         36 . The axle for a garden hose reel of  claim 35  further comprising a spacer block mechanically coupled to the main axle. 
     
     
         37 . The axle for a garden hose reel of  claim 36  wherein the spacer block comprises spacer block tabs. 
     
     
         38 . The axle for a garden hose reel of  claim 36  wherein the spacer block in mechanically coupled to the main axle between the crank and the rotary coupler axle. 
     
     
         39 . The axle for a garden hose reel of  claim 33  wherein the rotary coupler axle and main axle are mechanically coupled by a t-connector. 
     
     
         40 . The axle for a garden hose reel of  claim 39  comprising a male hose connector wherein the male hose connector is hydraulically connected to the rotary coupler axle by the t-connector. 
     
     
         41 . The axle for a garden hose reel of  claim 40  wherein the rotary coupler axle comprises an O-ring with a polytetrafluoroethylene backer on either side of the hydraulic connection between the rotary coupler housing and the rotary coupler axle. 
     
     
         42 . The axle for a garden hose reel of  claim 33  wherein the main axle and rotary coupler axle are metal.