Treadle and winding device equipped with same

Abstract

To provide a cord reel and a hose reel which can easily perform the work of pulling out and winding a power cord or a hose and can prevent the power cord or the hose from becoming loose due to vibration during transportation and coming off a drum. [Solution] The winding device 1a is a conventional cord reel that is shaped like a rectangular plate, with a notch 3 that can accommodate a power cord 54 and is provided parallel to the longitudinal direction from the tip 2a, and a footplate 2 with an engagement groove 4 provided on the underside 2c near the base end 2b so that it is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cord reel used to connect a power source to an electric tool, lighting, or the like that is located far from the power source, and a hose reel used to supply water to a location far from a water faucet, and in particular to a cord reel and hose reel (hereinafter both will be collectively referred to as a reeling device) that does not get in the way when carrying the device and that allows the power cord or hose to be easily wound up and pulled out. [Background technology]

[0002] When using power tools or lighting in a location far from a power source, the power tool or other device must be connected to the power source, and a cord reel (electrician's drum) is usually used for this purpose. As shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b), a conventional cord reel 50 includes a winding drum 51 consisting of a first disk 51a and a second disk 51b installed at either end of a cylindrical body (not shown) so that their central axes coincide with each other; a shaft 52a that rotatably supports the winding drum 51 with its axis coincident with the central axis of the body; a support frame 52 having the shaft 52a attached to one end and a grip 52b attached to the other end; a power cord 54 that is wound onto the body of the winding drum 51 with a plug 54a attached to one end; a rod-shaped handle 53 erected on the outer surface of the first disk 51a near the outer edge; and four sockets 55 installed on the outer surface of the first disk 51a to which the other ends of the power cords 54 are electrically connected. In addition, the portion of the support frame 52 that is bent below the winding drum 51 to form a U-shape in a plan view functions as a leg 52c that supports the winding drum 51 when placed on the ground.

[0003] With a cord reel 50 having this structure, when the power cord 54 is pulled out from the winding drum 51, there is a possibility that the pull of the power cord 54 will cause the winding drum 51 to lift off the ground. In this case, it is necessary to press the support frame 52 against the ground to fix the winding drum 51 so that it does not move, so the operator will have to grasp the grip 52b with one hand and grasp the power cord 54 with the other hand to pull it out from the winding drum 51. On the other hand, when winding the power cord 54 onto the winding drum 51, the operator must grasp the grip 52b with one hand to fix the winding drum 51 so that it does not move by pressing the support frame 52 against the ground, and operate the handle 53 with the other hand to rotate the first disc 51a.

[0004] When winding or unwinding the power cord 54 in this way, both hands are occupied, so in order to secure the winding drum 51 sufficiently, conventionally, the winding drum 51 has been secured by stepping on the legs 52c of the support frame 52. However, with conventional cord reels 50, there are few areas of the legs 52c that can be stepped on with the foot, so there has been a problem in that the winding drum 51 cannot be secured sufficiently by stepping on the legs 52c with the foot.

[0005] Although not related to cord reels, Patent Document 1, for example, discloses an invention called a "hose reel" that addresses these issues and has a structure in which a step (a part that is stepped on to secure the drum when pulling out or winding up the hose) is attached to the frame. Patent document 1 describes a step consisting of a pivot portion that fits onto both opposing bearing portions of the left and right frames, and a tread portion that is roughly U-shaped in plan and fits onto a connecting pipe whose both ends are fitted into the bearing portions. In a hose reel with this structure, the drum can be secured by stepping on the step, making it easy to pull out the hose from the drum. When the step is not in use, it can be rotated around the pivot and positioned between the left and right frames so that it does not get in the way during transport.

[0006] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses an invention called a "hose reeling machine" that has a structure for manually reeling in a pulled-out hose. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a structure in which the base end of the pedal, which is parallel to the horizontal direction, is attached to the leg, which is parallel to the vertical direction when placed on the ground, so that it can rotate within a horizontal plane and move vertically. In a hose reel with this structure, the drum is fixed by stepping on the pedal, making it easy to unwind and reel in the hose. Furthermore, with the above-mentioned structure, when the pedal is not in use, the pedal can be rotated toward the drum to reduce the bulk, making the machine easier to transport and saving storage space. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-246123 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-89089 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] In the hose reel disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the hose winder disclosed in Patent Document 2, the steps and pedals can be moved to a position where they do not get in the way during transport, but because they do not have a mechanism to secure the hose, there is a risk that the hose may loosen and come off the drum due to vibrations during transport. The present invention has been made in response to such conventional circumstances, and aims to provide a winding device that allows easy pulling out and winding of power cords and hoses, and can prevent the power cords and hoses from becoming loose due to vibrations during transport and coming off the drum. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the first invention is a winding device comprising a winding drum for winding up a power cord or a hose, and legs that support the winding drum when placed on the ground, characterized in that the footplate installed on the leg has an engagement groove on the underside of the base end that engages with the leg, and a first notch on the tip end that holds only the main body of the power cord or hose placed inside.

[0010] The second invention is characterized in that, in the first invention, a second notch is provided on the tip side to hold only the main body portion of the power cord or hose placed inside.

[0011] A third invention is characterized in that in the first invention, a recess capable of locking a plug attached to the tip of a power cord is provided on the bottom surface.

[0012] The fourth invention is characterized in that, in any of the first to third inventions, through holes for inserting the cable ties are formed in pairs on both sides of the engagement groove.

[0013] The winding device of the fifth invention is characterized in that a footplate according to any one of the first to third inventions is installed on a leg that supports a winding drum for winding up a power cord or a hose.

[0014] The sixth invention is characterized in that, in the fifth invention, both ends are connected to the footboard and the leg, respectively, and is provided with an elastic member that urges the footboard to rotate toward the winding drum and is installed so that it can come into contact with the power cord or hose as the footboard rotates. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the first aspect of the invention, even if both hands are occupied, the winding drum can be securely fixed by stepping on the top surface of the footboard, making it easy to pull out and wind up the power cord or hose. Furthermore, in the first aspect of the invention, the first notch in the footboard holds the power cord or hose with the main body located inside, preventing the winding drum from rotating unintentionally. Therefore, according to the first aspect of the invention, it is possible to prevent the power cord or hose from becoming loose due to rotation of the winding drum caused by vibrations during transport, etc., and thus preventing the power cord or hose from becoming detached from the winding drum.

[0016] In the second invention, the effect of the first notch, which holds the power cord or hose with the main body disposed inside and prevents inadvertent rotation of the winding drum, is similarly exhibited by the second notch. Therefore, the second invention further enhances the effect of the first invention, which is to prevent the power cord or hose from coming loose due to rotation of the winding drum caused by vibrations during transport, etc., and thus preventing the power cord or hose from coming off the winding drum.

[0017] According to the third invention, in addition to the effects of the first invention, when the plug of the power cord whose main body is located inside the first cutout is engaged with the recess provided on the underside of the footboard, the plug becomes integrated with the winding drum via the footboard, thereby providing the effect of making it easy to carry.

[0018] According to the fourth invention, the footboard can be connected to the leg by using a cable tie, which has the effect of any one of the first to third inventions, and in addition thereto, has the effect of allowing the product to be carried safely without worrying about the footboard coming off the leg even when the main body of the power cord is not positioned inside the first or second cutout.

[0019] According to the fifth invention, the same effect as any one of the first to third inventions can be achieved.

[0020] In the sixth aspect of the invention, even if the main body of the power cord or hose is not held by the first notch, the elastic member urges the footplate in a direction that abuts the power cord or hose wound on the winding drum, preventing the footplate from rotating unintentionally, making the appliance easy to carry. Furthermore, in the sixth aspect of the invention, the elastic member presses the power cord or hose against the winding drum via the footplate, preventing unintentional rotation of the winding drum and preventing the power cord or hose from moving wildly even if it is pulled out forcefully from the winding drum. Therefore, the sixth aspect of the invention allows the power cord or hose to be pulled out efficiently in a short amount of time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1(a) is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a winding device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1(b) is a side view of the tread shown in FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 1(a) is a side view of the winding device shown in FIG. 1(a), and FIG. 1(b) is a view showing the state in which the footboard in FIG. 1(a) has been rotated. [Figure 3] FIG. 10(a) is a side view showing an example of the appearance of a winding device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 10(b) is a side view of the tread shown in FIG. [Figure 4] 3(a) and 3(b) are top and bottom views, respectively, of the tread shown in FIG. 3(b). [Figure 5] 3(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 3(a), and FIG. 3(b) is a view in which the tread plate in FIG. 3(a) has been rotated. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a view of the winding device shown in FIG. 3(a) as seen from the side where the footboard is installed. [Figure 7] 1(a) and 1(b) are a perspective view and a side view, respectively, showing the appearance of a conventional cord reel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] A footboard and a reeling device including the footboard according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. Note that the outline of the legs of the support frame is partially indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 1(b), and a cross section of the legs is shown in FIG. 3(b). Also, the first and second disks 51a and 51b are omitted from FIG. 5(a). Furthermore, in the following description, the surface of the footboard that is stepped on by the foot when in use is referred to as the "upper surface," and the surface that comes into contact with the ground is referred to as the "lower surface." Furthermore, while the following description relates to a reeling device in which a power cord is reeled onto a reel drum, the functions and effects of this invention are similarly exhibited in a reeling device in which a hose is reeled onto a reel drum. Therefore, a description of the hose reeling device will be omitted. [Example]

[0023] As shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b), the winding device 1a according to the first embodiment of the present invention is a conventional cord reel 50 already described using Figures 6(a) and 6(b), characterized in that it is made of a rectangular plate material and has a first notch 3 formed parallel to the longitudinal direction from the tip 2a, into which only the main body portion of the power cord 54 excluding the plug 54a can be placed, and an engagement groove 4 formed on the underside 2c near the base end 2b so as to be perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and is equipped with a footplate 2 that is detachably installed on a grip 52b of a support frame 52. The leg 52c is cylindrical, and part of the cross section of the engagement groove 4 is semicircular, with a radius of curvature greater than the radius of the leg 52c. In other words, the leg 52c can be positioned inside the engagement groove 4, and the footboard 2 can rotate around the base end 2b with the engagement groove 4 engaged with the leg 52c.

[0024] As described above, because the engagement groove 4 is provided on the underside 2c of the tread 2, when the upper surface 2d of the tread 2 is stepped on with a foot in the state shown in Figure 2(a), the leg 52c of the support frame 52 is pressed against the ground, restricting the movement of the winding drum 51. In other words, with the winding device 1a, even if both hands are occupied, by stepping on the upper surface 2d of the tread 2 with a foot, the winding drum 51 can be sufficiently fixed so that it does not move on its own, making it easy to pull out and wind up the power cord 54. 2(a), the footplate 2 is rotated around the base end 2b so that the tip end 2a is positioned between the first disc 51a and the second disc 51b, and then the main body of the power cord 54 is placed inside the first cutout 3, resulting in the state shown in FIG. 2(b). In this state, if an attempt is made to pull the power cord 54 from the take-up drum 51 by holding the plug 54a by hand, friction generated between the inner wall surface of the first cutout 3 and the outer surface of the main body of the power cord 54 acts to prevent the power cord 54 from being pulled out. On the other hand, if an attempt is made to rotate the take-up drum 51 in the direction in which the power cord 54 is wound by holding the handle 53 by hand, the plug 54a cannot pass through the first cutout 3, and the take-up drum 51 cannot be rotated any further.

[0025] In this way, when the main body portion is placed inside, the first notch 3 of the tread 2 serves to hold the power cord 54 so that it is difficult for the winding drum 51 to rotate in the direction in which the power cord 54 is pulled out or in the direction in which the power cord 54 is wound. In this case, the main body portion of the power cord 54 wound around the body of the winding drum 51 is unlikely to become loose due to vibrations or the like during transport, causing the power cord 54 to come off the body. In other words, with the winding device 1a, there is no risk that the main body portion will come off the body of the winding drum 51 while being carried, leaving the plug 54a of the power cord 54 hanging down and interfering with walking, so it can be carried safely. When the plug 54a of the power cord 54 is in contact with the underside 2c of the footplate 2 as shown in Figure 2(b), the footplate 2 cannot be rotated in a direction in which the tip 2a moves away from the winding drum 51. Furthermore, it is also impossible to rotate it further in the opposite direction due to the presence of the body of the winding drum 51. In other words, in the winding device 1a, when the footplate 2 is in the state shown in Figure 2(b), the footplate 2 will not rotate unintentionally, so there is no need to provide a separate mechanism to restrict the rotation of the footplate 2. [Example]

[0026] As shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the winding device 1b according to the second embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that it has a step 5 instead of the step 2 of the winding device 1a already described using Figures 1(a) and 1(b), and further has a cover 9 and a coil-shaped tension spring 10 inserted into this cover 9. The step board 5 is made of a rectangular plate material and has a first notch 3 extending parallel to the longitudinal direction from the tip 5a, into which only the main body portion of the power cord 54, excluding the plug 54a, can be placed, and an engagement groove 4, the cross-sectional outline of which is semicircular with a radius of curvature larger than the radius of the leg 52c, is provided on the underside 5c near the base end 5b so as to be perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. In other words, the leg 52c can be placed inside the engagement groove 4, and the step board 5 is structured so that it can rotate around the base end 5b with the engagement groove 4 engaged with the leg 52c.

[0027] As shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), the step board 5 has a protrusion 7 on its side surface that defines a second notch 7a extending parallel to the longitudinal direction from the tip 5a in addition to the first notch 3. This second notch 7a allows placement of only the main body portion of the step board 5, excluding the plug 54a. Two pairs of through-holes 5e, for inserting cable ties 6 (see Figure 3(b)), are formed on either side of the engagement groove 4. The step board 5 also has an upper surface 5d formed with indentations resembling the sole of a foot, and a lower surface 5c provided with a recess 8 for engaging the plug 54a of the power cord 54. The upper surface 5d of the step board 5 is further provided with a recess 5f extending from the base end 5b toward the tip 5a, perpendicular to the engagement groove 4, allowing placement of at least a portion of the tension spring 10. Near the tip 5a end of the recess 5f, a pair of through-holes 5e, 5e are provided for inserting cable ties 6.

[0028] As shown in Figure 5(a), the tension spring 10 is at least partially inserted into the cover 9, and one end of the tension spring 10 is fixed using a cable tie 6 to a portion of the leg 52c of the support frame 52 that is parallel to the portion of the foot 5 that engages the engagement groove 4, and the other end is fixed to the foot 5 using a cable tie 6. Note that when the underside 5c of the foot 5 is in contact with the ground as shown in Figures 3(a) and 5(a), the tension spring 10 is stretched, but because the tension spring 10 and the foot 5 are approximately parallel, the tension force of the tension spring 10 against the foot 5 does not generate a torque that would rotate the foot 5 around the base end 2b side. On the other hand, when the footplate 5 is rotated slightly from the state shown in Figure 3(a) or Figure 5(a) in a direction in which the tip 5a approaches the winding drum 51, the torque described above is generated by the tensile force of the tension spring 10 on the footplate 5. As a result, the footplate 5 rotates about the base end 5b side until a part of the tension spring 10 inserted in the cover 9 comes into contact with the part of the power cord 54 wound around the winding drum 51, resulting in the state shown in Figure 5(b).

[0029] In the rewinding device 1b having such a structure, the engagement groove 4 is provided on the underside 5c of the tread 5, so that when the upper surface 5d of the tread 5 is stepped on with a foot in the state shown in Figure 3(a), the leg 52c of the support frame 52 is pressed against the ground, restricting the movement of the rewinding drum 51. In other words, with the rewinding device 1b, even if both hands are occupied, the rewinding drum 51 can be sufficiently fixed by stepping on the upper surface 5d of the tread 5 with a foot. Therefore, with the rewinding device 1b, the power cord 54 can be easily unwound and rewound.

[0030] 3(a), the step 5 is rotated around the base end 5b so that the tip end 5a is positioned between the first disc 51a and the second disc 51b. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the main body of the power cord 54 is placed inside the second cutout 7a, and after the main body is wrapped around the trunk once, the main body of the power cord 54 is further placed inside the first cutout 3. In this case, even if an attempt is made to pull out power cord 54 from take-up drum 51 by holding plug 54a with one's hand, frictional forces generated between the inner wall surface of first cutout 3 and the outer surface of the main body of power cord 54, and between the inner wall surface of second cutout 7a and the outer surface of the main body of power cord 54, act to prevent pulling out power cord 54. On the other hand, even if an attempt is made to rotate take-up drum 51 in the direction in which power cord 54 is wound up by holding handle 53 with one's hand, plug 54a cannot be passed through first cutout 3, and therefore it is not possible to rotate take-up drum 51 any further.

[0031] In this way, the second notch 7a of the tread 5 also has the function of holding the power cord 54 with the main body located inside, and the effect of the first notch 3 of restricting the rotation of the winding drum 51 in the direction in which the power cord 54 is pulled out and in the direction in which the power cord 54 is wound up is further enhanced. As a result, with the winding device 1b, there is no risk of the main body becoming detached from the body of the winding drum 51 while being carried, leaving the power cord 54 with the plug 54a hanging down and interfering with walking, and therefore the effect of the winding device 1a that it can be carried safely is more reliably achieved.

[0032] In addition, in the winding device 1b, when the plug 54a of the power cord 54, the main body of which is arranged inside the first cutout 3, is engaged with the recess 8 provided on the underside 5c of the footboard 5, the plug 54a becomes integrated with the winding drum 51 via the footboard 5, making it easy to carry. Furthermore, in the winding device 1b, the footboard 5 can be connected to the leg 52c of the support frame 52 in a rotatable manner by using a cable tie 6, so that even if the main body of the power cord 54 is not positioned inside the first cutout 3 or the second cutout 7a, the footboard 5 can be carried safely without worrying about it coming off the leg 52c. For the same reason as with step plate 2, there is no risk of step plate 5 rotating unintentionally, and therefore retraction device 1b does not require a separate mechanism to restrict the rotation of step plate 5. In addition, with retraction device 1b, even if the locked state between plug 54a and recess 8 is released from the state shown in Figure 6 and the main body of power cord 54 is removed from inside first cutout 3, step plate 5 will not rotate unintentionally because it is biased by tension spring 10 in the direction in which it abuts against power cord 54.

[0033] Furthermore, in the winding device 1a, if the power cord 54 wound around the winding drum 51 is pulled out forcefully in the above-described state, there is a risk that the power cord 54 will move wildly as it is being pulled out. However, in the winding device 1b, the tension spring 10, which is in contact with the portion of the power cord 54 wound around the winding drum 51, holds the power cord 54 against the winding drum 51, so that the power cord 54 is less likely to move wildly even when the power cord 54 is pulled out forcefully from the winding drum 51. Therefore, in the winding device 1b, the power cord 54 can be pulled out efficiently in a short time. Furthermore, because the tension spring 10 holds the power cord 54 against the winding drum 51 via the footboard 5, the winding drum 51 is prevented from rotating unintentionally.

[0034] Although the first cutout 3 and second cutout 7a of the step boards 2 and 5 are formed parallel to the longitudinal direction of the step boards 2 and 5, the step boards of the present invention are not limited to this structure. In other words, the first cutout 3 and second cutout 7a do not necessarily have to be formed parallel to the longitudinal direction of the step boards 2 and 5. Furthermore, instead of the tension spring 10, an elastic member such as an elastic string or silicone rubber may be used to bias the step board 5 so that it rotates toward the winding drum 51. [Industrial Applicability]

[0035] The present invention can be applied to a cord reel in which a power cord is wound around a winding drum, or a hose reel in which a hose is wound around a winding drum. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1a, 1b...winding device 2...treadle 2a...tip 2b...base end 2c...undersurface 2d...upper surface 3...first notch 4...engagement groove 5...treadle 5a...tip 5b...base end 5c...undersurface 5d...upper surface 5e...through hole 5f...recess 6...cable tie 7...projection 7a...second notch 8...recess 9...cover 10...tension spring 50...cord reel 51...winding drum 51a...first disc 51b...second disc 52...support frame 52a...shaft 52b...grip 52c...leg 53...handle 54...power cord 54a...plug 55...socket

Claims

1. A winding device including a winding drum for winding up a power cord or a hose, and a leg part that supports the winding drum when placed on the ground, comprising a footplate that is attached to the leg part, A footboard characterized in that an engagement groove that engages with the leg portion is provided on the underside of the base end, and a first notch that holds only the main body portion of the power cord or hose placed inside is provided on the tip end.

2. 2. The footboard according to claim 1, wherein a second notch is provided on the tip side for holding only the main body portion of the power cord or hose disposed inside.

3. 2. The footboard according to claim 1, wherein a recess is provided on the lower surface to allow a plug attached to the end of the power cord to be engaged.

4. 4. The tread plate according to claim 1, wherein a pair of through holes for inserting a cable tie is formed on both sides of the engagement groove.

5. A winding device comprising: a footboard according to any one of claims 1 to 3 attached to a leg supporting a winding drum for winding up a power cord or a hose.

6. A winding device as described in Claim 5, characterized in that it is provided with an elastic member having one end connected to the leg and the other end connected to the footplate, which urges the footplate to rotate toward the winding drum, and which is arranged so as to come into contact with the power cord or the hose as the footplate rotates.

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