Conductor Winding Tool for EV Charger Cord Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery charger cords for electrical vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles are prone to picking up dirt and fluids when laid on the ground, leading to soiled hands for operators when manually winding them around spools or reels.
Innovation Solution
A conductor winding tool with a handle and a body defining an aperture, allowing the flexible electrical conductor to be wound without direct hand contact, featuring a T-shaped handle and a pivot for reduced twisting, and optionally a storage bag for cord management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the operator uses hands to wind the charging cord around the spool, then the cord can be wound efficiently, but the operator's hands become soiled from dirt and fluids on the cord
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cord winding tool as an intermediary device between the operator's hand and the charging cord. The tool includes a handle for grasping and a body with an aperture through which the cord passes, allowing the operator to wind the cord without direct hand contact. This mediator transfers the winding action from the hand to the cord while preventing contamination transfer back to the hand.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a long charging cord is used to allow flexibility in positioning the vehicle, then the cord may pick up dirt and fluids from the ground surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful contact interface between the operator's hand and the contaminated cord by introducing a tool with an aperture. The cord passes through this aperture during winding, creating a controlled passage that prevents direct hand-cord contact and thus eliminates the transfer of dirt and fluids from the cord to the operator's hands.
3Device complexity
If the body is connected integrally to the handle, then the device structure is simplified, but cord twisting may increase during winding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a pivot connection between the body and handle instead of an integral rigid connection. This dynamic joint allows the body to rotate relative to the handle about a pivot axis during the winding operation, accommodating the natural rotation and tension changes that occur when winding a flexible cord. This movement freedom reduces cord twisting and stress while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A conductor winding tool configured to stow a flexible electrical conductor, such as a conductor attached to an automotive battery charger. The tool includes a handle that is configured to be grasped by a human hand and a body defining an aperture through which the flexible electrical conductor passes. The tool is used to stow the flexible electrical conductor by winding the flexible electrical conductor into a storage device, such as a spool, reel, or storage bag.