Embodiments of a cable-winding apparatus are described herein. The apparatus may include one or more of a securing surface, a cable-winding channel, a coil spring, and a ratchet mechanism. The cable-winding channel may be rotatably connected to the securing surface. The channel may include a base and two or more walls extending at least partially perpendicularly from the base along opposite sides of the base. The ratchet mechanism may include one or more of a first face gear and a second face gear. The first and second face gears may each include a plurality of ratchet teeth. The spring may force the channel away from the securing surface. The ratchet teeth may prevent rotation of the channel with respect to the securing surface in a first direction while permitting rotation of the channel with respect to the securing surface in a second direction opposite the first direction.

A retractable leash (10, 38) for rolling up and unrolling a leash (12), especially for leading an animal, with a leash roller (13), which is mounted rotatably on a carrier (11) and can be retracted by a retracting device into a rolled-up position, in which the leash (12) is wound up onto the leash roller (13); and with a blocking device for blocking the unrolling of the leash (12) from the leash roller (13), the radius of action of an animal being led can be effectively limited in a gentle and especially jerk-free manner by the blocking device having a brake (17) frictionally engaged with the leash roller (13) even in case of a bolting animal.

A wiper ring provided includes a ring body and a number of brushes. The ring body has an outer side surface and an inner side surface opposite to the outer side surface. The wiper ring includes a mounting portion located on the outer side surface. The ring body is mounted to a cable through-hole of a charging pile via the mounting portion. The number of brushes are arranged on the inner side surface. Each of the number of brushes has an end fixed to the inner side surface of the ring body and the other end, opposite to the end, faces a center of the ring body or a defined point of the ring body. The number of brushes cooperatively form a through-hole having a diameter less than that of the cable for allowing a cable to pass through. A charging pile using same is also provided.

A flexible printed circuit board reel device, which includes a left housing, a right housing, a rotary sleeve, an upper spiral spring and a lower spiral spring. The left housing and the right housing of the reel device are caught on each other to form a housing, and the left housing and the right housing are firmly and closely fixed with each other, which can increase the connection area, whereby the left and right housings are not easily separated from each other, and the housing can have a strong structure. The upper spiral spring, the lower spiral spring, an upper central shaft and a lower central shaft of the reel device form a symmetrical and balanced double-spring structure; when a flexible printed circuit board is reeled or unreeled, the force generated by the springs is evenly distributed over the upper portion and the lower portion of the rotary sleeve.

A hose reel includes a frame, a reel, a rewind mechanism with a spring and a guide mechanism with a guide. The guide mechanism moves the guide back and forth on a path while the reel is rotated for distributing the hose evenly onto the reel by the guide. To obtain a freestanding hose reel with a rewind mechanism the hose reel includes a ground support with contact areas supporting the hose reel from a base. The frame is attached to the ground support in a position where the rotation axis of the reel is perpendicular relatively to the base, and the reel is provided with a hose joint in a lowermost part of the reel and the guide mechanism is configured to move the guide to a lowermost point of the path when the hose is completely pulled out from the reel.

A hose reel includes a frame, a reel rotatably arranged within the frame and a rewind mechanism with a spring. A removable lid is attached to the frame and encloses an inside of the hose reel from all directions to prevent a user of the hose reel from accessing the inside of the hose reel. An axle is rotatable in relation to the reel. A first end of the spring is attached to the reel and a second end of the spring is attached to the axle. The axle has an outer end connected to the lid to prevent mutual rotation between the lid and the outer end in a direction which decreases the spring force of the spring.

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for winding cargo straps. The apparatus comprises a base, connectors adapted to secure the base to a portion of a vehicle and a motor supported from the base. The apparatus further comprises a shaft extending from and rotated by the motor, the shaft having a plurality of mounting locations therealong, a guide flange secured around the shaft at one of the plurality of mounting locations and a guide cap secured to a distal end of the shaft. The method comprises securing the base to a vehicle, locating a guide flange at one of the plurality of mounting locations, securing a distal end of the strap to the shaft, locating the guide cap to the distal end of the shaft and actuating the motor to rotate the shaft thereby winding the strap thereon.

A cable retraction system for use with a cable. The system includes a slider configured to slide in a vertical plane within a channel; and a spring having a first segment connected to the slider and a second segment with a bent tip that traverses a groove and ramp segment with a movement of the slider. In an initial state, the cable does not retract and the bent tip is located at a lowest position of the groove and ramp segment in the vertical plane; and after the cable is pulled, the slider slides upwards in the channel and the bent tip of the second spring traverses a ramp of the groove and ramp segment.

A lacing system configured to selectively adjust the size of an opening on an object and allow for the incremental release of the lace within the lacing system. The lacing system can have a reel comprising a housing, a spool supported by the housing, and a knob supported by the housing. The reel can be configured so that cable is gathered in the channel formed in the spool when the spool is rotated in a first direction relative to the housing, and so that cable can be incrementally released from the spool when the spool is rotated in a second direction relative to the housing. In some embodiments, the reel can include a rotation limiter which can be configured to prevent over-tightening of the lacing system and/or to prevent rotation past the substantially fully loosened state.

The extension cord system comprises a cord reel and a cord. The cord is spooled and stored on the cord reel. The cord is an electrical cable that is further defined with a first end and a second end. The center, or midpoint, of the cord attaches to the cord reel in such a manner that the first end and the second end of the cord are: 1) simultaneously played out from the cord reel when the extension cord system is being deployed; and, 2) simultaneously spooled on to the cord reel when the extension cord system is being retracted.