A retractable pet leash assembly includes a housing, a spool, a leash and a braking assembly. The spool is disposed inside the housing and biased by a spring and includes braking notches. The leash is wound about the spool. The braking assembly includes a pawl, a pawl spring and an operating member. The pawl selectively engages the braking notches, the pawl spring biases the pawl towards engagement with the spool. The operating member moves the pawl between first and second positions to move the pawl into and out of the path of the braking notches. The operating member has a pawl non-engaged position in which the pawl is in the first position, a first pawl engaged position in which the pawl is in the second position, and a second pawl engaged position in which the operating member is retained while the pawl is in the second position.

Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for convenient tightening and loosening of strings such as those found in shoelaces of footwear. The apparatus includes a rotating portion within a base portion. A cover portion, when operated in a first position, provides a ratchet movement that allows rotation in a tightening direction while preventing movement in a loosening direction. When the cover is moved to a second position, the ratchet mechanism disengages, and the strings can then be easily loosened.

A charging apparatus for a handheld electronic device includes a housing configured to removably attach to the handheld electronic device. The housing includes at least one electronic logic board, and an accessory station configured to store and charge at least one accessory item of the handheld electronic device. The electronic logic board includes a coil configured to wirelessly provide or accept power to and from the handheld electronic device. A software installed on the electronic logic board is configured to control a power transfer between at least two of the following: the accessory item, the accessory station, the housing, and the handheld electronic device. The housing includes a magnetic material configured to removably attach to a corresponding magnetic material of the handheld electronic device.

A pet tractor includes a housing with a handle formed thereon; a turntable rotatably disposed in the housing; a hauling rope coiled on the turntable, with the housing provided with a rope hole for drawing out the hauling rope, the handle being provided with a button partially exposed out of the housing; a guide sleeve, fixed in the housing, provided inside with a guide hole extending along the radial direction of the turntable; a tab, in linkage with the button, slidably arranged in the guide hole of the guide sleeve, with a return spring connected between the tab and the guide sleeve; and a plurality of circumferentially spaced teeth, engaging with the tab, are formed circumferentially around the turntable.

A fiber optic enclosure assembly for housing optical fiber connections includes: a housing portion; a bearing mount portion disposed within the housing portion; and a cable reel portion disposed within the housing portion. The cable reel portion is configured to be engaged with the bearing mount portion such that the cable reel portion selectively rotates; the cable reel portion is configured to be selectively rotatable in only a counterclockwise direction or only in a clockwise direction depending on the position of a latch portion; and the position of the latch portion is configured to permit the cable reel portion to rotate in only a selected one of the counterclockwise direction and the clockwise direction such that a cable can be paid out from the cable reel portion or wrapped onto the cable reel portion and the cable is prevented from unwinding in a direction opposite to the selected direction.

A storage system includes a protective housing member configured to mate with a handheld electronic device. The protective housing member includes a charging area formed between a surface of the protective housing member and a surface of an accessory item of the handheld electronic device. The charging area is configured to charge the accessory item of the handheld electronic device. The charging area is powered by at last one power component of the protective housing member or at least one power component of the handheld electronic device. The storage system further includes at least one integrated circuit which is either a component of the handheld electronic device or a component of the protective housing member.

A coating film transfer tool in which a rotational torque with the least variability may be generated without being affected by a surface state of a resilient body may include: a paying-out core having a coating film transfer tape wound thereon; and a rewinding core that rewinds the coating film transfer tape after use. The paying-out core and the rewinding core are interlocked via a power transmission mechanism in a case. The transmission mechanism generates a rotational torque by a frictional force on a sliding surface between components, by using a restoring force of a resilient body. The resilient body is configured to rotate integrally with a component A that comes into contact with one end of the resilient body and a component B that comes into contact with the other end.

A charging system for a handheld electronic device includes a housing configured to removably attach to the handheld electronic device. The housing includes at least one power source, at least one electronic logic board, and an accessory station configured to store and charge at least one accessory item of the handheld electronic device. The transmitter is mounted on the electronic logic board. The transmitter is configured to transmit power between at least two of the following: the accessory item, the accessory station, the power source, the housing, and the handheld electronic device. A software installed on the electronic logic board is configured to control a power transfer between the accessory item, the accessory station, the power source, the housing, and the handheld electronic device. The housing includes a magnetic material configured to removably attach to a corresponding magnetic material of the handheld electronic device.

A strap winding, storage, and dispensing assembly for storing and dispensing a plurality of straps includes a spacing element engaged to and extending between a pair of plates. Each of a set of strap stowing units engaged to the pair of plates comprises a spindle having a winding element and a braking element operationally engaged thereto. The spindle can engage a respective end of a strap so that the strap is removably engaged to the spindle. The winding element is positioned to selectively rotate the spindle, in a first direction, to coil the strap therearound. The braking element is engaged to a respective one of the plates and is positioned to selectively engage the spindle, to prevent rotation thereof, to retain the strap therearound. The braking element also is positioned to selectively disengage the spindle so that the spindle can rotate in a second direction to uncoil the strap.

There is disclosed a surveillance apparatus comprising:—a retractable support member the member having a first end and a second end; a housing; a spooling mechanism mounted at the housing, and being rotatable relative to the housing, and being attached to the second end of the retractable support member, the spooling mechanism being:

Operable to rotate in a first direction to convert the retractable support member from a coiled condition to an extended condition and thereby pay-out the support member from the housing,

Operable to rotate in a second direction opposite to the first to convert the retractable support member from the extended condition to the coiled condition and thereby retract the support member into the housing;

A mount attached to the first end of the retractable support member; A surveillance device attached to the mount for receiving environmental signals, a human interface remote from the surveillance device; and an electrical connection operably connecting the surveillance device to the human interface, the electrical connection comprising an electrical rotary joint between the housing and the spooling mechanism, such that the surveillance device may be supported, remote from the human interface by paying out the member.