Hand squeeze actuated spooler

Abstract

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to an improvement of string/material winding devices and mechanisms. Accordingly, a device is provided comprising of an axially rotatable spooler with shoulders defining a length between them to engage a roll of string/material, wherein the spooler comprises one end with a bevel gear mechanism defined inside the device's housing. Further, a second bevel gear mechanism is provided in the housing to engage the axially rotatable spooler's bevel gear mechanism. Further in the housing is a one-way spur gear rotatable by a rack actioned by a handle, wherein the rotary motion of the said spur gear is translated to the second bevel gear which causes an axial rotation of the spooler to wind or unwind a string/line. According to one embodiment, the one-way spur gear, rack and handle from a ratchet mechanism.

Claims

1. A spooler apparatus comprising: an axially rotatable spooler with a bevel gear mechanism (or an equivalent of it) at one end defined in a housing of the apparatus; a handle; a housing enclosing: a second bevel gear mechanism (or an equivalent of it); a gear rotatable on one way, and; a rack driving the one-way gear; wherein, the one-way gear is driven by the said rack enclosed in the housing in that an action of pressing the handle thereof causes the rack to induce a rotary motion of the one-way gear, which in turn induces a rotary motion in one axis on the second bevel gear mechanism (or an equivalent of it); wherein said second bevel gear mechanism (or an equivalent of it) in turn induces a rotary motion on the spooler's bevel gear mechanism (or an equivalent of it) resulting in an axial rotation of the spooler to wind or unwind a lineal material such as a string or line, or any such.

2. The string winder apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising of a stopper mechanism characterized in that the stopper may be activated to stop the rotary motion of the one-way gear by means of the latch, wherein engaging said latch prevents rotary motion of the one-way gear from being induced by an action of the handle, while disengaging said latch allows rotary motion of the one-way gear to be induced by an action of the handle.

3. The string winder apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the one-way spur gear, rack and handle form a ratchet mechanism characterized in that the one-way spur gear comprises further of a small lever or latch that rotates about a pivot point and catches in the teeth of the gear, wherein the latch is designed and oriented such a manner that if the gear were to turn in one direction, the gear could spin freely and the latch would be pushed up by the teeth, but if the gear were to spin in the other direction, the latch would catch in the teeth of the gear and prevent it from moving.

4. The string winder apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said ratchet mechanism allows force to be applied in one direction resulting in a rotation of the spooler in a particular axial direction e.g., clockwise a continuous manner to unwind the lineal material attached thereto continuously.

5. The string winder apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the one-way spur gear, rack and handle from a clutch mechanism characterized by input shaft with two gears of different sizes, and an output shaft with two gears that mesh with the gears on the input shaft, but can rotate freely around the output shaft, so they do not drive it.

6. The string winder apparatus as in claim 5, wherein the clutch mechanism may be used to change the speed of the output shaft that drives a bevel gear mechanism (or an equivalent of it) at one end of a rotatable spooler.

7. The string winder apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the one-way spur gear comprises of a pinion gear thereof, an which is driven by the rack to induce rotary motion of the one-way spur gear.

8. A method of operating a string winder apparatus comprising of: applying a squeezing force by the hand of a user on a handle thereof to cause a rack to induce a rotary motion of the one-way gear; causing by the one-way gear a rotary motion in one axis on the second bevel gear mechanism (or an equivalent of it); causing by the second bevel gear mechanism (or an equivalent of it) a rotary motion on the spooler's bevel gear mechanism (or an equivalent of it) resulting in an axial rotation of the spooler to wind or unwind a lineal material such as a string or line.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein it is provided a stopper mechanism characterized in that the stopper may be activated to stop the rotary motion of the one-way gear by means of the latch, wherein engaging said latch prevents rotary motion of the one-way gear from being induced by an action of the handle, while disengaging said latch allows rotary motion of the one-way gear to be induced by an action of the handle.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein it is provided a one-way spur gear, rack and handle forming a ratchet mechanism characterized in that the one-way spur gear comprises further of a small lever or latch that rotates about a pivot point and catches in the teeth of the gear, wherein the latch is designed and oriented such a manner that if the gear were to turn in one direction, the gear could spin freely and the latch would be pushed up by the teeth, but if the gear were to spin in the other direction, the latch would catch in the teeth of the gear and prevent it from moving.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein it is provided a one-way spur gear, rack and handle forming a clutch mechanism characterized by input shaft with two gears of different sizes, and an output shaft with two gears that mesh with the gears on the input shaft, but can rotate freely around the output shaft, so they do not drive it.

12. The method as in claim 11, wherein the provided clutch mechanism may be used to change the speed of the output shaft that drives a bevel gear mechanism (or an equivalent of it) at one end of a rotatable spooler.

13. The method an in claim 8, wherein the one-way spur gear comprises of a pinion gear thereof, an which is operated by the rack to induce rotary motion of the one-way spur gear.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0017] The novel features believed to be characteristic of the illustrative embodiments are set forth in the appended claims. The included drawings are not to scale engineering drawings. The illustrative embodiments, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and descriptions thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of one or more illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0018] FIG. 1 of the diagrams illustrates a front view of the string winder according to one embodiment of the current invention.

[0019] FIG. 2 of the diagrams illustrates a front perspective view of the string winder according to one embodiment of the current invention.

[0020] FIG. 3 of the diagrams illustrates a rear view of the string winder according to one embodiment of the current invention.

[0021] FIG. 4 of the diagrams illustrates a side elevation of the string winder according to one embodiment of the current invention.

[0022] FIG. 5 of the diagrams illustrates a front perspective view of the string winder, having a roll of line or string or lineal material wound to the spool, and according to one embodiment of the current invention.

[0023] FIG. 6 of the diagrams illustrates a front pictorial dissection of the string winder, and which illustrates a clutch or ratchet mechanism embodies by the handle, one-way spur gear with a pinion gear thereof, and the rack.

[0024] FIG. 7 of the diagrams illustrates a rear pictorial dissection of the string winder, and which illustrates an internal gear mechanism for the axial rotation of the spooler thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Hereinafter, the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The terminologies or words used in the description and the claims of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited merely to their common and dictionary meanings. On the contrary, they should be interpreted based on the meanings and concepts of the invention in keeping with the scope of the invention based on the principle that the inventor(s) can appropriately define the terms in order to describe the invention in the best way.

[0026] It is to be understood that the form of the invention shown and described herein is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, so it does not express fully the technical spirit and scope of this invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

[0027] In the first embodiment according to FIG. 1 of the diagrams it is illustrated a front view of the string winder according to one embodiment of the current invention. A winding device for string, line or any such lineal material is provided comprising of an axially rotatable spooler 2 with shoulders 3a and 3b defining a length between them to engage a roll of string/line, typically, the line being in place ready for unwinding. For purposes of this disclosure, the terms line, string or lineal material may be used interchangeably.

[0028] According to this disclosure, the spooler 2 comprises of one end with a bevel gear mechanism 12 defined inside the device's housing 1. It should be noted that one end of the spooler extends into the devices housing as indicated in the figure, where said end is rotatably fixed thereto. Further, a second bevel gear mechanism 11 is provided in the housing 1, and whose purpose is to engage the axially rotatable spooler's bevel gear mechanism 12, whereby its 25 rotary motion in one axis, which for purposes of the figure may be about the horizontal axis, would induce a rotary motion on the engaged bevel gear mechanism of the spooler.

[0029] Further in the same diagram, it is illustrated in the housing i a one-way spur gear 8 rotatable by a rack 7 actioned by a handle 4, wherein a rotary motion of the spur gear 8 is translated to the second bevel gear 11. In some cases, and according to one preferred embodiment, a reduction gear is provided engaged to the spur gear 8 and the second bevel gear mechanism 11. Now, the rotary motion of the spur gear 8 is translated to the second bevel gear 11 by the engaged reduction gear 10, which causes an axial rotation of the spooler. It is this mechanism that causes the spooler to perform the operation of winding or unwinding a string/line from a roll of line rolled around the spooler.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the one-way spur gear, rack and handle from a ratchet mechanism.

[0031] For purposes of this disclosure, the ratchet is a mechanism that only allows the one-way spur gear 8 to turn in one direction. In this context, the ratchet system consists of a spur gear 8 with the small lever or latch 6a (see FIG. 6) that rotates about a pivot point and catches in the teeth of the gear. The latch 6a is designed and oriented such a manner that if the gear were to turn in one direction, the gear could spin freely and the latch would be pushed up by the teeth, but if the gear were to spin in the other direction, the latch would catch in the teeth of the gear and prevent it from moving. It is thus important for the purposes of performing the current invention to have the mechanism, because it allows force to be applied in one direction but not the other, and as a consequence the rotation of the spooler will be in a continuous manner to unwind the lineal material attached thereto.

[0032] Moreover, and for purposes of this disclosure, the first and second bevel gear mechanism 11 and 12, comprise of any such bevel gears mechanisms that may be of any such types of gear used to transmit power from one axis to another non-parallel axis, not necessarily perpendicular as would be the preferred arrangement in this disclosure. It is preferable, but not mandatory that the bevel gears 11 and 12 have slanted teeth, which preferably make the shape of their pitch diameter a cone. Preferably, but not necessarily so, in order for two bevel gears mechanism to mesh, the tips of each imaginary cone should meet at the same vertex. However, it should be noted that the use of said mechanisms is to translate power/rotation from one axis to the other, and more specifically, from the one-way spur gear to the spooler. Any mechanism capable of such translation is also anticipated, and for purposes of this disclosure, may also be referred to as a bevel gear mechanism. It is also illustrated a pinion gear 9, which provides for a mechanism of a rack 7 to induce a rotary motion on the one-way spur gear 8. The rack 7 is attached to a handle 4, whereby a pressing action by the hand of a user on the handle causes the rack to drive the pinion gear 9, 30 which in turn induces a rotary motion on the gear 8, which in turn induces a rotary motion in one axis on the bevel gear mechanism 11, which in turn induces a rotary motion in another axis on the bevel gear mechanism 12, which in turn induces an axial rotation on the spooler. In another embodiment as illustrated by the FIG. 2 of the diagrams is a front perspective view of the string winder according to one embodiment of the current invention. On the figure, it is shown the winding device for string, line or any such lineal material is provided comprising of an axially rotatable spooler 2 with shoulders 3a, housing 1, a rack 7 and a handle 4 provided for a driving action of the rack.

[0033] In yet another embodiment according to the FIG. 3 of the diagrams it is illustrated a rear view of the string winder according to one embodiment of the current invention. On the figure it is shown a stopper 5 with a second latch 6b. In its operation, the stopper 5 may be activated to stop the rotary motion of the gear 8 by means of the latch 6b. It is anticipated that engaging or disengaging said latch may prevent or allow the rotary motion to be induced by an action of the handle 4. The consequence of engaging the latch 6b is the stoppage of any inducement of axial motion on the spooler. The FIG. 4 of the diagrams is a side elevation of the string winder according to one embodiment of the current invention.

[0034] In a subsequent embodiment exemplified by the FIG. 5 of the diagrams is a front perspective view of the string winder, having a roll 13 of line or string or any such lineal material 14 wound to the spooler 2, and according to one embodiment of the current invention. A rotary motion of the spooler 2, causes the winding or unwinding of the lineal material 14. It is anticipated that the device is held-able in one hand, but operation with both hands is also possible.

[0035] In the subsequent FIG. 6 of the diagrams, it is illustrated a front pictorial dissection of the string winder, and which illustrates a clutch or ratchet mechanism embodies by the handle, one-way spur gear with a pinion gear thereof, and the rack. In a clutch mechanism, as with any such, the mechanism is used to change the speed of the output shaft, as well as disengage or engage the turning of the output shaft. It is anticipated that in such an embodiment, the input shaft would have two gears on it of different sizes, and the output shaft contains two gears that mesh with the gears on the input shaft, but can rotate freely around the output shaft, so they do not drive it. However, the current invention would also be sufficiently described with a ratchet mechanism, with the clutch mechanism only being an alternative embodiment thereof.

[0036] In the final embodiment as exemplified by the FIG. 7 of the diagrams is a rear pictorial dissection of the string winder, and which illustrates an internal gear mechanism for the axial rotation of the spooler thereof.

[0037] The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

Industrial Application

[0038] The current invention technology is applicable to various industries including but not limited to: construction, sports, leisure, mapping or any other industry, where the applications may require the use of elongated lines or strings wound into rolls.