Hose-and cord-winding device, binding element, and associated method

Abstract

A hand-held cord and hose winding apparatus comprises, in accordance with the present invention, a handle member defining a winding axis and a winding assembly including a hub rotatably mounted to the handle member for rotation about the axis and further including a pair of discs attached to the hub for rotation therewith about the axis. The discs are spaced from one another along the hub. The winder further comprises a binding element removably connectable to the winding assembly for rotating therewith about the axis and for binding a flexible member wound in a coiled configuration on the hub by a turning of the winding assembly about the axis. At least one of the discs is removably attached to the hub for enabling a removal from the winding assembly of the flexible member in the coiled configuration together with the binding element.

1 . A hand-held cord and hose winding apparatus comprising: 
 a handle member defining a winding axis;    a winding assembly including a hub rotatably mounted to said handle member for rotation about said axis and further including a pair of discs attached to said hub for rotation therewith about said axis, said discs being spaced from one another along said hub; and    a binding element removably connectable to said winding assembly for rotating therewith about said axis and for binding a flexible member wound in a coiled configuration on said hub by a turning of said winding assembly about said axis,    at least one of said discs being removably attached to said hub for enabling a removal from said winding assembly of the flexible member in said coiled configuration together with said binding element.    
   
   
       2 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 1  wherein said binding element is an elongate tensile element binding said flexible member in said coiled configuration by wrapping around the coiled flexible member.  
   
   
       3 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 2  wherein said tensile element is provided with a coupling element for fastening one end of said flexible member to said hub prior to said winding operation.  
   
   
       4 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 3  wherein said coupling element is slidably secured to said tensile element.  
   
   
       5 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 4  wherein said tensile element has two parallel strands and said coupling element connects said strands to one another to form therewith a coupling loop of variable size.  
   
   
       6 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 5  wherein said coupling element is a band surrounding said strands.  
   
   
       7 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 3  wherein said coupling element is a first coupling element, said tensile element being provided with a second coupling element for rotatably securing an end of said tensile element to said handle member.  
   
   
       8 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 7  wherein said second coupling element is slidably secured to said tensile element.  
   
   
       9 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 8  wherein said tensile element has two parallel strands and said second coupling element connects said strands to one another to form therewith a coupling loop of variable size.  
   
   
       10 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 7  wherein said tensile element is provided with a stop block at an end of said tensile element opposite said second coupling element, said discs being formed with slots traversable by said tensile element, said stop block being disposable on an outer side of one of said discs opposite said hub, said second coupling element being disposable on an outer side of another one of said discs opposite said hub, said tensile element being disposable in part in a linear configuration along said hub between said slots.  
   
   
       11 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 2  wherein said discs are spaced from one another along said hub to define therewith a substantially toroidal winding volume, one portion of said tensile element being disposable along said hub and another portion of said tensile element being disposable effectively outside of said toroidal winding volume during a winding operation, so that said flexible member is wound about said one portion of said tensile element during said winding operation and so that said another portion of said tensile element is wrapped about an outer side of the wound flexible member to bind the same on termination of said winding operation.  
   
   
       12 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 11  wherein said discs are provided with slots traversable by said tensile element.  
   
   
       13 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 12  wherein said tensile element is provided with coupling means at opposite ends for maintaining said one portion of said tensile element disposed along said hub and said another portion of said tensile element outside of said toroidal winding volume.  
   
   
       14 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 13  wherein said coupling means includes a stop block at one end and a slidable coupling band at an opposite end.  
   
   
       15 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 1  wherein said discs are provided with slots traversable by said binding element.  
   
   
       16 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 1  wherein said handle member includes a handgrip disposed on one side of said hub, said one of said discs being disposed on a side of said hub opposite said handgrip.  
   
   
       17 . A hand-held cord and hose winding apparatus comprising: 
 a handle member defining a winding axis;    a winding assembly including a hub rotatably mounted to said handle member for rotation about said axis and further including a pair of discs attached to said hub for rotation therewith about said axis, said discs being spaced from one another along said hub to define therewith a substantially toroidal winding volume;    an elongate tensile element removably connectable to said winding assembly for rotation therewith about said axis; and    connector means on said tensile element for cooperating with corresponding structure on at least one of said winding assembly and said handle member to hold a first portion of said tensile element along said hub between said discs during a winding operation and to maintain a second portion of said tensile element outside of said toroidal winding volume during said winding operation and for locking said tensile element, after termination of said winding operation, in a loop about a coiled flexible member arranged around said hub and in said toroidal winding volume during said winding operation,    at least one of said discs being removable from said hub after termination of said winding operation, to permit removal of said coiled flexible member together with the looped tensile element.    
   
   
       18 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 17  wherein said tensile element is provided with coupling means for fastening one end of said flexible member to said hub prior to said winding operation.  
   
   
       19 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 18  wherein said coupling means includes a slider on said tensile element.  
   
   
       20 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 19  wherein said tensile element has two parallel strands and said slider connects said strands to one another to form therewith a coupling loop of variable size.  
   
   
       21 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 17  wherein said connector means includes coupling means for rotatably securing an end of said tensile element to said handle member.  
   
   
       22 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 21  wherein said coupling means is a slider secured to said tensile element.  
   
   
       23 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 22  wherein said tensile element has two parallel strands and said slider connects said strands to one another to form therewith a coupling loop of variable size.  
   
   
       24 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 17  wherein said connector means includes a stop block at one end of said tensile element and a slider at another end of said tensile element.  
   
   
       25 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 24  wherein said discs are formed with slots traversable by said tensile element, said stop block being disposable on an outer side of one of said discs opposite said hub, said slider being disposable on an outer side of another one of said discs opposite said hub, said tensile element being disposable in part in a linear configuration along said hub between said slots.  
   
   
       26 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 17  wherein said discs are provided with slots traversable by said tensile element.  
   
   
       27 . The winding apparatus recited in  claim 17  wherein said handle member includes a handgrip disposed on one side of said hub, said one of said discs being disposed on a side of said hub opposite said handgrip.  
   
   
       28 . A hose and cord binder comprising: 
 a flexible tensile element folded back on itself to form a pair of parallel strands;    a connector coupling free ends of said strands to one another; and    at least one slider connected to said strands to form said strands into at least two contiguous loop portions each of a variable size.    
   
   
       29 . The binder recited in  claim 28  wherein said flexible tensile element is an elastic member.  
   
   
       30 . The binder recited in  claim 28  wherein said connector is a knob shaped stop block.  
   
   
       31 . The binder recited in  claim 28  wherein said slider is a band substantially surrounding said strands.  
   
   
       32 . The binder recited in  claim 28  wherein said slider is one of at least two sliders connected to said strands to form said strands into at least three contiguous loop portions each of a variable size.  
   
   
       33 . A method for winding an elongate flexible member into a coil, said method comprising: 
 providing a winder having a handle and a sheave-type winding member rotably mounted to said handle;    rotating said winding member about a rotation axis so that said flexible member forms a coiled configuration on said winding member;    binding said flexible member in said coiled configuration while said flexible member is disposed on said winding member; and    removing the bound flexible member in said coiled configuration from said winding member.    
   
   
       34 . The method recited in  claim 33  wherein the binding of said flexible member includes wrapping a tensile binding element about said flexible member in said coiled configuration.  
   
   
       35 . The method recited in  claim 34 , further comprising attaching a free end of the flexible member to said winding member prior to the rotating of said winding member.  
   
   
       36 . The method recited in  claim 35  wherein the attaching of said flexible member to said winding member includes attaching said free end of said flexible member to said tensile binding element and attaching said tensile binding element to said winding member.  
   
   
       37 . The method recited in  claim 36  wherein the winding member includes a pair of discs spaced from one another along a hub, the attaching of said tensile binding element to said winding member including inserting said tensile binding element along slots in said discs.  
   
   
       38 . The method recited in  claim 34  wherein the binding of said flexible member in said coiled configuration includes: 
 wrapping a loose portion of said tensile binding element about the coiled configuration; and    locking the wrapped tensile binding element in a loop about said coil so as to maintain said flexible member in said coiled configuration.    
   
   
       39 . The method recited in  claim 34 , further comprising attaching said tensile binding element to said winding member prior to the rotating of said winding member, said coiled configuration being formed about a portion of said tensile binding element.  
   
   
       40 . A method for winding an elongate flexible member into a coil, said method comprising: 
 providing a winder having a handle and a sheave-type winding member rotably mounted to said handle;    attaching a tensile binding element to said winding member;    attaching a free end of the flexible member to said winding member over a portion of said tensile binding element;    rotating said winding member about a rotation axis so that said flexible member forms a coil on said winding member about said portion of said tensile binding element;    wrapping a loose portion of said tensile binding element about the coil;    locking the wrapped tensile binding element in a loop about said coil so as to maintain said flexible member as said coil; and    removing said coil and said tensile binding element from said winding member.    
   
   
       41 . The method recited in  claim 40  wherein said winding member includes a hub and a pair of spaced discs attached to said hub, the removing of said coil and said tensile binding element from said winding member including removing one of said discs from said hub and sliding said coil off of said hub.  
   
   
       42 . The method recited in  claim 40  wherein said winding member includes a hub and a pair of spaced discs attached to said hub, said discs being formed with respective slots, the attaching of said tensile binding element to said winding member including sliding said tensile binding element along each of said slots in a radial direction relative to said hub.  
   
   
       43 . The method recited in  claim 40  wherein the attaching of said free end of said flexible member to said winding member includes attaching said free end to said tensile binding element.  
   
   
       44 . The method recited in  claim 43  wherein the attaching of said free end of said flexible member to said winding member further includes shifting a slider along said tensile binding element to change a size of a coupling loop in said tensile binding element, the attaching of said flexible member to said winding member additionally including inserting said free end through said coupling loop.