Detachable wire management device

Abstract

A wire management device for providing ability to wind, unwind and retract wires, cords, cables, strings, threads and similar objects onto a spool. By having wire brought onto the spool from one side through a slot, hole, opening, or over the edge of spool wall, the device may engage loose, unilaterally or bilaterally attached wires external to it, thereby delivering a new functionality and also making it portable and reusable. Wire centering elements enable centering of the spool with respect to the wire when tension is applied to the wire. These elements do not hamper the winding, unwinding, or retraction of the wire. A wire distribution guide mechanism further enables even distribution of the wire across the spool when the wire is retracted, while not affecting the operation of the wire management device.

1 . A wire management device (WMD) comprising:
 a spool having an axis portion around which the spool is rotatable and two side walls with at least one of the two side walls being a fixed side wall and attached to the axis portion of the spool, wherein at least a portion of a wire external to the WMD to be managed is capable of being wound onto the spool through one of an aperture in at least one of the side walls, a slot in an edge portion of at least one of the two side walls, or over said edge portion of one of the walls of the spool in conjunction with a locking mechanism configured to fixedly hold the wire relative to the wall;   wherein when the at least a portion of the wire is brought from one side onto the spool through the aperture, slot, or over the edge of the spool and is fixedly held by either a structure of the aperture or slot, the locking mechanism configured to hold the wire in place with at least a portion of the same wire wound around the spool, wherein the wire may be wound up on the spool and unwound from the spool through at least rotation of the spool.   
     
     
         2 . The WMD of  claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is attached to a portion of at least one of the side walls. 
     
     
         3 . The WMD of  claim 2 , wherein the locking mechanism is further configured to selectively and fixedly hold the wire in the aperture, slot, or at the edge of the spool wall over which the wire enters the spool. 
     
     
         4 . The WMD of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a retraction mechanism disposed at said axis portion of the spool that is configured to rotate the spool around the axis portion through at least one of spring motive force or electromotive force.   
     
     
         5 . The WMD of  claim 4 , wherein the retraction mechanism is configured to include a start and stop mechanism. 
     
     
         6 . The WMD of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rigid wire guiding structure mounted on at least one side of the spool near or above the spool edge; wherein the rigid wire guiding structure is configured to guide the wire during wind up, unwind and retraction of wire external to prevent wire entanglement and center the wire with respect to the WMD when tension is applied to the wire.   
     
     
         7 . The WMD of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sliding wire holder mounted on a rod spanning across the spool walls of the spool and configured to move slide side to side on the rod, wherein the wire may be inserted and locked in the sliding wire holder and the sliding wire holder is operable for controlling wire distribution across the spool when the wire is retracted back onto the spool.   
     
     
         8 . The WMD of  claim 1  wherein the wire has an end unilaterally attached to a device, both ends unattached, or other bilaterally attached to two respective devices. 
     
     
         9 . The WMD of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one movable or fixed cover element mounted around the spool to hold the wire on the spool. 
     
     
         10 . The WMD of  claim 1 , further comprising a housing protecting at least some part of the WMD. 
     
     
         11 . A method for managing a wire comprising:
 winding a wire to be managed onto a spool having an axis portion around which the spool is rotatable and two side walls with at least one of the two side walls being a fixed side wall and attached to the axis portion of the spool, wherein at least a portion of a wire being external to the spool is wound onto the spool through one of an aperture in at least one of the side walls, a slot in an edge portion of at least one of the two side walls, or over said edge portion of one of the walls of the spool in conjunction with a locking mechanism including wire being held in place by a section of same wire wound around itself on the spool;   winding up the wire or unwinding the wire on the spool wherein when the at least a portion of the wire is brought from one side onto the spool through the aperture, slot, or over the edge of the spool and is fixedly held by either a structure of the aperture or slot, the locking mechanism including wire being held in place by a section of same wire wound around itself on the spool, the wire is wound up on the spool and unwound from the spool through rotation of the spool.