Compact high fidelity reel

Abstract

A retractable cord reel houses contacts that connect autonomously when the user aligns the spool to lock it from retracting. The spool and housing contains high quality, sensitive contacts for high speed data and other critical signals that engage when indexed by the user. The design is flexible for adaptation to a variety of applications and scalable based on cable type and length as well as the number of contacts required. The contacts are engaged when the user allows an indexing dog to engage a spool indexing housing causing the dog to shift and force a mating lever to make the electrical connection. Decoupling occurs instantly when the spool is slightly rotated by the user. The user's only action throughout the process is to pull the cable. Without this intentional action of the user, the spool, rotates freely and the contacts are not engaged.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A retractable reel apparatus for high quality signal and data transfer via cable or cord comprising:
 a housing comprising first electrical contacts;   a spool assembly coupled to and in rotatable communication with the housing for extension and retraction of a cable, the spool assembly comprising second electrical contacts; and   a device for aligning and locking the spool assembly in a prescribed position, wherein the device being configured to make an electrical connection of the first and second electrical contacts once the spool assembly is locked and in response to a pulling action on the cable enabling extension and retraction of the cable, the electrical connection of the first and second electrical contacts is broken and the spool assembly is unlocked,   wherein the device for aligning and locking the spool assembly, further comprises at least one of the group of an index housing, an indexing dog, and a mating lever, and   wherein the index housing interfaces with the indexing dog to lock the spool assembly in place and provides lateral forces to engage the indexing dog with the mating lever.; and   wherein the cable is attached to a spool PCB and is capable of unwinding and rewinding on the spool assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spool assembly being configured to rotate when there is no electrical connection of the first and second electrical contacts. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein electrical disconnection of the first and second electrical contacts being configured to occur immediately prior to unlocking of the spool assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cable is attached to a spool PCB and is capable of unwinding and rewinding on the spool assembly retractable reel apparatus for high quality signal and data transfer via cable or cord is scalable. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cable being configured to extend from the housing and retract into the housing on the spool assembly when the electrical connection of the first and second electrical contacts is broken. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cable is capable of passing a high integrity signal. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection does not occur unless the device for locking the spool assembly is aligned and locked. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein indexing of the device for locking the spool assembly and the electrical connection of the first and second electrical contacts being configured to occur when a user extends the cable to a desired position. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second electrical contacts are disconnected and unlocking being configured to occur when a user extends the cable. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of claim  4   1 , wherein the electrical connection being configured to occur when a stationary PCB is brought together to make contact with the spool PCB. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein a mating lever provides force to bring the two PCBs together. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the mating lever receives the force to bring the two PCBs together from the interaction with an indexing dog. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the index housing interfaces with an indexing dog to lock the spool assembly in place. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the index housing provides lateral forces to engage an indexing dog with a mating lever.