Device for storing a cable

This application is a continuation of PCT/EP02/06593 filed on Jun. 14, 2002.

The invention relates to a device for storing a cable, especially an electrical cable in a cable drum of a vacuum cleaner, comprising rollers arranged on the entry side of the storage space between which the cable can be guided through and fed into the storage space.

Such a device is known from EP 0 063 217 A1. The known device which is especially suited for use in vacuum cleaners has rotating rollers or rollers arranged on the entry side of a storage space between which a cable is frictionally clamped and is thus pushed freely into the storage space such that it lays itself there in individual layers.

It is the object of the invention to improve the known device.

This object is solved according to the invention with a device of the type specified initially by the fact that inside a pendulous body which swings about an axle there is at least one first and at least one second roller between which the cable can be guided through.

In an advantageous further development of the invention the pendulous body is designed such that the rollers are formed on one side by two rollers, each mounted on an axle in the pendulous body, and on the other side by a roller holder which surrounds the axles about which the pendulous body is self-pivotable.

In a further advantageous development of the invention the pendulous body is designed such that said pendulous body has at least one supporting element arranged at the side of the first and the second roller on which the first and the second roller are mounted.

By means of the device according to the invention it is achieved that during the take up of a cable into a storage space, especially onto a cable drum, superimposed cable coils are wound tightly in the winding space such that on the one hand, the winding space is optimally used and on the other hand, no loops or knots can form inside and outside the winding space which can result in disturbances when the cable is pulled in or pulled out.

The device according to the invention forms a lead tautener which disentangles the cable loops located outside the device through its limited intake cross-section without the cable being able to become jammed in the area of the lead tautener. The lead tautener is constructed as a pendulous body which executes a swinging movement in the intake direction of the cable. The swinging movement is brought about by the cable hitting against the first or the second roller which are arranged at a certain distance from the shaft of the pendulous body. The shaft of the pendulous body is formed by a roller holder surrounding a fixed axle.

As a result of the mounting of the pendulous body, this supports an oscillating movement of the cable in conjunction with the derailleurs attached in the drum cheeks of the cable drum.

As a result of the swinging movement, the distance between the respective roller and the cable is reduced such that the cable runs along on one of the rollers and the roller holder.

In order advantageously not to cause too large swings of the pendulous body, the distance between the first and the second roller is selected to be only slightly larger than the diameter of the cable.

An optimum winding pattern of the cable in the cable drum is achieved as a result of the invention. Knotting of the cable is avoided. During withdrawal of the cable from the cable drum, a uniform withdrawal force and thus a lesser effect on the cable is achieved compared with that encountered in conventional devices for storing cables.

The invention is explained in further detail in the following with reference to exemplary embodiments. In the figures:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first pendulous body for use in a device for storing a cable,

FIGS. 2–4 show cross-sectional views of the pendulous body from FIG. 1 in the rest position and in various swinging positions,

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a second pendulous body and

FIG. 6 shows a longitudinal view of the second pendulous body.

A device for storing a cable, especially an electric cable in a cable drum of a vacuum cleaner is provided with a pendulous body 1 ( FIG. 1 ) which is displaceably mounted with respect to a fixed axle 2 in the device and is pivotable in the direction of an arrow A.

The pendulous body 1 has two supporting elements 8 , 9 which are fixedly connected to a roller holder 10 . The roller holder 10 is rotatably arranged on the axle 2 . In addition, rollers 11 and 12 are rotatably mounted between the supporting elements 8 , 9 . A cable 13 runs between the roller holder 10 on the one hand and the rollers 11 and 12 on the other hand ( FIGS. 2–4 ). Depending on the intake angle of the cable 13 the pendulous body 1 can occupy different positions and thereby bring about a uniform tautening of the cable 13 .

In another exemplary embodiment ( FIGS. 5 , 6 ) there is shown a pendulous body 14 which, in addition to a roller holder 15 , has two upper rollers 16 and 17 and three lower rollers 18 to 20 between which the cable 13 runs through. The pendulous body 14 executes swinging movements about the fixed axle of the roller holder 14 (arrow A).