Patent · US Expired

Vehicle external electric supply system

US5855262A · kind A · utility

35Cited by
23References
19Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 31, 1997
Grant dateJan 5, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 31, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02T90/14
  • WIPO fieldHandling
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A retractable external vehicle electric system includes a cord holder to be mounted inside a car's engine compartment, including a two-piece case, a spool rotatably disposed within the case for retractably holding a first electric cord, a reel shaft securing together the case and serving as the axis about which the spool rotates, a spring wrapped about the shaft for automatically retracting the first electric cord once it is pulled away from the spool, structure for connecting two electric cords together, and an automatic, temperature responsive switch for allowing electricity to flow from the first electric cord to a second electric cord when a car's engine compartment has an ambient temperature less than a predetermined temperature set within the switch, so that when electricity is permitted to flow to the second electric cord, it is capable of functioning as an electrical outlet.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.