Hose reel retractor with uni-directional viscous speed governor
US6234417A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 1, 1999 |
| Grant date | May 22, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 1, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65H2403/61
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A take-up reel for winding and storing an elongate hose or electrical cable comprises a reel supported by a stationary support shaft and urged in a first direction by a torsional spring. A viscous clutch assembly comprising multiple disks housed in a chamber filled with a viscous fluid is coupled to the reel to provide a retarding force that is proportional to velocity. The velocity proportional retarding force causes the rewind velocity of the reel to stabilize at a constant velocity. A one-way clutch is provided to decouple the viscous clutch from the reel when the hose or cable is being payed-out thereby permitting the hose or cable to be payed-out without resistance from the viscous clutch. By providing a unidirectional viscous clutch that acts to retard only the take-up velocity of the hose reel, it is possible to provide an apparatus that permits the hose to be payed-out at any speed while providing the substantial safety benefits of a viscous speed governor during take-up.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.