Cord reel holder
View Patent ↗A cord reel holder that mounts to a licensin for a cord reel that houses a cord reel with a fixed length cord and a retractable length cord. The retractable length cord is carried by the cord reel such that a length of the retractable length cord that extends from the housing is adjustable by rotating a reel within the housing. The cord reel holder has a housing with a front wall, a rear wall, and connecting sidewalls that maintain the front wall in a fixed position relative to the rear wall. The cord reel housing defines a receptacle that is sized to receive the cord reel. Each of the front wall and the rear wall has a series of apertures that correspond with mounting apertures for mounting a license plate to a vehicle, and the connecting sidewall has connection points for securing the cord reel within the receptacle.
1 . A cord storage device, comprising:
a cord reel, comprising:
a reel housing;
a fixed length cord that extends from a first port of the reel housing; and
a retractable length cord that extends from a second port of the reel housing, the retractable length cord being housed within the reel housing such that a length of the retractable length cord that extends from the reel housing is adjustable, the retractable length cord being in electrical connection with the fixed length cord; and
a cord reel holder, the cord reel holder comprising a receptacle that is defined by sidewalls, the receptacle having an open top and being sized to receive the cord reel, the cord reel holder being configured such that:
a front wall and a rear wall of the sidewalls each comprise a series of apertures that correspond with mounting apertures for mounting a license plate to a vehicle; and
the sidewalls comprise connection points for securing the reel housing within the receptacle.
2 . The cord storage device of claim 1 , wherein a top of the reel housing is above a top edge of the cord reel holder.
3 . The cord storage device of claim 1 , wherein, with the cord reel holder mounted to a vehicle, the cord reel is removably mounted within the cord reel holder.
4 . The cord storage device of claim 1 , wherein the cord reel is secured within the receptacle by pin connectors or straps that engage the cord reel and the cord reel holder.
5 . The cord storage device of claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls comprise connecting sidewalls that connect between the front wall and the rear wall, the connecting sidewalls defining an access opening that corresponds to a position of the fixed length cord such that the fixed length cord is accessible via the access opening.
6 . The cord storage device of claim 5 , wherein the connecting sidewalls comprise a plurality of flanges that extend between the front wall and the rear wall.
7 . The cord storage device of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of flanges comprises a first flange on a first side of the holder and a second flange on a second side of the holder, the first flange and the second flange being positioned at a top edge of the housing.
8 . The cord reel holder of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of flanges further comprises one or more bottom flanges.
9 . The cord reel holder of claim 6 , wherein the connecting sidewalls are open between adjacent ones of the plurality of flanges.
10 . The cord reel holder of claim 1 , wherein the front wall comprises tool-receiving openings sized to permit a tool to access the series of apertures of the rear wall, and further comprising a first set of pin connectors that secure the rear wall.
11 . The cord reel holder of claim 1 , wherein a width of the reel housing is substantially the same as a width of the receptacle measured horizontally, and the horizontal width of the receptacle is greater than a width of an installed license plate measured horizontally.
12 . The cord reel holder of claim 1 , wherein the reel housing is weather resistant.