The invention relates to a container for storing cables of all types which are connected to electrical and/or electronic equipment. In relation to computer equipment, many cables are connected to and connected between the items of the computer equipment. These cables include power cables for supplying power to a central processor unit and a video display unit, data and control cables interconnecting the central processor unit, the video display unit and a keyboard, command cables running from peripherals such as a mouse to the central processor unit and multi-media output cables such as loudspeaker cables running from the central processor unit to stereo loudspeakers Usually, these cables are all draped over the back of a desk and form an unsightly mess in addition to possibly being a safety hazard. The same problem arises in relation to other household or studio equipment such as radio, video, hi-fi and other audio equipment One aspect of the present invention provides a combination of a cable storage container and cables which have first ends which are connectable to electronic and/or electπcal equipment, wherein a part of each cable which is intermediate its ends or is at its second end remote from its first end is located in the cable storage container with the remaining part(s) of the cable protruding out of the container By using the container to store parts of the cables, the visual appearance of the cables and equipment is improved and safety is improved because people are less likely to become entangled with the cables

In a preferred embodiment, the container comprises a hollow body having an upwardly facing main opening and a side wall. In this way, the cables which will usually drape down from the rear edge of a desk may simply be allowed to drape down into or be stuffed into the hollow body.

In some embodiments, the side wall of the body has at least one slot which leads downwards from the main opening, and at least some of the cables exit the container through the slot(s) The slot(s) allow the cables to exit the container laterally instead of upwards

The or each slot may taper in the downward direction. The wider, upward part of the or each slot facilitates insertion of a cable and the downward taper ensures that the cable is more precisely located as it drops down the slot.

In some embodiments, the main opening forms an acute angle with a notional upward projection of the or one of the slots. In this way, any cable which is resting on the rim of the main opening is guided towards falling down into one of the slots.

In some embodiments, the side wall of the body has at least one cable hole and at least some of the cables exit the container through the cable hole(s). Any cable which enters the container through a cable hole instead of a slot will have its stored part better hidden from any viewer and thus the visual appearance will be improved.

In many embodiments, the or each cable hole is located in the side wall of the body below the or one of the slots.

If the container further comprises a cap which is removably fitted onto the top of the body so as to cover the main opening, the stored parts of the cables are more hidden from view and thus the visual appearance of the cables is improved.

If one or more slots are present in the side wall of the body, it is preferable that a bottom part of the or each slot is not covered by the cap. This ensures that the slot(s) may still be used for their intended purpose. In a variant, the cap has an aperture in its top surface, a funnel extends upwards, downwards or laterally from the aperture and at least some of the cables exit the container through the funnel. The funnel assists in directing the relevant cables into the container and, in relation to any cable which needs to change direction as it enters the container, the funnel assists in making this change of direction comparatively gentle so as not to produce an undesirable sharp kink in the cable. For example, a funnel which extends upwards or laterally may resemble the trumpet of a musical wind instrument. A funnel which extends downwards provides a smoother aperture in the cap. ln some more sophisticated embodiments, the container includes a power distribution unit having an electrical power input and a plurality of electrical power outputs, and the stored parts of the cables are at the second ends of the cables and the second ends of the cables terminate at the electrical power outputs. The provision of

the power distribution unit enables the container to serve a purpose additional to merely storing the unsightly parts of cables.

In a number of embodiments, the container has a base unit instead of merely a base wall. This base unit may be used for various purposes and may, for example, incoφorate the power distribution unit. The base unit may also be weighted so that the centre of gravity of the container, when free of the cables, lies within the base unit. This weighting helps to ensure that the cables are less likely to knock the container over onto its side.

Conveniently, the side wall rises up from the base unit. Preferably, the hollow body is detachable from the base unit. This feature is useful when the base unit incoφorates the power distribution unit because it facilitates the act of connecting the second ends of the cables to the electrical power outputs of the power distribution unit.

Whilst the container may be free standing, in some embodiments the container will further comprise a lateral projection which projects away from the hollow body.

This lateral projection may be used to connect the container to an item of furniture such as a desk, thereby removing the need for the container to stand on its base. In a preferred embodiment, the lateral projection is a generally planar sheet of rigid or flexible material which is rigidly or flexibly fixed to the hollow body. Preferably, the lateral projection projects away from the top of the side wall of the hollow body.

Whilst heavy items such as books may be rested on the lateral projection in order to secure in position the container, it is just as convenient to use the electronic and/or electrical equipment for this puφose by resting it on the lateral projection.

In accordance with another aspect of this invention, the combination further comprises the electronic and/or electrical equipment when actually connected to the first ends of the cables.

Another aspect of the present invention comprises the cable storage container described above, by itself.

Non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment;

Figs. 3 and 4 are an elevation and a plan view, respectively, of a third embodiment;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a base unit of the fourth embodiment; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a seventh embodiment;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of an eighth embodiment; and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a ninth embodiment. In relation to the embodiment of Fig. 1, the container comprises a hollow body 1 which has a base wall (not visible) and an annular side wall 10 which is rectangular in cross-section. The top of the side wall 10 is open so as to define an upwardly facing main opening 2. A pair of slots 12 are located opposite each other in the shorter circumferential parts of the side wall 10. Each slot 12 runs downwards from the main opening 2.

The container is moulded out of plastic material. The cross-section of the side wall 10 does not have to be a rectangular polygon and could be some alternative shape such as a circle, an oval or a polygon which is different to a rectangle. The preferred alternative polygonal shape is a triangle. In use, the middle parts of cables connected to computer equipment, hi-fi equipment or the like are stuffed into the main opening 2 and/or the slots 12 so as to reside inside the hollow body 1. The parts of the cables which are connected to the equipment or to a power source or the like project out of the hollow body 1 to make their required connections. Because the unused parts of the cables are hidden inside the hollow body 1 , the container serves to improve the visual appearance of the cables and equipment and also reduces the chance of an accident occurring, such as a person tripping up over the cables.

The remaining embodiments will now be discussed. Where the parts of the embodiments are similar, the same reference numerals have been used and, for the sake of brevity, only the differences between the embodiments will be discussed.

Considering the embodiment of Fig. 2, the slots 121 are positioned opposite each other along the longer parts of the rectangular cross-section of the side wall 10. The container includes a base unit 11. The side wall 10 projects upwards from the

periphery of the top of the base unit 11. The base unit 1 1 has a heavy weight so as to ensure that the centre of gravity of the container is low down, within the base unit 1 1 , so that when the cables are stuffed into the container they will be less likely to render the container unstable so that it falls over. The hollow body 1 may be glued to the base unit 1 1.

The base unit 11 incorporates a power distribution unit (which will be discussed in more detail later, in relation to the third embodiment) and an electrical power input 14' is visible in the side of the base unit 1 1.

The third embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4 shows the power distribution unit 14. It is located within the base unit 1 1 and contributes to the increased weight of the base unit 1 1. As with the second embodiment, the power input 14' faces sideways through the side wall of the base unit 11. The power input 14' is connected to three power outputs 114" which face upwards into the hollow of the hollow body 1. In this way, three of the cables which extend into the container may be terminated at the power outputs 14" so as to receive electrical power therefrom. Thus, the container may serve the dual purpose of acting as a power distributor and a cable store.

The fourth embodiment of Figs. 5 and 6 is generally similar to the third embodiment except that a cap 13 covers the main opening at the top of the hollow body 1. The depth of the cap 13 is selected so that it does not totally cover the slot 12. Specifically, the bottom part of the slot 12 remains exposed so that the cables may enter and exit the hollow body 1 through the bottom part of the slot 12.

In Fig. 6, only one of the three power outputs 14" is visible. The hollow body 1 is detachable from the base unit 11 so as to give improved access to the power outputs 14" when a user is plugging the ends of cables into the power outputs 14". In Fig. 7, the side wall 10 of the hollow body 1 has a cable hole 15 adjacent to its bottom. As may be seen, the cable hole 15 is located beneath the slot 12. The cable hole 15 provides an extra route for cables to enter and exit the hollow body 1.

The sixth embodiment of Fig. 8 differs from the fifth embodiment of Fig. 7 in that the cable hole 15 is circumferentially offset from the slot 12. Also, the embodiment of Fig. 8 does not have a base unit 11.

The embodiment of Fig. 9 differs from the embodiment of Fig. 7 in that the slot 12 does not taper, there is no cable hole 15 and the base unit 1 1 incoφorates a power distribution unit.

In relation to the eighth embodiment of Fig. 10, the power distribution unit 14 is not incoφorated in a separate base unit but instead is located in the bottom of the hollow body 1. The side wall 10 of the hollow body 1 curves round on its self to form a generally semi-circular base wall smoothly connecting the two major parts of the side wall 10.

A rigid flap 16 is rigidly or flexibly connected to the top of the hollow body 1 adjacent to the main opening 2. The flap 16 may be integrally moulded with the hollow body 1 out of plastics material. The flap 16 may be rested on the surface of a desk with the hollow body 1 positioned against the rear edge of the desk. Then, for example, computer equipment may be rested on the flap 16 so as to firmly locate the container in the desired position and the cables of the computer equipment may be stuffed down into the hollow body 1 and some of them may be terminated at the power outputs 14" (not visible in Fig. 10). A power lead runs from the power output 14' to a power source.

In relation to the ninth embodiment of Fig. 11 , it differs from the eighth embodiment in that the power distribution unit is omitted and instead a cable hole 15 is provided. Also, there is only a single slot 12 and this is isolated from the main opening 2 and is located in the part of the side wall 10 located underneath the flap 16. In this way, the cables which enter and exit the hollow body 1 through the slot 12 are partially hidden by the flap 16.