The present disclosure generally relates to equipment for installing cable into structures, and more particularly relates to spools for receiving a reel of cable and preventing tipping of the spool during payout of the cable from the reel.
The process of installing cable (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, category cable, electrical wiring cable, and the like) into structures, for example, new homes, is relatively time consuming, and can lead to frustrating entanglements or other shortcomings in the distribution of the cable. For example, cable is often provided from the manufacturer in the form of a wound coil, with a simple plastic wrapping therearound. The electrician installing the cable into the building or structure is required to remove the plastic wrapping and pull an end of the cable to begin installation. This can result in the coil itself being pulled with the cable such that it is not readily distributed. Many electricians therefore are required to produce or fabricate some sort of axle or mandrel about which the coil may rotate. This can be frustrating to the electrician, and necessarily results in slower installation times.
Alternatively, cable coils are sometimes provided within cardboard boxes. The cardboard boxes are typically provided with a scored area which must be removed such that the electrician can reach in and grab an end of the cable to begin the installation process. However, this can also be frustrating and slow in that the cardboard box will tend to be pulled with the cable. It would be advantageous if the cable were to be provided on a drum adapted for rotation, but such drums are often not provided by the manufacturer for cost reasons.
It may be desirable to provide a spool configured with improved stability so as to prevent the spool from tipping during payout of the cable. It may be desirable to provide a spool that allows manufacturers to continue to provide coils either within the aforementioned plastic wrapping or cardboard box, and still enable a technician to readily, and repeatedly, mount the coil for rotation. It may also be desirable to provide a spool configured to raise the coil of cable away from the ground surface to provide additional clearance for payout of the cable from the coil.
In accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, a reusable spool for receiving a coil of cable and preventing tipping of the spool during payout of the cable from the coil includes a cylindrical drum having a first end and a second end, a first flange configured to be removably coupled with the first end of the drum, and a second flange configured to be removably coupled with the second end of the drum. The reusable spool also includes a first pair of legs movingly coupled with the first flange between a stowed position, where the first pair of legs are disposed within an outer periphery of the first flange, and a deployed position, where the first pair of legs are configured to extend beyond the outer periphery of the first flange, and a second pair of legs movingly coupled with the second flange between a stowed position, where the second pair of legs are disposed within an outer periphery of the second flange, and a deployed position, where the second pair of legs are configured to extend beyond the outer periphery of the second flange. The first flange and the second flange are configured to be removed from the drum to permit the drum to receive a coil of cable and to be coupled with the drum to retain the coil on the drum, the cylindrical drum is configured to receive the coil of cable and to permit the coil of cable to rotate relative to the cylindrical drum, the first flange, and the second flange, and a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the first flange and a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the second flange are configured to engage a ground surface over a first distance when the first pair of legs and the second pair of legs are in the stowed position. The first pair of legs and the second pair of legs are configured to be moved to the deployed position to raise the drum, the first flange, and the second flange away from the ground surface to provide additional clearance for payout of the cable from the coil and to engage the ground surface over a second distance that is greater than the first distance to improve stability of the reusable spool so as to prevent the spool from tipping during payout of the cable.
In accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, spool for receiving a coil of cable and preventing tipping of the spool during payout of the cable from the coil includes a receiving member configured to receive a coil of cable and having a first end and a second end, a first retaining member configured to be coupled with the first end of the receiving member, and a second retaining member configured to be coupled with the second end of the receiving member. The spool also includes a first pair of support members movingly coupled with the first retaining member between a stowed position, where the first pair of support members are disposed within an outer periphery of the first retaining member, and a deployed position, where the first pair of support members are configured to extend beyond the outer periphery of the first retaining member, and a second pair of support members movingly coupled with the second retaining member between a stowed position, where the second pair of support members are disposed within an outer periphery of the second retaining member, and a deployed position, where the second pair of support members are configured to extend beyond the outer periphery of the second retaining member. The first retaining member or the second retaining member is configured to be removed from the receiving member to permit the receiving member to receive a coil of cable, and a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the first retaining member and a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the second retaining member are configured to engage a ground surface across a first distance when the first pair of support members and the second pair of support members are in the stowed position. The first pair of support members and the second pair of support members are configured to be moved to the deployed position to engage the ground surface across a second distance that is greater than the first distance to improve stability of the reusable spool so as to prevent the spool from tipping during payout of the cable.
In accordance with a third exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, a spool for receiving a coil of cable and preventing tipping of the spool during payout of the cable from the coil includes a receiving portion configured to receive a coil of cable and a first retaining portion and a second retaining portion configured to retain the coil of cable on the receiving portion. A portion of an outer peripheral surface of the first retaining portion and a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the second retaining portion are configured to engage a ground surface. The first retaining portion includes first support portions configured to extend beyond the outer peripheral surface of the first retaining portion to engage the ground surface across a greater distance than the outer peripheral surface of the first retaining portion, and the second retaining portion includes second support portions configured to extend beyond the outer peripheral surface of the second retaining portion to engage the ground surface across a greater distance than the outer peripheral surface of the second retaining portion.
Further advantages and features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made. In which are shown:
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments and methods of the present disclosure, which constitute the best modes of practicing the present disclosure presently known to the inventors. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the present disclosure that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for any aspect of the present disclosure and/or as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.
It is also to be understood that this present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments and methods described below, as specific components and/or conditions may, of course, vary. Furthermore, the terminology used herein is used only for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the present disclosure and is not intended to be limiting in any way.
It must also be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular form “a,” “an,” and “the” comprise plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. For example, reference to a component in the singular is intended to comprise a plurality of components.
With reference to
Referring to
When at least two of the nubs 26 at each of the first end and the second end of the drum 16 are engaged with or disposed in a corresponding recess 20, 20′ defined in a one of the first or second flanges 12, 14, the rotational position of the drum 16 is fixed relative to the position of each of the first and second flanges 12, 14 during payout of cable from a reel of cable (not shown) disposed on the drum 16. For example, as shown in
Typically, the reel of cable includes cable that is wound onto a cylinder, for example, a cardboard cylinder. When the reel is received on the drum, the reel is free to rotate relative to the drum to payout cable from the reel.
Referring to
When the first flange 12, the drum 16 and the second flange 14 are assembled, the tab 34 at the first end of the drum 16 may be configured to be at least partially disposed in the groove 30′ defined on the first flange 12, and a second tab 36, if implemented, of the drum 16 may be configured to be disposed in a second groove 30″ defined on the first flange 12. The tabs 34′ at the second end 22 of the drum 16 may be configured to be disposed in the groove 30″′ of the second flange 14 and the second tab 36′, if implemented, at the second end 22 of the drum 16 may be configured to be at least partially disposed in the second groove 30″″ of the second flange 14.
During connection of the drum 16 with the flanges 12, 14, the drum 16 is configured to rotate relative to the flanges 12, 14, and the tabs 34, 36 are configured to slide in their corresponding grooves 30′, 30″, 30″′, 30″″. Moreover, the tabs 34, 36 at the first end 18 of the drum 16 also secure the first end 18 of the drum 16 within the opening 32 of the first flange 12 up to a predetermined lateral force 78, and the tabs 34′, 36′ at the second end 22 of the drum 16 secure the second end 22 of the drum 16 within the opening 32′ of the second flange 14. However, it is understood that this spool 10 may be reused because either or both of the first and second flanges 12, 14 may be removed from the drum 16 to mount yet another coil of cable onto the drum 16 by exceeding the predetermined lateral force 78 by overcoming the engagement force/connection between the tabs 34, 34′, 36, 36′ and the grooves 30′, 30″, 30″′, 30″″. Of course, the removed flanges 12, 14 may be mounted onto the drum again by pushing the correspond end of the drum 16 into the opening 32, 32′ of the flange 12, 14 once the new/next coil of cable is mounted onto the drum 16.
With reference to
Referring now to
Therefore, as shown in
In this exemplary embodiment and similar to the previous embodiments, the opening 32 of the first flange 12 may also define a groove 30′ and an optional second groove 30″, and the opening 32′ of the second flange 14 may also define a groove 30″′ and an optional second groove 30″″. Also, the drum 16 may include an optional second tab 36 defined at the first end 18 of the drum 16 and an optional tab second tab 36′ defined at the second end 22 of the drum 16.
When the first and second flanges 12, 14 are assembled onto to drum 16, the tab 34 at the first end of the drum 16 is configured to be at least partially disposed in the groove 30′ defined on the first flange 12 and the second primary tab 34″ at the second end 22 of the drum 16 is configured to be at least partially disposed in the groove 30″′ of the second flange 14 (see exemplary tab 34, 36 and groove 30 arrangement in
During connection of the drum 16 with the flanges 12, 14, when the drum 16 rotates relative to the flanges 12, 14, the tabs 34, 34′, 36, 36′ are configured to slide in their corresponding grooves 30′, 30″, 30″′, 30″″. Moreover, similar to the previous embodiment, the tabs 34, 36 at the first end 18 of the drum 16 also secure the first end 18 of the drum 16 within the opening 32 of the first flange 12 up to a predetermined lateral force, and the tabs 34′, 36′ at the second end 22 of the drum 16 may secure the second end 22 of the drum 16 within the opening 32′ of the second flange 14 up to a predetermined lateral force 78. However, it is understood this spool can be reused to mount yet another coil of cable (once the previous coil of cable has been paid out) by removing one or both of the first and second flanges 12, 14 from the drum 16 by exceeding the predetermined lateral force and overcoming the engagement force/connection between the tabs 34, 34′, 36, 36′ and the grooves 30′, 30″, 30″′, 30″″. Once at least one of the flanges 12, 14 has been removed, another coil of cable may be mounted to the drum 16, and the flanges 12, 14 may be reattached to the drum 16 for another use.
Referring now to
Nonetheless, where the first legs and the second legs move between a stowed position and a deployed position, it is understood that when the first legs 50, 54, the second legs 52, 56 are all in the deployed position 72, as shown in
It is understood that, in one option, the first leg 50 and the second leg 52 of the first flange 12 may be pivotally attached to the first flange 12, as shown in
In this exemplary embodiment, the drum 16 may optionally further define one or more nubs 26, 26′ at each of the first end 18 of the drum 16 and at the second end 22 of the drum 16, as shown in
As indicated earlier, in this embodiment implementing an integrated caddy 76, the first legs 50, 54 and the second legs 52, 56 are each configured to move between a stowed position 70 and a deployed position 72. However, as indicated, when the first legs 50, 54 and the second legs 52, 56 are each in the deployed position 72, then the first and second flanges 12, 14 are spaced above a ground level 80 such that the drum 16, flanges 12, 14 and the legs 50, 52, 54, 56 function as an integrated drum 16 and caddy 76.
Also, referring to
In the various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the drum 18 may define a bore 60 and the exterior surface 62 may also optionally be cored-out in order to reduce weight, as shown by way of example in
While multiple non-limiting embodiments have been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims and the legal equivalents thereof.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/239,533, filed Sep. 1, 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
63239533 | Sep 2021 | US |