FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a stackable spool cable manager.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a stackable spool cable manager.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
There is provided a stackable spool cable manager assembly for mounting on a surface manufactured from a ferrous material. The assembly comprises a plurality of like cable manager spools, each of the cable manager spools comprising a center portion comprising an outer surface, a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface and a locking mechanism comprising a first part on the top surface and a second part in a bottom surface, a support arm extending away from the center portion and comprising a cable support surface and an end stop attached to an outer end of the cable support surface, and a magnet, wherein the first part is configured to engage with the second part and such that an upper one of the plurality of cable manager spools is engageable with an adjacent lower one of the plurality of cable manager spools, wherein the support arm of each of the cable manager spools is positioned such that on securing of the lower cable manager spools to the upper cable manager spools, a support arm of the lower cable manager spools is offset from a support arm of the upper cable manager spool, and wherein the magnet is positioned in a bottom one of the plurality of cable manager spools and such that when positioned on the tray, the magnet secures the plurality of like cable manager spools to the tray.
There is also provided a cable manager spool, comprising a center portion comprising a cylindrical outer surface, a flat top surface and a flat bottom surface in parallel to the top surface, a locking mechanism comprising a first part on the top surface and a second part in a bottom surface and an orifice in the bottom surface, a support arm extending radially away from the center portion and comprising a flat cable support surface wherein an underside of the flat cable support surface lies substantially in the same plane as the bottom surface, and further comprising an end stop, a lower long edge of the end stop attached to an outer end of the cable support surface and such that the planar end stop is at a right angle to the cable support surface and at least one flat finger extending away from an upper long edge of the end stop towards the center portion and such that a flat under side of the at least one finger is coplanar and in parallel to the cable support surface, and a magnet dimensioned to fit within the orifice.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 provides a raised perspective view of cable spool manager assembly on a tray in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 provides a raised perspective view of cable spool manager in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 provides a lowered perspective view of cable spool manager in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4A provides a raised perspective view of a pair of disassembled cable spool managers in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4B provides a raised perspective view of a pair of partially assembled cable spool managers in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4C provides a raised perspective view of a pair of assembled cable spool managers in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 5 provides an exploded lowered perspective view of cable spool manager and magnet in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to FIG. 1, a stackable spool cable manager assembly, generally referred to using the reference numeral 10, will now be described. The manager assembly 10 comprises a plurality of like cable spool managers 12 which are stacked on one another to form the manager assembly 10.
Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, each cable spool manager 12 comprises a center portion 14 comprising a cylindrical outer surface 16, a flat top surface 18 and a flat bottom surface 20 arranged in parallel to the top surface 18. A support arm 22 extends radially outward from the cylindrical outer surface 16 and comprises a flat cable support surface 24. An underside 26 of the cable support surface 24 lies substantially in the same plane as the bottom surface 20. An elongate end stop 28 is attached along a lower long edge 30 to an outer end 32 of the cable support surface 24 and such that a curved surface 34 of the end stop 28 is arranged at right angles to the cable support surface 24. Additionally, a center of radius of curvature of the curved surface 34 of the end stop 28 is concentric with a radius of curvature of the center portion 14.
Still referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a pair of elongate fingers 36 extend away from an upper long edge 38 of the end stop 28 towards the center portion 154. Each finger 36 is positioned towards a respective end 40, 42 of the end stop 28. A flat underside 44 of each of the fingers 36 is flat and coplanar, and the underside 44 arranged in parallel to the flat cable support surface 24. A third substantially flat finger 46 is provided extending from the center portion 14 and aligned radially with the flat cable support surface 24. An upper surface 48 of the third finger 46 lies in substantially the same plane as the top surface 18 and an underside 50 of the third finger 46 lies opposite and in parallel to the flat cable support surface 24 and in the same plane as the underside 44 of each of the pair of fingers 36. The flat cable support surface 24, the undersides 44 of the pair of fingers 36 and the underside 50 of the third finger 46 together define a cable receiving region.
Still referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the center portion 14 further comprises a locking mechanism comprising a plurality of L-shaped tabs 52 extending from the top surface 18 and a corresponding plurality of tab receiving slots 54 molded or otherwise formed in the bottom surface 20.
Referring now to FIG. 4A in addition to FIG. 3, in order to assemble the like cable spool managers 12 to form an assembly 10, a lower one of the cable spool managers 12 is concentrically aligned with an upper one of the cable spool managers 12 and such that a guide arrow 56 of the lower one of the cable spool managers 12 is aligned with a guide arrow 58 on the third finger 46 of the upper one of the cable spool managers 12 and such that their respective support arms 22 are arranged substantially at right angles. In this orientation the L-shaped tabs 52 of the lower one of the cable spool managers 12 are aligned with respective ones of the plurality of tab receiving slots 54.
With reference now to FIG. 4B in addition to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4A, the L-shaped tabs 52 of the lower one of the cable spool managers 12 are then inserted into their respective tab receiving slots 54 and the lower cable spool manager 12 rotated relative to the upper cable spool manager 12 and in accordance with the direction indicated by an assembly arrow 60. In this regard, each of the tab receiving slots 54 comprises a wider slot part 62 and a narrower slot part 64.
As shown in FIG. 4C, as the lower cable spool manager 12 is rotated relative to the upper cable spool manager 12 each of the L shaped tabs 52 moves from the wider slot part 62 to the narrower slot part 64 and such that the bottom surface 20 of the upper cable management spool is gripped by each of said L-shaped tabs 52. With reference back to FIG. 3 in addition to FIG. 4C, as the lower cable spool manager 12 is rotated relative to the upper cable spool manager 12 into the assemble position, a boss 66 on each of L shaped tabs 52 is engaged by complementary features 68 adjacent each narrower slot part 64 and such that the lower cable spool manager 12 is releasably secured to the upper cable spool manager 12 in the assembled position.
Referring now to FIG. 5 in addition to FIG. 1, in order to secure the stackable spool cable manager assembly 10 to a tray 70 or the like manufactured from a ferrous material, a disk-shaped magnet 72 may be secured to the bottom surface 20. In this regard, an annular magnet receiving orifice 74 is provided concentric with the center portion 14. The magnet 72 is illustratively secured within the orifice 74 using a bolt 76, a threaded end 78 of which is inserted through a bore 80 in the magnet 72 and engaged in a complementary threaded bore 82 in the center portion 14.
Although the present invention has been described hereinabove by way of specific embodiments thereof, it can be modified, without departing from the spirit and nature of the subject invention as defined in the appended claims.
Patent Grant
11891267
