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1. Technical Field of the Invention
The disclosure generally relates to spool for wires, and more specifically to a spool system with a vacant tubular channel therein that allows multiple spools to be vertically stacked and used coextensively.
2. Description of Related Art
The disclosure relates generally to spools of wires, and a system of stacking the same so that multiple spools can be used coextensively.
One previous approach to using spools of thread and/or wire have involved placing a spool on a socket, wherein the socket is surrounded by a housing from which the thread is removed via an opening at the top.
Another approach was similar to above, except the opening at the top includes a stopper to frictionally resist the removal of thread, thus reducing the chance of the spool's circular momentum causing an excess of thread to be dispensed. A problem with this approach was that the stopper could damage the thread. Another problem was that there was no simple of efficient method of combining multiple spools into the same system.
Another approach was to use a lengthy axis on which multiple spools could be placed. Parallel to the axis was a removal cradle with multiple slots; one slot per spool on the axis. Thread and/or wire could be removed from the spools via the slots in the removal cradle. A problem with this approach was that when the spools became empty, the entire spool would have to be replaced, rather than simply adding more thread and/or wire. Another problem was that the spools would frictionally force adjacent spools to rotate at the same angular speed, which would cause the spool with more thread to dispense too much thread.
Therefore, it is readily apparent that there is a recognizable unmet need for a stackable spool system that is easy to configure, simple to use, enables multiple wire pulls simultaneously, resists over-dispensing by any one spool, and uncomplicated to refill with additional thread and/or wire.
Briefly described, in a preferred embodiment, the present apparatus and method overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and meets the recognized need for such a device by providing a spool system that is stackable, easy to use, and simple to configure with any number of spools.
The present apparatus and method comprises a stackable spool system with one or more spools with a tubular channel through which wires can transit. This allows multiple spools to be stacked vertically with respect to each other, and wires can be removed from each of the spools at the same rate.
According to its major aspects and broadly stated, the present apparatus in its preferred form is a spool system with a center cylinder and a tubular channel, the tubular channel being disposed within the center cylinder. The spool holds a wire which is circularly wrapped around the center cylinder. The spool also has a top, and the wire exits the spool between the top and the center cylinder.
In an alternate embodiment, the spool system has two spools, each again having a center cylinder, a first tubular channel. The two spools are disposed generally coaxially with said first spool, and the wire from one spool is pulled through the tubular channel of the other spool. Each of the spools also has a top that is secured to the sidewalls. A third spool can be added, the third spool being generally coaxial with the other two spools, and the wire in the third spool is threaded through the tubular channel of the first two spools.
In another alternate embodiment, the spool system has three spools in a container, each of the spools being generally similar to the single spool of the preferred embodiment, and the three spools being arranged such that their tubular channels are generally parallel with respect to each other. The wires within each of the three spools can be removed simultaneously.
In yet another alternative embodiment, the spool system has two such containers of three spools each. The two containers are arranged vertically with respect to each other such that each wire in the lower spools passes through a single tubular channel in the upper spools. Additionally, another alternative embodiment has yet a third such container with three spools. The third container is again arranged vertically with respect to the other containers such that each wire in the third container passes through a single tubular channel in each of the other two containers. The spools contain sidewalls with a recess, and the spools' tops have a locking extension that is dimensioned to be received into the recess, thus securing the spool tops to the spool sidewalls.
In another alternative embodiment, the spool system has a container with seven spools and six supports, each with a vacant channel, and all of the channels being arranged generally parallel to each other. The container has a bottom with holes that are aligned with the channels of the spools and supports.
In yet another alternative embodiment, two such containers are arranged vertically with respect to each other, such that the wires in the “lower” spool can be passed through one of the tubular channels in the “upper” spool.
It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that when spools and containers are arranged vertically with respect to one another it is not required that the spools and containers literally be vertically arranged. Instead, the spools and containers only preferably should be generally coaxial such that the wire from one spool or container can pass relatively easily through the other spool or container.
More specifically, the present disclosure of a preferred embodiment is a stackable spool system, the stackable spool system having a sidewall, top, center cylinder, and tubular channel. A wire is circularly wrapped around the center cylinder. In use, the wire is removed from the spool between the top and the center cylinder.
In another alternative embodiment, a triple stackable spool system, the triple stackable spool system having a container with three horizontally adjacent spools, the spools also having a securing mechanism and sidewall, the securing mechanism preferably being a recessed portion of the sidewall. The spool top has a locking extension that extends from the spool top near the outer periphery, and the locking extension is dimensioned to be accepted by, and lock in place into, the recessed portion of the sidewall. The container also has a sidewall, top, and bottom, the bottom having holes that are aligned with the spools' tubular channels.
The spool top is preferably configured such that the interior periphery of the spool top is more elevated from the container bottom than the exterior periphery of the spool top. Further, the interior periphery of the spool top has a larger diameter than the center cylinder; thus, the interior periphery of the spool top preferably does not extend above the center cylinder. The container top is generally the same height as the spool top.
The spool sidewalls are secured to each other and the container sidewall by, for exemplary purposes only, and without limitation, being glued together, being clamped together, being molded together during manufacture, or by any other functionally equivalent method as is known in the art.
When spool top is secured to spool sidewall, the locking extension of the spool top is slid into the recessed portion of the sidewall and then rotated until the locking extension is located within the holding position of the recess. However, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the spool may comprise any securing mechanism for the securing spool top to the rest of the spool body.
In another alternative embodiment a septuple stackable spool system that has a container with seven spools and six supports. The container bottom has seven spool holes that are aligned with the seven spools, and six support holes that are aligned with the six supports. A plurality of septuple stackable spool systems can be arranged vertically with respect to each other. The support channels can be used to secure the septuple stackable spool system(s), with respect to each other if there is a plurality, and/or with respect to a fixed object.
In yet another alternative embodiment, a nonuple stackable spool systems, the nonuple stackable spool systems being three triple stackable spook systems arranged vertically with respect to each other. The wires from the “lower” spools are directed to transit through the tubular channels of the “upper” spools. Thus, the “top” spools each have three wires exiting from the spool top, one from the spool itself and two from the spools “beneath” it.
Alternatively, two single spools may be arranged vertically such that the wire from the first spool passes through the tubular channel of the second spool.
Or two nonuple stackable spool systems may be arranged vertically such that the wires from the “lower” spools transit through the tubular channels in the “upper” spools.
When the spools are loaded with wires, preferably the spool top is removed, and subsequently wire is placed in the spools, the wire being circularly wrapped around the center cylinder. The spool top is then placed on the spool and preferably secured to the spool. Subsequently, the end of the wire is removed from the spools.
It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the wire described herein may comprise any similarly structured item, such as, for exemplary purposes only and without limitation, a string, cord, multi-conductor wire, or thread.
Accordingly, a feature and advantage of the spool system is its ability to be easy to use.
Another feature and advantage of the spool system is its ability to be easily configurable with any number of spools sharing a vertical axis.
Still another feature and advantage of the spool system is its ability to be easy to setup with a plurality of spools horizontally adjacent.
Yet another feature and advantage of the spool system is ability to be easily refilled.
These and other features and advantages of the spool system will become more apparent to one skilled in the art from the following Summary, Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description, and Claims when read in light of the accompanying Detailed Drawings.
The present spool system will be better understood by reading the Detailed Description of the Embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in which like reference numerals denote similar structure and refer to like elements throughout, and in which:
It is to be noted that the drawings presented are intended solely for the purpose of illustration and that they are, therefore, neither desired nor intended to limit the disclosure to any or all of the exact details of construction shown, except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the claimed invention.
In describing the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, as illustrated in
Referring now to
Turning now to
Spool top 240 is preferably configured such that interior periphery 242 is more elevated from container bottom 230 than outer periphery 246 (best shown in
Turning now to
Turning now to
It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that spool 205 may comprise any securing mechanism 206 for securing spool top 240 to spool sidewall 210, such as, for exemplary purposes only, a latch, glue, a threaded system that permits spool top 240 to be affixed onto spool sidewall 210, a weight placed on spool top 240, a locking extension such as is illustrated in
Turning now to
Spool sidewalls 310 are secured to container sidewall 320 and support sidewalls 315 by such mechanism as being glued together, being clamped together, or being molded together during manufacture, as shown in
In use, multiple septuple stackable spool systems 300 may be stacked vertically with respect to each other (not shown), wherein columns 380 are used to maintain vertical alignment between septuple stackable spool systems 300, and wherein each column 380 is preferably disposed in support channels 375 of two distinct septuple stackable spool systems 300. Stoppers 378 prevents columns 380 from passing through supports 308 unimpeded (best shown in
Turning now to
Second wire W2 is generally disposed within second spool 402. In use, second wire W2 passes through first tubular channel 471. Similarly, third wire W3 is generally disposed within third spool 403. In use, third wire W3 passes through second tubular channel 472 and first tubular channel 471. Fifth wire W5 is generally disposed within fifth spool 405. In use, fifth wire W5 passes through fourth tubular channel 474. Similarly, sixth wire W6 is generally disposed within sixth spool 406. In use, sixth wire W6 passes through fifth tubular channel 475 and fourth tubular channel 474. Eighth wire W8 is generally disposed within eighth spool 408. In use, eighth wire W8 passes through seventh tubular channel 477. Similarly, ninth wire W9 is generally disposed within ninth spool 409. In use, ninth wire W9 passes through eighth tubular channel 478 and seventh tubular channel 477.
It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that alternatively, two single spools 105, such as those shown and described in
Turning now to
Turning back to
It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that wire W may comprise similarly structured item, such as, for exemplary purposes only, and without limitation, a string, a cord, multi-conductor wire, or a thread.
It is contemplated herein that other configurations of the described embodiments as will be recognized by others skilled in the art. For exemplary purposes only, and without limitation, such configurations are a container with four spools arranged in a rectangular formation, a container with five spools arranged in a pentagonal hexagonal formation, two or more containers arranged vertically with respect to each other.
The foregoing description and drawings comprise illustrative embodiments of the present invention. Having thus described exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted by those skilled in the art that the within disclosures are exemplary only, and that various other alternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention. Merely listing or numbering the steps of a method in a certain order does not constitute any limitation on the order of the steps of that method. Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Although specific terms may be employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated herein, but is limited only by the following claims.