Locking breakdown spool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10155638-B2
Application number	US-201514730627-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2015
Priority date	Jun 4, 2015
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

A breakdown spool having a hollow barrel and separate flange members is provided. The barrel ends define an insertion section for movement into a central recess positioned within the support surface of the flanges. The central recess includes an outer peripheral wall having an inside diameter closely dimensioned with an outside diameter of the barrel wall. The insertion sections on the ends of the barrel and the central recess of each flange having first and second engagement elements for releasably securing the flanges to the axial ends of the barrel. The engagement elements have different structural forms. Interconnecting alignment elements are provided to fix the relative position of the axial end of the barrel with respect to the central recess of the flange and to align the respective first and second engagement elements on the insertion section and the peripheral wall around the perimeter of the central recess.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A breakdown spool comprising:
a barrel having
a longitudinal axis,
a barrel wall substantially surrounding the longitudinal axis and forming an annular winding surface, and
an insertion section formed on at least one axial end of the barrel wall, the insertion section comprising
at least one flexible tab formed within the barrel wall and having a radially outward projecting cleat on an end of the tab, and
a plurality of fixed insertion clips spaced from one another and from the at least one tab; and

at least one flange having
a support surface,
a central recess positioned within the support surface, the central recess forming a receiving channel for receiving the insertion section of the barrel, the central recess comprising
a first opening for receiving the projecting cleat on the at least one tab upon rotation of the barrel relative to the flange into aligned positioning of the insertion section within the receiving channel and resilient flexing of the at least one tab relative to other portions of the insertion section of the barrel wall, and
a plurality of fixed receiving clips spaced relative to the first opening corresponding to the spacing of the plurality of insertion clips relative to the at least one tab on the insertion section of the barrel wall, the receiving clips each formed for axial overlap upon rotation into the aligned positioning of the insertion section within the receiving channel with a corresponding insertion clip on the insertion section within the central recess,

the at least one tab flexing radially inward upon introduction of the insertion section into the receiving channel, the inward flex of the at least one tab clearing the cleat for movement of the insertion section into the central recess and the rotation of the insertion section relative to the receiving channel, and an outward return of the at least one tab to a normal position upon moving the cleat into engagement with the at least one opening within the receiving channel, the engagement of the cleat on the at least one tab within the at least one opening fixing the rotative position of the barrel relative to the flange,
wherein the insertion clips and receiving clips each comprise an engagement channel portion formed adjacent thereto, the engagement channel allowing rotational movement of the flange relative to the insertion section of the barrel after radially inward flexing of the at least one tab and release of the cleat from engagement with the first opening, the rotational movement of the flange and barrel releasing the axial overlap and engagement of the clips for withdrawal of the engagement of the barrel from the flange.

2. A breakdown spool as in claim 1 , wherein the barrel comprises at least two flexible tabs formed on the insertion section of the axial end of the barrel, the at least two tabs each having a projecting cleat thereon.

3. A breakdown spool as in claim 2 , wherein the at least two flexible tabs are spaced from one another and positioned diametrically opposite on the axial end of the barrel.

4. A breakdown spool as in claim 2 , wherein the at least one flange further comprises a second opening, the first and second openings respectively aligned with the at least two tabs on the axial end of the barrel for receipt of the corresponding projecting cleats.

5. A breakdown spool as in claim 1 , further comprising
an alignment tab formed on the at least one tab, and
an alignment slot formed on the flange adjacent the first opening, the alignment slot formed to receive the alignment tab upon alignment of the at least one tab and the first opening during introduction of the insertion section into the central recess.

6. A breakdown spool as in claim 1 , wherein the barrel is integrally molded from a thermoplastic material.

7. A breakdown spool as in claim 1 , wherein the barrel comprises a substantially central hollow defined by an inside wall of the winding surface.

8. A breakdown spool as in claim 1 , wherein the central recess comprises an outer peripheral sidewall, the first opening formed within the peripheral sidewall and the plurality of receiving clips formed on the peripheral sidewall.

9. A breakdown spool as in claim 8 , wherein the central recess further comprises an internal support positioned radially inward of the peripheral sidewall, the spacing between the internal support and the peripheral sidewall defining a channel formed for receiving the insertion section of the barrel, the internal support engaging with an inside wall of the barrel.

10. A breakdown spool as in claim 9 , wherein the internal support comprise a ring member, the ring member having a projecting height within the central recess that is less than a height of the peripheral sidewall.

11. A breakdown spool as in claim 10 further comprising a plurality of radially extending support ribs formed within the central recess inwardly of the support wall.

12. A breakdown spool as in claim 11 wherein the internal support further comprises a plurality of angled projections integrally formed with the ring member and having a height greater than the height of the ring.

13. A breakdown spool as in claim 12 , wherein the angled projections comprise a directing surface angled radially inward from the ring member.

14. A breakdown spool as in claim 13 , wherein the angled projections are integrally formed with the support ribs.

15. A breakdown spool as in claim 14 further comprising a second plurality of angled projections are spaced from the angled projections formed with the support ribs.

16. A breakdown spool as in claim 8 , wherein the projecting cleat comprises an angled engagement surface for engaging the outer periphery sidewall adjacent the first opening upon an initial introduction of the insertion section into the central recess.

17. A breakdown spool as in claim 1 further comprising alignment indicia on the barrel wall and on the flange support surface, the alignment indicia indicating the positional location of the at least one tab on the insertion section and the first opening within central recess.

18. A breakdown spool comprising:
a substantially hollow barrel having
a longitudinal axis,
a barrel wall surrounding the longitudinal axis and forming an annular winding surface, and
an insertion section formed on each axial end of the barrel wall, the insertion sections each comprising
two diametrically opposed flexible tabs formed within the barrel wall, each tab having a base portion and a free end portion, the tabs connected at the base portion to the barrel wall and the end portions having a radially outward projecting cleat thereon, the tabs capable of flexing radially about the base portion, and
a plurality of insertion clips spaced from one another and from the two tabs; and

a pair of similarly formed flange members, each flange member having
a support surface,
a central recess positioned within the support surface, the central recess forming a receiving channel for receiving the insertion section of the barrel, the central recess comprising
an outer peripheral wall, the peripheral wall having an inside diameter closely dimensioned with an outside diameter of the annular winding surface of the barrel wall,
a pair of receiving openings formed within the outer peripheral wall, the openings each defining an engagement lip adjacent the support surface, the openings formed for receiving the projecting cleats on the tabs upon introduction of the insertion sections of the barrel into the central recesses of a respective flange, a

Assignees

• Sonoco Dev Inc

Inventors

• Baranov Fedor
• Fratianni Edmond Louis

Classifications

• B65H75/14

  with two end flanges · CPC title

• B65H2701/5136

  Moulded plastic elements · CPC title

• B65H2701/50

  Storage means for webs, tapes, or filamentary material · CPC title

• B65H75/22 Primary

  collapsible; with removable parts · CPC title

• B65H75/2272

  releasably connected by relative rotatable movement of parts, e.g. threaded or bayonet fit · CPC title