Cable reel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10941016-B2
Application number	US-202017073445-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2020
Priority date	Feb 27, 2015
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

A cable reel apparatus that includes a bag, a first frame that is configured to be received inside the bag, a first flange that is configured to be removably engaged with the first frame, a second frame that is configured to be received inside the bag, a second flange that is configured to be removably engaged with said second frame, and a hub member that is configured to releasably couple the first flange with the second flange, and the hub member is configured to support a coil of cable.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cable reel apparatus, comprising:
a cable reel for holding a pre-wound, reel-less coil of cable, the cable reel including,
a central longitudinal axis,
a first flange configured to be rotatably coupled to a first frame, the first flange being smaller than an outer frame portion of the first frame, the first flange having opposite inner and outer sides, and the inner side of the first flange having an elongated wall extending transversely therefrom along the central longitudinal axis of the cable reel, and
a second flange separate from the first flange that is configured to be rotatably coupled to a second frame, the second flange being smaller than an outer frame portion of the second frame, the second flange having opposite inner and outer sides, and the inner side of the second flange having a truncated wall extending transversely therefrom along the central longitudinal axis of the cable reel;

wherein the elongated wall and the truncated wall are configured to be releasably coupled to one another for supporting the pre-wound, reel-less coil of cable between the first and second flanges and are configured to be decoupled from one another when replacing the coil of cable once dispensed from the cable reel apparatus,
wherein the coil of cable has an inner diameter, and the elongated and truncated walls are sized to be received in the inner diameter when supporting the coil of cable,
wherein the first frame and the second frame are disposed on inner surfaces of a bag that has a payout opening for dispensing cable of the coil of cable,
wherein the bag is configured such that the second flange is removable from the elongated wall of the first flange allowing the coil of cable to be loaded on and unloaded from the elongated wall, and
wherein the first frame is positioned in a base of the bag and the second frame is positioned at a cover of the bag, such that when the cover of the bag is closed with respect to the base of the bag, the second frame releasably couples with the second flange and such that when the cover of the bag is opened with respect to the base of the bag, the second frame decouples from the second flange.

2. The cable reel apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the coil of cable is prepacked.

3. The cable reel apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first flange and the elongated wall form one-piece and the second flange and the truncated wall form one-piece.

4. The cable reel apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the elongated wall and the truncated wall are releasably coupled by a friction fit.

5. The cable reel apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the truncated wall is received inside a receiving area of the elongated wall when releasably coupling the elongated wall and the truncated wall together.

6. The cable reel apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the elongated wall and the truncated wall each extend about a central opening in the first and second flanges, respectively.

7. A cable reel apparatus, comprising:
a bag having a base, a cover, and a payout opening for dispensing cable;
a first frame that is disposed on an inner surface of the bag;
a second frame that is disposed on an inner surface of the bag;
a first flange configured to be positioned on the first frame, the first flange having an inner side and an outer side, the outer side of the first flange facing the first frame, and a first hub portion on the inner side of the first flange; and
a second flange separate from the first flange that is configured to be positioned on the second frame, the second flange having an inner side and an outer side, the outer side of the second flange facing the second frame, and a second hub portion on the inner side of the second flange,
wherein the first hub portion and the second hub portion are configured to be releasably coupled to one another for supporting a coil of cable between the first and second flanges and are configured to be decoupled from one another when replacing the coil of cable once dispensed from the cable reel apparatus,
wherein the coil of cable has an inner diameter, and the first and second hub portions are sized to be received in the inner diameter when supporting the coil of cable,
wherein the bag is configured such that the second flange is removable from the first hub portion of the first flange allowing the coil of cable to be loaded on and unloaded from the first hub portion, and
wherein the first frame is positioned in the base of the bag and the second frame is positioned at the cover of the bag, such that when the cover of the bag is closed with respect to the base of the bag, the second frame releasably couples with the second flange and such that when the cover of the bag is opened with respect to the base of the bag, the second frame decouples from the second flange.

8. The cable reel apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the coil of cable is prepackaged without a reel.

9. The cable reel apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the coil of cable is prepackaged with plastic wrap.

10. The cable reel apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first hub portion has an inner friction surface and the second hub portion has an outer friction surface such that when the first and second hub portions are releasably coupled, a friction fit is formed therebetween.

11. The cable reel apparatus of claim 7 , wherein one of the first and second hub portions is an elongated wall.

12. The cable reel apparatus of claim 7 , wherein one of the first and second hub portions is an elongated annular wall and the other of the first and second hub portions is a truncated annular wall, and the elongated and truncated annular walls extend transversely from the inner side of the respective first or second flanges.

13. The cable reel apparatus of claim 12 , wherein at least portion of the truncated annular wall is sized to be received in a receiving area of the elongated annular wall.

14. A cable reel apparatus, comprising:
a first flange configured to be rotatably coupled to a first frame, the first flange being smaller than an outer frame portion of the first frame, the first flange having an inner side, an outer side, and a central opening, the outer side of the first flange facing the first frame, and a first hub portion extends from the inner side of the first flange;
a second flange separate from the first flange that is configured to be coupled to a second frame, the second flange being smaller than an outer frame of the second frame, the second flange having an inner side, an outer side, and a central opening, the outer side of the second flange facing the second frame, and a second hub portion extends from the inner side of the second flange; and
means for releasably coupling to the first hub portion and the second hub portion to form a hub member that supports a pre-wound reel-less coil of cable between the first and second flanges, and decoupling the first hub portion and the second hub portion from one another when replacing the coil of cable once dispensed from the cable reel apparatus,
wherein the first frame is positioned in a base of a bag that has a payout opening for dispensing cable and the second frame is positioned at a cover of the bag, such that when the cover of the bag is closed with respect to the base of the bag, the second frame rotatably couples with the second flange and such that when the cover of the bag is opened with respect to the base of the bag, the second frame decouples from the second flange.

15. The cable reel apparatus of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first and second hub portions is an elongated annular wall.

16. A

Assignees

• Amphenol Corp

Inventors

• Thakare Rakesh
• Song Caichun
• Bowen Phillip S
• Bryant Marvin
• Boucher Paul R
• Holt Barry

Classifications

• B65H75/242

  Expansible spindles, mandrels or chucks, e.g. for securing or releasing cores, holders or packages · CPC title

• B65H75/22

  collapsible; with removable parts · CPC title

• B65H75/245

  by deformation of an elastic or flexible material (B65H75/2437 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65H75/2281

  Snap-fit connections · CPC title

• B65H75/2227

  with a flange fixed to the hub part · CPC title