Method of installing cable on cable reel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10988343-B2
Application number	US-202017073450-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2020
Priority date	Feb 27, 2015
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

A method of installing a coil of cable on a cable reel apparatus that includes the steps of placing the coil of cable on a first flange of a separable cable reel of the cable reel apparatus; releasably coupling the first flange with a separate second flange of the separable cable reel after placing the coil of cable on the first flange; and placing the separable cable reel in a bag of the cable reel apparatus. The first flange includes a hub portion configured to be received in an inner diameter of the coil of cable, and the hub portion supports the coil of cable between the first and second flanges when the first and second flanges are releasably coupled. The coil of cable is a pre-wound, reel-less coil of cable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of installing a coil of cable on a cable reel apparatus, comprising the steps of:
placing the coil of cable on a first flange of a separable cable reel of the cable reel apparatus;
releasably coupling the first flange with a separate second flange of the separable cable reel after placing the coil of cable on the first flange;
placing the separable cable reel in a bag of the cable reel apparatus,
wherein the first flange includes a hub portion configured to be received in an inner diameter of the coil of cable, and the hub portion supports the coil of cable between the first and second flanges when the first and second flanges are releasably coupled;
positioning the bag with the separable cable reel received therein in a horizontal orientation, such that a longitudinal axis of the separable cable reel is horizontal, to facilitate dispensing of cable of the coil of cable from the bag;
dispensing the cable of the coil of cable through a payout opening in the bag after the step of positioning the bag with the separable cable reel received therein in the horizontal orientation; and
positioning the first flange on a first frame inside of the bag and the first flange being positioned vertically when dispensing the cable of the coil of cable, and positioning the second flange on a second frame inside of the bag and the second flange being positioned vertically when dispensing the cable of the coil of cable, wherein the first frame is secured to an inner surface of a base of the bag and the second frame is secured to an inner surface of a cover of the bag, and
wherein the coil of cable is a pre-wound, reel-less coil of cable.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hub portion is a wall extending transversely from an inner side of the first flange.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of placing the separable cable reel in the bag occurs after the step of releasably coupling the first and second flanges.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of decoupling the first and second flanges from one another for replacement of the coil of cable with another coil of cable.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of prepackaging the coil of cable before placing the coil of cable in the bag.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of prepackaging the coil of cable includes wrapping the coil of cable in plastic.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of releasably coupling the first and second flanges includes coupling the first and second flanges by a friction fit.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first flange and the hub portion form one-piece.

9. A method of installing a coil of cable on a cable reel apparatus, comprising the steps of:
providing a prepackaged, a pre-wound, reel-less coil of cable;
removing prepackaging from the pre-wound, reel-less coil of cable and placing the coil of cable on a first hub portion of a first flange of a separable cable reel of the cable reel apparatus, the first hub portion extends from an inner side of the first flange and is configured to be received in an inner diameter of the coil of cable;
releasably coupling the first hub portion of the first flange with a second hub portion of a second flange of the separable cable reel after placing the coil of cable on the first hub portion, thereby forming a hub member that supports the coil of cable between the first and second flanges;
decoupling the first and second hub portions from one another for replacement of the coil of cable with another coil of cable; and
positioning the first flange on a first frame inside of the bag and positioning the second flange on a second frame inside of the bag, wherein the first frame is secured to an inner surface of a base of the bag and the second frame is secured to an inner surface of a cover of the bag.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of releasably coupling the first and second hub portions includes coupling the first and second hub portions by a friction fit.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the steps of placing the separable cable reel in a bag of the cable reel apparatus and to dispensing cable of the coil of cable through a payout opening in the bag after the step of releasably coupling the first and second flanges.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first flange includes a first engagement member configured to engage a second engagement member of the second flange.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first flange and the first hub portion form one-piece and the second flange and the second hub portion form one-piece.

14. A method of installing a coil of cable on a cable reel apparatus, comprising the steps of:
placing the coil of cable on an elongated annular wall of a first flange of a separable cable reel of the cable reel apparatus, the elongated annular wall extends transversely from an inner side of the first flange and is configured to be received in an inner diameter of the coil of cable;
after placing the coil of cable on the elongated annular wall, releasably coupling the elongated annular wall with a truncated annular wall of a second flange of the separable cable reel, thereby forming a hub member that supports the coil of cable between the first and second flanges, wherein the coil of cable is a pre-wound, reel-less coil of cable;
placing the separable cable reel in a bag of the cable reel apparatus;
positioning the bag with the separable cable reel received therein in a horizontal orientation such that a longitudinal axis of the separable cable reel is horizontal;
after the step of positioning the bag with the separable cable reel received therein in a horizontal orientation, dispensing cable of the coil of cable out of a payout opening in the bag; and
positioning the first flange on a first frame inside of the bag and the first flange being positioned vertically when dispensing the cable of the coil of cable, and positioning the second flange on a second frame inside of the bag and the second flange being positioned vertically when dispensing the cable of the coil of cable, wherein the first frame is secured to an inner surface of a base of the bag and the second frame is secured to an inner surface of a cover of the bag.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of the decoupling the elongated wall and the truncated wall from one another after the step of dispensing the cable.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of placing another pre-wound, reel-less coil of cable on the elongate annular wall after the step of decoupling the elongated annular wall and the truncated annular wall from one another.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the truncated annular wall is received in a receiving area of the elongated annular wall when releasably coupling the elongated annular wall and the truncated annular wall together.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the coil of cable is pre-wound prior to the step of placing the coil of cable on the elongated annular wall of the first flange.

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