Cable management spool mounting assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016061354-A1
Application number	US-201514837559-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 27, 2015
Priority date	Aug 28, 2014
Publication date	Mar 3, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A spool assembly and a cable management assembly are provided for supporting cables in a rack or housing. A mounting member is provided having a spool opening for receiving a spool. The spool opening has a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension where the longitudinal dimension is greater than the transverse dimension. A detent extends from a longitudinal side edge of the spool opening toward a second longitudinal side edge of the spool opening to define a first open portion and a second open portion. In one embodiment, the first open portion and second open portion can be substantially same size and have a substantially circular configuration. In another embodiment, the first open portion can have a dimension greater than a dimension of the second open portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A spool assembly for supporting a cable in the cable management assembly, said spool assembly comprising:
a mounting member in the cable management assembly having a spool opening, said spool opening having a longitudinal dimension greater than a transverse dimension of said spool opening; and a spool having a shaft with a longitudinal dimension, a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, a first prong and a second prong extending axially from said first longitudinal end and received in said spool opening; each said prong having an outwardly extending base configured for contacting a first side of said mounting member and an outwardly extending shoulder configured for contacting a second side of said mounting member, said spool being rotatable between a first position where said spool is removable from said spool opening and a second position where said spool is retained in said spool opening of said mounting member.

2 . The spool assembly of claim 1 , wherein
said mounting member has a detent extending transversely into said spool opening to define a first open portion, and a second open portion, each said open portion having a dimension to receive said prongs and enable rotation of said prongs in the respective open portion.

3 . The spool assembly of claim 2 , wherein
said spool opening has a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension less than said longitudinal dimension, and where a detent extends in a transverse direction with respect to said spool opening.

4 . The spool assembly of claim 3 , wherein
said spool opening has a first substantially circular open portion and a second substantially circular open portion, where a perimeter of said first open portion and second open portion overlap in a central area of said spool opening.

5 . The spool assembly of claim 4 , wherein
said first open portion has a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of said second open portion.

6 . The spool assembly of claim 4 , wherein
said first open portion has a diameter greater than a diameter of said second open portion.

7 . The spool assembly of claim 1 , wherein
said shaft has a slot extending from said first longitudinal dimension and defines a first flexible leg and a second flexible leg, said first prong extends from an axial end of said first leg and said second prong extends from an axial end of said second leg.

8 . The spool assembly of claim 1 , wherein
each prong has a tapered end converging from the shoulder to the axial end of said prong.

9 . The spool assembly of claim 1 , wherein
said base of each prong has a dimension to extend radially outward from said prong a distance greater than an outer surface of said shaft and a distance greater than the transverse dimension of said spool opening.

10 . The spool assembly of claim 1 , further comprising
an arm extending radially outward with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

11 . A cable management assembly comprising:
at least one mounting member mounted in a cable housing, said mounting member having a plurality of spaced apart spool openings, each of said spool openings having a longitudinal dimension greater than a transverse dimension of said spool openings; and a plurality of cable spools received in a corresponding spool opening, each said cable spool having a shaft with a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, a first prong and a second prong extending axially from said first end, each prong having an outwardly extending base configured for contacting a first surface of said mounting member and an outwardly extending shoulder configured for contacting a second surface of said mounting member, said shoulder of each prong having a dimension to pass through said spool opening when said spool is in a first position and retained in said spool opening when said spool is in a second position.

12 . The cable management assembly of claim 11 , wherein
said spool opening has a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension less than said longitudinal dimension, and a detent extending in a transverse direction with respect to said spool opening.

13 . The cable management assembly of claim 12 , wherein
said detent defines a first open portion and a second open portion, each said open portion having a dimension to receive the spool.

14 . The cable management assembly of claim 11 , wherein
said first open portion and said second open portion of said spool opening having a substantially circular configuration.

15 . The cable management assembly of claim 11 , wherein
said first open portion and said second open portion have a substantially equal dimension.

16 . The cable management assembly of claim 11 , wherein
said first open portion has a dimension greater than a dimension of said second open portion.

17 . A spool assembly for supporting cables comprising:
a mounting member having a spool opening, said spool opening having a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension, and a detent projecting into said spool opening dividing said longitudinal dimension into a first open portion and a second open portion; and a spool having a shaft with a longitudinal dimension with a longitudinal axis, a first prong and a second prong extending axially from said shaft, each prong having a base configured for contacting a first face of said mounting member and having a dimension greater than the transverse dimension of said spool opening, and an outwardly extending shoulder configured for contacting a second face of said mounting member.

18 . The spool assembly of claim 17 , wherein
said first open portion and said second open portion of said spool opening have substantially the same dimensions.

19 . The spool assembly of claim 17 , wherein
said first open portion has a dimension greater than said second open portion.

20 . The spool assembly of claim 17 , wherein
said spool opening has a first side edge extending in said longitudinal dimension, said first side edge having a substantially rectilinear shape, and where said detent extends from a second side edge of said spool opening toward said first side edge.

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Abby Marjana M
• Merrell Richard J

Classifications

• G02B6/4457 Primary

  Bobbins; Reels · CPC title

• H02G11/02

  using take-up reel or drum · CPC title

• F16L3/00 Primary

  Supports for pipes, cables or protective tubing, e.g. hangers, holders, clamps, cleats, clips, brackets (anchors for holding pipes on or under the ground F16L1/06; noise absorbers in the form of specially adapted hangers or supports F16L55/035; arrangements specially adapted for supporting insulated bodies F16L59/12) · CPC title

• B65H2701/34

  electric cords or electric power cables · CPC title

• B65H2701/32

  Optical fibres or optical cables · CPC title