Abstract:
A method of installing cable on a cable reel that has the steps of providing a cable reel that includes first and second opposing flanges, the first flange having a first hub portion and the second flange having a second hub portion, the first hub portion being longer than the second hub portion, the first hub portion having a plurality of flexible segments; placing a cable coil over the first hub portion and on the first flange so that the first hub portion extends through the cable coil; and inserting the second hub portion inside of the first hub portion, thereby expanding the flexible segments so that flexible segments engage the cable coil.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/634,007, entitled Cable Reel, filed on Feb. 27, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a cable reel and also to a method for installing cable on the cable reel preferably with a cable payoff braking mechanism. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Cable installers are commonly required to carry cable to installation locations. The installers usually use some type of shoulder bag or other types of packing solutions with an opening for paying out the cable. These cables are often wound on a reel to form a cable coil and packaged in a box or bag for payout during installations. The installer may, however, payout too much cable if the installer pulls too hard on the cable. 
     Therefore, a need exists for a cable reel that allows for easy installation of cable in a bag or the like and that prevents overpayout of the cable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention may provide a cable reel that has first and second opposing flanges. The first flange has a first hub portion and the second flange has a second hub portion. The first and second hub portions are axially aligned and configured to mate with one another to support cable, such as a cable coil. The first hub portion includes an elongated wall that extends from the first flange. The elongated wall is sized to support the cable. The elongated wall defines an inner area that is configured to accept the second hub portion. The elongated wall includes a plurality of flexible segments. The second hub portion includes a truncated wall that is receivable in the inner area of the first hub portion. The truncated wall includes a tapered outer surface for engaging and expanding the plurality of flexible segments. 
     The present invention may also provide a cable reel that includes at least one support frame that has an outwardly extending braking gear member. The outwardly extending gear member is located off-center on the frame. A first flange has a central opening and a first hub portion that surrounds the central opening. The central opening has an internal braking gear member that engages the outwardly extending gear member of the frame, thereby rotatably coupling the at least one support frame and the first flange. A second flange opposes the first flange and has a second hub portion. The first and second hub portions are configured to mate with one another to support cable. The engagement of the gear members provides a friction for cable payoff. 
     The present invention may further provide a method of installing the cable, such as a cable coil, on a cable reel that includes the steps of providing a cable reel that includes first and second opposing flanges, the first flange having a first hub portion and the second flange having a second hub portion, the first hub portion being longer than the second hub portion, and the first hub portion having a plurality of flexible segments; placing a cable coil over the first hub portion and on the first flange so that the first hub portion extends through the cable coil; and inserting the second hub portion inside of the first hub portion, thereby expanding the flexible segments so that the flexible segments engage the cable coil. 
     Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cable reel in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown without a supporting bag or box; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a support frame of the cable reel illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an elevational view of a flange of the cable reel illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of a first hub portion of the cable reel illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4B  is a partial perspective view of the first hub portion illustrated in  FIG. 4A , showing the bottom hub in cross-section; 
         FIG. 5A  is an elevational view of a second hub of the cable reel illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5B  is a perspective view of the second hub of the cable reel illustrated in  FIG. 5A ; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged partial perspective view of the frame illustrated in  FIG. 2 , showing outer gears of the frame; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged partial side elevational view of the flange illustrated in  FIG. 3 , showing the inner gears of the flange; and 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged side elevational view of the frame and the flange of the cable reel illustrated in  FIG. 1 , showing the inner and outer gears engaged. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, and 6-8 , the present invention relates to a cable reel  100  that may be carried in a conventional shoulder bag or satchel, a cardboard or plastic box, and the like, with an opening for easy payout of cable supported on the cable reel. The cable reel  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is designed to provide easy installation of cable, such as a cable coil, on the reel  100  and also prevents overpayout of the cable. Because the cable reel  100  is designed to be carried by an installer, it is preferable that the components of the cable reel  100  be formed of lighter weight materials, such as plastic. Some exemplary plastic materials include polyethylene, polypropylene, ABS or other polymer products. 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , the cable reel  100  generally includes opposing support frames  102  and  104  that rotatably support first and second flanges  106  and  108  with a hub member  110  therebetween on which the cable is held. A braking mechanism  112  is preferably provided on the reel  100  between the support frames  102  and  104  of the flanges  106  and  108  to limit overpayout of the cable. The cable reel  100  may be inserted into and supported by the payout bag or box wherein the support frames  102  and  104  are attached, preferably removably attached, to the cover and base, respectively, of the bag. 
     As seen in  FIGS. 2 and 6 , each support frame  102  and  104  includes an outer frame portion  120  with one or more cross members  122  and a middle flange support  124 . The outer frame portion  120  may have a substantially square geometry. The middle flange support  124  includes an annular extension  126  ( FIG. 6 ) that supports a first part of the braking mechanism  112 . The first part of the braking mechanism may be an outwardly extending gear member  128  that includes a plurality of annularly arranged teeth  130  extending radially outwardly from the annular extension  126 . 
     The middle flange support  124  and gear member  128  are offset or off-center on the frame such that the distance d 1  ( FIG. 2 ) to one end  132  of the frame is longer than the distance d 2  ( FIG. 2 ) to the opposite end  135  of the frame. This offset provides a gap  134 , as seen in  FIG. 8 , in the braking mechanism  112 . Indicia  136 , such as a company name, may be provided on the end  132  of the frame to indicate the longer side, that is distance d 1  of the frame to facilitate the orientation of the cable reel  100  in the bag or box. 
     Each flange  106  and  108  is preferably sized to fit within the outer frame portion  120  of its respective support frame  102  and  104  and is sized to accommodate the cable, such as a cable coil. The cable coil may be, for example, having an outer diameter of 345 mm and an inner diameter of 200 mm and a height of 135 mm. The flanges  106  and  108  are preferably disc-shaped. Each flange has inner and outer surfaces  140  and  142  and a central arbor opening  144 . The inner surface  140  of each flange abuts the hub member  110  and the outer surface  142  abuts a respective support frame  102  and  104 . 
     The central arbor opening  144  corresponds to the middle flange support  124  of each respective support frame. The central arbor opening  144  supports the second part of the braking mechanism  112  has seen in  FIGS. 3 and 7 . The second part of the braking mechanism  112  may be an internal gear member  146  that includes a plurality of annular arranged teeth  148  extending radially inwardly. 
     The hub member  110  is located between the flanges  106  and  108  and supports the cable coil. The hub member  110  includes a first hub portion  150  ( FIGS. 4A and 4B ) and a second hub portion  152  ( FIGS. 5A and 5B ) that are axially aligned and configured to mate with one another. The hub portions  150  and  152  may be formed separately from the respective flanges  106  and  108  and attached thereto or the hub portions  150  and  152  may be formed as one-piece with the respective flanges  106  and  108 . 
     As seen in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the first hub portion  150  is preferably the base of the cable reel and provides the main support for the cable. As such, the first hub portion  150  is larger than the second hub portion  152 . The first hub portion  150  includes an elongated wall  154  that extends from the inner surface  140  of the first flange  106  and defines an inner area  156  that receives the second hub portion  152 . The elongated wall  154  has a tapered outer surface  158  that tapers inwardly from the flange inner surface  140  to the free end  160  of the wall  154 . Slots  162  in the elongated wall  154  create flexible segments  164 , which engage both the second hub portion  152  and the cable coil to retain the same. A groove  166  ( FIG. 4B ) may be located at the base of the elongated wall  154  to provide additional flexibility to the segments  164 . Any other mechanism may be provided to add flexibility to the segments  164 . For example, the segments  164  can be made thinner. 
     Secondary engagement members  170  may be provided as a back-up to retain the hub portions  150  and  152  together. The secondary engagement members  170  may be, for example, one or more snap arms  172  provided in the inner area  156  that extend from the flange inner surface  140 . The one or more snap arms  172  preferably extend beyond the elongated wall  154  of the first hub portion  150 , as seen in  FIG. 4A , in order to engage the second flange  108 . The ends of the snap arms  172  preferably include snap tabs  174  that engage corresponding slots  176  ( FIG. 5B ) in the second flange  108 . Although a snapping engagement is preferred to secure the hub portions  150  and  152  together, any known interlocking mechanism may be used. 
     As seen in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the second hub portion  152  includes a truncated wall  180  that extends from the inner surface  140  of the second flange  108 . The truncated wall  180  has a tapered outer surface  182  that fits inside of the elongated wall  154  of the first hub portion  150  to form a friction fit between the hub portions  150  and  152  and expands the flexible segments  164  of the first hub portion  150 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 8 , the braking mechanism  112  is provided by meshing the teeth  130  and  148  of the outer and internal gear members  128  and  146 . The gap  134  between the teeth  130  and  148  provides clearance for the teeth to slip or jump when the cable is pulled from the reel. The gear members  128  and  146  prevent overpayout of the cable. More specifically, when the cable is pulled from the reel, the flange  106  and  108  rotate, thereby making the gear teeth  148  rotate. The side support  120  is preferably fixed inside of the supporting bag or box and therefore does not rotate. This causes the gear teeth  148  to override meshing gear teeth  130  on the side support  128  which creates friction and provides a braking to the momentum of reel if the cable is pulled too hard. This action also creates a clicking mechanism which in turn prevents overpaying the cable. 
     The distance of the gap need only be long enough to provide a clearance to have gear teeth  148  to override teeth  130 , thereby allowing the braking mechanism to work. This clearance distance could vary depending upon the gear teeth depth, flange hole inner diameter, side support gear depth, and the outer diameter of the middle flange support  124 . The gap  134  may be, for example, about ¼ inch. 
     To install the cable on the cable reel  100 , the cable coil is placed over the first hub portion  150  of the hub member  110  and on the first flange  106  so that the first hub portion  150  extends through the inner diameter of the cable coil. The cable coil may be prepacked in a plastic shrink wrap or with tie wraps or combination of both without any external structure to support that coil. Next the second hub portion  152  is inserted inside of the first hub portion  150  to frictionally engage the same and expand the flexible segments  164 , thereby forcing the flexible segments  164  to engage the inner diameter of the cable coil. The locking tabs  174  are then inserted inside of the slots  176  on the second flange  108  to hold two flanges and hub portions together. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the first support frame  102  of the reel  100  is secured to the base of the bag or box, such as by straps, and the second support frame  104  is secured to the cover or flap of the bag. With the cable coil installed on the hub member  110 , the cable coil is inserted into the bag or box between the support frames  102  and  104  in the bag or box. The assembly of the hub portions  150  and  152 , the flanges  106  and  108 , and the cable coil is preferably inserted into the base of the bag on its side such that the middle flange support  124  of the frame secured to the base of the bag fits inside of the central arbor opening  144  of the flange. Similarly, the middle flange support  124  of the frame secured to the cover of the bag fits inside of the opening  144  of the other flange when the bag is closed. Once the frames  102  and  104  are mated with the flanges  106  and  108 , respectively, the operator can then dispense or payout the cable through a cable payout slot or opening in the bag or box. The operator may open the cover of the bag or box to separate the hub portions  150  and  152  by disengaging the snap tabs  174 . 
     While particular embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims