Patent Publication Number: US-9896300-B2

Title: Composite reeling device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to composite reeling devices and more particularly to a composite reeling device for reeling cables, steel ropes, cords, etc. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A reeling device is for use in reeling cables, steel ropes, and cords (hereinafter collectively referred to as wires) to facilitate the storage and transport thereof Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a schematic view of a conventional reeling device. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the conventional reeling device comprises an internal shaft  60 , a drum  70 , two outer wheel frames  80  and a plurality of inner wheel frames  90 . The internal shaft  60  has two opposing ends each provided with an end plate  61 . The internal shaft  60  is penetratingly disposed in the drum  70 . The two outer wheel frames  80  are disposed at the two opposing ends of the drum  70 , respectively. The outer wheel frames  80  each have a plurality of connection bars  81  and an outer ring  84 . The connection bars  81  have welding portions  82  coupled to the end plates  61  and welding portions  83  coupled to the drum  70 . The connection bars  81  are fixedly disposed inward to the outer ring  82  and arranged radially. The inner wheel frames  90  each have a supporting ring  92  and a plurality of spokes  93 . The spokes  93  are fixedly disposed inward to the supporting ring  92  and arranged radially. The spokes  93  each have a welding portion  91  coupled to the drum  70 . The inner wheel frames  90  are arranged between the two outer wheel frames  80  to define a plurality of spaces for receiving the wires. 
     However, the conventional reeling device is characterized in that the outer wheel frames  80  and the inner wheel frames  90  are coupled to the drum  70  and the internal shaft  60  by welding, and thus it is impossible to remove the outer wheel frames  80  and the inner wheel frames  90 . Since there are spaces between each of the outer wheel frames  80  and two adjacent inner wheel frames  90 , it is difficult to stack up the conventional reeling devices, thereby causing a waste of storage space and an increase in transport costs (because just a limited number of the conventional reeling devices can be carried by a vehicle.) 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an objective of the present invention to provide a composite reeling device which is not only easy to use and easy to assemble but also allows its components, such as a shaft, sleeve, outer wheel frames and inner wheel frames, to be separated, stored, and stacked during a storage process or a transport process, not to mention that more said composite reeling devices can be stored in a specific storage space than their conventional counterparts. 
     In order to achieve the above and other objectives, the present invention provides a composite reeling device which comprises a shaft, a sleeve, two outer wheel frames and a plurality of inner wheel frames. The shaft has two opposing ends each provided with a fixing end plate. The sleeve is fitted around the shaft and has two opposing ends each provided with a fixing flange. The fixing flanges correspond in position to the fixing end plates, respectively. The two outer wheel frames are disposed at the two ends of the sleeve, respectively, and removably coupled to the fixing flanges and the fixing end plates, respectively. The inner wheel frames each comprise a belt, a supporting ring and a plurality of spokes. The spokes each have two ends connected to corresponding ones of the belts and corresponding ones of the supporting rings, such that the belts are fitted around the sleeve removably. 
     The composite reeling device further comprises an adjustment unit disposed at two adjacent inner wheel frames removably. 
     Regarding the composite reeling device, the adjustment unit comprises a plurality of rods each having two ends coupled to the spokes of two adjacent inner wheel frames removably. 
     Regarding the composite reeling device, a screw hole is disposed at each of the two ends of each rod, and the spokes each have a plurality of screw holes arranged lengthwise and adapted to fasten the rods, respectively. 
     Regarding the composite reeling device, the outer wheel frames each comprise a fixing disk, an outer ring and a plurality of connection elements, with the connection elements connected to the fixing disks and the outer rings, and the fixing disks are removably coupled to the fixing flanges and the fixing end plates. 
     Regarding the composite reeling device, a protruding portion and a positioning portion are disposed at the two opposing ends of the shaft, respectively, and correspond in position to the two fixing end plates, respectively, wherein the fixing disks each have a central hole and a positioning opening, wherein the protruding portions are penetratingly disposed in the central holes, respectively, and the positioning portions are engaged with the positioning openings, respectively. 
     Regarding the composite reeling device, the fixing flanges each have a positioning slot, and the fixing disks each have a positioning bump, wherein the positioning bumps correspond in shape and position to the positioning slots, respectively, to therefore enable engagement therebetween. 
     Regarding the composite reeling device, the sleeve has a positioning guiding groove extending axially from an end of the sleeve to another end of the sleeve, wherein a positioning sliding bump protrudes from each of the belts of the inner wheel frames and slides along the positioning guiding groove. 
     Regarding the composite reeling device, the inner wheel frames are arranged equidistantly. 
     Therefore, the composite reeling device has an advantage, that is, a plurality of inner wheel frames define a plurality of spaces for receiving the wires of different types to thereby enhance ease of use. The composite reeling device has some other advantages: the shaft, sleeve, outer wheel frames and inner wheel frames can be removed during a storage process and a transport process so as to be stored and stacked separately. Unlike the prior art, the present invention has important advantages as follows: storing more composite reeling devices in a space of a specific volume, increasing the storage space utilization rate, and using less vehicles required for transport. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the composite reeling device is equipped with the adjustment unit for adjusting the perimeter of the windings of the wires. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention are hereunder illustrated with specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  (PRIOR ART) is a schematic view of a conventional reeling device; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of a composite reeling device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the composite reeling device also shown in  FIG. 2  according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is another exploded view of the composite reeling device according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the composite reeling device also shown in  FIG. 4  according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of an adjustment unit mounted on the composite reeling device according to the embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a partial exploded view of the composite reeling device with the adjustment unit mounted thereon according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, a composite reeling device is for use in reeling cables, steel ropes and cords (hereinafter collectively referred to as wires) to facilitate the storage and transport thereof 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown an exploded view of a composite reeling device  1  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The composite reeling device  1  comprises a shaft  10 , a sleeve  20 , two outer wheel frames  30  and a plurality of inner wheel frames  40 . A fixing end plate  11  is disposed at each of the two opposing ends of the shaft  10 . The sleeve  20  is fitted around the shaft  10 . A fixing flange  21  is disposed at each of the two opposing ends of the sleeve  20 . The fixing flanges  21  correspond in position to the fixing end plates  11 , respectively. The two outer wheel frames  30  are disposed at the two ends of the sleeve  20 , respectively. The outer wheel frames  30  are removably coupled to the fixing flanges  21  and the fixing end plates  11 , respectively. The inner wheel frames  40  each comprise a belt  41 , a supporting ring  42  and a plurality of spokes  43 . The two ends of each of the spokes  43  are connected to a corresponding one of the belts  41  and a corresponding one of the supporting rings  42 . The belt  41  is fitted around the sleeve  20 . 
     The outer wheel frames  30  each have a fixing disk  31 , an outer ring  32  and a plurality of connection elements  33 . The connection elements  33  are connected to the fixing disks  31  and the outer rings  32 , respectively. In this embodiment, the connection elements  33  are rods with V-shaped cross-sections. The two ends of the connection elements  33  are fixed, by welding, for example, to the fixing disks  31  and the outer rings  32 , respectively, and arranged radially and annularly. 
     The fixing disks  31  are removably coupled to the fixing flanges  21  and the fixing end plates  11 , respectively. The fixing end plates  11  each have a plurality of first mounting holes  111 . The fixing flanges  21  each have a plurality of second mounting holes  211 . The fixing disks  31  each have a plurality of innermost apertures  311  corresponding in position to the first mounting holes  111  and a plurality of outermost apertures  312  corresponding in position to the second mounting holes  211 , respectively. Screws  314  are penetratingly disposed at the first mounting holes  111  and the innermost apertures  311 ; hence, the outer wheel frames  30  are fixed to the fixing end plates  11 , respectively. Screws  315  are penetratingly disposed at the second mounting holes  211  and the outermost apertures  312 ; hence, the outer wheel frames  30  are fixed to the fixing flanges  21 , respectively. 
     The sleeve  20  is cylindrical and thus is defined with an outer cylindrical surface. Wires (not shown) are wound onto the outer cylindrical surface of the sleeve  20 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , the inner wheel frames  40  are fitted around the sleeve  20  and spaced apart, such that spaces are formed between two adjacent inner wheel frames  40  and between each outer wheel frame  30  and its neighboring inner wheel frames  40 . Hence, the sleeve  20  has a plurality of spaces for receiving various wires. The inner wheel frames  40  are arranged equidistantly. 
     The outer cylindrical surface of the sleeve  20  has a plurality of third mounting holes  201 . Mounting holes  411  are disposed on the belts  41  of the inner wheel frames  40  and correspond in position, shape and quantity to the third mounting holes  201 . Screws  412  are penetratingly disposed at the third mounting holes  201  and the mounting holes  411 , respectively, to allow the inner wheel frames  40  to be fixed to the sleeve  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , in this embodiment, a protruding portion  12  and a positioning portion  13  are disposed at the two opposing ends of the shaft  10 , respectively, and correspond in position to the fixing end plates  11 , respectively. The fixing disks  31  each have a central hole  313  and a positioning opening  317 . When each outer wheel frame  30  is mounted at one end of the shaft  10 , the protruding portions  12  can penetrate the central holes  313 , respectively, and thus the positioning portions  13  can be engaged with the positioning openings  317 , respectively. In this embodiment, on the fixing end plates  11  at each end of the shaft, the protruding portions  12  are cylindrical and each have an axis which overlaps the axial line of the shaft  10 , whereas the positioning portions  13  come in the form of bumps and are adjacent to the protruding portions  12 . Furthermore, the innermost apertures  311  of the fixing disks  31  and the first mounting holes  111  of the fixing end plates  11  are configured in a manner to allow the innermost apertures  311  of the fixing disks  31  to correspond in position to the first mounting holes  111  of the fixing end plates  11 , respectively, when the positioning portions  13  are engaged with the positioning openings  317 , respectively. Hence, to mount the outer wheel frames  30  on one end of the shaft  10 , the user only needs to pass the protruding portions  12  through the central holes  313  of the fixing disks  31 , respectively, then allow the positioning portions  13  to get engaged with the positioning openings  317 , respectively, and eventually align the innermost apertures  311  of the fixing disks  31  with the first mounting holes  111  of the fixing end plates  11 , respectively. 
     In addition, in this embodiment, regarding the composite reeling device  1 , the fixing flanges  21  of the sleeve  20  each have a positioning slot  212 , whereas a positioning bump  316  is disposed on each of the fixing disks  31  corresponding in position to the fixing flanges  21 . The positioning bumps  316  correspond in shape and position to the positioning slots  212  for the sake of engagement therebetween. In this embodiment, the positioning bumps  316  protrude from the fixing disks  31  toward the sleeve  20 , respectively. Furthermore, the outermost apertures  312  of the fixing disks  31  and the second mounting holes  211  of the fixing flanges  21  are configured in a manner that the outermost apertures  312  of the fixing disks  31  correspond in position to the second mounting holes  211  of the fixing flanges  21 , respectively, when the positioning bumps  316  get engaged with the positioning slots  212 . Hence, the user mounts the outer wheel frames  30  on one end of the sleeve  20  to allow the positioning bumps  316  to get engaged with the positioning slots  21 , respectively, such that the outermost apertures  312  on the fixing disks  31  are aligned with the second mounting holes  211  of the fixing flanges  21 , respectively. 
     In this embodiment, regarding the composite reeling device  1 , the sleeve  20  has a positioning guiding groove  202 . The positioning guiding groove  202  is concavely formed on the outer cylindrical surface of the sleeve  20  and extends axially from one end of the sleeve  20  to the other end of the sleeve  20 . A positioning sliding bump  413  which protrudes is disposed on each of the belts  41  of the inner wheel frames  40 . The positioning sliding bumps  413  can slide along the positioning guiding groove  202 . In this embodiment, to mount the inner wheel frames  40  at one end of the sleeve  20 , the user slides the positioning sliding bumps  413  of the inner wheel frames  40  from one end of the sleeve  20  into the positioning guiding groove  202 , and then slide the inner wheel frames  40  axially to adjust their positions so as to align the mounting holes  411  of the belts  41  with the third mounting holes  201  of the sleeve  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , in this embodiment, the composite reeling device  1  further comprises an adjustment unit  50  disposed on two adjacent inner wheel frames  40  to not only allow wires to be reeled but also adjust the perimeter of the windings of the wires according to the total length of the wires. For example, when the adjustment unit  50  is not mounted on the composite reeling device  1 , the wires are wound around the sleeve  20 , and in consequence the perimeter of the first winding of the wires equals the external perimeter of the sleeve  20 . However, when the adjustment unit  50  is already mounted on the two adjacent inner wheel frames  40 , the wires are wound around the adjustment unit  50 , thereby increasing the perimeter of the first winding of the wires. In case with a small total length of the wires, it is feasible to mount the adjustment unit  50  on two adjacent inner wheel frames  40 , such that the wires thus wound are close to the supporting ring  42  to enable easy access to the wires. 
     In this embodiment, the adjustment unit  50  comprises a plurality of rods  51 . The two ends of each rod  51  are coupled to spokes  43  of the two adjacent inner wheel frames  40 . Referring to  FIG. 7 , each spoke  43  has a plurality of positioning holes  431  arranged lengthwise and neatly. The rods  51  are fastened to the positioning holes  431  with screws  52 . Hence, depending on the intended perimeter of the windings of the wires, the rods  51  are selectively fastened to the intended positioning holes  431  of the spokes  43 . For instance, the rods  51  fastened to the outermost positioning holes  431  achieve a larger perimeter of the first winding of the wires than the rods  51  fastened to the innermost positioning holes  431 . 
     Therefore, in this embodiment, regarding the composite reeling device  1 , a plurality of inner wheel frames  40  define a plurality of spaces for receiving the wires of different types to thereby enhance ease of use. In this embodiment, the composite reeling device  1  has some other advantages: the shaft, sleeve, outer wheel frames and inner wheel frames can be removed during a storage process and a transport process so as to be stored and stacked separately. Unlike the prior art, the present invention has important advantages as follows: storing more composite reeling devices in a space of a specific volume, increasing the storage space utilization rate, and using less vehicles required for transport. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the composite reeling device  1  is equipped with the adjustment unit  50  for adjusting the perimeter of the windings of the wires. 
     The present invention is disclosed above by preferred embodiments. However, persons skilled in the art should understand that the preferred embodiments are illustrative of the present invention only, but should not be interpreted as restrictive of the scope of the present invention. Hence, all equivalent modifications and replacements made to the aforesaid embodiments should fall within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the legal protection for the present invention should be defined by the appended claims.