Abstract:
The present device provides a breakdown reel that includes a spool barrel, at least one flange and likely two, one disposed at each end of the barrel, and a locking mechanism such that the flange lockingly engages and removeably disengages the barrel. The locking mechanism is divided into two sections, one is conjoined with the barrel and the other is conjoined with the flange. The two sections of the locking mechanism provide the unique the locking and unlocking action.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/848,831 filed Oct. 2, 2006. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     Spools or reels generally comprise a barrel and two opposing flanges. The present invention is directed to a spool on which continuous-strand products such as insulated or bare wire, cable, textile yarns, cordage, chain, etc. are wound. In particular, the invention is directed toward a spool that may be efficiently assembled and disassembled. Such spools are commonly referred to as “knockdown reels”. More particularly, the present invention provides a mechanism for the assembly and disassembly of a knockdown reel in an efficient manner comprising a device for securely fastening and easily unfastening the flanges to the barrel.  
         [0004]     2. Brief Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     There are a vast assortment of spools available in the prior art ranging from spools on which threads are wound to spools on which chains and cables are wound. The smaller spools upon which thread and the like are wound are typically fabricated in one-piece units that are disposable. In contrast, the larger spools must be more robust in order provide the necessary functionality required. Accordingly, these spools are constructed of more durable material and are more complex in design often comprising several components. Consequently, such spools typically are manufactured by one party and shipped to a second party that will wind a product around the spool. In order to economically and efficiently manufacture the necessary robust spool while minimizing shipping costs, manufacturers have endeavored to create innovative spool assembly and disassembly methods.  
         [0006]     Some prior art methods and devices for knockdown reels are known. These devices appear to have the advantage of disassembly for compact storage. However, most reels or spools disclosed in these references have significant differences from the present invention. Typically, knockdown reels comprise a barrel, two opposing flanges, and some sort of connecting mechanism engaging the flanges and the barrel.  
         [0007]     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,087 to Vislocky and Curtis discloses a spool assembly having a barrel with flanges that engagingly snap fit thereon. The barrel (spindle)  10 , defines guiding notches  15  and  16  and locking openings  13  and  14  disposed on opposing end faces. The flanges  110  and  210  in turn define guiding members  116  and  216  to engage guiding notches  15  and  16 . Hubs  112  and  212  are fixedly attached to flanges  110  and  210  and define locking members  114  and  214  to engage locking openings  13  and  14 . (See Vislocky and Curtis, Abstract, Column 1, lines 35-48, Column 6, lines 25-49, and related Figures).  
         [0008]     In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,486 to Bulman discloses a knockdown reel comprised of a barrel (core)  11  having threaded ends  15  and end flanges  12  threadedly attached to the threaded ends  15 . Extending outward from threaded ends  15  of barrel  11  is a tapered locking ring  14 . Locking ring  14  is designed to engage locking ring  19  of flanges  12  when the flanges are fully threaded on to the barrel. (See Bulman, Column 2, lines 64-67 and related Figures). It would require a “very deliberate act” to disassemble the mechanism. (See Bulman, Column 3, line 37).  
         [0009]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,316 to Goetz, Charles R. and Goetz, Charles G. describes yet another prior art knockdown reel that defines a barrel (spindle)  5 , flanges (end plates)  2 , and hubs  3  “formed integrally with each end plate”. (See Goetz, Column 2, line 66). Hub  3  receives a respective end portion of barrel  5 . Goetz further discloses a slide  32  that moves axially relative to the barrel and provides a subassembly that accommodates a mandrel for rotating the spool. When the slide is in a recessed position, it is located within the spool. (See Goetz, Column 3, line 59 to Column 4, line 7).  
         [0010]     In another prior art example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,913 to McCaffrey discloses a knock-down spool assembly including a barrel (spindle)  50  and end plates  11  and  21  comprising flanges  12  and  22  and integrally formed hubs  16  and  26 . (See McCaffrey, Column 3, lines 13-21 and lines 43-45). End portions  51  and  52  of barrel  50  define integrally formed projections  55  and  56  designed to engage openings  40   a  and  40   b  in plates  11  and  21 . (See McCaffrey, Column 4, lines 28-34).  
         [0011]     U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,841 to Campbell discloses one of the more typical knockdown reels known. The reel comprises a barrel (hub)  12  and flanges  14 . The flanges define sockets  32  that serve as a hub for receiving the barrel. The ends of barrel  12  define latch members  24  each having locking abutments  28  defined thereon. Locking abutments  28  engage apertures  40  of the side wall  34  of socket  32 . (See Campbell, FIG. 12, Column 5, lines 1-9 and lines 59-66).  
         [0012]     U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,677 to Hacker also describes a basic knockdown reel comprising a barrel (drum)  10 , flanges  30  and  50 , hub (collar)  38  formed within bore  42  of a flange, and locking means  50 . A socket  46  is formed in the outer ends of barrel  10  and the socket forms sleeve  48 . Stems  52  extend outwardly from edge  54  of sleeve  48  and are received in corresponding apertures  56  in the flange. Stems  52  define catches  58  to engage shoulders  62  formed on the hub  38 . (See Hacker, Column 3, lines 31-33, and Column 3, line 58—Column 4, line 9).  
         [0013]     Most of the prior art devices known have been designed for easy assembly but not necessarily easy and quick disassembly. As one practiced in the art knows, the prior art devices that comprises locking tabs that engage corresponding openings do not provide a robust disassembly method. Often times the tabs break rendering the entire spool useless if the tabs are integrally formed with either the hub or the barrel as is the case with most of the prior art devices. In certain applications, the method of employing simple tabs or protrusions that engage corresponding openings will not provide a suitable durable assembled spool either.  
         [0014]     In other prior art devices wherein the hub is integrally formed with the disk, more space is required for storage or shipping such spool components than if the hub was formed as a separate component. Other prior art devices, such as those wherein the hub threadedly engages the flanges and then engages a locking mechanism, require too much time and effort to disassemble and often are discarded after use. In addition, these prior art devices generally comprise hubs integrally formed with the disk  
         [0015]     Based on the foregoing, a need exists for a spool or knockdown reel comprising two flanges and a barrel disposed therebetween that may be efficiently assembled and disassembled. When such a reel is assembled, continuous-strand products such as insulated or bare wire, cable, textile yarns, cordage, chain, etc. are wound around the barrel between the two flanges. Most prior art reels have to be shipped in an assembled position in order to exhibit their desired characteristics such as strength, resistance to wear and fatigue, etc. On the other hand, prior art knockdown spools that can be shipped non-assembled and advantageously provide lower-cost shipping, handling and storage characteristics do not provide the desired strength, resistance to wear and fatigue, etc. characteristics and also require time-consuming assembly on the part of the receiver of the unassembled reels.  
         [0016]     It is an object of the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art stated above. It is another object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for the assembly and disassembly of a knockdown reel in an efficient manner. It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for securely fastening and easily unfastening the flanges to the barrel of a knockdown reel.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     The knockdown reel of the present invention comprises a barrel, two opposing flanges, a hub that accommodates the secure fastening and easily unfastening of the flanges to the barrel. The hub, referred to herein as a locking mechanism, is fabricated comprises two components, an inner section and an outer section. The inner section of the locking mechanism is fixedly or removeably attached to an end of the barrel as further described herein. The outer section of the locking mechanism is designed such that it comprises the device for securely fastening and easily unfastening the flanges to the barrel of a knockdown reel. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]      FIG. 1  provides a three-dimensional rendering of a disassembled knockdown reel according to the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  depicts a schematic representation of a disassembled knockdown reel according to the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  provides a three-dimensional rendering of a component of the locking mechanism according to the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 4  provides a three-dimensional rendering of a locking mechanism according to the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 5  provides a three-dimensional rendering of another embodiment of a locking mechanism according to the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 6  provides a three-dimensional rendering of another embodiment of a locking mechanism according to the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 7  provides a three-dimensional rendering of another embodiment of a locking mechanism according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0025]     One embodiment of the device, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , comprises a spool  10  further comprising a barrel  12  and at least one flange  14 . The locking mechanism  16  comprises two components: an outside section  18  and an inside section  20 . The inside section  20  is fabricated to interlock or be conjoined with the barrel  12  on one end  22 . In one embodiment, the outer diameter of inside section  20  and the inner diameter of barrel  12  are conjoined via solvent welding. In another embodiment, the outer diameter of inside section  20  engages the inner diameter of barrel  12  via protruding barbs. In yet another embodiment, the outer diameter of inside section  20  threadedly engages the inner diameter of barrel  12 . There are many known methods for removeably or fixedly securing inside section  20  to barrel  12  on one end  22 , each of which are considered within the scope of this invention.  
         [0026]     As further shown in  FIG. 1 , inside section  20  exhibits a radial flange  24  which, in turn, defines an inner face  26  and an outer face  28 . Face  26  is disposed toward barrel  12  and may serve to define connectivity with barrel  12 . Face  28  is disposed toward flange  14  and may serve to define connectivity with flange  14 . Inside section  20  further defines an inner diameter face  30  and an outer diameter face  32 . Flange  14  further defines an inner diameter face  34 . In this embodiment of the invention, flange  14  is brought into contact with and positioned or seated on inside section  20  radial flange  24  face  28 . Flange inner diameter face  34  is brought into contact with and positioned proximate to outer diameter face  32  of inside section  20 .  
         [0027]     The novelty of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  arises with the connectivity of outside section  18  with inside section  20 , both of locking mechanism  16 , thereby removeably securing flange  14  to barrel  12 .  
         [0028]     Outside section  18  defines keyed elements  36  fabricated to mate with opposing elements (not shown) fabricated in inner diameter face  30  of inside section  20 . Such elements provide for a secured latching mechanism assuring the connectivity of the mating pieces. The loading of the spool further assures connectivity of the pieces by applying loading such that the locking mechanism is retained in its locked position. Correspondingly, the latching mechanism permits a simple detaching of the pieces by an application of force in the opposite direction.  
         [0029]     The embodiment of outside section  18  described above with respect to  FIG. 1  can best be viewed in  FIG. 3 . Keyed elements  36  exhibit click-locking protrusions  38  designed to engage click-locking receptacles  40  of inner section  20  shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0030]     As shown in  FIG. 5 , outside section  118  exhibits keyed elements  136  which, in turn, define click-locking protrusions  138  designed to engage click-locking receptacles  140  of inner section  120 .  
         [0031]      FIGS. 6 and 7  provide diagrammatic representations of yet additional embodiments of the locking arrangement of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 6 , outside section  218  defines keyed elements  236  which, in turn, defines protrusions  238  and receptacle  239 . The inner diameter of inner section  220  (not shown) would be fabricated to correspond with keyed element  236 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the inner diameter of an alternative embodiment of inner section  320  can form a variety of configurations  340  to correspond with a keyed element of the outer section of the locking mechanism.  
         [0032]     The apertures shown in the top face  42  of outer section  18  and bottom face  44  of inner section  20 ,  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , respectively, are for manufacturing, molding and utility purposes as well as for users of the goods in commerce. The method of manufacturing locking mechanism  16  wherein the protrusions  38  and receptacles  40  can be integrally formed with outer section  18  and inner section  20 , receptively, is considered within the scope of this invention. The components can be injection molded to include their respective protrusions and receptacles, or injection molded and then stamped. There are many known methods for fabricating protrusions and receptacles as disclosed above such as the use of pins, male-female receptacles, etc., each of which are considered within the scope of this invention.  
         [0033]     The knockdown reel of the present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a novel mechanism for the assembly and disassembly of a knockdown reel in an efficient manner. In addition, the present invention provides a device for securely and more robustly fastening and easily unfastening the flanges to the barrel of a knockdown reel. Although the invention has been described in considerable detail with respect to particular embodiments of Applicant&#39;s locking mechanism for knockdown reels, it will be apparent that the invention is capable of numerous modifications and variations, apparent to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.