Patent ID: 7419038

Claim:
A reel assembly comprising: a reel onto which a linear material can be spooled; a first housing portion; a second housing portion; a spindle member having a first end connected to the first housing portion and a second end connected to the second housing portion, the spindle member extending through an opening in the reel so that the reel is rotatable about a spindle axis defined by the spindle member; a middle housing portion encircling the reel and positioned between the first and second housing portions, the middle housing portion having an aperture through which linear material can extend, the middle housing portion being rotatable about the spindle axis independently of the reel; and a mechanism having a restricted position and a non-restricted position and configured to restrict rotation of the middle housing portion with respect to the first and second housing portions when the reel rotates in a direction to spool the linear material onto the reel; wherein the first, second, and middle housing portions collectively form a housing for the reel.