CA2236726A1

CA2236726A1 - Improved spool assembly

Info

Publication number: CA2236726A1
Application number: CA002236726A
Authority: CA
Inventors: James O Gallant
Original assignee: Lippert Pintlepin Mfg Inc
Current assignee: Lippert Pintlepin Mfg Inc
Priority date: 1998-05-29
Filing date: 1998-05-29
Publication date: 1999-11-29

Abstract

A release coating suitable for on bowed rolls, press rolls, and other machine elements comprises an adhesive layer and a release layer. The adhesive layer includes an acrylated monomer, an acrylated urethane, and a diacrylated aromatic monomer. The release layer includes these three components and an acrylated polysiloxane. With these components, the release coating has superior release properties as well as good abrasion resistance and hardness.

Description

IMPROVED SPOOL ASSEMBLY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a) Field of 'the invention The present invention relates to a spool assembly for use in storing and handling a cable-like member.
b) Brief de:~cription of the prior art Various types of spool assemblies are known in the art.
Among these assemblies, US patent N° 5,280,861 in the name of the present inventor discloses a spool assembly for storing and handling a cable-like member, preferably a pintle. This assembly has one or two cylindrical spool in which pintles may be wound. It also has one or two cylindrical spool receiving members having a cylindrical peripheral wall, a flange preferably in the form of a ring projecting radially inwardly from one of the edges of the peripheral wall to hold the spool, a plurality of hooks integral to and projecting from the other edge of the peripheral wall at given intervals, and an opening provided in the peripheral wall to allow the cable wound in the groove of the spool to be pulled out. The assembly further has a flat, preferably ring-shaped circular cover having an external diameter that can be engaged by the hooks andl held tight by these hooks against the other edge of the spool receiving member, to form therewith a casing in which each spool is freely mounted. It also has a stopper devised to be snapped onto the casing formed by the spool receiving member and the cover to rigidly hold any portion of the cable projecting outwardly from the easing through the opening.
Even if the structural components of the spool assembly disclosed already in this US patent are easy to assemble and use, the Applicant has now found a simpler and more efficient way to assemble together the spool receiving member and the cover of the spool assembly. Furthermore, the Applicant has improved the structure of the spool and of the stopper for better controlling the external end of the cable when it is pulled out. Also, the stopper is now more easy and handy to use.

2 OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, the object of the present invention is to provide a spool assembly for cables, wires and the like which is simpler to assemble and more handy to use than any similar assembly known in the art. More particularly, the object of the invention is to provide a spool assembly which can be assembled in a plurality of ways to meet any specific requirements, such as, for example, the need for having a pair of spools immediatelly available to the user, or the need for a "stopper" strong to rigidly hold the external end of the pintle and prevent the same from winding back into the receiving member.
The spool assembly according to the invention comprises a small number of basic components, namely one or two identical spool(s), a corresponding number of spool receiving members, a cover on which may be assembled an handle and one or two identical stopper(s). Thus the spool assembly according to the invention is very simple in structure and assembly in addition of being versatile in use.
Advantageously, each of the structural components of the spool assembly according to the invention is preferably made of plastic material, such as polycarbonate, polypropylene, polystyrene, Nylon~, polyester, PVC and acrylic.
They invention and its advantages will be better understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a spool assembly according to the invention, including only one spool.
Figure 2 is partial perspective cross-section view of the spool.
Figures 3-A, B, C are partial perspective cross-section views illustrating the assembling of the spool receiving member and the cover.
Figures 4-A, B, C are enlarged views of the stopper inserted within the stopper receiving means. Figure 4-A is a partial perspective exterior view, Figure 4-B
is a partial perspective cut-away view and Figure 4-C is a schematic view showing the stopper engaging the spool.

3 Figures 5-A, B are side perspective views of the spool assembly of the current invention and it's handling.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
The spool assembly 1 according to the invention as shown in the accompanying drawings is intended to be used for storing and handling at least one and preferably two cable-like members 3.
As seen in Figure 1, the spool assembly 1 preferably comprises four basic elements preferably made of moulded plastic material, namely:
a spool 11;
a spool receiving members 21;
a flat cover 41; and a stopper 61.
As seen in Figure 2, each spool 11 is formed with a radially outwardly opening groove 12 in which the corresponding cable 3 may be wound. The spool 11 which . has a given outer diameter and a given thickness "T", preferably comprises:
a peripheral ring 15 having a first 16 side wall and a second indented 18 side wall having a jogged edge 19, said walls 16,18 forming with the peripheral ring 15 a U-shaped cross-section that opens axially outwardly and defines the above mentioned groove 12; and more preferably a small shaft 17 mounted on the indented ring 18, closely to the peripheral ring 15 of the spool 11 and projecting axially outwardly therefrom.
Referring to Figure 1, it can be seen that each spool receiving member 21 comprises a cylindrical peripheral wall 22 having a pair of opposite edges 23,24 that are round in shape. The peripheral wall 22 also has an outer diameter, an inner diameter that is substantially equal to or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the corresponding spool, and a height "H" that is substantially equal to or slightly larger than the thickness "T" of the spool 11. Each spool receiving member 21 also comprises a flange 25 projecting radially inwardly from the round edges 23, of the peripheral wall 22 to hold the spool 11 when this spool is coaxially inserted therein through thE: opening defined by the other one of the round edges 24.
Preferably, as it is shown, the flange 25 of the spool receiving member is in the form of a flat ring

4 that extends in a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the member 21.
Such a flat ring has an inner edge 26.
Each spool receiving member 21 further comprises hooking means integral to and projecting from the edge 24 of the peripheral wall 22 at given intervals along this edge and in a direction parallel to the direction of the central axis of the spool receiving rnember 21. These hooking means preferably consist of a plurality of slightly resilient hooks 27 that are circumferentially spaced-apart along the edge 24 of the peripheral wall 22 of the spool receiving member 21, each hook 27 being sized and positioned to engage a hook-receiving slot 43 provided for this purpose in the cover 41, as will be explained hereinafter.
A main opening 28 is provided in the peripheral wall 22 to allow the cable 3 wound in the groove 12 of the corresponding spool 11 to be pulled out, when the spool is inserted into the member 21. As is clearly shown in FIG. 1, the main opening 2t3 extends centrally between the edges 23,24 of the peripheral wall 22 of the spool receiving member and is elongated in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of this member 21. The main opening 28 also has a pair of opposite first 30 and second ends 29 that taper radially inwardly toward each other.
Preferably, the spool assembly 1 further comprises a wire hoder. This wire holder comprises a tab 31 integrally moulded and projecting from the edge 24 of the peripheral wall 22 in a direction parallel to the direction of the central axis of this member and a rubber 33. The tap 31 is positioned at a short distance in front of first end 30 of the main opening 28 and sized to engage a rubber 33. The rubber 33 preferably has an opening in order to be inserted over the tap 31.The rubber 33 is also shaped in such a manner as to frictionally hold by wedging against the peripheral wall 22 the cable 3 that projects out of the opening 28. As can be understood, the shape, the size and the thickness of this rubber may be adapted accordingly to the type of cable 3 it is destined to hold. It can also comprises one many sized grove on one or both of its face and also being reversible.
ThE: flat cover 41 is circular in shape and has an external diameter sufficient to make ii: engageable by the hooks 27 and held tight by these hooks against the edge 24 of the spool receiving member to form a casing in which the spool 11 is freely mounted. As is shown, the cover 41 is preferably in the form of a flat ring which extends in plane perpendicular to the central axis of the spool receiving member when said member is hooked to it. This feature combined with the ring shape of the flange 25 of the member makes it possible for the shaft of the spool to remain accessible and usable even when the spool is mounted in the casing formed by the spool receiving member 21 and the cover 41.

5 Preferably, the cover 41 has an external diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the peripheral wall 22 of each of the spool receiving member 21.
As a result, a peripheral portion 42 of the cover projects radially outwardly from the spool receiving member 21 when this member is hooked to the cover 41.
The; hook receiving slots 43 mentioned hereinabove are made in the peripheral portion 42 at such locations as to be engageable by the hooks 27 projecting from each of the spool receiving member 21. Preferably, the slots comprise a first 45 and a second 47 areas spaced-apart and linked together by a small channel 46 as seen in FIG. 3. The first area 45 is large enough to allow insertion of the head of the hooks 27 therein and the channel 46 is wide enough to allow the central part of the hooks to slide within it. The second area 47, which comprises a notch 48, is lightly smaller than the first area 45 and also lightly further than the first area from the outer diameter of the cover.
Thus according to this preferred embodiment, to assemble together the spool 11, i:he spool receiving member 21 and the cover 41, the spool is placed inside the spool receiving member 21 which hooks 27 are then inserted in corresponding first area 45 of corresponding slots 43 (FIG. 3-A). As seen in FIG. 3-E3 the spool receiving member is then rotated such that the hooks 27 move from the first area of the slots to the second area of the same slots by following the small channel.
The hooks than "snap" in this second area and are held in place with the help of the notches 4~8 (FIG. 3-C).
PrE:ferably also, other hook receiving slots 43 are provided in the peripheral portion 4:? of the cover to receive a second spool receiving member, when a spool assembly having two spools 11 is required. When only one spool is needed, these hook receiving slots may receive hooks 52 projecting from both ends of an handle 51, when such handle 51 is wanted.
Each spool assembly preferably comprises a stopper receiving means for receiving a stopper 61 as will be explained hereinafter and illustrated in Figure 4. This stopper receiving means comprises:

6 a lump 72 moulded on the peripheral wall, this lump 72 being perpendicular to the main opening 28 and extending at a short distance in front of the second end 29 of said main opening 28; and at least one small opening 73 provided in the peripheral wall 22, said small opening 73. being preferably localized on one or on both sides of the first end 30 of the main opening 28, befinreen the tab 31 of the wire holder and the first end 30.
The stopper receiving means further comprises a claw 75 being mounted directly over the lump 72 and projecting outwardly axially from the peripheral portion 42 of the cover 41 on which the stopper 61 may pivot.
The stopper 61 is devised to be slid in the stopper receiving means and snapped in a pivotal fashion between the claw 75 and the lump 72. It is devised to engage the jogged edge 19 of the indented side wall 18 of the spool 11 in order to prevent unwanted backwards rotation of the spool 11 and to release said spool by swinging over the lump 72 when pressed by the user as it will be explained hereinafter.
To .achieve its function, the stopper 61 comprises a small rounded lever 63 having one; 77 of its both extremities rising. It also have a central notch 64 in which the lump 72 of the spool receiving means can be inserted to fit and being held under the claw i'5 of the stopping means in order to swing around said lump 72. The stopper 61 further comprises a rubber end 67, said end 67 being covering the rising extremity i'7 of the lever 63. The second end 65 has at least one teeth 66 protruding on its lower surface, said teeth 66 being sized and positioned to engage an indentation 20 of the indented side wall 18 of the spool 11 as illustrated in Figures 4-B and 4-C. As can be understood, the second end may also comprises rubber end in order to frictionally engage the cable 3 that projects out of the opening 28.
The: rubber end 67 covers the rising extremity 77 of the lever 63 and comprise:; on its lower surface at least one bump 69. While the upper surface provides au area on which the thumb of the user may press, this bump 69 provides a free sp<~ce under this rising extremity and is devised to be compressed by the action of said thumb and acts as a spin to keep the rising extremity 77 of the stopper in an upper position. By comprising this bump, the lever 63 pivots over the lump 72 such that iits first end 65 is lightly elevated, elevating as well the teeth 66 which come out the indentation 20. This releases the spool 11, permitting therefore its rotation

7 and the cak>le 3 to be pulled out. When released, the bump "pushes back" the rising extremity Tl in the upper position whereas the first end 65 and its teeth 66 go back in the lower position such that the teeth 66 engages again the spool 11.
Figures 5-A and 5-B illustrate the handling of the spool assembly 1. As can be seen, the user can hold firmly and with only one hand the spool assembly 1 according to the invention by pressing the external diameter of the cover 41 within his palm v~rith his four fingers on the handle 51. The handle is also positioned vertically below the stopper 61 such that the user can press on the second end of the stopper with his thumb when holding the handle. His other hand is thus free to operate thf: shaft 17.
As c;an be seen in Figure 5-A, when the stopper is not pressed, one simply has to pull extra wire from the spool assembly 1. Since the teeth 66 of stopper 61 engages the spool 11, said spool may only be rotated clockwise. As seen in Figure 5-B, when 'the stopper 61 is pressed, the spool 11 may be rotated counter-clockwise with the hE:lp of the shaft 17 in order to collect the extra wire protruding from the assembly 1.
As c;an be understood, the spool assembly 1 of the invention may have up to two cable-like members. For this purpose, the cover 41 may have supplementary hook receiwing slots 43 for receiving the second spool receiving member as specified hereinbefore. The cover 41 may also be provided with a second claw, similar to the first claw 75, for engaging the stopper provided with this second cable member. This second claw should protrude in the opposite direction of the first claw 75 and also being spaced-apart from the first claw at a distance similar to the size of a hand.
Thus by rotating the spool assembly by 180°, the user can hold the spool assembly 1 and touch the corresponding claw with his thumb.
As stated hereinbefore, the spool assembly 1 according to the invention is preferably made of plastic material. Even more preferably, to obtain a up-market transparent and shock resistant product, the spool receiving member 21 and the flat cover 41 are made of polycarbonate whereas the spool 11 is made of polystyrene.
The polystyrene which is cheaper than polycarbonate offers a better sliding of the spool 11 within the spool assembly 1. The spool 11 could also be coloured to increase the aesthetic appearance of the whole assembly.

8 In a cheaper and more shock sensitive commodity version of the assembly, the spool rE:ceiving member 21 and the cover 41 are preferably opaque. In this version, the' spool receiving member 21 and the spool 11 are in polypropylene whereas thE: cover 41 is in polystyrene. Of course, the spool receiving member could also be made of polystyrene. This choice of resin permits to obtain a very good sliding of tht: spool 11 within the assembly. The product obtained therefore is clearly cheaper than the up-market product.
Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise embodiment and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.
By example, accordingly to the type and the size of cable 3, it can be preferable fro use a supple or rigid rubber on the wire holder as well as on the stopper. The position of the opening 28, lump 72, claw 75, and top 33 could also be adapted accordingljr to the need of the user.