GB2458026A

GB2458026A - Ball-shaped cable reel

Info

Publication number: GB2458026A
Application number: GB0903958A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Oliver Blackwell
Original assignee: MICHAEL KENNETH HYND
Current assignee: MICHAEL KENNETH HYND
Priority date: 2008-03-07
Filing date: 2009-03-06
Publication date: 2009-09-09
Anticipated expiration: 2029-03-06
Also published as: GB0804333D0; GB2458026B; GB0903958D0

Abstract

A cable reel 2 includes a reel 4, a spindle 6 on which the reel 4 rotates, an electrical cable 8 wound on the reel 4, a slip ring 10, a ball-shaped housing 12 and a carrying handle 14, the slip ring 10 enabling the housing 12 to rotate relative to the reel 4. The handle 14 and a socket 16 may be provided on a support portion 18 extending from the housing 12. The housing 12 may be ventilated by slots 22. A manual winding handle 26 may be provided in a recess 28 in the housing 12 for winding the cable 8 onto the reel 4, a folding winding handle (54 fig. 8) may be provided. A cable grip 29 may be provided to take the strain of a plug in the socket 16.

Description

L -

I

A CABLE REEL

This invention relates to a cable reel.

Known cable reels usually comprise a reel which rotates in a frame.

The reel comprises a pair of discs positioned one at each end of a cylindrical member. An electrical cable is wound around the reel. This design has a number of disadvantages including the frame falling on its side and making the cable reel difficult to drag along the ground. Unwound cable is dragged over the ground as the cable reel moves and this can damage the cable. The cable easily gets caught around objects as the cable reel is dragged along.

When the frame has fallen over on its side, it is difficult or impossible to unroll further cable until the frame is put back in its correct position, and this can be inconvenient if a person is distanced from the cable reel, for example as occurs when cutting a lawn in a garden.

It is an aim of the present invention to reduce the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a cable reel comprising a reel, a spindle on which the reel rotates, an electrical cable which is able to be wound and unwound on the reel, a slip ring, a housing which contains the reel, and a handle for enabling the cable reel to be carried, and the housing being a ball-shaped housing which enables the cable reel to be moved over the ground with the slip ring enabling the housing to rotate relative to the reel.

The cable reel of the present invention is advantageous in that, due to the ball-shape of the housing, the cable reel is not able to fall over. It is in effect always the right way up. Also, with the cable reel of the present invention, the housing rotates with respect to the reel and therefore the cable is not moving. This helps to avoid the cable becoming damaged by too much friction with the ground, and it also helps to avoid the cable snagging on objects as the cable unrolls from the reel. The cable reel may be moved over the ground by, for example, being dragged.

Preferably, the cable reel includes a socket for a plug.

The handle may be a pivoting handle or a sliding handle. The handle may be provided on a support portion which extends outwardly from the periphery of the housing.

Advantageously, the support portion has a curved surface for helping to prevent the support portion digging into the ground when the cable reel is in use.

The socket may be provided on the support portion. The socket may be provided at other positions on the cable reel if desired, for example when the support portion is not present.

The slip ring will usually be positioned inside the spindle or around the edge of the housing. The slip ring may be positioned elsewhere if desired.

The cable reel may include ventilation apertures in the housing, the ventilation apertures enabling the escape of heat which is inside the housing and which is generated by current in the electrical cable during use of the cable reel. The presence of such heat is undesirable and it may damage the cable insulation.

Preferably the ventilation apertures are slots. Other shaped ventilation apertures may however be employed.

Preferably, the ventilation apertures are in a line extending around the housing. Other positions for the ventilation apertures may be employed.

The cable reel may include winder means for winding the electrical cable onto the reel.

Usually, the winder means will be a manual winder means. In this case, the winder means may comprise a winder handle which is located in a recessed formation in the housing. The location of the winder handle in the recessed formation helps to continue the general overall ball-shape of the housing, and thereby helps to prevent unnecessary protuberances which might tend to dig into the ground during use of the cable reel. The winder handle is preferably a winder knob. Other types of winder handle may be employed. If desired, the winder means for winding the electrical cable onto the reel may be an automatic winder means, for example employing a winder spring.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first cable reel of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cable reel shown in Figure 1 but from another angle; Figure 3 is a partially exploded view of the cable reel shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a partially exploded view of the left hand part of the cable reel as show in Figure 3; Figure 5 is an exploded view of parts of the cable reel as shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 6 shows an alternative spindle to the spindle shown in Figure 5; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a second cable reel of the present invention; Figures 8 -11 show a third cable reel of the present invention and illustrate how the cable reel has winder means which fits securely into a side of the cable reel; Figures 12 and 13 show the third cable reel of the present invention and illustrate how the cable reel has a sliding handle; Figure 14 is an exploded view of part of the third cable reel of the present invention as shown in Figures 8 -13, and illustrates the use of a slip ring in the centre of the cable reel; and Figure 15 is an exploded enlarged view of the slip ring shown in Figure 14.

Referring to Figures 1 -5, there is shown a cable reel 2 comprising a reel 4, a spindle 6 on which the reel 4 rotates, and an electrical cable 8 which is able to be wound and unwound on the reel 4. The cable reel 2 also comprises a slip ring arrangement 10. As shown in Figure 3, the slip nng arrangement 10 comprises three rings which may be made of copper or other electrically conducting material. The cable reel 2 further comprises a housing 12 which contains the reel 4. A handle 14 enables the cable reel 2 to be carried. The housing 12 is a ball-shaped housing 12 which enables the cable reel 2 to be moved over the ground with the slip ring 10 enabling the housing to rotate relative to the reel 4. The cable reel 2 may be moved over the ground by being dragged and/or rolled.

The cable reel 2 includes a socket 16 for a plug (not shown).

The handle 14 is provided on a support portion 18 which extends outwardly from the periphery of the housing 12. The support portion 18 has a curved surface 20 for helping to prevent the support portion 18 digging into the ground when the cable reel 2 is in use. The socket 16 is provided on the support portion 18 as can best be seen from Figure 1. The slip ring 10 is provided inside the spindle 6.

The cable reel 2 includes ventilation apertures 22 in the housing 12.

The ventilation apertures 22 enable the escape of heat which is inside the housing 12 and which is generated by current in the cable 8 during use of the cable reel 2. The ventilation apertures are slots. The ventilation apertures are in a line extending around the housing 12 as shown.

The cable reel 2 includes winder means 24 for winding the cable 8 onto the reel 4. The winder means 24 is a manual winder means 24. The winder means 24 comprises a winder handle 26 which is located in a recessed formation 28 in the housing 12. The winder handle 26 is in the form of a knob. The recessed formation 28 ensures that the curved lines of the ball-shaped housing 12 are maintained, and that the winder handle 26 does not extend beyond the periphery of the housing 12 and thus be available for digging into the ground and stopping the easy rolling movement of the housing 12 during use of the cable reel 2.

The cable reel 2 is such that the handle 14 redirects force on it onto the cable 8. This is advantageous in helping to prevent the plug in the socket 16 from being pulled out. When the cable reel 2 is being pulled over the ground, it is the housing 12 that is moving and not the cable 8. This is advantageous in helping to prevent the cable 8 dragging over the ground as occurs with known designs.

If the cable reel 2 is being used in a remote manner, for example when cutting a lawn with the user located at one end of the garden and the cable reel 2 being located on a patio, a pull on the cable 8 will not pull the plug out of the socket 16, and it will also not pull the whole reel over thereby preventing more of the cable 8 being unrolled. The ball-shape of the housing 12 ensures that the cable reel 2 is always the right way up.

The cable reel 2 is of a robust design which is self-contained. As can be appreciated from the drawings, the cable reel 2 has few ancillary parts for getting caught and breaking off.

The positioning of the handle 14, the socket 16 and the support portion 18 ensure that the housing 12 always follows the direction that the person is pulling. The socket 16 is static, even when more cable 8 is being unrolled.

This helps to prevent the cable 8 from becoming twisted, as often occurs when winding and unwinding the cable in known cable reels. As can be appreciated from the drawings, two outer thirds of the cable reel 2 are connected through the formed central core in the form of the reel 4 and the spindle 6.

The cable reel 2 is able to be dragged around a garden or other area and simply and easily lay the cable 8 as the person progresses. The cable 8 passes through a cable grip 29 which upstands from the support portion 18.

The cable grip 29 takes the force from the plug onto the cable when the cable reel 2 is being pulled around.

The ventilation apertures 22 are advantageous in preventing the cable 8 from overheating when the cable reel 2 is in use.

Figure 6 shows an alternative spindle 30 to the spindle 6 shown in Figure 5. The spindle 30 is advantageous in helping to provide a cooling facility, this being in addition to the cooling facility provided by the ventilation apertures 22. The spindle 30 has apertures 32 along its length, with the apertures 32 being defined by paddle members 34. The paddle members 34 are shaped with a peripheral curve 36 as shown. This curve 36 maximises the surface area of the cable 8 that is exposed to the air at the centre of the reel 4, i.e. on the spindle 30. The shape of the paddle members 34 also increases the diameter of the cable 8 on the outside of the reel 4, thereby exposing more cable 8 to the ventilation apertures 22, rather than stacking layer on layer as with current narrow wide-diameter reel designs.

The positioning of the handle 14 facilitates easy entry and exit of the cable 8 with respect to the housing 12. The handle 14 is located in a position that ensures that when a force is applied on the cable 8, and hence the pull handle 14, the cable 8 inside the housing 12 is able to exit the housing 12 at such an opposing angle as to allow the cable 8 to flow smoothly.

The winder handle 26 is designed in such a way that if the housing 12 rotates downwards, the winder handle 26 will not grip and potentially dig into the ground like an anchor, and restrain forward motion of the cable reel 2.

The shapes of the outer parts of the housing as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 are smooth to prevent snagging, and they may act as a secondary means of winding in the cable 8. The hand of the person using the cable reel 2 is able to be placed into the grip formations on the sides of the housing 12 and, with a rotation of the wrist, the cable 8 is able to be wound back in. For winding the cable back into the housing 12 using the winder handle 26, the winder handle 26 is located in such a position that an ergonomic and comfortable position is created for winding, and a position that allows the cable 8 extending over the ground to be wound in a highly effective manner.

The electrical connection from the outer third of the housing 12 to the inner third of the housing 12 is through the slip ring arrangement 10 with its three rings with corresponding contact points. As shown in Figure 3, the three rings run around the edge where the side part of the housing 12 joins the main housing part. The slip ring arrangement 10 may alternatively be a slip ring arrangement 38 which is positioned inside the spindle 6 as indicated in Figure 3 and which provides the required electrically conducting facility.

Figure 7 shows a second cable reel 40 which is like the cable reel 2.

Similar parts have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. The cable reel 40 has a cable grip 42 with three different hole sizes 44, 46, 48 as shown for varying sizes of cable 8.

Figures 8 -15 show a third cable reel 50 which is like the cable reel 2.

Similar parts have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding.

Referring to Figures 8 -11, it will be seen that the cable reel 50 has a winder means 52 instead of the winder means 24. The winder means 52 fits securely into the cable reel 50 as shown. Thus, when the winder means 52 is not in use, it is out of the way and so allows the cable reel 50 via its housing 12 to roll easily. The winder means 52 has a long handle part 54 which affords easy winding in of the cable. Figure 8 shows the winder means 52 in three positions. Figure 9 shows the winder means 52 in a stowed condition.

Figure 10 shows the winder means 52 being moved to a use position. Figure 11 shows the winder means 52 in a use position ready for winding the cable.

Figures 12 and 13 show how the cable reel 50 has a handle 56 which is a sliding handle rather than the pivoting handle 12 employed in the cable reel 2. The sliding handle 56 is shown in an out position in Figure 12, and in an in position in Figure 13. In the out position shown in Figure 12, the handle 56 allows a plug 58 on a cable 60 to be hooked under the handle 56 and then inserted into the socket 16. Figure 13 shows the plug 58 inserted into the socket 16, and with the handle 56 having been slid inwardly, thereby to secure the plug 58 into the socket 16. When the cable 60 or the cable 8 are pulled, the plug 58 will not come out of the socket 16.

Referring now to Figures 14 and 15, there is shown in exploded view parts of the cable reel 50. The cable reel 50 has a slip ring 62. The slip ring 62 is located at the centre of the cable reel 50. The cable 8 (not shown) winds around the reel 4. The purpose of the slip ring 62 is to transfer electricity from a moving part (e.g. the reel) to a static part (e.g. the main body of the cable reel). The slip ring 62 comprises three concentric rings 64. Each ring 64 has its own pair of contacts 66, 68. The contacts 66 form upper contacts as shown in Figure 15, whilst the contacts 68 form lower contacts as shown in Figure 15. Prior art slip rings normally only have one contact. Having two contacts 66, 68 for each slip ring 64 is advantageous in that there is a greater chance of consistent electrical flow. For example if one contact 66, 68 is not in touch with its rotating ring 64, then the other contact 66, 68 will almost surely be in touch with its rotating ring 64. As shown in Figure 15, the contacts 66, 68 are on opposite sides of a body part 70 and are therefore on opposite sides of the rings 64. Also shown in Figure 15 is a support tube 72 for the rings 64. A cable for the cable reel 50 extends through the arrangement shown in Figure 15 from left to right so that the cable passes in through the support tube 72 and out through the right hand side of the body part 70. The rings 64 are separated by plastics separators 74 as shown.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, the ventilation apertures 22 may be of circular or other shapes rather than the illustrated slits/slots. The ventilation apertures 22 may be positioned other than in the illustrated line extending around the housing 12. The winder handle 26 may be of another design that the illustrated knob.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A cable reel comprising a reel, a spindle on which the reel rotates, an electrical cable which is able to be wound and unwound on the reel, a slip ring, a housing which contains the reel, and a handle for enabling the cable reel to be carried, and the housing being a ball-shaped housing which enables the cable reel to be moved over the ground with the slip ring enabling the housing to rotate relative to the reel.
2. A cable reel according to claim I and including a socket for a plug.
3. A cable reel according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the handle is a pivoting handle or a sliding handle.
4. A cable reel according to any one of the preceding claims in which the handle is provided on a support portion which extends outwardly from the periphery of the housing.
5. A cable reel according to claim 4 in which the support portion has a curved surface for helping to prevent the support portion digging into the ground when the cable reel is in use.
6. A cable reel according to claims 3 and 4 or claims 3 and 5 in which the socket is positioned on the support portion.
7. A cable reel according to any one of the preceding claims in which the slip ring is positioned inside the spindle or around an edge of the housing.
8. A cable reel according to any one of the preceding claims and including ventilation apertures in the housing, the ventilation apertures enabling the escape of heat which is inside the housing and which is generated by current in the electrical cable during use of the cable reel.
9. A cable reel according to claim 8 in which the ventilation apertures are slots.
10. A cable reel according to claim 8 or claim 9 in which the ventilation apertures are in a line extending around the housing.
11. A cable reel according to any one of the preceding claims and including winder means for winding the electrical cable onto the reel.
12. A cable reel according to claim 11 in which the winder means is a manual winder means.
13. A cable reel according to claim 12 in which the winder means comprises a winder handle which is located in a recessed formation in the housing.
14. A cable reel according to claim 13 in which the winder handle is a winder knob.
15. A cable reel substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.