WO1990001821A1

WO1990001821A1 - Cable reel

Info

Publication number: WO1990001821A1
Application number: PCT/AU1989/000332
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gerard Michael Criss
Original assignee: Gerard Michael Criss
Priority date: 1988-08-05
Filing date: 1989-08-04
Publication date: 1990-02-22

Abstract

The present invention provides a reel (10) for the storage of excess lengths of resilient cable, conduit or the like. The reel (10) is adapted to resist resilient expansion of the coiled cable, and to provide easy winding and unwinding of the cable around its axle (11). The reel (10) comprises a cylindrical casing (15, 16) and an axle (11). The cylindrical wall of the casing (15, 16) has a continuous circumferential opening (18) which is adapted to receive the cable, with at least a portion of the opening (18) having a zig zag form. Preferably, the casing (15, 16) comprises two portions (15, 16) each defining an end wall (12, 13) and, in combination, the cylindrical wall and the gap (18). The portions (15, 16) are movable between a retracted position wherein the gap (18) has the zig zag form, and an extended position wherein the gap (18) is continuous in a plane perpendicular to the cylindrical axis of the casing (15, 16).

Description

CABLE REEL

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to reels for storage of cables and the like and has particular application to the storage of relatively thick and resilient conductive cables used in connection with computers and peripheral equipment.

BACKGROUND ART

Rotating axle-type "reelers" have been known for some time in connection with hoses, conduits and even electrical type cables although these reelers suffer from a number of disadvantages in so far as they involve a number of moving parts. The reelers suffer from excess friction and the fact that the central axle rotates means that is difficult to devise an arrangement whereby rotation of the axle does not twist the cable or conduit exiting therefrom.

Computer leads are generally thick and are not plastically deformable so as to be easily wound around a reel, but rather are resilient and tend to unwind from the axle of the reel. Accordingly, the reel should resist unwinding of the cable by providing a retaining means whilst also being adaptable for easy winding, and preferably with the axle being

non-rotatable with respect to the casing so as to generally prevent undesired twisting of the cable.

OBJECT OF INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide a convenient and easy to use reel for cables and the like.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

In one broad form the present invention provides a reel for retaining a length of elongate flexible cord and comprising:

a hollow casing and an axle non-rotatably mounted therein and being generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of said casing ;

said casing comprising at least two axially aligned portions which cooperate to define a side wall, two end walls, and a continuous peripheral opening in the side wall at least a portion of which has a tortuous form; retention of said cord within said reel being effected by winding about the axle after entry through said opening.

Preferably, the casing is cylindrical and comprises two portions with each portion defining an end wall, and in combination the cylindrical wall. The cylindrical wall is formed by cylindrical portions of each casing portion which extend generally normal to the end walls, each of which having teeth formations which cooperatively mate with each other to define the tortuous opening. Further, it is preferred that the casing portions are movable between a retracted position defining the tortuous opening, and an extended position wherein the opening is continuous in a plane normal to the cylindrical axis. Alternatively, it is preferred that the teeth are resiliency radially inwardly deformable, and either resist or are able to radially outwardly deform.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a reel in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the reel of Figure 1 in the extended position.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the reel of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the reel in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of a further embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of the reel of figure 5 in an extended position.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The figures depict a reel 10 comprising a central axle 11, and a casing comprising two casing portions 15,16 which, in combination, define end walls 12,13 at opposite ends of the axle 11 and a side wall

therebetween which is cylindrical. The side walls extend generally normal to the longitudinal axis of the axle 11. A plurality of teeth 14 extend in a perpendicular direction from the peripheral edge of the end walls 12, 13 towards the other end wall so as to generally bridge the space between the end walls 12, 13.

The teeth 14 on the end walls 12, 13 define a tortuous edge 17 on each of the casing portions 15,16 which mate to form a tortuous gap 18 therebetween, and to define the cylindrical wall. It will be appreciated that if the axle 11 is kept stationary or mounted upon some stationary object such as a wall or cabinet then a conduit such as an electrical lead may be wound around axle 11 by introducing same along the path of and into the gap 18.

Some conduits tend to resist kinking and rather return to a 'natural' form which is generally straight or has a large radius of curvature. Although the conduit may be forced to adopt a zigzag type configuration in order to introduce it into the tortuous gap 18 of the reel, it will tend to resiliently straighten once on the reel and thereby bear against the inside surface of the cylindrical wall. Further, it will not naturally adopt the tortuous form which would be necessary for it to escape through the gap and fly off the reel .

It will be appreciated that the. tortuous gap 18 is continuous right around the circumference of the reel whereby there are a multitude of positions for the conduit to enter or exit the reel. The teeth 14 provide a stop means for the natural unwinding of the ends of the reel.

In a preferred form of the present invention, the sides 12 and 13 may be movable between a retracted position shown in Figure 1 and an extended position shown in Figure 2. That is, the axle 11 is telescopicly

extendible to provide movement of the casing. portions 15, 16 along the axis of the axle 11. In the retracted position, the extreme edge 17 of the teeth 14 of each of the casing portions 15,16 may be disposed relative to one another so that the gap has a predetermined width adapted to receive the cable and to define the tortuous form. In the extended position, the teeth 14 of each of the casing portions 15,16 are spaced sufficiently so that the gap 18 lies in a plane perpendicular to the axle. This provides for easy winding of a cable onto the reel 10, or alternatively easy removal of the cable from the reel. Such an embodiment may be useful when particularly thick conduits are being utilised or in order to facilitate quick removal of a length of conduit from the reel. When the side walls 12 and 13 are brought back into the retracted position as depicted at Figure 1, the cable is generally retained therein.

In use, the reel 10 is intended to be mounted to a wall or held in the hand to wind/unwind cable onto/from the reel 10. The cable is wound around the axis when the casing is in either the retracted position whereby the cable is fed in a tortuous fashion along the path of and Into the gap, or in the extended position wherein the cable is fed Into the reel by winding it around the axle in a plane perpendicular to the axle. Once the cable is wound onto the reel, the casing is kept in the retracted position to retain the cable therein.. When it is desired to remove a length of the cable, the cable is simply unwound along the tortuous path of the gap whilst the casing is in the retracted position, or more quickly when the reel is in the extended position.

An alternate embodiment of the present invention is depicted at Figure 4 wherein the teeth are more slender and have pointed inner extremities, and where the reel is fabricated from a relatively resilient plastic. The slender shape of the teeth can assist it .to deform so as to allow the cable to be wound onto the reel.

That is, the teeth 14 are flexible in the sense that they may bend radially inwardly in order to accommmodate quick entry of the conduit into the reel. This 1s desirable having regard to the fact that gap 18 does not have a straight path. It is a feature of the present invention that the inward projecting extremities of the teeth 14 will more readily deform radially inwardly than radially outwardly.

That is, the cylindrical wall presents a convex surface to the cable when it is wound onto the reel 10 whereby the teeth may be resiliently

deformable radially inwards. However, when the cable retained within the reel is tending to unwind and bear against the concave internal surface of the cylindrical wall, the teeth will resist the force of the cable bearing against the inside surface of the cylindrical wall in a radially outward direction. However, when it is desired to quickly remove a length of the cable from the reel, tension may be applied to the cable so as to force the teeth to deform radially outwards. Alternatively, the cable can be unwound along the tortuous path of the gap 18.

A further embodiement of the present invention provides two casing portions each defining a cup shape which are longitudinally movable along the axis of the axle between a closed position and an open position. Each portion has two longitudinal slots extending from the edge of the

respective side walls which mate with corresponding slots in the side wall of the other casing portion. In the closed position, the slots cooperate to define an inlet and an outlet for the cable. In the open position, there is a continuous peripheral opening for winding/unwinding of the cable.

It will be appreciated that the present invention can provide a very simple type of reel which is particularly useful for the storage of electrical computer cable and the like but which also has application to any type of flexible elongate member.

It will further be appreciated -that alternate embodiments of the present invention may be described, apart from those above described, without departing from the general concept herein disclosed.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention is for a reel which provides a tidy and convenient cable storage means, and which is independent of the cable and its associated equipment. That is, the reel of the present invention can be used to store excess cable, and be removed therefrom without requiring disconnection of the cable from its associated equipment. It is adapted to resist un-coiling of a resilient cable, whilst allowing easy winding of the cable around its axle.

The reel can be used in any application where an excess of an elongate flexible member such as computer or electrical cable, hollow tubes, hoses, ropes, cords etc. should be conveniently stored without requiring disconnection of the ends.

Claims

1. A reel for retaining a length of elongate flexible cord and comprising:

a hollow casing and an axle non-rotatably mounted therein and being generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of said casing;

said casing comprising at least two axially aligned casing portions which cooperate to define a side -wall, two end walls, and a continuous peripheral opening in the side wall at least a portion of which has a tortuous form, retention of said cord within said reel being effected by winding about the axle after entry through said opening.

2. The reel of claim 1 wherein said casing comprises two casing portions, each portion defining one of said end walls, and in combination said cylindrical wall;

each of said casing portions having teeth formations which mate with each other to define said opening.

3. The reel of claim 2 wherein said casing portions are movable between a closed position defining said opening with a zigzag formation;

and an open position wherein said opening is generally continuous in a plane normal to said axis.

4. The reel of claim 2 or 3 wherein teeth formations are

resiliently, radially inwardly deformable.

5. The reel of claim 4 wherein said teeth formations resist radially outward deformation.

6. The reel of claim 4 wherein said teeth are resiliently, radially outwardly deformable.

7. The reel of claim 2 or 3 wherein said teeth formations are generally rigid.

8. The reel of any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein each of said portions is of an injected moulded plastics material.

9. A reel for retaining a length of elongate flexible cord and comprising:

a hollow casing and an axle non-rotatably mounted therein and being generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the casing;

said casing comprising two axially aligned casing portions which cooperate and are axially movable between an open position and a closed position; said casing portions each defining an end wall and, in combination, a side wall of said casing and each having a slot which mate to define an aperture in said side wall for entry and/or exit of said cord;

and wherein when said cord is in the open position, said casing has a continuous peripheral opening in said side wall for winding and unwinding of the cord about the axle.

10. The reel of claim 8 wherein said casing portions are each provided with at least two slots which mate with corresponding slots in the other casing portion in the closed position to define an entry and an exit respectively for said cord.

11. A reel as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in figures 1 to 3, figure 4 or figures 5 and 6 in the accompanying drawings.