Reel having secured flanges

Details Reel having secured flanges Reel having secured flanges

1999-10-04

2001-05-22

Nguyen, John Q. (Department: 3653)

Winding, tensioning, or guiding

Coil holder or support

Spool or core

C242S588000, C242S610400

Reexamination Certificate

active

06234421

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present intention relates generally to reels for supporting or storing flexible media.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Reels for storing flexible media, such as wire, hose, fabric, chain link, or rope, typically comprise a core interposed between two flanges. In general, the flexible media is wound or wrapped around the core and held in place by the flanges. Reels that are intended for industrial transport, storage and use of flexible media vary greatly in size. Reels have traditionally been fabricated out of wood or metallic material, and have more recently been fabricated from paper and plastic products.
Ideally, a reel combines structural strength with convenience and economy of manufacture. One development in the reel industry that has increased convenience is the rotating reel assembly. A rotating reel assembly is a reel that is rotatably connected to a frame structure and is typically enclosed in a box. The rotating reel assembly permits the user of the flexible media payload to pay-out the flexible media at any location without the need for special fixtures on which to mount the reel.
For example, the Reel In A Box product from Carris Reels is a rotating reel assembly within a box that may be used at any suitable location. An end user simply places the box in the location in which the flexible media, for example, cable, is needed. The cable may then be started through an opening in the box and paid out as the reel rotates within box. To facilitate pay out within the box, the reel is rotatably connected to frame within the box. The frame supports and allows free rotation of the reel within the box.
One drawback of the Carris Reel in a Box and other presently available products is that the are constructed predominantly of non-paper materials, such as wood, metal, or plastic. Paper materials are advantageous in reel construction because paper has a better strength to weight ratio than plastics, wood and metal, and therefore is less expensive to transport and easier to manipulate. Moreover, paper products are is generally easier to recycle. The Carris Reel is a Box loses such advantages by relying predominantly on non-paper materials.
Another currently available rotating reel assembly, the Easy-Reel™ product from Genpak, utilizes a reel made substantially from corrugated and/or pressed paper. While the use of paper products reduces weight and is generally easier to recycle, the Easy-Reel™ product has other significant shortcomings. For example, the Genpak reel has structural weaknesses in the attachment of the flanges to the core. Specifically, the Genpak reel uses a plastic hub that connects a paper flange to a paper core. The attachment of the flange to the core relies on a plastic to paper interface, which presumably is glued. Plastic to paper glue bonds can be relatively weak. The Genpak reel also includes a small paper to paper interface consisting of the inner radial edge of the flange and the outside of the core. However, the inner radial edge of the flange provides very little paper surface area to provide the structural attachment of the flange to the core. As a result, the attachment of the flange to the core has limited structural integrity.
Another shortcoming of the Genpak reel is that it must be loaded to a box to be functional. Specifically, the only feature that holds the stationary reel frame to the rotating reel is the box itself. The stationary reel frame consists of two individual end plates that are held in place by the box. Without the box, the end plates may freely migrate axially out from the reel. As a result, loading the reel is an inconvenient process. In particular, a reel must first be loaded, and then carefully assembled onto the frame and placed within the box while holding the frame against the reel. Such a process is undesirable because of the difficulties associated with manipulating a loaded, and typically heavy reel.
A need therefore exists for a lightweight reel that has a structurally strong means by which the flanges are attached to the core. A further need exists for a rotating reel assembly that features such a lightweight and structurally sound reel. Yet a further need exists for a rotating reel assembly that does not require a box to secure the stationary reel frame to the rotating reel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention fulfills the above stated needs, as well as others, by providing a reel comprising a core, and two flanges, each flange having a plurality of flexible fingers for engaging the core to help secure the flange to the core. The plurality of flexible fingers on the flanges increase the surface area of the flange that engages the core, thereby strengthening the connection between each flange and the core. The increased engagement surface area allow the use of predominantly paper materials in a structurally strong reel.
In one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for supporting wound flexible media includes a core, first and second flanges, and at least one locking ring. The core has first and second ends, an inner surface and an outer surface. The first flange, which attaches to the first end of the core, includes a first plurality of flexible fingers that extend axially inward the core adjacent to said inner surface proximate the first end. Likewise, the second flange, which attaches to the second end of the core, includes a second plurality of flexible fingers that extend axially inward the core adjacent to said inner surface proximate the second end. The locking ring urges the first plurality of flexible fingers to the inner surface proximate the first end. A second locking ring may also be employed to urge the second plurality of flexible fingers to the inner surface proximate the second end.
The resulting structure provides a strong attachment of each flange to the core, particularly for reels in which the core and flanges are constructed of paper products. Another aspect of the present invention is a rotating reel assembly that incorporates the above reel. The rotating reel assembly includes the a reel having a similar structure as that described above wherein the at least one locking ring is part of at least one hub. The at least one hub also includes at least one rotating bearing. The rotating reel assembly according to the present invention further includes a frame, the frame including at least one static bearing for rotatably engaging the at least one rotating bearing to permit the reel to rotating with respect to the frame. In a preferred embodiment, the static bearing includes an axial retention surface for inhibiting axial movement of the static bearing with respect to the dynamic bearing. The axial retention surface facilitates retention of the frame to the reel, thereby allowing full use of the rotating reel assembly without a box to hold the assembly together.
The present invention thus provides a structurally strong reel that may be constructed out of predominantly paper materials. As a result, the advantages of paper reels may be exploited without the structural weakness typically associated with the core-flange attachment in such reels.


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