Enclosed spool
An enclosed spool for flexible wound line comprising a spool member including: a base axis member defining an axis of rotation, and first and second circular sidewalls secured to and separated by the base axis member and extending substantially radially to the axis of rotation to provide an axial gap, the first circular sidewall terminating at a first peripheral edge, and the second circular sidewall terminating at a second peripheral edge; and an enclosure encircling the first and second peripheral edges and spanning the axial gap to define a spool volume.
The present invention resides in the art of spools for flexible wound line, e.g., trimmer line, fishing line, pulling line and wire, and, more particularly, to an enclosed spool wherein the volume retaining the line is enclosed, and the line is rotationally movable relative to an enclosure. In particular embodiments, the enclosed spool includes a cutting device for cutting a length of the line about the spool.
Spools are employed for a variety of materials that are able to wind around a central axis element. Sometimes the material wound on the spool has a tendency to unwind, due to its inability to maintain the tightly wound configuration that it has when wound on the spool. This is particularly true with polymer-based monofilament lines, for example vegetation trimmer lines, fishing lines and pulling line, which is used to pull electrical wiring throughout buildings during wire installation.
When sold in bulk, such flexible line is typically provided on a plain spool member and it has a tendency to unravel from its original, tightly wound, state. Any portion of the wound line that unravels from the spool is difficult to neatly wind back thereon. The wound line is also exposed and not protected from debris and the elements. Additionally, when sold on a common spool, the desired length of wound line must be cut from the spool, requiring the user of the spool to carry a separate cutting element. Thus, there exists a need in the art for a spool that prevents wound line thereon from unraveling, protects it from debris and the elements, and/or includes an implement for cutting the line.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides an enclosed spool for flexible wound line. The enclosed spool includes a spool member having a base axis member defining an axis of rotation and first and second sidewalls spaced apart by the base axis member to provide an axial gap. The first sidewall terminates at a first peripheral edge, and the second sidewall terminates at a second peripheral edge. A length of flexible line is wound about (but not necessarily onto) the base axis member, within the axial gap. The enclosed spool further includes an enclosure secured about the first and second peripheral edges and adapted to encase the flexible line within a volume defined by the spool member, the axial gap and the enclosure. A dispensing aperture is provided in the enclosure, and an end of the flexible line is fed through this aperture and the flexible wound line is rotationally movable about the axis of rotation and relative to the enclosure to dispense the flexible line through the dispensing aperture.
In accordance with another embodiment, the present invention provides an enclosed spool for flexible wound line including a spool member defining an axial gap, flexible line wound within the axial gap, at least two enclosure members joining together and encircling the spool member to span across the axial gap such that the flexible line is encased within a volume defined by the spool member and the at least two enclosure members, and a dispensing aperture in one of the at least two enclosure members, wherein an end of the flexible line is fed through the dispensing aperture.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
An enclosed spool in accordance with the present invention is shown and generally designated by the numeral 10 in
Referring to
With reference to
As can be seen in
It will be appreciated that the enclosed spool 10 may be used for any flexible line product suitable for spooling (i.e., winding about an axis member of a spool), including particularly trimmer line, fishing line and pulling line, or other monofilament type line. The flexible line may be wound about base axis member 16 in any of a number of ways, and each means for winding the flexible line about the base axis member permits a different type of enclosed spool structure, as will be described herein.
It can be seen in the embodiment of
It will be appreciated that the spool member 12 of the figures is shown with circular sidewalls 18, 20 because their peripheral edges 22, 24 are to slide or move within peripheral grooves 50, 52 of enclosure 14. This is due to the fact that the flexible line is ultimately secured to base axis member 16, and, thus, dispensing line from within enclosed spool 10 requires that spool member 12 rotate within enclosure 14. Non-circular sidewalls would not permit such rotation. In this embodiment, the enclosure members 26 and 28 are shown as being arcuate, but they may be made flexible enough to lie more flat so long as they are made to be capable of forming an enclosure around a the spool member.
In an alternative embodiment, the spool member may be made without circular sidewalls if the enclosed spool is constructed such that the sidewalls of the spool member do not have to rotate relative to the enclosure. This may be accomplished by making the base axis member 16 and the sidewalls 18, 20 of a two part construction. The coil of flexible wound line may be secured about the base axis member either by affixing it thereto or by affixing it to another element that is rotationally iMovable about the base axis member. When pulling on the free end of the flexible line outside of the enclosed spool to unwind the line, the base axis member 16 (or element about the base axis member) rotates, but not the sidewalls. In other words, the flexible line would move rotationally relative to the axis of rotation defined by the base axis member as a desired length of line is unwound therefrom. Again, in such an embodiment, the sidewalls would not move during line dispensing, and virtually any shape of sidewall could be practiced.
In another embodiment, and as suggested above, the spool member could be made to not rotate during dispensing of line by providing a collar member around the base axis member and securing the line to that collar. The collar would rotate about the base axis member, permitting the base axis member to remain stationary while the line moves rotationally relative to the axis of rotation defined by the base axis member.
In one embodiment, dispensing aperture 44 is positioned below a horizontal center line (see axis of rotation A) of enclosed spool 10 when placed on a support surface on support legs 46 (
Essentially any cutting means known in the art may be used to cut the spooled line within the enclosed spool 10. However, referring to
In one embodiment and as shown in
In light of the foregoing, it should thus be evident that the process of the present invention, substantially improves the art of spools for flexible spooling products, and provides particular advantages for storing and dispensing flexible line. While a full and complete description of the invention has been set forth in accordance with the dictates of the patent statutes, it should be understood that modifications can be resorted to without departing from the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. An enclosed spool for flexible wound line comprising:
- a spool member including: a base axis member defining an axis of rotation, and first and second sidewalls spaced apart by said base axis member to provide an axial gap, said first sidewall terminating at a first peripheral edge, and said second circular sidewall terminating at a second peripheral edge;
- flexible line wound about said base axis member;
- an enclosure secured about said first and second peripheral edges and adapted to encase the flexible wound line within a volume defined by said spool member and said enclosure; and
- a dispensing aperture in said enclosure, wherein an end of said flexible line is fed through said dispensing aperture and said flexible line is rotationally movable about said axis of rotation and relative to said enclosure to dispense said flexible line through said dispensing aperture.
2. The enclosed spool of claim 1, wherein said enclosure includes a first peripheral groove receiving said first peripheral edge and a second peripheral groove receiving said second peripheral edge.
3. The enclosed spool of claim 1, wherein said enclosure is formed of first and second enclosure members.
4. The enclosed spool of claim 3, wherein said first enclosure member provides support legs extending therefrom to define a substantially planar profile upon which the enclosed spool can be placed on a surface.
5. The enclosed spool of claim 4, wherein said first enclosure member provides a first portion of a handle and said second enclosure member provides a second portion of said handle, said first and second portions of said handle being joined together.
6. The enclosed spool of claim 5, wherein said first and second portions of said handle are joined through the interaction of male tab members and female port members.
7. The enclosed spool of claim 5, wherein, when the enclosed spool rests on said support legs, said handle is offset from a vertical centerline of the enclosed spool at an angle of from 0 to 45 degrees around the circumference of said enclosure.
8. The enclosed spool of claim 1,wherein said enclosure provides a line dispensing aperture.
9. The enclosed spool of claim 1, further comprising a cutting element.
10. The enclosed spool of claim 9, wherein said cutting element is secured to said enclosure.
11. The enclosed spool of claim 10, wherein said cutting element includes a slot, a cutting blade positioned in said slot, and cutting arm pivotally mounted to pivot toward said cutting blade in said slot.
12. The enclosed spool of claim 1, wherein said base axis member and first and second sidewalls are of one piece construction.
13. The enclosed spool of claim 1, wherein said base axis member and first and second sidewalls are of two-part construction.
14. An enclosed spool for flexible wound line comprising:
- a spool member defining an axial gap;
- flexible line wound within said axial gap;
- at least two enclosure members joining together and encircling the spool member to span across said axial gap such that at least a portion of said flexible line is encased within a volume defined by said spool member and said at least two enclosure members; and
- a dispensing aperture in one of said at least two enclosure members, wherein an end of said flexible line is fed through said dispensing aperture.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 8, 2006
Publication Date: Sep 13, 2007
Inventors: John Yarborough (Columbia, SC), David Skinner (Columbia, SC)
Application Number: 11/371,509
International Classification: B65H 75/32 (20060101);