REEL BASE ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A base assembly for a reel, such as a hose reel, including two cooperating base components joined to one another and supporting a spool assembly. The base components may be identical to one another, and each include a base portion and an upright portion disposed 90° with respect to one another and formed monolithically from a single piece of material such as steel. The base components further include rigidifying structures such as gussets, edge bends, and reinforcement ribs or channels to rigidify the base components against vibration and impact stresses. Each of the base portions includes a connection plate and an offset connection flange, wherein the connection flanges overlap and are secured to respective connection plates when the upright components are mated and secured to one another with one upright component disposed at an orientation rotated 180° with respect to the other. The base assembly may be attached to a surface, such as a floor, wall, or other surface via suitable fasteners, and the connections between the upright components are substantially isolated from vibration and impact stresses imposed upon on the base assembly. In one exemplary embodiment, the connection between base components may be varied to provide modularity to the base assembly. In this embodiment, the base assembly may be configured to support spool assemblies of various dimensions.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under Title 35, U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/734,209, entitled REEL BASE ASSEMBLY, filed on Nov. 7, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to reels for storing hoses, electrical and data cords, ropes, cables, or other items. In particular, the present invention relates to a reel including an improved base assembly.

2. Description of the Related Art

Reels are used to store a variety of flexible elongate items such as hoses for delivering fluids, including water, air, hydraulic fluid, or grease, for example. The hoses may be round or flat in shape, and may also be used in vacuum applications for removing a fluid or a solid substance from a given location. Reels are also used to store other flexible elongate items, such as electrical and data cords, ropes, cables, and the like.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, many known reels include a base assembly 10 to which a spool assembly (not shown) is rotatably mounted. Base assembly 10 typically includes a base plate 12 to which a pair of separate uprights 14 are connected to support the spool assembly. The base plate 10 is mounted to a support surface, such as a floor or a wall, for example, by suitable fasteners (not shown) inserted through mounting holes in base plate 12. Uprights 14 are connected to base plate 10 either by welding, such as along one or more weld beads 16, as shown in FIG. 1, or by separate hardware including fasteners 18, such as bolts and nuts, as shown in FIG. 2.

Although base assemblies of the type shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 have proven to be satisfactorily durable and effective in use, a potential disadvantage of same is that vibration and impact forces originating from the support surface and/or the spool travel through base plate 12 and uprights 14, and tend to produce stress concentrations at the connections of uprights 14 to base plate 12 and, in particular, at weld beads 16 and fasteners 18. For example, “side-to-side” motion from vibration or impact in directions perpendicular to uprights 14, either by itself or in combination with the weight of the spool assembly, and/or other forces from loading imposed on the spool assembly tend to produce the foregoing stress concentrations, which could potentially form cracks in weld beads 16 or could potentially loosen the nuts and bolts of fasteners 18.

What is needed is a base assembly for a reel which is an improvement over the foregoing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a base assembly for a reel, such as a hose reel, including two cooperating base components joined to one another and supporting a spool assembly. The base components may be identical to one another, and each include a base portion and an upright portion disposed 90° with respect to one another and formed monolithically from a single piece of material such as steel. The base components further include rigidifying structures such as gussets, edge bends, and reinforcement ribs or channels to rigidify the base components against vibration and impact stresses. Each of the base portions includes a connection plate and an offset connection flange, wherein the connection flanges overlap and are secured to respective connection plates when the upright components are mated and secured to one another with one upright component disposed at an orientation rotated 180° with respect to the other. The base assembly may be attached to a surface, such as a floor, wall, or other surface via suitable fasteners, and the connections between the upright components are substantially isolated from vibration and impact stresses imposed upon on the base assembly. In one exemplary embodiment, the connection between the base components may be varied to provide modularity to the base assembly. In this embodiment, the base assembly may be configured to support spool assemblies of various dimensions.

In one form thereof, the present invention provides a base assembly for a reel, including a pair of base components, each including a base portion and an upright portion monolithically formed from a single piece of material, the base portions secured to one another in at least one location disposed between the upright portions; and each base component further including at least one fastener-receiving mount structure by which the base component is securable to a surface.

In another form thereof, the present invention provides a base assembly for a reel, including a pair of base components, each including a base portion and an upright portion; first and second sets of holes in each of the base portions, the first sets of holes alignable with one another to define a first width of the base assembly and the second sets of holes alignable with one another to define a second width of the base assembly; and each base component further including at least one fastener-receiving mount structure by which the base component is securable to a surface.

In a further form thereof, the present invention provides a base assembly for a reel, including a pair of base components, each including a base portion and an upright portion; means for selectively connecting the base portions to one another in either of first or second positions to define first and second widths, respectively, of the base assembly; and means for mounting the base components to a surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following descriptions of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a known reel base assembly showing an upright welded to the base plate at a number of weld beads;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of another known reel base assembly showing an upright secured to the base plate with fasteners;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the base components of the reel base assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing two base components connected to one another to form the reel base assembly;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the reel base assembly of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the reel base assembly and the spool assembly;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the reel base assembly, showing the spool assembly rotatably supported by the reel base assembly;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one of the base components of the reel base assembly according to another embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing two base components according to the embodiment of FIG. 8 connected to one another to form the reel base assembly;

FIG. 10 is a bottom perspective view of the reel base assembly of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the reel base assembly of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the reel base assembly of FIG. 9 showing the base components in an alternate configuration;

FIG. 13 is a bottom perspective view of the reel base assembly of FIG. 12; and

FIG. 14 is an exploded view of the reel base assembly of FIG. 12.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 3, one of the two base components 22 of base assembly 20 (FIG. 4) of a reel in accordance with the present invention is shown. As described below and shown in FIGS. 4-7, two identical base components 22 are connected to one another to form base assembly 20, which supports spool assembly 24 (FIGS. 6 and 7) to store and to facilitate the use of a hose, cord, rope, cable, or other flexible elongate item. Although base components 22 are described herein as identical, base components 22 need not be identical, wherein one or both of the base components 22 may include one or more structural features which are different from the other.

Each base component 22 may be formed monolithically from a single piece of metal, such as steel or aluminum, by stamping, punching, and/or bending operations, and generally includes base portion 26 and upright portion 28 oriented approximately 90° with respect to one another. Base portion 26 and upright portion 28 are connected at a bend joint 30, which may include one or more gussets 32 integrally formed therewithin to rigidify the bend joint 30. Upright portion 28 generally extends vertically from base portion 26 and includes one or more rigidifying structural features such as bends 34 along the edges thereof, and a plurality of reinforcement channels or ribs 36 stamped in upright portion 28 to rigidify upright portion 28 and prevent bending and/or twisting of same with respect to base portion 26. Additionally, upright portion 28 includes saddle 38 for rotatably supporting spool assembly 24 (FIGS. 6 and 7) in the manner described below.

Base portion 26 is generally rectangular in shape, and includes a pair of mount structures for receiving fasteners to mount base portion 26 to a suitable support surface, such as a floor, wall, or vehicle, for example. The mount structures may include at least one closed hole 40 disposed on one side of upright portion 28 and at least one open hole or slot 42 disposed on the other side of upright portion 28. Base portion 26 additionally includes connection plate 44 disposed in the same plane as the remainder of base portion 26, and a raised connection flange 46 stamped from base portion 26 and disposed slightly upwardly thereof in an offset orientation with respect to connection plate 44. Connection plate 44 and connection flange 46 may each include one or more holes 48 therein.

Referring to FIG. 3, to form base assembly 20, two base components 22 are oriented with one base component 22 disposed at a 180° rotational position with respect to the other base component 22, and base components 22 are thereafter mated and secured to one another. In this manner, base assembly 20 may advantageously be formed from two identical base components 22, thereby reducing the total number of parts needed to form base assembly 20, and the connection between base components 22 provides accurate and reproducible spacing between upright potions 28 thereof for receipt of spool assembly 24. When base components 22 are oriented with respect to one another as described above, connection flanges 46 overlap respective connection plates 44 of the base components 22 and may be secured to one another via suitable hardware, such as fasteners 49 (FIG. 4), for example bolts, nuts, or rivets, passing through holes 48. Alternatively, base components 22 may be secured to one another via welding, or via connection systems that form fastener-less, rivet-type connections by punching and forming together the material of connection plates 44 and connection flanges 46. In an alternate embodiment, base portions 26 of base components 22 need not overlap with one another, for example, respective edges of base portions of a pair of base components may abut one another and be connected by welding.

Base assembly 20 may be secured to any surface, such as a floor, a wall, a suitable surface on a vehicle, or any other surface, by a plurality of fasteners 50 (FIG. 4) inserted through holes 40 and slots 42 of base components 22. Advantageously, slots 42 allow mounting of base assembly 22 to a non-horizontal surface, such as a wall (not shown), by a single installer. For example, the installer may partially insert a pair of fasteners 50 in the wall, followed by positioning base assembly 22 such that fasteners 50 are slidably received into respective slots 42, which allows base assembly 22 to be temporarily hung from the wall while additional fasteners 50 are inserted through holes 40. Thereafter, each of the fasteners 50 may be tightened to firmly and rigidly mount base assembly 20 to the wall. Alternatively, base components 22 may include only holes 40 or only slots 42 or any desired combination or arrangement of the foregoing.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, spool assembly 24 may be rotatably mounted to base assembly 22 by positioning the ends of axle 54 of spool assembly 24 within saddles 38 of upright portions 28 and securing the same to upright portions 28 using suitable clamps or fasteners. Spool assembly 24 further includes sidewall members 56 connected via central member 58. Axle 54 is positioned through central member 58 and is secured to opposing hubs 60. Hubs 60 are connected to one another by guide bar 62, which supports and directs a hose or other flexible, elongate object positioned on spool assembly 24 during extension and retraction of the same. Spool assembly 24 and base assembly 22 may include additional features such as those described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/446,592, entitled ADJUSTABLE REEL ASSEMBLY, filed on May 28, 2003 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/963,330, entitled MODULAR HOSE REEL, filed on Oct. 12, 2004, each assigned to the assignee of the present invention, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.

Advantageously, in use, the rigid, integral and monolithic connection between base portions 26 and upright portions 28 of upright components 22, as well as gussets 32, edge bends 34, and reinforcement ribs 36 resist vibrational and impact stresses along bend joint 30 between base and upright portions 26, 28, respectively, and also resist twisting or bending of upright portions 28 with respect to base portions 26. The connection of base assembly 20 to a support surface via fasteners 50 also effectively isolates the connections between base components 22 along connection plates 44 and connection flanges 46 such that impact and vibrational stresses are not imposed on the connections between base components 22. The foregoing features provide a base assembly 20 having a rigid structure with enhanced resistance to mechanical stresses and loads imposed thereon by vibration, impact, or other forces, such as “side-to-side” forces perpendicular to upright portions 28, for example, thereby reducing maintenance and/or repair of base assembly 20 and extending useful service life of the reel assembly.

FIGS. 8-12 depict base components 22′ forming base assemblies 20′ according to another exemplary embodiment. Base components 22′ and base assembly 20′ include several features which are identical to base components 22 and base assembly 20 of the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-7, discussed in detail above, and identical reference numerals have been used to indicate identical or substantially identical features therebetween. Referring to FIG. 8, base component 22′ includes base portion 26 and upright portion 28. Base portion 26 includes connection plate 44′ and connection flange 46′. Connection plate 44′ and connection flange 46′ include a first row of holes 48′ positioned along line A, similar to holes 48 of connection plate 44 and connection flange 46 of base component 22. Additionally, connection plate 44′ and connection flange 46′ include a second set or plurality of holes 64 positioned along line B, which is laterally spaced from line A by distance D₁.

Referring to FIGS. 9-11, two base components 22′ are arranged to form base assembly 20′ in a similar manner as base components 22 of FIG. 4. Specifically, base components 22′ are oriented at a 180° angle with respect to one another and holes 48′ of opposing connection plates 44′ and connection flanges 46′ are aligned. With base components 22′ in this position, fasteners 49 may be passed through holes 48′ to secure base components 22′ together to form base assembly 20′. In this configuration, base assembly 20′ has a first width W₁, shown in FIG. 9. A spool assembly, similar to spool assembly 24 of FIGS. 6 and 7, and which is sized to be received within first width W₁, may be rotatably mounted in saddles 38 of upright portions 28.

To accommodate a narrower hose reel assembly, base components 22′ may be configured to vary the width of base assembly 20′. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 12-14, base components 22′ are oriented at a 1800 angle with respect to one another, as described above, and holes 64 of opposing connection plates 44′ and connection flanges 46′ are aligned. With base components 22′ in this position, fasteners 49 may be passed through holes 64 to secure base components 22′ together, forming base assembly 20′ having second width W₂, which is less than first width W₁ by distance D₁ (FIG. 8). A spool assembly, similar to spool assembly 24 of FIGS. 6 and 7, and which is sized to be received within second width W₂, may be rotatably mounted in saddles 38 of upright portions 28.

In another exemplary embodiment, connection plate 44′ and connection flange 46′ may include an additional set or plurality of holes 64. In one exemplary embodiment, the additional set or plurality of holes 64 may be laterally spaced from line B toward upright support 28. In this embodiment, base components 22′ may be configured, in a manner similar to that described above, to accommodate a spool assembly having a width less than second width W₂. Alternatively, in another exemplary embodiment, the additional set or plurality of holes 64 may be laterally spaced from line A away from upright support 28. In this embodiment, base components 22′ may be configured, in a manner similar to that described above, to accommodate a spool assembly having a width greater than first width W₁. In another exemplary embodiment, connection plate 44′ and connection flange 46′ may include more than one additional set or plurality of aligned holes 64.

Advantageously, the inclusion of holes 64 in connection plate 44′ and connection flange 46′ provides modularity to base assemblies 20′. This modularity allows for base assemblies 20′ to accommodate spool assemblies having differing dimensions. For example, as described above, base assemblies 20′ may be configured to accommodate a spool assembly having a first width or, alternative, a spool assembly having a second, different width. Moreover, further sets or pluralities of holes 64 may be added to again increase the modularity of base assemblies 20′, allow base assemblies 20′ to accommodate a multitude of spool assemblies having different dimensions.

While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A base assembly for a reel, comprising:

a pair of base components, each including a base portion and an upright portion monolithically formed from a single piece of material, said base portions secured to one another in at least one location disposed between said upright portions; and

each said base component further including at least one fastener-receiving mount structure by which said base component is securable to a surface.

2. The base assembly of claim 1, wherein said pair of base components are identical, one of said base components oriented at an angle of 180° with respect to the other of said base components.

3. The base assembly of claim 1, wherein each of said base portions includes a connection plate and a connection flange, said connection flange disposed in an offset relationship with respect to said connection plate, said connection flanges overlapping said connection plates when said base components are secured to one another.

4. The base assembly of claim 1, wherein each of said connection plate and said connection flange includes at least one first hole, said first holes disposed along a first line, and each of said connection plate and said connection flange further includes at least one second hole, said second holes disposed along a second line laterally spaced with respect to said first line, whereby said first and second sets of holes are respectively alignable with one another to vary the width of said base assembly.

5. The base assembly of claim 1, wherein each of said base components includes at least one gusset monolithically formed between said base portion and said upright portion thereof.

6. The base assembly of claim 1, wherein each of said upright portions further includes at least one reinforcement structural component selected from the group consisting of edge bends, ribs, and channels.

7. The base assembly of claim 1, wherein said mount structure comprises:

at least one closed hole in each said base component; and

at least one open slot in each said base component.

8. A base assembly for a reel, comprising:

a pair of base components, each including a base portion and an upright portion;

first and second sets of holes in each of said base portions, said first sets of holes alignable with one another to define a first width of said base assembly and said second sets of holes alignable with one another to define a second width of said base assembly; and

each said base component further including at least one fastener-receiving mount structure by which said base component is securable to a surface.

9. The base assembly of claim 8, wherein said pair of base components are identical, one of said base components oriented at an angle of 1800 with respect to the other of said base components.

10. The base assembly of claim 8, wherein said base portion and upright portion of each of said base components are monolithically formed from a single piece of material.

11. The base assembly of claim 8, wherein each of said base portions includes a connection plate and a connection flange, said connection flange disposed in an offset relationship with respect to said connection plate, said connection flanges overlapping said connection plates when said base components are secured to one another.

12. The base assembly of claim 8, wherein said mount structure comprises:

at least one closed hole in each said base component; and

at least one open slot in each said base component.

13. A base assembly for a reel, comprising:

a pair of base components, each including a base portion and an upright portion;

means for selectively connecting said base portions to one another in either of first or second positions to define first and second widths, respectively, of said base assembly; and

means for mounting said base components to a surface.

14. The base assembly of claim 13, wherein said means for selectively connecting said base portions to one another comprises first and second sets of holes in each of said base portions of said base components, said first sets of holes alignable with one another to define a first width of said base assembly and said second sets of holes alignable with one another to define a second width of said base assembly.

15. The base assembly of claim 13, wherein said means for mounting said base components to a surface comprises a combination of holes and slots in said base portions of said base components.

16. The base assembly of claim 13, wherein said pair of base components are identical, one of said base components oriented at an angle of 1800 with respect to the other of said base components.

17. The base assembly of claim 13, wherein said base portion and upright portion of each of said base components are monolithically formed from a single piece of material.