MODULAR REEL ASSEMBLY
A modular reel assembly for winding, dispensing, transporting, or storing hose, cord, or cable, is provided. Such a reel comprises of a pair of substantially similar polymeric support endplates and a pair of substantially similar polymeric spool endplates. The substantially similar support endplates are connected by at least one support endplate connecting member defining a predetermined support assembly width. The substantially similar spool endplates are connected by at least one spool endplate connecting member defining a predetermined spool assembly width. The modular reel assembly can thus be adjusted to particular discrete spool assembly and support assembly widths through appropriately selected interchangeable spool endplate and support endplate connecting members.
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Embodiments of the present invention relate to reels and, more particularly, to a modular reel assembly for winding, dispensing, transporting, or storing hose, cord, or cable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONLong elongate flexible items such as hose, cord, or cable are often stored on a reel. Such reels typically include a spool portion supported by a support structure. The spool portion is typically configured to be rotated relative to the support structure in order to take up or dispense the hose, cord, or cable, which is wound around the spool portion of the reel.
Such reels can be used in many different industries and environments, and for many different applications. For example, reels are used often in the landscaping industry for hoses used for water or chemical treatment, in the lubrication industry for hoses used for dispensing lubricants, or in the utility industry for cable. Reels for holding hose, cord, or cable may be configured to be mounted on a wall, on the floor, on the ceiling, or on a cart, trailer, or other vehicle. Reels can also be found in the landscaping, firefighting, utility, or fuel industries, typically mounted to a vehicle. The reels may further be configured to have one spool or multiple spools disposed adjacent to one another. Many reels are stored outdoors or are otherwise subject to harsh or hazardous environments. For example, reels for hoses used to transport water or chemicals usually come into contact with the water or chemicals, thereby possibly leading to corrosion of reel components.
In some instances, reels may be constructed of steel or another metal. The metallic components of the reel may be painted or otherwise coated to provide protection from water or harmful chemicals, to make the reel more esthetically pleasing, or to provide a warning that the reel may hold a hose or cable containing harmful chemicals, gases, or electricity. However, due to the service environment or the particular use of the reel, the coating may chip or peel, thereby exposing the metallic components to the environment and leading to corrosion or other degradation. Reels having metallic components may also be heavy, which may not be desirable if the reel is intended to be portable or is intended to be mounted on a wall, ceiling, or vehicle.
In some instances, reels may be configured for a specific application and, as such, are usually not readily adaptable to other applications. Furthermore, a manufacturer may only offer a few different size or capacity reels which may also be less than desirable from a flexibility standpoint, since the appropriate reel size depends, for example, on the length, diameter, and/or flexibility of the hose, cord, or cable, which all may vary greatly from application to application. In some instance, the reel may have an application-specific support structure and, thus, may not be flexible with respect to the size or configuration of the support structure to meet other applications. For example, if the reel includes a motor for rotatably driving the spool, the location of the motor is usually fixed, which may be a problem for the user depending on the space constraints dictated by where the user wants to mount the reel.
Thus, there exists a need for a reel that is durable, lightweight, and readily adaptable to various applications, but also economical and easily assembled. Such a reel should desirably be configured to allow for flexibility and/or customization as to size (of the support structure and/or spool capacity), configuration, color, mounting requirements, and spool rotatability configurations. Such a reel should also desirably be suitable for use in harsh environments where moisture and/or hazardous chemicals may be present.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe above and other needs are met by the present invention which, according to one aspect, provides a reel for winding, dispensing, transporting, or storing hose, cord, or cable. Such a reel comprises a support assembly including a pair of substantially similar opposed planar support endplates comprised of a polymeric material. At least one first elongate support endplate connecting member having opposed ends extends lengthwise between the opposed support endplates. Each of the at least one first support endplate connecting members has a first defined support endplate connecting element disposed about each end thereof and separated by a first predetermined support assembly width. The first defined support endplate connecting elements are configured to engage the opposed support endplates such that the support endplates are separated by the first predetermined support assembly width. At least one second elongate support endplate connecting member having opposed ends is configured to be interchangeable with the at least one first support endplate connecting member. Each of the at least one second support endplate connecting members has a second defined support endplate connecting element disposed about each end thereof and separated by a second predetermined support assembly width, different from the first predetermined support assembly width. The second defined support endplate connecting elements are configured to engage the opposed support endplates such that the support endplates are separated by the second predetermined support assembly width. A spool assembly is operably engaged with the support assembly, between the support endplates thereof, such that the spool assembly is rotatably supported by the support assembly. Such a spool assembly comprises a pair of substantially similar opposed planar spool endplates comprised of a polymeric material. At least one first elongate spool endplate connecting member having opposed ends extends lengthwise between the opposed spool endplates. Each of the at least one first spool endplate connecting members has a first defined spool endplate connecting element disposed about each end thereof and separated by a first predetermined spool assembly width. The first defined spool endplate connecting elements are configured to engage the opposed spool endplates such that the spool endplates are separated by the first predetermined spool assembly width and cooperate to define an axis extending therebetween. The spool assembly is supported along the axis by the support assembly, when the spool assembly is operably engaged therewith, such that the spool assembly is rotatable about the axis. At least one second elongate spool endplate connecting member having opposed ends is configured to be interchangeable with the at least one first spool endplate connecting member. Each of the at least one second spool endplate connecting members has a second defined spool endplate connecting element disposed about each end thereof and separated by a second predetermined spool assembly width, different from the first predetermined spool assembly width. The second defined spool endplate connecting elements are configured to engage the opposed spool endplates such that the spool endplates are separated by the second predetermined spool assembly width.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a reel for winding, dispensing, transporting, or storing hose, cord, or cable, wherein the reel comprises a spool assembly rotatably supported by a support assembly. Such a method comprises connecting at least one first elongate support endplate connecting member lengthwise between a pair of substantially similar opposed planar support endplates, wherein the support endplates are comprised of a polymeric material. The at least one first elongate support endplate connecting member has opposed ends, each having a first defined support endplate connecting element disposed thereabout so as to be separated by a first predetermined support assembly width. The first defined support endplate connecting elements are configured to engage the opposed support endplates such that the support endplates are separated by the first predetermined support assembly width, and are interchangeable with at least one second elongate support endplate connecting member having opposed ends, each having a second defined support endplate connecting element disposed thereabout so as to be separated by a second predetermined support assembly width, different from the first predetermined support assembly width. The second defined support endplate connecting elements are configured to engage the opposed support endplates such that the support endplates are separated by the second predetermined support assembly width. At least one first elongate spool endplate connecting member is connected lengthwise between a pair of substantially similar opposed planar spool endplates, wherein the spool endplates are comprised of a polymeric material. The at least one first spool endplate connecting member has opposed ends each having a first defined spool endplate connecting element disposed thereabout so as to be separated by a first predetermined spool assembly width. The first defined spool endplate connecting elements are configured to engage the opposed spool endplates such that the spool endplates are separated by the first predetermined spool assembly width, and are interchangeable with at least one second elongate spool endplate connecting member having opposed ends, each having a second defined spool endplate connecting element disposed thereabout so as to be separated by a second predetermined spool assembly width, different from the first predetermined spool assembly width. The second defined spool endplate connecting elements are configured to engage the opposed spool endplates such that the spool endplates are separated by the second predetermined spool assembly width. The at least one first and second spool endplate connecting members are each configured to connect the opposed spool endplates such that the spool endplates cooperate to define an axis extending therebetween. The spool assembly is then operably engaged with the support assembly such that the spool assembly is supported along the axis by the support assembly and is rotatable about the axis.
Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention provide significant advantages, as discussed herein in further detail.
Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
The support assembly 110 comprises two opposing support endplates 120 connected by elongate support endplate connecting members 130. In one exemplary embodiment, the two opposing support endplates 120 are generally planar, and are substantially similar. That is, in some instances, a single support endplate configuration is capable of being used as either or both of the two opposing support endplates 120 of the support assembly 110. According to one advantageous aspect, the single support endplate configuration is used as both of the two opposing support endplates 120. The elongate support endplate connecting members 130 may be, for example, generally cylindrical and are attached at each opposing end thereof to one of the two opposing support endplates 120. In one embodiment, the support endplates 120 each define apertures 122 configured to receive the ends of the support endplate connecting members 130 for connecting the support endplate connecting members 130 to the support endplates 120. The support endplate connecting members 130 cooperate with the support endplates 120 to define a predetermined support assembly width W1, which is defined herein as the distance between the support endplates 120. The support endplates 120, the support endplate connecting members 130, and the manner in which the support endplate connecting members 130 are connected to the support endplates 120, are discussed in greater detail herein, for example, with reference to
The spool assembly 10 is similarly comprised of two opposing spool endplates 20 connected by elongate spool endplate connecting members 30. In one exemplary embodiment, the two opposing spool endplates are generally planar, and are substantially similar. That is, in some instances, a single spool endplate configuration is capable of being used as either or both of the two opposing spool endplates 20 of the spool assembly 10. According to one advantageous aspect, the single spool endplate configuration is used as both of the two opposing spool endplates 20. The elongate spool endplate connecting members 30 may be, for example, generally cylindrical and are attached at each opposing end thereof to one of the two opposing spool endplates 20. In one embodiment, the spool endplates 20 each define apertures 22 configured to receive the ends of the spool endplate connecting members 30 for connecting the spool endplate connecting members 30 to the spool endplates 20. The spool endplate connecting members 30 cooperate with the spool endplates 20 to define a support surface between the two spool endplates 20 for supporting the hose, cord, or cable, and further determine the spool assembly width W2, which is defined herein as the distance between the spool endplates 20. The spool endplates 20, the spool endplate connecting members 30, and the manner in which the spool endplate connecting members 30 are connected to the spool endplates 20, are discussed in greater detail herein, for example, with reference to
As shown in
The spool assembly 10 is assembled with the support assembly 110 to form the reel 1, wherein the reel 1 may further include a mechanism for driving the rotation of the spool assembly 10 relative to the support assembly 110. In some instances, the drive mechanism for the reel 1 may be actuated to rotate the spool assembly 10 in a first direction in order to wind the hose, cord, or cable onto the spool assembly 10. The drive mechanism may also be actuated to rotate the spool assembly 10 in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, in order to dispense the hose, cord, or cable that is already wound onto the spool assembly 10.
The motor driven system of
In the embodiment illustrated by
Although not shown in the figures, the support assembly 110 may comprise various other apertures or structures such as structures for mounting the support assembly to a vehicle, a floor, the ground, a wall, a ceiling, a set of wheels, etc. Such structures may be molded into the support assembly 110 or may be separate structures that can be attached to the support endplates 120 or support endplate connecting members 130.
The spool endplates 20 may also define apertures 23 for fastening the axles 40 and 41 to the spool endplates 20. In addition, the spool endplates 20 may further define a circular aperture 42 disposed about the center of the endplates 20 so that the axles 40 and 41 may pass therethrough. The apertures 42 may also be used to pass a pipe, hose, or cable therethrough as an extension or connection from one end of the hose, cord, or cable wound on the spool assembly 10, to one end of an external hose, cord, or cable. In instances where the reel 1 is configured for storing a hose, one of the axles 41 may comprise a pipe 50 used to connect one end of the hose wound on the reel 1 to one end of an external hose or pipe. In one embodiment, the end of the pipe 52 that extends out from the support assembly 110 may comprises a rotatable coupling for removably attaching an external hose or pipe to the end of the pipe 52 so that, when the axle 41 rotates with the spool assembly 10, the external hose or pipe connected to the end 52 of the pipe is not also required to rotate. If the reel 1 is configured for storing electrical or other cable, the reel 1 may comprise a cable extension having the appropriate connectors. In some embodiments, however, no such extension or connector is implemented, and the cord or cable is simply wound about the spool assembly 10.
The spool endplates 20 further define apertures 22 for connecting the spool endplate connecting members 30 to the spool endplates 20. The apertures 22 are spaced about the spool endplate 20, in some instances at equal distances from the center of the spool endplate 20, so that when the spool endplate connecting members 30 are engaged with the apertures 22, the spool endplate connecting members 30 cooperate to define a support structure for supporting the hose, cord, or cable. Although not shown in the figures, the spool endplates 20 may further define other apertures that cooperate to define generally concentric perimeters with respect to the perimeter defined by the illustrated apertures 22. These additional apertures could also be used for connecting the spool endplate connecting members 30 to the spool endplates 20. Such a configuration may allow the dimensions of the support surface to be appropriately varied by moving the spool endplate connecting members 30 from one set of the apertures 22 to another set of concentric apertures defined by the spool endplates 20. In one embodiment, the apertures 22 are used both to connect the spool endplate connecting members 30 and the sprockets 60 and 62 of the drive mechanism to the spool endplates 20. The details of such a connection are described in greater detail below in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. In another embodiment (not shown), other apertures or structures are defined by the spool endplates 20 for attaching the sprockets 60 and 62 or other items to the spool endplates 20.
In some instances, the spool endplates 20 may further comprise at least one circular step portion 21 that extends inwardly toward the center of the spool assembly 10. These step portions 21 may function, for example, to partially support at least a portion of the wound hose, cord, or cable. In addition, the outward face of the spool endplate 20 may define at least one recess 24. This recess 24 may provide, for instance, a space for receiving the sprocket 62 used in the hand crank drive system. If a motor-driven drive system is used in the reel 1, spacers 25 may be used for separating the sprocket 61 from the side of the spool endplate 20 to allow sufficient room for the chain 65 to pass over the sprocket 60 and around the motor sprocket 161. Such steps and recesses may further add structural integrity to the spool endplates 20. In other embodiments, however, the spool endplates 20 do not have any step or recess.
The connecting elements may comprise, for example, threaded end portions 231 of the connecting member 230, wherein the threaded end portions 231 may be configured to operably engage a complementary threaded securing member 240.
One skilled in the art will thus appreciate that embodiments of the present invention facilitates adjustability of the width of the support assembly 110 and/or the spool assembly 10, by changing the connecting members 230, as appropriate. That is, various sets of connecting members 230 may be formed, with each set having a different length W of the medial portion 232 between the threaded end portions 231 of the connecting member 230, whereby the width of the support and/or spool assemblies 110, 10 can be readily varied to meet the requirements of a particular application. This adjustability may be advantageous since the support assembly 110 can be readily adjusted to suit mounting constraints and support needs, while the spool assembly 10 can be readily adjusted to suit size constraints and spool capacity needs. Similarly, for instance, the material used for the connecting members 230 or the gauge of the connecting members 230 may be varied depending upon the strength requirements or weight constraints for the reel 1. Thus, the reel 1 can be readily customized by changing the connecting members 230.
For example,
In one embodiment, the tubular inserts 246 are molded into the polymeric endplates 120 at the time the endplates 120 are molded. In such an embodiment, the molded-in inserts 246 define the endplate apertures 122 configured to receive the ends of the support endplate connecting members 130 for connecting the support endplate connecting members 130 to the support endplates 120. Although
One skilled in the art will thus appreciate that embodiments of the present invention provide an improved reel that may provide a strong, durable, corrosion resistant, lightweight, modular and customizable reel that is relatively easy to manufacture and assemble. For example, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a supply of substantially similar polymeric spool endplates can be made from a first mold and a supply of substantially similar polymeric support endplates can be made from a second mold, with both supplies of endplates being manufactured with a single rotomolding machine. A supply of substantially similar endplate connecting members, varying in length (and/or width), can also be manufactured for use as spool endplate connecting members 30 and/or support endplate connecting members 130.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
Claims
1. A reel for winding, dispensing, transporting, or storing hose, cord, or cable, the reel comprising:
- a support assembly comprising: a pair of substantially similar opposed planar support endplates comprised of a polymeric material; at least one first elongate support endplate connecting member having opposed ends and extending lengthwise between the opposed support endplates, each of the at least one first support endplate connecting members having a first defined support endplate connecting element disposed about each end thereof and separated by a first predetermined support assembly width, the first defined support endplate connecting elements being configured to engage the opposed support endplates such that the support endplates are separated by the first predetermined support assembly width; and at least one second elongate support endplate connecting member having opposed ends and configured to be interchangeable with the at least one first support endplate connecting member, each of the at least one second support endplate connecting members having a second defined support endplate connecting element disposed about each end thereof and separated by a second predetermined support assembly width different from the first predetermined support assembly width, the second defined support endplate connecting elements being configured to engage the opposed support endplates such that the support endplates are separated by the second predetermined support assembly width; and
- a spool assembly operably engaged with the support assembly, between the support endplates thereof, such that the spool assembly is rotatably supported by the support assembly, the spool assembly comprising: a pair of substantially similar opposed planar spool endplates comprised of a polymeric material; at least one first elongate spool endplate connecting member having opposed ends and extending lengthwise between the opposed spool endplates, each of the at least one first spool endplate connecting members having a first defined spool endplate connecting element disposed about each end thereof and separated by a first predetermined spool assembly width, the first defined spool endplate connecting elements being configured to engage the opposed spool endplates such that the spool endplates are separated by the first predetermined spool assembly width and cooperate to define an axis extending therebetween, the spool assembly being supported along the axis by the support assembly, when the spool assembly is operably engaged therewith, such that the spool assembly is rotatable about the axis; and at least one second elongate spool endplate connecting member having opposed ends and configured to be interchangeable with the at least one first spool endplate connecting member, each of the at least one second spool endplate connecting members having a second defined spool endplate connecting element disposed about each end thereof and separated by a second predetermined spool assembly width different from the first predetermined spool assembly width, the second defined spool endplate connecting elements being configured to engage the opposed spool endplates such that the spool endplates are separated by the second predetermined spool assembly width.
2. A reel according to claim 1, wherein one of the support endplates and spool endplates is comprised of a rotomolded polymeric material.
3. A reel according to claim 1, wherein one of the support endplates and spool endplates comprises a polyurethane foam core.
4. A reel according to claim 1, wherein the connecting members are comprised of a metallic material.
5. A reel according to claim 1, wherein the first and second predetermined support assembly widths and the first and second predetermined spool assembly widths are nonadjustable.
6. A reel according to claim 1, wherein the first elongate support endplate connecting member, the second elongate support endplate connecting member, the first elongate spool endplate connecting member, and the second elongate spool endplate connecting member have substantially similar cross-sections.
7. A reel according to claim 1, wherein each support endplate defines an aperture configured to receive at least a portion of one of the support endplate connecting elements of one of the support endplate connecting members.
8. A reel according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the support endplates comprises a mount configured to receive at least one of a motor and a manual crank, the at least one of the motor and the manual crank being configured to operably engage the spool assembly so as to provide rotation thereof about the axis and with respect to the support assembly.
9. A reel according to claim 1, further comprising a bearing and an axle operably engaged between the support assembly and the spool assembly and cooperable to allow the spool assembly to be rotatable about the axis and with respect to the support assembly, one of the bearing and the axle being coupled to one of the support endplates, and the other of the bearing and the axle being coupled to one of the spool endplates.
10. A reel according to claim 1, further comprising a guide member operably engaged with the support assembly and adapted to guide one of a hose, a cord, and a cable therethrough to be wound onto the spool assembly.
11. A reel according to claim 1, further comprising:
- a gear mounted to one of the spool endplates; and
- a drive mechanism operatively coupled to the gear and configured to drive the spool assembly to rotate about the axis of the spool assembly.
12. A reel according to claim 7, wherein the aperture is configured to receive the connecting element of a connecting member, the connecting element comprising a threaded end portion of the connecting member, with opposing threaded end portions being separated by an unthreaded medial portion of the connecting member and the medial portion having a greater diameter than the end portions, the connecting element being configured to be operably engaged by a complementarily-threaded securing member so as to secure the support endplate between the unthreaded medial portion of the connecting member and the securing member.
13. A reel assembly according to claim 1, wherein one of the support endplates and spool endplates is comprised of a molded polymeric material, and wherein the one of the support endplates and spool endplates comprises a tubular insert operably engaged with and extending axially through the polymeric material, the tubular insert being configured to receive at least a portion of one of the support endplate and spool endplate connecting elements of one of the support endplate and spool endplate connecting members.
14. A method of manufacturing a reel for winding, dispensing, transporting, or storing hose, cord, or cable, the reel comprising a spool assembly rotatably supported by a support assembly, the method comprising:
- connecting at least one first elongate support endplate connecting member lengthwise between a pair of substantially similar opposed planar support endplates, the support endplates being comprised of a polymeric material, and the at least one first elongate support endplate connecting member having opposed ends each having a first defined support endplate connecting element disposed thereabout so as to be separated by a first predetermined support assembly width, the first defined support endplate connecting elements being configured to engage the opposed support endplates such that the support endplates are separated by the first predetermined support assembly width, and being interchangeable with at least one second elongate support endplate connecting member having opposed ends each having a second defined support endplate connecting element disposed thereabout so as to be separated by a second predetermined support assembly width different from the first predetermined support assembly width, the second defined support endplate connecting elements being configured to engage the opposed support endplates such that the support endplates are separated by the second predetermined support assembly width;
- connecting at least one first elongate spool endplate connecting member lengthwise between a pair of substantially similar opposed planar spool endplates, the spool endplates being comprised of a polymeric material, and the at least one first spool endplate connecting member having opposed ends each having a first defined spool endplate connecting element disposed thereabout so as to be separated by a first predetermined spool assembly width, the first defined spool endplate connecting elements being configured to engage the opposed spool endplates such that the spool endplates are separated by the first predetermined spool assembly width, and being interchangeable with at least one second elongate spool endplate connecting member having opposed ends each having a second defined spool endplate connecting element disposed thereabout so as to be separated by a second predetermined spool assembly width different from the first predetermined spool assembly width, the second defined spool endplate connecting elements being configured to engage the opposed spool endplates such that the spool endplates are separated by the second predetermined spool assembly width, the at least one first and second spool endplate connecting members each being configured to connect the opposed spool endplates such that the spool endplates cooperate to define an axis extending therebetween; and
- operably engaging the spool assembly with the support assembly such that the spool assembly is supported along the axis by the support assembly and is rotatable about the axis.
15. A method according to claim 14 further comprising forming at least one of the support endplates and the spool endplates from the polymeric material using a rotomolding process about a polyurethane foam core.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 27, 2006
Publication Date: Jan 31, 2008
Applicant: Alemite LLC (Fort mill, SC)
Inventors: Erik Leonard (Johnson City, TN), William P. Sumner (Kingsport, TN)
Application Number: 11/460,569
International Classification: B65H 75/44 (20060101);