Systems and methods for spooling and unspooling linear material
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A reel apparatus with strain relief, the reel apparatus comprising:
- a rotatable spool member configured to unwind a linear material as the rotatable spool member rotates in an unspooling direction;
a motor configured to rotate the rotatable spool member in the unspooling direction; and
a controller configured to;
detect that an amount of the linear material unwound from the rotatable spool member satisfies a threshold; and
in response to detecting that the amount of the linear material unwound from the rotatable spool member satisfies the threshold, cause rotation of the rotatable spool member to stop so as to ensure that a proximal end portion of the linear material is wound around the rotatable spool member.
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods are disclosed related to spooling and unspooling linear material. Such apparatus and methods can assist the user in deploying and/or retracting linear material.
97 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A reel apparatus with strain relief, the reel apparatus comprising:
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a rotatable spool member configured to unwind a linear material as the rotatable spool member rotates in an unspooling direction; a motor configured to rotate the rotatable spool member in the unspooling direction; and a controller configured to; detect that an amount of the linear material unwound from the rotatable spool member satisfies a threshold; and in response to detecting that the amount of the linear material unwound from the rotatable spool member satisfies the threshold, cause rotation of the rotatable spool member to stop so as to ensure that a proximal end portion of the linear material is wound around the rotatable spool member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A reel apparatus comprising:
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a rotatable spool member configured to unwind a linear material as the rotatable spool member rotates in an unspooling direction; a motor configured to rotate the rotatable spool member in the unspooling direction; one or more sensors configured generate an indicator of rotation of the rotatable spool member, and a controller configured to; obtain a motor signal indicative of a torque that is exerted upon the rotatable spool member and not produced by the motor; cause the one or more sensors to activate in response to sensing that the motor signal satisfies a motor signal threshold; detect that an amount of the linear material unwound from the rotatable spool member satisfies a threshold; and in response to detecting that the amount of the linear material unwound from the rotatable spool member satisfies the threshold, cause a rate at which the linear material is unwound from the rotatable spool member to be reduced. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 12)
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11. A method comprising:
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controlling a motor to rotate a rotatable spool member so as to cause a linear material to unwind from around the rotatable spool member; detecting that an amount of the linear material unwound from the rotatable spool member satisfies a threshold while the linear material is being unwound from around the rotatable spool member; and in response to said detecting that the amount of the linear material unwound from the rotatable spool member satisfies the threshold, stopping rotation of the rotatable spool member so as to ensure that a proximal end portion of the linear material is wound around the rotatable spool member.
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13. A reel apparatus comprising:
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a spool member configured to rotate bidirectionally to spool and unspool the linear material with respect to the spool member; a motor configured to rotate the spool member; one or more sensors configured to generate an indicator of rotation of the spool member; and a controller configured to; obtain a motor signal indicative of a tension of the linear material, wherein the motor signal is indicative of a torque that is exerted upon the spool member, and wherein the torque is not produced by the motor; and cause the one or more sensors to activate in response to detecting that the motor signal satisfies a threshold. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification