Knockdown, changeable reel system and method

• US 20030136872A1
• Filed: 03/03/2003
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Petroflex NA Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Petroflex NA Incorporated
• Inventors: Yoast, Thomas L., Weaver, Dustin H.
• Granted Patent: US 6,722,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 242/603
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/51344 Metal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/146 with at least one intermediate flange between the two end flanges
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/20 Skeleton construction, e.g. formed of wire perforated supports for textile materials to be treated D06B23/042
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/2245 connecting flange to hub
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/2254 with particular joining means for releasably connecting parts

Abstract

A reel for use with flaccid material, such as cables, conduits or the like, includes flanges that are connected together by an adjustable hub. The hub is formed of a plurality of crossbeams that are releasably connected to the flanges whereby the reel can be disassembled for shipping and/or storage and re-assembled in a wide variety of configurations to have a variety of hub dimensions and a variety of compartments.

Claims

1. A changeable reel system adapted for receiving a coil of flexible, elongated material, which system comprises:

a plurality of flanges each having a central area, a perimeter element and multiple spokes extending radially from the central area to the perimeter element;

a plurality of crossbeams each having a pair of opposite ends;

a use configuration with said flanges positioned in parallel, spaced relation and forming a compartment therebetween for receiving a material coil;

each said crossbeam extending between a pair of said flanges in said use configuration;

each said crossbeam end being releasably attached to a respective spoke of a corresponding flange in said use configuration; and

a knockdown configuration with said crossbeam ends detached from said spokes.

2. The system according to claim 1, which includes said crossbeam ends being rigidly connected to respective spokes in said use configuration.

3. The system according to claim 1, which includes a plurality of spoke/crossbeam connectors each selectively attaching a respective spoke to a respective crossbeam end.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein each said spoke/crossbeam connector includes:

a projection mounted on a respective crossbeam end or spoke and extending therefrom; and

a receiver mounted on the other of said crossbeam end or spoke and receiving said projection with said reel in said use configuration.

5. The system according to claim 4 wherein each said spoke/crossbeam connector is releasable by moving a respective crossbeam radially outwardly away from said central areas towards said perimeter elements whereby said projections are extracted from said receivers.

6. The system according to claim 5, which includes:

said projections being retained in respective receivers at least partly by said material coiled in said compartment in said use configuration.

7. The system according to claim 4 wherein said projection cooperates with said receiver to restrict relative rotation between said crossbeam and said flange about at least one axis.

8. The system according to claim 7 wherein said projections and said receivers cooperate to rigidly fasten said spokes to said flanges.

9. The system according to claim 1, which includes:

a hub positioned generally coaxially with said flange central areas and comprising multiple said crossbeams extending between said flanges.

10. The system according to claim 9, which includes:

said hub having a cross-sectional diameter; and

said crossbeam ends being adapted for mounting along said spokes at multiple locations whereby said hub diameter is adjustable.

11. A method of handling an elongated, flexible material, which comprises the steps of:

providing first and second flanges each having a central area, a perimeter element and multiple spokes extending radially outwardly from the central area to the perimeter element;

providing multiple crossbeams each having first and second ends;

attaching said crossbeam first ends to respective first flange spokes;

positioning said flanges in approximately parallel, spaced relation with respect to each other;

attaching said crossbeam second ends to respective second flange spokes to place said reel in a use configuration;

forming an annular compartment around said crossbeams and between said flanges;

coiling material in said compartment;

dispensing material from said compartment; and

detaching respective crossbeam ends from respective spokes and thereby disengaging said flanges to place said reel in a knockdown configuration.

12. The method according to claim 11, which includes the additional step of rigidly attaching said crossbeam ends to respective spokes in said use configuration.

13. The method according to claim 11, which includes the additional step of providing a plurality of spoke/crossbeam connectors each selectively attaching a respective spoke to a respective crossbeam end.

14. The method according to claim 13, which includes the additional steps of:

providing each said connector with a projection;

mounting each said projection on a respective crossbeam end or spoke;

extending each said projection from a respective said crossbeam end or spoke;

providing the other of said crossbeam end or spoke with a receiver;

attaching each said crossbeam end to a respective spoke by inserting a respective projection into a respective receiver to place said reel in its use configuration;

forming a hub with multiple said crossbeams and extending said hub between said flange central areas generally coaxially with same;

forming an annular compartment around said hub and between said flanges;

coiling an elongated material around said hub in said compartment;

dispensing said coiled material from said compartment;

detaching said crossbeams from said flanges by extracting said projections from said receivers; and

placing said reel in a knockdown configuration.

15. The method according to claim 14, which includes the additional steps of:

providing multiple attachment locations along said spokes for said crossbeam ends; and

adjusting a diameter of said hub by attaching said crossbeam ends to said spokes and locations corresponding to a respective hub diameter.

16. The method according to claim 11, which includes the additional steps of:

shipping said elongated material coiled on said reel in its use configuration from a source of said elongated material to a customer; and

backhauling said reel in its knockdown configuration.

17. The method according to claim 14, which includes the additional step of at least partly retaining said projections in said receivers by said elongated material wrapped around said hub.

18. The method according to claim 11, which includes the additional steps of:

providing a third flange;

detachably connecting third flange to said second flanges; and

providing a second compartment between said second and third flanges.

19. The method according to claim 14, which includes the additional steps of:

inserting said projections into said receivers by moving said crossbeams radially inwardly; and

extracting said projections from said receivers by moving said crossbeams radially outwardly.

20. A method of handling an elongated, flexible material, which comprises the steps of:

providing first and second flanges each having a central area, a perimeter element and multiple spokes extending radially outwardly from the central area to the perimeter element;

providing multiple crossbeams each having first and second ends;

providing multiple spoke/crossbeam connectors each associated with a respective crossbeam end and spoke;

providing each said connector with a projection;

mounting each said projection on a respective crossbeam end or spoke;

extending each said projection from a respective crossbeam end or spoke;

providing the other of said crossbeam end or spoke with a receiver;

positioning said flanges in approximately parallel, spaced relation with respect to each other;

attaching each said crossbeam end to a respective spoke by inserting a respective projection into a respective receiver to place said reel in its use configuration;

forming a hub with multiple said crossbeams and extending said hub between said flanges generally coaxially with said central areas;

forming an annular compartment around said hub and between said flanges;

coiling an elongated material around said hub in said compartment;

dispensing said coiled material from said compartment;

detaching said crossbeams from said flanges by extracting said projections from said receivers; and

placing said reel in a knockdown configuration.