Cable Reel and Reel Carrying Caddy

• US 20130087652A1
• Filed: 10/05/2012
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perfectvision Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Perfectvision Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Chastain, Robert J., Carter, James S., Shaw, Glen David, Bowen, Chrispin A., McDonald, Denton, Kelly, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,908,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 242/588.3
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/534 Stackable or interlockable reels or parts of reels
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 49/205 Hand-held or portable dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 49/322 Enclosing boxes with supporting means for the package or reel during unwinding
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 49/325 Arrangements or adaptations for supporting the shafts, e.g. saddle type shaft bearings
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 49/328 Arrangements or adaptations for stacking
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/185 End caps, plugs or adapters
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/30 Arrangements to facilitate driving or braking

Abstract

A resilient cable caddy comprising a portable housing for storing reels of cable that has a lower base with a hinged top forming an enclosure for the reel. A reel of cable is rotatably mounted within the interior. A handle formed by abutting base and top portions enables carrying. Each reel comprises a spool with a central axle coupled at each end to spaced apart end caps, being retained by mounting rings. The spindles have bearing rings journalled to bearing races defined in the end caps. Both spindles comprise hubs disposed within case gudgeons. A two-piece spindle has a removable hub portion fitted to an internal socket. When reels are transported they may be stacked vertically atop one another with the one piece spindle engaging the empty and exposed spindle hub socket of an upper reel. Caddies may also be opened and stacked vertically for transportation

Claims

1. A caddy system for enclosing, transporting and dispensing cable, wire or other filamentary material, the caddy system comprising:

a base adapted to be disposed upon a supporting surface, the base comprising integral front and rear panels, a pair of integral, spaced apart end panels, and an interior defined between said front and rear and end panels;

a top coupled to said base for enclosing said interior;

a gudgeon defined in each of said end panels; and

,

a reel adapted to be rotatably disposed within said base, the reel comprising;

a spool upon which said cable, wire or other filamentary material is wound;

a pair of spaced apart end caps coupled to said spool; and

,

a pair of spindles, each spindle comprising a bearing portion coupled to an end cap and a hub nested within a gudgeon.

2. The caddy system as defined in claim 1 wherein an axle extends coaxially through said spool between said end caps.

3. The caddy system as defined in claim 2 wherein each end cap comprises:

coupling rings on a first end for mating with ends of said axle; and

,

a bearing race on an opposite end engaged by said spindle bearing portions.

4. The caddy system as defined in claim 3 wherein said axle ends include projecting notches that register with locks defined in said coupling rings.

5. The caddy system as defined in claim 3 wherein at least one of said spindles is multi-piece and comprises a user-removable hub.

6. The caddy system as defined in claim 5 wherein:

said multi-piece spindle comprises a bearing portion and a key removably fitted to said bearing portion;

said bearing portion comprises a socket; and

,

said key comprises a hub adapted to be selectively fitted to a case gudgeon, and a plug associated with the hub that removably mates within said socket.

7. The caddy system as defined in claim 6 wherein, when said reel is removed from said caddy, and said removable spindle hub is removed and said socket is exposed, reels may be axially vertically stacked with other reels with a hub projecting from one reel spindle engaging an exposed socket of another reel whose removable hub has been withdrawn.

8. The caddy system as defined in claim 5 wherein said multi-piece spindle is configured as a security key to fit only within a specially configured caddy gudgeon.

9. The caddy system as defined in claim 5 wherein a hub removably connected to said multi-piece spindle is configured as a security key to fit only within a specially configured caddy gudgeon or hub socket.

10. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein a button in said base mates with a similarly contoured, complementary opening formed in said top to form a latch to close said caddy system.

11. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said top comprises a cable dispensing mouth, and said mouth has a periphery formed by generally cylindrical cross-section.

12. A reel for transporting and dispensing cable, wire or other filamentary material, the reel adapted to be rotatably disposed within a container comprising an interior and a pair of spaced apart gudgeons, said reel comprising:

a spool upon which said cable, wire or other filamentary material is wound;

a pair of spaced apart end caps coupled to said spool;

an axle extending coaxially through said spool between said end caps;

a pair of spindles, each spindle comprising a bearing portion coupled to an end cap and a hub adapted to be received within a complementary gudgeon; and

,

wherein at least one of said spindle hubs is removable from said spindle.

13. The reel as defined in claim 12 wherein each end cap comprises coupling rings on a first end for mating with ends of said axle;

and, each end cap comprises a bearing race on an opposite end engaged by said spindle bearing portions.

14. The reel as defined in claim 13 wherein said axle ends include projecting notches that register with locks defined in said coupling rings.

15. The reel as defined in claim 12 wherein at least one of the spindles comprises a removable spindle hub.

16. The reel as defined in claim 15 wherein, when said reel is removed from said caddy, and said removable spindle hub is removed and said hub socket is exposed, reels may be axially vertically stacked with other reels with a hub projecting from one reel spindle engaging an exposed socket of another reel whose removable hub has been withdrawn.

17. The reel as defined in claim 15 wherein said removable spindle hub is configured as a security key to fit only within a specially configured hub socket.

18. The reel as defined in claim 15 wherein said removable hub is configured as a security key to fit only within a specially configured gudgeon.

19. A package for containing wire, coaxial cable, or other filamentary materials, the package comprising:

a carrying caddy comprising;

a base adapted to be disposed upon a supporting surface, the base comprising integral front and rear panels, a pair of integral, spaced apart end panels, an interior defined between said front and rear and end panels;

a top hinged to said base for enclosing said interior;

a gudgeon defined in each of said base end panels;

a reel adapted to be rotatably disposed within said base, the reel comprising;

a spool comprising an axle upon which said cable, wire or other filamentary material is wound;

a pair of spaced apart end caps coupled to said spool;

wherein said axle extends coaxially through said spool between said end caps;

a pair of spindles, each spindle comprising a bearing portion coupled to an end cap and a hub nested within a gudgeon; and

,

wherein said top comprises a mouth through which the spool contents are discharged.

20. The package as defined in claim 19 wherein each end cap comprises:

coupling rings on a first end for mating with ends of said axle; and

,

a bearing race on an opposite end engaged by said spindle bearing portions.

21. The package as defined in claim 20 wherein said axle ends include projecting notches that register with locks defined in said coupling rings.

22. The package as defined in claim 19 wherein at least one of said spindles comprises a removable hub.

23. The package as defined in claim 22 wherein said removable spindle hub fits within a hub socket defined in the spindle bearing portion.

24. The package as defined in claim 22 wherein, when said reel is removed from said caddy, and said removable spindle hub is removed and said socket is exposed, reels may be axially vertically stacked with other reels with a hub projecting from one reel spindle engaging an exposed socket of another reel whose removable hub has been withdrawn.

25. The package as defined in claim 22 wherein said removable hub is configured as a security key to fit only within a specially configured caddy gudgeon.

26. The package as defined in claim 22 wherein said removable hub is configured as a security key to fit only within a specially configured hub socket.