Boxed pay-out reel for optic fiber cable or wire or the like, with smooth pay-out, high-impact and cable end holding features
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a spool assembly having first and second flanges;
first and second end plates supporting respective ends of the spool assembly to allow rotation of the spool assembly;
means for maintaining the first and second flanges of the spool assembly in a spaced relationship from plate surfaces of the first and second end plates; and
a box enclosing the spool assembly and the first and second end plates;
the first and second end plates having openings aligned with openings in the box, to provide handholds for a user.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A boxed spool assembly of the present invention includes a spool assembly, a pair of end plates for supporting the spool assembly for rotation, and a box in which the spool assembly and end plates are placed. The bottom of the box is self-locking and requires no tape. Further, the box is constructed so that the overlapping of multiple layers of corrugated fiberboard is avoided in the bottom of the box so that the spool assembly can rotate without interference. The box includes starburst cuts to hold the loose end of cable or wire wound on the spool assembly so that a user can readily locate the loose end. One starburst cut has a slit communicating with a horizontal slot. Cable or wire can be paid-out or held in position by pulling the cable to the slot or starburst cut, respectively, by the slit. The end plates include polycarbonate material and have openings corresponding with openings in the box, to provide handholds for the user. The end plates have arbors protruding away from the plate surfaces of the end plates to hold flanges of the spool assembly away from the end plates for frictionless rotation. The arbors of the end plates that support the spool assembly have annular flat ledge surfaces to confine the flanges of the spool assembly away from the end plates. The protrusions of the arbors are drafted or tapered to cause the spool assembly to be centered in the box and to ride away from the end plates. Corner supports are provided on the end plates to prevent the corners of the end plates from cutting through the box and also to maintain the box in the proper configuration. The arbors and corner supports include rib reinforcements. The boxed spool assembly is sized in accordance with industry standard shipment sizes.
94 Citations
34 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a spool assembly having first and second flanges; first and second end plates supporting respective ends of the spool assembly to allow rotation of the spool assembly; means for maintaining the first and second flanges of the spool assembly in a spaced relationship from plate surfaces of the first and second end plates; and a box enclosing the spool assembly and the first and second end plates; the first and second end plates having openings aligned with openings in the box, to provide handholds for a user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus comprising:
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a spool assembly having first and second flanges; first and second end plates supporting respective ends of the spool assembly to allow rotation of the spool assembly; means for maintaining the first and second flanges of the spool assembly in a spaced relationship from plate surfaces of the first and second end plates; a box enclosing the spool assembly and the first and second end plates, the box having a horizontal slot defined by perforations on the box, the box having a vertical slit with a first end meeting with the slot, and the box having a first starburst cut at a second end of the vertical slit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An apparatus comprising:
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a spool assembly having first and second flanges; first and second end plates supporting respective ends of the spool assembly to allow rotation of the spool assembly; means for maintaining the first and second flanges of the spool assembly in a spaced relationship from plate surfaces of the first and second end plates; and a box enclosing the spool assembly and the first and second end plates, said box including a first bottom flap adjacent to a first major side panel of the box, the first bottom flap having two protruding tabs separated and defined by a cutaway portion therebetween, and further defined by respective cutaway portions on respective minor sides of the first bottom flap, the portion of the first bottom flap between the two protruding tabs receiving and holding a tab of a second bottom flap adjacent to a second major side panel of the box and separated therefrom by a fold line, and the first bottom flap being defined by the respective cutaway portions on the respective minor sides of the first bottom flap to allow clearance for rotation of respective first and second flanges of said spool assembly.
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34. An apparatus comprising:
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a spool assembly having first and second flanges; first and second end plates supporting respective ends of the spool assembly to allow rotation of the spool assembly; means for maintaining the first and second flanges of the spool assembly in a spaced relationship from plate surfaces of the first and second end plates; and a box enclosing the spool assembly and the first and second end plates, the box including a first bottom flap adjacent to a first major side panel of the box and separated therefrom by a fold line, the first bottom flap having two protruding tabs separated and defined by a cutaway portion therebetween, and further defined by respective cutaway portions on respective minor sides of the first bottom flap, a second bottom flap adjacent to a second major side panel of the box and separated therefrom by a fold line, the second bottom flap having a tab, a third bottom flap adjacent to a first minor side panel of the box and separated therefrom by a fold line, and a fourth bottom flap adjacent to a second minor side panel of the box and separated therefrom by a fold line, the first, second, third and fourth bottom flaps being foldable at respective fold lines to define the bottom of said box, the portion of the first bottom flap between the two protruding tabs receiving and holding the tab of the second bottom flap to hold together the first, second, third and fourth bottom flaps when folded, and the third and fourth bottom flaps, when folded, covering respective cutaway portions on respective minor sides of the first bottom flap, the first bottom flap being defined by the cutaway portions on the respective minor sides of the first bottom flap to allow clearance for rotation of respective first and second flanges of said spool assembly.
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Specification