Cable management spool

• US 6,554,218 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2001
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ruedinger, Joseph D., Begin, Jason E., Buyce, Douglas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jillions, John M.
• Application Number:
  US09/903,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20030010862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 242/388, 242/388.1, 242/388.5, 242/388.6, 242/396.5, 242/400.1, 242/404.3, 242/405.1, 242/405.2, 242/578, 242/578.2, 242/588.6, 242/129, 242/601
• US Class Current: 242/388.6
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/34 electric cords or electric power cables
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/143 at least one end flange being shaped to cover the windings
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum

Abstract

A cable management spool for storing a length of cable includes first and second rigid outer members that are movable relative to each other and define a gap of variable size therebetween. An intermediate member has at least one flexible flap, and the intermediate member is disposed between the first and second rigid outer members. The spool includes a spooling portion between the first and second outer members, wherein the spooling portion is adapted to have a length of cable wound about the spooling portion. The intermediate member is movable relative to at least one of the first and second rigid outer members, and the at least one flap substantially occupies the gap and is adapted to substantially conceal the length of cable.

Claims

1. A cable management spool for storing a length of cable comprising:

first and second rigid outer members;

said first and second rigid outer members relatively movable to each other and defining a gap of variable size therebetween;

an intermediate member having a disk like central portion defining an axis and a circular peripheral edge, said intermediate member having at least one flexible flap extending generally parallel to said axis for said peripheral edge and defining, in cross section, a length and a base thickness adjacent said central portion, said length being substantially greater than said base thickness, said intermediate member disposed between said first rigid outer member and said second rigid outer member;

a spooling portion between said first and second outer members and wherein said spooling portion is adapted to have a length of cable wound about said spooling portion; and

wherein said intermediate member is movable relative to at least one of said first and second rigid outer members and said at least one flap substantially occupies said gap and is adapted to substantially conceal the length of cable.

2. The cable management spool defined in claim 1, wherein:

said spooling portion comprises first and second extension members respectively disposed on said first and second rigid outer members, said extension members telescopingly engaging each other.

3. The cable management spool defined in claim 1, wherein:

one of said first and second rigid outer members includes a hook adapted to attach the spool to a vertically oriented surface.

4. The cable management spool defined in claim 1, wherein:

said first and second rigid outer members each include a flange on a peripheral edge extending inwardly.

5. The cable management spool defined in claim 4, wherein:

said relative movement of said first and second outer members moves said first and second outer members between a first position and a second position wherein said first position defines a first gap and said second position defines a second larger gap.

6. The cable management spool defined in claim 5, wherein:

said flap is positioned radially inwardly of each of said flanges and said flanges partially conceal said flap in said first position and said flanges partially conceal a smaller portion of said flap in said second position.

7. The cable management spool defined in claim 1, wherein:

said gap varies in size from a narrower gap concealing a first volume for receiving cable to a wider gap concealing a second larger volume for receiving cable.

8. The cable management spool defined in claim 1, wherein:

said intermediate member includes a center portion partitioning said volume for receiving cable and said flap includes two opposing flexible flap extensions extending outwardly towards said first and second rigid outer members from said center portion.

9. The cable management spool defined in claim 1, wherein:

said intermediate member and said spooling portion have a unitary construction.

10. A cable management spool for storing a length of cable comprising:

first and second rigid outer members;

said first and second rigid outer members relatively movable to each other and defining a gap of variable size therebetween;

an intermediate member having at least one flexible flap, said intermediate member disposed between said first rigid outer member and said second rigid outer member;

a spooling portion between said first and second outer members and wherein said spooling portion is adapted to have a length of cable wound about said spooling portion;

wherein said intermediate member is movable relative to at least one of said first and second rigid outer members and said at least one flap substantially occupies said gap and is adapted to substantially conceal the length of cable;

said spooling portion comprises first and second extension members respectively disposed on said first and second rigid outer members, said extension members telescopingly engaging each other and wherein;

one of said telescoping extension members includes a catch member for engaging said intermediate member and centrally positioning said intermediate member between said first and second outer members during relative movement of said first and second outer members.

11. A cable management spool for storing a length of cable comprising:

first and second rigid outer members;

said first and second rigid outer members relatively movable to each other and defining a gap of variable size therebetween;

an intermediate member having at least one flexible flap, said intermediate member disposed between said first rigid outer member and said second rigid outer member;

a spooling portion between said first and second outer members and wherein said spooling portion is adapted to have a length of cable wound about said spooling portion;

wherein said intermediate member is movable relative to at least one of said first and second rigid outer members and said at least one flap substantially occupies said gap and is adapted to substantially conceal the length of cable; and

wherein;

said flap includes an outer surface having a cable access opening.

12. A cable management spool for storing a length of cable comprising:

first and second rigid outer members telescopingly engaged with one another and defining a central spooling portion;

a flexible member disposed circumferentially about said central spooling member between said first and second outer members and having at least one flap member extending from an outer peripheral edge of said flexible member, said flap member defining, in cross section, a length and a thickness adjacent said peripheral edge, said length being substantially greater than said thickness; and

wherein the length of cable can be pressed through said flexible member and is windable about said central spooling portion.

13. The cable management spool defined in claim 12, wherein:

said first and second outer members are relatively movable and define a gap of variable size therebetween.

14. The cable management spool defined in claim 13, wherein:

one of said telescoping extension members includes a catch member for engaging said flexible member and centrally positioning said flexible member between said first and second outer members during said relative movement of said first and second outer members.

15. The cable management spool defined in claim 13, wherein:

said gap varies in size from a narrower gap concealing a first length of cable to a wider gap concealing a second larger length of cable.

16. The cable management spool defined in claim 13, wherein:

said flexible member is movable relative to said first and second rigid outer members such that said at least one flap may be repositioned to substantially occupy said gap and conceal an interior cable storage volume defined by said first and second outer rigid members.

17. The cable management spool defined in claim 12, wherein:

said flexible member includes a center portion partitioning said length of cable and said flap includes two opposing flap extensions extending outwardly towards said first and second rigid outer members from said center portion.

18. The cable management spool defined in claim 12, wherein:

one of said first and second rigid outer members includes a hook to enable attachment of the spool to a vertically oriented surface.

19. The cable management spool defined in claim 12, wherein:

said flexible member includes an outer surface and an access opening disposed on said outer surface.

20. The cable management spool defined in claim 12, wherein:

said first and second rigid outer members each include a flange on a peripheral edge extending inwardly.

21. The cable management spool defined in claim 20, wherein:

said first and second outer members are relatively movable and define a first position and a second position wherein said first position defines a first gap and said second position defines a second larger gap.

22. The cable management spool defined in claim 21, wherein:

said flap is positioned radially inwardly of each of said flanges and said flanges partially conceal said flap in said first position and said flanges partially conceal a smaller portion of said flap in said second position.

23. A cable management spool, comprising:

a pair of disk-like spaced apart housing members defining a gap therebetween, each said housing member defining an annular peripheral edge;

a spooling portion extending between and interconnecting said housing members, said spooling portion adapted to permit winding of an electrical line around said spooling portion;

a generally annular flexible flap extending across at least a substantial portion of said gap adjacent said peripheral edges of said housing members; and

an electrical line at least partially wound around said spooling portion, said electrical line including a plug at one end adapted to plug into an electrical receptacle.

24. The cable management spool defined in claim 23, wherein:

said housing members are telescopically interconnected such that the size of said gap can be selectively varied.

25. The cable management spool defined in claim 23, including:

an intermediate member having a body portion extending radially outwardly from said spooling portion between said housing members and defining a peripheral edge, said body portion and said housing members together define first and second side-by-side generally cylindrical cavities; and

wherein;

said flexible flap extends from said body portion generally transverse to said body portion to close off said first one of said cylindrical cavities.

26. The cable management spool defined in claim 25, wherein:

said flexible flap comprises a first flexible flap; and

including;

a second flexible flap extending from said body portion and closing off said second cylindrical cavitie.

27. The cable management spool defined in claim 26, wherein:

said spooling portion includes a catch that engages said intermediate member and shifts said intermediate member as the size of said gap is varied.

28. A combination office partition panel and cable management spool for storing a length of cable, comprising:

at least one vertically oriented office partition panel;

a cable management spool comprising;

first and second rigid outer members;

said first and second rigid outer members relatively movable to each other along an axis and defining a gap of variable size therebetween;

an intermediate member having at least one resilient member, said intermediate member disposed between said first rigid outer member and said second rigid outer member;

a spooling portion between said first and second outer members and wherein said spooling portion is adapted to have a length of electrical cable wound about said spooling portion;

wherein said intermediate member is movable relative to at least one of said first and second rigid outer members and said at least one flap substantially occupies said gap and is adapted to substantially conceal the length of cable, and said cable management spool is secured to said partition panel; and

an electrical cable having at least a portion thereof wound about said spooling portion.

29. The combination office partition panel and cable management spool of claim 28, including:

a slatwall secured to said partition panel, said slatwall having a plurality of horizontally extending slots; and

wherein;

said cable management spool having a hook adapted to be received in a selected one of said slots to retain said spool on said slatwall.

30. The combination office partition panel and cable management spool of claim 29, including:

an extension spaced apart from said hook, said extension and said together adapted to support said spool on a worksurface with said axis in a generally vertical orientation.

31. The combination office partition panel and cable management spool of claim 28, wherein:

said intermediate member has a generally flat disk-shaped center portion and defines an axis and a circular perimeter, said resilient member comprising a flexible flap extending from adjacent said circular perimeter parallel to said axis, said flap defining a length and a base thickness directly adjacent said center portion, said length being substantially greater than said thickness.

32. The combination office partition panel and cable management spool of claim 28, wherein:

said first and second rigid outer members and said intermediate member are interconnected in a manner that prevents relative rotation between said outer members and said intermediate member.