U.S. patent application number 12/925643 was filed with the patent office on 2012-05-03 for wire spool repair device and method of using same.
Invention is credited to Michael Steven Perry.
Application Number | 20120104146 12/925643 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45995562 |
Filed Date | 2012-05-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120104146 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Perry; Michael Steven |
May 3, 2012 |
Wire spool repair device and method of using same
Abstract
The present invention advantageously provides a wire spool
repair device for a damaged wire spool having a central cylindrical
portion with an axial bore and inner cylinder surface and a pair of
opposing end plates attached thereto, the repair device including:
an end plate, an attachment mechanism disposed on said end plate, a
plurality of gripping fingers pivotally attached to said attachment
mechanism and operative between retracted and attachment positions,
and wherein insertion of said attachment mechanism into the axial
bore of a wire spool and pivoting of said plurality of gripping
fingers to the attachment position causes said plurality of
gripping fingers to move into contacting relationship with the
inner cylinder surface of the wire spool thereby attaching the
repair device to the wire spool.
Inventors: |
Perry; Michael Steven;
(Palatine, IL) |
Family ID: |
45995562 |
Appl. No.: |
12/925643 |
Filed: |
October 27, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/608.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 75/14 20130101;
B65H 75/505 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
242/608.2 |
International
Class: |
B65H 75/18 20060101
B65H075/18; B65H 75/14 20060101 B65H075/14 |
Claims
1. A wire spool repair device for a damaged wire spool having a
central cylindrical portion with an axial bore and inner cylinder
surface, and a pair of opposing end plates attached thereto, the
repair device comprising: an end plate; an attachment mechanism
disposed on said end plate; and a plurality of gripping fingers
pivotally attached to said attachment mechanism and operative
between retracted and attachment positions.
2. The repair device of claim 1, wherein the attachment mechanism
further includes a spreader base adjacent to said end plate.
3. The repair device of claim 2, wherein said spreader base has the
plurality of gripping fingers pivotally attached thereto.
4. The repair device of claim 3, wherein said plurality of gripping
fingers each has an angled spreader face, said fingers operative
between retracted and attachment positions.
5. The repair device of claim 4, wherein said plurality of gripping
fingers each has a gripping surface adjacent to said angled
spreader face.
6. The repair device of claim 5, wherein the attachment mechanism
further includes a spreader drive body disposed adjacent to said
spreader base.
7. The repair device of claim 6, wherein said spreader drive body
has a substantially conical spreader face.
8. The repair device of claim 7, wherein axial translation of the
spreader drive body toward the spreader base causes said angled
spreader faces of the gripping fingers to come into sliding contact
with said conical spreader face thereby causing the gripping
fingers to pivot to said attachment position.
9. The repair device of claim 6, wherein the spreader base and
spreader drive body each have an axial bore.
10. The repair device of claim 1, wherein when said attachment
mechanism is inserted into the axial bore of a wire spool and said
plurality of gripping fingers are pivoted to the attachment
position, the plurality of gripping fingers are in contacting
relationship with the inner cylinder surface of the wire spool.
11. The repair device of claim 1, wherein when said attachment
mechanism is inserted into the axial bore of a wire spool and the
gripping fingers are in the attachment position, the end plate is
adjacent and abutting an end plate of a wire spool.
12. A wire spool repair device for a damaged wire spool having a
central cylindrical portion with an axial bore and inner cylinder
surface, and a pair of opposing end plates attached thereto, the
repair device comprising: an end plate; an attachment mechanism
disposed on said end plate having a spreader base and a spreader
drive body with a substantially conical spreader face; a plurality
of gripping fingers pivotally attached to said spreader base, each
having an angled spreader face, said fingers operative between
retracted and attachment positions; and wherein axial translation
of said drive body brings said conical spreader face into sliding
contacting relationship with said angled spreader face of said
gripping fingers whereby said plurality of gripping fingers are
pivoted outward to said attachment position.
13. The repair device of claim 12, wherein said plurality of
gripping fingers each has a gripping surface adjacent to said
angled spreader face.
14. The repair device of claim 12, wherein the spreader base and
spreader drive body each have an axial bore.
15. The repair device of claim 12, wherein when said attachment
mechanism is inserted into the axial bore of a wire spool and said
plurality of gripping fingers are pivoted to the attachment
position, the plurality of gripping fingers are in contacting
relationship with the inner cylinder surface of the wire spool.
16. The repair device of claim 12, wherein when said attachment
mechanism is inserted into the axial bore of a wire spool and the
gripping fingers are in the attachment position, the end plate is
adjacent and abutting an end plate of a wire spool.
17. A wire spool repair device for a damaged wire spool having a
central cylindrical portion with an axial bore and inner cylinder
surface, and a pair of opposing end plates attached thereto, the
repair device comprising: an end plate; an attachment mechanism
disposed on said end plate having a spreader base and a spreader
drive body with a substantially conical spreader face wherein the
spreader base and spreader drive body each have an axial bore; a
plurality of gripping fingers pivotally attached to said spreader
base, each having an angled spreader face and a gripping surface
adjacent to said angled spreader face, said fingers operative
between retracted and attachment positions; and wherein axial
translation of said drive body brings said conical spreader face
into sliding contacting relationship with said angled spreader face
of said gripping fingers whereby said plurality of gripping fingers
are pivoted outward to said attachment position.
18. The repair device of claim 17, wherein when said attachment
mechanism is inserted into the axial bore of a wire spool and said
plurality of gripping fingers are pivoted to the attachment
position, the plurality of gripping fingers are in contacting
relationship with the inner cylinder surface of the wire spool.
19. The repair device of claim 17, wherein when said attachment
mechanism is inserted into the axial bore of a wire spool and the
gripping fingers are in the attachment position, the end plate is
adjacent an end plate of a wire spool.
20. The repair device of claim 17, wherein said end plate further
includes an annular lip adapted to overlap and contain a wire spool
end plate when the attachment mechanism is inserted into the axial
bore of a wire spool and said repair device end plate is adjacent
the wire spool end plate.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to repair devices for wire
spools, and more specifically, to wire spool repair devices having
a replacement end plate with an integrated wire spool attachment
mechanism.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The terms wire and cable are used to refer to any computer
or electrical wire or cable. Wires and cables may be sold in
discrete or bulk lengths. When sold in discrete lengths, an excess
of wire or cable typically exists for any particular job, and this
excess wire or cable can quickly become an expensive, unsightly and
inconvenient mess. To remedy this problem, wire or cable is also
sold in bulk, which is typically sold on a spool and can be
expensive. Although expensive, wire sold on spools prevents the
waste associated with discrete lengths of wire.
[0003] A typical wire spool has a central cylindrical portion,
about which a length of wire is wound and carried. The cylindrical
portion has an axial bore and opposing axial ends. Each axial end
of the cylindrical portion is attached to opposing circular end
plates. The end plates prevent the wire from unraveling over the
axial ends of the central cylindrical portion. Multiple wire spools
may be mounted on a spool rack. The spool rack is generally a frame
having a plurality of wire spool mounting rods. A wire spool is
typically situated on a mounting rod of a wire spool rack by
sliding the axial bore of the wire spool central cylindrical
portion onto such mounting rod. A spool rack typically carries
multiple spools of wire having varying gauges in order to
efficiently manage and retain multiple gauges of wire by an end
user in the field, which represents a significant investment of
operator funds.
[0004] In use, when an operator needs a length of wire, the
operator grabs the type and gauge desired and the wire is unraveled
from the wire spool. Specifically, the spool spins about the
mounting rod via the central cylindrical portion as the operator
dispenses wire in a radial direction. Due to the wear and tear of
everyday use of wire spools on racks in the field, the spools tend
to fail and become damaged and unusable. More specifically, often
times one of the end plates retaining the wire on the spool will
crack or break off. When this happens the spool becomes very
cumbersome to work with and the wire is difficult to unload from
the spool. For example, wire can get caught in a crack of an end
plate or unravel axially from the spool over a broken off portion
of the end plate, instead of a radial direction, and get bound up
with other spools on the rack. To manage this problem, broken wire
spools are typically disposed of and the remaining wire on that
spool is wasted, which is a highly undesirable business
expense.
[0005] It would therefore be beneficial to provide a repair device
for a cracked or broken wire spool end plate that overcomes the
problems in the art. It would also be beneficial to provide a
repair device for a wire spool end plate that is detachable and
reusable, as broken wire spools are a repeating problem in the
industry. This invention addresses that need and advantageously
overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a repair
device for a damaged wire spool that overcomes the disadvantages of
the prior art.
[0007] Accordingly, the present invention advantageously provides a
wire spool repair device for a damaged wire spool having a central
cylindrical portion with an axial bore and inner cylinder surface
and a pair of opposing end plates attached thereto, the repair
device including: an end plate, an attachment mechanism disposed on
said end plate, a plurality of gripping fingers pivotally attached
to said attachment mechanism and operative between retracted and
attachment positions, and wherein insertion of said attachment
mechanism into an axial bore of the wire spool and pivoting of said
plurality of gripping fingers to the attachment position causes
said plurality of gripping fingers to move into contacting
relationship with the inner cylinder surface of the wire spool
thereby attaching the repair device to the wire spool.
[0008] It is a feature of the present invention that the repair
device includes an attachment mechanism with gripping fingers being
pivotally operable between retracted and attachment positions and
thereby allow for repeated use of the repair device.
[0009] It is an object of the present invention that the repair
device end plate has a peripheral annular lip, which is adapted to
overlap and contain a damaged end plate of a wire spool when the
attachment mechanism is inserted as described above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] These and other objects, advantages, and features of the
present invention will become apparent from a reading of the
following detailed description with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a damaged wire spool
according to the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a wire spool repair device
according to the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 is an exploded side view of a wire spool repair
device according to the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an attachment
mechanism of a wire spool repair device according to the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a side view of a wire spool repair device situated
adjacent a damaged wire spool according to the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a side view of a wire spool repair device inserted
into an axial bore of a damaged wire spool according to the present
invention; and
[0017] FIG. 7 is a side view of a wire spool repair device inserted
into an axial bore of a damaged wire spool and operatively attached
thereto according to the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0018] The present invention discloses a wire spool repair device
18 used to repair a damaged wire spool 10. Generally referring to
FIGS. 1-7, a wire spool 10 has a central cylindrical portion 16,
about which a length of wire (not shown) is wound and carried, as
is known in the art. The central cylindrical portion 16 has an
axial bore 58 and an inner cylinder surface 62. Attached to each
axial end of the cylindrical portion 16 are opposing circular end
plates, 12 and 14. The end plates, 12 and 14, serve to prevent the
wire from unraveling over the axial ends of the central cylindrical
portion 16. Multiple wire spools 10 can be mounted on a spool rack
(not shown), for use in the field by an operator. A spool rack is
generally a frame having a plurality of wire spool mounting rods
for receiving a plurality of wire spools. Due to the everyday wear
and tear to wire spools in the field, it is often the case that an
end plate 14 will crack or break and render the wire spool 10
unusable. This disadvantageously requires an operator to remove the
damaged spool 10 from the spool rack and discard the spool thereby
wasting time and money.
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 2-7, the present invention generally
discloses a wire spool repair device 18 that is adapted to attach
directly to a damaged wire spool 10. The repair device 18
essentially permits an operator to advantageously cure a cracked or
broken end plate 14, which is a recurring problem. Repairing a
broken end plate 14 allows the operator to leave the damaged wire
spool 10 on the spool rack thereby saving the operator time and
money on replacing the spool and wasting unused wire. Once the wire
is used up on the damaged wire spool 10, the operator
advantageously detaches and reuses the repair device 18, while the
broken wire spool 10 may be discarded or recycled as desired. The
repair device 18 generally includes a replacement end plate 20
having an attachment mechanism 26 disposed thereon.
[0020] As best shown in FIGS. 2 & 3, the replacement end plate
20 is generally circular and has an axial bore 24 of predetermined
diameter. The replacement end plate also has a peripheral annular
lip 22 defining a recessed area in the end plate 20, which is
adapted to nestingly receive a damaged end plate 14 of a wire spool
10. The axial bore 24 is preferably of a diameter suitably adapted
to work in conjunction with a standard mounting rod of a wire rack
(not shown), as are known in the art. The annular lip 22 serves to
over lap and contain the damaged end plate 14 (see FIGS. 1, 5, 6
and 7) thereby preventing wire from getting caught or hung up on
the damaged portion of the end plate 14. The replacement end plate
20 is preferably composed of a polymeric material, as is known in
the art, but may be made of other suitable materials without
departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0021] As generally shown in FIGS. 2-7, the repair device 18 has an
attachment mechanism 26 disposed thereon. Referring to FIGS. 3 and
4 in particular, the attachment mechanism 26 further includes a
spreader base 28, spreader drive body 40, and drive plate 46. The
spreader base 28 has a plurality of gripping fingers 36 pivotally
attached 34 thereto. As discussed in greater detail below, in use,
the gripping fingers 36 are pivotally operative between retracted
and attachment positions, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 respectively.
When the repair device 18 is mated to a damaged wire spool 10 and
the gripping fingers 36 are pivoted to the attachment position (see
FIG. 7), the gripping fingers 36 come into contacting relationship
with the inner cylinder surface of the damaged wire spool 10. This
contacting relationship holds the replacement end plate 20 adjacent
to the damaged end plate 14, thereby effectively repairing the
damage to the wire spool 10. Attachment of the repair device 18 to
the damaged wire spool 10 in such a way, advantageously allows the
operator to continue using the wire spool and save money on wasted
wire or cable and overcomes the problems associated with the prior
art.
[0022] More specifically, Referring to FIGS. 2-7, the attachment
mechanism 26 has a spreader base 28, spreader drive body 40, and
drive plate 46. The spreader base 28 has a plurality of gripping
fingers 36 pivotally attached 34 thereto. The spreader base 28 has
an axial base bore 30, adapted to receive a wire rack mounting rod,
and guide channels 32 adapted to receive a plurality of pivotally
operable gripping fingers 36. The guide channels 32 pivotally
retain and guide the pivoting movement of the gripping fingers 36.
The gripping fingers 36 may be attached to the spreader base 28 in
the guide channels 32 with a conventional pivot pin 34 or other
suitable means, as are known in the art. The pivot pin 34 may be
advantageously spring loaded so as to bias the gripping fingers 36
to the retracted position (see FIGS. 5 and 6). The gripping fingers
36 have a spreader face 38, having a predetermined angle, adjacent
a gripping surface 56. The gripping surface 56 is preferably a
`high coefficient of friction type` material (i.e., rubber) or
device (i.e., teeth or abrasive surface). Regardless of the
material or device used for the gripping surface 56, it is desired
the gripping surface 56 will resist the relative lateral or radial
motion of the central cylindrical portion 16 with respect to the
repair device 18, when the gripping fingers 18 are manipulated to
the attachment position (see FIG. 7). The spreader base 28 may be
attached to the replacement end plate 20 with standard, bolt and
screw type, adjustable fasteners 54 and the like, as are known in
the art.
[0023] Furthermore, especially with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4, the
attachment mechanism 26 includes a spreader drive body 40 and a
drive plate 46. The drive body 40 has a substantially conical
spreader face 42 and an axial drive body bore 44, which is adapted
to receive a mounting rod of a wire spool rack (not shown). The
drive body 40 is preferably composed of a lightweight polymeric
material, but may be made of other suitable materials without
departing from the scope of the present invention. In order to
enhance the strength of the light weight drive body 40 and provide
a force dispersing surface for the attachment mechanism 26; a drive
plate 46 is rigidly attached 52 (i.e., rivets or other suitable
device) to the drive body 40. The drive plate 46 has an axial drive
plate bore 48 substantially the same as the base bore 30 and drive
body bore 44, and when taken together define a bore suitably
adapted for mating with a mounting rod of a wire spool rack (not
shown). Adjustment mounts 50 (i.e., stop nuts with nylon inserts
and the like), work in conjunction with elongate adjustment rods 54
(i.e., threaded bolts and the like) to manually adjust the axial
position of the spreader drive body 40 with respect to the spreader
base 28.
[0024] More specifically, operator manipulation of the adjustment
rods 54 causes an axial force to be applied to the attachment
mounts 50. The axial force of the attachment mounts 50 in contact
with the drive plate 46 causes the drive plate 46 to urge the
spreader drive body 40 axially toward the spreader base 28.
Eventually the axial movement of the spreader drive body 40 toward
the spreader base 28, will cause the conical spreader face 42 to
come into sliding contacting relationship with the spreader faces
38 of the gripping fingers 36. Preferably, the conical spreader
face 42 is angled substantially symmetrically opposite to the
angled spreader faces 38. Continued axial movement of the spreader
drive body 40 toward the spreader drive base 28 causes sliding
contact between the conical spreader face 42 and the gripping
finger spreader faces 38, thereby causing the gripping fingers 36
to pivot outwardly 60 and between retracted and attachment
positions as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 respectively. In essence, axial
movement of the spreader drive body 40 translates into pivotal
movement 60 of the gripping fingers 36 between retracted and
attachment positions (see FIGS. 6 and 7 respectively), thereby
advantageously providing an operator with a detachable and reusable
repair device 18.
[0025] Even more specifically, when in use the attachment mechanism
26 of the repair device 18 is inserted into the axial cylinder bore
58 of the damaged wire spool 10 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) such that the
replacement end plate 20 is in abutting and overlapping
relationship with the damaged end plate 14 and the attachment
mechanism 26 is substantially within the axial cylinder bore 58.
Preferably, the attachment mechanism 26 is inserted adjacent the
inner cylinder surface 62, and substantially surrounded by the
central cylindrical portion 16. Once the repair device 18 is
inserted thusly, the repair device 18 is operated as described
above, and the gripping fingers 36 pivot radially to the attachment
position (see FIG. 7). When the gripping fingers 36 are pivoted to
the attachment position, the gripping fingers 36 come into
contacting relationship with the inner cylinder surface 62, thereby
attaching the repair device 18 to a damaged wire spool 10.
Conversely, pivoting the gripping fingers 36 to the retracted
position (see FIG. 6) allows the repair device 18 to be detached
and reused.
[0026] While only one embodiment has been illustrated and described
in detail, it should be understood that various modifications in
design and details of construction are possible without departing
from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the following
claims.
* * * * *