Holders for wound cables. The holders include retention features to control the rate at which cable windings are unwound during cable deployment. In some examples, the cable holder includes a pair of spaced apart spools and the cable is wound in windings configured as figure-8's. In some examples, the retention features include flexibly resilient fingers positioned to contact the windings at one or more retention points positioned at a deployment end of the holder.

Holders for wound cables. The holders include retention features to control the rate at which cable windings are unwound during cable deployment. In some examples, the cable holder includes a pair of spaced apart spools and the cable is wound in windings configured as figure-8's. In some examples, the retention features include flexibly resilient fingers positioned to contact the windings at one or more retention points positioned at a deployment end of the holder.

The present invention provides a mechanical packing conversion apparatus integrating packaging, measuring, cutting and protecting functions, comprising a box, a measuring scale and a cutting mechanism. An upper cover of the box of the apparatus and a side plate connected to the upper cover can be overturned and opened from side faces, and the cutting mechanism is disposed on a sidewall in the box; the cutting mechanism comprises a head and a base, the head being fixed to the base, a handle, a transmission member and a blade all successively connected being disposed in the head; a through hole is formed at a bottom end of the head, and the blade is placed vertically above the through hole and is communicated with the through hole; a groove configured to receive the measuring scale is provided at a bottom end of the base; and the measuring scale is fixed to the bottom inside the box.

The present invention provides a mechanical packing conversion apparatus integrating packaging, measuring, cutting and protecting functions, comprising a box, a measuring scale and a cutting mechanism. An upper cover of the box of the apparatus and a side plate connected to the upper cover can be overturned and opened from side faces, and the cutting mechanism is disposed on a sidewall in the box; the cutting mechanism comprises a head and a base, the head being fixed to the base, a handle, a transmission member and a blade all successively connected being disposed in the head; a through hole is formed at a bottom end of the head, and the blade is placed vertically above the through hole and is communicated with the through hole; a groove configured to receive the measuring scale is provided at a bottom end of the base; and the measuring scale is fixed to the bottom inside the box.

A payout tube has an inner end and an outer end. The inner end is disposable in an interior of a coil of filamentary material wound in a figure-eight configuration defining a payout hole. The outer end is configured to extend outwardly from the payout hole of the coil. The payout tube has a flange at the outer end and has a rounded edge at the inner end. The rounded edge has a radius between 0.20 and 0.30 inch. In some embodiments, the payout tube includes a tubular body that extends between the flange and the rounded edge. In other embodiments, the payout tube includes an outer ring having the flange, an inner ring having the rounded edge with the inner and outer rings aligned coaxially about a longitudinal axis in spaced relation, and a plurality of pillars extending longitudinally from the outer ring to the inner ring.

A consumable assembly for a 3D printer includes a spool carrying wound filament. The spool is configured to be installed into a spool cabinet to maintain the filament in a controlled environment. A filament key fob that carries a spool chip programmed with identification data for the consumable assembly is tethered to the spool. The filament key fob is configured to be received in a dock of the 3D printer outside of a controlled environment of a chamber of the spool cabinet while remaining tethered to the spool installed in the chamber of the spool cabinet.

A consumable assembly for a 3D printer includes a spool carrying wound filament. The spool is configured to be installed into a spool cabinet to maintain the filament in a controlled environment. A filament key fob that carries a spool chip programmed with identification data for the consumable assembly is tethered to the spool. The filament key fob is configured to be received in a dock of the 3D printer outside of a controlled environment of a chamber of the spool cabinet while remaining tethered to the spool installed in the chamber of the spool cabinet.

A stackable apparatus for mounting and feeding coiled or spooled wire or cable includes a turntable having a plurality of posts that are length adjustable and positioned in a track, respectively, and configured to guide a coil or receive the spool. Each post includes a post slide portion correspondingly shaped to slide along the track. The apparatus includes a base having a pair of support members each having a longitudinal configuration fixedly attached to one another in a transverse arrangement so as to form conjoined members, the conjoined members defining a bore. A hub in the form of a lazy susan is received in the bore and operable to receive a post depending from the turntable for providing freewheeling rotation of the turntable.

A payout tube has an inner end and an outer end. The inner end is disposable in an interior of a coil of filamentary material wound in a figure-eight configuration defining a payout hole. The outer end is configured to extend outwardly from the payout hole of the coil. The payout tube has a flange at the outer end and has a rounded edge at the inner end. The rounded edge has a radius between 0.20 and 0.30 inch. In some embodiments, the payout tube includes a tubular body that extends between the flange and the rounded edge. In other embodiments, the payout tube includes an outer ring having the flange, an inner ring having the rounded edge with the inner and outer rings aligned coaxially about a longitudinal axis in spaced relation, and a plurality of pillars extending longitudinally from the outer ring to the inner ring.

The invention relates to a tape element dispenser system containing a container having an opening and is configured to enclose a volume. The system also contains a single elongated tape element having a width and a height where the width is at least 5 times the height. The tape element has two ends rotationally wound in a first direction into a hollow cylinder having a central axis, the hollow having two parallel annular bases perpendicular to the central axis and the single elongated element is unwound from the hollow cylinder from one of the annular bases approximately parallel to the central axis. The single elongated element has a twist in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The opening of the container comprises a main slit having a width of at least about 105% the width of the single elongated tape element.