The spool for storing and distributing linear product has a drum and inner flanges defining the ends of the drum. The drum is configured to receive a linear product wound about the drum. The inner flanges have locking gears on the outside faces of the inner flanges. The spool has an axle supporting the inner flanges and a pair of outer flanges. The outer flanges each have an outer flange gear positioned in their inner face and corresponding to the inner flange gear. The inner and outer flange gears cooperate to allow the drum to rotate in a first direction but not a second direction when the spool is supported by the outer flanges. The outer flanges are slightly taller than the inner flanges such that the spool may be positioned on a flat surface (e.g., truck bed or ground) and unwound without any equipment.

A fiber bundle winding device includes: a traverse guide configured to guide a fiber bundle to a bobbin; and a controller configured to control the traverse guide according to a rotation of the bobbin. The traverse guide is movable parallel to a center axis of the bobbin. The controller can perform: first movement control that moves the traverse guide to wind the fiber bundle onto the bobbin in a predetermined first area extending in a direction of the center axis of the bobbin; and second movement control that moves the traverse guide to wind the fiber bundle onto the bobbin in a second area being smaller than the first area and having ends that are located within the first area and at different positions from respective ends of the first area. The first movement control and second movement control are performed at a ratio of N:1 (N is an integer more than 1).

A wheel-balancing weight application apparatus comprising a supplying module including a first strip of wheel-balancing weights and a second strip of wheel-balancing weights, the first and the second strips of wheel-balancing weights including a different characteristic, and an application module for securing a portion of one of the first strip of wheel-balancing weights and the second strip of wheel-balancing weights to a wheel, wherein a selection of wheel-balancing weights from the first strip of wheel-balancing weights and the second strip of wheel-balancing weights is selected on a basis of a characteristic of the wheel to match the wheel-balancing weights characteristic with an identified characteristic of the wheel. A method of using the balancing weight application apparatus is also provided.

A spool, presented herein, is comprising a proximal side including a central opening about a rotation axis thereof, a distal side including a central opening about the rotation axis thereof, the proximal side and the distal side being assembled together with alignment of the rotation axis thereof, an axial slot radially extending from the central opening and a recessed portion communicating with the central opening, the recessed portion extending between the axial slot and a locking member receiver. A method of using same and a mechanism to engage lock and actuate the spool is also presented therein.

A footwear lacing apparatus can comprise a housing structure, a modular spool and a drive mechanism. The housing structure can comprising a first inlet, a second inlet, and a lacing channel extending between the first and second inlets. The modular spool can be disposed in the lacing channel and can comprise a lower plate including a shaft extending from the lower plate, and an upper plate including a drum portion. The upper plate can be releasably connected to the lower plate at a connection interface. The drive mechanism can couple with the modular spool and can be adapted to rotate the modular spool to wind or unwind a lace cable extending through the lacing channel and between the upper and lower plates of the modular spool.

A footwear lacing apparatus can comprise a housing structure, a modular spool and a drive mechanism. The housing structure can comprising a first inlet, a second inlet, and a lacing channel extending between the first and second inlets. The modular spool can be disposed in the lacing channel and can comprise a lower plate including a shaft extending from the lower plate, and an upper plate including a drum portion. The upper plate can be releasably connected to the lower plate at a connection interface. The drive mechanism can couple with the modular spool and can be adapted to rotate the modular spool to wind or unwind a lace cable extending through the lacing channel and between the upper and lower plates of the modular spool.

A cable reel for holding a cable wound thereon that includes a cylindrical drum having a longitudinal axis, a first end, and a second end spaced from the first end. The cable reel also includes a first flange that is coupled to the first end of the cylindrical drum and a second flange that is coupled to the second end of the cylindrical drum. The cable reel further includes a spacer that extends axially outward from the first flange. The spacer is configured to support the reel with the first flange spaced above a support surface when the longitudinal axis of the reel is in a substantially vertical orientation and with the reel being supported on the support surface by the spacer.

A cable reel for holding a cable wound thereon that includes a cylindrical drum having a longitudinal axis, a first end, and a second end spaced from the first end. The cable reel also includes a first flange that is coupled to the first end of the cylindrical drum and a second flange that is coupled to the second end of the cylindrical drum. The cable reel further includes a spacer that extends axially outward from the first flange. The spacer is configured to support the reel with the first flange spaced above a support surface when the longitudinal axis of the reel is in a substantially vertical orientation and with the reel being supported on the support surface by the spacer.

A bobbin for winding an optical fiber includes a main winding drum having a cylindrical shape, an auxiliary flange portion that is provided on at least one of a first end and a second end of the main winding drum in an axis direction of the main winding drum, a first main flange portion that has a larger diameter than the external diameter of the auxiliary flange portion and that is provided on the main winding drum to face the auxiliary flange portion, a second main flange portion that is provided on the main winding drum to face the first main flange portion, and an auxiliary winding drum that is provided between the first main flange portion and the auxiliary flange portion.

A bobbin for winding an optical fiber includes a main winding drum having a cylindrical shape, an auxiliary flange portion that is provided on at least one of a first end and a second end of the main winding drum in an axis direction of the main winding drum, a first main flange portion that has a larger diameter than the external diameter of the auxiliary flange portion and that is provided on the main winding drum to face the auxiliary flange portion, a second main flange portion that is provided on the main winding drum to face the first main flange portion, and an auxiliary winding drum that is provided between the first main flange portion and the auxiliary flange portion.