A consumable assembly for supplying filament to a 3D printer includes a spool-less filament coil, a payout tube, and a compressive band. The coil of filament is wound in a configuration having a generally cylindrical outer perimeter and an open interior; the coil has a payout hole extending from an inner layer of the coil to an outer layer of the coil and includes a filament strand configured to be withdrawn through the payout hole in response to a pull force, to thereby withdraw filament from the interior of the coil. The payout tube is disposed in the payout hole and provides a filament port. A compressive band is disposed over the outer layer and is configured to exert a compressive radial force on the coil so that the coil maintains its cylindrical shape without deformation, and the filament strand may be drawn through the filament outlet free of kinks, twists or tangles.

Packaged dispensers mountable to optical network terminals (ONT) are disclosed. In some examples, the dispensers include coreless wound coils and excess storage areas. Additionally, fiber optic cable distribution systems and methods thereof utilizing the disclosed coreless wound coils are further disclosed. In one example, a length of telecommunications cable is wound into a coreless coil that includes a plurality of winding separators at least partially embedded within the coil, wherein the length of telecommunications cable alternately passes on one of the first and second sides of one winding separator and on the other of the first and second sides of an adjacent winding separator. In one example, an initially cylindrically shaped coreless wound coil, with or without winding separators, can be placed into a non-round package in which the wound coil is deformed and compressed by the sidewalls of the package such that the coreless wound coil conforms to the interior perimeter of the package to have a non-cylindrical shape.

A locking ring is described that permits removal of filamentary material housed in a walled container through a payout tube defining a payout tube axis and through which a first end of the filamentary material extends. The ring includes an annular flange around a ring axis and a body having a tubular wall extending from an inner edge of the annular flange to a distal edge of the ring. The tubular wall is coaxial with the ring axis, and has a plurality of teeth circumferentially spaced around the tubular wall and extend from the tubular wall radially outwardly and toward the annular flange. Each tooth resiliently deflects radially inwardly in response to interference between the tooth and an inner wall of the payout tube. The curved edges form a thread permitting the ring to advance axially into and secure with the payout tube.

Systems and methods for winding wire are disclosed. A system includes a wire take-up unit and a wire tensioning unit. The take-up unit includes a rotating mandrel and a wire directing device, the wire directing device arranged to cause the wire to be wound in a figure-eight configuration on the rotating mandrel to form a coil having many layers of wire. The wire tensioning unit applies tension to said wire as it is wound, and applies a first amount of tension to a predetermined amount of wire constituting at least a first two layers of the coil, and a second amount of tension to the wire beyond the predetermined amount. In one embodiment, the wire tensioning unit includes digital self-relieving air regulator pneumatically coupled to and controlling a pressure in said pressurized chamber of a pre-lubricating cylinder that is coupled to the wire being wound.

An apparatus for the transportation and payoff of coiled wire and cable, the apparatus comprising a clamshell package, an inner void formed by the clamshell package, the inner void comprising a compartment within for containing coiled wire and cable during transportation and payoff of the wire and cable, a payoff port is coupled to the clamshell package, wherein the coiled wire and cable is extracted from the clamshell package through the payoff port on an axis substantially similar to the axis of the extracted wire and cable, and wherein the payoff port extends from the clamshell package through the coiled wire and cable.

A consumable assembly for supplying filament to a 3D printer includes a spool-less filament coil, a payout tube, and a compressive band. The coil of filament is wound in a configuration having a generally cylindrical outer perimeter and an open interior; the coil has a payout hole extending from an inner layer of the coil to an outer layer of the coil and includes a filament strand configured to be withdrawn through the payout hole in response to a pull force, to thereby withdraw filament from the interior of the coil. The payout tube is disposed in the payout hole and provides a filament port. A compressive band is disposed over the outer layer and is configured to exert a compressive radial force on the coil so that the coil maintains its cylindrical shape without deformation, and the filament strand may be drawn through the filament outlet free of kinks, twists or tangles.

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 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.

An apparatus for the transportation and payoff of coiled wire and cable, the apparatus comprising a clamshell package, an inner void formed by the clamshell package, the inner void comprising a compartment within for containing coiled wire and cable during transportation and payoff of the wire and cable, a payoff port is coupled to the clamshell package, wherein the coiled wire and cable is extracted from the clamshell package through the payoff port on an axis substantially similar to the axis of the extracted wire and cable, and wherein the payoff port extends from the clamshell package through the coiled wire and cable.

A welding wire coil package system for a coil of wire including a sheath that is laid over the coil where the sheath includes at least one layer of material that adheres to the wire to hold the wire within the coil in the position that the coil is formed and prevent unintended movement of the wire, the sheath defining an opening through which wire is paid out from an interior surface of the coil.