Two-part and stackable cable spool arrangement

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cable spool arrangement for use in automated cable winding applications, said cable spool arrangement comprising a first core half and a second core half, each one of the first and second core halves comprising an outer wall having a conical section, wherein each one of said first core half and said second core half comprises a connecting arrangement configured to connect said first core half and said second core half together, and comprising at least one protrusion and at least one recess. The present invention also relates to a stackable cable spool half.

Claims

1. A cable spool arrangement for use in automated cable winding applications, said cable spool arrangement comprising: a first core half and a second core half, each one of the first and second core halves comprising an outer wall having a conical section, wherein each one of said first core half and said second core half comprises a connecting arrangement configured to connect said first core half and said second core half together, and comprising at least one protrusion and at least one recess, wherein the protrusion of the connecting arrangement of said first core half is sized and dimensioned to mate with the corresponding recess of the connecting arrangement of said second core half to form a first protrusion-recess pair, and said recess of the connecting arrangement of said first core half is sized and dimensioned to mate with the corresponding protrusion of the connecting arrangement of said second core half to form a second protrusion-recess pair, and wherein said connecting arrangements comprises a snap-lock configured to axially lock said first core half to said second core half when the respective protrusion is received in the respective recess, wherein each one of said first core half and said second core half comprises an inner wall having an outer surface and wherein said outer wall has an inner surface, such that an interior core space is formed in each core half between said inner surface of said outer wall and said outer surface of said inner wall, wherein a spacer is arranged in said interior core space, said spacer being configured to prevent said first core half from wedging with said second core half during stacking of the first and second core halves.

2. A cable spool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said connecting arrangements of said first and second core halves are configured to, by a single axial movement of the first core half towards the second core half, both rotationally and axially lock said first core half to said second core half.

3. A cable spool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each one of the recesses of the connecting arrangements is sized and dimensioned to enclose the respective protrusion of the connecting arrangements, to enable rotational locking of the two core halves relative to each other.

4. A cable spool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each one of said first core half and said second core half comprises a first end portion comprising said connecting arrangement, and a second end portion connectable to a cable spool flange, wherein said respective conical section tapers from said respective second end portion towards said respective first end portion.

5. A cable spool arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said first end portion of each one of said first core half and said second core half comprises an end portion surface from which said at least one protrusion is extending axially outwardly, and from which said at least one recess is extending axially inwardly.

6. A cable spool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said snap-lock comprises male snap-lock parts and female snap-lock parts, and wherein each one of said first and second protrusion-recess pairs comprises a pair of at least one male snap-lock part and at least one female snap-lock part.

7. A cable spool arrangement according to claim 1, which is arrangeable in an assembled state in which the first core half is connected to said second core half by that said first and second protrusion-recess pairs are mating, and which is arrangeable in an unassembled state in which the first core half is separated from said second core half, and wherein said first core half and said second core half are, in said unassembled state, configured to be stackable, such that at least a part of said conical section of said first core half is received within said conical section of said second core half.

8. A cable spool arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the connecting arrangements of the first core half and the second core half are identical.

9. A stackable cable spool half comprising: a first end portion comprising a connecting arrangement, a second end portion being connectable to a flange, a conical section arranged between said first and second end portions, wherein said connecting arrangement comprises at least one protrusion and at least one recess configured to connect said cable spool half to a corresponding connecting arrangement of another cable spool half, wherein the protrusion and the recess of the connecting arrangement are sized and dimensioned to mate with each other, and wherein said protrusion comprises one of a male snap-lock part and a female snap-lock part, and said recess comprises the other one of said male snap-lock part and female snap-lock part, said male and female snap-lock parts being sized and dimensioned to mate with each other, further comprising an inner wall having an outer surface and an outer wall having an inner surface, such that an interior core space is formed between said inner surface of said outer wall and said outer surface of said inner wall, wherein a spacer is arranged in said interior core space, said spacer being configured to prevent said cable spool half from wedging with another cable spool half during stacking of the cable spool half of the present invention and the other cable spool half.

10. A stackable cable spool half according to claim 9, wherein said first end portion comprises an end portion surface from which said at least one protrusion is extending axially outwardly, and from which said at least one recess is extending axially inwardly.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The above, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the appended drawing, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an unassembled cable spool arrangement according to one exemplary embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention,

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cable spool arrangement of FIG. 1 being prepared for assembly,

(4) FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the connecting arrangement,

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cable spool arrangement of FIG. 1 in an assembled state,

(6) FIG. 5 is perspective view of a stackable cable spool half according to one exemplary embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention,

(7) FIG. 6 is another perspective view of the stackable cable spool half of FIG. 5,

(8) FIG. 7 is a schematic flow chart showing a method for connecting two cable spool core halves to each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(9) In the present detailed description, embodiments of a cable spool arrangement 1 according to the present invention are mainly discussed with reference to drawings showing a cable spool arrangement 1 with components and portions being relevant in relation to various embodiments of the invention. It should be noted that this by no means limits the scope of the invention, which is also applicable in other circumstances for instance with other types or variants of cable spool arrangements 1 than the embodiments shown in the appended drawings. Further, that specific features are mentioned in connection to an embodiment of the invention does not mean that those components cannot be used to an advantage together with other embodiments of the invention.

(10) In the following, any reference to the direction inwards is to be understood as meaning in a direction from a flange 260 or a second end of a cable spool half 2 and towards the connecting arrangement 207 of said cable spool half 2. Furthermore, any reference to the direction radially inwards is to be understood as meaning in a direction towards the longitudinal axis of the cable spool halves 2. Conversely, any reference to the directions outwards and radially outwards are to be understood in this context.

(11) The invention will now by way of example be described in more detail by means of embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(12) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an unassembled cable spool arrangement 1 according to one exemplary embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention. Shown here are two cable spool halves 2, each comprising a conically shaped core half 201 and a flange 260 formed integrally with the core half 201. The flange 260 allows the retention of cable wound upon the cable spool 3 formed by two cable spool halves 2 having been connected to each other. The flanges 260, having gripable portions and visual identification marks, allow the cable spool 3 and the cable spool halves 2 to be handled by automated machinery.

(13) Each core half 201 has a first end 203 and a second end 205, and the flange 260 extends from the second end 205 of the core half 201, said second end 205 being the end adjacent to a base portion of the conical core half 201. The flange 260 extends in a plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the core half 201, which longitudinal extension extends in the axial direction of the core half 201 and may thus be referred to as axial extension. In other words, the core half 201 tapers inwards from the flange 260 towards the first end 203, at which end a connecting arrangement 207 is provided. The flanges 260 of each cable spool half 2 have an inward facing side 261, and an outward facing side 263. On the inward facing side 261, each flange 260 is provided with reinforcing ribs 265 extending in a radial direction thereof, and on the outward facing side 263, each flange 260 is provided with further reinforcing ribs 267. These ribs 265, 267 allow for an increased stiffness and stability of the flanges 260.

(14) Additionally, each one of the core halves 201 comprises a core half outer wall 209, upon the outer surface 209a of which the cable is to be spun or wound. The core half outer wall 209 is the wall forming the outer lateral surface area of the conically shaped core half 201, and the core half outer wall 209 extends in a longitudinal or axial direction between the first end 203 and the second end 205 of the core half 201.

(15) At the first end 203 of the core half 201, extending in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the core half 201, is an annular end portion surface 211. The annular end portion surface 211 extends from the core half outer wall 209, in a radially inwards direction towards the longitudinal axis of the core half 201. On this annular end portion surface 211, a connecting arrangement 207 is provided. Additionally, there are provided holes 213 and indentations 215 on the annular end portion surface 211. The indentations 215 are where the gates or injections points in the injection molding process are located, and both the indentations 215 and the holes 213 are arranged to prevent gate mark defects from the injection molding process from interfering with another cable spool half 2 with which the cable spool half 2 is to be connected.

(16) Extending from the annular end portion surface 211 of the core half 201 is a conically shaped core half inner wall 217. The core half inner wall 217 tapers outwards such that its diameter at the first end 203 of the core half 201 is greater than at the second end 205 thereof. In other words, the inner and outer walls 209, 217 of each core half 201 taper in opposite directions. The inner wall 217 comprises an outer surface 217a and an inner surface 217b, with the outer surface 217a being the surface facing in a radially outwards direction. Furthermore, the outer wall 209 comprises an outer surface 209a and an inner surface 209b, with the outer surface 209a being the surface facing in a radially outwards direction. Thus, the cable spool halves 2 are stackable, with the first end 203 of one core half 201 fitting inside an interior core space 219 formed between the inner surface 209b of the outer wall 209 and the outer surface 217a of the inner wall 217 of another core half 201. This interior core space 219 is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 2.

(17) The connecting arrangement 207 is provided on the first end 203 of each core half 201 and is configured to mate with the connecting arrangement 207 of the other core half 201. The connecting arrangement 207 comprises a number of protrusions 221 and a number of recesses 223. In the illustrated embodiment, there are four protrusions 221 and four recesses 223, each recess 223 being arranged to receive and enclose the protrusions 221 of the other core half 201 and vice versa. In the illustrated embodiment, the protrusions 221 are equidistantly distributed about the circumference of the first end 203 of the core half 201 and protrude in a direction that is substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the core half 201. Similarity, the recesses 223 are also equidistantly distributed about the circumference of the first end 203 of the core half 201 and recede in a direction that is substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the core half 201. The protrusions 221 and recesses 223 are alternatingly distributed about the circumference of the core half 201, such that every protrusion 221 is located between two recesses 223 and every recess 223 is located between two protrusions 221. Furthermore, each protrusion 221 is located closer to one of its two adjacent recesses 223 than to the other. In other words, in one and the same connecting arrangement 207, there are provided a number of protrusion-recess couples 225. In the illustrated embodiment, each protrusion-recess couple 225 is identical to the others. Thus, there are four correct rotational positions in which the cable spool halves 2 may be connected to each other in the illustrated embodiment. Furthermore, the aforementioned holes 213 on the annular end portion 211 of each core half 201 may be used in an automated process for rotationally aligning two cable spool halves 2 with each other. In other, non-illustrated embodiments, the cable spool halves 2 may be provided with means for visually indicating a single correct rotational position. Such visually indicating means may for example be located on the flange 260 of each cable spool half 2.

(18) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cable spool arrangement 1 of FIG. 1 being prepared for assembly. Here, two cable spool halves 2 are arranged opposite each other, in a position from which a single movement in a direction that is parallel with the longitudinal axes of the two cable spool halves 2 is such that the connecting arrangements 207 of each cable spool half 2 connects with that of the other. The connecting arrangement 207 is shown in more detail in FIG. 3.

(19) FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the connecting arrangement 207. Shown herein is the connecting arrangement 207 of one cable spool half 2. The protrusions 221 are shaped as slightly tapered rectangular cuboids having two sides facing in a radially inwards and radially outwards direction, respectively, and two sides facing in a respective circumferential direction of the cable spool half 2. Each protrusion 221 has a female snap-lock member 227 which is arranged to cooperate with a male snap-lock member 229 of the connecting arrangement 207 of another cable spool half 2.

(20) The recesses 223 have a shape and dimension that corresponds to the shape and dimension of the protrusions 221, such that a protrusion 221 received by a recess 223 is enclosed therein on at least four sides thereof. Each recess 223 is also provided with a male snap-lock member 229, arranged to lock the protrusions 221 in place inside the recesses 223. The female snap-lock member 227 is an opening on a side wall of the protrusions 221. The male snap-lock member 229 is a wedge-shaped flexible protrusion extending from a side wall of the recesses 223. The male snap-lock member 229 is wedge-shaped such that it may engage with a female snap-lock member 227 in response to the protrusion 221 being fully received by the recess 223. Once engaged, the protrusion 221 may not leave the recess 223 without disengaging the male and female snap-locks 227, 229.

(21) From FIGS. 3 and 4, it is clear that the snap-lock 227, 229 provided on the protrusions 221 and recesses 223 of the connecting arrangement 207 is located such that the engagement therebetween occurs substantially internally of one of the two cable spool halves 2 which are to be connected to each other. Thus, the snap-lock 227, 229 is protected from external interference when two cable spool halves 2 are connected. Furthermore, the snap-lock 227, 229 is located on respective side walls of the protrusions 221 and recesses 223 that face in a circumferential direction of the connecting arrangement 207. Alternatively, the snap-lock 227, 229 may be located on respective side walls of the protrusions 221 and recesses 223 that face in a radial direction of the connecting arrangement 207. A radially facing snap-lock 227, 229 provides better engagement of the two cable spool halves 2, but takes up more space than a circumferentially facing snap-lock 227, 229.

(22) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cable spool arrangement 1 of FIG. 1 in an assembled state. Here, a cable spool 3 is formed by the two cable spool halves 2 of the cable spool arrangement 1 being connected to each other. Also seen herein is the fact that the connecting arrangements 207 of the cable spool halves 2 are not readily accessible once the cable spool arrangement 1 is assembled.

(23) FIG. 5 is perspective view of a stackable cable spool half 2 according to one exemplary embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention. The description of the cable spool halves 2 given in view of the preceding figures applies for the stackable cable spool half 2 shown in FIG. 5 as well.

(24) FIG. 6 is another perspective view of the stackable cable spool half 2 of FIG. 5. Shown herein are the recesses 223 receding into the interior core space 219 formed between the inner surface 209b of the core half outer wall 209 and the outer surface 217a of the core half inner wall 217. Furthermore, FIG. 6 shows the spacers 231 which are arranged in the interior core space 219 at a position adjacent to the first end 203 of the core half 201. The height of the spacers 231 is greater than the depth of the recesses 223 and the height of the protrusions 221. Thus, the protrusions 221 and the recesses 223 may be safely stowed away in a space formed by the spacers 231 of one cable spool half 2 abutting the annular end portion surface 211 of another cable spool half 2.

(25) FIG. 7 is a schematic flow-chart showing a method for connecting two cable spool halves 2 to each other. The method comprises the steps of: providing a cable spool arrangement 1 according to the first aspect of the present invention, coaxially aligning the two cable spool halves 2 of the cable spool arrangement 1 so that the protrusions 221 of one cable spool half 2 faces the recesses 223 of the other cable spool half 2, moving the two cable spool halves 2 towards each other, such that the protrusions 221 of either cable spool half 2 are received by the recesses 223 of the other cable spool half 2 and the snap-lock 227, 229 of each cable spool half 2 engages with the snap-lock 227, 229 of the other cable spool half 2.

(26) Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein. All references to a/an/the [element, device, component, means, step, etc.] are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of said element, device, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. Furthermore, any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.