WO2023003615A1

WO2023003615A1 - Collapsible, returnable plastic reels

Info

Publication number: WO2023003615A1
Application number: PCT/US2022/027157
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vedanand D. AMONKAR; Iason ZARAKOVITIS; Gopal M. PAL; Lester S. SIGMON
Original assignee: Commscope Technologies LLC
Current assignee: Commscope Technologies LLC
Priority date: 2021-07-21
Filing date: 2022-04-29
Publication date: 2023-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 2024-01-21

Abstract

A cable reel includes features to allow disassembly, so that empty reels made be conveniently stored and shipped. The cable reel includes a first generally circular flange. A generally cylindrical hub has a first end removably attached to the first flange by a first twist on / twist off arrangement, and an opposite, second end removably attached to a second generally circular flange by a second twist on / twist off arrangement. The hub may be formed of at least two parts which are removably connected to each other by tongue and channel arrangements and may be disassembled when the first and second flanges are removed from the hub.

Description

COLLAPSIBLE, RETURNABLE PLASTIC REELS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

[001] The present invention relates to a cable reel, and a cable reel in combination with a coil of cable. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cable reel wherein first and second flanges may be removed from a hub, and the hub may be disassembled into at least two parts, so that the disassembled reel may be conveniently stored and shipped.

2. Description of the Related Art

[002] Reels to hold a coil of cable are known in the prior art, and can be found in US Patents 1,559,133; 1,674,709; 1,742,584; 1,831,848; 2,318,906; 2,465,631; 2,990,135; 3,326,495; 3,432,113; 3,565,363; 3,661,341; 3,680,809; 3,791,606; 3,815,842; 3,830,445; 3,840,198; 4,009,842; 4,124,176; 4,198,012; 4,456,020; 4,867,391; 4,903,913; 5,169,086; 5,242,129; 5,261,625; 5,344,094; 5,649,677; 6,145,780; 6,206,323; 6,234,421; 6,527,220; 6,655,627; 7,121,501; 7,510,138; 8,727,262; 9,637,343; 9,695,008; 9,862,566; 9,873,588; 10,294,066; 10,589,957 and 10,611,598, as well as in US Published Applications 2004/0026561; 2005/0045759; 2005/0051664; 2006/0060689;

2010/0051738 and 2014/0312159, as well as PCT Publication WO 2019/191452, each of which is herein incorporated by reference.

[003] Some prior art reels have one of the flanges being removeable so that a new coil of cable may be loaded around the hub and rest on the remaining flange before the removed flange is reinstalled onto the hub. Some prior reels have many hinges and locking features located around a midportion of the hub, so that the hub may be folded or collapsed onto itself to bring the flanges closer together after a coil of cable has been completely paid off from the reel. Some prior art reels are made with multiple piece hubs and flanges which snap together, but are typically made to be assembled and not disassembled. The snap together fasteners are not made to be repeatedly unmated and remated. Often times a tool, e.g., a flat bladed screwdriver, is needed to unmate the pieces of such snap together reels and the tool damages (deforms) or breaks the features of the reel during the unmating process. Alternatively or in addition, the snap together reels of the prior art tend to have numerous locking features which adds to the costs and complexity of the reel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[004] The Applicant has discovered drawbacks with the reels of the prior art. It is an object of the present invention improve upon the reel structures of the prior art.

[005] Cable is commonly shipped to a customer on a reel. The reel is typically formed of plastic. It is important to recycle or reuse the plastic reel after all the cable has been paid off from the reel in order to be “green” and not send massive numbers of plastic reels as trash to landfills. Recycling the plastic material takes energy, time and storage space. Typically, the reels would be crushed/broken into a compacted state and stored in a bin until a truck load of crushed reels is accumulated. The plastic material pieces are then transported to a recycling center and energy is again expended to transform the crushed plastic pieces into new raw plastic material, e.g., pellets, to be used to form a new and potentially different product.

[006] Reusing the reels is a “greener” option than recycling, as the energy used to transform the crushed pieces of plastic material into pellets for reuse is avoided. However, the empty reels take up considerable customer floor space as they are accumulated. Also, shipping the empty reels from the customer to the manufacturer is costly, as the empty reels are not compact, e.g., the areas within the hub and between the flanges are empty air. A box full of empty reels is large in dimensions, yet light weight as only a few empty reels will fill the box, and the volume of the box is mostly air.

[007] The prior art reels with a single removable flange provide only limited improvement in reducing the bulky nature of the empty reels. The center hub is still intact and occupied by air. Hence, the empty reels are expensive to return to the manufacturer. The prior art reels with the folding hub, like US Patent 5,649,677 do result in a very compacted empty reel. However, the folding hub designs have many moving parts and are expensive to manufacture, noting the reel in US Patent 5,649,677 includes eleven plastic hub pieces with thirty-three hinges to allow the hub to fold flat onto itself. Once the reel is emptied and folded flat by the customer, the customer tends to toss the empty reel into the collection bin, the impacts to the collapsed reel tend to break one or more of the thirty -three hinges. If even one hinge is broken, the reel will typically not be reloaded with cable by the manufacturer because the reel could be unstable and dangerous to the manufacturing personnel in conjunction with high-speed cable reloading equipment. Often the entire reel will be recycled, especially if the labor cost of a repair exceeds the reel replacement cost.

[008] Hence, it is an object of the present invention to improve upon the construction of a reel to allow for easy manual removal of both flanges from the hub, and the disassembly of the hub into at least two parts. The reel of the present invention allows for a cheaper/lower cost construction of a reel, which can be made compact for the purposes of shipping the reel parts back to the cable manufacturer for reloading of the reels.

[009] Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[010] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limits of the present invention, and wherein:

[011] Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a cable reel, in accordance with the present invention;

[012] Figure 2 is a front view of the cable reel of Figure 1;

[013] Figure 3 is a bottom view of the cable reel of Figures 1 and 2, showing a second side of a second flange;

[014] Figure 4 is a top perspective view of a second side of a first flange of the cable reel, disconnected from a hub of the reel of Figures 1-3; [015] Figure 4A is a closeup top view of slots and openings formed in the first flange of Figure 4;

[016] Figure 5 is a front perspective view of a first part of the hub of the cable reel of Figures 1 and 2; [017] Figure 6 is a front view of a second part of the hub of the cable reel of

Figures 1 and 2;

[018] Figure 7 is a top view of the first part of the hub in Figure 5;

[019] Figure 8 is a cross sectional view taken along line VIII— VIII in Figure 7;

[020] Figure 9 is a closeup view of the structure within circle IX of Figure 6; [021] Figure 10 is a front perspective view of an assembled hub, in accordance with a second embodiment;

[022] Figure 11 is a top view of the hub in Figure 10;

[023] Figure 12 is a top of the hub of Figures 10 and 11 when disassembled;

[024] Figure 13 is a front perspective view of the cable reel with a coil cable being wound thereon, in accordance with the present invention;

[025] Figure 14 is a front perspective view of a modified, first part of the hub, in accordance with a third embodiment;

[026] Figure 15 is a closeup view of the structure within circle XV of Figure 14;

[027] Figure 16 is a top perspective view of a second side of a modified, first flange, in accordance with the third embodiment;

[028] Figure 17 is a closeup top view of slots and locking projections formed in and on the modified, first flange of Figure 16; and

[029] Figure 18 is a top view of the modified, first flange of Figure 16 attached to a hub having first and second parts formed in accordance with Figure 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[030] The present invention now is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[031] Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. In the figures, the thickness of certain lines, layers, components, elements or features may be exaggerated for clarity. Broken lines illustrate optional features or operations unless specified otherwise.

[032] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the specification and relevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. Well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity.

[033] As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, phrases such as "between X and Y" and "between about X and Y" should be interpreted to include X and Y. As used herein, phrases such as "between about X and Y" mean "between about X and about Y." As used herein, phrases such as "from about X to Y" mean "from about X to about Y."

[034] It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being "on", "attached" to, "connected" to, "coupled" with, "contacting", etc., another element, it can be directly on, attached to, connected to, coupled with or contacting the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being, for example, "directly on", "directly attached" to, "directly connected" to, "directly coupled" with or "directly contacting" another element, there are no intervening elements present. It will also be appreciated by those of skill in the art that references to a structure or feature that is disposed "adjacent" another feature may have portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature.

[035] Spatially relative terms, such as “under”, “below”, “lower”, “over”, “upper”, “lateral”, “left”, “right” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature’s relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is inverted, elements described as “under” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “over” the other elements or features. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the descriptors of relative spatial relationships used herein interpreted accordingly.

[036] Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a cable reel 11, in accordance with the present invention, Figure 2 is a front view of the cable reel 11, and Figure 3 is a bottom view of the cable reel 11. The cable reel 11 includes a generally circular first flange 13 having a first side 15 and a second side 17. A generally cylindrical hub 19 has a first end 21 and an opposite, second end 23. The first end 21 of the hub 19 is removably attached to the first side 15 of the first flange 13 by a first twist on / twist off arrangement 25, as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

[037] The cable reel 11 includes a generally circular, second flange 27 having a first side 29 and a second side 31. The first side 29 of the second flange 27 faces the first side 15 of first flange 13. The second end 23 of the hub 19 is removably attached to the first side 29 of the second flange 27 by a second twist on / twist off arrangement 33. Figure 3 is a bottom view of the second side 31 of the second flange 27 and shows some of the details of the second twist on / twist off arrangement 33, as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

[038] In a preferred embodiment, the first flange 13 is formed substantially identically as compared to the second flange 27, e.g., by a common plastic molding operation. As an example, a first diameter D1 of the first and second flanges 13 and 27 is about 200 to 400 mm, such as about 250 to 350 mm, or about 305 mm. A central opening 35 is present in the centers of the first and second flanges 13 and 27. As an example, the central opening 35 has a second diameter D2 of about 30 to 50 mm, such as about 35 to 45 mm, or about 38 mm. Further, the second sides 17 and 31 of the first and second flanges 13 and 27 may include reinforcement ridges 37 to add strength to the first and second flanges 13 and 27.

[039] In a preferred embodiment the hub 19 is hollow, e.g., formed as a cylindrical section of a tube. As an example, an outer contour 20 of the hub 19 has a third diameter D3 of about 80 to 120 mm, such as about 90 to 110 mm, or about 102 mm. As illustrated in Figures 6 and 10, a length LI of the hub 19, between the first and second ends 21 and 23 of the hub 19, is about 200 to 400 mm, such as about 250 to 350 mm, or about 290 mm.

[040] A single shaft may pass through the central openings 35 to provide an axis of rotation when the cable reel 11 is being loaded with a coil of cable 39 (Figure 13) during a manufacturing step, e.g., to wind cable 39 about the hub 19 and between the first and second flanges 13 and 27, and/or when cable 39 is being paid off the cable reel 11 by a customer. Alternatively, spaced spindles may be inserted into the central openings 35 from the second sides 17 and 31 of the first and second flanges 13 and 27, respectively, to allow for supported rotation of the cable reel 11.

[041] Figure 4 is a top perspective view of the second side 17 of the first flange 13 of the cable reel 11, disconnected from a hub 19. Figure 4 shows four empty slots 41 passing through the first flange 13. The slots 41 form a part of the first twist on / twist off arrangement 25. As best seen in the closeup of Figure 4 A, each slot 41 is arcuate and includes a wide portion 43 and a narrow portion 45. Each slot 41 covers an arc of about sixty degrees, leaving an arc of about thirty degrees between adjacent slots 41. The second side 17 of the first flange 13 also includes four locking openings 47, with each locking opening 47 being adjacent to a narrow portion 45 of a slot 41. The locking openings 47 may pass entirely through the first flange 13 or be mere depressions formed into the second surface 17 of the first flange 13. [042] The hub 19 is formed of at least two parts, such as first and second parts 49 and 51, which are removably attached to each other. Figure 5 is a front perspective view of the first part 49, which forms a half of the tubular cylindrical shape of the hub 19. Figure 6 is a front view of a second part 51, which forms a half of the hub 19, i.e., the other half of the tubular cylindrical shape.

[043] As best seen in Figure 5, the first part 49 of the hub 19 has a first side edge 53 with a first channel 55 formed therein and an opposite, second side edge 57 with a first tongue 59 extending therefrom. The first side edge 53 is connected to the second side edge 57 by a first portion of the first end 21 of the hub 19 at a top of the first part 49 and by a first portion of the second end 23 of the hub 19 at a bottom of the first part 49.

[044] As best seen in Figure 6, the second part 51 of the hub 19 has a first side edge 61 with a second channel 63 formed therein and an opposite, second side edge 65 with a second tongue 67 extending therefrom. The first side edge 61 is connected to the second side edge 65 by a second portion of the first end 21 of the hub 19 at a top of the second part 51 and by a second portion of the second end 23 of the hub 19 at a bottom of the second part 51.

[045] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the first and second channels 55 and 63 are rectangular in cross-sectional shape and recessed into the first side edges 53 and 61 of the first and second parts 49 and 51. The first and second tongues 59 and 67 are rectangular in a cross-sectional shape, so as to mate into the first and second channels 55 and 63 by being inserted directly into said first and second channels, e.g., in a plug-in fashion.

[046] Portions of the first and second tongues 59 and 67 near the second end 23 of the hub 19 have first and second biasing tabs 69 and 71, as best seen in the close-up view of Figure 9. The first biasing tab 69 is formed in a sidewall of the first tongue 59 of the first part 49 and protrudes away from the sidewall of the first tongue 59 and creates an added frictional force to hold the first tongue 59 of the first part 49 within the second channel 63 of the second part 51. The second biasing tab 71 is formed in a sidewall of the second tongue 67 of the second part 51 and protrudes away from the sidewall of the second tongue 67 and creates an added frictional force to hold the second tongue 67 of the second part 51 within the first channel 55 of the first part 49. [047] It should be noted that the first and second biasing tabs 69 and 71 need not be formed in a sidewall of the first and second tongues 59 and 67, but could instead be formed in the sidewalls of the first and second channels 55 and 63 and protrude inwardly toward centers of the first and second channels 55 and 63. It should also be noted that the first and second parts 49 and 51 of the hub 19 may be formed substantially identically, e.g., by a common plastic molding operation.

[048] Figure 7 is a top view of the first part 49 of the hub 19 of Figure 5, and Figure 8 is a cross sectional view taken along line VIII— VIII in Figure 7. In addition to the four slots 41 in the first flange 13 and four locking openings 47, the first twist on / twist off arrangement 25 includes four locking tabs 73 attached to the first end 21 of the hub 19. Each locking tab 73 extends away from the first end 21 of the hub 19 and through one of the four slots 41 formed in the first flange 13. Each locking tab 73 has a generally L-shaped profile with a first portion 75 extending along a first direction parallel to the outer contour 20 of the hub 19 and a second portion 77 extending at an approximate ninety-degree angle from the first portion 75 toward a center of the hub 19.

[049] The second portion 77 of the locking tab 73 may pass through the wide portion 43 of the slot 41. As the first flange 13 is rotated in a first direction relative to the hub 19, the first portion 75 of the locking tab 73 passes into the narrow portion 45 of the slot 41 and the second portion 77 of the locking tab 73 overlies the second side 17 of the first flange 13 adjacent to the narrow portion 45 of the slot 41.

[050] The second portion 77 of the locking tab 73 includes a locking projection 79, which extends at approximately a ninety-degree angle relative to the second portion 77 back toward the second side 17 of the first flange 13. The locking projection 79 engages the second side 17 of the first flange 13 as the first flange 13 is rotated in the first direction relative to the hub 19.

[051] The locking projection 79 snaps into the locking opening 47 adjacent to the narrow portion 45 of the slot 41, as the second portion 77 passes over the second side 17 of the first flange 13 during rotation of the first flange 13 in the first direction relative to the hub 19. Of course, each second portion 75 of each locking tab 73 enters a respective narrow portion 45 of a slot 41 and each locking projection 79 snaps into a respective locking opening 47, substantially simultaneously. This is the operation of the first twist on / twist off arrangement 25 when the first flange 13 is mated to the first end 21 of the hub 19.

[052] The second end 23 of the hub 19 also includes four locking tabs 73’, which are structured the same as the locking tabs 73 at the first end 21 of the hub 19. The locking tabs 73’ include first portions 75’, second portions ΊT and locking projections 79’. The second portion ΊT enters into the wide portion 43 of the slot 41 of the second flange 27. The first portion 75’ enters the narrow portion 45 within the slot 41 during rotation of the second flange 27, which is structured the same as the first flange 13. As the second flange 27 is rotated relative to the hub 19, the locking projections 79’ snap into the locking openings 47 in the second flange 27. This is the operation of the second twist on / twist off arrangement 33 when the second flange 27 is mated to the second end 23 of the hub 19. When the first and second flanges 13 and 27 are mated to the hub 19, the first and second parts 49 and 51 of the hub 19 are locked into engagement.

[053] Now, the operation of the first twist on / twist off arrangement 25 when the first flange 13 is unmated from the first end 21 of the hub 19 will be described. A first side edge of the locking projection 79 includes a radius of curvature 81, such that when the locking projection 79 is seated into the locking opening 47 and the first flange 13 is rotated in a second direction, opposite the first direction, the radius of curvature 81 will assist the locking projection 79 to ride out of the locking opening 47 and ride along the second side 17 of the first flange 13 until the locking projection 79 and the second portion 77 of the locking tab 73 pass into the wide portion 43 of the slot 41. The second end 23 of the hub 19 also includes a radius of curvature 8 on a first side edge of the locking projections 79’ to assist the operation of the second twist on / twist off arrangement 33 when the second flange 27 is unmated from the second end 23 of the hub 19.

[054] Although Figures 5 and 6 depicted the first and second channels 55 and 63 and the first and second tongues 59 and 67 with a rectangular cross section, other cross- sectional configurations are possible. For example, in Figures 10-12, the first end 53’ of the first part 49’ of the hub 19’ has a first channel 55’ which is c-shaped in its cross- sectional shape. Likewise, the first end 61’ of the second part 51’ of the hub 19’ has a second channel 63’ which is c-shaped in its cross-sectional shape. The first and second tongues 59’ and 67’ of the first and second parts 49’ and 5 are bulbous in a cross- sectional shape, so as to mate into the first and second channels 55’ and 63’ by siding laterally into the first and second channels 55’ and 63’.

[055] Figure 14 is similar to Figure 5 but illustrates three alternative and/or optional features of the present invention. First, reinforcement ridges 37 may optionally be included on an inside wall 101 of a modified, first part 49 A. The reinforcement ridges 37 may extend out about 2 mm from the inside wall 101 and will improve the rigidity and durability of the modified, first part 49A. As before, it should also be noted that a modified, second part 51 A of the hub 19 may be formed substantially identically to the modified, first part 49A, e.g., by a common plastic molding operation. Therefore, the three alternatives being described herein apply equally to the modified, second part 51 A.

[056] Second, the modified, first part 49A still includes the first side edge 53 with the first channel 55 formed therein and the opposite, second side edge 57 with the first tongue 59 extending therefrom. However, the first biasing tab 69 formed in the sidewall of the first tongue 59 of the modified, first part 49A has been removed. As best seen in the close-up view of Figure 15, biasing tabs 69A are fixed to sidewalls of the first channel 55 and protrude inwardly toward a center of the first channel 55. In a preferred embodiment, the biasing tabs 69A extend inwardly from the sidewalls of the channel 55 a distance D4 of about 0.2 mm. Figure 15 illustrates four biasing tabs 69A spaced about 10 mm apart. However, more or fewer biasing tabs 69A may be included at different spacings to assist in holding the first and second tongues 59 and 67 in the second and first channels 63 and 55, respectively.

[057] Third, the modified, first part 49A includes modified, locking tabs 73A. The modified, locking tabs 73 A no longer include locking projections 79. Instead, the empty space 103 between the second portions 77 of the modified, locking tabs 73 A acts as a parking space 103 to accept a modified, locking projection 79A, which is attached to the second side 17 of a modified, first flange 13 A. More particularly, modified, locking projections 79A are located adjacent to the narrow portions 45 of one or more of the arcuate- shaped slots 41.

[058] Figure 16 shows two modified, locking projections 79A located one hundred eighty degrees apart on the first side 17 of the first flange 13. Figure 17 is a closeup view of the center section of the first side 17 of the modified, first flange 13 A. Although two modified, locking projections 79 A are shown, more or fewer of the modified, locking projections 79A may be included on the first side 17.

[059] One or more top edges of the modified, locking projections 79A may have a radius of curvature 81 A. As the modified, first flange 13 A is rotated relative to the hub 19, the second portion portions 77 pass over the second side 17 of the modified, first flange 13A adjacent to the narrow portion 45. Eventually, the radius of curvature 81A will engage and assist in allowing the second portion 77 to flex away from the second side 17 of the first flange 13 and ride up and onto the modified, locking projection 79A. Further rotation of the modified, first flange 13 A will cause the second portion 77 to snap downwardly toward the second side 17 of the modified, first flange 13 A, as it passes by the modified, locking projection 79A, thereby capturing the modified, locking projection 79 A in the parking space 103, as shown in Figure 18.

[060] In the depicted embodiments, an outer perimeter of the first and second flanges 13 and 27 is circular, and has the first diameter Dl. Although circular outer perimeters are shown, the outer perimeters may have undulations to reduce the weight of the first and second flanges 13 and 27. Alternatively or in addition, openings may exist between the reinforcement ridges 37 of the first and second flanges 13 and 27 to reduce the weight of the first and second flanges 13 and 27.

[061] The Figures depict that the first or second flanges 13 and 27 are turned approximately forty degrees to seat each locking projection 79, 79’, 79A, 79A’ into its corresponding locking opening 47 or parking space 103. However, the lengths of the arcuate- shaped slots 41 may be made larger or smaller to change the angle of rotation needed to lock and free the first and/or second flanges 13 and 27. For example, the narrow portions 45 of the each arcuate-shaped slots 41 may be made longer or shorter to cause a forty-five degree or thirty -five degree rotation of the first flange 13 to lock or release the first flange 13 relative to the hub 19 or 19’.

[062] Although the Figures have depicted four locking tabs 73 extending away from the first end 21 of the hub 19, four locking tabs 73’ extending away from the second end 23 of the hub 19, four slots 41 formed in the first flange 13 and four slots 41 formed in the second flange 27, more or fewer locking projections 73/73’ and slots 41 may be used. For example, the first end 21 of the hub 19 could include five, three or two locking tabs 73, and the first flange 13 could include five, three or two corresponding slots 41. Further, the hub 19 could be formed of more than two parts 49 and 51, such as three or four parts, each formed 1/3 or 1/4, respectively of the outer contour 20 of the hub 19. [063] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

Claims:

1. A reel for storing a coil of cable comprising: a first flange having a first side and a second side; a generally cylindrical hub having a first end removably attached to said first side of said first flange by a first twist on / twist off arrangement, wherein said hub has an opposite, second end; and a second flange having a first side and a second side, wherein said first side of said second flange faces said first side of said first flange, and wherein said second end of said hub is removably attached to said first side of said second flange by a second twist on / twist off arrangement.

2. The reel according to claim 1, wherein said first twist on / twist off arrangement includes at least two slots formed in said first flange and at least two locking tabs extending away from said first end of said hub, wherein each locking tab extending away from said first end of said hub extends through one of said least two slots formed in said first flange.

3. The reel according to claim 2, wherein each locking tab has a generally L-shaped profile with a first portion extending along a first direction parallel to an outer contour of said hub and a second portion extending at an approximate ninety-degree angle from said first portion; wherein each slot is arcuate and includes a wide portion and a narrow portion; and wherein said second portion of said locking tab may pass through said wide portion, and as said first flange is rotated in a first direction relative to said hub, said first portion passes into said narrow portion and said second portion overlies said second side of said first flange adjacent to said narrow portion.

4. The reel according to claim 3, wherein said second portion includes a locking projection, which extends at approximately a ninety degree angle relative to said second portion back toward said second side of said first flange and engages said second side of said first flange as said first flange is rotated in the first direction relative to said hub; wherein said second side of said first flange includes a locking opening; and wherein said locking projection snaps into said locking opening as said second portion passes over said second side of said first flange during rotation of said first flange in the first direction relative to said hub.

5. The reel according to claim 4, wherein a first side edge of said locking projection includes a radius of curvature, such that when said locking projection is seated into said locking opening and said first flange is rotated in a second direction opposite the first direction, said radius of curvature will assist said locking projection to ride out of said locking opening and ride along said second side of said first flange until said locking projection and said second portion of said tab pass into said wide portion of said slot.

6. The reel according to claim 2, wherein said second twist on / twist off arrangement includes at least two slots formed in said second flange and at least two locking tabs extending away from said second end of said hub, wherein each locking tab extending away from said second end of said hub extends through one of said least two slots formed in said second flange.

7. The reel according to claim 1, wherein said first twist on / twist off arrangement includes four slots formed in said first flange and four locking tabs extending away from said first end of said hub, wherein each locking tab extending away from said first end of said hub extends through one of said four slots formed in said first flange.

8. The reel according to claim 7, wherein each locking tab has a generally L-shaped profile with a first portion extending along a first direction parallel to an outer contour of said hub and a second portion extending at an approximate ninety-degree angle from said first portion; wherein each slot is arcuate and includes a wide portion and a narrow portion; wherein said second portion of said locking tab may pass through said wide portion, and as said first flange is rotated in a first direction relative to said hub, said first portion passes into said narrow portion and said second portion overlies said second side of said first flange adjacent to said narrow portion; wherein said second portion includes a locking projection, which extends at approximately a ninety degree angle relative to said second portion back toward said second side of said first flange and engages said second side of said first flange as said first flange is rotated in the first direction relative to said hub; wherein said second side of said first flange includes a locking opening; and wherein said locking projection snaps into said locking opening as said second portion passes over said second side of said first flange during rotation of said first flange in the first direction relative to said hub.

9. The reel according to claim 1, wherein said hub is formed of at least two parts which are removably attached so each other.

10. The reel according to claim 1, further comprising: a coil of cable encircling said hub and residing between said first and second flanges.

11. A reel for storing a coil of cable comprising: a first flange having a first side and a second side; a generally cylindrical hub having a first end removably attached to said first side of said first flange, wherein said hub has an opposite, second end, wherein said hub is formed of at least two parts which are removably connected to each other by tongue and channel arrangements; and a second flange having a first side and a second side, wherein said first side of said second flange faces said first side of said first flange, and wherein said second end of said hub is removably attached to said first side of said second flange.

12. The reel according to claim 11, wherein said at least two parts of said hub includes a first part which is formed as half of a tubular cylinder, and a second part which is formed as half of a tubular cylinder.

13. The reel according to claim 12, wherein said first part of said hub has a first side edge with first channel formed therein and an opposite, second side edge with a first tongue extending therefrom, and wherein said first side edge of said first part is connected to said second side edge of said first part by first portion of said first end of said hub at a top of said first part and by a first portion of said second end of said hub at a bottom of said first part; and wherein said second part of said hub has a first side edge with second channel formed therein and an opposite, second side edge with a second tongue extending therefrom, and wherein said first side edge of said second part is connected to said second side edge of said second part by a second portion of said first end of said hub at a top of said second part and by a second portion of said second end of said hub at a bottom of said second part.

14. The reel according to claim 13, wherein said first and second channels are rectangular in cross-sectional shape, and wherein said first and second tongues are rectangular in a cross-sectional shape, so as to mate into said first and second channels by being inserted directly into said first and second channels.

15. The reel according to claim 14, further comprising: a biasing tab formed in either a sidewall of said first channel of said first part or a sidewall of said first tongue of said first part.

16. The reel according to claim 15, wherein said biasing tab is a first biasing tab and is formed in a sidewall of said first tongue of said first part and protrudes away from said sidewall of said first tongue of said first part and creates an added frictional force to hold said first tongue of said first part within said second channel of said second part, and further comprising: a second biasing tab formed in a sidewall of said second tongue of said second part, which protrudes away from said sidewall of said second tongue of said second part and creates an added frictional force to hold said second tongue of said second part within said first channel of said first part.

17. The reel according to claim 13, wherein said first and second channels are c- shaped in cross-sectional shape, and wherein said first and second tongues are bulbous in a cross-sectional shape, so as to mate into said first and second channels by siding laterally into said first and second channels.

18. The reel according to claim 12, wherein said first and second parts of said hub are substantially identically formed, and wherein said first and second flanges are substantially identically formed.

19. The reel according to claim 11, further comprising; a coil of cable encircling said hub and residing between said first and second flanges.

20. A reel for storing a coil of cable comprising: a first flange having a first side and a second side; a generally cylindrical hub having a first end removably attached to said first side of said first flange by a first twist on / twist off arrangement, wherein said hub has an opposite, second end, wherein said hub is formed of at least two parts which are removably connected to each other by tongue and channel arrangements; and a second flange having a first side and a second side, wherein said first side of said second flange faces said first side of said first flange, and wherein said second end of said hub is removably attached to said first side of said second flange by a second twist on / twist off arrangement.