Reel with housing having triangular aperture for entry of linear material

Abstract

A reel is provided with a housing having a triangular aperture for entry and removal of linear material wound upon the reel drum. The drum has a spool surface onto which a linear material may be wound, the spool surface having two ends. The housing substantially encloses the drum, and the drum is rotatable about a drum axis relative to at least a portion of the housing. The at least a portion of the housing has a generally triangular aperture sized to receive a linear material wound onto the drum. The aperture has a first side oriented generally parallel to the drum axis, and second and third sides meeting at a vertex generally midway between opposing ends of the spool surface of the drum.

1 . A reel comprising:
 a drum having a spool surface onto which a linear material may be wound, the spool surface having two ends; and   a housing substantially enclosing the drum, the drum being rotatable about a drum axis relative to at least a portion of the housing, the at least a portion of the housing having a generally triangular aperture sized to receive a linear material wound onto the drum, the aperture having a first side oriented generally parallel to the drum axis, and second and third sides meeting at a vertex generally midway between opposing ends of the spool surface of the drum.   
   
   
       2 . The reel of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture has rounded vertices. 
   
   
       3 . The reel of  claim 1 , wherein the first side of the aperture extends across at least 50% of a length of the spool surface of the drum. 
   
   
       4 . The reel of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between a center of the first side of the aperture and a plane perpendicular to the drum axis and extending through a center of a length of the spool surface of the drum is less than 20% of the length of the spool surface. 
   
   
       5 . The reel of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the housing is increased along edges of the aperture. 
   
   
       6 . The reel of  claim 1 , further comprising a linear material at least partially wound upon the spool surface of the drum and extending through the aperture, the linear material being wound in a direction in which the vertex points. 
   
   
       7 . The reel of  claim 1 , farther comprising a linear material at least partially wound upon the spool surface of the drum, the linear material being wound in a direction so that, during winding of the linear material onto the drum, the linear material tends to slide against the vertex. 
   
   
       8 . The reel of  claim 1 , wherein the triangular aperture is shaped substantially like an isosceles triangle and the second and third sides are oriented at an angle of 20-50° with respect to one another. 
   
   
       9 . The reel of  claim 1 , wherein the spool surface of the drum is cylindrical and the distance between the vertex and the first side is within 40-300% of a diameter of the spool surface. 
   
   
       10 . The reel of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a first portion and a second portion rotatable with respect to the first portion about the drum axis, the second portion including the aperture and being rotatable with respect to the drum about the drum axis. 
   
   
       11 . The reel of  claim 10 , further comprising a mechanism for rotatably locking the first and second portions of the housing while the rotating the drum in a direction to wind linear material thereon. 
   
   
       12 . A method comprising:
 rotating a drum about a drum axis to wind a linear material onto a spool surface of the drum or unwind the linear material from the spool surface of the drum;   and   during said step of rotating the drum, drawing the linear material through a generally triangular aperture in a housing substantially enclosing the drum, the drum being rotatable about the drum axis with respect to a portion of the housing that includes the aperture, the aperture having a first side oriented generally parallel to the drum axis, and second and third sides meeting at a vertex generally midway between opposing ends of the spool surface of the drum.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising rounding one or more vertices of the aperture. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising configuring the aperture so that the first side of the aperture extends across at least 50% of a length of the spool surface of the drum. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising positioning the first side of the aperture so that a distance between a center of the first side of the aperture and a plane perpendicular to the drum axis and extending through a center of a length of the spool surface of the drum is less than 20% of the length of the spool surface. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising increasing a thickness of the housing along edges of the aperture. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein rotating the drum about the drum axis comprises winding the linear material onto the drum in a direction in which the vertex points. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein rotating the drum about the drum axis comprises causing the linear material to slide against the vertex. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 shaping the aperture substantially like an isosceles triangle; and   orienting the second and third sides of the aperture at an angle of 20-50° with respect to one another.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the spool surface of the drum is cylindrical and the distance between the vertex and the first side is within 40-300% of a diameter of the spool surface. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the housing comprises a first portion and a second portion rotatable with respect to the first portion about the drum axis, the second portion including the aperture and being rotatable with respect to the drum about the drum axis. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein rotating the drum about the drum axis comprises rotating the drum in a direction to wind the linear material onto the drum, the method further comprising rotatably locking the first and second portions of the housing during the step of rotating the drum. 
   
   
       23 . A reel comprising:
 a drum having a spool surface onto which a linear material may be wound; and   a housing substantially enclosing the drum, the drum being rotatable about a drum axis relative to at least a portion of the housing, the at least a portion of the housing having a generally triangular aperture sized to receive a linear material wound onto the drum.   
   
   
       24 . A method comprising:
 rotating a drum about a drum axis to wind a linear material onto a spool surface of the drum or unwind the linear material from the spool surface of the drum; and   during said step of rotating the drum, drawing the linear material through a generally triangular aperture in a housing substantially enclosing the drum, the drum being rotatable about the drum axis with respect to a portion of the housing that includes the aperture.