Modular wire spool rack

Abstract

A modular wire spool rack that enables spools to be easily and quickly changed. Spool bearings are included to ensure smooth rotation of the spool without bouncing. Multiple modular wire spool racks may be connected by spools to form linear and two-dimensional arrays of spool racks so any number of spools may be accommodated. The modular wire spool rack is portable and self-contained, and so may be taken where needed. Optional attachment to a slat wall to avoid tipping of tall combinations of modular wire spool racks is provided. Optional rack bars for additional strength and stability are also provided.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A modular wire spool rack comprising first and second modular spool rack panels, each said spool rack panel further comprising:
 a. a generally rectangular shape having first and second ridge-reinforced left and right panel sides, top, bottom, front, and rear sides;   b. a first horizontal slot:
 i. having an opening on a right-hand portion of said front side of said spool rack panel; 
 ii. extending rearward to a point proximate to a center of said spool rack panel; 
 iii. terminating in a first downward vertical slot; and 
 iv. having a slot retainer flange along a perimeter of said first horizontal slot and said second downward vertical slot; and 
   c. a second horizontal slot;
 i. having an opening on a left-hand portion of said front side of said spool rack panel aligned to said first horizontal slot opening; 
 ii. extending rearward to a point proximate to a center of said spool rack panel and mutually aligned to said first horizontal slot; 
 iii. terminating in a second downward vertical slot mutually aligned to said first downward vertical slot; and 
 iv. having a slot retainer flange along a perimeter of said second horizontal slot and said second downward vertical slot. 
   
     
     
         2 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 1 , comprising at least one stacking alignment feature on said top side of said spool rack panel. 
     
     
         3 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 2 , comprising at least one stacking feature on said bottom side of said spool rack panel having a complimentary shape to said at least one stacking alignment feature on said top side of said spool rack panel. 
     
     
         4 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 1 , comprising a slat wall connector receiver on a rear side of said spool rack panel. 
     
     
         5 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 1 , comprising at least one wire spool rack bar socket. 
     
     
         6 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 5 , comprising:
 a. at least one wire spool rack bar installed in respective at least one wire spool rack bar socket in said first modular spool rack panel; and   b. at least one wire spool rack bar installed in respective at least one aligned wire spool rack bar socket in said second modular spool rack panel.   
     
     
         7 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second modular spool rack panels are similar. 
     
     
         8 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a. a wire spool having first and second disc-shaped ends;   b. a cylindrical shell axle connecting said first and second disc-shaped ends;   c. first and second bearing assemblies mounted on said first and second disc-shaped ends, respectively;   d. said first and second bearing assemblies supporting first and second bearings, respectively;   e. wherein said first and second bearings are positioned spaced apart outwardly from said first and second disc-shaped ends, respectively.   
     
     
         9 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 8 , wherein:
 a. said first bearing is configured to be received in said first horizontal slot and retained in said first downward vertical slot of said first spool rack panel; and   b. said second bearing is configured to be received in said second horizontal slot and retained in said second downward vertical slot of said second spool rack panel.   
     
     
         10 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 8 , wherein each said bearing assembly of said first and second bearing assemblies comprises a bearing holder supporting a bearing, each said bearing holder further comprising:
 a. a bearing assembly bracket having fastener openings used to assist in fastening said bearing assembly to said disc-shaped end;   b. a bearing assembly pillar extending axially from said bearing assembly bracket and accommodating said bearing at an end of said pillar distal said disc-shaped end;   c. a fastener receiver extending axially into said bearing assembly pillar distal end;   d. a washer abutting said bearing at a distal side of said bearing; and   e. a fastener securing said washer to secure said bearing to said pillar.   
     
     
         11 . A modular wire spool rack comprising first and second modular spool rack panels, each said spool rack panel further comprising:
 a. a generally rectangular shape having first and second ridge-reinforced left and right panel sides, top, bottom, front, and rear sides;   b. a first horizontal slot:
 i. having an opening on a right-hand portion of said front side of said spool rack panel; 
 ii. extending rearward to a point proximate to a center of said spool rack panel; 
 iii. terminating in a first downward vertical slot; 
 iv. having a slot retainer flange along a perimeter of said first horizontal slot and said second downward vertical slot; and 
   c. a second horizontal slot;
 i. having an opening on a left-hand portion of said front side of said spool rack panel aligned to said first horizontal slot opening; 
 ii. extending rearward to a point proximate to a center of said spool rack panel and mutually aligned to said first horizontal slot; 
 iii. terminating in a second downward vertical slot mutually aligned to said first downward vertical slot; 
 iv. having a slot retainer flange along a perimeter of said second horizontal slot and said second downward vertical slot; 
 v. comprising at least one stacking alignment feature on said top side of said spool rack panel; and 
 vi. comprising at least one stacking feature on said bottom side of said spool rack panel having a complimentary shape to said at least one stacking alignment feature on said top side of said spool rack panel. 
   
     
     
         12 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 11 , comprising:
 a. a slat wall connector receiver on a rear side of said spool rack panel;   b. at least one wire spool rack bar socket;   c. at least one wire spool rack bar, having an anti-slip gasket, installed in respective at least one wire spool rack bar socket in said first modular spool rack panel; and   d. at least one wire spool rack bar, having an anti-slip gasket, installed in respective at least one aligned wire spool rack bar socket in said second modular spool rack panel.   
     
     
         13 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 11 , wherein said first and second modular spool rack panels are similar. 
     
     
         14 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 11 , comprising:
 a. a wire spool having first and second disc-shaped ends;   b. a cylindrical shell axle connecting said first and second disc-shaped ends by snugly fitting over first and second circumferential axle fittings extending from axle-adjacent respective first and second said disc-shaped ends;   c. first and second bearing assemblies mounted on said first and second disc-shaped ends distal said axle, respectively;   d. said first and second bearing assemblies including first and second bearings, respectively;   e. wherein said first and second bearings are positioned spaced apart outwardly from said first and second disc-shaped ends, respectively.   
     
     
         15 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 8 , wherein:
 a. said first bearing is configured to be received in said first horizontal slot, and retained in said first downward vertical slot, of said first spool rack panel; and   b. said second bearing is configured to be received in said second horizontal slot, and retained in said second downward vertical slot, of said second spool rack panel;   c. wherein said first and second bearings are retained by first and second slot retainer flanges.   
     
     
         16 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 8 , wherein each said bearing assembly of said first and second bearing assemblies comprises a bearing holder supporting a bearing, each said bearing holder further comprising:
 a. a bearing assembly bracket having fastener openings used to assist in fastening said bearing assembly to said disc-shaped end distal said axle;   b. a bearing assembly pillar extending axially from said bearing assembly bracket and accommodating said bearing at an end of said pillar distal said disc-shaped end;   c. a fastener receiver extending axially into said bearing assembly pillar from said distal end;   d. a washer abutting an inner race of said bearing on an axle-distal side of said bearing; and   e. a fastener securing said washer to secure said bearing to said pillar.   
     
     
         17 . A modular wire spool rack comprising first and second modular spool rack panels, each said spool rack panel further comprising:
 a. a generally rectangular shape having first and second ridge-reinforced left and right panel sides, top, bottom, front, and rear sides;   b. a first horizontal slot:
 i. having an opening on a right-hand portion of said front side of said spool rack panel; 
 ii. extending rearward to a point proximate to a center of said spool rack panel; 
 iii. terminating in a first downward vertical slot; 
 iv. having a slot retainer flange along a perimeter of said first horizontal slot and said second downward vertical slot; and 
   c. a second horizontal slot;
 i. having an opening on a left-hand portion of said front side of said spool rack panel aligned to said first horizontal slot opening; 
 ii. extending rearward to a point proximate to a center of said spool rack panel and mutually aligned to said first horizontal slot; 
 iii. terminating in a second downward vertical slot mutually aligned to said first downward vertical slot; 
 iv. having a slot retainer flange along a perimeter of said second horizontal slot and said second downward vertical slot; 
 v. comprising at least one stacking alignment feature on said top side of said spool rack panel; 
 vi. comprising at least one stacking feature on said bottom side of said spool rack panel having a complimentary shape to said at least one stacking alignment feature on said top side of said spool rack panel; and 
 vii. wherein said first and second modular spool rack panels are cast from the same plastic injection mold. 
   
     
     
         18 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 17 , comprising:
 a. a slat wall connector receiver on a rear side of said spool rack panel;   b. at least one wire spool rack bar socket;   c. at least one wire spool rack bar, having an anti-slip gasket, installed in respective at least one wire spool rack bar socket in said first modular spool rack panel; and   d. at least one wire spool rack bar, having an anti-slip gasket, installed in respective at least one aligned wire spool rack bar socket in said second modular spool rack panel.   
     
     
         19 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 17 , comprising:
 a. a wire spool having first and second disc-shaped ends;   b. a cylindrical shell axle connecting said first and second disc-shaped ends by snugly fitting over first and second circumferential axle fittings extending from axle-adjacent respective first and second said disc-shaped ends;   c. first and second bearing assemblies mounted on said first and second disc-shaped ends distal said axle, respectively;   d. said first and second bearing assemblies including first and second bearings, respectively;   e. wherein said first and second bearings are positioned spaced apart outwardly from said first and second disc-shaped ends, respectively;   f. wherein:
 i. said first bearing is configured to be received in said first horizontal slot, and retained in said first downward vertical slot, of said first spool rack panel; and 
 ii. said second bearing is configured to be received in said second horizontal slot, and retained in said second downward vertical slot, of said second spool rack panel; 
 iii. said first and second bearings are retained by first and second slot retainer flanges; 
 iv. each said bearing assembly of said first and second bearing assemblies comprises a bearing holder supporting a bearing, each said bearing holder further comprising:
 1. a bearing assembly bracket having fastener openings used to assist in fastening said bearing assembly to said disc-shaped end distal said axle; 
 2. a bearing assembly pillar extending axially from said bearing assembly bracket and accommodating said bearing at an end of said pillar distal said disc-shaped end; 
 3. a fastener receiver extending axially into said bearing assembly pillar from said distal end; 
 4. a washer abutting an inner race of said bearing on an axle-distal side of said bearing; and 
 5. a fastener securing said washer to secure said bearing to said pillar. 
 
   
     
     
         20 . The modular wire spool rack of  claim 17 , comprising:
 a. a slat wall connector receiver on a rear side of said spool rack panel;   b. at least one wire spool rack bar socket;   c. at least one wire spool rack bar, having an anti-slip gasket, installed in respective at least one wire spool rack bar socket in said first modular spool rack panel; and   d. at least one wire spool rack bar, having an anti-slip gasket, installed in respective at least one aligned wire spool rack bar socket in said second modular spool rack panel.   
     
     
         21 . A modular wire spool rack comprising:
 a. first and second bearings attachable to a wire spool; and   b. first and second spool rack panels having flanged slots operable to receive and retain said first and second bearings, respectively.