Spool having flange with tie-off feature

Abstract

A spool, spooling system and associated method for winding media onto a spool includes a flange provided with a tie-off feature for retaining a finish end of the media on the spool. The spool includes a barrel and at least one flange extending outwardly from the barrel. The tie-off feature includes a receiving portion for receiving the finish end of the media and a retaining portion for retaining the finish end of the media within the tie-off feature. The tie-off feature may be in the form of a deflecting tab or a flexible membrane. The spooling system includes a feed arm for feeding the media to the spool and a drive unit for rotating the spool to wind the media onto the spool. The method includes winding the media onto the spool and retaining the finish end of the media within the tie-off feature provided on the flange.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spool for winding a length of a media onto the spool and for retaining a finish end of the media on the spool, comprising:
 a barrel; and   a flange extending outwardly from the barrel, the flange provided with a tie-off feature at an outer periphery of the flange;   wherein the tie-off feature comprises a receiving portion for receiving the media and a retaining portion for retaining the media within the tie-off feature on the flange of the spool; and   wherein the receiving portion narrows from the outer periphery towards the retaining portion to a transition region between the receiving portion and the retaining portion that is narrower than a diameter of the media.   
     
     
         2 . The spool according to  claim 1 , wherein the tie-off feature is in the form of a deflecting tab comprising a deflecting arm within the receiving portion of the tie-off feature, and wherein the deflecting arm is configured and operable to deflect and allow the media to pass through the transition region from the receiving portion to the retaining portion. 
     
     
         3 . The spool according to  claim 2 , wherein the deflecting tab comprises a pair of oppositely disposed deflecting arms within the receiving portion of the tie-off feature, and wherein each of the deflecting arms is configured and operable to deflect and allow the media to pass through the transition region from the receiving portion to the retaining portion. 
     
     
         4 . The spool according to  claim 1 , wherein the tie-off feature is in the form of a flexible membrane comprising a pair of oppositely disposed flexing elements within the receiving portion of the tie-off feature, and wherein each of the flexing elements is configured and operable to flex in a circumferential direction and allow the media to pass through the transition region from the receiving portion to the retaining portion. 
     
     
         5 . The spool according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving portion defines a receiving area that is larger than the diameter of the media adjacent the outer periphery of the flange and is smaller than the diameter of the media adjacent the transition region of the tie-off feature. 
     
     
         6 . The spool according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining portion defines a retaining area that is at least as large as the diameter of the media adjacent the transition region of the tie-off feature. 
     
     
         7 . The spool according to  claim 1 , wherein the tie-off feature comprises a first tie-off feature at the periphery of the flange and a second tie-off feature at the periphery of the flange, and wherein the first tie-off feature and the second tie-off feature are spaced apart in a circumferential direction along the outer periphery of the flange. 
     
     
         8 . A flange for a spool comprising:
 a tie-off feature formed in an outer periphery of the flange, the tie-off feature comprising a receiving portion for receiving a finish end of a length of a media wound on the spool and a retaining portion for retaining the finish end of the media on the flange;   wherein the receiving portion extends from the outer periphery of the flange towards the retaining portion and narrows from the outer periphery to a transition region between the receiving portion and the retaining portion; and   wherein the retaining portion retains the finish end of the media on the flange within the tie-off feature after the finish end of the media passes through the transition region from the receiving portion to the retaining portion.   
     
     
         9 . The flange according to  claim 8 , wherein the tie-off feature is in the form of at least one deflecting tab comprising at least one deflecting arm configured and operable to deflect and allow the finish end of the media to pass through the transition region from the receiving portion to the retaining portion. 
     
     
         10 . The flange according to  claim 8 , wherein the tie-off feature is in the form of a flexible membrane comprising a pair of oppositely disposed flexing elements each configured and operable to flex in a circumferential direction and allow the finish end of the media to pass through the transition region from the receiving portion to the retaining portion. 
     
     
         11 . The flange according to  claim 8 , wherein the tie-off feature comprises a first tie off feature at the outer periphery of the flange and a second tie-off feature at the outer periphery of the flange, and wherein the first tie-off feature and the second tie-off feature are spaced apart in a circumferential direction along the outer periphery of the flange. 
     
     
         12 . A spooling system for winding a length of a media onto a spool and for retaining a finish end of the media on the spool, comprising:
 a flange of the spool provided with a tie-off feature at an outer periphery of the flange, the tie-off feature comprising a receiving portion, a retaining portion, and a transition region between the receiving portion and the retaining portion, the receiving portion extending from the outer periphery towards the retaining portion and narrowing from the outer periphery to the transition region between the receiving portion and the retaining portion, the receiving portion defining a receiving area larger than a diameter of the finish end of the media adjacent the outer periphery and smaller than the diameter of the finish end of the media adjacent the transition region;   a feed arm for feeding the media to the spool and for directing the media to the tie-off feature at the outer periphery of the flange and for disposing and inserting the finish end of the media within the retaining portion of the tie-off feature.   
     
     
         13 . The spooling system according to  claim 12 , wherein the tie-off feature is in the form of a deflecting tab comprising at least one deflecting arm configured and operable to deflect and allow the finish end of the media to pass through the transition region between the receiving portion and the retaining portion. 
     
     
         14 . The spooling system according to  claim 12 , wherein the tie-off feature is in the form of a flexible membrane comprising a pair of oppositely disposed flexing elements each configured and operable to flex in a circumferential direction and allow the finish end of the media to pass through the transition region between the receiving portion and the retaining portion. 
     
     
         15 . The spooling system according to  claim 12 , wherein the tie-off feature comprises a first tie-off feature at the outer periphery of the flange and a second tie-off feature at the outer periphery of the flange, and wherein the first tie-off feature and the second tie-off feature are spaced apart in a circumferential direction along the outer periphery. 
     
     
         16 . A method for winding a length of media onto a spool and for retaining a finish end of the media on the spool, the method comprising:
 providing a spool having a flange provided with a first tie-off feature at an outer periphery of the flange, the tie-off feature comprising a receiving portion that extends from the outer periphery towards a retaining portion and a transition region between the receiving portion and the retaining portion, the receiving portion narrowing from the outer periphery to the transition region;   winding the length of the media onto the spool;   directing the finish end of the media to the first tie-off feature at the outer periphery;   disposing and inserting the finish end of the media within the receiving portion of the first tie-off feature;   passing the finish end of the media through the transition region of the first tie-off feature from the receiving portion to the retaining portion; and   retaining the finish end of the media within the retaining portion of the first tie-off feature.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the first tie-off feature is in the form of a deflecting tab comprising at least one deflecting arm, and wherein the method further comprises deflecting the at least one deflecting arm to allow the finish end of the media to pass through the transition region from the receiving portion to the retaining portion. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the first tie-off feature is in the form of a flexible membrane comprising a pair of oppositely disposed flexing elements, and wherein the method further comprises flexing at least one of the pair of flexing elements to allow the finish end of the media to pass through the transition region from the receiving portion to the retaining portion. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the flange of the spool is provided with a second tie-off feature at the outer periphery of the flange comprising a receiving portion, a retaining portion and a transition region between the receiving portion and the retaining portion, and wherein the method further comprises:
 directing the finish end of the media to the second tie-off feature at the outer periphery;   disposing and inserting the finish end of the media within the receiving portion of the second tie-off feature;   passing the finish end of the media through the transition region of the second tie-off feature from the receiving portion to the retaining portion; and   retaining the finish end of the media within the retaining portion of the second tie-off feature.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the first tie-off feature and the second tie-off feature are spaced apart in a circumferential direction along the outer periphery of the flange.