US 11,947,179 B2
Reel enclosures
Daniel Daoust, Syracuse, NY (US); Peter A. Carapella, Fayetteville, NY (US); and Noah P. Montena, Syracuse, NY (US)
Assigned to PPC BROADBAND, INC., East Syracuse, NY (US)
Filed by PPC BROADBAND, INC., East Syracuse, NY (US)
Filed on Jul. 13, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/374,261.
Application 17/374,261 is a continuation of application No. 16/128,500, filed on Sep. 11, 2018, granted, now 11,061,198.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/613,047, filed on Jan. 2, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/584,647, filed on Nov. 10, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/557,139, filed on Sep. 11, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0341698 A1, Nov. 4, 2021
Int. Cl. G02B 6/44 (2006.01); B65H 49/32 (2006.01); B65H 75/44 (2006.01); H02G 11/02 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/4457 (2013.01) [B65H 49/322 (2013.01); B65H 49/325 (2013.01); B65H 75/4471 (2013.01); G02B 6/445 (2013.01); B65H 2701/32 (2013.01); H02G 11/02 (2013.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A reel enclosure comprising:
a base; and
a panel pivotally coupled with the base by a hinge connection,
wherein the panel is movable relative to the base between a first closed position and a second open position,
wherein the panel is configured to hold a reel at an interior surface of the panel, the reel being configured to have cable wound thereon,
wherein, in the first closed position, the base is configured to prevent the reel from rotating relative to the panel and the base, and the panel is configured to block access to the reel,
wherein, in the second open position, the panel is configured to hold the reel outside of an interior of the base and permit the reel to rotate relative to the panel and the base,
wherein the hinge connection includes a hinge receiver on a side wall of the base and a hinge member on the panel,
wherein the hinge receiver is configured to receive the hinge member, and the hinge member is configured to be removed from the hinge receiver by lifting the panel,
wherein the hinge receiver has an upper end with an opening configured to receive a pin of the hinge member,
wherein the upper end of the hinge receiver includes a notched portion facing a direction opposite to a back wall of the base and toward an open side of the base,
wherein the hinge member includes a flange extending from a front surface of the panel, the pin extends from the flange in a direction parallel to the panel, and the flange extends from the front surface of the mounting panel at a predetermined angle,
wherein in the first closed position, a bottom surface of the flange rests on the upper end of the hinge receiver, and
wherein in the second position, the panel is pivoted to a position where the bottom surface of the flange is aligned with the notch in the upper end of the hinge receiver, and the notch is configured to accommodate the flange such that the flange moves downward relative to the hinge receiver and into the notch.