US 12,134,541 B2
Cable reel
Fred Dowd, Princeton, MA (US); Roger L Cleveland, Jr., Arlington, TX (US); and Jack David Hartman, McKinney, TX (US)
Assigned to TECHNOLOGY CONTAINER CORP., Desoto, TX (US)
Filed by Technology Container Corp., Desoto, TX (US)
Filed on Nov. 3, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/979,854.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/275,100, filed on Nov. 3, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0138933 A1, May 4, 2023
Int. Cl. B65H 75/44 (2006.01); B65H 75/14 (2006.01)
CPC B65H 75/44 (2013.01) [B65H 75/14 (2013.01); Y10T 137/6929 (2015.04)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cable reel for retaining a length of product, the cable reel comprising:
(a) a tubular core comprising,
(i) a cylindrical barrel shaped to define an interior cavity, the barrel comprising an inner surface, an outer surface, a first end, and a second end,
(ii) a first set of radial tabs formed on the first end of the barrel, each of the first set of radial tabs having an inner surface and an outer surface, and
(iii) a second set of radial tabs formed on the second end of the barrel, each of the second set of radial tabs having an inner surface and an outer surface,
(iv) wherein each of the first and second sets of radial tabs projects orthogonally outward relative to the outer surface of the cylindrical barrel;
(b) first and second inner flanges coaxially mounted on the barrel of the tubular core, the first inner flange disposed flush against the inner surface of the first set of radial tabs and the second inner flange disposed flush against the inner surface of the second set of radial tabs;
(c) first and second outer flanges, the first outer flange disposed flush against the outer surface of the first set of radial tabs and the second outer flange disposed flush against the outer surface of the second set of radial tabs; and
(d) an interior support flange mounted within the interior cavity of the barrel to provide enhanced structural rigidity to the tubular core, the interior support flange being generally disc shaped and including an outer edge, wherein at least a portion of the outer edge contacts the inner surface of the barrel to provide structural rigidity to the tubular core, the outer edge of the interior support flange including a pair of outward protrusions dimensioned to fittingly project through a corresponding pair of slots formed in the barrel of the tubular core;
(e) wherein the first inner flange is fixedly secured to the first outer flange with the first set of radial tabs sandwiched therebetween and the second inner flange is fixedly secured to the second outer flange with the second set of radial tabs sandwiched therebetween.