Spool For Straight Through Line Feed Vegetation Trimmer Apparatus With Modules And Spokes

Abstract

A trimmer head for use with either clockwise or counterclockwise trimmer heads, including the use of a bidirectionally dispensing spool. Various locations of passages straight through the trimmer head and spool are shown along with various locations of components of the ratcheting mechanism to allow for winding of the trimmer line on the trimmer head and for limiting the amount of line dispensed during “bumping” of the trimmer head knob on the ground. Additionally, an extended funnel into the passage can be provided to facilitate entrance of trimmer line into the funnel even when the line is not perfectly straight. Also, spokes can be used in place of the flanges of the spool to save material and cost, while still providing a guide and barrier between the line store areas.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A trimmer head of a vegetation trimmer machine, the trimmer head comprising:
 a housing having opposing eyelets sized to receive trimmer line therethrough;   a spool rotatable within the housing around an axis of rotation, the spool comprising:
 a central core extending along the axis of rotation; 
 an upper flange extending radially outwardly from the central core; 
 a lower flange extending radially outwardly from the central core; 
 a chamber defined along the core between the upper flange and the lower flange and configured to store trimmer line; 
 a trimmer line guide channel coplanar with and passing through the upper flange, wherein said guide channel comprises a first flange passageway extending from the central core to a first side of the spool and a second flange passageway extending from the central core to a second side of the spool opposing the first side, each of the first and second flange passageways having corresponding first and second openings alignable with corresponding eyelets in the housing; 
   a removeable module installable at least partially within the upper flange, wherein said module includes a passage connecting the first and second flange passageways, and sized for receiving said trimmer line therethrough; and   an activation knob extending at least partially through a lower opening in the housing, and configured to move the spool along the axis of rotation from a first position preventing rotation of the spool to a second position permitting rotation of the spool.   
     
     
         2 . The spool as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first and second openings of the trimmer line guide channel are flared and extend from the central core to an outer edge of the upper flange. 
     
     
         3 . The spool as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the first and second flare passageways are flared. 
     
     
         4 . The spool as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the passage of said module comprises a linear passageway that passes through the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         5 . The spool as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of the central core comprises cogs configured to engage upwardly extending ramps formed within a housing of the trimmer head 
     
     
         6 . The spool as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of the central core comprises engaging receptors configured to engage projections extending from an activation bump knob. 
     
     
         7 . The spool as defined in  claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the central core comprises upwardly extending teeth configured to cooperate with stops formed within a housing of the trimmer head. 
     
     
         8 . The spool as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising one or more walls extending from the top surface of the central core, wherein said removable module is installable within the one or more walls. 
     
     
         9 . The spool as defined in  claim 8 , further comprising at least two teeth protruding from a top edge of the one or more walls and configured to interact with two or more corresponding stop bars in a trimmer head housing. 
     
     
         10 . A trimmer head of a vegetation trimmer machine, the trimmer head comprising:
 a housing having opposing eyelets sized to receive trimmer line therethrough;   a spool rotatable within the housing around an axis of rotation, the spool comprising:
 a central core extending along the axis of rotation; 
 an upper flange extending radially outwardly from the central core; 
 a lower flange extending radially outwardly from the central core; 
 a middle flange extending radially outwardly from the central core, the middle flange substantially parallel to the upper and lower flanges; 
 a first chamber defined along the core between the upper flange and the middle flange and configured to store trimmer line; 
 a second chamber defined along the core between the middle flange and the lower flange and configured to store trimmer line; and 
   a trimmer line guide channel coplaner with and passing through the middle flange, wherein said guide channel comprises a first flange passageway extending from the central core to a first side of the spool and a second flange passageway extending from the central core to a second side of the spool opposing the first side, each of the first and second flange passageways having corresponding first and second openings alignable with corresponding eyelets in the housing;   a removeable module installable within the central core, wherein said module includes a passage connecting the first and second flange passageways, and sized for receiving said trimmer line therethrough;   wherein the trimmer line guide channel has a first opening and a second opening alignable with respective eyelet openings the trimmer head.   
     
     
         11 . The trimmer head as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the first and second openings of the trimmer line guide channel are flared and extend from the central core to an outer edge of the middle flange. 
     
     
         12 . The trimmer head as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the first and second flare passageways are flared. 
     
     
         13 . The trimmer head as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the passage of said module comprises a linear passageway that passes through the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         14 . The trimmer head as defined in  claim 10 , further comprising one or more walls extending from the top surface of the central core. 
     
     
         15 . The trimmer head as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said upper flange includes cogs extending from its perimeter, said cogs configured to interact with two or more corresponding stops in a trimmer head housing. 
     
     
         16 . A spool for a trimmer head of a vegetation trimmer machine comprising:
 a central core extending along an axis of rotation;   an upper flange extending radially outwardly from the central core;   a lower flange extending radially outwardly from the central core;   a chamber defined along the core between the upper flange and the lower flange and configured to store trimmer line;   a substantially straight trimmer line guide channel coplanar with and passing through the upper flange or the lower flange and passing though the axis of rotation, wherein said guide channel comprises a first flange passageway extending from the central core to a first side of the spool and a second flange passageway extending from the central core to a second side of the spool opposing the first side, each of the first and second flange passageways having corresponding first and second openings alignable with corresponding eyelets in the housing;   
     
     
         17 . The spool as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the first and second openings of the trimmer line guide channel are flared and extend from the central core to an outer edge of the upper flange. 
     
     
         18 . The spool as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the first and second flare passageways are flared. 
     
     
         19 . The spool as defined in  claim 16 , further comprising one or more walls extending from the top surface of the central core, wherein said removable module is installable within the one or more walls. 
     
     
         20 . The spool as defined in  claim 19 , further comprising at least two teeth protruding from a top edge of the one or more walls and configured to interact with two or more corresponding stop bars in a trimmer head housing.