Reel Made from Separable Components

Abstract

The disclosure concerns large reels used for transportation and storage of cables or wires. The present invention describes a separable cable reel which is constructed from component parts which may be quickly and easily disassembled and reassembled. The separable reel design has four primary components: a first flange, a second flange, a core, and a plurality of looped bands. The two flanges are coupled to the core and the band or bands are coupled between the two flanges.The core is formed from a plurality of struts. The struts span between the flanges and are inserted into strut pockets on the inner sides of each flange. As the bands are placed in tensioned they pull the flanges toward each other, applying a compressive force to the core struts. When the user wishes to disassemble the reel they may remove the bands and pull apart the reel components. The separable reel may be transported disassembled. When desired the separable reel may be reassembled and reused.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reel comprising:
 a. A first flange, the first flange being a generally flat panel having an outer side, an inner side, a central axis, a plurality of strut pockets, and a plurality of band holes; the central axis being an imaginary line passing through the center of the flange between the outer side and the inner side, the strut pockets being recesses arranged around the central axis on the inner side of the first flange; the band holes being penetrations through the first flange between the outer side and the inner side;   b. A second flange, the second flange being a generally flat panel having an outer side, an inner side, a central axis, a plurality of strut pockets, and a plurality of band holes; the central axis being an imaginary line passing through the center of the flange between the outer side and the inner side, the strut pockets being recesses arranged around the central axis on the inner side of the second flange; the band holes being penetrations through the first flange between the outer side and the inner side;   c. A core, the core having a first, second end, and a central longitudinal axis passing between the first end and second end; the core first end being coupled to the inner side of the first flange and the second end being coupled to the inner side of the second flange; the core comprising a plurality of struts, each strut having a first end and second end, the struts spanning between the first flange and second flange and arranged such that the first ends of the struts are removably inserted into the first flange strut pockets, the second ends of the struts are removably inserted into the second flange strut pockets;   d. A plurality of looped bands, each of the looped bands having a first end and a second end; the first end of the looped bands being coupled to the first flange and the second end of the looped bands being coupled to the second flange such that when the looped bands are placed under tension the looped bands pull the first flange and second flange towards each other, applying a longitudinally compressive force to the core struts, seating the struts into the strut pockets.   
     
     
         2 . The reel of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a. The first flange and second flange are generally circularly shaped such that the center of the circular first flange is coaxial with the central axis of the first flange and the center of the circular second flange is coaxial with the central axis of the second flange.   
     
     
         3 . The reel of  claim 1 , wherein:
 b. The struts, when assembled in the reel, form a generally cylindrical shaped core which is coaxially aligned with the central axis of the first flange and the central axis of the second flange.   
     
     
         4 . The reel of  claim 1 , wherein:
 c. The first flange and second flange are made of a plurality of generally flat sub-panels, each sub-panel having an inner side and an outer side, the sub-panels of one flange being attached together face-to-face, with the inner side of an outer sub-panel being attached to the outer side of an inner sub-panel such that additional sub-panels build up the final thickness of the flange   
     
     
         5 . The reel of  claim 1 , wherein:
 d. The reel has three looped bands.   
     
     
         6 . The reel of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 e. A plurality of core panels and a plurality of panel pockets; the panel pockets being recesses located on the inner side of the first flange and on the inner side of the second flange, the panel pockets being arranged around the strut pockets in a generally circular pattern, the core panels being curved surfaces having a first end and second end, the panels oriented such that their surface partly or wholly covers the struts, the panels arranged such that the first end of a given panel is removably inserted into one of the first flange panel pockets and the second end of a given panel is removably inserted into one of the second flange panel pockets, the panels forming a generally rounded outer surface around the core struts providing a substantially smooth surface onto which cables may be wrapped.   
     
     
         7 . The reel of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 f. A first core fixture and a second core fixture, the first and second core fixtures being generally flat panels each having an outer side, an inner side, a central axis, and a plurality of strut slots; the outer side of the first core fixture being coaxially coupled to the inner side of the first flange such that the strut slots align with the strut recesses, the outer side of the second core fixture being coaxially coupled to the inner side of the second flange such that the strut slots align with the strut recesses.   
     
     
         8 . The reel of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 g. A RFID feature, the RFID feature being disposed on the reel.   
     
     
         9 . The reel of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 h. An accelerometer feature, the accelerometer feature being disposed on the reel.   
     
     
         10 . The reel of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 i. A GPS feature, the GPS feature being disposed on the reel.   
     
     
         11 . The reel of  claim 1 , wherein
 j. The flanges are largely made from wood or wood products.   
     
     
         12 . The reel of  claim 1 , wherein
 k. The struts are largely made from wood or wood products.   
     
     
         13 . The reel of  claim 1 , wherein
 l. The core panels are largely made from wood or wood products.   
     
     
         14 . The reel of  claim 1 , wherein
 m. The looped bands are steel banding straps.   
     
     
         15 . The reel of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 n. A plurality of covers, the covers being panels which are removably coupled to the outer side of the first flange and/or to the outer side of the second flange, the covers configured over components located on the outer side of the first or second flanges such that those components are protected by the covers.   
     
     
         16 . The reel of  claim 4 , wherein:
 o. The sub-panels disposed towards the outer side of the first or second flanges are configured without strut pockets such that, when the sub-panels are assembled in the reel, the first and second ends of the struts push outwards against the inner side of the outer sub-panel or sub-panels.   
     
     
         17 . The reel of  claim 15 , wherein:
 p. The cover or covers are configured over the section or sections of the looped bands which transit the outer side of the first flange and the section or sections of the looped bands which transit the outer side second flange such that the cover or covers protect the looped bands.   
     
     
         18 . The reel of  claim 15 , wherein:
 q. The RFID feature is located on the outer side of the first flange or second flange behind a cover which covers and protects the RFID feature.   
     
     
         19 . The reel of  claim 15 , wherein:
 r. The accelerometer feature is located behind a cover which covers and protects the accelerometer feature.   
     
     
         20 . The reel of  claim 15 , wherein:
 s. The GPS tracking feature is located behind a cover which covers and protects the GPS tracking feature.