Expandable Width Filament Spool With Interlocking Hubs
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing spool configurations for holding materials like filament, wire, and cables are often specific to certain machines and materials, leading to a high degree of complexity and cost due to the need for multiple sizes and configurations, which complicates storage, tracking, and compatibility across different applications.
Innovation Solution
An expandable spool design featuring interlocking portions and adjustable hubs that allow for varying interior widths, enabling the spool to accommodate different quantities and sizes of materials, and be compatible with multiple machines by modifying drive openings and using extensions for further adaptation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fixed width spools are designed for specific machines and materials, then compatibility with specialized equipment is improved, but device complexity and variety of configurations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spool is divided into modular components including a hub, first flange, second flange, and adjustable width elements that can be selectively assembled. This segmentation allows a single base spool design to be configured for different machines and materials by changing or adjusting components, thereby maintaining compatibility across specialized applications while reducing the need for multiple fixed-width spool designs
Solution Approach 2:
The spool incorporates adjustable width mechanisms that allow the distance between flanges to be dynamically changed based on the specific application requirements. This dynamic adjustability enables the same spool to adapt to different filament sizes, wire gauges, and machine configurations, resolving the contradiction between specialized compatibility and configuration variety
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple spool configurations are maintained for different applications, then adaptability to various machines and materials is improved, but storage and tracking complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spool design incorporates universal features such as standardized mounting interfaces, adjustable width mechanisms, and interchangeable components that allow a single spool model to serve multiple machines and material types. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of spool configurations needed in inventory while maintaining adaptability across diverse applications
Solution Approach 2:
The spool allows adjustment of key parameters such as width between flanges, hub diameter, and flange positioning to match different application requirements. By enabling parameter changes rather than requiring fixed configurations, the system reduces inventory complexity while maintaining versatility across machines and materials
Data Source
AI summary
An expandable spool includes a first hub extending from a first flange and includes a first plurality of interlocking portions. A second hub extending from a second flange includes a second plurality of interlocking portions that is connectible to the first plurality of interlocking portions to define a spacing between the first flange and the second flange for holding material on the spool.