Flexible Line Storage Device With Removable Adaptor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flexible line storage devices face issues such as material inefficiency due to the need for additional moldable plastic, difficulty in threading the line, and binding or kinking of the line during payout, especially when the case parts are permanently bonded.
Innovation Solution
A flexible line storage device with a coreless configuration featuring a case with cooperating connectors and a separate adaptor that blocks the opening to control line payout, allowing for easy repositioning of the line and reducing binding risks through a frictional fit and biasable holding mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the case parts are permanently bonded, then the structural integrity is improved, but the line threading becomes difficult and binding or kinking occurs during payout
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into separate case parts (first case part and second case part) that can be disassembled from each other. This segmentation allows the user to open the case parts to thread the line through the opening in the first case part, and then reassemble them to maintain structural integrity during use. The separable connection resolves the contradiction by providing both accessibility for threading and stability for payout.
2Strength
If additional moldable plastic is used to bond case parts, then the structural integrity is improved, but material efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using additional bonding material to join case parts, the design uses a separable mechanical connection between the first and second case parts. This eliminates the need for extra moldable plastic while maintaining the structural integrity needed for the device to function properly, thereby improving material efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding material (moldable plastic) is extracted/removed from the design entirely. The case parts are designed to connect mechanically without requiring additional bonding agents, which reduces material usage and simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining sufficient structural strength.
3Device complexity
If the adaptor is integrated into the first wall, then the device complexity is reduced, but the line repositioning becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The adaptor is segmented from the first wall as a separate, removable component. This allows the adaptor to be easily removed and repositioned along with the line, providing flexibility for line repositioning while keeping the overall device design relatively simple. The separable adaptor resolves the contradiction by enabling easy line adjustment without requiring a complex integrated mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The adaptor is designed to be dynamically repositionable rather than fixed. It can be removed from the first wall and reattached at different positions to accommodate line repositioning needs. This dynamic capability provides ease of operation for line management while maintaining a simple overall device structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible line storage device with a case bounding a storage space for a supply of flexible line. The case has a peripheral wall extending around a central axis and first and second axially spaced walls. The peripheral wall has a radially inwardly facing surface that, in conjunction with axially oppositely facing surfaces on the first and second walls, bounds the storage space. The first wall has a first opening through which the central axis extends. An adaptor on the first wall at least partially blocks the first opening and defines a passage through which line in the storage space moves as the line is drawn out of the storage space.