Hose Reel Release Mechanism for Automatic Freewheeling Payout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial hose reels often require manual operation to switch between winding and payout, which can lead to delays and operator safety issues due to the need for manual deactivation of electromechanical clutch mechanisms, and existing devices are oversized and underpowered.
Innovation Solution
A compact, mechanical automatic release mechanism that automatically actuates when the hose is tensioned for payout, using a pair of rotatable hubs with a clamping spring and a cam collar with ratcheting action to allow freewheeling without operator intervention, reducing the need for manual deactivation and providing controlled spooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If an electromechanical clutch mechanism is used to control hose winding and payout, then the reel can wind the hose under control, but the device becomes oversized and underpowered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electromechanical clutch mechanism with a purely mechanical automatic release mechanism. This mechanism uses a spring-loaded cam collar that automatically engages or disengages from the drive shaft based on the direction of rotation, eliminating the need for oversized electromechanical components while maintaining full power transmission capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The release mechanism is designed to automatically sense the direction of spool rotation and self-actuate accordingly. When the hose is pulled for payout, the mechanism automatically disengages the clutch without requiring manual operator intervention, enabling the system to serve itself and eliminating the need for manual deactivation.
2Productivity
If an electromechanical clutch mechanism is used for hose control, then the reel can wind the hose under control, but manual deactivation is required which causes delays and safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The release mechanism automatically detects when the hose needs to be paid out and activates the clutch disengagement without requiring manual operator action. The spring-loaded cam collar responds to the direction of rotation, automatically releasing the clutch when pulled for payout, thereby eliminating delays and safety hazards associated with manual deactivation.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism incorporates automatic feedback through the spring-loaded cam collar that senses the direction of spool rotation. When the hose is pulled outward, the rotation direction triggers the cam collar to disengage from the drive shaft, providing immediate automatic response to the operator's action without requiring additional manual intervention.
3Volume of moving object
If a mechanical automatic release mechanism is used, then the device becomes compact and robust, but the release mechanism must automatically sense tension direction
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a complex sensor system to detect tension direction, the patent inverts the approach by designing the cam collar geometry itself to passively respond to rotation direction. The asymmetric cam profile automatically translates rotational direction into engagement or disengagement, eliminating the need for active sensors or complex control systems while maintaining compact dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded cam collar uses a spring force that acts as a counterbalancing element. The spring maintains constant pressure on the cam collar, ensuring that any rotational movement in either direction immediately translates into engagement or disengagement of the clutch. This mechanical counterbalance simplifies the overall mechanism while maintaining reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables controlled winding and freewheeling payout with minimal frictional resistance, enhancing operator safety and reducing the risk of over-spooling, while avoiding the limitations of oversized electromechanical devices.
Implementation Method 1
a clamping spring fitted around the rotatable hubs and arranged to clamp the hubs together in fixed rotational relation, wherein the clamping spring opens to releases the rotatable hubs when the spool is rotated in a payout direction
Implementation Method 2
A cam collar is provided in the form of a cylindrical sleeve having cam ramps that provide a ratcheting function in conjunction with the pawling action of a spring-loaded contact pin
Implementation Method 3
the pawling action of a spring-loaded contact pin that bears against the surface of the cam collar
Data Source
AI summary
A reel assembly (10) having a spool (20) comprising a drum core (22) and side disc flanges (24) attached to the drum core (22) for retaining a wound hose (26) on the spool (20), and a release mechanism (120) operatively engaging the spool (20) via a drive shaft (110). The release mechanism (120) has a pair of rotatable hubs (132, 134) arranged in axial alignment and having a clamping spring (136) fitted around the rotatable hubs (132, 134) and arranged to clamp the hubs (132, 134) together in fixed rotational relation, wherein the clamping spring (136) opens to releases the rotatable hubs (132, 134) when the spool (20) is rotated in a payout direction so that the rotatable hubs (132, 134) disengage and the spool (20) can freewheel.