Single-Piece Paperboard Spool with Rotatable Flanges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional storage spools for filament products, particularly those made of multiple parts, risk pinching or tangling the filament due to separation of parts during use, and are often made of plastic, contributing to waste.
Innovation Solution
A single-piece paperboard spool with rotatable flanges that transition between retention and open configurations, allowing easy loading and unloading of coiled materials without part separation, and can be made eco-friendly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a multiple-part spool design is used to allow loose coil loading, then the filament can be loaded onto the spool, but the filament may be pinched between mating surfaces or tangled due to part separation during use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple spool parts into a single integrated spool structure with a one-piece arbor and flanges, eliminating the risk of part separation and filament pinching while maintaining the ability to load loose coil filament through a controlled opening mechanism
2Productivity
If conventional plastic spools are used, then the filament can be stored and dispensed, but plastic waste is generated after the filament is dispensed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from conventional plastic to paperboard, transforming the spool from a non-biodegradable component to an eco-friendly, recyclable or compostable alternative that maintains functional performance while reducing environmental impact
3Ease of operation
If clearance is provided between the arbor and coil for loading, then the loose coil can be placed onto the arbor, but the spool requires multiple parts which increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the flange structure into movable and fixed portions, allowing the movable flange to open and close for loading/unloading while the fixed flange and arbor remain integrated, reducing the number of separate parts while maintaining loading capability
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
The solution prevents filament damage and tangling while reducing plastic waste by using a collapsible, recyclable design that maintains filament integrity during use.
Implementation Method 1
A first flange panel of the first plurality of flange panels is rotatably connected to the first arbor edge of the first arbor panel, and a second flange panel of the first plurality of flange panels is rotatably connected to the first arbor edge of the second arbor panel
Data Source
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AI summary
A spool (100) configured to support a roll of material. The spool (100) comprises an arbor (102), a first flange (104), and a second flange (106). The first flange (104) includes a first plurality of flange panels (116) that are rotatably connected to respective arbor panels (110) of the arbor (102) at a first arbor edge (112) of the arbor (102). The second flange (106) is connected to a second arbor edge (114) of the arbor (102). The first flange (104) is configured to transition between a retention configuration and an open configuration. In the retention configuration, the roll of material (108) is substantially prevented from removal from the arbor (102) along an arbor axis (90) by the first and second flanges (104, 106). In the open configuration, the roll of material (108) is removable from the arbor (102) and receivable on the arbor (102) in the arbor direction.