Spool Flange Locking Notch for Stretch-Wrap-Free Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spooling equipment requires stretch wrap applicators to retain the outermost free end of wound materials, increasing cost, complexity, and reducing efficiency, while necessitating the removal of stretch wrap before use, which is wasteful.
Innovation Solution
An automated spooler with a spool featuring a flange having a locking notch to secure the outermost free end, and an optional stretch wrap applicator to package the material, eliminating the need for separate stretch wrap applicators and enabling efficient, cost-effective spooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If stretch wrap is used to retain the outermost free end of wound material, then the material is protected from unwinding and damage, but the cost, device complexity, and time required for packaging and unpackaging increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the stretch wrap packaging function from the spooler system by implementing a locking notch directly on the spool flange. This eliminates the need for separate packaging equipment while maintaining the material retention function, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The spool structure itself provides the retention function through the locking notch formed on its flange, eliminating the need for external packaging equipment. The spool serves both its primary winding function and the secondary retention function, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability
2Reliability
If stretch wrap is applied to retain the outermost free end, then material protection is achieved, but the speed and efficiency of the spooling process is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging operation is extracted from the spooling process by using a permanent locking notch on the spool flange. This allows the spooling operation to continue without interruption for packaging applications, maintaining high productivity while ensuring reliable material retention through the locking mechanism
3Object-affected harmful factors
If stretch wrap is used to protect the wound material, then damage prevention is achieved, but material waste increases due to removal and disposal requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the disposable stretch wrap with a permanent locking notch on the spool flange. The locking notch remains on the spool indefinitely, eliminating the need to remove and dispose of protective packaging, thereby eliminating material waste while maintaining protection against damage
4Reliability
If a separate stretch wrap applicator is used, then material retention is achieved, but the cost of the spooler increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retention function is merged with the spool structure itself by forming the locking notch on the flange during spool manufacturing. This integration eliminates the need for separate stretch wrap applicators and reduces overall system cost while maintaining reliable material retention through the built-in locking mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
A spooler for winding a material onto a spool includes a feeding unit for feeding the material to the spool and a spool drive flange for winding the material onto the spool. The spool includes a barrel and at least one flange disposed on the barrel. The flange is provided with a locking notch having a receiving portion for receiving an outermost end of the material and a retaining portion for retaining the outermost end of the material within the locking notch. The receiving portion or the retaining portion may have a reduced cross-section area for securing the outermost end of the material. A method for retaining a length of a continuous, elongate, flexible material on a spool includes winding the material onto the spool and retaining an outermost end of the material within a locking notch provided on at least one flange of the spool.