CABLE DISPENSER

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of cable dispensers

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

A variety of different cable dispensers have been made in the prior art where cables are dispense from container such as cardboard boxes, however these cable dispensers often bind up and cannot be used without opening the box and troubleshooting the cable binding or tangling inside the box. The most notable and common cable dispenser is a cardboard box with an opening in it with cable being pulled through the opening in the cardboard box. Although simple and primitive, it does work until the cable gets bound up, usually when a user is pulling too fast. Unfortunately, the simple cardboard box with an opening cut out does not allow fast feeding.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to create a cable dispenser that minimizes tangling and binding so that a user can pull a variety of different cables straight out of a box without any tangles or bindings even when pulling quickly. The present invention is designed to dispense cables such as power cables and ethernet cables without hangups. The present invention is a cable dispensing system that solves the topological problem of cable hangups when pulling quickly.

A cable dispenser system has a container, a dispensing panel formed on the container, a main dispensing opening formed on the dispensing panel, and a dispenser opening insert mounted to the main dispensing opening. The dispenser opening insert has a lid, and a lid base. The lid covers the lid base. A cable is retained in the container. The main dispensing opening is configured so that the dispensing panel has a first grab area. The first grab area is sandwiched between a first lid retainer and the lid base. The first grab area and the lid base are flat and oriented as layers.

The cable dispenser system has a main dispensing opening that is configured so that the dispensing panel has a second grab area. The second grab area is sandwiched between a second lid retainer and the lid base. The second lid retainer, second grab area and lid base are flat and oriented as layers.

The cable dispenser system has a lid base riser. The lid base riser extends inwardly. The base sidewall extends from the lid base riser. The lid base riser has a slightly larger diameter than the base sidewall. A base sidewall extends from the lid base riser. The base sidewall terminates at a base inside flange that has a smaller diameter than the base sidewall to form an exit opening in a funnel shape.

The main dispensing opening further comprises a first arc portion and a second arc portion. The first arc portion receives a first lid retainer formed on the lid base and the second arc portion receives a second lid retainer formed on the lid base. The first lid retainer rotates to engage the first arc portion and the second lid retainer rotates to engage the second arc portion. The first lid retainer has a first slot. The first slot has a first slot opening and a first slot stopper. The second lid retainer has a second slot. The second slot has a second slot opening and a second slot stopper.

The first retainer taper is formed on the first lid retainer, and a second retainer taper is formed on the second lid retainer. The cable is retained in the container and coiled into a cable coil to form a cable coil eye. The cable is fed from the cable coil eye through the dispenser opening insert. The cable coil eye is aligned to the dispenser opening insert.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exterior view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a box folding diagram for the container.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the dispenser opening insert in open position.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the dispenser opening insert in open position.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the dispenser opening insert in open position.

FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the dispenser opening insert in open position.

FIG. 7 is a cross-section view of the present invention.

The following call out list of elements can be a useful guide in referencing the element numbers of the drawings.

• • 18 Left Side Wall
  • 19 Bottom Panel
  • 20 Container
  • 21 Dispensing panel
  • 22 Right sidewall
  • 23 Front sidewall
  • 24 Rear sidewall
  • 25 Front tab
  • 26 Dispensing opening
  • 27 First arc opening portion
  • 28 Second arc opening portion
  • 29 Main opening
  • 30 Dispenser opening insert
  • 31 Dispenser opening insert lid
  • 32 Base flange
  • 33 Hinge strap connector
  • 34 Lid tab
  • 35 Lid flange
  • 36 Lid main panel
  • 37 Main panel shoulder step
  • 38 Lid edge
  • 39 Base flange edge
  • 40 Lid base
  • 41 First lid retainer
  • 42 Second lid retainer
  • 43 First retainer opening
  • 44 Second retainer opening
  • 45 First retainer stop
  • 46 Second retainer stop
  • 47 First retainer profile
  • 48 Second retainer profile
  • 49 Base inside flange
  • 50 base sidewall
  • 51 first retainer taper
  • 52 second retainer taper
  • 53 first taper edge
  • 54 second taper edge
  • 55 first leading-edge
  • 56 second leading-edge
  • 57 second cable retaining opening
  • 58 first cable retaining opening
  • 61 latch tab
  • 62 second slot
  • 63 first slot
  • 86 cable coil eye
  • 87 cable coil
  • 88 cable
  • 89 exit opening
  • 101 first grab area
  • 102 second grab area
  • 111 lid base riser

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As seen in FIG. 1, the container 20 is generally rectilinear and has a dispensing panel 21 that dispenses cable. The container can be a cardboard box for sample. The dispensing panel 21 is supported at a right sidewall 22 and a left side wall. The front sidewall 23 can face a rear sidewall and form a box shaped container 20. A cable such as a category six ethernet cable or electrical cable can be wound within the container 20 and fed through the top opening of the container 20 for dispensing.

As seen in FIG. 2, the container 20 can be formed as a punched flat cardboard member in a flat configuration which is then folded. The container 20 has a front sidewall 23 opposing a rear sidewall 24 and a right sidewall 22 opposing a left side wall 18. The front sidewall 23, the right sidewall 22, the left side wall 18, and the rear sidewall 24 extend upwardly from the bottom panel 19.

The front sidewall 23 may have a pair of tabs and the rear sidewall 24 may also have a pair of tabs. The front sidewall pair of tabs and the rear sidewall pair of tabs may cooperate with the right sidewall 22 and the left side wall 18. The dispensing panel 21 acts as a lid and has a dispensing opening 26. The dispensing opening 26 has a first arc opening portion 27 and a second arc opening portion 28. The dispensing opening 26 has a main opening 29 which comprises a main portion of the opening and the arc opening portions extend laterally away from the main opening 29. The main opening 29 is preferably circular with a main opening diameter. The arc opening portions extend to an arc opening diameter. The front tab fits inside the front sidewall and the front tab has a pair of tabs that engage the right sidewall 22 and the left side wall 18.

As seen in FIG. 3, a top view shows that the dispenser opening insert 30 has a dispenser opening insert lid 31 with a lid main panel 36 circumscribed by a lid flange 35 having a lid edge 38. The lid flange 35 has a 34 that protrudes from the lid flange 35. The dispenser opening insert lid 31 connects to the lid base 40 at a hinge strap connector 33. The dispenser opening insert lid 31 is preferably integrally formed with the lid base 40. The lid base 40 has a base flange 32 with a base flange edge 39. The base flange edge 39 extends outwardly from the lid base 40.

As seen in FIG. 4, a bottom view of the dispenser shows the opening insert 30 and the dispenser opening insert lid 31. The lid base 40 is preferably circular with a pair of lid retainers. The pair of lid retainers preferably includes a first lid retainer 41 and a second lid retainer 42. The first lid retainer 41 preferably extends outwardly from lid base riser 111. The base inside flange 49 is formed at the end of the lid base riser 111. The lid base riser 111 extends vertically into the dispenser opening. The first lid retainer 41 is formed as an arc shaped blade with a first retainer profile 47. The first lid retainer 41 has a first retainer stop 45 and a first retainer opening 43. The first retainer opening 43 receives the first arc opening portion 27 and the locks to the dispensing opening 26 after rotation. Similarly, the second lid retainer 41 has an arc shaped profile that matches the second arc opening portion 28. The second lid retainer 41 also has a second retainer opening 44 and a second retainer stop 46. The second retainer opening 44 is received in the dispensing opening 26 and locks to the dispensing opening 26 when the lid base 40 is rotated relative to the dispensing panel 21.

As seen in FIG. 5, the pair of retaining slots includes a first slot 63 which opposes the second slot 62. The first slot 63 is formed between the first lid retainer 41 and the base flange 32. The second slot 62 is formed between the second lid retainer 42 and the base flange 32. The first and second retaining slots attached to the cardboard allow the dispenser opening insert 30 to connect to the cardboard dispensing panel 21. The installation or uninstallation of the dispenser opening insert 30 requires only a rotation and removal or rotation and insert. No tools are necessary.

As seen in FIG. 6, generally the base sidewall 50 has a base inside flange 49. The base sidewall 50 forms a portion of the lid base riser 111 and extends further to a base inside flange 49. The base inside flange 49 folds inwardly to form a funnel. Cable pulled over the base sidewall 50 rides against the base inside flange 49. The first lid retainer 41 has a first retainer taper 51 with a first taper edge 53. The second lid retainer 42 has a second retainer taper 52 with a second taper edge 54. The second leading edge 56 and the first leading edge 55 cooperate to lead the first lid retainer 41 to attach to the first grab area 101 and lead the second lid retainer 42 to attach to the second grab area 202. The first grab area 101 and the second grab area 102 are formed on the container 20. A first cable opening 58 and a second cable opening 57 are formed on the base sidewall 50. The latch tab 61 secures the lid to the base.

The first retainer taper 51 and the second retainer taper 52 are rounded and thus avoid binding with any cable coiled within the container. Similarly, the base inside flange 49 is also rounded to avoid binding with any cable coiled within the container. The base inside flange 49 provides a funnel profile for forming a dispensing cable system without binding.

Similarly, the junction of the first leading edge 55 and the first retainer taper 51 is also a rounded corner. The junction of the second taper edge 54 and the second leading edge 56 is similarly a rounded corner. The first leading edge 55 and the second leading edge 56 allow the first lid retainer 41 and the second lid retainer 42 to grab onto the cardboard edges of the first arc opening portion 27 and the second arc opening portion 28 and slide to a snug connection to the first grab area 101 and the second grab area 102.

As seen in FIG. 7, a cable coil 87 made of a cable 88 has a cable coil eye 86 that is aligned to the exit opening 89 of the dispenser opening insert 30. The cable coil eye 86 is the center of the loop that is the opening where the cable is being coiled around. For purposes of clarity, only the beginning portion of the cable is shown in the figure with the remainder drawn in dotted line. The cable 88 is oriented so that the cable coil eye 86 is aligned underneath and feeding cable 88 through the exit opening 89 of the dispenser opening insert 30.

The cable dispenser system includes a container 20 has a dispensing panel 21 with a dispenser opening insert 30 mounted thereto and a coiled cable mounted within the container 20. The lid flange 35 of the dispenser opening insert lid 31 overlies the lid base 40. The lid base 40 overlies the first grab area 101 and the second grab area 102. Under the first grab area 101 and the second grab area 102 is the first lid retainer 47 and the second lid retainer 48. The first lid retainer 47 and the second lid retainer 48 sandwich the first grab area 101 and the second grab area 102 between the lid base 40 and the pair of lid retainers. The lid base riser 111 extends inwardly and has a slightly larger diameter than the base sidewall 50. Similarly, the base inside flange 49 has a smaller diameter than the base sidewall 50. The exit opening 89 is thus formed as a funnel with the cable 88 exiting the funnel.