Cable storage and handling systems and methods

An assembly for deploying, retrieving, and storing a cable having a minimum bend radius, said assembly comprising:

• a rotatable drum, the drum rotatable about an axis of the drum;
• a levelwind, said levelwind comprising:
• a rail spanning at least a width of said drum;
• a traversable carriage carried by said rail, the carriage configured to traverse along the rail;
• and
• a cable guide carried by said carriage, said cable guide comprising an elongated chute having contoured surfaces defining a cavity extending through the chute wherein said contoured surfaces include no bends having a radius less than the minimum bend radius of the cable, wherein the contoured surfaces comprise a contoured ceiling defining an upper boundary of the cavity, a contoured floor defining a lower boundary of the cavity, and opposing lateral walls defining lateral boundaries of the cavity.

A method of guiding a cable having a minimum bend radius onto a drum, the method comprising:

• rotating the drum;
• passing the cable through a chute defined by contoured surfaces, a cavity extending through the chute, wherein the contoured surfaces include no bend having a radius smaller than the minimum bend radius of the cable, wherein the contoured surfaces comprise a contoured ceiling defining an upper boundary of the cavity, a contoured floor defining a lower boundary of the cavity, and opposing walls defining lateral boundaries of the cavity;
• and
• traversing the chute across a width of the drum while passing the cable through the chute.