Reel systems and methods for monitoring and controlling linear material slack

A method comprising:

• providing a linear material connected to a rotatable spool member housed Within a housing, the spool member being rotatable about a winding axis, the spool member configured to rotate in a wind direction about the winding axis to wind the linear material about the spool member, the spool member configured to rotate in an unwind direction about the winding axis to unwind the linear material from the spool member, the housing having a port through which the linear material extends;
• detecting the linear material being pulled from the spool member through the port;
• responding to the detected pulling of the linear material by conducting a powered-assist operation in which a motor rotates the spool member about the winding axis in the unwind direction;
• detecting an unwind rate at which the linear material is unwound from the spool member during the powered-assist operation;
• detecting a pull-out rate at which the linear material is pulled through the port in the unwind direction during the powered-assist operation;
• and
• adjusting a rotation speed of the motor during the powered-assist operation based at least partly on the unwind rate and the pull-out rate, in order to limit a length of unwound linear material between the spool member and the port to less than a predetermined length.

A reel comprising:

• a linear material;
• a spool member rotatable about a winding axis, the spool member configured to rotate in a wind direction about the winding axis to wind the linear material about the spool member, the spool member configured to rotate in an unwind direction about the winding axis to unwind the linear material from the spool member;
• a motor configured to rotate the spool member about the winding axis;
• a housing surrounding the spool member and motor, the housing having a spooling port through which the linear material extends;
• a motor controller configured to control rotation of the motor;
• a spool sensor system configured to be used by the motor controller to detect a first rate at which the linear material is wound upon or unwound from the spool member;
• and
• a translation sensor system configured to be used by the motor controller to detect a second rate at which the linear material translates through the port in a wind-up direction or an unwind direction;
• wherein the motor controller is configured to control the motor based at least partly on the first and second rates, in order to limit a length of unwound linear material between the spool member and the port to less than a predetermined length.