Filament dispenser
AssigneeScientific Anglers LLC
InventorsRussell E. Blette, Arthur V. Lang, Timothy J. Pommer, Dale R. Wiehe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A filament dispenser (10) includes a spool (20), hub (22), and axle (30). The axle is laterally movable from a first position to a second position. The axle is independently rotatable with respect to the spool. In the extended position, the axle may be attached to a second spool (10′), forming an assembly of operably-coupled filament dispensers. In the assembly, the connected spools are independently rotatable.
Claims20
A filament dispenser, comprising:
- a spool comprising a first side, a second side, and a hub;
- the hub having two or more axle-engagement structures;
- and
- an axle comprising a first end, a second end, an axis of rotation, and two or more hub engagement structures;
- wherein the axle and hub are configured to be releasably engaged in two or more operational positions;
- and
- wherein in any of the operational positions, the spool is independently rotatable with respect to the axle.
A method of assembling a plurality of filament dispensers, comprising:
- providing first and second dispensers, the first dispenser having a first axle and a first hub, the second dispenser having a second axle and a second hub;
- wherein the first axle has a first axis of rotation and the second axle has a second axis of rotation;
- wherein the first axle is operably attached to the first hub and the second axle is operably attached to the second hub;
- wherein the first axle is configured to move longitudinally along the first axis of rotation from a first operational position to a second operational position and the second axle is configured to move longitudinally along the second axis of rotation from a third operational position to a fourth operational position;
- moving the first axle from the first position to the second position;
- moving the second axle from the third position to the fourth position;
- and
- operably engaging the first axle simultaneously with the first hub and the second hub.
A method of dispensing filament comprising the steps of:
- providing a dispenser comprising an axle and a spool with filament wound thereon, wherein the filament has a free end, wherein the axle and spool have a common axis of rotation;
- holding the axle to prevent rotational movement of the axle around the axis of rotation;
- and
- pulling the free end of the filament.
A filament-dispensing assembly comprising:
- first and second filament dispensers;
- wherein the first and second filament dispensers each comprises a spool comprising a hub and a laterally-moveable axle;
- wherein the axle of the first dispenser is operably-engaged with both the hub of the first dispenser and the hub of the second dispenser;
- and
- wherein the spools of each of the first and second dispensers are both independently rotatable with respect to the axle of the first dispenser and/or the axle of the second dispenser of the assembly.
A filament dispenser comprising a spool operably engaged with an axle;
- wherein the spool and the axle have a common axis of rotation
- wherein the axle is longitudinally movable from a first position to a second position, relative to the spool, along the axis of rotation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.