Reciprocating mechanism for a reel assembly

A reciprocating mechanism, comprising:

• an element adapted to rotate about a first axis;
• a worm gear extending along the first axis and coupled with respect to the element;
• a driven gear meshingly engaged with the worm gear, the driven gear configured to rotate about a driven gear axis;
• a slot member coupled to and configured to rotate along with the driven gear about the driven gear axis, the slot member having an elongated slot;
• a guide member defining an encircling slot in a plane generally parallel to a plane within which the slot member rotates;
• and
• an elongate member having a portion extending completely or partially through, and adapted to move along, the elongated slot of the slot member, the elongate member portion also extending completely or partially through, and adapted to move along, the encircling slot of the guide member, the elongate member being pivotably secured to a frame or housing such that the elongate member is configured to pivot about an axis generally perpendicular to the plane of the encircling slot;
• wherein rotation of the element about the first axis produces rotation of the worm gear about the first axis, the rotation of the worm gear producing rotation of the driven gear and the slot member about the driven gear axis, the rotation of the slot member guiding the portion of the elongate member along the encircling slot in order to reciprocatingly pivot the element relative to the frame or housing about a second axis generally transverse to the first axis.

A reel assembly, comprising:

• a rotatable element configured to rotate about a spooling axis and to receive a linear material being wrapped around a spool surface of the rotatable element as the rotatable element rotates about the spooling axis;
• a housing substantially enclosing the rotatable element, a portion of the housing defining an aperture configured to receive the linear material therethrough;
• and
• a reciprocating mechanism comprising:
• a slot member operatively coupled with respect to the rotatable element and defining an elongated slot,
• a guide member disposed proximal the slot member, the guide member defining an encircling slot, and
• an elongate member having a portion extending completely or partially through the elongated slot of the slot member and extending completely or partially through the encircling slot of the guide member, the elongate member being pivotably coupled with respect to the housing,
• wherein the rotation of the rotatable element about the spooling axis rotates the slot member, which in turn guides the elongate member portion along the encircling slot so as to reciprocatingly rotate the rotatable element relative to the housing about a reciprocation axis generally transverse with respect to the spooling axis.

A method for spooling linear material, comprising:

• rotating a rotatable element about a first axis at a first speed;
• reciprocatingly rotating the rotatable element about a second axis generally perpendicular to the first axis at a generally constant speed between endpoints of the reciprocation;
• and
• drawing linear material onto the rotatable element, the linear material being spooled across a surface of the rotatable element by the reciprocating rotation of the rotatable element;
• wherein rotating the rotatable element about the first axis includes converting the rotatable element rotation about the first axis into the reciprocating rotation of the rotatable element about the second axis;
• wherein converting the rotatable element rotation comprises:
• rotating a worm gear about the first axis, the worm gear extending along the first axis and coupled with respect to the rotatable element;
• rotating a top gear in meshed engagement with the worm gear;
• and
• rotating a slot member coupled to the top gear about an axis of the top gear;
• wherein rotation of the slot member guides an elongate member along an encircling slot of a guide member to generate the reciprocating rotation of the rotatable element.