Detachable reel device for fish tapes and associated method
View Patent ↗A reel device configured for use with a fish tape is provided. The reel device includes a first body part and a second body part that engage to form a frame receivable within a cut-out portion of a fish tape housing. The frame may include side walls, corner portions, extension portions, lips, grooves, projections, and reinforcement ribs that provide structural stability and alignment with the housing. An extension arm projects from the frame and supports a rotational assembly including a knob. The knob is rotatable relative to the frame and coupled through a screw and bearing arrangement, enabling continuous retraction of a fish tape wire into the housing with reduced user effort. The geometry of the frame may be square, polygonal, circular, or curved to conform to different fish tape housings.
1 . A reel device, comprising:
a first body part, wherein the first body part comprises: first side walls, first corner portions formed at junctions between the first side walls, first extension portions extending outwardly from the first side walls, grooves disposed on at least one of the first side walls, and first lips disposed at ends of the first side walls and at joints between the first side walls and the first extension portions;
a second body part configured to engage with the first body part to form a frame receivable within a cut-out portion of a fish tape, wherein the second body part comprises second side walls, second corner portions formed at junctions between the second side walls, second extension portions extending outwardly from the second side walls, projections disposed on at least one of the second side walls, and second lips disposed at ends of the second side walls and at joints between the second side walls and the second extension portions; and
a rotational assembly including a knob coupled to at least one of the first body part and the second body part, the knob being rotatable relative to the frame to retract a fish tape wire into the fish tape.
2 . The reel device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first body part and the second body part comprises an extension arm, wherein the extension arm is offset from a central axis of the frame, and wherein the extension arm is configured to receive the rotational assembly.
3 . The reel device of claim 2 , wherein the rotational assembly further includes a bearing disposed within the extension arm, and wherein the bearing supports free rotation of the knob.
4 . The reel device of claim 3 , wherein the knob is coupled to a screw extending upwardly from a bottom portion of the frame through the bearing, the screw being retained by at least one of threading formed in the knob and a nut embedded within the knob.
5 . The reel device of claim 2 , wherein the extension arm is molded with at least one of the first body part and the second body part.
6 . The reel device of claim 2 , wherein the extension arm is fastened to at least one of the first body part and the second body part.
7 . The reel device of claim 1 , wherein to engage the second body part with the first body part, the first body part and the second body part are configured to interlock with one another through engagement of the grooves and the projections, and abutment of the first lips and the second lips.
8 . The reel device of claim 1 , wherein the first body part and the second body part are configured to engage through a snap-fit engagement of the grooves and the projections.
9 . The reel device of claim 8 , wherein a location of the grooves on the first body part aligns with a location of the projections on the second body part for the snap-fit engagement.
10 . The reel device of claim 1 , wherein the first body part further comprises first reinforcement ribs disposed along the first side walls, and the second body part further comprises second reinforcement ribs disposed along the second side walls.
11 . The reel device of claim 1 , wherein a geometry and a size of the first body part and the second body part are based on dimensions and a shape of the fish tape, and wherein the geometry is selected from a group comprising: square, rectangular, polygonal, circular, hybrid circular-polygonal, and curved polygonal geometries based on the cut-out portion of the fish tape.
12 . The reel device of claim 1 , wherein an external surface of the rotatable knob is contoured for ergonomics and includes textured ridges, knurling, or grip features.
13 . The reel device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second corner portions are contoured to conform to the geometry of the fish tape.
14 . The reel device of claim 1 , wherein the first body part and the second body part are configured to engage using at least one of fasteners, adhesives, and coupling structures.
15 . A fish tape assembly, comprising:
a fish tape comprising at least a housing with a cut-out portion; and
a reel device comprising:
a first body part, wherein the first body part comprises: first side walls, first corner portions formed at junctions between the first side walls, first extension portions extending outwardly from the first side walls, grooves disposed on at least one of the first side walls, and first lips disposed at ends of the first side walls and at joints between the first side walls and the first extension portions;
a second body part configured to engage with the first body part to form a frame receivable within the cut-out portion of the fish tape, wherein the second body part comprises second side walls, second corner portions formed at junctions between the second side walls, second extension portions extending outwardly from the second side walls, projections disposed on at least one of the second side walls, and second lips disposed at ends of the second side walls and at joints between the second side walls and the second extension portions; and
a rotational assembly including a knob coupled to at least one of the first body part and the second body part, wherein the knob is rotatable relative to the frame to retract a fish tape wire into the housing of the fish tape.
16 . A method of retracting a fish tape, comprising:
providing a reel device comprising a first body part, a second body part, and a knob;
engaging the first body part with the second body part to form a frame receivable within a cut-out portion of the fish tape;
rotating a knob of the reel device relative to the frame to retract a fish tape wire into the fish tape, and
wherein the first body part comprises:
first side walls,
first corner portions formed at junctions between the first side walls,
first extension portions extending outwardly from the first side walls,
grooves disposed on at least one of the first side walls, and
first lips disposed at ends of the first side walls and at joints between the first side walls and the first extension portions, and
wherein the second body part comprises:
second side walls,
second corner portions formed at junctions between the second side walls,
second extension portions extending outwardly from the second side walls,
projections disposed on at least one of the second side walls, and
second lips disposed at ends of the second side walls and at joints between the second side walls and the second extension portions.
17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising providing an extension arm on at least one of the first body part and the second body part, wherein the extension arm is offset from a central axis of the frame.