GB2629345A

GB2629345A - Data cable reel and data cable wall box assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2629345A
Application number: GB2305865.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Pooley Colin
Original assignee: Virgin Media Ltd
Current assignee: Virgin Media Ltd
Priority date: 2023-04-21
Filing date: 2023-04-21
Publication date: 2024-10-30
Also published as: WO2024218515A1; GB202305865D0

Abstract

A data cable reel 40 includes two or more flanges 41,42 each with a radially inner 42A and outer 42B part. The radially outer part is detached from the radially inner part to release the radially outer part from the rest of the data cable reel. One or more outer parts may be detached from their inner parts by moving or being rotated with respect to the inner part from a locked to an unlocked position. In the locked/unlocked position the one or more outer parts may be fixed/free to move with respect to the inner part in a reel axial direction. A data cable wall box assembly includes a data cable wall box and a data cable reel which is a separate part from the wall box. The reel is mounted onto the wall box to hold the reel inside the wall box. Laying data cable includes unwinding a length of data cable from a data cable reel to leave some data cable remaining on the reel and mounting the reel onto a data cable wall box to hold the reel inside the wall box. This data cable reel or wall box assembly may be manufactured via additive manufacturing.

Description

Data Cable Reel and Data Cable Wall Box Assembly The present invention relates to a data cable reel and data cable wall box assembly. The present invention is particularly applicable to data cables in the form of blown fibre-optic cables, but can also be used for blown UTP (untwisted pair) copper cables.

Nowadays it is becoming increasing common for home internet services to be provided by fibre-optic cable all the way to the home (often known as Fibre To The Home or FTTH services). The last section of fibre-optic cable is typically installed between a street cabinet and the home, where the fibre-optic cable connects into a wall junction box.

Inside the wall box the fibre-optic cable is joined to other fibre-optic cables which run on into the home. The usual current practice when installing the last section of fibre-optic cable from the street cabinet to the wall box is as follows. The installer measures the distance between the street cabinet and the wall box and selects a fibre-optic cable reel with a longer length of cable, to ensure it will span the distance. Example reels come in cable lengths of 25m, 50m, 75m and 100m. For instance, if the length of duct between the cabinet and wall box is measured as 80m, a 100m length of cable would be selected. Next, 80m of that cable would be blown down the duct from the wall box end back to the cabinet. 20m would remain on the reel which would then be unwound from the reel and then wound round catches inside the wall box. The end of the cable inside the wall box would have an optical connecter and this would then be connected to a cable running into the home using an optical coupler. Cable lengths may be up to 750m.

There are several drawbacks with the method of installing described above. The spare cable must be unwound from the reel before being wound onto the wall box. This is time-consuming and also means the cable often sits on the ground between being unwound and rewound, and therefore risks being trampled upon by the installer which can damage the cable.

The present invention aims to mitigate at least some of the drawbacks of these conventional installation methods.

In a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a data cable reel comprising at least two flanges, each of which has a radially inner part and a radially outer part, the radially outer part being detachable from the radially inner part so as to release the radially outer part from the rest of the data cable reel.

In this specification, the term "data cable" includes fibre-optic bundles.

In the data cable reel of the first aspect of the invention, the radial dimension of the data cable reel can be reduced by removing the radially outer parts of the flanges. This allows the data cable reel to fit inside a typically-sized data cable wall box. Accordingly, the installer no longer needs to unwind the cable from the reel and rewind the cable onto the catches in the wall box because the data cable reel can be put straight into the wall box.

This saves time and also avoids the possibility of the cable being trampled upon between being unwound and rewound.

Moreover, in conventional installation methods, after the cable has been unwound the reel is no longer used and must be sent for recycling or waste. However, according to the present invention, the radially inner part of the reel continues to be used, which reduces recycling or waste requirements.

Preferably, the data cable reel is a fibre-optic cable reel.

Preferably, at least one outer part is detachable from its inner part by being moved with respect to the inner part from a locked position, in which the outer part is fixed to the inner part, to an unlocked position, in which the outer part is free to move with respect to the inner part.

Preferably, at least one outer part is detachable from its inner part by being rotated with respect to the inner part from a locked position, in which the outer part is fixed to the inner part, to an unlocked position, in which the outer part is free to move with respect to the inner part. Rotation provides a convenient way for the installer to detach the inner and outer parts.

In one embodiment, the rotation is about the reel axial direction.

Preferably, in the locked position, the at least one outer part is fixed to its inner part in a reel axial direction, and in the unlocked position, the outer part is free to move with respect to the inner part in a reel axial direction. In this way, the outer part can be moved away in the reel axial direction, and this provides a convenient way of detaching the two parts. Preferably, the outer part is free to move with respect to the inner part outwards in a reel axial direction.

Preferably, the reel comprises a core for receiving the wound data cable. The radially outer parts may each be part of a respective disc-shaped side member, which is preferably disposed axially outwards of the core when the radially outer part is attached to the radially inner part. The core may be generally cylindrical, and may have a central dividing wall along its length extending in the radial direction. The cylinder does not need to be circular in cross-section; what is necessary is that cable can be wound onto it.

When disposed axially outwards of the core, the disc-shaped side member may have an access window to provide user access to the core, preferably to the space inside the cylinder. The access window may cover the majority of the space inside the cylinder.

The access window may be provided by a flap. The flap may include a central hole for a spindle on which the reel can be mounted during winding.

Preferably, in at least one of the flanges, a protrusion is provided in the inner part or the outer part which is received in a hole in the other of inner part and the outer part, to lock the outer part to the inner part.

The protrusion may be a tab. The hole may be a recess and so need not pass right through the material in which it is formed.

Preferably, at least one outer part is detachable from its inner part by being rotated with respect to the inner part to move the protrusion from a locked position in the hole, in which the protrusion cannot be removed from the hole, to an unlocked position in the hole, in which the protrusion can be removed from the hole.

Preferably, the rotation of the outer part moves the protrusion by sliding.

Preferably, in the locked position, the inner or outer part that has the hole is gripped or held by friction between the protrusion and another portion of the part that has the protrusion. In this way, the inner and outer parts are held together in the locked position by friction. In other words, the inner parts is held in position relative to the outer part by the interlocking male and female profiles. The gripping ensures a firm connection between the two parts in the locked position.

The protrusion may be inserted into the hole in a reel axial direction.

The protrusion may protrude in a reel axial direction. The protrusion may also protrude in a reel radial direction.

The hole may extend (in its depth direction) in the reel axial direction.

Preferably, the protrusion has a base portion which includes a fixed end of the protrusion, and an upper portion which includes a free end of the protrusion, and the direction of protrusion changes from the base portion to the upper portion.

In this way, the base portion protrudes in a different direction from the upper portion. For example, the base portion may protrude in the reel axial direction, and the upper portion may protrude in the reel radial direction, preferably outwards in the reel radial direction.

Preferably, in at least one of the flanges, two or more of the protrusions are provided in the inner part or the outer part which are received in respective holes in the other of inner part and the outer part, to lock the outer part to the inner part.

Preferably, the arrangement is provided in each of the flanges.

The data cable reel may comprise a core for receiving the wound data cable, the core having a slot configured to receive an optical coupler.

The flap of the radially outer part may provide user access to the optical coupler.

The core and/or inner parts of the flanges may be made of a plastics material, preferably polypropylene.

The core and inner parts of the flanges may be integrally formed.

The outer parts of the flanges may be made of cardboard.

The data cable reel may have a hole for receiving a protrusion on a data cable wall box for mounting the reel onto the wall box, or may comprise a protrusion which is configured to be received in a hole in a data cable wall box for mounting the reel onto the wall box.

The hole or protrusion may have any of the optional features of the second aspect of the present invention described below.

In a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a data cable wall box assembly comprising: a data cable wall box, a data cable reel, and mounting means for mounting the reel onto the wall box to hold the reel inside the wall box.

In the data cable wall box assembly of the second aspect of the invention, the data cable reel can be mounted on the data cable wall box while carrying the spare cable. Accordingly, the installer no longer needs to unwind the cable from the reel and rewind the cable onto the catches in the wall box. This saves time and also avoids the possibility of the cable being trampled upon between being unwound and rewound.

In addition, in conventional installation methods, after the cable has been unwound the reel is no longer used and must be sent recycling or waste. However, according to the present invention, the radially inner part of the reel continues to be used, which reduces recycling or waste requirements.

Preferably, the data cable wall box assembly is a fibre-optic cable wall box assembly.

The mounting means is preferably for detachably mounting the data cable reel.

The wall box assembly is preferably a wall junction box assembly comprising a wall junction box, and is preferably provided with means for joining two data cables to each other.

The wall box is not necessarily square or rectangular in plan, and may have curved sides for example.

Preferably, the mounting means is for mounting the data cable reel by snap-fitting. This provides a convenient way of mounting the reel.

Preferably, the mounting means comprises a protrusion on one of the wall box and data cable reel which is configured to be received in a hole in the other of the wall box and data cable reel.

Preferably, the protrusion is located on the inside of the wall box and is configured to be received in a hole in the data cable reel.

Preferably, the protrusion is tubular and defines a passageway for a cable to pass from outside the wall box to inside the wall box.

The protrusion may be a spindle. The hole in the data cable reel may be located approximately at the centre of the data cable reel.

The wall box may comprise a wall plate and a lid. The protrusion may be located on the wall plate. The mounting means may be for detachably mounting the data cable reel onto the wall box to hold the data cable reel inside the wall box when the lid is closed. The data cable reel may be received in the lid and/or wall plate when the reel is held inside the wall box.

Preferably, the protrusion is located on the inside of the wall box and is configured to be received in a hole in the data cable reel, and protrudes away from the wall plate, preferably normally to the wall plate.

Preferably, the protrusion is configured to be received in the hole by snap-fitting. This provides a convenient way of mounting the reel.

Preferably, the protrusion has a catch which is pushed inwards when the protrusion is inserted into the hole and snaps outwards after the protrusion has been received in the hole, thereby preventing the protrusion from being withdrawn from the hole.

Preferably, the data cable reel comprises at least two flanges.

The flanges hold the data cable in position on the reel.

Preferably, at least one of the flanges provides an inner flange part, the inner flange part having: a protrusion configured to be received in a hole in an outer flange part before the data cable reel is mounted onto the wall box, to detachably lock the outer flange part to the inner flange part, or a hole configured to receive a protrusion in an outer flange part before the data cable reel is mounted onto the wall box, to detachably lock the outer flange part to the inner flange part.

Preferably, the inner part is a radially inner part, and the outer part is a radially outer part.

Preferably, the data cable reel is made of a plastics material.

The data cable reel may comprise a core for receiving a wound data cable, and the core may be made of a plastics material, preferably polypropylene.

The inner flange part may be made of a plastics material, preferably polypropylene.

The outer flange part may be made of cardboard.

Preferably, the data cable reel includes a slot adapted to receive an optical coupler.

The optical coupler is to join two optical connectors together.

The data cable wall box assembly may comprise locking means to prevent the data cable reel rotating with respect to the wall box when it is mounted onto the wall box.

Preferably, the locking means comprises a rotation preventing protrusion on one of the data cable reel and the wall box configured to be received in a hole in the other of the data cable reel and the wall box, thereby preventing rotation of the data cable reel with respect to the wall box.

Preferably, the wall plate has a back surface for contacting the wall with at least one aperture in the back surface for receiving a fastener for attaching the wall plate to the wall.

Preferably, the reel is mounted onto the wall box and held inside the wall box by the mounting means.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of mounting a data cable reel onto a data cable wall box, comprising taking a data cable reel wound with data cable and mounting the reel onto a data cable wall box to hold the reel inside the wall box.

According to this aspect of the present invention, the reel is already wound with cable when it is mounted onto the wall box. In contrast to conventional installation methods, the method according to this aspect of the invention saves time, and also avoids the possibility of the cable be trampled upon between being unwound from the reel and being wound on to catches on the inside of the wall box.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of laying a data cable, comprising: unwinding a length of data cable from a data cable reel to leave some data cable remaining on the reel, and mounting the reel onto a data cable wall box to hold the reel inside the wall box.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to control an additive manufacturing device to manufacture the data cable reel or data cable wall box assembly in any of the forms previously described.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a device via additive manufacturing, the method comprising: obtaining an electronic file representing at least the surface configuration of product, wherein the product is the data cable reel or data cable wall box assembly in any of the forms previously described; and controlling an additive manufacturing device to manufacture, over one or more additive manufacturing steps, the product according to the surface configuration specified in the electronic file.

The preferred features of any of the aspects described above are equally applicable to the other aspects.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, purely byway of example, with reference to the drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a fibre-optic cable wall box assembly according to an embodiment of the invention with the lid not shown; Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the fibre-optic cable wall box assembly of Fig. 1 but with the lid shown; Fig. 3 shows another perspective view of a fibre-optic cable wall box assembly of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 shows another perspective view of a fibre-optic cable wall box assembly of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the wall plate of the fibre-optic cable wall box assembly of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of the lid of the fibre-optic cable wall box assembly of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of a fibre-optic cable reel according to an embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of the fibre-optic cable reel of Fig. 7 but with a radially outer part of one flange not shown.

Referring to Fig. 1, a fibre-optic cable wall junction box assembly 1 is shown comprising a fibre-optic cable wall junction box 2 and a fibre-optic cable reel 3 which is a separate part from the wall box 2. The wall box 2 comprises a wall plate 10 for attachment to a wall, and a lid 11 (not shown in Fig. 1) which, when closed, defines with the wall plate 10 a space inside the wall box 2 in which the reel 3 is located.

Mounting means are provided in the form of a protrusion or spindle 4 located on the inside of the wall box 2 (in particular on the wall plate 10). A corresponding hole 5 is provided in the reel 3. The spindle 4 mounts the reel 3 onto the wall box 2 to hold the reel 3 inside the wall box 2. The hole 5 is located in the centre of the reel 3.

The spindle 4 protrudes away from the wall plate 10 in a normal direction to the wall plate 10.

To mount the reel 3 onto the wall box 2 the spindle 4 is inserted into the hole 5 in the reel 3. In the present embodiment, the free end of the spindle 4 emerges from the hole 5. Catches 6 are located at the free end of the spindle 4 which are pushed inwards when the spindle 4 is inserted into the hole 5 and snap outwards after the catches 6 have passed through the hole 5. The catches 6 prevent the spindle 4 from being withdrawn from the hole 5 accidentally.

In the present embodiment, the reel 3 is detachably mounted onto the wall box 2: the catches 6 can be pushed by the user towards each other until they are free of the reel 3 at which point the reel 3 can be removed from the wall box 2.

The spindle 4 is tubular and defines a passageway for a cable to pass from outside the wall box 2 to inside the wall box 2, in particular through the wall plate 10, along the spindle 4 and out of the free end of the spindle 4. In this way, the spindle 4 holds the cable more securely in comparison to when the cable passed through a hole in a plate, and passing the cable along the spindle means that a separate extra hole is not required, providing a more efficient use of space.

Referring to Fig. 2, the lid 11 has snap clips 12 by which the wall plate 10 is attached to the lid 11. In this embodiment, three snap clips 12 are provided, one at each side of the lid 11 and one on top of the lid 11, when the lid 11 is viewed in a direction normal to the wall. The wall plate 10 has a ridge 13 which extends around the outer surface of the wall plate 10 from one of its sides, around its top to its other side. The snap clips 12 snap over and catch on the ridge 13 to hold the lid 11 in place on the wall plate 10.

As is clear from Figs. 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the reel 3 is received in the lid 11 and wall plate 10 when the reel 3 is held inside the wall box 2. The wall plate 10 has small perimeter wall as shown in Fig. 1.

A tubular portion 16 of the reel 3 defines the hole 5. The reel has a plurality of protrusions or tabs 45 which spaced around its periphery. Each tab 45 has a base portion which includes a fixed end of the tab 45, and an upper portion which includes a free end of the tab 45, and the direction of protrusion changes from the base portion to the upper portion.

In particular, the tab 45 protrudes first outwards in a reel axial direction, and then outwards in a reel radial direction. In this embodiment, the tabs 45 are provided on both sides of the reel 3 in the reel axial direction. In this embodiment, a plurality of tabs 45 is provided on each side of the reel 3 in the reel axial direction, specifically, six tabs 45 on each side.

In Figs. 1 and 3, a left hand port 20, a centre port 21 and a right hand port 22 are shown at the bottom of the wall plate 10 through which a fibre-optic cable can be run into the wall box 2. In the present embodiment, the centre port 21 is set up to receive a fibre-optic cable. A protective cover 23 to cover the cable as it extends between the wall box 2 and trunking 24 is fitted in the centre port 21. If it is desired that the cable should instead be run through the left hand port 20 or the right hand port 22, the protective cover 23 can be moved there. The left hand port 20 and the right hand port 22 each contain a closure plate 20A, 22A which must be removed before a cable can run into that port. At each port 20, 21 22 there are two or more (in this embodiment, three) tie-off points 25 to receive the cable in different positions across the port 20, 21, 22. When in position, the cable would be attached to the wall plate 2 using a cable tie.

The reel 3 has a major surface facing in the axial direction and on this surface are located a pair of posts 17 which define between them a slot which is configured to receive an optical coupler (not shown in the drawings). The optical coupler can be used to couple the fibre-optic cable 30 with a fibre-optic cable that passes into the wall box 2 through the passageway in the spindle 4.

Fig. 3, in comparison to Fig. 1, does not have the trunking 24.

Fig. 4, in comparison to Fig. 3, does not have the protective cover 23.

Referring to Fig. 5, locking means in the form of a pair of locking recesses 7 is provided on the inside surface of the wall plate 10. The locking recesses 7 are configured to receive respective tabs 45 which, when received, prevent the reel 3 from rotating with respect to the wall plate 10. The catches 6 on the free end of the spindle 4 urge the reel 3 towards the wall plate 10 and the tabs 45 into the locking recesses 7.

In order to ensure the reel 3 is properly secured, it is preferred that the lid 11 cannot be fully closed over the wall plate 10 unless the pair of tabs 45 is received in the pair of locking recesses 7. Specifically, the lid 11 and the reel 3 are shaped so that they interfere with the closure of the lid 11 when the reel 3 is rotated so that the pair of tabs 45 is not received in the pair of locking recesses 7.

In this embodiment, there are two locking recesses 7, but this is not essential and only one may be provided instead. In addition, in the present embodiment, each tab 45 protrudes radially outwardly, but this is not essential. Furthermore, the locking recesses 7 receive tabs 45 that are diametrically opposite each other, but this is not essential.

Stand-off screw holes 27 are provided in the wall plate 10 for fixing the wall plate 10 to the wall. Knock-outs 28 provide optional further holes for additional cables to be run into the wall box 2.

Fig. 6 shows snap clips 12 of the lid 11 and, in particular, the enlarged free ends of the clips 12 which snap back to catch the ridge 13 of the wall plate 10 to hold the lid 11 in place.

Fig. 7 illustrates a fibre-optic cable reel 40 of which the fibre-optic cable reel 3 of Fig. 1 is a part. The fibre-optic cable reel 40 comprises a first flange 41 and a second flange 42 which hold the cable in place when it is wound on the reel. The first flange 41 has a radially inner part 41A and a radially outer part 41B. The radially outer part 41B is detachable from the radially inner part 41A to allow it to fit into the wall box 2. The same is true for second flange 42 which, as best seen in Fig. 8, has a radially inner part 42A and a radially outer part 42B.

In this embodiment, the radially outer parts 41B, 42B are each part of a respective disc-shaped side member 43, 44.

In Fig. 7 disc-shaped side member 43 has a flap 47 that provides an access window to the space inside the reel 40. The window helps fibre handling and testing during manufacture by providing access to the optical coupler and label positions. Typically, the finished product comes with the inner wound end of the cable made up and connected into the coupler ready for connection to the distribution fibre to the wall outlet.

In fibre-optic cable reel 40 shown in Fig. 7 the radially inner parts 41A, 42A of the first and second flanges 41, 42 are provided by the fibre-optic cable reel 3 shown in Fig. 1.

In this embodiment, the fibre-optic cable reel 3 (including the radially inner parts 41A, 42A) is made of, for example, polypropylene or ABS, The disc-shaped side members 43, 44 (including the radially outer parts 41B, 42B) are preferably made of cardboard.

For each of the first and second flanges 41, 42, the radially outer part 41B, 42B is detachable from the radially inner part 41A, 42A so as to release the radially outer part 41 B, 42B from the rest of the fibre-optic cable reel 40. In particular, the radially outer part 41 B, 42B is detachable from its inner part 41A, 42A by being rotated with respect to the inner part 41A, 42A from a locked position, in which the outer part 41B, 42B is fixed to the inner part 41A, 42A in a reel axial direction, to an unlocked position, in which the outer part 41B, 42B is free to move with respect to the inner part 41A, 42A in a reel axial direction. The fibre-optic cable reel 3 shown in Fig. 1 is the part that is left when the radially outer parts 41B, 42B are removed.

The fibre-optic cable reel 40 is designed to carry a certain length of fibre-optic cable, and the size of the radially outer parts 41B, 42B is set accordingly. However, when the fibre-optic cable is being laid to a fibre-optic cable wall box, there is nearly always a short length of cable left on the reel which is not needed. Rather than unwind this length of cable and rewind it onto catches in the fibre-optic cable wall box as is done conventionally, in the present embodiment the reel is mounted onto the wall box. This avoids the need to unwind the cable from the reel and rewind it onto the wall box. This saves time and also avoids the possibility of the cable being trampled upon between being unwound and rewound.

In the present embodiment, the short length of cable which remains on the reel is held in position on the reel by the radially inner parts 41A, 42A. Accordingly, the radially outer parts 41B, 42B are no longer required and can be removed, and the present embodiment allows this.

The radially outer part 41B, 42B is attached to the radially inner part 41A, 42A by protrusions or tabs 45 (which form the radially inner part 41A, 42A) being received in holes 46 in the radially outer part 41B, 42B. In particular, the tabs 45 are pushed through the holes 46 and then the radially outer part 41B, 42B is rotated with respect to the radially inner part 41A, 42A so that each tab 45 moves behind a portion of the radially outer part 41B, 42B. That portion of the radially outer part 41B, 42B is then gripped or held by friction between the tab 45 and another portion of the reel 3. In this way, the radially inner and outer parts are held together in the locked position by friction. However, if extra security were required, tape could be placed across one or more tab-to-cardboard outer interfaces.

In order for the tab 45 to move behind a portion of the radially outer part 41B, 42B in this way, each hole 46 of the radially outer part 41B, 42B has a circumferential slit extending away from the hole 46. This allows a portion of the tab 45 that extends in the reel axial direction to pass along the slit. The slits are not shown in the drawings.

Referring to Fig. 8, the reel 3 has a core 50 in the shape of a drum onto which a fibre-optic cable can be wound. The tabs 45 are equally spaced in the circumferential direction around the axial rim of the core 50, on both sides of the core in the axial direction. In this embodiment, there are six tabs 45 on each side in the axial direction, but there may be more or fewer. Each tab 45 has a base portion which includes a fixed end of the tab 45, and an upper portion which includes a free end of the tab 45, and the direction of protrusion changes from the base portion to the upper portion. In particular, each tab 45 protrudes first outwards in a reel axial direction, and then outwards in a reel radial direction.

Tabs 48 are also provided on the reel 3. The tabs 48 are provided at the same circumferential positions around the periphery of the reel 3 as tabs 45 and the same number of tabs 48 (six) as the tabs 45 are also provided. The tabs 48 protrude inwards in a reel radial direction towards the centre of the reel 3 from an inner circumferential surface of the reel 3. The tabs 48 are used to grip the radially outer part 41B, 42B and to retain a fibre-optic cable if it is wound around the inner circumferential surface of the reel 3.

When viewed in a reel axial direction, behind each tab 48 is a respective back-to-front fibre routing hole 49. Through these holes 49 one end of the cable that has been blown down the duct can pass from the back to the front of the reel 3 before connecting into the optical coupler 18. Two of these holes 49 (the two labelled in Fig. 8) are larger than the tabs 48 to allow the cable to be routed through more easily.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been described purely by way of example, and various modifications, additions and/or omissions will present themselves to one skilled in the art, all of which form part of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A data cable reel comprising at least two flanges, each of which has a radially inner part and a radially outer part, the radially outer part being detachable from the radially inner part so as to release the radially outer part from the rest of the data cable reel.
2. A data cable reel according to claim 1, wherein at least one outer part is detachable from its inner part by being moved with respect to the inner part from a locked position, in which the outer part is fixed to the inner part, to an unlocked position, in which the outer part is free to move with respect to the inner part.
3. A data cable reel according to claim 2, wherein at least one outer part is detachable from its inner part by being rotated with respect to the inner part from a locked position, in which the outer part is fixed to the inner part, to an unlocked position, in which the outer part is free to move with respect to the inner part.
4. A data cable reel according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, in the locked position, the at least one outer part is fixed to its inner part in a reel axial direction, and in the unlocked position, the outer part is free to move with respect to the inner part in a reel axial direction.
5. A data cable reel according to any preceding claim, wherein, in at least one of the flanges, a protrusion is provided in the inner part or the outer part which is received in a hole in the other of inner part and the outer part, to lock the outer part to the inner part.
6. A data cable reel according to claim 5, wherein at least one outer part is detachable from its inner part by being rotated with respect to the inner part to move the protrusion from a locked position in the hole, in which the protrusion cannot be removed from the hole, to an unlocked position in the hole, in which the protrusion can be removed from the hole.
7. A data cable reel according to claim 6, wherein the rotation of the outer part moves the protrusion by sliding.
8. A data cable reel according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein, in the locked position, the inner or outer part that has the hole is gripped or held by friction between the protrusion and another portion of the part that has the protrusion.
9. A data cable reel according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the protrusion has a base portion which includes a fixed end of the protrusion, and an upper portion which includes a free end of the protrusion, and the direction of protrusion changes from the base portion to the upper portion.
10. A data cable reel according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein, in at least one of the flanges, two or more of the protrusions are provided in the inner part or the outer part which are received in respective holes in the other of inner part and the outer part, to lock the outer part to the inner part.
11. A data cable reel according to any one of claims 5 to 10, wherein the arrangement is provided in each of the flanges.
12. A data cable reel according to any preceding claim, comprising a core for receiving the wound data cable, the core having a slot configured to receive an optical coupler.
13. A data cable wall box assembly comprising: a data cable wall box, a data cable reel which is a separate part from the wall box, and mounting means for mounting the reel onto the wall box to hold the reel inside the wall box.
14. A data cable wall box assembly according to claim 13, wherein the mounting means is for mounting the data cable reel by snap-fitting.
15. A data cable wall box assembly according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the mounting means comprises a protrusion on one of the wall box and data cable reel which is configured to be received in a hole in the other of the wall box and data cable reel.
16. A data cable wall box assembly according to claim 15, wherein the protrusion is located on the inside of the wall box and is configured to be received in a hole in the data cable reel.
17. A data cable wall box assembly according to claim 16, wherein the protrusion is tubular and defines a passageway for a cable to pass from outside the wall box to inside the wall box.
18. A data cable wall box assembly according to any of claims 15 to 17, wherein the protrusion is configured to be received in the hole by snap-fitting.
19. A data cable wall box assembly according to claim 18, wherein the protrusion has a catch which is pushed inwards when the protrusion is inserted into the hole and snaps outwards after the protrusion has been received in the hole, thereby preventing the protrusion from being withdrawn from the hole.
20. A data cable wall box assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the data cable reel comprises at least two flanges.
21. A data cable wall box assembly according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the flanges provides an inner flange part, the inner flange part having: a protrusion configured to be received in a hole in an outer flange part before the data cable reel is mounted onto the wall box, to detachably lock the outer flange part to the inner flange part, or a hole configured to receive a protrusion in an outer flange part before the data cable reel is mounted onto the wall box, to detachably lock the outer flange part to the inner flange part.
22. A data cable wall box assembly according to any one of claims 13 to 21, wherein the data cable reel is made of a plastics material.
23. A data cable wall box assembly according to any one of claims 13 to 22, wherein the data cable reel includes a slot adapted to receive an optical coupler.
24. A data cable wall box assembly according to any one of claims 13 to 23, comprising locking means to prevent the data cable reel rotating with respect to the wall box when it is mounted onto the wall box.
25. A data cable wall box assembly according to any preceding claim 24, wherein the locking means comprises a rotation preventing protrusion on one of the data cable reel and the wall box configured to be received in a hole in the other of the data cable reel and the wall box, thereby preventing rotation of the data cable reel with respect to the wall box.
26. A data cable wall box assembly according any one of claims 13 to 25, wherein the reel is mounted onto the wall box and held inside the wall box by the mounting means.
27. A method of mounting a data cable reel onto a data cable wall box, comprising taking a data cable reel wound with data cable and mounting the reel onto a data cable wall box to hold the reel inside the wall box.
28. A method of laying a data cable, comprising: unwinding a length of data cable from a data cable reel to leave some data cable remaining on the reel, and mounting the reel onto a data cable wall box to hold the reel inside the wall box.
29. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to control an additive manufacturing device to manufacture the data cable reel or data cable wall box assembly of any of claims 1 to 26.
30. A method of manufacturing a device via additive manufacturing, the method comprising: obtaining an electronic file representing at least the surface configuration of product, wherein the product is the data cable reel or data cable wall box assembly of any of claims 1 to 26; and controlling an additive manufacturing device to manufacture, over one or more additive manufacturing steps, the product according to the surface configuration specified in the electronic file.