GB2122971A - Packing coils of wire or cable - Google Patents

Abstract

In a reel having a pair of oppositely disposed flanges (1) whose boundary edges (2) lie in parallel planes, a rigid hollow hub (4) which extends between the fianges, and a coil (5) of wire surrounding the hub between the flanges, no part of the hub protrudes beyond the planes containing the boundary edges of the flanges and the coil of wire has an axial length equal to or greater than the overall length of the hub, thereby facilitating stacking of coil reels one on top of another. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Packaging coils of wire or cable This invention relates to the packaging of wire or cable and more particularly to the packaging of coils of bare or insulated electric wire or cable, for example wire or cable of the kinds used in house wiring systems, all such bare and insulated wire and cable hereinafter, for convenience, being included in the generic term "wire".

The interests of the manufacturer, wholesaler or retailer, and user of wire are in conflict insofar as packaging and transportation of wire are concerned. For ease of manufacture and transportation within the factory, it is in the interests of the manufacturer that wire produced within the factory be in the form of a coil. From the point of view of the wholesaler or retailer who has to keep a large stock of wires of different kinds from one another, storage of wire is facilitated if it is supplied in packages of a shape and size such that they can be readily stacked. On the other hand, the user prefers wire to be supplied on a reel from which wire can be readily unwound as and when required.

Generally, wire is marketed either in the form of coils which are covered by a toroidal lapping of paper or cheap fabric or on non-returnable reels.

The former type of packaging is cheap but it is not popular with wholesalers and retailers because such packaging coils are not readily stackable and is not popular with users because wire cannot be readily withdrawn from a coil and because once the toroidal lapping is removed to enable wire to be withdrawn from the coil, the balance of the coil is left unprotected and may become tangled, as replacement of the toroidal lapping is usually too tiresome to be undertaken by the user. The alternative form of packaging constituted by winding wire on non-returnable reels is unpopular with the wire manufacturer because it is more labour intensive and costly to wind on to reels and is disliked by the wholesaler and retailer because reels hitherto proposed cannot be readily stacked.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved coil reel which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which can be readily stacked.

According to the invention, we provide an improved coil reel comprising a pair of oppositely disposed flanges whose boundary edges lie in substantially parallel planes, each of which flanges has an aperture in axial alignment with the aperture of the other flange, a substantially rigid hollow hub extending between parts of the flanges bounding said aligned apertures, and a coil of wire surrounding on the hub between the flanges, wherein no part of the rigid hollow hub protrudes beyond the planes containing the boundary edges of the flanges and wherein the axial length of the coil is substantially equal to or greater than the overall length of the hub.

By virtue of the fact that no part of the rigid hollow hub protrudes beyond the planes containing the boundary edges of the reel flanges and that the axial length of the coil surrounding on the hub is substantially equal to or greater than the overall length of the hub, improved coil reels of the present invention can be readily stacked one on top of another with negligible risk of crushing of the reel flanges.

Preferably, the flanges of the coil reel are of substantially circular shape, although in some cases, they may be of octagonal or other noncircular shape.

Any parts of the hub protruding outwardly of the flanges of the coil reel, preferably are each accommodated in a recess which bounds the aperture in a reel flange and which is of such a depth, or said reel flange is of such a dish-like shape, that no part of the hub protrudes beyond the planes containing the boundary edges of the reel flanges.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the reel flanges are made of cardboard or plastics material.

When, as is preferred, the rigid hollow hub is separately formed with respect to the reel flanges and is secured to parts of the reel flanges bounding the apertures, the rigid hollow hub may be made of cardboard, plastics material, metal or metal alloy or any other suitable material and may be secured to the flanges in any convenient manner.

Where the hub is of metal alloy, one end of the hub may be rolled outwardly or otherwise distorted to form a stop for bearing against the outer face of one reel flange, the other end of the hub being similarly outwardly rolled or otherwise distorted to bear against the outer face of the other reel flange after the hub has been caused to protrude through the aperture thereof. Where the hub is of plastics material, it may be divided transversely into two separately formed parts, each of which has a radially outwardly extending circumferentially continuous or discontinuous end wall or other means at one of its ends for bearing against the outer face of a reel flange, the hub parts being interconnected at their other ends by a bayonet fitting, a screw threaded connection, a snap fitting or any other suitably connecting means.The hollow hub may also have, spaced from its extreme ends, radially outwardly extending circumferentially continuous or discontinuous ribs bearing against the inner faces of the reel flanges.

In some circumstances, the separately formed hub may be rotatably mounted with respect to the flanges of the reel.

The invention is further illustrated by a description, by way of example, of the preferred coil reel with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of the preferred coil reel, and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the coil reel.

Referring to the drawing, the preferred coil reel has a pair of oppositely disposed flanges 1 of cardboard whose boundary edges 2 lie in substantially parallel planes, each of which flanges has an aperture 3 in axial alignment with the aperture of the other flange, and, extending between parts of the flanges bounding the aligned apertures, a rigid hollow hub 4. A coil 5 of wire surrounds on the hub 4 between the flanges 1, the axial length of the coil being slightly greater than the overall length of the hub.

In manufacturing the coil reel, one end of the hollow hub 4 is introduced into the aperture 3 of a flange 1 until a circumferentially continuous rib 7 on the hub abuts the internal face of the flange, the coil 5 of wire is applied to the hub and the second flange 1 is applied to the other end of the hub until it abuts a circumferentially continuous rib 7. Axial pressure is then applied to end parts 8 of the hub 4 protruding through the aperture 3 to cause them to be outwardly rolled and to bear against the outer faces of the flanges. The axial force imparted to the protruding parts 8 of the hub 4 is also such as to distort those parts of the flanges 1 bounding the apertures 3 so that each of the flanges has a central recess 9 of a depth such that no part of the hub protrudes beyond the planes containing the boundary edges 2 of the flanges.

The preferred coil reels can be readily stacked one on top of another without the necessity to use any separately formed spacers between adjacent coil reels and with negligible risk of crushing of the reel flanges.

CL.AIMS 1. A coil reel comprising a pair of oppositely disposed flanges whose boundary edges lie in substantially parallel planes, each of which flanges has an aperture in axial alignment with the aperture of the other flange, a substantially rigid hollow hub extending between parts of the flanges bounding said aligned apertures, and a coil of wire surrounding the hub between the flanges, wherein no part of the rigid hollow hub protrudes beyond the planes containing the boundary edges of the flanges and wherein the axial length of the coil is substantially equal to or greater than the overall length of the hub.

2. A coil reel as claimed in Claim 1, wherein any parts of the hub protruding outwardly of the flanges are each accommodated in a recess which bounds the aperture in a reel flange, or in a central region of a reel flanges of a dish-like shape.

3. A coil reel as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the reel flanges are made of cardboard or plastics material.

4. A coil reel as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the flanges of the coil reel are of substantially circular shape.

5. A coil reel as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the rigid hollow hub is separately formed with respect to the reel flanges and is secured to parts of the reel flanges bounding the apertures.

6. A coil reel as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the rigid hollow hub is of metal or metal alloy, one end of the hub being rolled outwardly or otherwise distorted to form a stop bearing against the outer face of one reel flange and the other end of the hub being similarly outwardly rolled or otherwise distorted to bear against the outer face of the other reel flange.

7. A coil reel as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the hub is of plastics material and is divided transversely into two separately formed parts, each of which has a radially outwardly extending circumferentially continuous or discontinuous end wall or other means at one of its ends bearing against the outer face of the reel flange, the hub parts being interconnected at the other ends by a bayonet fitting, a screw threaded connection, a snap fitting or any other suitable connecting means.

8. A coil reel as claimed in Claim 6 and 7, wherein the hollow hub also has, spaced from its extreme ends, radially outwardly extending circumferentially extending continuous or discontinuous ribs bearings against the inner faces of the reel flanges.

9. A coil reel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. has an aperture 3 in axial alignment with the aperture of the other flange, and, extending between parts of the flanges bounding the aligned apertures, a rigid hollow hub 4. A coil 5 of wire surrounds on the hub 4 between the flanges 1, the axial length of the coil being slightly greater than the overall length of the hub. In manufacturing the coil reel, one end of the hollow hub 4 is introduced into the aperture 3 of a flange 1 until a circumferentially continuous rib 7 on the hub abuts the internal face of the flange, the coil 5 of wire is applied to the hub and the second flange 1 is applied to the other end of the hub until it abuts a circumferentially continuous rib 7. Axial pressure is then applied to end parts 8 of the hub 4 protruding through the aperture 3 to cause them to be outwardly rolled and to bear against the outer faces of the flanges. The axial force imparted to the protruding parts 8 of the hub 4 is also such as to distort those parts of the flanges 1 bounding the apertures 3 so that each of the flanges has a central recess 9 of a depth such that no part of the hub protrudes beyond the planes containing the boundary edges 2 of the flanges. The preferred coil reels can be readily stacked one on top of another without the necessity to use any separately formed spacers between adjacent coil reels and with negligible risk of crushing of the reel flanges. CL.AIMS

1. A coil reel comprising a pair of oppositely disposed flanges whose boundary edges lie in substantially parallel planes, each of which flanges has an aperture in axial alignment with the aperture of the other flange, a substantially rigid hollow hub extending between parts of the flanges bounding said aligned apertures, and a coil of wire surrounding the hub between the flanges, wherein no part of the rigid hollow hub protrudes beyond the planes containing the boundary edges of the flanges and wherein the axial length of the coil is substantially equal to or greater than the overall length of the hub.

2. A coil reel as claimed in Claim 1, wherein any parts of the hub protruding outwardly of the flanges are each accommodated in a recess which bounds the aperture in a reel flange, or in a central region of a reel flanges of a dish-like shape.

3. A coil reel as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the reel flanges are made of cardboard or plastics material.

4. A coil reel as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the flanges of the coil reel are of substantially circular shape.

5. A coil reel as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the rigid hollow hub is separately formed with respect to the reel flanges and is secured to parts of the reel flanges bounding the apertures.

6. A coil reel as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the rigid hollow hub is of metal or metal alloy, one end of the hub being rolled outwardly or otherwise distorted to form a stop bearing against the outer face of one reel flange and the other end of the hub being similarly outwardly rolled or otherwise distorted to bear against the outer face of the other reel flange.

7. A coil reel as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the hub is of plastics material and is divided transversely into two separately formed parts, each of which has a radially outwardly extending circumferentially continuous or discontinuous end wall or other means at one of its ends bearing against the outer face of the reel flange, the hub parts being interconnected at the other ends by a bayonet fitting, a screw threaded connection, a snap fitting or any other suitable connecting means.

8. A coil reel as claimed in Claim 6 and 7, wherein the hollow hub also has, spaced from its extreme ends, radially outwardly extending circumferentially extending continuous or discontinuous ribs bearings against the inner faces of the reel flanges.

9. A coil reel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.