GB2165214A

GB2165214A - Folded sheet reel hub

Info

Publication number: GB2165214A
Application number: GB08524116A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Hounsell
Original assignee: Smiths Group PLC
Current assignee: Smiths Group PLC
Priority date: 1984-10-05
Filing date: 1985-10-01
Publication date: 1986-04-09
Also published as: GB8524116D0; GB8425222D0; GB2165214B

Abstract

A reel for holding tubing or cables comprises opposite flanges (10 and 20) separated by a core (30) about which extends a drum (60). The core (30) and flanges (10 and 20) are made from a stiff foldable sheet material, such as cavity sheet plastics. The core (30) is formed by folding the sheet material along parallel folds and wrapping it into a tubular shape. Four lugs (33 to 36, and 37 to 40) extend from opposite ends of the core and project through respective pairs of slots (12 to 15) in the flanges (10 and 20). The end (41) of each lug (33 to 40) is wider than one of the slots in each pair (12A to 15A) so that it is deformed on being pushed through the slot and expands on the opposite side to lock the lug in position. Recesses (50 and 61) are formed in the core (30) and drum (60) which receive one end of the tubing when aligned, and which lock the tubing on the reel when the drum is twisted about the core. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Reels This invention relates to reels.

The invention is more particularly concerned with reels onto which can be wound flexible elongate stock material such as tubing, cable, webbing and so on.

Reels can be made in a variety of different materials. In one example, the reel has a drum with wooden flanges at opposite ends that are secured by metal staples to a member extending through the drum. Such a reel tends to be expensive to make, is heavy and requires special machinery to assemble. Alternatively, reels can be made from a single plastics moulding but these require expensive tooling that is not justified unless large numbers of reels are being made.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a reel which can be used to alleviate the abovementioned difficulties.

According to the present invention there is provided a reel having opposite flanges that are secured to respective opposite ends of a core member, the core member being formed from a sheet of a stiff foldable material provided with a plurality of integral attachment members on opposite edges that are adapted to engage respective flanges, and the sheet being formed into a generally tubular shape that extends axially of the reel.

The sheet is preferably formed into a generally tubular shape by folding the sheet along parallel folds extending along the length of the core member. The flanges preferably have slots therein, the attachment members being lugs that are adapted to engage respective slots. The flanges may have a pair of slots for each lug, each lug extending through one slot from one direction and through the other slot from the other direction. Each lug may have a forward portion wider than at least one of the slots of said pair, the forward portion of each lug being deformed as it is pushed through the said one slot so that it opens out behind the slot and locks the lug in position.

The core member may have a recess into which one end of material wound on the reel can be inserted. The reel preferably includes a tubular drum that extends around the core member between the flanges. The tubular drum may have a recess in its wall into which one end of material wound on the reel can be inserted, and the recess in the drum being capable of being aligned with the recess in the core such that the material can be locked on the reel by inserting the one end of the material through both recesses and then displacing the drum relative to the core.

The core member and the flanges are preferably of a cavity sheet material and may be of a plastics material.

A reel for holding plastics tubing, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a partly cut-away perspective view of the reel at a stage in assembly; Figure 2 shows the completed reel; Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a component of the reel; and Figures 4 to 6 show components of the reel prior to assembly.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the reel comprises two circular end flanges 10 and 20 that are secured together by a core member 30 extending axially of the reel. A tubular drum 60 extends as a close fit about the core member 30 between the two flanges 10 and 20. Plastics tubing 1 can be wound onto the reel about the drum 60.

The end flanges 10 and 20 and the core member 30 are both made from a cavity sheet plastics material such as Correx which is stiff but can be readily folded when creased. The construction of the material is shown in greater detail in Figure 3 and comprises substantially smooth parallel outer walls 2 and 3 separated from one another by vertical ribs 4. It will be appreciated that other stiff foldable material could be used.

With reference now to Figure 4, each flange 10 and 20 is a flat disc with a central square aperture 11 and, equally disposed around the aperture, four pairs of slots 12 to 15 that extend laterally of orthogonal diameters of the flange. Each pair of slots comprises an inner slot 12A to 15A and an outer slot 128 to 15B, the outer slots being longer than the inner slots.

The core member 30 is shown in greater detail in Figure 5 prior to assembly. In this form, the core member is a flat sheet of generally rectangular shape, the width of the sheet being parallel to the ribs 4 of the corrugated material. Along each edge 31 and 32 of the core member 30, there are provided four projecting lugs 33 to 36 and 37 to 40.

Each lug 33 to 40 has a rounded end 41 and a portion 42 of reduced width. Two parallel creases 43 and 44 are formed across each lug, one crease 43 being at the inner end of the portion 42, and the other crease 44 being located close to the body of the core member.

The edges 31 and 32 of the core member 30 also have four square recesses 45 to 48 and 49 to 52 respectively spaced along the edges intermediate the lugs 33 to 40.

Eight crease lines 71 to 78 are formed laterally across the core member 30, parallel to the ribs 4 of the corrugated material and equally spaced from one another, extending on opposite sides of the recesses 45 to 52.

The drum 60 is shown in detail in Figure 6 and is a stiff cylindrical cardboard tube having a square recess 61 formed at one end which is the same size as the recesses 45 to 52.

The reel is assembled, as best shown in Figure 1, by bending the core member 30 at the creases 71 to 78 and rolling it into a generally tubular shape.

The lugs 33 to 36 are pushed through respective outer slots 12B to 15B in one flange 10 so that the core member 30 is retained in its rolled state. The drum 60 is then pushed over the core member 30 and the other flange 20 is assembled by pushing the lugs 37 to 40, on the opposite side of the core member 30, through respective outer slots 12B to 15B in the flange. Each lug 33 to 40 is then folded at its creases 43 to 44, and the rounded end 41 of the lugs are pushed back into respective inner slots 12A to 15A. The width of the inner slots 12A to 15A is roughly equal to the reduced width portion 42 of the lugs and it is therefore narrower than the rounded end 41 of the lugs.This ensures that the rounded end 41 of each lug has to be deformed to be pushed through the slot 12A to 15A, and expands behind the flange 10, 20 to lock the lug in position.

The drum 60 is a close fit about the core member 30 but can be rotated so that its recess 61 is aligned with one of the recesses 45 to 52. Plastics tubing 1 is secured to the reel, as shown in Figure 2, by poking one end through the recess 61 in the drum 60 and the underlying recess in the core member 30, the drum being subsequently rotated to lock the end of the tubing so that it can be wound onto the reel.

The reel could be used to hold different materials, such as, for example electrical cables, wire, rope, webs, flexible rods and so on. In some applications the drum may be unnecessary although with, for example, plastics tubing, it has the advantage of providing a smoothly rounded surface that prevents kinking of the tubing.

The core member 30 and flanges 10 and 20 are formed by stamping from sheet material and can therefore be made at low cost. The reel produced is sturdy, hygenic and can be light in weight. The component parts of the reel can be packed flat, apart from the drum, and assembled readily by hand as required, without the need for any special tools or machines.

It will be appreciated that the core member could be secured to the flanges by different attachment members, other than the lugs described above.

Claims

1. A reel having opposite flanges that are secured to respective opposite ends of a core member, wherein the core member is formed from a sheet of a stiff foldable material provided with a plurality of integral attachment members on opposite edges that are adapted to engage respective flanges, and wherein the sheet is formed into a generally tubular shape that extends axially of the reel.

2. A reel according to Claim 1, wherein the sheet is formed into a generally tubular shape by folding the sheet along parallel folds extending along the length of the core member.

3. A reel according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the said flanges have slots therein, and wherein the attachment members are lugs that are adapted to engage respective slots.

4. A reel according to Claim 3, wherein the flanges have a pair of slots for each lug, and wherein each lug extends through one slot from one direction and through the other slot from the other direction.

5. A reel according to Claim 3 or 4, wherein each lug has a forward portion wider than at least one of the slots of said pair, and wherein the forward portion of each lug is deformed as it is pushed through the said slot so that it opens out behind the slot and locks the lug in position.

6. A reel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the core member has a recess into which one end of material wound on the reel can be inserted.

7. A reel according to any one of the preceding claims, including a tubular drum that extends around the core member between said flanges.

8. A reel according to Claim 7 and 6, wherein the said tubular drum has a recess in its wall into which one end of material wound on the reel can be inserted, and wherein the recess in the drum can be aligned with the recess in the core such that the material can be locked on the reel by inserting the one end of the material through both recesses and then displacing the drum relative to the core.

9. A reel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the core member is of a cavity sheet material.

10. A reel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flanges are of a cavity sheet material.

11. A reel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the core member is of a plastics material.

12. A reel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flanges are of a plastics material.

13. A reel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. Any novel feature or combination of features as hereinbefore described.