GB2278339A - Reels - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to make a reel more readily disposable it is made of stiff fibrous material, more particularly cardboard if either single thickness or laminated. Accordingly, the reel comprises a tubular core 1, two substantially planar end flanges 3, and two flange cups 5. The flange cups each have an end flange part 7 and a ring-like core 9. In one embodiment the flange cups are moulded from said fibrous material so that the end flange part and core are integral (Figure 2). In other embodiments (Figures 4a and 4b), the end flange part and core are separate integers which are adhered together. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Improvements in and relating to reels DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to improvements in and relating to reels.

Reels comprising a core and two end flanges have been made from a variety of materials. One known construction of reel utilises end flanges comprises annular discs made of cardboard and a hollow cylindrical core made of metal which can be deformed to define beads between which the end flanges are trapped. Another construction utilises a flange cap pressed out of metal having a top hat shape with an annular flange part to engage an outside surface of a cardboard end flange and a cylindrical core part formed with gripping teeth to engage a cardboard cylindrical core effectively gripping each end flange between the end of the cylindrical core and the flange part of the flange cup.

Whilst the above described constructions are relatively economical to produce recycling of the reel requires it to be dismantled into its component parts.

An aim of the present invention is to provide a reel which can be readily recycled by making it completely out of cardboard.

It has been proposed to make reels entirely from cardboard but to date no-one has come up with a solution which has proved satisfactorily. One proposal was to use a hollow cylindrical cardboard core and annular end flanges comprising annular cardboard discs which are glued to the opposite ends of the cylindrical core.

However, tests have shown that such a simple construction fails in service as it is not able to withstand the forceps applied to the flanges in manv practical applications with the result that the reel ~ails at the joint between the flanges and the core.

The present invention aims to provide a solution.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a reel comprising a tubular core, two substantially planar end flanges, and two flange cups, the latter each having an end flange part and a ring-like core part, and wherein the above component parts are made of stiff fibrous material, eg. cardboard.

The stiff fibrous material preferably comprises a stiff felted-fibre material, in particular it is preferred to use a cellulosic material which exhibits sufficient stiffness in its finished form, erg.

cardboard.

On assembly each planar end flange is disposed between an end of the tubular core and the end flange part of the flange cup. Conveniently the flange cup is secured In place by adhesive. The core part is dimensioned to be received as a close fit within the tubular core and the end flange has an inner bore dimensioned to receive the core part. In practice the inner bore of the end flange will correspond substantially with the bore size of the hollow tubular core.

The afore-described flange cup may be fabricated from separate flange parts and core parts adhered together but in a preferred construction the flange cup is moulded so that the flange part and core part are formed integrally. This is advantageous in terms of overall appearance and avoids a further assembly step.

The presence of the core part is advantageous In reinforcing the core and its inner sizing is dimensioned to fit onto a winding mandrel.

For a preferred embodiment the tubular core with a cylinder, circular in cross-section, the end flanges will comprise planar annular discs, and the flange part of the end cup will also be an annular disc-like part, whilst the core part will have a circular cross-section The above reference to cardboard can also be taken to include other grades of cellulose based materials by they made up of a single layer or several layers, eg. laminations or corrugations.

The present invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded side view of a reel according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a cross section showing one end of the reel in its assembled configuration, Figure 3 is a perspective view of an assembled reel, and Figures 4a and 4b show alternative fabricated flange cups.

Referring firstly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, a reel comprises a hollow cylindrical core 1 made of cardboard, two annular disc-lie cardboard end flanges 3 also made of cardboard and two flange cups 5 comprising an annular flange part 7 and a core part 9. A preferred construction of flange cup is moulded from paper pulp and the external diameter of the core part is dimensioned to fit within the internal diameter of the cylindrical core 1. The flanges 3 have an axial through bore 11 of a diameter to receive the core part 9 of the flange cup 5. On assembly the flange 3 is trapped axially between an end of the cylindrical core 1 and the flange part 7 and is located radially by virtue of the location of the core part 9 within the core 1. Adhesive applied to the inside surface of the flange part 7 and the outer surface of the core 9 serves to secure the flange cup in place.

Referring now to Figure 4a here we show an alternative form of flange cup fabricated from a ring member 9a defining the cylindrical core 9 and an annular flange part 7a having an internal diameter corresponding substantially with the internal diameter of the ring member 9a. The end of the ring part is secured to one face of the flange part with their bores in axial alignment. Figure 4b shows a revised constructions in which the flange part 7a' has its inner bore llb' dimensioned to be received on the external diameter of the ring member 9a'. The fabricated constructions function in the same manner as the moulded constructions described above.

Claims (11)

1. A reel comprising a tubular core, two substantially planar end flanges, and two flange cups, the latter each having an end flange part and a ringlike core part, and wherein the above component parts are made of stiff fibrous material.

2. A reel as claimed in claim 1 in which the stiff fibrous material preferably comprises a stiff feltedfibre material.

3. A reel as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the stiff fibrous material is cardboard.

4. A reel as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 in which, on assembly, each planar end flange is disposed between an end of the tubular core and the end flange part of the flange cup.

5. A reel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the flange cup is secured in place by adhesive.

6. A reel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the core part is dimensioned to be received as a close fit within the tubular core and the end flange has an inner bore dimensioned to receive the core part.

7. A reel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the flange cup is fabricated from separate flange parts and core parts adhered together.

8. A reel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 in which the flange cup is moulded so that the flange part and core part are formed integrally.

9. A reel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the tubular core is a cylinder, circular in cross-section, the end flanges comprise planar annular discs, and the flange part of the end cup is an annular disc-like part, whilst the core part has a circular cross-section.

10. A reel as claimed in claim 3 in which the reference to cardboard also includes other grades of cellulose based materials by they made up of a single layer or several layers, eg. laminations or corrugations.

11. A reel constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings of Figures 1, 2 and 3 or 3 and 4a or 3 and 4b.