US3908932A

US3908932A - Fabric reel

Info

Publication number: US3908932A
Application number: US504368A
Authority: US
Inventors: James A Popham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-09-09
Filing date: 1974-09-09
Publication date: 1975-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 1992-09-30

Abstract

A reel for fabrics is formed from a single blank of relatively stiff sheet-like material, such as corrugated paper board, which may be readily set up by hand or machine into reel assembled form without the use of adhesive or mechanical fasteners.

Description

United States Patent 1191 [111 3,908,932

P0 ham Se t. 30 1975 p p a [54] FABRIC REEL 3,343,665 9/1967 Marino 242/222 80, 12 9 M L d 24 22 [76] Inventor: James A. Popham, RRl Delaware, 855 /l 73 C 60 et a] 2/2 London, Ontario, Canada Primary E.\'aminerLeonard D. Christian [22] Filed Sept 1974 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bean & Bean [21] Appl. No.: 504,368

52 11.5. C1. 242/222 [571 ABSTRACT [51] Int. C1. B6511 75/06 A reel for fabrics is formed fr om a single blank of rela- [58] new of Search 242/50 3 tively stiff sheet-like material, such as corrugated paper board, which may bereadily set up by hand or 6 R f d machine into reel assembled form without the use of [5 1 UNITE]; gfiz r gs :ZTENTS adhesive or mechanical fasteners.

3,062,368 11/1962 Dunn 242/222 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet1of2 3,908,932

US. Pamm Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 2 Of2 3,98 932 FABRIC REEL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 'having been disclosed'by US. Pat. Nos 2,283,950;

3,450,347 and 3,744,706 relating to diverse types of paper board tray constructions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improved reel for fabrics, which may be readily set up in reel assembled form without the use of adhesive or mechanical fasteners. The reel features an improved'reinforcing side wall construction and end wall-side wall interlocking arrangement.

DRAWINGS The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more clearly described in the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein: i

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a reel constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a blank of sheet-like material from which the reel of FIG. 1 is constructed;

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are fragmentary perspective views illustrating successive steps in the assembly of the reel of FIG. 1 from the blank of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 66 in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A reel formed in accordance with the present invention, which is generally designated as 10 inFIG. 1, may be assembled from a single blank of relatively stiff sheet-like material, which is generally designated as 12 in FIG. 2. While blank 12 is preferably formed from corrugated cardboard in which the corrugations are arranged to run lengthwise thereof and thus lengthwise of reel 10, it will be understood that the present invention is not limited to specific type of sheet material from which blank 12 is formed.

Generally referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that blank 12 is suitably cut and scored, or otherwise provided with fold lines, to define a plurality of panel elements including a rectangular central or first panel 14 having a pair of parallel side edges or first score lines 14a and a pair of parallel end edges or second score lines 14b. Blank 12 further includes a pair of essentially equal width, side wall second panels 16, which are foldably attached to central panel 14 one along each of side edges 14a; a pair of essentially equal width, top side or third panels 18, which are foldably attached one to each of side wall panels 16 along fold or third score lines 16a; and a pair of essentially equal width, side reinforcing or fourth panels 20, which are foldably attached one to each of top side panels 18 along fold or fourth score lines 18a arranged parallel to their free edges 20'. Fold

lines

16a and 18a are arranged parallel to side edges 14a.

In accordance with the preferred form of the present invention, blank 12 is cut to provide outwardly diverging end guide or clearance edges 18b and 20b adjacent opposite ends of each of

panels

18 and 20, respectively, and to define outwardly or end opening locking'slots 22 arranged in alignment with and-adjacent'oppo'site ends of each of fold lines 18a. The slope of edges 18b relative to a line drawn transversely to panel 14 e.g., aligned with edges 14b, is designated as a given angle (1 shown only in FIG. 2. Y

Blank 12 further comprises a pair of essentially equal width, end wall or fifth panels 24, which are foldably attached to central panel 14 one along each of end edges 14b; and a pair of composite, essentially equal width locking or sixth panels 26, which are foldably attached'one to each of end wall panels 24 along fold or fifth score lines 24a. Panels 26 each include fold assist or seventh and locking or eight portions 28and 30, respectively, wherein portions 28 are foldably attached to end wall panels 24 one along each of fold lines 24a and portions 30 are foldably attached to their associated fold assist portions 28 along'fold orsixth score lines 28a arranged parallel to their free edges Preferably, blank 1'2is cuttoprovide the opposite ends of top end panels 26 with stepped, outwardly convergent guide or

clearance edges

26a and 26b. Fold

lines

24a and 28a are arranged parallel to end edges 14b. The slope of edges 26b relative to free edges 30 is designated by the angle'B'sho'wn only in FIG. 2. Preferably, the angle B is essentially equal to or greater than angle a and the length of free edge 30 corresponds essentially to the distance'between panels sition. I Y

Againreferring to FIG. 2, it will be' understood that as thus far described, blank 12 is economical to fabri- 18 when in reel assembled p0- "cate from the standpoint thatall fold or score lines are ber of blanks which can be cut from a given size sheet material with a minimum of scrap loss.

The widths of central panel 14 and side wall panels 16 will be determined by the desired cross sectional dimensions of 'the reel to be formed, whereas the lengthwise dimension of these panels and thus

panels

18 and 20 will vary depending upon the width of fabric to be wound on the reel. In the illustrated reel construction the width of each panel l8'is preferably substantially less than the width of panel 14, e.g., on the order of about one-fourth, but may be less in order to conserve sheet material. The widths of

panels

14, 16 and 18; the

. length or depth of slots 22; and the value of angle a inheren'tly determine the size and shape of the remaining panels. In this respect, the width or reel assembled height of panels 24' will be less than the width or reel "assembled height of panels 16 by an amount essentially corresponding to the thickness of panel 18, i.e., the

thickness of material from which blank 12 is formed, in order to permit panels 26 to be arranged in underlying engagement withpanels 18 and be disposed essentially parallel to panel 14 when the reel is assembled. Further, the width of each panel 28 is less than the width of its associated panel 24 and correlated with the width of its associated

panels

24 and 30 to permit infolding of panels 26 in the manner to be discussed with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

It will be understood that, as an intial step in assembling the blank form of FIG. 2 into the fully assembled reel of FIG. 1,

panels

6, 18 and 20 are folded upwardly about their associated

fold lines

14a, 16a and 18a, respectively, until such panels assume the positions best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, wherein they define reinforced side wall assemblies of essentially triangular crosssectional configuration. These side wall assemblies serve to prevent squashing or bending of assembled reel. Thus, panels 16 are essentially parallel and vertically upstand or are essentially perpendicular to central panel 14; panels 18 extend toward one another and are arranged essentially parallel to panel 14 and perpendicular to panels 16; and panels 20 extending downwardly from the spaced or terminating edges 18a of panels 18 to lie in surface abutting engagement with the upper or inner surfaced panels 14 adjacent side edges 14a.

The next assembly step involves folding

panels

28 and 30 upwardly about their associated

fold lines

24a and 280, respectively, until such panels assume the position shown in FIG. 4, wherein the inner (initially upper) surface of panels 30 is positioned in guiding engagement with panels 20 along guide edges 20b and free edge 30 is arranged adjacent to and in alignment with the entrance of slots 22. The cutting away of the ends of

panels

18 and 20 to define edges 18b and 20b permits panels 30 to be positioned in the manner shown in FIG. 4 without requiring deformation of

panels

18, 20 or 30 or an increase in the width of panels 28, such as would interfere with the final assembly step to be described.

The relative positioning of

panels

24, 28 and 30 shown in FIG. 4 is slightly exaggerated, since as a practical matter panel 28 will essentially upstand from panel 24; and the angle between inner (initially upper) surfaces of

panels

28 and 30 will be greater than 90, such that panel 30 is slightly tilted upwardly in a direction towards panel 14.

The final assembly step involves inserting panels 26 into their associated slots 22, as panels 24 are folded upwardly about end edges 14b, as best shown in FIG. 5, and continuing this operation until panels 24 essentially vertically upstand from panel 14 and panels 26 extend essentially to the inner ends of slots 22 as best shown in FIG. 1. The provision of guide edges 26a greatly facilitates smooth insertion of panel 26 between side wall 16. When reel is in its fully assembled condition,

panels

28 and 30 are arranged essentially perpendicular to panels 24 and extend essentially parallel to panel 14; such panels being frictionally engaged or gripped by facing surfaces of panels 18 and immediately adjacent slots 22.

By again viewing FIG. 5, it will be understood that the width of panels 28 relative to panels 24; the hinging movements of panels about

fold lines

14b, 24a and 28a; and the clearance afforded panels 28 by cutting away the ends of panels 20 to define edges 20b, permits panels to remain more or less parallel to panel 14 as they are inserted into slots 22 and panels 28 to move into a coplanar relationship with panels 30 toward the end of inserting movement of the latter, without tearing along fold lines 18a adjacent the inner ends of the slots or producing noticeable deformation of any of the panels. This in turn allows insertion of panels. 26 in a smooth continuous manner whether effected by hand or machine.

While it is contemplated that panels 20 may be of a given width corresponding essentially to the length of a hypotenuse of a right triangle formed by associated

panels

16 and 18, it is preferred that panels 20 have a width which is slightly less than such given width, as best shown in FIG. 6. Thus, when the form is set up to arrange panels 16 in a right angular relationship relative to

panels

14 and 18, the free edges 20 of panels 20 engage panel 14 along lines spaced slightly from the junctures of

panels

14 and 16. This arrangement frees panels 16 for slight tilting movement in a direction inwardly and downwardly towards panel 14 when a fabric is wrapped around reel 10, whereby to more positively clamp" panels 30 in reel assembled condition within slots 22 and to more positively retain panels 18 in overlying engagement with

panels

28 and 30, which prevents disassembling hinging movements of the latter about fold lines 28a. As a further result, reel 10 becomes more rigid than would be expected of a single piece paperboard reel assembled without the use of mechanical fasteners or adhesives. The slight taper of edges 26a facilitates this inward movement of panels 16 in the area where clamping is to occur. However, it will be understood that the extent of movement of panels 16 from their normal or upstanding position relative to panel 14 may be so slight as to normally go unnoticed to the casual observer. Moreover, it will be understood that this slight inward tilting of panels 16 will not change the position or cause bowing of end panels 24. Thus panels 24 will properly upstand from central panel 14 and afford a planar surface for receiving fabric identifying indicia.

I claim:

1. A reel for web-like material comprising in combination:

a rectangular central panel having a pair of parallel side edges and a pair of parallel end edges;

a pair of side wall panels foldably attached to said central panel one along each of said side edges and extending from the same surface of said central panel generally perpendicular thereto;

a pair of side top wall panels foldably attached one to each of said side wall panels along lines spaced from and parallel to said pair of side edges, said side top wall panels extending toward one another in a generally parallel relationship to said central panel and having terminating edges arranged in a spaced parallel relationship and on opposite sides of a central portion of said central panel disposed intermediate said side edges;

a pair of reinforcing panels foldably attached one to each of said side top wall panels along said termihating edges and extending downwardly into sur face abutting engagement with said same surface adjacent said side edges whereby to cooperate with said side wall panels to form side wall assemblies of essentially triangular cross-sectional configuration;

an end opening slot disposed in alignment with and adjacent to opposite ends of each of said terminating edges and serving to separate common ends of said side top wall panels and said reinforcing panels;

a pair of end wall panels foldably attached to said central panel one along each of said end edges and extending from said same surface of said central panel generally perpendicular thereto;

a pair of composite end top wall panels foldably attached one to each of said end wall panels along lines spaced from and parallel to said end edges, said composite end top panels extending towards one another and generally perpendicular to said end wall panels, the vertically directed widthwise dimension of said end wall panels being less than the vertical widthwise dimension of said side wall panels by an amount corresponding essentially to the thickness of said side top wall panels, each of said composite end top wall panels being inserted into an associated pair of said slots opening theretowards and lying essentially parallel to said central panel vertically intermediate said side top wall panels and said reinforcing panels, each of said composite end top wall panels being frictionally retained within said associated pair of said slots and characterized as including fold assist and locking panels foldably attached along a line spaced from and parallel to its line of attachment to an associated one of said end wall panels, the widthwise dimensions of associated ones of said end wall panels and said fold assisting panels and said locking panels being correlated whereby said locking panel may be maintained in essentially parallel relationship to said central panel during movement thereof inwardly of said slots into a seated position.

2. A reel according to claim 1, wherein each of said reinforcing panels has a widthwise dimension slightly less than a hypotenuse of a right triangle formed in part by said side wall and side top wall panels, whereby free edges of said reinforcing panels engage said same surface of said central panel along a line disposed in a parallel spaced relationship to said side edges.

3. A reel according to claim 1, wherein end edges of said side top wall panels and reinforcing panels diverge outwardly and in opposite direction from adjacent outer ends of said slots, each of said composite end top wall panels having spaced ends thereof formed with stepped, outwardly convergent guide edges including relative inner and outer end portions having ajuncture outwardly of said line of attachment of said fold assist and locking panels and each of said locking panels has a free edge bounded by said outer end portions, essentially corresponding in length to the distance between said terminating edges, and the slope of said outer end portions being less than the slope of said inner end portions relative to said free edge and being essentially equal to or greater than the slope of said end edges of said side top wall panels relative to a line extending transversely of said central panel.

4. A planar blank of relatively stiff sheet-like material for use in construction of a reel, and comprising in combination:

a first generally rectangularly panel centrally disposed within the outline of said blank and defined by a pair of essentially parallel first score lines and a pair of essentially parallel second score lines;

a pair of rectangularly shaped second panels extending coextensive with said first panel and joined thereto one along each of said pair of first score lines;

a pair of third panels extending essentially coextensive with said first panel and joined one to each of said second panels along third score lines arranged parallel to and equally spaced from said first score lines, the widthwise dimension of each of said third panels is measured in a direction normal to said third score lines being substantially less than the widthwise dimension of said first panel as measured between said first score lines;

a pair of fourth panels extending essentially coextensive with said first panel and joined one to each of said third panels along fourth score lines arranged parallel to and equally spaced from said first score lines, said fourth score lines terminating in a spaced relationship from opposite ends of said third and fourth panels, common ends of said third and fourth panels being separated outwardly of the ends of said fourth score lines by end opening slots, and end edges of said third and fourth panels diverging outwardly and in opposite directions from adjacent said slots; the widthwise dimension of each of said fourth panels as measured in a direction normal to said fourth score lines being less than the corresponding widthwise dimension of either of said second or third panels;

a pair of fifth panels extending coextensive with said first panel and joined thereto one along each of said pair of second score lines, said fifth panels having a widthwise dimension as measured normal to said second score lines corresponding to essentially said widthwise dimension of each of said second panels less an amount corresponding essentially to the thickness of said blank; and

a pair of composite sixth panels extending essentially coextensive with said first panel and joined one to each of said fifth panels along fifth score lines arranged parallel to and equally spaced from said second score lines, each of said sixth panels haivng a widthwise dimension as measured normal to said fifth score lines corresponding essentially to the length of said slots as measured from said ends of said third and fourth panels, and sixth panels being divided into relatively inner seventh and relatively outer eighth panels joined one along each of a pair of sixth score lines arranged essentially parallel to said fifth score lines, the widthwise dimensions of each of said seventh panels being less than said widthwise dimension of said fifth panels, and said sixth panels having stepped outwardly convergent end edges.

5. A blank according to claim 4, wherein said widthwise dimension of each of said fourth panels is slightly less than the hypotenuse of a right triangle defined by holding associated ones of second and third panels into a right angular relationship about an associated one of said third score lines.

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TREMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE F COREQ'MUN PATENT NO. 1 3 90 932 DATED September 30, 1975 INVENTOR(S) James A. Popham it is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 8, "6" should read US- m Claim 4, Column 6, line 47 "and" should read --==-=-said-.

gigne and eale this twentieth 0? January 9 9 [SEAL] Arrest:

RUTH c. MASON c. MARSHALL DANN Q Arresting Officer Commissioner oj'PaIents and Trademarks

Claims

1. A reel for web-like material comprising in combination: a rectangular central panel having a pair of parallel side edges and a pair of parallel end edges; a pair of side wall panels foldably attached to said central panel one along each of said side edges and extending from the same surface of said central panel generally perpendicular thereto; a pair of side top wall panels foldably attached one to each of said side wall panels along lines spaced from and parallel to said pair of side edges, said side top wall panels extending toward one another in a generally parallel relationship to said central panel and having terminating edges arranged in a spaced parallel relationship and on opposite sides of a central portion of said central panel disposed intermediate said side edges; a pair of reinforcing panels foldably attached one to each of said side top wall panels along said terminating edges and extending downwardly into surface abutting engagement with said same surface adjacent said side edges whereby to cooperate with said side wall panels to form side wall assemblies of essentially triangular cross-sectional configuration; an end opening slot disposed in alignment with and adjacent to opposite ends of each of said terminating edges and serving to separate common ends of said side top wall panels and said reinforcing panels; a pair of end wall panels foldably attached to said central panel one along each of said end edges and extending from said same surface of said central panel generally perpendicular thereto; a pair of composite end top wall panels foldably attached one to each of said end wall panels along lines spaced from and parallel to said end edges, said composite end top panels extending towards one another and generally perpendicular to said end wall panels, the vertically directed widthwise dimension of said end wall panels being less than the vertical widthwise dimension of said side wall panels by an amount corresponding essentially to the thickness of said side top wall panels, each of said composite end top wall panels being inserted into an associated pair of said slots opening theretowards and lying essentially parallel to said central panel vertically intermediate said side top wall panels and said reinforcing panels, each of said composite end top wall panels being frictionally retained within said associated pair of said slots and characterized as including fold assist and locking panels foldably attached along a line spaced from and parallel to its line of attachment to an associated one of said end wall panels, the widthwise dimensions of associated ones of said end wall panels and said fold assisting panels and said locking panels being correlated whereby said locking panel may be maintained in essentially parallel relationship to said central panel during movement thereof inwardly of said slots into a seated position.

3. A reel according to claim 1, wherein end edges of said side top wall panels and reinforcing panels diverge outwardly and in opposite direction from adjacent outer ends of said slots, each of said composite end top wall panels having spaced ends thereof formed with stepped, outwardly convergent guide edges including relative inner and outer end portions having a juncture outwardly of said line of attachment of said fold assist and locking panels and each of said locking panels has a free edge bounded by said outer end portions, essentially corresponding in length to the distance between said terminating edges, and the slope of said outer end portions being less than the slope of said inner end portions relative to said free edge and being essentially equal to or greater than the slope of said end edges of said side top wall panels relative to a line extending transversely of said central panel.

4. A planar blank of relatively stiff sheet-like material for use in construction of a reel, and comprising in combination: a first generally rectangularly panel centrally disposed within the outline of said blank and defined by a pair of essentially parallel first score lines and a pair of essentially parallel second score lines; a pair of rectangularly shaped second panels extending coextensive with said first panel and joined thereto one along each of said pair of first score lines; a pair of third panels extending essentially coextensive with said first panel and joined one to each of said second panels along third score lines arranged parallel to and equally spaced from said first score lines, the widthwise dimension of each of said third panels is measured in a direction normal to said third score lines being substantially less than the widthwise dimension of said first panel as measured between said first score lines; a pair of fourth panels extending essentially coextensive with said first panel and joined one to each of said third panels along fourth score lines arranged parallel to and equally spaced from said first score lines, said fourth score lines terminating in a spaced relationship from opposite ends of said third and fourth panels, common ends of said third and fourth panels being separated outwardly of the ends of said fourth score lines by end opening slots, and end edges of said third and fourth panels diverging outwardly and in opposite directions from adjacent said slots; the widthwise dimension of each of said fourth panels as measured in a direction normal to said fourth score lines being less than the corresponding widthwise dimension of either of said second or third panels; a pair of fifth panels extending coextensive with said first panel and joined thereto one along each of said pair of second score lines, said fifth panels having a widthwise dimension as measured normal to said second score lines corresponding to essentially said widthwise dimension of each of said second panels less an amount corresponding essentially to the thickness of said blank; and a pair of composite sixth panels extending essentially coextensive with said first panel and joined one to each of said fifth panels along fifth score lines arranged parallel to and equally spaced from said second score lines, each of said sixth panels haivng a widthwise dimension as measured normal to said fifth score lines corresponding essentially to the length of said slots as measured from said ends of said third and fourth panels, and sixth panels being divided into relatively inner seventh and relatively outer eighth panels joined one along each of a pair of sixth score lines arranged essentially parallel to said fifth score lines, the widthwise dImensions of each of said seventh panels being less than said widthwise dimension of said fifth panels, and said sixth panels having stepped outwardly convergent end edges.