Container for a roll of a wire like component, the combination of such a container and component, and a method of paying the component from the roll

Abstract

A roll of wire is captured in a cardboard container so the roll is rotatable in the container about a rotation axis of the roll. The container has opposite sidewalls with aligned slots receiving ends of a shaft about which a spool carrying the roll turns. Each side wall includes three panels in different parallel planes; two of these panels include slots with aligned shoulders supporting the shaft. The container has a slot for enabling the wire to be paid from the roll as the roll turns about its rotation axis and a slit having edges for holding the wire in place.

1 . In combination, a roll of a wire like component and a container capturing the roll, the roll and container being arranged so that the roll is rotatable in the container about an axis that is approximately the same as the rotation axis of the roll, the container and roll being arranged to have an opening arrangement for enabling the component to be paid from the roll to a region outside the container and to be held in place by the opening arrangement for enabling an end of the component to extend from the container.  
   
   
       2 . The combination of  claim 1  further including a spool carrying the roll, the spool including a cylinder, the spool, cylinder and roll have approximately the same axis of rotation, the container having opposed sidewalls for carrying the cylinder for rotation about the axis.  
   
   
       3 . The combination of  claim 2  wherein the spool includes an end flange, an end of the wire like element being secured to and threaded in an opening of the end flange.  
   
   
       4 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the opening arrangement includes a slot for enabling the wire like component to be paid from the roll as the roll turns about its axis of rotation.  
   
   
       5 . The combination of  claim 4  wherein the slot has a longitudinal axis extending in the same direction as the axis of rotation.  
   
   
       6 . The combination of  claim 5  wherein the slot is on a face of the container in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation.  
   
   
       7 . The combination of  claim 4  wherein the opening arrangement also includes a slit having edges for holding the wire like component in place.  
   
   
       8 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the opening arrangement includes a slit having edges for holding the wire like component in place.  
   
   
       9 . The combination of  claim 8  wherein the slit has a longitudinal axis extending substantially at right angles to the axis of rotation.  
   
   
       10 . The combination of  claim 9  wherein the slit is on a face of the container in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation.  
   
   
       11 . The combination of  claim 9  wherein the slit is formed by mating edges of triangular tabs on the face of the container in the plane parallel to the axis of rotation.  
   
   
       12 . The combination of  claim 11  wherein the opening arrangement includes a slot for enabling the wire like component to be paid from the roll as the roll turns about its axis of rotation.  
   
   
       13 . The combination of  claim 12  wherein the triangular tabs have a common base forming one side of the slot through which the wire like component is adapted to be paid.  
   
   
       14 . The combination of  claim 13  wherein each of the triangular tabs is formed as a right triangle such that the slit and slot edges form two sides of the triangle.  
   
   
       15 . The combination of  claim 14  wherein each triangle includes a hypotenuse about which the tabs can turn slightly.  
   
   
       16 . The combination of  claim 15  wherein the container is made of cardboard.  
   
   
       17 . A container for capturing a roll of a wire like component, the container comprising an arrangement for enabling the roll to rotate in the container about an axis that is substantially the same as the roll rotation axis, the container being arranged to have an opening arrangement for enabling the component to be paid from the roll to a region outside the container and to be held in place by the opening arrangement for enabling an end of the component to extend from the container.  
   
   
       18 . The container of  claim 17  wherein the opening arrangement includes a slot for enabling the wire like component to be paid from the roll as the roll turns about its axis of rotation.  
   
   
       19 . The container of  claim 18  wherein the slot has a longitudinal axis extending in the same direction as the axis of rotation.  
   
   
       20 . The container of  claim 19  wherein the slot is on a face of the container in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation.  
   
   
       21 . The container of  claim 18  wherein the opening arrangement also includes a slit having edges for holding the wire like component in place.  
   
   
       22 . The container of  claim 17  wherein the opening arrangement includes a slit having edges for holding the wire like component in place.  
   
   
       23 . The container of  claim 22  wherein the slit has a longitudinal axis extending substantially at right angles to the axis of rotation.  
   
   
       24 . The container of  claim 23  wherein the slit is on a face of the container in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation.  
   
   
       25 . The container of  claim 24  wherein the slit is formed by mating edges of triangular tabs on the face of the container in the plane parallel to the axis of rotation.  
   
   
       26 . The container of  claim 25  wherein the opening arrangement includes a slot for enabling the wire like component to be paid from the roll as the roll turns about its axis of rotation.  
   
   
       27 . The container of  claim 26  wherein the triangular tabs have a common base forming one side of the slot through which the wire like component is adapted to be paid.  
   
   
       28 . The container of  claim 27  wherein each of the triangular tabs is formed as a right triangle such that the slit and slot edges form two sides of the triangle.  
   
   
       29 . The container of  claim 28  wherein each triangle includes a hypotenuse about which the tabs can turn slightly.  
   
   
       30 . The container of  claim 29  wherein the container is made of cardboard.  
   
   
       31 . The container of  claim 17  wherein the container includes a pair of substantially parallel side walls each including first and second panels extending in substantially parallel planes, the first and second panels on each side having aligned slots for receiving and holding a shaft for carrying a spool for the wire like component.  
   
   
       32 . The container of  claim 31  wherein each of said side walls includes a third panel extending in a plane substantially parallel to the planes of the first and second panels, the first and third panels having joined top edges for bearing against a top edge of the second panel in response to bearing the shaft against shoulders at the bottom of the slots.  
   
   
       33 . The container of  claim 32  wherein each of said second panels includes a pair of flaps having lower portions in close proximity to each other and upper portions spaced from each other to form the slots of the second panels.  
   
   
       34 . The container of  claim 33  wherein the container includes a top face having one edge hinged to a wall of the container, the top face including a pair of flaps adapted to fit into the container in planes parallel to the planes of the first, second and third panels, each of the flaps of the top face extending into the container for a distance slightly less than the lengths of the slots and including a cutout aligned with the slots, for enabling a portion of the shaft pass through the cutout.  
   
   
       35 . A method of paying a wire like component from a roll of the component, wherein the component is rotatably carried in a container having an opening arrangement for enabling the component to be paid from the roll to a region outside the container, the method comprising the steps of inserting a segment of the component into the opening arrangement so a first portion of the component is in the container and a second portion of the component is outside the container, pulling the component from the roll from outside the container while the segment of the component is inserted in the opening arrangement, whereby in response to the pulling the roll turns about an axis of rotation in the container, positioning the component so it is held in place in the opening arrangement so that a segment of the component extends through the opening arrangement into a space outside the container while the remainder of the component is in the container.  
   
   
       36 . In combination, a roll of a wire like component and a cardboard container capturing the roll, an arrangement for enabling the roll to rotate in the container about an axis that is substantially the same as the roll rotation axis, the arrangement including a pair of substantially parallel sides each including first and second panels in substantially parallel planes, each of the panels having an aligned slot receiving and holding a shaft carrying a spool including the roll, so that the shaft is supported by a ledge formed at bottom edges of the slots in the first and second panels.  
   
   
       37 . The combination of  claim 36 , wherein each of the sides includes a third panel extending in a plane parallel to the planes of the first and second panels, the first and third panels being connected together at adjacent edges thereof, the second panel being located between the first and third panels.  
   
   
       38 . The combination of  claim 37 , wherein the top edges of the first and third panels of each side bear against top edges of the second panel of the side.  
   
   
       39 . The combination of  claim 38;  wherein each of said second panels includes a pair of flaps having lower portions in close proximity to each other, upper portions spaced from each other to form the slots of the second panels and a transition between each upper and lower portion, each of the transitions having an edge included in the ledge.  
   
   
       40 . The combination of  claim 39 , wherein each of the transitions is shaped as a quarter of a circle having a diameter substantially equal to the distance between straight parallel edges of the slot and a center approximately coincident with the shaft axis.  
   
   
       41 . The combination of  claim 39 , wherein the slot in each of the first panels has a pair of straight parallel elongated spaced edges and a semicircular edge connecting the parallel elongated spaced edges together, the semicircular edge being a sector of a circle having a diameter substantially equal to the distance between the straight parallel elongate edges and a center approximately coincident with the shaft axis.  
   
   
       42 . The combination of  claim 39 , wherein the slot in each of the first panels has a pair of straight parallel elongated spaced edges and a semicircular edge connecting the parallel elongated spaced edges together, the semicircular edge being a sector of a circle having a diameter substantially equal to the distance between the straight parallel elongate edges and a center approximately coincident with the shaft axis.  
   
   
       43 . The combination of  claim 36  wherein the container includes a top face having one edge hinged to a wall of the container, the top face including a pair of flaps adapted to fit into the container in planes parallel to the first and second panels, each of the flaps of the top face extending into the container to a distance slightly less than the lengths of the slots and including a cutout aligned with the slots so that a portion of the shaft passes through the cutout.  
   
   
       44 . The combination of  43 , wherein the cut-out has an edge that is a sector of a circle having a center approximately coincident and a diameter such that (a) the shaft does not normally contact the cut-out during paying out of the wire like component and (b) if the shaft undergoes abnormal movements the shaft contacts the cutout and the cutout prevents contact of the roll with a top face of the container that extends in a plane parallel to the shaft axis.  
   
   
       45 . The combination of  claim 44 , wherein the top face includes an opening arrangement for enabling the component to be paid from the roll to a region outside the container and to be held in place by the opening arrangement for enabling an end of the component to extend from the container.  
   
   
       46 . A container for capturing a roll of a wire like component, the container comprising an arrangement for enabling the roll to rotate in the container about an axis that is approximately the same as the rotation axis of the roll, the arrangement including a pair of substantially parallel sides each including first and second panels in substantially parallel planes, each of the panels having an aligned slot for receiving and holding a shaft for carrying a spool including the roll for enabling the shaft to be supported by a ledge formed at bottom edges of the slots in the first and second panels.  
   
   
       47 . The container of  claim 46 , wherein each of the sides includes a third panel extending in a plane parallel to the planes of the first and second panels, the first and third panels being connected together at adjacent edges thereof, the second panel being located between the first and third panels.  
   
   
       48 . The container of  claim 47 , wherein the top edges of the first and third panels of each side bear against top edges of the second panel of the side.  
   
   
       49 . The container of  claim 48  wherein each of said second panels includes a pair of flaps having lower portions in close proximity to each other, upper portions spaced from each other to form the slots of the second panels and a transition between each upper and lower portion, each of the transitions having an edge included in the ledge.  
   
   
       50 . The container of  claim 49 , wherein each of the transitions is shaped as a quarter of a circle having a diameter substantially equal to the distance between straight parallel edges of the slot and a center approximately coincident with the shaft axis.  
   
   
       51 . The container of  claim 49 , wherein the slot in each of the first panels has a pair of straight parallel elongated spaced edges and a semicircular edge connecting the parallel elongated spaced edges together, the semicircular edge having a sector of a circle having a diameter substantially equal to the distance between the straight parallel elongate edges and a center approximately coincident on the shaft axis.  
   
   
       52 . The container of  claim 46 , wherein the slot in each of the first panels has a pair of straight parallel elongated spaced edges and a semicircular edge connecting the parallel elongated spaced edges together, the semicircular edge being a sector of a circle having a diameter substantially equal to the distance between the straight parallel elongated edges and a center approximately coincident on the shaft axis.  
   
   
       53 . The container of  claim 46  wherein the container includes a top face having one edge hinged to a wall of the container, the top face including a pair of flaps adapted to fit into the container in planes parallel to the first and second panels, each of the flaps of the top face extending into the container to a distance slightly less than the lengths of the slots and including a cutout aligned with the slots so that a portion of the shaft passes through the cutout.  
   
   
       54 . The container of  claim 53 , wherein the cut-out has an edge that is a sector of a circle having a center approximately coincident and a diameter such that (a) the shaft does not normally contact the cut-out during paying out of the wire like component and (b) if the shaft undergoes abnormal movements the shaft contacts the cutout and the cutout prevents contact of the roll with a top face of the container that extends in a plane parallel to the shaft axis.  
   
   
       55 . The container of  claim 46 , wherein the top face includes an opening arrangement for enabling the component to be paid from the roll to a region outside the container and to be held in place by the opening arrangement for enabling an end of the component to extend from the container.  
   
   
       56 . A cardboard blank for forming the container of  claim 44 .  
   
   
       57 . A cardboard blank for forming the container of  claim 51 .  
   
   
       58 . A cardboard blank for forming the container of  claim 54 .  
   
   
       59 . A container for capturing a roll of a wire like component, the container comprising an arrangement for enabling the roll to rotate in the container about an axis that is approximately the same as the rotation axis of the roll, the arrangement including a pair of substantially parallel sides each including first and second panels in substantially parallel planes, each of the panels having an aligned slot receiving and holding a shaft for carrying a spool including the roll, so that the shaft is supported by a ledge formed at bottom edges of the slots in the first and second panels.