US2005224615A1PendingUtilityA1

Flexible cable container payout tube

28
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Apr 1, 2004Filed: Apr 1, 2004Published: Oct 13, 2005
Est. expiryApr 1, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Lisa M. MillerGary F. Reif
B65H 57/12
28
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
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References
0
Claims

Abstract

A payout tube for containers that is used to package and store continuous lengths of materials is described. The payout tube is configured with a high degree of flexibility. With this flexibility, the continuous lengths of material (like communication cables) do not kink or tangle when being removed from the storage container through the payout tube. The payout tube can be provided with this flexibility by eliminating the rigidity of the payout tube without destroying the structure of the tube, such as by forming slots or corrugations in the portion of the payout tube that needs to be flexible.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A payout tube for a storage container, the payout tube comprising: 
 an elongated conduit with a flexible portion wherein the flexible portion of the payout tube is designed to be placed in an interior of the container.    
   
   
       2 . (canceled)  
   
   
       3 . The payout tube of  claim 1 , wherein the payout tube also contains a portion that is designed to be exterior to the container.  
   
   
       4 . The payout tube of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible portion can bend or flex in an angle ranging from about 1 degree to about 120 degrees.  
   
   
       5 . The payout tube of  claim 4 , wherein the flexible portion can bend or flex in an angle ranging from about 5 to about 90 degrees.  
   
   
       6 . The payout tube of  claim 1 , wherein the storage container includes a continuous length of material comprising communication wires and cables, building wires and cables, electrical wires, steel strands, tire cords and cables, ropes, and tubing.  
   
   
       7 . The payout tube of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible portion comprises a plurality of slots.  
   
   
       8 . The payout tube of  claim 7 , wherein the number and size of slots are relative to the desired flexibility and required strength of the payout tube.  
   
   
       9 . The payout tube of  claim 7 , wherein the shape of the slots are substantially circular, rectangular, square, triangular, polygonal, or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       10 . The payout tube of  claim 7 , wherein the slots are located along the entire length of the flexible portion or only a part thereof.  
   
   
       11 . The payout tube of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible portion comprises corrugations.  
   
   
       12 . The payout tube of  claim 11 , wherein the corrugations are located along the entire length of the flexible portion or only a part thereof.  
   
   
       13 . A device for removing a continuous length of material from a storage container, the device comprising: 
 an elongated conduit with a flexible portion wherein said flexible portion is designed to be placed in an interior of the container.    
   
   
       14 . (canceled)  
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the device also contains a portion that is designed to be exterior to the container.  
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the flexible portion can bend or flex in an angle ranging from about 1 degree to about 120 degrees.  
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the flexible portion can bend or flex in an angle ranging from about 5 to about 90 degrees.  
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the flexible portion comprises a plurality of slots.  
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the slots are located along the entire length of the flexible portion or only a part thereof.  
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the flexible portion comprises corrugations.  
   
   
       21 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the corrugations are located along the entire length of the flexible portion or only a part thereof.  
   
   
       22 . A storage container for a continuous length of material, the container comprising: 
 a payout tube having an elongated conduit with a flexible portion wherein said flexible portion of said payout tube is designed to be placed in an interior of the container    
   
   
       23 . A system for removing a continuous length of material from a storage container, the system comprising a device comprising an elongated conduit with a flexible portion through which the continuous length material is removed wherein said flexible portion is designed to be placed in an interior of the container.  
   
   
       24 . A method for removing a continuous length of material from a storage container, the method comprising: 
 providing a payout tube having an elongated conduit with a flexible portion wherein said flexible portion is designed to be placed in an interior of the container; and    removing a portion of the continuous length or material from the storage container through the payout tube.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , including providing the payout tube in a wall of the storage container.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the flexible portion of the payout tubes bends towards the direction at which the continuous length material enters the payout tube.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the flexible portion bends or flexes in an angle ranging from about 1 degree to about 120 degrees.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the flexible portion bends or flexes in an angle ranging from about 5 to about 90 degrees.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the continuous length of material does not substantially kink or tangle while being removed from the storage container.  
   
   
       30 . A method for providing a continuous length of material, the method comprising: 
 packaging a continuous length of material in a storage container, the container comprising a payout tube having an elongated conduit with a flexible portion wherein said flexible portion is designed to be placed in an interior of the container; and    removing the continuous length of material from the storage container through the payout tube.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the flexible portion of the payout tubes bends towards the direction at which the continuous length of material enters the payout tube.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the flexible portion can bend or flex in an angle ranging from about 1 to about 120 degrees.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the flexible portion can bend or flex in an angle ranging from about 5 to about 90 degrees.

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