Storage and transport device for flexible material and method of making same

Abstract

A storage and transport device for flexible material that allows for easy assembly by an individual, wherein the device includes a cylindrical core made of two identical tube portions which include several locking mechanism to join the tube portions, and a first flange connected to the top of the cylindrical core and a second flange connected to the bottom of the cylindrical core, wherein flexible material is wound or unwound around the core.

1 . A storage and transport device for flexible material comprising: 
 a cylindrical core having a first tube portion and a second tube portion, wherein each tube portion includes a top and a bottom, and a first and a second edge, wherein each top includes a plurality of top locking tabs extending outwardly and a plurality of top flexible retaining mechanisms, wherein each top locking tab includes a knob protruding downwardly and each top flexible retaining mechanism includes a slot and groove and a protrusion, wherein each top locking tab alternates and is equidistantly disposed along the top with each top flexible retaining mechanism, and each bottom includes a plurality of bottom locking tabs extending outwardly and a plurality of bottom flexible retaining mechanisms, wherein each bottom locking tab includes a knob protruding upwardly and each bottom flexible retaining mechanism includes a slot and groove and a protrusion, wherein each bottom locking tab alternates and is equidistantly disposed along the bottom with each bottom flexible retaining mechanism, and wherein a plurality of pins are located along the first edge of each said first and second tube portion, and wherein a plurality of pin receptacles are located along the second edge of each said first and second tube portion; and    a first flange and a second flange, wherein each flange includes a plurality of locking tab receiving means, a plurality of knob receptacles and a pair of drive slots, where each locking tab receiving means couples with the corresponding locking tab of the cylindrical core, and wherein each knob receptacle couples with the corresponding knob located on each locking tab for coupling with the top and bottom locking tabs of the cylindrical core.    
   
   
       2 . The storage and transport device of  claim 1  further comprising a base jig, having a pair of assembly jig peg receptacles for receiving a pair of assembly jig pegs, wherein the assembly jig pegs couple with the drive slots of either the first or second flange to secure the device during assembly.  
   
   
       3 . A method of assembling the storage and transport device of  claim 1 , the steps comprising: 
 forming the cylindrical core by aligning the first edge of the first tube portion with the second edge of the second tube portion so that the plurality of pins couple with the plurality of pin receptacles;    placing the cylindrical core atop the second flange by aligning the tab receiving means of the second flange with the bottom locking tabs;    placing the first flange atop the cylindrical core by aligning the tab receiving means of the first flange with the top locking tabs;    rotating the first flange in the direction allowed by each of the top locking tab receiving means so that each of the knobs couple with each of the corresponding knob receptacles; and    rotating the second flange in the direction allowed by each of the bottom locking tab receiving means so that each of the knobs couple with each of the corresponding knob receptacles.    
   
   
       4 . A method of assembling the storage and transport device of  claim 1 , the steps comprising: 
 forming the cylindrical core by aligning the first edge of the first tube portion with the second edge of the second tube portion so that the plurality of pins couple with the plurality of pin receptacles;    placing the second flange atop the base jig by aligning the pair of assembly jig pegs with the corresponding drive slots of the second flange through the jig peg receptacles of the base jig;    placing the cylindrical core atop the second flange by aligning the tab receiving means of the second flange with the bottom locking tabs;    placing the first flange atop the cylindrical core by aligning the tab receiving means of the first flange with the top locking tabs;    rotating the first flange in the direction allowed by each of the top locking tab receiving means so that each of the knobs couple with each of the corresponding knob receptacles; and    rotating the second flange in the direction allowed by each of the bottom locking tab receiving means so that each of the knobs couple with each of the corresponding know receptacles.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3  or  4 , wherein a turning bar is used to rotate and lock the first and second flanges to the cylindrical core by engaging the drive slots of the first and second flange.  
   
   
       6 . A method for stacking multiple storage and transport devices of  claim 1 , the steps comprising: 
 placing a first assembled storage and transport device on the ground; and    placing a second assembled storage and transport device atop the first assembled device by aligning the bottom locking tabs located on the second flange of the second assembled device with a void located in the tab receiving means on the first flange of the first assembled device so that the bottom locking tabs sit in the void allowing the first and second assembled device to be stacked flush against each other.    
   
   
       7 . A storage and transport device for flexible material comprising: 
 a cylindrical core having a first tube portion and a second tube portion, wherein each tube portion includes a top and a bottom, and a first and a second edge, wherein each top includes a plurality of top locking tabs extending outwardly and a plurality of top flexible retaining mechanisms, wherein each top locking tab includes a knob protruding downwardly and each top flexible retaining mechanism includes a slot and groove and a protrusion, wherein each top locking tab alternates and is equidistantly disposed along the top with each top flexible retaining mechanism, and each bottom includes a plurality of bottom locking tabs extending outwardly and a plurality of bottom flexible retaining mechanisms, wherein each bottom locking tab includes a knob protruding upwardly and each bottom flexible retaining mechanism includes a slot and groove and a protrusion, wherein each bottom locking tab alternates and is equidistantly disposed along the bottom with each bottom flexible retaining mechanism, and wherein a plurality of pins and a plurality of hooked shaped peg receptacles are located along the first edge of each tube portion, wherein each pin alternates with each hooked shaped peg receptacle along the first edge of each said first and second tube portion, and wherein a plurality of pin receptacles and a plurality of hooked shaped pegs are located along the second edge of each said first and second tube portion, wherein each pin receptacle alternates with each hooked shaped peg along the second edge, and wherein each hooked shaped peg and hooked shaped peg receptacles contain a plurality of guiding rails for alignment; and    a first flange and a second flange, wherein each flange includes a plurality of locking tab receiving means, a plurality of knob receptacles and a pair of drive slots, where each locking tab receiving means couples with the corresponding locking tab of the cylindrical core, and wherein each knob receptacle couples with the corresponding knob located on each locking tab for coupling with the top and bottom locking tabs of the cylindrical core.    
   
   
       8 . The storage and transport device of  claim 7  further comprising a base jig used during assembly, having a pair of assembly jig peg receptacles for receiving a pair of assembly jig pegs, wherein the assembly jig pegs couple with the drive slots of either the first or second flange to secure the device during assembly.  
   
   
       9 . The storage and transport device of  claim 9 , wherein each top locking tab and bottom locking tab, and each knob is set at an angle in relation to each flange to allow for easy assembly and locking of each flange to the cylindrical core.  
   
   
       10 . A method of assembling the storage and transport device of  claim 7 , the steps comprising: 
 forming the cylindrical core by aligning the first edge of the first tube portion with the second edge of the second tube portion so that the plurality of pins couple with the plurality of pin receptacles and the plurality of hooked shaped pegs couple with the plurality of hooked shaped peg receptacles;    placing the cylindrical core atop the second flange by aligning the tab receiving means of the second flange with the bottom locking tabs;    placing the first flange atop the cylindrical core by aligning the tab receiving means of the first flange with the top locking tabs;    rotating the first flange in the direction allowed by each of the top locking tab receiving means so that each of the knobs couple with each of the corresponding knob receptacles; and    rotating the second flange in the direction allowed by each of the bottom locking tab receiving means so that each of the knobs couple with each of the corresponding knob receptacles.    
   
   
       11 . A method of assembling the storage and transport device of  claim 7 , the steps comprising: 
 forming the cylindrical core by aligning the first edge of the first tube portion with the second edge of the second tube portion so that the plurality of pins couple with the plurality of pin receptacles and the plurality of hooked shaped pegs couple with the plurality of hooked shaped peg receptacles;    placing the second flange atop the base jig by aligning the pair of assembly jig pegs with the corresponding drive slots of the second flange through the jig peg receptacles of the base jig;    placing the cylindrical core atop the second flange by aligning the tab receiving means of the second flange with the bottom locking tabs;    placing the first flange atop the cylindrical core by aligning the tab receiving means of the first flange with the top locking tabs;    rotating the first flange in the direction allowed by each of the top locking tab receiving means so that each of the knobs couple with each of the corresponding knob receptacles; and    rotating the second flange in the direction allowed by each of the bottom locking tab receiving means so that each of the knobs couple with each of the corresponding know receptacles.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9  or  10 , wherein a turning bar is used to rotate and lock the first and second flanges to the cylindrical core by engaging the drive slots of the first and second flange.  
   
   
       13 . A method for stacking multiple storage and transport devices of  claim 7 , the steps comprising: 
 placing a first assembled storage and transport device on the ground; and    placing a second assembled storage and transport device atop the first assembled device by aligning the bottom locking tabs located on the second flange of the second assembled device with a void located in the tab receiving means on the first flange of the first assembled device so that the bottom locking tabs sit in the void allowing the first and second assembled device to be stacked flush against each other.