Multiple reel cable carton

Abstract

A container for dispensing cable comprises a carton having a plurality of panels, a plurality of reels, a plurality of axles, and first and second support panels. The reels fit onto the axles which rest in axle holes punched into the support panels. Each support panel sits inside the carton and is made up of one or more flaps. Preferably, each panel has at least two flaps that space one of the flaps from the panels of the carton to ensure the axles rest in the axle holes. Preferably, dispensing slots are disposed to be in the front panel in front of the respective reels.

1 . A container for the dispensing of cable wound on cable reels, comprising:
 a carton having a plurality of panels including a front panel having bottom, left and right sides, a bottom panel extending from the bottom side of the front panel, a left panel extending from the left side of the front panel so as to be orthogonal to the bottom panel, and a right panel extending from the right side of the front panel so as to be parallel and spaced from the left panel;   a plurality of reels including,
 a first reel including a first hollow spindle having a right spindle end, a left spindle end, a first spindle length, a left reel flange on the first spindle end, and a right reel flange on the second spindle end, the right and left reel flanges having a first flange radius; 
 a second reel including a second hollow spindle having a right spindle end, a left spindle end, a second spindle length, a left reel flange on the first spindle end, and a right reel flange on the second spindle end, the right and left reel flanges having a second flange radius; 
   a first axle having a first end, a second end, and a length between the first and second ends that is longer than the first spindle length;   a second axle having a first end, a second end, and a length between the first and second ends that is longer than the second spindle length;   a first support panel disposed near, to the right of, and parallel to the left panel of the carton and having a first set of axle holes, each axle hole in the first set being adapted to receive the first end of an axle, the axle holes being spaced apart from each other by at least the first flange radius plus the second flange radius; and   a second support panel disposed near, to the left of, and parallel to the right panel and having a second set of axle holes, each axle hole being adapted to receive the second end of an axle, the first and second reels respectively and rotatably mounted on the first and second axles between the first and second support panels.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising a first support rod hole in the first support panel, a second support rod hole in the second support panel, a right arbor hole in the right panel of the carton, and a left arbor hole in the left panel of the carton, the left and right arbor holes being positioned in the left and right panels and the first and second support rod holes positioned in the first and second support panels such that a linear path in the carton between the arbor holes does not contact any of the plurality of reels. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the axles are parallel to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one elongated slot formed in at least one panel of the carton in a direction parallel to at least one axle to permit the dispensing of cable out of the carton. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 4 , further comprising four slots in the front panel. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one slot comprises one slot per reel. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of axle holes comprises four axle holes being equidistant from the left arbor hole, the second set of axle holes comprises four axle holes being equidistant from the right arbor hole and each axle hole pair is on an axis, the axes being parallel to each other. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein two reels share a common axle. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 1 , each reel further comprising a predetermined length of wound cable, a first cable end affixed to an outside surface of the carton, and a pull line having a lead end being affixed to each first cable end, the pull line having a length being at least the predetermined length of the wound cable. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the axles are hollow. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the axles are solid. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of axles is made of a material selected from the group consisting of doweling, paper, cardboard, and conduit. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the first support panel further comprises a first flap having the first set of axle holes and a second flap joined to the first flap and folded so as to space the first flap from the left panel of the carton such that the first flap supports the first ends of the axles. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13 , further comprising a third flap joined to the first flap on a first side opposite the second flap. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein the second and third flaps together form a first support rod hole. 
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein the second and third flaps together form a third set of axle holes positioned such that the third set of axle holes aligns with the first set of axle holes when the second and third flaps are folded to be adjacent to the first flap. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 14 , wherein the second and third flaps folded back into a single plane such that the second and third flaps space the first flap from the next adjacent panel of the carton. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 13 , wherein the second support panel further comprises a fourth flap having the second set of axle holes and a fifth flap joined to the fourth flap and folded so as to space the fourth flap from the right panel of the carton such that the fourth flap supports the second ends of the axles. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 18 , further comprising a sixth flap joined to the fourth flap on first a side opposite the fifth flap. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 19 , wherein the fifth and sixth flaps together form a second support rod hole. 
     
     
         21 . The container of  claim 19 , wherein the fifth and sixth flaps form a fourth set of axle holes positioned such that the fourth set of axle holes aligns with the second set of axle holes when the fifth and sixth flaps are folded to be adjacent to the fourth flap. 
     
     
         22 . The container of  claim 19 , wherein the fifth and sixth flaps folded back into a single plane such that the fifth and sixth flaps space the fourth flap from the next adjacent panel of the carton. 
     
     
         23 . The container in  claim 18 , further comprising a spacing flap being joined to the first flap along a second side of the first flap and being joined to the fourth flap along a second side of the fourth flap. 
     
     
         24 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising
 the first supported on the first axle in turn supported by a first axle hole in the first support panel and a first axle hole in the second support panel;   the second reel supported on the second axle in turn supported by a second axle hole in the first support panel and a second axle hole in the second support panel;   a third reel having a third flange radius and supported on a third axle in turn supported by a third axle hole in the first support panel and a third axle hole in the second support panel;   a fourth reel having a fourth flange radius and supported on a fourth axle in turn supported by a fourth axle hole in the first support panel and a fourth axle hole in the second support panel;   wherein each axle hole in each support panel is spaced from the nearest adjacent axle hole by at least the flange radius of the associated reel plus the flange radius of the nearest adjacent reel; and   wherein each hole in each support panel is spaced from its respective support rod hole by at least the flange radius of the associated reel.   
     
     
         25 . The container of  claim 24 , further comprising a fifth reel having a fifth flange radius and supported on a fifth axle in turn supported by a fifth axle hole in the first support panel and a fifth axle hole in the second support panel;
 wherein the fifth axle hole in each support panel is spaced from the nearest adjacent hole by at least the fifth flange radius plus the flange radius of the nearest adjacent reel; and   wherein the fifth hole in each support panel is spaced from its respective support rod hole by at least the fifth flange radius.   
     
     
         26 . A method for packing cable to increase the ease of simultaneously installing multiple cables comprising the steps of:
 winding a plurality of cables onto a plurality of reels, each reel having a hollow spindle;   opening a dispensing carton;   installing a first support panel having a first set of axle holes into the dispensing carton;   installing a plurality of axles, each axle having a first end and a second end, by inserting the first end of each axle into the first set of axle holes;   installing the reels into the carton by slipping the hollow spindle of each reel onto an axle;   installing a second support panel having a second set of axle holes into the dispensing carton by slipping the second end of each axle into the respective axle hole in the second support panel; and;   closing the dispensing carton.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising affixing a free end of each cable to an outside surface of the carton. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising affixing a pull line to each free end of the cables. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising the step of affixing the carton to a structure, the step of affixing further comprising the substeps
 inserting a first end of an axial support member through the left arbor hole;   passing the first end of the axial support member through the carton and the right arbor hole; and   attaching the first end and a second end of the axial support member to the structure.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the structure is a vehicle. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the vehicle is selected from the group of a cart, a dolly, and a hand truck. 
     
     
         32 . A carton insert for adapting a carton to contain a plurality of cable reels comprising
 a first support panel disposed near, to the right of, and parallel to a left panel of a carton and having a first support rod hole, a plurality of sides, and a first set of axle holes, each axle hole in the first set adapted to receive a first end of an axle and being spaced a first predetermined distance away from the closest side, at least twice the first predetermined distance from the nearest other axle hole, and at least a second predetermined distance from the first support rod hole; and   a second support panel disposed near, to the left of, and parallel to a right panel of the carton and having a second support rod hole, a plurality of sides, and a second set of axle holes, each axle hole in the second set adapted to receive a second end of an axle, each axle hole being at least twice the first predetermined distance from the nearest other axle hole, and at least the second predetermined distance from the second support rod hole;   wherein the second set of axle holes are a mirror image of the first set of axle holes.   
     
     
         33 . The insert of  claim 32 , wherein the first support panel further comprises a first flap having the first set of axle holes and a second flap joined to the first flap and folded so as to space the first flap from the left panel of the carton such that the first flap supports a first end of at least one axle. 
     
     
         34 . The insert of  claim 33 , further comprising a third flap joined to the first flap on a side opposite the second flap. 
     
     
         35 . The insert of  claim 34 , wherein the second and third flaps together for a first support rod hole. 
     
     
         36 . The insert of  claim 34 , the second and third flaps together form a third set of axle holes positioned such that the third set of axle holes aligns with the first set of axle holes when the second and third flaps are folded to be adjacent to the first flap. 
     
     
         37 . The insert of  claim 34 , wherein the second and third flaps folded back into a single plane such that the second and third flaps space the first flap from the next adjacent panel of the carton. 
     
     
         38 . The insert of  claim 33 , wherein the second support panel further comprises a fourth flap having the second set of axle holes and a fifth flap joined to the fourth flap and folded so as to space the fourth flap from the right panel of the carton such that the fourth flap supports a second end of at least one axle. 
     
     
         39 . The insert of  claim 37 , further comprising a sixth flap joined to the fourth flap on a side opposite the fifth flap. 
     
     
         40 . The insert of  claim 39 , wherein the fifth and sixth flaps together form a second support rod hole. 
     
     
         41 . The insert of  claim 39 , wherein the fifth and sixth flaps together having a fourth set of axle holes positioned such that the fourth set of axle holes aligns with the second set of axle holes when the fifth and sixth flaps are folded to be adjacent to the fourth flap. 
     
     
         42 . The insert of  claim 38 , further comprising a spacing flap joined to the first flap along a second side of the first support panel and along a second side of the fourth flap of the second support panel. 
     
     
         43 . The insert of  claim 38 , further comprising a spacing flap joined to the first flap along a second side of the first support panel. 
     
     
         44 . A container for the dispensing of cable or wire wound on a reel, comprising:
 a carton having a plurality of panels including a front panel having bottom, left and right sides, a bottom panel extending from the bottom side of the front panel and having an upper surface, a left panel extending from the left side of the front panel so as to be orthogonal to the bottom panel, and a right panel extending from the right side of the front panel so as to be parallel and spaced from the left panel;   a left panel arbor hole formed in the left panel around an axis;   a right panel arbor hole formed in the right panel around the axis;   a plurality of reels disposed adjacent to one another inside the carton; and   a plurality of reel caddies disposed in the carton, each reel caddy supporting an end of a reel.   
     
     
         45 . The container of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 a first caddy disposed in the carton to be adjacent the left panel and to extend upwardly from an upper surface of the bottom panel, a substantially cylindrical bushing of the first caddy extending inwardly toward the right panel, the bushing formed around the axis which is parallel to the bottom panel and which is disposed at a first distance measured orthogonally from the upper surface of the bottom panel, the bushing being formed substantially at a first radius from the axis and a hole being formed in the first caddy to be radially inward from an exterior surface of the bushing thereof;   a second caddy disposed in the carton to be left-facing and extend upwardly from the upper surface of the bottom panel, a substantially cylindrical bushing of the second caddy extending toward the left panel and formed around the axis, the bushing of the second caddy being formed substantially at the first radius from the axis and a hole being formed in the second caddy to be radially inward from an exterior surface of the bushing thereof;   a third caddy disposed in the carton to be right-facing and adjacent to the second caddy to extend upwardly from the upper surface of the bottom panel, a substantially cylindrical bushing of the third caddy extending toward the right panel and formed around the axis, the bushing of the third caddy being formed substantially at the first radius from the axis and a hole being formed in the third caddy to be radially inward from an exterior surface of the bushing thereof;   a fourth caddy disposed in the carton to be left-facing and to extend upwardly from the upper surface of the bottom panel, a substantially cylindrical bushing of the fourth caddy extending inwardly toward the left panel and formed around the axis, the bushing of the fourth caddy being formed substantially at the first radius from the axis and a hole being formed in the fourth caddy to be radially inward from an exterior surface of the bushing thereof;   a first reel having spaced-part left and right first reel flanges, the left first reel flange having a central hole, the right first reel flange having a central hole, the first reel flanges being joined by a first spindle, the central holes of the left and right first reel flanges each formed around the axis and having a second radius which is greater than said first radius, such that the bushing of the first caddy may be received in the central hole of the left first reel flange and the bushing of the second caddy may be received in the central hole of the right first reel flange, a greatest radius of the left first reel flange and a greatest radius of the right first reel flange being less than said first distance so as to permit the rotation of the first reel around the axis inside of the carton; and   a second reel having spaced-part left and right second reel flanges, the left second reel flange having a central hole, the right second reel flange having a central hole, the second reel flanges being joined by a second spindle, the central holes of the left and right second reel flanges each formed around the axis and having a third radius which is greater than said first radius, such that the bushing of the third caddy may be received in the central hole of the left second reel flange and the bushing of the fourth caddy may be received in the central hole of the right second reel flange, a greatest radius of the left second reel flange and a greatest radius of the right second reel flange being less than said first distance so as to permit the rotation of the second reel around the axis inside of the carton.   
     
     
         46 . The container of  claim 45 , wherein the first and second spindles further comprise an axial passageway for communicating the central holes of the right and left reel flanges. 
     
     
         47 . The container of  claim 45 , further comprising:
 a fifth caddy disposed in the carton to be right-facing and adjacent to the fourth caddy to extend upwardly from the upper surface of the bottom panel, a substantially cylindrical bushing of the fifth caddy extending toward the right panel and formed around the axis, the bushing of the fifth caddy being formed substantially at the first radius from the axis and a hole being formed in the fifth caddy to be radially inward from an exterior surface of the bushing thereof;   a sixth caddy disposed in the carton to be left-facing and to extend upwardly from the upper surface of the bottom panel, a substantially cylindrical bushing of the sixth caddy extending inwardly toward the left panel and formed around the axis, the bushing of the sixth caddy being formed substantially at the first radius from the axis and a hole being formed in the sixth caddy to be radially inward from an exterior surface of the bushing thereof; and   a third reel having spaced-part left and right third reel flanges, the left third reel flange having a central hole, the right third reel flange having a central hole, the third reel flanges being joined by a third spindle having an axial passageway for communicating the central holes of the right and left third reel flanges, the central holes of the left and right third reel flanges each formed around the axis and having a fourth radius which is greater than said first radius, such that the bushing of the fifth caddy may be received in the central hole of the left third reel flange and the bushing of the sixth caddy may be received in the central hole of the right third reel flange, a greatest radius of the left third reel flange and a greatest radius of the right third reel flange being less than said first distance so as to permit the rotation of the first reel around the axis inside of the carton.   
     
     
         48 . The container of  claim 47 , wherein the sixth caddy is adjacent to the right panel of the carton. 
     
     
         49 . The container of  claim 45 , wherein the fourth caddy is adjacent to the right panel of the carton. 
     
     
         50 . The container of  claim 44 , further comprising at least one elongated slot formed in at least one panel of the carton in a direction parallel to the axis to permit the dispensing of cable out of the carton.