FR2775671A1 - PACKAGING A FLEXIBLE TUBULAR ELEMENT - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to packaging of an elongated flexible tubular element intended to allow both its storage by winding on itself in a helix and its flow by unwinding, and of the type consisting of a closed box (3) defining an internal volume able to receive a rotating member (4) around an axis (xy). In the storage or operational position of the packaging, the two opposite faces (A, B) of the box (3), between which the member is interposed rotary (4), are located in two horizontal parallel planes and are traversed perpendicularly by the axis (xy) of the rotary member (4) in a vertical direction, so that when stacking at least two packages (1), one on top of the other, the vertical axes (x, y) of two successive rotary members (4) are in alignment to allow the rotary member (4) of a lower packaging (1) to constitute an element of resistance to compression caused by the weight of the other upper (1). A sliding disc (10) is preferably interposed between the internal face of the cover (3B) and the rotary member (4).

Description

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  The present invention relates to a packaging intended to allow both the storage of a longiline flexible tubular element, by winding on itself in a helix, and its flow rate by unwinding a chosen length, corresponding to the needs of a buyer on a commercial site. Regarding the elongated flexible tubular element to be conditioned, it may be for example aluminum or stainless steel flexible pipe for internal tubing chimneys, the flexibility of the tubular element in this case to easily adapt to deviation from

these ducts.

  This type of pipe is generally constituted by a metal strip of small width wound helically, or by successive rings of such a nature as to give the pipe a very great flexibility around its axis of revolution, while presenting a very great longitudinal deformation power.

low.

  This leads such a hose to tend to regain its long form

  initial, permanently by an elastic return effect.

  It is understood that the storage and unwinding of such a pipe, for example on a free spool would lead to unwanted unwinding of the pipe

  on the storage or sales site.

  According to the above example, it is relatively large diameter pipes, generally about twenty centimeters in diameter, but it may also be plastic pipes of dimension

  less than 5 cm intended for a built-in electrical installation.

  This other type of flexible hose has the same constraints as

  those cited in the first example.

  It is known to overcome these various aforementioned drawbacks by arranging the flexible tubular element in a packaging provided for this purpose and constituted by a closed box, defining an internal volume adapted to receive a rotary member, interposed between two opposite parallel faces of the box and on which is previously wound a predetermined length of flexible tubular element, for storage or for its unwinding around a horizontal axis bearing on two opposite side faces of the box, perpendicular to the storage plane on Which one is

laid said box.

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  Such packages are known from the French utility certificate N 2.715.147 filed January 19, 1994 and the French patent application N 2.715.148 filed October 3, 1994, as well as the US patents N 5.261.625 filed on May 29, 1992 published on November 16, 1993 and N 4.168.778 filed on April 24, 1978 and published on

September 1979.

  These different documents describe packages each having their own characteristics but having in common the fact that the storage of the flexible pipe, as well as its unwinding, is carried out around

of a horizontal axis.

  The material used for producing such packages is generally corrugated cardboard because of its good stiffness / price ratio, it nevertheless results in a risk of difficulties. Indeed, this material is sufficiently rigid to give the package a certain hold when considered individually, but offers poor crush resistance as soon as it is superimposed a second packing by stacking, which is obviously desirable, at less for storage in the warehouse. This stacking can sometimes cause problems when it is

  searched, for questions of place, on a place of sale.

  Such deformation of the packaging would have the effect of causing the deformation of the upper wall of the box on which another box rests, having the effect of bringing said upper wall into contact with the tubular element wound inside and of offer a significant friction resistance and unpleasant during unwinding, or even make it impossible and not without risk of tearing the material constituting the box. Of course, one solution could be to use more noble materials and offering greater resistance to crushing, such as a plastic box of a certain thickness able to make it sufficiently resistant under the conditions set out above. . A

  such a solution is expensive especially for disposable packaging.

  The present invention therefore aims to remedy all these drawbacks, which concerns for this purpose a conditioning of a flexible tubular elongate member intended to allow both its storage by winding on itself in a helix and its flow by unwinding, and type

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  constituted by a closed box defining an internal volume adapted to receive a rotatable member about an axis and interposed between two parallel and opposite faces of the box and on which is previously wound a predetermined length of flexible tubular elements, characterized in that in the storage or operational position of the packaging, the two opposite faces of the box, between which the rotary member is interposed, are situated in two parallel horizontal planes and are traversed perpendicularly by the axis of the rotary member in one direction. vertical, so that during a stack of at least two packages, one on the other, the vertical axes of two successive rotary members are in alignment to allow the rotary member of a lower packaging of constitute an element of compressive strength caused by the

weight of the other superior.

  The present invention also relates to the characteristics which

  will emerge in the course of the description which follows and which will have to be

  considered in isolation or in all their possible technical combinations.

  This description, given as a non-limiting example, will do better

  understand how the invention can be realized, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a packaging according to the invention in storage or operational position; - Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view with a central tear of the packaging according to Figure 1.; - Figure 3 is a perspective view of a rotary member for winding the flexible tubular member; - Figure 4 is a plan view of a developed, from which is obtained the rotary member of Figure 3; Figures 5 and 6 are respectively cross-sectional views of a packaging according to Figures 1 or 2, respectively in the storage position and operating position during unwinding of the tubular element; FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the storage of two packages according to the invention, one of them being in position

operational.

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  The packaging 1, generally designated in FIG. 1, is intended for storing a tubular element 2 by winding on itself in a helix.

and at its rate by unfolding.

  This conditioning 1 is of the type constituted by a closed box 3 defining an internal volume able to receive, concentrically, a rotatable member 4 around an xy axis and interposed between two parallel and opposite faces A, B of the box 3 and on which organ is previously

  wound up a predetermined length of flexible tubular element 2.

  According to the invention, whether in the storage position or in the operational position of the packaging, the two opposite faces A, B of the box 3 between which is interposed the rotary member 4, are located in two parallel planes P, P ' and horizontal, and they are traversed perpendicularly by the xy axis of the rotary member 4 in a vertical direction. This, so that during a stack of at least two packages 1A, 1B, one on the other, the vertical axes xy of two successive rotary members 4 are in alignment, to allow the rotary member 4 of a lower package 1A to constitute a compressive strength element caused by the weight of the other

  upper conditioning 1 B, being in the direction F (Figure 7).

  As shown particularly in FIG. 2, the box 3 is composed of a tubular sleeve 3C defining its lateral surface and delimiting, on its lower and upper peripheral edges, open ends intended to cooperate with two corresponding lids 3B, 3A of corresponding contour. , of which one lower 3B said bottom cover is one of the horizontal faces B of the box 3 and on which bears on a vertical axis xy, the rotary member 4, and the other upper 3A said lid of closure constitutes the other horizontal face A, opposite the first B and is

  introduction after introduction of the rotary member 4 on which is pre-

  wound the flexible tubular element 3.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 7, the so-called bottom cover 3B and closure cap 3A have polygonal contours whose edges a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h are raised to allow the interlocking assembly on the lower and upper ends of the contoured tubular sleeve 3C

correspondents.

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  According to an embodiment not shown, the raised edges a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h of the bottom covers 3B and closure 3A fit inside the lower and upper ends of the tubular sleeve 3C and

are immobilized by any means.

  According to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the raised edges a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h of the bottom lugs 3B and closure lids 3A fit on the outside of the ends. lower and upper

  tubular sleeve 3C that they cap, and are immobilized by any means.

  These abovementioned immobilization means of the covers 3B, 3A on the sleeve 3C consist of an adhesive coating the raised edges a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h of said covers in contact with the ends.

  corresponding tubular sleeve 3C.

  According to another embodiment of the immobilizing means, covers 3B, 3A on the sleeve 3C, these consist of clips placed peripherally on the raised edges a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h

  covers in contact with the ends of the tubular sleeve 3C.

  Other immobilizing means may replace or be added to those mentioned above and consist, as shown in FIG. 1, of at least one link 5 arranged all around the box (3) in an axial vertical plane, in

including covers 3B, 3A.

  In this case, as shown in Figure 1, two links 5 surround the

  box 3 crossing center on the top of the lids 3A, 3B.

  According to the present exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, which is in no way limiting, the so-called bottom cover 3B and closure lid 3A of the box 3, as well as the cross section of its tubular sleeve 3C,

are octagonal in shape.

  The lids 3B, 3A are obtained by cutting a blank to obtain a developed incorporating both the octagonal surface of said

  covers and their edges a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h folded down then.

  The tubular sleeve 3C is obtained in the same way from a rectangular developed whose fold lines are materialized by

  fingerprints facilitating the subsequent shaping operation.

  The advantage in producing such a box lies in the fact that these different constituent elements, namely the lids 3B, 3A and the

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  tubular sleeve 3C, can be manufactured and stored flat before assembly. According to another characteristic of the invention, the said covers 3B bottom or closure 3A comprise in the center of their inner faces, directed towards one another, two pins 6, 7 arranged vis-à-vis, suitable to be housed in corresponding end recesses 8, 9 of the body

  rotary 4 to form its vertical axis of rotation xy.

  Such pins may be constituted according to an exemplary embodiment, by plastic studs reported in the center of

covers 3B, 3A.

  So as to overcome a disadvantage due to the fact that the flexible tubular element, although wound on the rotary member 4, does not rest on it but on the inner face of the lower cover 3B, by its own weight, it has been arranged at least on the bottom cover 3B, a sliding disk 10 interposed between the inner face of said lid 3B and the rotary member 4, whose weight is added. also to the tubular element

flexible 2.

  Advantageously, the sliding disc 10 is made of

dense, unexpanded polystyrene.

  As represented in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rotary member 4 is constituted by a coil comprising a core 11 of vertical axis xy at the ends of which are formed two flanges 12, 13 able to contain in the axial direction, at least one row of turns of flexible tubular elements 3

  helically wound on said core 11.

  The coil constituting the rotary member 4 is obtained by cutting a blank (FIG. 4) of deformable material in order to obtain a development 14 able to be shaped by folding around z-shaped impressions, arranged according to the form to obtain, which developed generally rectangular 14 has, on the one hand, a longitudinal central portion corresponding to the core 11 and consisting of a plurality of successive faces i, j, k, I, m, n, o, p in view to obtain at folding a polygonal cross-section and, on the other hand, areas of upper edges r, s, t, q and lower v, w, x, y coming from at least one face of the core 11 and intended to be folded perpendicularly after forming it to form the flanges

12, 13.

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  More specifically, according to the present embodiment of FIG. 4, the central portion of the coil developed constituting the core 11 of the rotary member 4 consists of eight similar rectangular faces j, k, I, m, n, o , p, q to obtain an octagonal section core, and in that at least two of these opposite faces 1, p, spaced apart by three consecutive faces m, n, o, are extended at their ends by zones edges similar upper s, q and lower w, y, fold towards each other, to form the flanges 13, 12 and whose length "L1" is equal to the thickness of the core 11 taken between two opposite faces 1, p and whose width "I" is equal to half this length "L1", so as to form flanges 12, 13 of square shape, in which square fits the

octagonal core section 11.

  In this case, as shown in Figure 3, the edges of the flaps u and s upper and y, w inferior are joined but it is possible, increasing their width "I" to obtain their recovery up to a recovery full. In this case, the width "I" becomes identical to the length "L1". This may be such as to strengthen the ends of the rotary member 4 and more particularly of its flanges,

  having to resist in thrust to the flexible element 2 which winds it.

  Still according to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, two other opposite faces j, n of the octagonal core 11, perpendicular to the two preceding ones 1, p, after being shaped, are extended at their upper and lower ends by flaps. r, t and v, x similar, whose length "L2" is equal to half that of "L1" flaps s, u and w, y forming the flanges 12, 13 from the other two faces 1, p and between which they are inserted in the development to constitute a plan

  bearing on which are glued said flaps forming the flanges 12, 13.

  As before, the second dimension of the flaps r, t and v, x

  may be increased to strengthen the parts of the rotary member 4.

  According to another characteristic of the rotary member 4, each of the flaps s, u and r, t-w, y and v, x from the four faces 1, p and j, n of the core 11 located vis-à-vis , two by two, and perpendicular to each other, after folding, comprises a notch complementary complementary semicircle to form in the lower flanges 12 and upper 13 they form, two recesses or bearings 8, 9 of section

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  circular for the free housings of the pins 6, 7 arranged in the

covers 3B, 3A.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, one of the faces 16 of the tubular sleeve 3C forming the box 3 is cut on two of its upper sides 16a, 16b and on a lateral side 16c to articulate on the second lateral side 16d uncut, in the manner. of a door, to allow the

  passage and unwinding of the flexible tubular element 2.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the box 3 composed of the tubular sleeve 3C and the two covers 3B, 3A, as well as the rotary member 3C composed of the core 11 and the flanges 12, 13, are made by

  cutting, folding and assembling from a corrugated cardboard blank.

  The storage or offer for sale of the packaging which has just been described, is carried out by stacking on a pallet 17 of at least two identical units 1A, 1B corresponding to an alignment of the vertical axes xy of two successive rotary members 4 contained respectively in the boxes 3, said packages 1A, 1B being secured to each other and to the pallet 17 by means of at least one peripheral link 18 including the

everything in a median vertical plane.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, each row of turns of flexible tubular elements 2 is contained in a transverse direction, by means of at least two links 19, 20 diametrically opposed, surrounding them independently of the core 11 of the 4 and independently of one another, and which are cut as and when the

  flexible tubular element consumption.

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Claims (10)

  1. Packaging of an elongated flexible tubular element intended to allow both its storage by winding on itself in a helix and its unwrapping flow, constituted by a box (3) defining an internal volume adapted to receive an organ (4). ) rotatable about an axis (xy) interposed between two faces (A, B) parallel and opposite the box (3) and on which is wound beforehand a predetermined length of flexible tubular element (2), characterized in that in the storage or operational position of the packaging, the two opposite faces (A, B) of the box (3), between which the rotary member (4) is interposed, are located in two horizontal planes (P, P ') and are traversed by the axis (xy) of the rotary member (4) in a vertical direction, so that during a stack of at least two packages (1A, 1B), one on the other , the vertical axes (x, y) of two successive rotary members (4) are in a linearly, the rotatable member (4) of a lower package (1A) constituting a resistance element to the   compression caused by the weight of the other superior (1 B).   2. Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the bottom cover (3B) is equipped with a sliding disk (10)   interposed between the inner face of said cover (3B) and the rotary member (4).   3. Packaging according to claim 2, characterized in that the   slip disk (10) is made of dense polystyrene.   4. Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized   in that the box (3) is composed of a tubular sleeve (3C) defining its lateral surface and delimiting, on its lower and upper peripheral edges, open ends intended to cooperate with two contoured lids (3B, 3A) corresponding, of which one lower (3B) said bottom cover is one of the horizontal faces (B) of the box (3) and on which bears on a vertical axis (xy), the rotary member (4) , and the other upper (3A) said closure cover is the other horizontal face (A), opposite the first (B) and is placed after introduction of the rotary member (4) on which is pre -wound the element flexible tubular (3).   5. Packaging according to claim 4, characterized in that the covers said bottom (3B) and closure (3A) have polygonal contours, the edges (a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h ) are raised to allow 2775671   the interlocking assembly on the lower and upper ends of the   tubular sleeve (3C) of corresponding contours.   Packaging according to one of Claims 4 and 5, characterized   in that the rotary member (4) is constituted by a coil comprising a core (11) of vertical axis (xy) at the ends of which are formed two flanges (12, 13) capable of containing in the axial direction, at least a row of turns of flexible tubular elements (3) helically wound on said core (11). 7. Packaging according to claim 6, characterized in that each row of turns of flexible tubular elements (2) is contained in a transverse direction, through at least two links (19, 20) diametrically opposite, the surrounding independently of the core (11) of the rotatable member (4) and independently of one another, and which are cut at the   as the consumption of flexible tubular elements.   8. Packaging according to claim 7, characterized in that the coil constituting the rotary member (4) is obtained by cutting a blank of deformable material to obtain a developed (14) adapted to be shaped by folding around imprints (z), arranged according to the shape to be obtained, which developed (14) generally rectangular has, on the one hand, a longitudinal central portion corresponding to the core (11) and consisting of a plurality of faces successive ones (i, j, k, I, m, n, o, p) in order to obtain a polygonal cross-section at the fold and, on the other hand, upper edge zones (r, s, t, q) and lower (v, w, x, y) issuing from at least one face of the core (11) and intended to be folded perpendicularly after   forming it to form the flanges (12, 13).   9. Packaging according to claim 8, characterized in that the central part of the developed coil constituting the core (11) of the rotary member (4) consists of eight similar rectangular faces (j, k, I, m, n, o, p, q) in order to obtain an octagonal section core, and in that at least two of these opposite faces (I, p), spaced apart by three consecutive faces (m, n, o), are extended at their ends by similar upper (s, q) and lower (w, y) border zones, foldable towards each other, to constitute the flanges (13, 12) and whose length ("L1 ") is equal to the thickness of the core (11) taken between two opposite faces (I, p) and whose width (" I ") is equal to half that length 11 2775671   ("L1") so as to form square flanges (12, 13) in which   which square inscribes the section of the octagonal core (11).   10. Packaging according to claim 9, characterized in that two other opposite faces (j, n) of the octagonal core (11) perpendicular to the two preceding (I, p), after shaping, are extended at their upper ends. and lower by flaps (r, t and v, x) similar, whose length ("L2") is equal to half that (<"L1") of the flaps (s, u and w, y) forming the flanges (12, 13) from the other two faces (I, p) and between which they are interposed in the developed to constitute mounting a support plane on which are glued said flaps forming the flanges (12, 13).