GB2329889A

GB2329889A - A reel formed in a box

Info

Publication number: GB2329889A
Application number: GB9821266A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Douglas Taylor; David Spall
Original assignee: BICC PLC
Current assignee: Balfour Beatty PLC
Priority date: 1997-10-03
Filing date: 1998-10-01
Publication date: 1999-04-07
Anticipated expiration: 2018-10-01
Also published as: ES2157744A1; GB9720924D0; ES2157744B1; GB9821266D0; GB2329889B

Abstract

A carrier for a length of cable or other flexible material has a hub 1 and flange means to define a channel within which the coil of the cable is retained. The carrier is formed by a box having six orthogonal faces including first and second opposing, substantially parallel, faces 5, 6 forming the flanges, the hub 1 being connected substantially normally between the first and second faces 5, 6. The remaining third, fourth, fifth and sixth faces are detachable from the first and second faces 5, 6, preferably by tearing at perforations 7, 8 which may be arranged in a circular configuration, so as to provide open access to the coil of the cable. There may be at least one aperture (11, 12 Figure 2) and perforations(32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 Figure 2) which allow the one face to tear in to two portions to facilitate manual detachment of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth faces. Preferably the first and second faces 5, 6 have centrally located apertures (11, 12 Figure 2) with slits extending radially from the apertures which define hinged petals (13 Figure 2). The hinged petals are used to attach the hub 1 to the opposing faces of the carrier. There may be first and second tubular members (3 and 4 Figures 4 and 5) to sandwich the hinged petals in place. The hub may be formed from two tubes (Figure 7 and 8) each having a flange and one tube telescopically receivable in the other.

Description

Carriers For Elongate Materials, Such As Cables The present relates to a carrier for carrying and storing an elongate flexible body such as electrical cable, bare or insulated wire, rope, cord, ribbon or string, all hereinafter - for simplicity - referred to as cable.

A length of such elongate flexible bodies, such as building wire, for example, conduit wire or 6242Y Type building wire, as is commonly used in household and like installations, has traditionally been transported and stored on a rigid reel comprising a tubular hub made from rolled tin plated steel, formed, inserted through the centre of the wound coil, expanded and edge-rolled to secure circular cardboard flanges provided at each end of the hub which serve to define a channel for holding the coil of wire therein so as to stop the coil of wire from coming off the hub.

However, the known reels are relatively expensive to produce because the metallic hub is, in itself, an expensive component to manufacture and is also less recyclable because of the mixture of materials from which it is made. There are also problems in handling, as the hub projects slightly and limits the stacking height, while if turned to a position in which the axis is horizontal, they will roll; and they are not well-suited to use with preformed coils, as distinct from coils wound turn-by-turn directly onto the hub. More recently, boxed reels have become available but have not proved popular with users, it seems because the cable is sometimes less easy to dispense than from traditional reels.

According to the present invention, there is provided a carrier for a length of cable, the carrier comprising a hub around which the length of cable may be wound, and flange means provided on the hub to define, with the external surface of the hub, a channel within which the coil of cable is retained when the length of cable is wound around the hub, characterised in that the carrier comprises a box having six orthogonal faces including first and second opposing, substantially parallel, faces forming the flange means, the hub being connected between the first and second faces substantially normally thereto, the remaining third, fourth, fifth and sixth faces being detachable from the first and second faces so as to provide open access to the coil of cable. This has the advantage of providing a carrier for a coil of cable which stacks efficiently, at least with its axis horizontal, and will not roll, and because the coil is completely enclosed before being dispensed protects it during storage and transportation, while having all the advantages of a reel for the purposes of dispensing the cable. It is also of a relatively strong construction.

The third, fourth, fifth and sixth faces are preferably detachable by tearing the box along pre-formed perforations in each of the opposing first and second faces arranged in a circle or other suitable shape for bounding the flanges. For example, the perforations could if desired be arranged to form octagonal, hexagonal or even square flanges.

The first and second faces may include circular apertures substantially centrally located therein, each aperture having a multiplicity of slits extending radially from the aperture to define a plurality of hinged petals.

This provides a self-centring action to assist insertion of a hub element and strengthens the flange/hub connection.

In a first embodiment, the hub may comprise a plain open-ended tube arranged substantially adjacent the circular apertures, the hub being attached to the first and second opposing faces by means of hinged petals turned in from the periphery of the apertures to engage inside the ends of the hub; preferably separate first and second tubular members are arranged to co-operate with and be received in the open ends of the tube and to sandwich the hinged petals between the external surfaces of the first and second tubular members and the internal surface of the open ended tube.

In a second embodiment, the hub may comprise first and second open-ended tubes, and each tube may have a preformed flange extending substantially normally from one of the open ends of the tube, the first tube being telescopically receivable in the second tube at the ends opposite to the flanges, the first and second open-ended tubes being insertable through the apertures and telescopically coupled together to form the hub, the tube flanges being in abutment with the respective first or second face. This has the advantage that - because of the hub's telescoping construction - it has a range of widths, which allows for flexibility of box width.

The box may be formed from a flat-pack structure, and may be made from a cardboard material. This has the advantage of providing a box which is easy to store and transport in its flat-pack form before it is assembled.

Because it is made from a single material, it is easier to recycle, and is cheaper to manufacture.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first design of cable carrier of the present invention; Figure 2 shows the blank from which the main part of this first design of carrier is made; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the carrier of Figure 1 with the corners removed; Figures 4 and 5 are vertical cross-sections of the carrier, Figure 4 illustrating the carrier with the rings partially inserted and Figure 5 with the rings fully in place; Figure 6 is a view, corresponding to Figure 1, showing a second design of carrier; and Figures 7 and 8 are vertical cross-sections corresponding respectively to Figures 4 and 5 and showing this second design.

The carrier of Figures 1-5 comprises a hub lin the form of a plain cardboard tube, a cardboard box 2 (the blank for which is shown in Figure 2) and a pair of cardboard rings 3, 4. The box 2 has, in the usual way, three pairs of faces, the pairs being parallel and the faces orthogonal.

First and second faces 5, 6 constitute the first pair and each have similar circular arrangements of perforations 7, 8 outlining flange means 9, 10. The centre of each of these faces is removed to form a circular opening 11, 12 adjacent to which slits define a series of petals 13. These faces 5 and 6 are connected by a base panel 14 whose pair is formed by two superposed top flaps 15, 16. The box is completed by a third pair of faces each formed by an inner panel 17, 18 connected to the face 5 and an outer panel 19, 20 connected to face 6. Panels 19, 20 each have two corner flaps 21-24.

Panels 17 and 18 have tabs 25, 26 projecting at their upper ends and there are corresponding D-shaped apertures 27, 28 in the corner flaps 23, 24. Panels 17 and 19 have apertures 29 and 30 and part of the material removed to form the first of these is left as a flap 31. Perforation lines 32-37 extend from the apertures 29, 30 to the adjacent cornes of the respective panels and from there to the circular arrangements of perforations 7 and 8. Further perforation lines 38-43 extend from the circular arrangements of perforations 7 and 8 at the top and side centres across repective adjacent panels.

To erect the box, flaps 21 and 22 - which are shaped to provide clearances necessary during folding - and panels 17-20 are then folded (in any order) to stand up vertically. Face 6 is then folded to a vertical position so that flaps 21 and 22 now lie on the base panel 14 after which face 5 is also folded into a vertical position with panels 17 and 18 lying inside panels 19 and 20 respectively. This superposes the apertures 29 and 30. Finally, flaps 23 and 24 are folded over the top of panels 17 and 18 respectively to lie in contact with their inside surfaces, so engaging the tabs 25 and 26 in the D-shaped apertures 27 and 28 respectively, and locking the box in an erected position - an adhesive can be used in addition if preferred, and may be desirable for larger sizes, but projections 60 bear on the face 6 to give a good frictional engagement. At this stage, the top panels 15,16 remain upright, leaving the top of the box open.

When the carrier is to be used, the hub 1 is placed onto the axis of a coil-winding machine by so-called "pick-andplace" robotics, such that the cable is wound directly onto the hub. The hub, with the completed length of coiled cable on it, is then enabled to drop directly into the box 2 through its open top such that the hub 1 is located adjacent the two circular apertures 11,12 provided in the square faces 5, 6. After closing the top flaps 16 and 15, the rings 3, 4 are then inserted through the circular apertures 11 and 12 from opposite sides. The rings 3, 4 have external diameters slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the hub 1, and as they are inserted they bend the petals 13 inwards and sandwich them between the hub I and themselves. The rings can be inserted using robotics or a known hub insertion unit.

The hub and rings can then be fixedly attached to the box 2 using hot set glue or other adhesive, if desired: at least for small sizes, if the rings are a good fit, the use of adhesive is unnecessary.

The cable can then be stored and transported in this box, until the cable is needed.

When the cable is needed, the box 2 is opened by placing ones fingers in the aligned apertures 29, 30, pulling the flap 31 out to act as a finger rest, and tearing the box along the perforations (7 ,8, 32-37 and probably 38-43) until the outer parts of the box are completely removed leaving a reel with two circular flanges 9, 10. The cable can then be dispensed in any usual manner.

As an example, the square faces 5, 6 could have a width and height of between 150 mm and 250 mm (and a reel flange diameter of almost the same dimensions), with an axial length i.e. hub length, of between 40 mm and 100 mm, for holding 50 to 100 metres of conduit cable up to about 2.5 mm2.

The cable carrier 1 of Figures 6-8 is generally similar, but illustrates two alternative design features (which could be used separately or, as shown, together.

Firstly, instead of the aligned apertures 29, 30 in the side of the carton in the previously described design, there are three apertures 44-46 in the top centre of the box (Figure 6) designed to receive three fingers of each hand so that they can tear by pulling directly against each other; to suit this manner of tearing, perforations (apart from the circular arrangement around the flanges) are in straight lines, one line 47 across the apertures and others 48-50 (which may be considered optional) across the centres of the sides and bottom of the box.

Secondly, the hub structure (Figures 7 and 8) is substantially different. It comprises first and second hub sections 51 and 52 each having a tubular portion 53, 54 with a flange 55, 56 extending radially from one end. As the two hub sections 51, 52 are pushed from either side of the box 2, the tubular portion 53 is telescoped inside the tubular portion 54 and the hub flanges 55 and 56 abut respective square faces of the box 2. The main advantage of this hub arrangement is that the cable or other material can (if desired) be wound direct on a mandrel without any support placed on it; but compared with the preferred design of Figures 1-5, assembly is more difficult.

It will be obvious to persons skilled in the art, that various modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention, for example, the carrier can be dimensioned so as to carry other types and/or quantity of cable or other flexible body. The box itself could be made of other flexible lightweight materials such a plastics materials. Other suitable manufacturing and assembly techniques could be used.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A carrier for a length of cable, the carrier comprising a hub around which the length of cable may be wound, and flange means provided on the hub to define, with the external surface of the hub, a channel within which the coil of cable is retained when the length of cable is wound around the hub, characterised in that the carrier comprises a box having six orthogonal faces including first and second opposing, substantially parallel, faces forming the flange means, the hub being connected between the first and second faces substantially normally thereto, the remaining third, fourth, fifth and sixth faces being detachable from the first and second faces so as to provide open access to the coil of cable.
2. A carrier according to claim 1, wherein the box is provided with perforations, the third, fourth, fifth and sixth faces are detachable by tearing the box along the perforations.
3. A carrier according to claim 2, wherein the perforations comprise circular arrangements, one on each of the first and second opposing faces.
4. A carrier according to any preceding claim, wherein the third, fourth, fifth and sixth faces are manually detachable, one of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth faces being provided with means for allowing the manual detachment.
5. A carrier according to claim 5, wherein the manual detachment means comprises at least one aperture for receiving one or more fingers therein formed in the one face, and perforations to allow the one face to tear into two portions as the third, fourth, fifth and sixth faces are detached.
6. A carrier according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and second faces include circular apertures substantially centrally located therein, each aperture having a multiplicity of slits extending radially from the aperture to define a plurality of hinged petals, the hub comprising an open-ended tube arranged substantially adjacent the circular apertures, the hub being attached to the first and second opposing faces by means of hinged petals turned in from the peripheries of the apertures.
7 A carrier according to claim 6 wherein separate first and second tubular members are arranged to co-operate with and be received in the open ends of the tube and to sandwich the hinged petals between the external surfaces of the first and second tubular members and the internal surface of the open ended tube.
8. A carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first and second faces include circular apertures substantially centrally located therein, and the hub comprises first and second open-ended tubes, each tube having a flange extending substantially normally from one of the open ends of the tube, the first tube being telescopically receivable in the second tube at the ends opposite to the flanges, the first and second open-ended tubes being insertable through the apertures and telescopically coupled together to form the hub, the tube flanges being in abutment with the respective first or second face.
9. A carrier according to claim 8, wherein each aperture provided in the first and second face has a multiplicity of slits extending radially from the aperture to define a plurality of hinged petals, the petals being bent inwardly of the box as the first and second open-ended tubes are inserted through the apertures such that the petals abut the external surface of the first and second open-ended tubes.
10. A carrier according to any preceding claim made from a cardboard material.

11 A carrier for a length of cable substantially as described with reference to Figures 1-5.

12 A carrier for a length of cable substantially as described with reference to Figures 6-8.