Reel assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9556000-B2
Application number	US-201414264858-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2014
Priority date	Apr 29, 2014
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

A set of blanks for being repeatedly assembled into a reel configuration. A flange blank has pass through slots angularly spaced apart from one another and interlocking apertures angularly aligned with the pass through slots. Each pass through slot is spaced radially from an interlocking aperture. A core blank has a hub portion that is folded toward a core configuration in which it has an annular shape. Push tabs extend outwardly from the hub portion. Each of the push tabs passes through a pass through slot. Each push tab includes a spine and a pair of wings extending outwardly from the spine. The wings of each push tab bend away from a coplanar position with respect to their spine as the push tab is inserted in an interlocking aperture. The wings lockingly engage the flange blank when each push tab is lockingly received in the interlocking aperture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A set of blanks for being repeatedly assembled into a reel configuration comprising:
a flange blank comprising an inwardly and an outwardly facing major surface, a plurality of pass through slots angularly spaced apart from one another about a transverse axis of the flange blank, and a plurality of interlocking apertures angularly aligned with the plurality of pass through slots, each of the plurality of pass through slot being spaced apart radially from a corresponding one of the plurality of interlocking apertures, each of the plurality of pass through slots having a pass through width and each of the plurality of interlocking apertures having an interlocking width, the pass through width being wider than the interlocking width;
each of the plurality of pass through slots having a pass through length and each of the plurality of interlocking apertures having an interlocking length, the interlocking length being longer than the pass through length; and
a core blank comprising:
a hub portion having a longitudinal body comprising opposite lateral ends, the hub portion being configured to be folded toward a core configuration in which the hub portion has an annular shape; and
a plurality of push tabs foldably attached to and extending outwardly from one of the opposite lateral ends of the hub portion, each of the plurality of push tabs being configured to pass through a respective one of the pass through slots and be lockingly received in a respective one of the interlocking apertures when the hub portion is arranged in the core configuration, each of the plurality of push tabs comprising a spine and a pair of wings extending outwardly from the spine, the wings of each of the plurality of push tabs being configured to bend away from a coplanar position with respect to their respective spine as each of the plurality of push tabs is being inserted in a respective one of the plurality of interlocking apertures, the wings of each of the plurality of push tabs being further configured to lockingly engage the inwardly facing major surface of the flange blank adjacent the respective one of the plurality of interlocking apertures when each of the plurality of push tabs is lockingly received in the respective one of the plurality of interlocking apertures.

2. The set of blanks of claim 1 wherein the push tab comprises an interlocking body having an outer end and a pair of interlocking shoulders opposite the outer end.

3. The set of blanks of claim 2 wherein the pair of interlocking shoulders are configured to lockingly engage the inwardly facing major surface of the flange blank adjacent the interlocking apertures when the push tab is lockingly received in the interlocking aperture.

4. The set of blanks of claim 3 wherein each of the pair of interlocking shoulders has a substantially flat end comprising a length and is configured to engage the inwardly facing major surface of the flange blank along the majority of the length of its substantially flat end.

5. The set of blanks of claim 1 wherein each push tab comprises an interlocking body having an outer end and a pair of interlocking shoulders opposite the outer end, and the interlocking body has a body width and the body width of the interlocking body is substantially constant between the pair of interlocking shoulders and the outer end of the interlocking body.

6. The set of blanks of claim 1 wherein each push tab comprises fold joints between each of its wings and its spine, each of the fold joints being angled outward from the outer end toward a respective one of the pair of interlocking shoulders.

7. The set of blanks of claim 1 wherein each interlocking aperture has a rounded end.

8. The set of blanks of claim 1 wherein each interlocking aperture has a rounded aperture to allow insertion of a finger through each aperture.

9. A set of blanks for being repeatedly assembled into a reel configuration comprising:
a flange blank comprising an inwardly and an outwardly facing major surface, a plurality of pass through slots angularly spaced apart from one another about a transverse axis of the flange blank, and a plurality of interlocking apertures angularly aligned with the plurality of pass through slots, each pass through slot being spaced apart radially from a corresponding one of the interlocking apertures, each of the pass through slots having a pass through width and each of the interlocking apertures having an interlocking width, the pass through width being wider than the interlocking width; and
a core blank comprising:
a hub portion having a longitudinal body comprising opposite lateral ends, the hub portion being configured to be folded toward a core configuration in which the hub portion has an annular shape; and
a plurality of push tabs foldably attached to and extending outwardly from one of the opposite lateral ends of the hub portion, each of the plurality of push tabs being configured to pass through a respective one of the pass through slots and be lockingly received in a respective one of the interlocking apertures when the hub portion is arranged in the core configuration, each push tab comprising a spine and a pair of wings extending outwardly from the spine, the wings of each of the push tabs being configured to bend away from a coplanar position with respect to their respective spine as each push tab is being inserted in a respective one of the plurality of interlocking apertures, the wings of each of the push tabs being further configured to lockingly engage the inwardly facing major surface of the flange blank adjacent the respective one of the plurality of interlocking apertures when each push tab is lockingly received in the respective one of the plurality of interlocking apertures;

wherein each of the plurality of interlocking apertures comprises a rounded end radially inward of the flange blank.

10. The set of blanks of claim 9 wherein one of the push tabs comprises an interlocking body having an outer end and a pair of interlocking shoulders opposite the outer end.

11. The set of blanks of claim 10 wherein the pair of interlocking shoulders are configured to lockingly engage the inwardly facing major surface of the flange blank adjacent a respective one of the plurality of interlocking apertures when said one of the push tabs is lockingly received in the interlocking aperture.

12. The set of blanks of claim 10 wherein the interlocking body has a major surface configured to engage the outwardly facing major surface of the flange blank adjacent a respective one of the plurality of interlocking apertures as said one of the push tabs is being inserted therein.

13. The set of blanks of claim 10 wherein the interlocking body has a body width that is less than the pass through width and greater than the interlocking width.

14. The set of blanks of claim 13 wherein the body width of the interlocking body is substantially constant between the pair of interlocking shoulders and the outer end of the interlocking body.

15. The set of blanks of claim 10 wherein said one of the plurality of push tabs comprises fold joints between each of its wings and its spine, each of the fold joints being angled outward from the outer end toward a respective one of the pair of interlocking shoulders.

16. The set of blanks of claim 9 wherein the core comprises a one-piece slab of fluted material, the slab comprising a plurality of flutes, each of the plurality of flutes having a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axes of the plurality of flutes oriented parallel to one another and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the hub po

Assignees

• Inteplast Group Ltd
• Inteplast Group Corp

Inventors

• Carman Gregory A

Classifications

• B65H75/14

  with two end flanges · CPC title

• B65H75/22 Primary

  collapsible; with removable parts · CPC title

• B65H2701/5112

  Paper or plastic sheet material · CPC title

• B65H75/229 Primary

  Bendable tabs being deformable over a cooperating surface · CPC title

• B65H75/2245

  connecting flange to hub · CPC title