WIRE AND CABLE DISPENSING CONTAINER AND SYSTEMS

• US 20080191436A1
• Filed: 04/16/2008
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Windy City Wire Cable and Technology Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Windy City Wire Cable and Technology Products LLC
• Inventors: WINKEL, Mark K., MCGUIRE, Martin J., GALGANO, Richard, MCGUIRE, Martin C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,016,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/47.11
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 1/14 involving means for grappling or securing in place objects to be carried; Loading or unloading equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2202/025 Reels, e.g. for filamentary or sheet material
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/003 Non-transparent side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/04 involving means for grappling or securing in place objects to be carried; Loading or unloading equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0083 Wheeled supports connected to the transported object
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/04 for coils of wire, rope or hose
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 49/32 Stands or frameworks
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 49/322 Enclosing boxes with supporting means for the package or reel during unwinding
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 49/325 Arrangements or adaptations for supporting the shafts, e.g. saddle type shaft bearings

Abstract

A container for the dispensing of wire or cable has an external carton which receives a reel of cable as supported by two caddies. Each caddy has an inwardly extending substantially cylindrical bushing which is received in a central hole of a respective cable reel flange. The cylindrical bushings are disposed on an axis which is a first distance from the upper surface of the bottom panel of the carton. The largest radius of each reel flange is preselected to be smaller than this such that the reel may freely rotate inside of the carton on the bushings. Cable is pulled through a slot in the carton'"'"'s front panel. Preferably, left and right panels of the carton each have an arbor hole formed therein which receives an axial rod, the rod also extending through the reel and caddies. The axial rod may be used to join two or more containers together and may further serve as a support for attachment of a wheel truck on one end of the joined-together containers and a handle at its other end. An alternative, four-wheeled cart has multiple axial rods. An alternative hand truck likewise receives multiple axial rods through respective container passageways. In one embodiment, cable may be pulled through one or more pass-through slots formed in the tops and bottoms of stacked containers, such that cable from multiple containers is drawn through one slot on the top of the stack.

Claims

1. A container for the dispensing of a cable wound on a cable 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 caddy disposed in the carton adjacent the left panel and to extend upwardly from an upper surface of the bottom panel, a substantially cylindrical bushing of the left caddy extending inwardly toward the right panel, the bushing formed around an 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;

a right caddy disposed in the carton to be adjacent the right panel and to extend upwardly from the upper surface of the bottom panel, a substantially cylindrical bushing of the right caddy extending inwardly toward the left panel and formed around the axis, the bushing of the right caddy being formed substantially at the first radius from the axis;

a reel having spaced-part left and right flanges, the left flange having a central hole, the right flange having a central hole, the central holes of the left and right flanges each formed around the axis and having a second radius which is greater than said first radius, such that the bushing of the left caddy may be received in the central hole of the left flange and the bushing of the right caddy may be received in the central hole of the right flange, a greatest radius of the left flange and a greatest radius of the right flange being less than said first distance so as to permit the rotation of the reel around the axis inside of the carton; and

a left panel arbor hole being formed through the left handle around the axis, a right panel arbor hole formed through the right panel around the axis, means joining the flanges of the reel forming an axial passageway for communicating the central hole of the left flange with the central hole of the right flange, a hole formed in each caddy to be radially inward from the exterior surface of the bushing thereof.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the left panel is spaced from an inner surface of the right panel by an internal carton length, the left and right caddies each having a general thickness, the bushings of the caddies extending axially inwardly by a second distance beyond the general thickness, the cable reel having a reel length as measured from an outer surface of the left flange to an outer surface of the right flange, the sum of the general thicknesses of the caddies and the reel length being less than the internal carton length, the sum of the general thicknesses of the caddies, the reel length and twice the second distance being greater than the internal carton length.

3. The container of claim 1, wherein the bottom, front, left and right panels of the carton are formed of corrugated cardboard.

4. The container of claim 1, wherein the front panel of the carton has an elongated slot formed parallel to the axis to permit the dispensing of cable out of the carton.

5. The container of claim 4, wherein a height of the elongated slot above the upper surface of the bottom panel is less than said first distance.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein the caddies are formed of plastic.

8. The container of claim 1, wherein each caddy has a base extending along the upper surface of the bottom panel and at least one spoke extending from the base to the bushing surface.

6. A container for the dispensing of a cable wound on a cable 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 caddy disposed in the carton adjacent the left panel and to extend upwardly from an upper surface of the bottom panel, a substantially cylindrical bushing of the left caddy extending inwardly toward the right panel, the bushing formed around an 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;

a right caddy disposed in the carton to be adjacent the right panel and to extend upwardly from the upper surface of the bottom panel, a substantially cylindrical bushing of the right caddy extending inwardly toward the left panel and formed around the axis, the bushing of the right caddy being formed substantially at the first radius from the axis;

a reel having spaced-part left and right flanges, the left flange having a central hole, the right flange having a central hole, the central holes of the left and right flanges each formed around the axis and having a second radius which is greater than said first radius, such that the bushing of the left caddy may be received in the central hole of the left flange and the bushing of the right caddy may be received in the central hole of the right flange, a greatest radius of the left flange and a greatest radius of the right flange being less than said first distance so as to permit the rotation of the reel around the axis inside of the carton; and

a top panel which is in parallel to the bottom panel and which extends rearwardly from a top side of the front panel, a first elongate pass-through slot formed in the top panel to be parallel to said axis, a second elongate pass-through slot formed in the bottom panel to be parallel to said axis, centers of the pass-through slots formed in a plane which is offset from said axis, a position of the first pass-through slot in the top panel matching a position of the second pass-through slot in the bottom panel, such that when said container is stacked on top of another, similar container, cable from a reel in the similar container may be passed through said container and out the first pass-through slot.

9. A system for dispensing wire or cable from reels, comprising:

a plurality of cable reel cartons each containing a reel of wire or cable, each carton having a bottom panel, a left panel and a right panel, the bottom panel having opposed left and right sides, the left panel extending upwardly from the left side of the bottom panel, the right panel extending upwardly from the right side of the bottom panel, arbor holes formed in each of the left and right panels and around an axis which is disposed at a predetermined first distance from an upper surface of the bottom panel, each reel carton having a respective length measured from an outer surface of the right panel to an outer surface of the left panel;

each reel having spaced-apart left and right flanges, a central hole in the left flange communicated to a central hole in the right flange by means forming an axial passageway therebetween;

at least first and second ones of the cable reel cartons positioned side by side such that the arbor holes thereof are aligned on a single axis, an axial rod inserted through the arbor holes, the central holes in the reel flanges and the axial passageways of the central tubes of the cable reels of the first and second ones of the cable reel cartons, a length of the axial rod preselected to be longer than the sum of the lengths of said least first and second ones of the cable reel cartons so as to define first and second free ends of the axial rod which extend beyond said at least first and second ones of the cable reel cartons, a wheel truck affixed to the first free end of the axial rod, a handle affixed to the second free end of the axial rod, the axial rod being capable of supporting the weight of said at least first and second cable reel cartons in between the wheel truck and the handle, the axial rod, cartons, wheel truck and handle forming a single wheeled unit such that a user may lift the handle and move the single unit from place to place with the aid of the wheel truck.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein each reel carton further has a left reel caddy disposed adjacent the left panel of the carton and a right reel caddy disposed adjacent the right panel of the reel carton, holes in the left and right caddies permitting the insertion therethrough of the axial rod.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the axial rod is inserted through the arbor holes of more than two reel cartons to form the single wheeled unit.

12. A system for dispensing wire or cable from reels, comprising:

a plurality of cable reel cartons each containing a reel of wire or cable, each carton having a bottom panel, a left panel and a right panel, the bottom panel having opposed left and right sides, the left panel extending upwardly from the left side of the bottom panel, the right panel extending upwardly from the right side of the bottom panel, arbor holes formed in each of the left and right panels and around an axis so as to both be a predetermined first distance from an upper surface of the bottom panel, arbor holes formed in each of the left and right panels and around an axis so as to be a predetermined length from an outer surface of the right panel to an outer surface of the left panel;

each reel having an axial passageway therethrough to communicate with the arbor holes;

at least first and second ones of the cable reel cartons positioned side by side such that the arbor holes thereof are aligned on a single axis, a first axial rod inserted through the arbor holes, the axial passageways of the cable reels of the first and second ones of the cable reel cartons, a length of the first axial rod preselected to be longer than the sum of the lengths of said least first and second ones of the cable reel cartons so as to define first and second free ends of the axial rod which extend beyond said at least first and second ones of the cable reel cartons;

at least third and fourth ones of the cable reel cartons positioned side by side such that the arbor holes and axial cable reel passageways thereof are aligned on a single axis, a second axial rod inserted through the arbor holes and the axial passageways of the cable reels of the third and fourth ones of the cable reel cartons, a length of the second axial rod preselected to be longer than the sum of the lengths of said least third and fourth ones of the cable reel cartons so as to define first and second free ends of the second axial rod which extend beyond said at least third and fourth ones of the cable reel cartons;

a cart frame, a plurality of wheels mounted to the cart frame, the cart frame having opposed front and rear ends, a first upstanding rod holder affixed to the front end of the frame, a second upstanding rod holder affixed to the rear end of the frame, first ends of the first and second axial rods affixed to the first rod holder, second ends of the first and second axial rods affixed to the second rod holder, such that the cartons through which the axial rods are inserted are mounted thereby to the cart.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first and second axial rods is inserted through more than two cable reel cartons.

14. The system of claim 12, and further comprising at least a fifth cable reel carton, a third axial rod inserted through arbor holes and an axial passageway of a cable reel of the fifth cable reel carton, a first end of the third axial rod affixed to the first rod holder, a second end of the third axial rod affixed to the second rod holder, such that the fifth cable reel carton is affixed by the third axial rod to the cart.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the third axial rod is inserted through more than one cable reel carton.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the third axial rod is inserted through more than two cable reel cartons.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the wheels mounted to the frame of the cart are casters.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the lengths of the cable reel cartons may be preselected to be different from each other.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein bottoms of the fourth and fifth cable reel cartons rest on tops of the first and second cable reel cartons.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein each carton has a front panel extending between the left and right panels thereof, an elongate slot formed in each front panel substantially in parallel to the axis of the carton, such that cable may be dispensed out of the cartons at right angles to the axes of the axial rods.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the frame of the cart has an elongate bottom panel extending between the front end of the frame and the rear end of the frame, the bottom panel having parallel sides extending between the front and rear ends, an upstanding side panel extending upwardly from one of the parallel sides of the bottom panel, a height of the side panel preselected to be less than a height of said elongate slot on the last said carton, such that cable may be pulled out of the slot without occlusion or abrasion by the left side panel.

22. A cart for the transportation of containers of reeled cable, the cart reconfigurable between a use configuration and a storage configuration, the cart comprising:

an elongate rectangular frame, a front panel of the frame disposed in a vertical plane, a rear panel of the frame disposed in a vertical plane displaced from the front panel, a vertical left panel joining the front and rear panels and disposed in a plane orthogonal to the front and rear panels, a right panel joining the front and rear panels and being in parallel to and displaced from the left panel;

an elongate front rod holder, the front rod holder in the use configuration removably affixed to the front panel to extend upwardly therefrom;

an elongate rear rod holder, the rear rod holder in the use configuration removably affixed to the rear panel to extend upwardly therefrom;

a plurality of elongate support rods, the support rods, in the use configuration, being parallel to each other and spanning the distance between the front rod holder and the rear rod holder, ends of the support rods being received into respective holes in the front rod holder, second ends of the support rods being received into respective holes in the rear rod holder;

the front panel and the rear panel each having a plurality of support rod storage holes which each receive an end of a support rod when the cart is in the storage configuration, the front rod holder removably affixed to the other of the left panel and the right panel in the storage configuration.

23. The cart of claim 22, and further including a handle having left and right vertical legs, a left socket formed at a corner of the front panel of the frame and the left panel thereof, a right socket formed at a corner of the front panel and the right panel, the left leg removably received into the left socket when the cart is in the use configuration, the right leg removably received into the right socket when the cart is in the use configuration, the handle placed between the left and right panels of the frame when in the storage configuration.

24. The cart of claim 22, wherein a lowest one of the support rods occupies the same position in both the use and storage configurations, the last said support rod, when the cart is in the storage configuration, adaptable to be used as a carrying handle.

25. A hand truck for the transportation of containers each having a passageway therethrough, the hand truck comprising:

a horizontally disposed flat bottom shelf for receiving at least one stack of the containers, the shelf having a left rear corner and a right rear corner;

a left elongate vertical member extending upwardly from the left rear corner of the shelf, a right elongate vertical member extending upwardly from a right rear corner of the shelf;

a plurality of cross members joined to and extending from the left vertical member to the right vertical member, each cross member having a rod-receiving hole formed therein, the holes vertically spaced apart from each other; and

a plurality of elongate support rods each having first and second ends, the first end of each support rod adapted to be inserted through at least one passageway formed through at least one of the containers and into a respective cross member hole, a fastener for fastening the first end to prevent its withdrawal from the cross member hole, the second end of each support rod being enlarged so as to affix said at least one container to the respective cross member.