U.S. patent application number 11/425747 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-27 for a container for a roll of a wire like component and the combination of such a container and component.
This patent application is currently assigned to Micasa Trading Corporation d/b/a Impex Systems Group, Inc., Micasa Trading Corporation d/b/a Impex Systems Group, Inc.. Invention is credited to Edson Mejia, David Weck.
Application Number | 20070295847 11/425747 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38872685 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070295847 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Weck; David ; et
al. |
December 27, 2007 |
A CONTAINER FOR A ROLL OF A WIRE LIKE COMPONENT AND THE COMBINATION
OF SUCH A CONTAINER AND COMPONENT
Abstract
A roll of wire is captured in a cardboard container so the roll
is rotatable in the container about a rotation axis of the roll.
The container has opposite sidewalls with aligned slots receiving
ends of a shaft about which a spool carrying the roll turns. Each
side wall includes three panels in different parallel planes; two
of these panels include slots with aligned shoulders supporting the
shaft. The container has a slot for enabling the wire to be paid
from the roll as the roll turns about its rotation axis and a slit
having edges for holding the wire in place.
Inventors: |
Weck; David; (Miami, FL)
; Mejia; Edson; (Miami, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LOWE HAUPTMAN HAM & BERNER, LLP
1700 DIAGONAL ROAD, SUITE 300
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
Micasa Trading Corporation d/b/a
Impex Systems Group, Inc.
|
Family ID: |
38872685 |
Appl. No.: |
11/425747 |
Filed: |
June 22, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/170 ;
242/588.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 49/322
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
242/170 ;
242/588.4 |
International
Class: |
B65H 75/00 20060101
B65H075/00 |
Claims
1-30. (canceled)
31. A container for capturing a roll of wirelike component, the
container comprising an arrangement for enabling the roll to rotate
in the container about an axis that is substantially the same as
the roll rotation axis, the container being arranged to have an
opening arrangement for enabling the component to be paid from the
roll to a region outside the container and to be held in place by
the opening arrangement for enabling an end of the component to
extend from the container, the opening arrangement including a slot
for enabling the wirelike component to be paid from the roll as the
roll turns about tis axis of rotation, the container including a
pair of substantially parallel side walls each including first and
second panels extending in substantially parallel planes, the first
and second panels on each side having aligned elongated slots for
receiving and holding a shaft for carrying a spool for the wire
like component.
32. The container of claim 31 wherein each of said side walls
includes a third panel extending in a plane substantially parallel
to the planes of the first and second panels, the first and third
panels having joined top edges for bearing against a top edge of
the second panel in response to bearing the shaft against shoulders
at the bottom of the slots.
33. The container of claim 32 wherein each of said second panels
includes a pair of flaps having lower portions in close proximity
to each other and upper portions spaced from each other to form the
slots of the second panels.
34. The container of claim 33 wherein the container includes a top
face having one edge hinged to a wall of the container, the top
face including a pair of flaps adapted to fit into the container in
planes parallel to the planes of the first, second and third
panels, each of the flaps of the top face extending into the
container for a distance slightly less than the lengths of the
slots and including a cutout aligned with the slots, for enabling a
portion of the shaft pass through the cutout.
35. (canceled)
36. In combination, a roll of a wire like component and a cardboard
container capturing the roll, an arrangement for enabling the roll
to rotate in the container about an axis that is substantially the
same as the roll rotation axis, the arrangement including a pair of
substantially parallel sides each including first and second panels
in substantially parallel planes, each of the panels having an
aligned elongated slot receiving and holding a shaft carrying a
spool including the roll, so that the shaft is supported by a ledge
formed at bottom edges of the slots in the first and second
panels.
37. The combination of claim 36, wherein each of the sides includes
a third panel extending in a plane parallel to the planes of the
first and second panels, the first and third panels being connected
together at adjacent edges thereof, the second panel being located
between the first and third panels.
38. The combination of claim 37, wherein the top edges of the first
and third panels of each side bear against top edges of the second
panel of the side.
39. The combination of claim 38; wherein each of said second panels
includes a pair of flaps having lower portions in close proximity
to each other, upper portions spaced from each other to form the
slots of the second panels and a transition between each upper and
lower portion, each of the transitions having an edge included in
the ledge.
40. The combination of claim 39, wherein each of the transitions is
shaped as a quarter of a circle having a diameter substantially
equal to the distance between straight parallel edges of the slot
and a center approximately coincident with the shaft axis.
41. The combination of claim 39, wherein the slot in each of the
first panels has a pair of straight parallel elongated spaced edges
and a semicircular edge connecting the parallel elongated spaced
edges together, the semicircular edge being a sector of a circle
having a diameter substantially equal to the distance between the
straight parallel elongate edges and a center approximately
coincident with the shaft axis.
42. The combination of claim 39, wherein the slot in each of the
first panels has a pair of straight parallel elongated spaced edges
and a semicircular edge connecting the parallel elongated spaced
edges together, the semicircular edge being a sector of a circle
having a diameter substantially equal to the distance between the
straight parallel elongate edges and a center approximately
coincident with the shaft axis.
43. The combination of claim 36 wherein the container includes a
top face having one edge hinged to a wall of the container, the top
face including a pair of flaps adapted to fit into the container in
planes parallel to the first and second panels, each of the flaps
of the top face extending into the container to a distance slightly
less than the lengths of the slots and including a cutout aligned
with the slots so that a portion of the shaft passes through the
cutout.
44. The combination of 43, wherein the cut-out has an edge that is
a sector of a circle having a center approximately coincident and a
diameter such that (a) the shaft does not normally contact the
cut-out during paying out of the wire like component and (b) if the
shaft undergoes abnormal movements the shaft contacts the cutout
and the cutout prevents contact of the roll with a top face of the
container that extends in a plane parallel to the shaft axis.
45. The combination of claim 44, wherein the top face includes an
opening arrangement for enabling the component to be paid from the
roll to a region outside the container and to be held in place by
the opening arrangement for enabling an end of the component to
extend from the container.
46. A container for capturing a roll of a wire like component, the
container comprising an arrangement for enabling the roll to rotate
in the container about an axis that is approximately the same as
the rotation axis of the roll, the arrangement including a pair of
substantially parallel sides each including first and second panels
in substantially parallel planes, each of the panels having an
aligned elongated slot for receiving and holding a shaft for
carrying a spool including the roll for enabling the shaft to be
supported by a ledge formed at bottom edges of the slots in the
first and second panels.
47. The container of claim 46, wherein each of the sides includes a
third panel extending in a plane parallel to the planes of the
first and second panels, the first and third panels being connected
together at adjacent edges thereof, the second panel being located
between the first and third panels.
48. The container of claim 47, wherein the top edges of the first
and third panels of each side bear against top edges of the second
panel of the side.
49. The container of claim 48 wherein each of said second panels
includes a pair of flaps having lower portions in close proximity
to each other, upper portions spaced from each other to form the
slots of the second panels and a transition between each upper and
lower portion, each of the transitions having an edge included in
the ledge.
50. The container of claim 49, wherein each of the transitions is
shaped as a quarter of a circle having a diameter substantially
equal to the distance between straight parallel edges of the slot
and a center approximately coincident with the shaft axis.
51. The container of claim 49, wherein the slot in each of the
first panels has a pair of straight parallel elongated spaced edges
and a semicircular edge connecting the parallel elongated spaced
edges together, the semicircular edge having a sector of a circle
having a diameter substantially equal to the distance between the
straight parallel elongate edges and a center approximately
coincident on the shaft axis.
52. The container of claim 46, wherein the slot in each of the
first panels has a pair of straight parallel elongated spaced edges
and a semicircular edge connecting the parallel elongated spaced
edges together, the semicircular edge being a sector of a circle
having a diameter substantially equal to the distance between the
straight parallel elongated edges and a center approximately
coincident on the shaft axis.
53. The container of claim 46 wherein the container includes a top
face having one edge hinged to a wall of the container, the top
face including a pair of flaps adapted to fit into the container in
planes parallel to the first and second panels, each of the flaps
of the top face extending into the container to a distance slightly
less than the lengths of the slots and including a cutout aligned
with the slots so that a portion of the shaft passes through the
cutout.
54. The container of claim 53, wherein the cut-out has an edge that
is a sector of a circle having a center approximately coincident
and a diameter such that (a) the shaft does not normally contact
the cut-out during paying out of the wire like component and (b) if
the shaft undergoes abnormal movements the shaft contacts the
cutout and the cutout prevents contact of the roll with a top face
of the container that extends in a plane parallel to the shaft
axis.
55. The container of claim 46, wherein the top face includes an
opening arrangement for enabling the component to be paid from the
roll to a region outside the container and to be held in place by
the opening arrangement for enabling an end of the component to
extend from the container.
56. A cardboard blank for forming the container of claim 44.
57. A cardboard blank for forming the container of claim 51.
58. A cardboard blank for forming the container of claim 54.
59. A container for capturing a roll of a wire like component, the
container comprising an arrangement for enabling the roll to rotate
in the container about an axis that is approximately the same as
the rotation axis of the roll, the arrangement including a pair of
substantially parallel sides each including first and second panels
in substantially parallel planes, each of the panels having an
aligned elongated slot receiving and holding a shaft for carrying a
spool including the roll, so that the shaft is supported by a ledge
formed at bottom edges of the slots in the first and second panels.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is based on, and claims priority
from, application Ser. No. 10/641,116, filed Aug. 15, 2003, the
disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in
its entirety.
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a container for
capturing a roll of a wire like component, and more particularly to
(1) such a container that includes a pair of substantially parallel
sides, each including a pair of panels having aligned slots, having
shoulders forming a ledge for holding a shaft carrying a spool
including the roll, (2) the combination of such a container and a
roll of a wire like component, and (3) a cardboard blank from which
the container is formed.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] Wire and wire like components, such as thread, string and
thin tubing, are typically stored as rolls on spools having an axis
of rotation that is approximately the same as the axis of rotation
of the roll. Spools for carrying rolls of wire usually include a
pair of circular disks carried at opposite ends of a tubular center
portion through which a shaft extends. The shaft is carried by a
pair of arms designed to be fixedly mounted on a wall of a
point-of-sale facility or a work area where the wire is used. A
substantial amount of valuable space is required at the
point-of-sale facility to store such spools. Frequently, the spools
are not ideally mounted on the wall of the work area where the wire
or wire like component is used. Instead, such spools are likely to
be strewn in the work area, resulting in annoying unraveling of the
wire or wire like component from the roll and spool. The typical
prior art arrangement is relatively expensive because the spools
and arms are usually made of metal to support the weight of the
roll.
[0004] It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to
provide a new and improved relatively inexpensive container for
rolls of wire like components and the combination of such a
container and roll of a wire like component.
[0005] Another object is to provide a new and improved relatively
inexpensive container for rolls of wire like components, wherein
the container is arranged to enable the component to be easily paid
from the roll and/or be stored for easy access, and the combination
of such a container and roll of a wire like component.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An aspect of the invention relates to a container for
capturing a roll of wire like component. The container comprises an
arrangement for enabling the roll to rotate in the container about
an axis that is substantially the same as the axis of the roll. The
arrangement includes a pair of substantially parallel sides each
including two interior and one exterior panels in substantially
parallel plans. The interior panels have aligned slots for
receiving and holding a shaft for carrying a spool for the wire
like component.
[0007] Preferably, one of the interior and the exterior panels on
each side are connected together at a fold line at the top edges
thereof. The fold line bears against the top edge of the other
interior panel.
[0008] In the preferred embodiment, each of the second interior
panels includes a pair of flaps each having lower portions in close
proximity to each other and upper portions spaced from each other
to form the slots of the second interior panels. The flaps
preferably extend from exterior walls of the container extending at
right angles to the sides including the slotted panels. The flaps
are folded between the first interior panel and the exterior
panel.
[0009] The container also preferably includes a top face having (1)
one edge hinged to a wall of the container, and (2) a pair of flaps
adapted to fit into the container inside of the first interior
panels. Each of the top face flaps extends into the container to a
distance slightly less than the lengths of the slots and includes a
cutout aligned with the slots so that a portion of the shaft passes
through the cutout. The cutout thereby helps to stabilize the
position of the shaft and prevent rubbing of the spool against the
top face.
[0010] A further aspect of the invention concerns a cardboard blank
for forming the container for capturing, receiving and holding the
roll.
[0011] The above and still further objects, features and advantages
of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of
the following detailed description of a specific embodiment
thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective, somewhat schematic view
of a spool carrying a roll of wire and a container for the
spool;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a top view of the container and spool illustrated
in FIG. 1, with the top face of the container folded back;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a side view of the container of FIG. 1, with
interior portions of the container, as well as the spool, shown by
dotted lines;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view (taken through the lines
4-4 of FIG. 3) of one side wall of the container, without the shaft
of FIG. 3;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the container of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a front view of the top face of the container of
FIG. 1 while all of the wire remains in the container;
[0018] FIG. 7 is a front view of the top face of the container of
FIG. 1 while the wire is being paid from the roll;
[0019] FIG. 8 is a side sectional view (taken through the lines
8-8, FIG. 7) of the container, spool, roll and wire while the wire
is being paid from the roll;
[0020] FIG. 9 is a front view of the top face of the container of
FIG. 1 while the wire is held in place by a slit on the container
top face;
[0021] FIG. 10 is a side sectional view (taken through the lines
10-10, FIG. 98) of the container, spool, roll and wire while the
wire is held in place by the slit; and
[0022] FIGS. 11 A and B, together, comprise a plan view of a blank
from which the container of FIGS. 1-10 is formed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] Reference is now made to FIGS. 1-9 wherein cardboard
container 10 is illustrated as carrying spool 12 of a roll of
picture wire 14. Spool 12 includes end faces 16 and 18, formed as
circular discs, preferably made of plastic, and a central tube 13
on which the roll of picture wire 14 is wound between the end
faces. End face 16 includes, in proximity to its periphery, opening
20 through which the end of wire 14 is threaded while container 10
and its contents are in transit and prior to any of the wire being
paid from spool 12. Wire 14 is held in place while container 10 and
its contents are in transit and prior to any of the wire being paid
from spool 12 by tying the wire between opening 20 and the
periphery of disk 16. Wooden shaft 22, having a circular
cross-section and a length slightly in excess of the separation
between end faces 16 and 18, is located in central tube 13 of spool
12. Spool 12 and its contents, as well as shaft 22, are captured in
container 10 so that the shaft is rotatable about its longitudinal
axis, which is approximately coincident with the common
longitudinal axis of spool 12 and the roll of picture wire 14.
[0024] Cardboard container 10 is formed as a box, i.e., right
parallelepiped, having six square exterior faces (i.e. sides)
31-36, each having substantially the same dimensions. Faces 31 and
32 are respectively considered the base and top of container 10,
while faces 33-36 are the sides of the container. Opposed faces 33
and 35 respectively form part of sidewalls 37 and 38. Sidewalls 37
and 38 respectively include aligned slots 39 and 40 having
sufficient width and length for receiving and carrying shaft 22 in
such a manner as to enable spool 12 and the roll of wire 14 to be
captured and turn in container 10. Slots 39 and 40 extend
lengthwise in a direction at right angles to faces 31 and 32. Each
of slots 39 and 40 is open at top face 32 and has a length that is
slightly more than one-half of the length of sidewalls 37 and 38.
Slots 39 and 40 thus enable spool 12 to (1) fit and be dropped into
container 10, with the edges of the spool displaced from top and
bottom faces 31 and 32, and (2) turn about the axis of rotation of
shaft 22 without contacting the top or bottom faces.
[0025] Sidewalls 37 and 38 are constructed to have sufficient
strength to hold spool 12 and wire 14 (typically having a weight of
about five pounds). Because each of sidewalls 37 and 38 is
constructed substantially the same, only sidewall 38 is
described.
[0026] Sidewall 38 is formed by a pair of folded panels 42 and 44
having top edges connected to each other and that extend in
parallel planes. Sidewall 38 is also formed by panels 46 and 48
that are located between panels 42 and 44 and fold inwardly from
opposed faces 34 and 36. Thus, sidewall 38 can be considered as
including an interior portion comprising panel 44, an exterior
portion comprising panel 42 and an intermediate portion comprising
panels 46 and 48. Panels 42 and 44 are in substantially parallel
planes, while panels 46 and 48 are substantially co-planar in a
plane substantially parallel to the planes of panels 42 and 44.
[0027] A first portion of slot 40 is in the plane of panel 44,
while a second portion of slot 40 is in the plane of panels 46 and
48. The first and second portions of slot 40 are aligned and have
substantially the same shape and size, i.e., vertically extending
elongated parallel edges and a semicircular bottom edge. The
semicircle forming the bottom edge has substantially the same
diameter as the distance separating the parallel edges. Thus, panel
44 includes elongated slot 200 (FIG. 11A) that forms the first
portion of slot 40 in the plane of panel 44. Slot 200 has the same
dimensions as slot 40 and includes (1) parallel elongated
vertically extending edges 51 and 53, (2) semicircular bottom edges
having a diameter equal to the distance between edges 51 and 53,
and (3) a center approximately coincident with the axis of shaft 22
to facilitate turning of the shaft.
[0028] Panels 46 and 48, together, are shaped to form the second
portion of slot 40 as a result of panels 46 and 48 respectfully
having (1) equal length mating and almost abutting vertically
extending straight lower edge portions 50 and 52 that extend
upwardly from base 31, (2) vertically extending spaced, equal
length upper edge portions 54 and 56, and (3) arcuate transition
edge portions 57 and 59. Each of edge portions 57 and 59 is shaped
as a sector of a quarter of a circle having a diameter equal to the
distance between edge portions 54 and 56 and a center approximately
coincident with the axis of shaft 22 to facilitate turning of the
shaft. The ends of the upper segments of arcuate portions 57 and 59
are tangential with the lower ends of edge portions 54 and 56,
while the lower ends of arcuate portions 57 and 59 are tangential
and extend horizontally. Edge portions 54 and 56 are (1) equispaced
from edge portions 50 and 52 and (2) spaced from each other by
approximately the same distance as the width of slots 39 and
40.
[0029] Hence, each of slots 39 and 40, at its base, forms a
shoulder (i.e., ledge) that is two panels wide and supports one end
of shaft 22 and the load the shaft carries. A fold line defined by
the intersection of panels 42 and 44 at the top edges thereof bears
on the top edges of panels 46 and 48 when shaft 22 bears against
the ledges as the bottoms of slots 39 and 44. Thus, the top edges
of panels 46 and 48, in effect, provide additional support for
shaft 22.
[0030] To hold sidewall 38 in place, tab 58 extends downwardly from
the central portion of edge 60 of panel 44 to fit into slot 62 in
base 31. To enable panel 44 to fit between the interior faces of
sidewalls 34 and 36, panel 44 has a width slightly less than panel
42, by virtue of sloping sides 64 that connect the vertical edges
65 and 67 of panels 42 and 44 together.
[0031] Top face 32 of container 10, that lies in a plane parallel
to the axes of rotation of shaft 22 and the roll of wire 14,
includes an opening arrangement 70 comprising slot 72 and straight
slit 74. Slot 72 facilitates paying of wire 14 from spool 12, while
slit 74 holds wire 14 in place after the end of the wire has been
initially removed from opening 20 of spool 12 and between
occurrences of paying the wire from the spool.
[0032] Slot 72 is centrally located on an edge of top face 32 and
extends longitudinally in the same direction as the axes of
rotation of shaft 22 and the roll of wire 14. Prior to wire 14
being paid from spool 12, the wire is positioned so that it is
located in slot 72. As wire 14 is paid from spool 12 as result of
the wire being grasped and pulled from outside of container 10, the
wire moves back and forth between spool end faces 16 and 18.
Because slot 72 extends in the same direction as the back and forth
movement of wire 14 and the slot has sufficient length relative to
the spacing between end faces 16 and 18, the wire is easily paid
from spool 12 and the roll on which the wire is wound.
[0033] Slot 72 is formed by pulling tab 76 from top face 32. Tab 76
extends from and is integrally mounted on container 10 at the
container edge formed by the intersection of top face 32 and side
face 36. Tab 76 has parallel short straight edges 78 that extend
along top face 32 toward shaft 22, from the intersection of faces
32 and 36. Edges 78 are at right angles to the container edge
formed by the intersection of faces 32 and 36. Tab 76 includes
elongated straight edge 80 that intersects and is at right angles
to edges 78. In one actually constructed container for
accommodating a spool having an axial length of approximately four
inches (between four inch diameter sidewalls 16 and 18) tab 76 has
a length of approximately two inches and a width of approximately
3/8 of an inch.
[0034] Slit 74 extends in a direction at right angles to, and is
centered on, edge 80 so the slit extends perpendicularly to the
axes of rotation of shaft 22 and the roll of wire 14. In the
actually constructed container, slit 74 has a length of
approximately 11/4 inches. Slit 74 is formed by mating, abutting
edges 82 and 84 of top face 32. Edges 82 and 84 are respectively
the sides of tabs 86 and 88, each formed as a right triangle having
a base formed by one-half of edge 80 of slot 72. Triangular tabs 86
and 88 are respectively attached to top face 32 by hypotenuses 92
and 94, formed as spaced elongated indentations 96 in the top face
32 to facilitate movement of the tabs as a result of the end of
wire 14 being wedged in slot 74 between edges 82 and 84. In the
actually constructed container, each of the elongated indentations
96 has a length of approximately 3/8 of an inch and the proximate
ends of adjacent indentations are spaced from each other by
approximately 3/8 of an inch. To stabilize tabs 86 and 88 relative
to the remainder of top face 32, indentations 96 are arranged so
all segments of the indentations are spaced from edge 80 and slit
74.
[0035] Slit 74, edges 78 and 80 and indentations 96 are formed on
top face 32 by inserting a single die into the top face. The die
causes score lines to be formed in face 32 (1) along each of slit
74, edges 78 and 80, and (2) at indentations 96. The score lines
for slit 74, edges 78 and 80 are slightly deeper than the score
lines for indentations 96, to facilitate pulling of tab 72 and
insertion of wire 14 into slit 74, as well as to provide sufficient
gripping forces between tabs 86 and 88 and the remainder of top
face 32, along hypotenuses 92 and 94.
[0036] Top face 32 is hinged to sidewall 36 at the intersection of
the edges of the top face and the sidewall, i.e., at the same
intersection where tab 76 is connected to the remainder of
container 10. When a user pivots top face 32 about the hinge
between the top face and sidewall 36, container 10 is opened to
expose spool 12 and the tops of slots 39 and 40. Opening of
container 10 enables the user to remove spool 12 from slots 39 and
40 and thereby free the end of wire 14 from opening 20 in sidewall
16. After freeing the end of wire from opening 20, the user places
spool 12 in container 10 by inserting shaft 22 into slots 39 and
40, while the shaft is carrying the spool.
[0037] Prior to closing top face 32, the user pushes tab 76 from
the interior wall of top face 32 so edges 78 and 80 are separated
from the remainder of container 10. This action causes tab 76 to
hinge outwardly from container 10, about the intersection between
faces 32 and 36, to form slot 72. The user then inserts the free
end of wire 14 through slot 72 and pulls on the free end of the
wire from outside container 10 (as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7),
resulting in spool 12, the roll of wire 14 and shaft 22 turning in
container 10. The user then closes top face 32 and presses down
against abutting edges 82 and 84 to form slit 74.
[0038] The user then tugs on wire 14 to wedge the wire in slit 74
so the free end of the wire extends outwardly from container 10 (as
illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9). Hence, wire 14 remains in place,
does not unravel while stored in container 10 and is easily
accessible to a user when the user decides to pay the wire from the
container. Alternatively, the user can press down against abutting
edges 82 and 84 to form slit 74 and then form slot 72 by pulling
tab 76 upwardly from top face 32. In either case, the user wedges
wire 14 in slit 74 during intervals between paying of the wire from
container 10.
[0039] Panels 98, 100 and 102 are hinged with the three edges of
top face 32 that are not hinged to wall 36. Panels 98 and 100,
hinged with opposite edges of top face 32, respectively include
edges 104 and 106 in proximity to walls 37 and 38; edges 104 and
106 extend at right angles to walls 37 and 38 and the folded edges
between top face 32 and panels 98 and 100. Edges 108 and 110 of
panels 98 and 100 that are opposite to edges 104 and 106 taper
toward edges 104 and 106 from the folded edges between top face 32
and panel 102 to facilitate insertion of panels 98 and 100, as well
as panel 102, into the interior of container 10. Edges 104 and 106
are sufficiently long that the bottom edges 112 and 114 of panels
98 and 100 extend vertically, approximately to the centerline of
shaft 22 when top face 32 closes container 10. Bottom edges 112 and
114 respectively include semicircular cutouts 116 and 118, each
having a center somewhat below the axis of shaft 22. The radii of
cutouts 116 and 118 are (1) slightly in excess of the radius of
shaft 22 and (2) the distance separating the parallel elongated
edges 51 and 53 of slot 400. When panel 32 closes container 10,
panels 98 and 100 abut panels 44 and cutouts 116 and 118 are
aligned with opposite ends of shaft 22 to assist in holding the
shaft in place without contacting the shaft while the shaft turns
during payout of wire 14.
[0040] Panel 102, hinged with the edge of top face 32 that is
parallel to the edge formed by the intersection of faces 32 and 36,
includes flaps 120 and 122. Flaps 120 and 122 respectively include
edges 124 and 126 that are parallel to edges 104 and 106 of panels
98 and 100. Edges 124 and 126 have lengths such that when top face
32 closes container 10 (resulting in the interior wall of panel 102
abutting the outer wall of face 34) edges 128 and 130 of flaps 120
and 122 are respectively in close proximity to the edges of slots
39 and 40 closest to face 34. Edges 124 and 126 extend inwardly of
fold lines 132 and 134 between panel 102 and flaps 120 and 122, to
form an arcuate intersection with edges 108 and 110, and thereby
facilitate insertion of flaps 120 and 122 into slots 136 and 138 of
sidewalls 39 and 40. Insertion and removal of flaps 120 and 122
into slots 136 and 138 is also facilitated by providing arcs at the
edges 128 and 130 of the portions of flaps 120 and 122 which are
opposite to edges 124 and 126.
[0041] Container 10 is formed from a cardboard blank 150, as
illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B, wherein bottom line 152 of FIG.
11A and top line 154 of FIG. 11B are in actuality coincident, such
that the structures in FIGS. 11A and 11B are mirror images of each
other relative to lines 152 and 154. Blank 150 includes fold lines
forming the various previously described edges of container 10, as
well as the previously described score lines, slots, cutouts and
other edges.
[0042] While there has been described and illustrated a specific
embodiment of the invention, it will be clear that variations in
the details of the embodiment specifically illustrated and
described may be made without departing from the true spirit and
scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The
example, while the invention has been specifically described in
connection with metal picture hanging wire, it is to be understood
that many of the principles of the invention are applicable to
other thin elongated wire-like components, such as string, thread
and tubing.
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