Continuous dispensing reel system
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsChristopher J. Samaras, Kevin D. Erickson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A generally continuous string of container carriers are positioned on a base (35) wherein container carriers are housed on multiple reels (40) and are spliced together between adjacent reels to form the generally continuous string and the multiple reels are arranged on at least one axle (55) for dispensing.
Claims21
A system for dispensing a generally continuous string of container carriers, each container carrier for unitizing a plurality of containers, the system comprising:
- a base;
- two rigid sidewalls extending from the base;
- an axle extending between the rigid sidewalls;
- and
- at least two reels positioned around the axle, each reel including a string of container carriers that are spliced together to form a generally continuous string of container carriers, wherein each reel is back-wrapped.
A generally continuous string of container carriers, each container carrier for unitizing a plurality of containers, the generally continuous string of container carriers comprising:
- a first reel having a string of container carriers;
- a second reel having a string of container carriers, the second reel connected to the first reel with a splice, wherein the first reel and the second reel are back-wrapped;
- an axle supporting at least one of the first reel and the second reel;
- and
- at least two sidewalls enclosing the first reel and the second reel.
A package of container carriers comprising:
- a carton;
- a generally continuous string of container carriers rolled onto a plurality of reels in a generally continuous fashion wherein adjacent reels are separated by a splice, wherein an additional layer of reels is positioned on top of the plurality of reels, and wherein at least one reel of container carriers in the additional layer of reels is spliced to at least one reel of container carriers in the plurality of reels below.
A system for dispensing a generally continuous string of container carriers, each container carrier for unitizing a plurality of containers, the system comprising:
- a base;
- two rigid sidewalls extending from the base;
- at least one axle extending between the rigid sidewalls;
- and
- six reels arranged in two rows, wherein two reels of the six reels along one rigid sidewall of the two rigid sidewalls include a spliced connection and two reels of the six reels along the other rigid sidewall of the two rigid sidewalls include a spliced connection, wherein at least two reels are positioned around the at least one axle, each reel including a string of container carriers that are spliced together to form a generally continuous string of container carriers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.