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US 2021/0316957 A1Published application
Collapsible/pop-up reel and method of making same
AssigneeVail Industries, Inc.
InventorJames T. Higgins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A collapsible reel having a high strength to weight ratio is provided. The collapsible reel comprises a core, around which a flexible media is wound, and flanges which prevent the wound flexible media from migrating axially off the core. The core is formed of first and second blanks having core portions and a plurality of spaced apart arms or tabs projecting from the core portions.
Claims17
A reel comprising:
- a core, around which an associated flexible media is wound, the core having
- a first hub portion having a central region and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart first tabs of a first length projecting radially from the central region of the first hub portion, and
- a second hub portion having a central region and a like number of circumferentially spaced apart second tabs of a second length less than the first length projecting radially from the central region of the second hub portion, radially outer end portions of the second tabs of the first hub portion secured to respective intermediate regions of the second tabs;
- and
- first and second flanges disposed at opposite ends of the core which prevent the wound flexible media from migrating off the core.
2 more elements
A method of assembling a collapsible reel comprising:
- providing first and second hub portions wherein at least one of the hub portions has longer, first tabs and shorter, second tabs of different lengths,
- securing the first and second tabs of the first hub portion to respective tabs of the second hub portion;
- providing first and second scored fold lines in radially spaced relation along the tabs of the second hub portion;
- securing the tabs extending from the first hub portion to regions between the outer radial scored fold lines and terminal ends of corresponding tabs extending from the second hub portion;
- pulling first and second flanges apart;
- and
- straightening adjoining tabs to form a core interposed between the flanges.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.