Light-tight and physically protected packaging for a roll of photosensitive web

Light-tight packaging for photosensitive web roll wound on a core, said core having opposing end openings surrounding an interior wall, said roll having opposing annular faces and end peripheral edges surrounding said opposing annular faces, and a leading end portion extending from an outermost first convolution of said roll, said packaging comprising:

• a pair of opaque end members, one attached to each end of said core, said opaque end members each being configured to cover a portion of a respective one of said annular faces;
• an opaque flexible material portion detachably attached to said leading end portion of said roll, said flexible material portion having sequentially first, second, and third stretchable segments, said first and third stretchable segments each having a similar width (w.sub.1) initially somewhat wider than the width (w.sub.2) of said roll, and said second stretchable segment having a width (w.sub.3) equal to or less than the width (w.sub.2) of the roll;
• said first stretchable segment of said flexible material portion being stretchably wrapped around said outermost first convolution of said roll to form an outermost second convolution, said first stretchable segment being wrapped to overhang the end peripheral edges of said roll and overlap a portion of the opposing annular faces of the roll thereby forming a first overlap portion on each of the annular faces;
• said second stretchable segment being wrapped around at least a portion of said outermost second convolution;
• said third stretchable segment being wrapped around said outermost second convolution for at least two convolutions to form an outermost third and fourth convolution, said third stretchable segment being wrapped to overhang said end peripheral edges and overlay said end members attached to said core to form a second overlap portion, said third stretchable segment further overlapping continuously at least a portion of each of said opaque end members, said second overlap of said third stretchable segment about each of said opaque end members being sufficient to compressively seal each of said opaque end members to a respective annular face of said roll;
• wherein said first and second overlap portions cooperate with each of said opaque end members to form a seal on each said annular face for resisting the ingress of light to said roll;
• and,
• wherein a cushioning layer is sandwiched between said third and fourth convolutions for protecting the roll from shock and abrasion.

An article of manufacture, comprising:

• a web roll having opposing annular faces, and end peripheral edges surrounding said annular faces;
• light-tight packaging enclosing said web roll, said light-tight packaging comprising:
• a pair of opaque end members, one attached to each end of said core, said opaque end members each being configured to cover a portion of a respective one of said annular faces;
• an opaque flexible material portion detachably attached to a leading end portion of said roll, said flexible material portion having sequentially first, second and third stretchable segments, said first and third stretchable segments each having a similar width (w.sub.1) initially somewhat wider than the width (w.sub.2) of said roll, and said second stretchable segment having a width (w.sub.3) equal to or less than the width (w.sub.2) of the roll;
• said first stretchable segment of said flexible material portion being stretchably wrapped around an outermost first convolution of said roll to form an outermost second convolution, said first stretchable segment being wrapped to overhang said end peripheral edges and overlap a portion of said opposing annular faces of said roll thereby forming a first overlap portion on said annular face;
• said second stretchable segment being wrapped around at least a portion of said outermost second convolution;
• and,
• said third stretchable segment being wrapped around said outermost second convolution to form an outermost third convolution, said third stretchable segment being wrapped to overhang said end peripheral edges and overlay said first overlap portion to form a second overlap portion, said third stretchable segment further overlapping continuously at least a portion of said opaque end members, said second overlap of said third stretchable segment about each of said opaque end members being sufficient to compressively seal each of said opaque end members to a respective annular face of said roll;
• and
• wherein said first and second overlap portions cooperate with each of said opaque end members to form a seal on each of said respective annular face for resisting the ingress of light thereto.