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US 7,441,582 B2Granted
Anti-bow roller tube housing assembly
OwnerStephen Lukosinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A roller tube housing includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion configured to lockingly engage with the first housing portion defining an interior and an exterior. A support cradle can be formed integral with the first housing portion. The support cradle can be configured to support the roller tube along a length of the roller tube. A dispensing passage for dispensing material from said roller tube.
Claims28
A roller tube housing including a roller tube with an axis of rotation and sheet material comprising:
- an elongate first housing portion having a side wall and a generally planar bottom wall cantilevered from said side wall, said cantilevered bottom wall carrying a support cradle coextensive therewith, said cradle being integral with said bottom wall;
- an elongate second housing portion having a side wall and a generally planar top wall configured to snap fit and lockingly engage with said first housing portion to provide a housing with an interior and a generally rectangular exterior cross-section;
- said support cradle being generally crescent shaped and having at least a portion that is elevated above said bottom wall, said support cradle being configured to support said roller tube from underneath the roller tube and at least partly directly below said axis of rotation throughout the winding and unwinding of said sheet material around the roller tube, during which an outer diameter of the sheet material on the roller tube varies;
- and
- a gap between the side wall of said second housing portion and an end of said cantilevered bottom wall farthest from said first housing portion side wall, said gap forming a dispensing passage for dispensing material from said roller tube.
2 more elements
A method of mounting a sheet material disposed on a roller tube having an axis of rotation in a housing comprising:
- forming an elongate first housing portion including a first support wall with an upper boundary and a lower boundary opposite said upper boundary, a pivot element and a locking tab formed in said first support wall proximate said upper boundary;
- forming an elongate second housing portion having a second support wall with a top section adjacent a side section, an insert edge and a tang element formed in said top section distal from said side section;
- providing an elongate bottom wall extending from and substantially orthogonal to one of said first and second support walls, said bottom wall having a generally crescent shaped support cradle formed integrally and coextensive therewith, at least a portion of the support cradle being elevated above said bottom wall;
- coupling said first housing portion and said second housing portion such that a dispensing passage is formed between a free end of said bottom wall and the support wall of the housing portion from which the bottom wall does not extend;
- and
- supporting said roller tube and material disposed thereon along a length of said roller tube with said support cradle, said support cradle supporting said roller tube from underneath said roller tube and at least partly directly below said axis of rotation throughout the winding and unwinding of sheet material around the roller tube, during which an outer diameter of the sheet material on the roller tube varies.
3 more elements
A roller tube housing including a roller tube having an axis of rotation and sheet material comprising:
- an elongate first housing portion having a first support wall including an upper boundary and a lower boundary opposite said upper boundary;
- a pivot element formed in said first support wall proximate said upper boundary;
- a locking tab formed in said first support wall proximate said upper boundary;
- an elongate generally planar bottom wall formed integral with said first support wall proximate said lower boundary and having a support cradle integral and coextensive therewith, said support cradle being generally crescent shaped and having at least a portion that is elevated above said bottom wall, said support cradle being adapted to support a roller tube from underneath said roller tube and at least partly directly below said axis of rotation throughout the winding and unwinding of sheet material around the roller tube, during which an outer diameter of the sheet material on the roller tube varies;
- an elongate second housing portion having a second support wall including a generally planar top section adjacent a side section;
- an insert edge formed in said top section distal from said side section configured to be rotatable in said pivot element;
- a tang element formed in said top section near said insert edge, said tang element configured to snap fit with said locking tab;
- and
- a dispensing passage formable between said support cradle and said side section of said second housing distal from said top section.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.