The present disclosure relates generally to packaging, and more specifically to packaging of cable.
Communications cable may be packaged in a number of ways. Often communications cable is wound onto a reel or spool, from which it can easily be unwound for use as needed.
One packaging technique employs a “reel-in-box” configuration. As the name implies, the package includes a box in which a reel of cable is mounted. Inside the box, a reel wound with cable is mounted onto a horizontal post, which is in turn mounted onto plastic endplates within the box. The reel is free to rotate on the post. In use, cable can be fed from the reel through an opening in the box (for example, the lid may be removed from the box or opened). Reel-in-box packaging can be advantageous for shipping and for feeding of the cable, as the box can provide a stationary location from which the cable is fed.
Improvements in assembly of reel-in-box packages are desirable.
An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a cable packaging arrangement (e.g., reel-in-box package) including a plurality of tabs appending to the top and bottom portions of the arrangement which are individually shaped to be easily assembled together, respectively, so that the top and bottom portions of the cable packaging arrangement will be closed. The cable packaging arrangement has structural stiffness and integrity, so that the arrangement may bear the weight of spooled fiber optic cable.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the cable packaging arrangement has a number of fold lines such that the arrangement will fold in a flat manner for easy shipment.
According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, a perforation opening is provided within a side of the cable packaging arrangement to secure an end of the fiber optic cable therein.
According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, a large, perforated, payout window is provided to determine the amount of fiber optic cable remaining in the coil and to rewind fiber optic cable without opening the top of the cable packaging arrangement.
A variety of additional aspects will be set forth in the description that follows. These aspects can relate to individual features and to combinations of features. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the broad concepts upon which the embodiments disclosed herein are based.
A feature of the present disclosure relates to an easy assembled cable packaging arrangement. The cable packaging arrangement can include a plurality of parallel, linear or substantially straight scores for providing an easy fold and ship configuration.
An example cable packaging arrangement 10, for example, a reel-in-box package, is depicted in
As depicted in
In the example shown, the first and second side panels 18, 20 are connected at a first side panel fold line 28. The second and third side panels 20, 22 are connected at a second side panel fold line 30. The third and fourth side panels 22, 24 are connected at a third side panel fold line 32. The side panel arrangement 14 can also include an attachment tab 34 connected to the first side panel 18 at a fourth side panel fold line 36. The attachment tab 34 can be adhesively bonded to an interior side 38 of the fourth side panel 24. In the depicted example, the first, second, third, fourth side panels 18, 20, 22, 24 can be integrally formed, although alternatives are possible. The first, second, third and fourth side panel fold lines 28, 30, 32, and 36 can be parallel to one another.
The first and third side panels 18, 22 define centrally located circular openings 40. The second and fourth side panels 20, 24 define hand hold openings 42 (see
The size of the cable dispensing window 50 can provide customers with access to fiber optic cable 54 or other types of wire being paid out. The size of the cable dispensing window 50 further allows the fiber optic cable 54 to be rewind without opening a top of the box 12. For example, if too much fiber optic cable 54 has been paid out and the operator wishes to return the excess fiber optic cable 54 to the reel, the cable dispensing window 50 may be sufficiently spacious to allow an operator's hands to manipulate the reel. The cable dispensing window 50 may also be sufficiently large to provide visual access to the fiber optic cable 54 remaining on the reel, which can enable the operator to quickly assess the amount of fiber optic cable 54 remaining. The cable dispensing window 50 can include a small tab 56 (see
The second side panel 20 can include a starburst cut 58 to help prevent a loose end of the fiber optic cable 54 from inadvertently retracting into the box 12. The starburst cut 58 is an asterisk-shaped cut in the second side panel 20 to hold/park an end of the fiber optic cable 54 to help prevent a loose end of the fiber optic cable 54 from dangling to be damaged, tangled or hung-up. The fiber optic cable 54 can be fed out of the box 12 through the cable dispensing window 50 and then back into the box 12 through the starburst cut 58.
Turning again to
The first bottom flap 64 can be generally rectangular and can be configured to include a rectangular notch 80 positioned between first and second rectangular extensions 82, 84. Referring to
The second bottom flap 66 can include a third rectangular extension 86 that is positioned adjacent to the third side panel 22 when the box 12 is assembled. The second bottom flap 66 can also include a first angled edge 88 aligned at an oblique angle θ1 relative to the second bottom flap fold line 74 that extends generally from the first side panel fold line 28 to the third rectangular extension 86. The third bottom flap 68 can include a bottom retaining tab 90 that is centered between the second and fourth side panels 20, 24 when the box 12 is assembled (see
The third bottom flap 68 can also include a second angled edge 92 aligned at an oblique angle θ2 relative to the third bottom flap fold line 76 that extends generally from the second side panel fold line 30 to the bottom retaining tab 90. The third bottom flap 68 can further include a third angled edge 94 aligned at an oblique angle θ3 relative to the third bottom flap fold line 76 that extends generally from the third side panel fold line 32 to the bottom retaining tab 90.
The fourth bottom flap 70 can include a fourth rectangular extension 96 that is positioned adjacent to the third side panel 22 when the box 12 is assembled (see
The bottom retaining tab 90 can be arranged and configured to fit within the rectangular notch 80 of the first bottom flap 64 when the box 12 is assembled (see
Turning again to
The second top flap 108 can include a top retaining tab 122 that has a central main tab portion 124 positioned between folding retention flaps 126. The fourth top flap 112 can define a top retention slot 128 that receives the top retaining tab 122 to close the top 104 of the box 12 when the box 12 is assembled. The second top flap 108 can be locked into position by bending the central main tab portion 124 about 90° and folding the folding retention flaps 126 inwardly such that the folding retention flaps 126 tuck inside the top retention slot 128 along with the central main tab portion 124. When the top retaining tab 122 is secured within the top retention slot 128, the folding retention flaps 126 can extend outwardly to opposite sides of the hand hold openings 42 to secure the second top flap 108 in a closed position. The second top flap 108 can be moved to an open position by reaching through the hand hold openings 42 to fold the folding retention flaps 126 inwardly such that the folding retention flaps 126 and the central main tab portion 124 can be pulled out from the top retention slot 128. Once the top retaining tab 122 is pulled out of the top retention slot 128, the second top flap 108 can be released and lifted. The first and third top flaps 106, 110 can be sandwiched between the fourth top flap 112 and the second top flap 108 when the top 104 of the box 12 is closed. The top 104 of the box 12 can be self-locking such that no tape or the like is required to hold the top 104 of the box 12 closed. The first, second, third, and fourth top flaps 106, 108, 110, 112 are shaped and configured to be easily assembled thus reducing significant labor and associated cost by eliminating the need to tape or stable the top 104 of the box 12. As depicted in
The second and fourth side panels 20, 24 can include a removable portion 132 having a boundary 134 including perforations 136, slits or the like configured for allowing the removable portion 132 to be removed smoothly from the main body 48 of the second side panel 20 and from the fourth side panel 24. The boundary 134 of the removeable portion 132 defines the hand hold openings 42 when the removeable portion 132 has been removed from the second and fourth side panels 20, 24. A user need only to push with a finger against the removable portion 132 to break the perforations 136 and utilize the hand hold openings 42.
Turning again to
The spool assembly 138 includes a tensioner 144 that controls a force required to rotate the spool 140 relative to the frame 142. The spool assembly 138 may include dual tensioners 144 positioned on opposite sides of the frame 142. The dual tensioners 144 can extend through the central circular openings 40 of the box 12 and can be visible in or out of the box 12. The dual tensioners 144 can have three adjustable settings for customizing the fiber optic cable 54 payout.
In certain examples, the frame 142 can have opposite projections 146 that fit within respective central circular openings 40 on opposite sides of the box 12. The dual tensioners 144 can be arranged and configured to be incorporated into the respective projections 146 that fit in the central circular openings 40, respectively. The spool assembly 138 can also include the fiber optic cable 54 coiled about the spool 140. In order to dispense the fiber optic cable 54 from the box 12, the fiber optic cable 54 can be pulled from the box 12 though the dispensing window 50 causing the spool 140 to rotate within the box 12. The frame 142 can be constructed of a polymeric or plastic material, although alternatives are possible. Reference is made to one example frame available from Reel Options™ Vandor Corporation, EZ-Brake Boxed End Stands. It will be appreciated that other types of frames may be used in accord with the present disclosure.
Typically, the blank 16 for the box 12 has a dimension in the horizontal direction H that is at least 40 inches, although variations are possible. The horizontal direction H can extend from the terminal edge 100 of the fourth side panel 24 to the attachment tab 34. Often, the dimension in the horizontal direction H is at least 50 inches, although alternatives are possible. Usually, the dimension in the horizontal direction H is no more than 60 inches, although alternatives are possible.
Typically, the blank 16 for the box 12 has a dimension in the vertical direction V that is at least 25 inches, although alternatives are possible. The vertical direction V can extend from an edge 148 of the top retaining tab 122 of the second top flap 108 to an edge 150 (see
Typically, the first and third side panels 18, 22 of the box 12 has a dimension of (height) H1, that is at least 12 inches, although variations are possible. Often, the dimension of (height) H1 is at least 13¼ inches, although alternatives are possible. Usually, the dimension of (height) H1 is no more than 15 inches, although variations are possible.
In the depicted example, the dimension of (width) W1 of the first side panel 18 is typically at least 12 inches, although alternatives are possible. Often, the dimension of (width) W1 of the first side panel 18 is at least 13.13 inches, but alternatives are possible. Usually, the dimension of (width) W1 of the first side panel 18 is no more than 15 inches, although alternatives are possible.
In the depicted example, the dimension of (width) W2 of the second side panel 20 is typically at least 10 inches, although alternatives are possible. Often, the dimension of (width) W2 of the first side panel 20 is at least 11.38 inches, but alternatives are possible. Usually, the dimension of (width) W2 of the first side panel 20 is no more than 13 inches, although alternatives are possible.
In the depicted example, the dimension of (width) W3 of the third side panel 22 is typically at least 12 inches, although alternatives are possible. Often, the dimension of (width) W3 of the first side panel 22 is at least 13.13 inches, but alternatives are possible. Usually, the dimension of (width) W3 of the third side panel 22 is no more than 15 inches, although alternatives are possible.
In the depicted example, the dimension of (width) W4 of the fourth side panel 24 is typically at least 10 inches, although alternatives are possible. Often, the dimension of (width) W4 of the fourth side panel 24 is at least 11.25 inches, but alternatives are possible. Usually, the dimension of (width) W4 of the fourth side panel 24 is no more than 13 inches, although alternatives are possible.
In the depicted example, the dimension of (height) H2 of the edge 150 (see
It will be appreciated that the arrangement and configuration of the side panel arrangement, the bottom flap arrangement, and the top flap arrangement can vary with the size of the cable packaging arrangement 10.
From the forgoing detailed description, it will be evident that modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/331,106, filed May 3, 2016, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62331106 | May 2016 | US |