Tubular core assembly with interlocking end members and system for use thereof to wind a continuous web

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6276528
  • Patent Number
    6,276,528
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, October 5, 1999
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, August 21, 2001
    22 years ago
Abstract
A tubular core assembly and system including a rigid, open ended, tubular core body having grip strips arranged in a pattern on the outer surface of the tubular core body, at least one circumferential locking area, and a pair of annular insert members each configured to be received within respective opposed ends of the tubular core body. Upon engagement of an annular insert member with an end of the tubular core body, at least one radially extending member integrally formed on an external peripheral surface of the insert member, becomes releasably interlocked with the locking area, and one or more other radially extending members become frictionally engaged with an inner surface of the tubular core body. The pattern of the grip strips is configured such that when sheet material disposed in a first wrap around the tubular outer surface frictionally engages the grip strips, the first wrap remains releasably retained and successive wraps of the sheet material are disposed in a tightly rolled configuration. The assembly further includes an over-wrap arranged to encase a roll of sheet material wrapped around the tubular core body so that opposing ends of the over-warp are each releasably retained in a pinching engagement between a respective annular insert member and the tubular core body.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to a tubular core assembly of the type used for winding continuous webs such as, for example, roll carpet or other forms of web material such as plastic film, newsprint and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to a tubular core assembly having mechanically interlocked end members, or inserts, facilitate the retention of a protective overwrap material used to protect the material wound upon a core.




2. Description of Related Art




U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,010 discloses a tubular core assembly for winding or unwinding sheet material, including inside diameter-reducing annular insert members at opposed ends of the tubular core. Each annular insert member is mechanically interlocked to the tubular core by at least one axial groove in the bodywall of the tubular core, which is arranged to engage an axially extending tongue member on an annular insert member.




U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,050 also discloses a similar tubular core assembly, wherein inside diameter-reducing annular insert members are mechanically locked to the tubular core by at least one radially extending pin.




U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,636 discloses a tubular core assembly that includes end caps, or plugs, arranged to be press-fit into the core to prevent damage to the end portions of the core. The core plugs include an outside lip area to aid in removal of the core plugs from the tubular core.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention provides a tubular core assembly and system. The system includes a rigid, open ended, tubular core body, a pair of annular insert members, an over-wrap, an installation tool and a removing tool. The tubular core assembly includes the tubular core body, which has grip strips arranged in a pattern on its outer surface, and at least one circumferential locking area adjacent each end of the tubular core body, and a pair of annular insert members each configured to be received within respective opposed ends of the tubular core body.




Each insert member includes a plurality of radially extending members integrally formed on an external peripheral surface of the insert member and configured to be received in one or more circumferential locking areas of the tubular core body. Upon engagement of an insert member with an end of the tubular core body, one or more of the radially extending members become releasably interlocked with the locking area, and one or more other radially extending members become frictionally engaged with an inner surface of the tubular core body.




The grip strips may be arranged in any pattern, and preferably in either as straight strips oriented parallel to the long dimension of the tubular core body, or in a helical pattern, generally wrapping around the tubular core body. The grip strips may be made of any material which satisfies the function of frictionally engaging the first wrap of a continuous web adapted to be rolled about the tubular core body.




The tubular core assembly further includes an over-wrap, such as, for example, a plastic sheet material, arranged to encase a roll of sheet material wrapped around the tubular core body so that opposing ends of the over-warp are each releasably retained in a pinching engagement between a respective annular insert member and the inside wall of the tubular core body.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The above and other features of the present invention and the attendant advantages will be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art and the invention will be more easily understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.





FIG. 1

is a schematic illustration of tubular core assembly


1


, according to the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a schematic illustration of the manner in which the core assembly is formed, according to the present invention;





FIG. 3

is a schematic illustration of the tubular core body including gripping strips arranged in a helical pattern, according to the present invention;





FIG. 3A

is a schematic illustration of radially extending tongue members in the form of a knurled pattern according to the present invention;





FIG. 4

is a schematic cross-sectional view of the tubular core body including circumferential cooperative locking areas extending partially through the bodywall, according to the present invention;





FIG. 5

is a schematic illustration of an annular insert member according to the present invention;





FIG. 6

is a schematic illustration of a radially extending tongue member according to the present invention;





FIG. 7

is a schematic illustration of a radially extending tongue member in the form of spaced, circumferential segments according to the present invention;





FIG. 8

is a schematic illustration of a radially extending tongue member in the form of a dimple according to the present invention;





FIG. 9

is a schematic illustration of the annular insert member completely seated in one end of the tubular core body according to the present invention;





FIG. 10

is a schematic illustration of one end of the tubular core assembly including an over-wrap according to the present invention;





FIG. 11

is a cross-sectional schematic view of one end of tubular core assembly according to the present invention;





FIG. 12

is a schematic illustration of the installation tool engaged in an annular end insert member according to the present invention;





FIG. 13

is a schematic illustration of side and end views of the removing tool according to the present invention.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS





FIG. 1

is a schematic illustration of tubular core assembly


1


, according to the present invention, showing an elongate hollow cylindrical member or tubular core body


10


and a pair of annular insert members


12


,


12


′, each oriented to be received by opposing ends of tubular core assembly


1


. Tubular core body


10


can be made of any rigid material that can be configured with a slot having a profile that retains one of the annular insert members


12


,


12


′, as described in more detail, below. Preferably, tubular core body is


10


is made of polypropylene, but other materials can be used to form the core body such as, for example, plastic, recycled plastic, or similar materials, by molding or extrusion. Multiple layer tubular bodies formed by a conventional convolute wrapping process can also be used.





FIG. 2

is a schematic illustration of the manner in which the core assembly is formed. A user holding an annular insert member


12


positions member


12


for assembly into one end of tubular core body


10


. Tubular core body


10


includes a bodywall


14


having an outer surface


16


, grip strips


18


arranged in a pattern on outer surface


16


, and at least one circumferential slot


20


adjacent to each end.




Grip strips


18


may be arranged in any convenient pattern extending between opposing ends of the tubular core body


10


, so that sheet material, for example, a continuous carpet web, disposed in a first wrap around the tubular outer surface


16


frictionally engages the grip strips


18


. In this manner, the first wrap is releasably retained on the core body


10


and successive wraps of the sheet material are wrapped about the core body


10


in a tightly rolled configuration. The pattern can be one of straight strips oriented parallel to the long dimension of the tubular core body, as shown in

FIG. 2

, or a helical pattern, with strips


22


arranged in a spaced relation to one another, as shown in FIG.


3


. The grip strips


18


and


22


are manufactured by any number of methods. As non-limiting examples, grip strips


18


and


22


are made of synthetic or natural material and are applied to the outer surface of the tubular core body


10


by co-extrusion, spray, or hand application. Preferably, grip strips


18


and


22


are co-extruded and made of thermal plastic rubber. Any pattern of grip strips


18


and


22


is suitable and various materials may be used which satisfy the function of frictionally engaging the first wrap of a continuous web adapted to be rolled about the tubular core body


10


.




Alternatively, grip strips


18


,


22


may be a knurled pattern, as schematically illustrated in FIG.


3


A.

FIG. 3A

schematically illustrates a portion of annular end insert member


12


, including exterior periphery


24


, which includes a knurled pattern


19


, i.e., a plurality of raised portions produced by a knurling process. Also shown, is a cross-sectional view of member


12


, revealing the raised portions of the periphery


24


.




Tubular core body


10


may be configured to have one or more circumferential cooperative locking areas


20


integrally formed in the bodywall


14


adjacent to a respective end of body


10


. Circumferential cooperative locking areas


20


may have any convenient shape, and typically, but not by way of limitation, areas


20


are through slots substantially rectangular or oblong in shape, which are milled, punched, or cast into bodywall


14


. The shape and dimensions of slots


20


are determined by the dimensions, spacing, and profile of radially extending tongue members


26


. Circumferential cooperative locking areas


20


can extend from inner surface


21


to a depth partially through bodywall


14


so as to form a groove


20


′ in the internal wall, as shown in

FIG. 4

, however, preferably, areas


20


have a depth extending completely through the bodywall to form spaced slots along the periphery of the core body


10


adjacent each end, as shown in FIG.


3


.





FIG. 5

is a schematic illustration of annular insert member


12


, which is identical to end insert member


12


′. Annular insert members


12


,


12


′ have a cylindrical exterior periphery


24


with a diameter slightly less than that of core body


10


, and are configured to be received by respective ends of tubular core body


10


in coaxial relation therewith. Annular insert members


12


,


12


′ preferably are resiliently deformable, thereby facilitating removal after assembly with an end of tubular core body


10


, thereby enabling repeated reuse without sustaining substantial damage resulting from the removal step. Preferably, end insert members


12


,


12


′ are made of polypropylene, but other materials can be used, including recycled plastic. At least one, and preferably a plurality, of radially extending tongue members


26


are integrally formed on cylindrical exterior periphery


24


, and are configured to interlock with circumferential locking areas or slots


20


when annular insert members


12


,


12


′ are pressed into respective ends of tubular core body


10


. Preferably, the interlocking engagement between annular insert member


12


and tubular core body


10


is releasable.





FIG. 6

is a schematic illustration of a radially extending tongue member


26


extending from exterior periphery


24


. Tongue member


26


includes a cam surface


27


extending outward from periphery


24


and has a cam profile configured for camming engagement with an inner surface


21


of tubular core body


10


. Cam surface


27


is configured to provide assistance during insertion of annular insert member


12


into an end of tubular core body


10


. Preferably, the cam profile includes a slope from an initial height H1 downward to the exterior periphery


24


of the annular insert member


12


. The direction of the slope facilitates easy assembly of end insert member


12


into core body


10


, because, when pressed together, the camming effect of cam surface


27


resiliently deforms either tongue member


26


or periphery


24


, depending on selection of materials and dimensions. Preferably, surface


28


is substantially perpendicular to exterior periphery


24


and is configured for locking engagement with an end wall


23


of one of the circumferential cooperative locking areas


20


, thereby preventing rotation of the annular insert member


12


with respect to the tubular core body


10


. Preferably, surface


29


is also substantially perpendicular to exterior periphery


24


, so that upon assembly, surface


29


abuts a circumferential wall


25


of the locking area


20


.





FIG. 7

schematically illustrates an alternative embodiment, in which radially extending tongue member


26


is in the form of spaced segments


26


′ extending circumferentially along the peripheral surface


24


. Each segment


26


′ has a cam profile configured for ease of assembly and for locking engagement with a respective circumferential locking area or slot


20


. Preferably, each segment


26


′ is keyed to one corresponding area or slot


20


and extends substantially along the entire length thereof.





FIG. 8

schematically illustrates an alternative embodiment having a substantially half-spherical cam profile, as a dimple raised above exterior periphery


24


of annular insert member


12


.




The radially extending tongue members


26


are preferably deformable to a certain extent to allow insertion of the end insert members


12


,


12


′ into the core body


10


, regardless of the specific cam profile employed. Alternatively, end insert members


12


,


12


′ are sufficiently deformable to allow this insertion. Sliding engagement of the radially extending tongue member


26


with inner surface


21


of tubular core body


10


causes certain tongue members


26


, or alternatively, portions of end insert member


12


,


12


′, to temporarily deform until they seat and extend into the circumferential slots


20


, and return to, or nearly to, their original profile. Those tongue members


26


that are not aligned in a slot, press against inner surface


21


and frictionally retain the end insert member


12


,


12


′ in position.




Again referring to

FIG. 5

, annular insert member


12


further includes a leading end


30


and a trailing end


32


. Each end


30


and


32


has a face oriented perpendicular to cylindrical exterior periphery


24


of end insert member


12


. Trailing end


32


includes a lip


34


forming a circumferentially extending lip wall


36


oriented perpendicular to the exterior cylindrical periphery


24


. In use, when annular insert member


12


is pressed completely into interlocking engagement with one end of tubular core body


10


, the lip wall


36


abuts the end of tubular core body


10


. Leading end


30


further includes a beveled surface


31


having a leading edge


33


with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical core body


10


. Beveled surface


31


thus functions to assist in assembly of annular insert member


12


into an end of tubular core body


10


.





FIG. 9

schematically illustrates the tubular core assembly


1


with an annular insert member


12


completely seated in one end of tubular core body


10


. Several groupings, represented by groupings


37


and


37


′, of radially tongue members


26


are shown engaged in, and protruding through respective circumferential slots


20


and


20


′.





FIG. 10

is a schematic illustration of one end of a tubular core assembly


1


, which according to the present invention, operates in conjunction with an over-wrap


36


adapted to protectively encase a roll of sheet material, such as a carpet web, carried on tubular core body


10


. Over-wrap


36


can be any paper, plastic, cloth or other sheet material having a general shape, preferably a rectangular shape, which allows it to be wrapped about the carpet web or other material carried on the core body


10


and to be protected from external elements and possible damage. Each of two opposing ends of over-wrap


36


is arranged to be releasably retained in a pinching engagement between a respective annular insert member


12


,


12


′ and tubular core body


10


. To this end, the over-wrap


36


, after being wrapped about the web material, is inserted into the free ends of core body


10


, after which an insert


12


,


12


′ is pressed into the core body


10


, trapping or capturing the over-wrap


36


in place.





FIG. 11

is a cross-sectional schematic view of one end of tubular core assembly


2


, showing tubular core body


10


and annular insert member


12


, including radially extending tongue members


26


and


26


′ in seated, locking engagement with respective circumferential slot


20


or optionally, groove


20


′. Over-wrap


36


is shown as captured between annular insert member


12


and tubular body member


12


.





FIG. 11

also shows a cross-sectional view of sloping cam surface


27


of tongue member


26


in cooperation with circumferential slot


20


, when end insert member


12


is completely engaged in core body


10


. When end insert member


12


is moved in the direction of arrow A, i.e., in an insertion direction into tubular core body


10


, sloping surface


27


contacts inner surface


21


of core body


10


first, thereby forcing resilient deformation of either the tongue member


26


or the end insert member


12


, so that end insert member


12


travels therein until completely engaged, as illustrated in FIG.


11


. Whether tongue member


26


or end insert member


12


deforms depends on selection of materials and dimensions. When completely engaged, whichever of tongue member


26


, or end insert member


12


that sustained resilient deformation, returns to substantially its original shape, and surface


29


remains abutted against circumferential locking slot wall


25


. Further, as described in connection with

FIGS. 6 and 9

, surface


28


is substantially perpendicular to exterior periphery


24


of end insert member


12


and is configured for locking engagement with an end wall


23


of one of the circumferential cooperative locking areas


20


, thereby preventing rotation of the annular insert member


12


with respect to the tubular core body


10


.





FIG. 12

is a schematic illustration of a preferred embodiment of an installation tool


38


shown in engagement with annular insert member


12


. Tool


38


includes a first end


40


and second end


42


, an annular shoulder


44


disposed therebetween in coaxial relation therewith, and a handle portion


46


disposed between the annular shoulder


44


and the second end


42


. The first end


40


is configured to be operatively inserted in an annular insert member


12


, and annular insert member


12


together with tool


38


are configured to be inserted into tubular core body


10


. Second end


42


is configured operatively to receive driving impacts, so that during use, the handle portion


46


is held so as to locate first end


40


inside an annular insert member


12


so that annular shoulder


44


abuts annular raised lip


34


of annular insert member


12


, so that when second end


42


is impacted, tool


38


drivingly seats annular insert member


12


into seated engagement with tubular core body


10


.





FIG. 13

is a schematic illustration of a removing tool


48


, including a handle end


50


configured for gripping and an opposing chisel end


52


having a chisel-like profile. In use, handle end


50


is gripped so as to orient chisel end


52


in a gap formed at the juncture between the outer lip


34


of annular insert member


12


and the inner surface of tubular core body


10


. Upon prying manipulation of tool


38


, the annular insert member


12


may be separated from tubular core body


10


. Advantageously, this separation occurs as a result of appropriate selection of materials and dimensions of the interlocked components, thereby enabling the annular insert member


12


to be resiliently deformed until completely disengaged from core body


10


. Disengagement of end insert member


12


from core body


10


results after vertical wall


29


becomes fully disengaged from wall


25


of cooperating circumferential slot


20


. As a result, both end insert member


12


and core body


10


sustain little, or no, damage when separated, and can be repeatedly re-used, thereby providing cost savings.




While this invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternative modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention as set forth herein are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. A tubular core assembly for a roll of sheet material comprising:an elongate hollow cylindrical tubular core body comprising a bodywall having an outer and inner surface, said tubular core body having at least one circumferential slot integrally formed in said bodywall, extending through said bodywall; annular insert members, said annular insert members each having a cylindrical exterior periphery and configured to be inserted and received into respective ends of said tubular core body in coaxial relation therewith; and a plurality of spaced, outwardly extending tongue members integrally formed on said cylindrical exterior periphery of each of said annular insert members and configured to be received in said slots of said tubular core body in interlocking relationship therewith, whereupon engagement of said annular insert members with respective ones of said opposing ends of said tubular core body results in said at least one radially extending tongue member being received in interlocking engagement with said at least one circumferential slot and at least one other radially extending tongue member being received in frictional engagement against the inner surface of said bodywall to frictionally retain said inserted annular insert member in place.
  • 2. The tubular core assembly of claim 1 wherein said interlocking engagement is releasable.
  • 3. The tubular core assembly of claim 1 wherein said at least one radially extending tongue member includes a sloping surface extending from an initial height downward in the direction of a leading end of said annular insert member to the exterior periphery of the annular insert member, said sloping surface being contiguous with a flat locking surface substantially perpendicular to said exterior periphery and configured for releasably locking engagement with a side wall of one of the circumferential slots, and a side surface for locking engagement with an end wall of one of the circumferential slots so as to prevent rotation of the annular insert member with respect to the tubular core body.
  • 4. The tubular core assembly of claim 1 wherein said at least one radially extending tongue member is resiliently deformable, whereupon sliding engagement of said at least one radially extending tongue member with the inner surface of said tubular core body causes said at least one first radially extending tongue member to temporarily deform until said at least one first radially extending tongue member seats in releasably locking engagement with one of said at least one circumferential slots, while at least one second radially extending tongue member resiliently deforms and is maintained in frictional engagement with the inner surface of said tubular core body.
  • 5. The tubular core assembly of claim 1 further comprising:grip strips arranged in a pattern on said outer surface of said bodywall and extending between opposing ends of said tubular core body.
  • 6. The tubular core assembly of claim 5 wherein said pattern comprises one of spaced strips oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular core body, spiral strips defined by strips arranged in a spaced relation to one another in a generally helical pattern around the tubular core body, or a knurled surface.
  • 7. The tubular core assembly of claim 5 wherein said grip strips are one of a synthetic or natural material disposed on the outer surface of the tubular core body as one of a co-extrusion, spray, or hand application.
  • 8. The tubular core assembly of claim 5 wherein said tubular core body is made of polypropylene and said co-extruded grip strips are made of thermal plastic rubber.
  • 9. A tubular core assembly for a roll of sheet material comprising:an elongate hollow cylindrical tubular core body comprising a bodywall having an outer and inner surface, said tubular core body having at least one circumferential slot integrally formed in said bodywall, extending through said bodywall; annular insert members, said annular insert members each having a cylindrical exterior periphery and configured to be inserted and received into respective ends of said tubular core body in coaxial relation therewith; a plurality of spaced, outwardly extending tongue members integrally formed on said cylindrical exterior periphery of each of said annular insert members and configured to be received in said slots of said tubular core body in interlocking relationship therewith, whereupon engagement of said annular insert members with respective ones of said opposing ends of said tubular core body results in said at least one radially extending tongue member being received in interlocking engagement with said at least one circumferential slot and at least one other radially extending tongue member being received in frictional engagement against the inner surface of said bodywall to frictionally retain said inserted annular insert member in place; wherein said at least one radially extending tongue member includes a sloping surface for camming engagement with the inner surface of said tubular core body upon insertion of said end insert member into an end of the tubular core body; and locking surfaces including a vertical back edge for preventing withdrawal of said end insert member from said core body and a vertical side wall for preventing rotation of said end insert member with respect to said core body.
  • 10. The tubular core assembly of claim 9 wherein each said at least one radially extending tongue member comprises one of a circumferential arrangement of spaced outwardly extending elongated segments, each said segment having a sloping surface for insertion of the end insert member into the tubular body and for locking engagement with a respective one of said at least one circumferential slots, or an arrangement of substantially a half-spherical dimples.
  • 11. The tubular core assembly of claim 7 wherein said interlocking engagement is releasable.
  • 12. A tubular core assembly system comprising an elongate tubular core body having an outer surface and an inner surface and grip strips arranged in a pattern on the outer surface, a plurality of spaced slots adjacent opposite ends of said core body extending substantially therethrough,a pair of annular insert members each configured to be received within respective opposed ends of said tubular core body in coaxial relation therewith; and said annular insert members each including spaced radially extending deformable members integrally formed on an exterior periphery of the end insert member and configured to be received in said slots of said tubular core body in interlocking relationship therewith, whereupon engagement of said annular insert members with respective ones of said opposing ends of said tubular core body results in at least one first radially extending member achieving interlocking engagement with said at least one circumferential slot and at least one second radially extending member frictionally engaging the inner surface of said core body.
  • 13. The tubular core assembly system of claim 12 wherein said at least one radially extending deformable member is resiliently deformable, whereupon sliding engagement of radially extending deformable members with the inner surface of said tubular core body causes said at least one first radially extending deformable member to temporarily deform until said at least one first radially extending deformable member seats in releasably locking engagement with one of said at least one circumferential slots, while at least one second radially extending deformable member resiliently deforms and is maintained in a frictional engagement with the inner surface of said tubular core body.
  • 14. The tubular core assembly system of claim 12 wherein said pattern comprises one of strips oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular core body and extending between opposing ends of said tubular core body, spiral strips arranged in a spaced relation to one another in a generally helical pattern around the tubular core body, or a knurled pattern including a plurality of raised portions of said outer surface of said tubular core body; andsaid grip strips are one of a synthetic or natural material disposed on the outer surface of the tubular core body as one of a co-extrusion, spray, or hand application.
  • 15. The tubular core assembly system of claim 12, further including an over-wrap having opposing ends, said over-wrap adapted to encase a roll of sheet material wrapped around said tubular core body with each of said opposing ends releasably retained in a pinching engagement between a respective annular insert member and said tubular core body.
  • 16. A tubular core assembly system comprising an elongate tubular core body having an outer surface and an inner surface and grip strips arranged in a pattern on the outer surface, a plurality of spaced slots adjacent opposite ends of said core body extending substantially therethrough,a pair of annular insert members each configured to be received within respective opposed ends of said tubular core body in coaxial relation therewith; said annular insert members each including spaced radially extending deformable members integrally formed on an exterior periphery of the end insert member and configured to be received in said slots of said tubular core body in interlocking relationship therewith, whereupon engagement of said annular insert members with respective ones of said opposing ends of said tubular core body results in at least one first radially extending member achieving interlocking engagement with said at least one circumferential slot and at least one second radially extending member frictionally engaging the inner surface of said core body; an installation tool, said tool having first and second ends, an annular shoulder disposed therebetween in coaxial relation therewith, and a handle portion disposed between said annular shoulder and said second end, said first end configured to be operatively inserted in one of said pair of annular insert members, said second end configured operatively to receive driving impacts, whereby in use, said handle portion is held so as to locate said first end inside an annular insert member so that said annular shoulder abuts an annular raised lip of said annular insert member, so that when said second end is impacted, said tool drivingly seats said annular insert member into seated engagement with said tubular core body.
  • 17. The tubular core assembly system of claim 16 further comprising:a removing tool, said removing tool including a handle end configured for gripping and an opposing chisel end, whereby in use, said handle end is gripped so as to orient said chisel end in a gap formed by a juncture between an annular insert member disposed in locking engagement with a tubular core body, whereupon prying manipulation of said tool results in separating said annular insert member from said tubular core body.
  • 18. The tubular core assembly system of claim 16 wherein said at least one radially extending deformable member is resiliently deformable, whereupon sliding engagement of radially extending deformable members with the inner surface of said tubular core body causes said at least one first radially extending deformable member to temporarily deform until said at least one first radially extending deformable member seats in releasably locking engagement with one of said at least one circumferential slots, while at least one second radially extending deformable member resiliently deforms and is maintained in a frictional engagement with the inner surface of said tubular core body.
  • 19. The tubular core assembly system of claim 16 wherein said pattern comprises one of strips oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular core body and extending between opposing ends of said tubular core body, spiral strips arranged in a spaced relation to one another in a generally helical pattern around the tubular core body, or a knurled pattern including a plurality of raised portions of said outer surface of said tubular core body; andsaid grip strips are one of a synthetic or natural material disposed on the outer surface of the tubular core body as one of a co-extrusion, spray, or hand application.
  • 20. The tubular core assembly system of claim 16, further including an over-wrap having opposing ends, said over-wrap adapted to encase a roll of sheet material wrapped around said tubular core body with each of said opposing ends releasably retained in a pinching engagement between a respective annular insert member and said tubular core body.
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