Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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COMBINED FIBER CONTAINERS AND PAYOUT
TUBES AND PLASTIC PAYOUT TUBES
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Related Art
This application is related to the subject-matter described in US Patent
5,979,812, entitled "Coil with Large Payout Hole and Tube for Kinkless
Payout";
in US Patent 6,109,554 entitled "Combined Fiber containers and Payout Tubes
and Plastic Payout Tubes; and in US Patent 6,086,012, entitled "Combined Fiber
Containers and Payout Tube and Plastic Payout Tube; all assigned to the same
assignee as the present invention.
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to payout tubes for guiding filamentary material
through a payout hole extending from the outer wind to the inner wind of a
coil
of filamentary material wound in a figure 8 wind, and in particular to such
payout tubes made from corrugated fiber or plastic material and which have an
oval, diamond, elliptical or round shape with an oversized opening to
accommodate CAT 5, CAT 6 and CAT 7 cables for kinkless unwinding from the
inner coil to the outer coil of the wound material. The invention is also
useful in
improving the payout of filamentary material other than CAT 5, CAT 6 and CAT
7. i.e. all filamentary material.
According to the invention, the payout tubes are made of molded plastic,
molded paper pulp or made of corrugated fiberboard.
Prior Art
Payout tubes for performing the function of guiding filamentary material
through payout holes in wound coils are known to the art. The structure of
such payout tubes is represented by the following patents all of which are
assigned to the same assignee as the present application, and wherein:
U.S. Patent No. 4,274,607 entitled "Guide Device for Use in Elongate
Filament Dispensing Package and the Like" discloses a tubular guide device
inserted radially into a payout hole in a wound coil and through a hole in a
carton
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containing the wound coil and includes means for securing the guide device to
the carton.
U.S. Patent No. 4,367,853 and entitled " Guide and Support
Members for Unwinding Flexible Material from a Wound Package" discloses
specially shaped cones adapted to extend into the inner opening of the payout
tube to prevent tangles and birdnesting as the filamentary material is unwound
from the coil.
U.S. Patent No. 4,057,203 entitled "Package of Flexible Material with
Oval Payout Tube" discloses an oval shaped payout tube that is inserted in the
normal diamond-shaped payout hole of the wound coil.
U.S. Patent No. 4,022,399 entitled "Screw-in Tube with
Breakable Tabs for Coil of Flexible Material with Inner End Payout" discloses
a
payout tube with spaced flanges for engaging the wall of the container
retaining
the wound coil and with the opposite end of the payout tube from the flanges
being inserted into the radial payout hole of the wound coil.
U.S. Patent No. 3,985,315 entitled "Package of Flexible
Material for Twistless Payout with Wide Funnel Guide" discloses the outer end
of the payout tube shaped as a funnel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Notwithstanding the aforementioned progresss in the state of the art of
payout tubes, the advances and development in wire cable has generated a need
for new types of payout tubes to enable the proper twistless payout of wound
wire cable from the inner wind to the outer wind and through a radial opening
between the inner and outer windings (known in the trade as the REELEX (trade-
mark) system). In particular, the inherent residual twist characteristics of
CAT
5, CAT 6 and CAT 7 cables require a much larger payout hole and payout tube
to avoid kinking and interference with payout of the cable when wound in a
figure 8 configuration and with a payout hole extending from the inner wind to
the outer wind of the winding.
Furthermore, the present invention is related to patent No. 5,979,812 as
noted above. The assignee has designated the new winding system as a REELEX
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II (trade-mark) package and the payout tubes in accordance with the present
invention form part of the new REELEX II package.
In accordance with the REELEX 11 package many new products may be
used with the assignee's patented and licensed REELEX system. Products which
had been considered too stiff, too flexible, too hard, too soft, too easily
damaged, too prone to tangling, too large, or too small for REELEX packaging
will work well in the REELEX II package. For example, single conductors, ultra-
flexible cable and fiber optic cable are now all usable with REELEX II
packaging.
The new REELEX II package also significantly improves cold weather payout
performance of many cable constructions.
With the use of corrugated paper board or paper pulp payout tubes in lieu
of plastic payout tubes both the container and the payout tube are recyclable
and thus the REELEX II corrugated paperboard cable package will satisfy the
stringent waste reduction requirements of today's job sites and European
"green" packaging regulations.
Alternatively, the plastic tubes of the present invention may be used in
the REELEX II package where such use is desired, such as with stiff, robust
wire
cables that would tend to damage corrugated paper materials.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide in a
package of wound filamentary material of the type specified herein, a payout
tube that is made of corrugated paper product, paper pulp or plastic.
It is a primary feature of the present invention that the payout tube is
formed of corrugated paper as is the carton containing the wound coil.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the corrugated paper tube
and the corrugated paper carton are recyclable.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an enlarged payout
tube that engages with an enlarged payout hole to provide payout of wound
flexible material having unusually stiff, flexible, hard, soft, prone to
tangling,
large or small characteristics.
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It is another feature of the payout tube of the present invention that an
enlarged payout tube provides kinkless and tangle-free unwinding of
filamentary
material from a wound package.
It is a further advantage of the payout tube of the present invention that
wound flexible material having unusually stiff, flexible, hard, soft, prone to
tangling, large or small characteristics may be unwound without tangling or
kinking.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above objects, features and advantages of the invention are readily
apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the
invention when taken in consideration of the following drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a payout tube in accordance with a first
embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the payout tube of Fig. 1
Fig. 3 is a view of the payout tube of Fig. 1 as seen from the exit opening
side thereof;
Fig. 4 is a front view of a second embodiment of a payout tube in
accordance with the invention and made of plastic;
Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a plurality of payout tubes of Fig. 4
shown in nested relationship;
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the payout tube of Fig. 4;
Fig. 7 is a front view of a third embodiment of the payout tube in
accordance with the invention;
Fig. 8 is a side view of the third embodiment of the invention;
Figs. 9A and 9B are respective front and side views of a fourth
embodiment of the invention made from corrugated paper;
Fig IOA is a cut-away perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the
invention in which the payout tube and the container holding the wound coil
are
each made of corrugated paperboard; and
Fig. IOB illustrates a plan view of each of the respective sections of the
corrugated paperboard forming the embodiment of Fig. 10A.
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Fig. 11 is a general representation of one figure 8 of a REELEX coil laid
out flat;
Fig. 12 illustrates a payout hole in accordance with one aspect of the
invention;
Figs. 13A-13D illustrate different coils with various shaped guides/tubes
in accordance with the invention and wherein a center portion of the coil is
shown laid out flat;
Fig. 13A represents a coil with a 40 degree payout hole with a 1
inch OD payout tube;
Fig. 1 3B represents a coil having a hole of 110 degrees using a
round payout tube/guide of approximately 2.75 inches;
Fig. 1 3C represents a coil that has a hole of 110 degrees and using
a diamond-shaped payout guide; and
Fig. 1 3D represents a coil having a hole of 110 degrees using a
generally oval-shaped guide.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following description, a "nominal" size payout tube or payout hole
refers to the size (diameter) of the payout hole or payout tube that is formed
for
filamentary material having little or no twist characteristics in accordance
with
the winding techniques disclosed in U.S. Patents Nos. 5,678,778, High Speed,
Dual Head, On-Line Winding Apparatus, 5,470,026, Uniform Width Payout Hole
and 4,406,419, Method and Apparatus for Winding Flexible Material and all
being assigned to Windings, Inc. the assignee of the present application. In
accordance with the principles of the present invention, the payout hole is
produced in the wound coil by producing a payout hole of ninety degrees (90)
or
larger. In present day state of the art REELEX winding machines that have
digital
input controls, the size of the hole (in degrees) may simply be dialed as an
input
to the winding machine control and the winding process will produce a payout
hole having the dialed-in diameter.
CYLINDRICAL-SHAPED PAYOUT HOLES/TUBES
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Unless corrections are made during the normal REELEX winding process
such as set forth in Windings' U.S. Patents No. 4,406,419 and 5,678,778, for
example, a payout hole having a diamond shape rather than a circular shape
will
be produced. However, as disclosed in Windings' U.S. Patent No. 5,470,026, a
payout hole having a substantially constant diameter may be produced. As set
forth in the description of this patent, a constant diameter coil results in
eliminating or reducing "valleys" and lumpiness of wound coils. Commensurate
with the decrease in the lumpiness of the wound coil is a reduction in the
overall
diameter of the wound coil (for a given wind), thereby resulting in a
decreased
overall diameter coil that can be packaged in a smaller container. Finally,
maintaining the desired diameter payout hole results in a smaller
circumference
wind, thereby also attributing to a smaller diameter coil because increasing
the
size of the payout hole diameter as the coil is wound causes increasing
circumference of the wind.
The REELEX winding process normally does not produce twist in the
wound coil; however, such a winding process does not eliminate or reduce the
inherent twist in certain filamentary materials such as CAT-type cables, for
example. Thus, it is necessary to account for the twist in wound coils with
such twist-inherent filamentary materials when a wound coil of such
filamentary
material is being unwound through the payout hole and paycut tube.
The large diameter payout tube and payout hole according to the invention
serves several functions.
1) It keeps the crossovers further away from the exit hole in the
wound coil or
cable, thereby limiting the radius of the loops that develop near the payout
hole.
2) It allows any "backed-up" twist that develops a way to
exit the package.
3) It allows the payout exit point the freedom to move away
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from the crossover or a developing loop. With a smaller diameter payout tube
the exit point is essentially fixed so the crossover must move. If the
crossover
does not move, the figure 8 loop can become quite small.
4) Because the payout smoothness is so greatly enhanced there
is little force on the payout tube during payout. This increases the options
available for the material that can be used for producing the payout tubes.
Tubes made from molded paper pulp and die cut cardboard or corrugated paper
board have all been used with success.
PAYOUT HOLE/TUBE SHAPES OTHER THAN CYLINDRICAL
The payout hole produced by the REFLEX method of winding, as
exemplified by the aforementioned U.S. patents, is already diamondshaped and
nothing special needs to be done to produce such a shape. Until recently the
payout tubes have all had a round crosssection. As described above, by making
the payout hole larger than nominal and using a large diameter (round) payout
tube, the distance, in degrees, between the exit point and the crossover
nearest
the hole is greatly increased. Using an oval shape can increase this distance
even more. The diamond and oval-shaped tube guides are similar to each other
except that the corners are rounded in the case of oval-shaped guides/tubes.
What makes the diamond-shaped guide,/tube interesting is that it can be
made without expensive molding equipment and can be made from the waste
portions of the corrugated material that is used to make the box for the coil.
All of the molded payout tubes have a generous radius at the "mouth"
that helps smooth out the payout even further.
In fact all of the large payout tubes (guides) are tapered for improved
payout characteristics, and because this allows them to be stacked inside one
another, they will take up less room during shipment.
The wound coils or cable are produced with payout holes of in excess of
90 degrees of circumference. This is easily accomplished using any one of
Windings, Inc.'s winding machines in existence (for example, see Windings,
Inc.'s U.S. Patent No. 4,406,419 and/or U.S. Patent No. 5,678,778).
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The hole slant is corrected for, and the constant hole size is adjusted for,
using methods described in the Windings, Inc..'s U.S. Patent No. 5,470,026 for
generating a uniform width payout hole.
The payout tube 20 of Fig. 1 is preferably made of injection molded plastic
or pulp paper and includes body 22, coaxial entrance opening 24 and exit
opening
25. As illustrated in Fig. 1, entrance opening 24 and exit opening 25 are
circular
(see Fig. 3) as will be explained more fully hereinafter. The distance between
entrance 24 and exit 25 openings may be varied as desired to accommodate
different sized diameter windings. Flange 26 extends around the circumference
of
exit opening 25 to engage the side panel of a container (not shown) holding
the
wound coil as is well known to those skilled in the art of payout technology.
Payout
tube 20 is made of injection molded plastic (in accordance with well-known
plastic
molding techniques), pulp paper or corrugated paper techniques. The body 22 of
payout tube 20 narrows from the diameter of exit opening 25 to the diameter of
entrance opening 24 as illustrated in Fig. 1.
In the side view of the payout tube 20 shown in Fig. 2, the~ wall thickness
of body 22 is approximately .04 inches for plastic tubes and 1/4 inch for
paper
pulp tubes. The distance between the inside of entrance opening 24 and the
outside of exit opening 25 is approximately. 3.5 inches. The length of the
payout
tube 20 may be Increased or decreased as necessary to accommodate the
thickness of the wound coils with which the payout tube 20 is used. Flange 26
extends beyond the sides 27 of the payout tube 20 a sufficient amount to
provide appropriate engagement of the flange with'the side panel of the
container (not shown).
With continuing reference to Fig. 2, the inner diameter 24A and outer diameter
24B of entrance
opening 24 differ by approximately .04 inches for plastic tubes and 1/4 inch
for paper pulp tubes to
provide suitable stiffness and ruggedness to accommodate stiff fiiamentary
material.
The inner diameter 25A and outer diameter 25B of exit opening 25 is also
shown and preferably there.is a difference of 1/2inch in the respective
diameters to
provide a .04 inch for plastic tubes and 1/4 inch thickness for pulp payout
tubes of
the body 22 of the payout tube 20. Exit opening 25 includes a flange portion
26
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that rests against the outer surface of a container panel housing the wound
coil (not shown) as is
known to the art.
Fig. 3 shows the circular configuration of the entrance and exit openings of
the payout tube 20 along
with the flange 26.
Entrance and exit openings 24 a.nd 25 are sufficiently large to allow
filamentary material wound in a configuration with a radial opening from the
outer to the inner winds to be withdrawn from the inside of the coil and
through the
payout tube 20 without birdnesting or kinking. The configuration of the payout
tube 20 in accordance with the invention essentially eliminates kinking and
birdnesting of CAT 5, CAT 6 and CAT 7 cables and also improves the winding
payout of all other filamentary material wound in accordance with the
REELEX I and REELEX II techniques, for example as described in U.S. Patent no.
4,406,419 for REELEX I and this application as well as U.S. Patent No.
5,979,812
for REELEX II techniques. For further explanation of the size of the openings
to
allow for kinkless payout, (see the explanation below as taken from U.S.
Patent
No. 5,979,812).
Figs. 4-6 illustrate another embodiment of the invention wherein the.
entrance and exit openings are oval in shape. In the top view of payout tube
30
the tube includes exit opening 31 and entrance opening 32, both in the form
of.a
diamond, and wherein the dimensions of the two openings are as follows:
Width and length of the entrance opening are substantially 2.49 and 1.77
inches, respectively; the width and length of the exit diamond shaped opening
are substantially 5.06 and 3.66, respectively. Fig. 5 illustrates the manner
in
which the payout tubes 30 may be nested.
The inner diameter of the entrance opening may be substantially 2.5
inches. The inner diameter of the exit opening may be substantially 3.0
inches.
The thickness of the payout tube may be substantially .25 inches and the width
of
the flange may be substantially 5.75 inches.
The inner diameter of the entrance opening may be substantially 2.5
inches. The inner diameter of the exit opening may be substantially 2.60
inches.
The thickness of the payout tube may be substantially .04 inches and the width
of
the flange may be substantially 5.75 inches.
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Fig. 7 simply illustrates an elliptical (football) shaped payout tube 40 and
Fig. 8 shows a side view of the payout tube 40.
Figs. 9A and 9B illustrate a payout tube 50 made of.folded corrugated
fiber and having a truncated shape as shown in Fig. 9B. Flaps 51, 52, 53 and
54 extending from the respective sides of the diamond-shaped exit opening 55
are folded to form the sides 56 and 57 of the payout tube 50. Flanges 58, 59
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are formed by the folded flaps to engage the side panel of a container (not
shown) to enable the payout tube 50 to remain in position with respect to the
payout hole of the wound coil housed in the container.
The formation of the payout tube using corrugated fiber or other paper
products provides a significant advantage with respect to the ecological
disposal
of the payout tube, for example as compared with a payout tube formed of
plastic.
A combined container and payout tube in accordance with a fourth
embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figure IOA and shows container
60
for holding a wound coil of filamentary material (not shown) and including a
payout hole extending from the inner coil to the outer coil and formed in
accordance with the method disclosed in previously mentioned Patent No.
5,979,812. A serrated opening 62 is provided in panel 63 and is opened to
allow the wound filamentary to be removed from the container 60. The
filamentary material (not shown) is threaded through a payout tube 64 shown in
phantom lines and which is incorporated as part of the container 60 as will be
more fully described hereinafter. Hand hold 65 enables container 60 to be
carried from site to site. Semi-circularly-shaped cutout 66 provides access to
the interior of container 60 after it is assembled as is described more fully
hereinafter with respect to Fig. 10B.
Container 60 is dimensioned in accordance with the diameter of the
wound coil that is to be contained therein and may be manufactured in standard
sizes to accommodate standard diameters of wound coils. For example, the
container 60 shown in Fig. 10A may be 9.5 inches x 13.5 inches to
accommodate a 12 inch diameter wound coil. Opening 62 may be circular-
shaped, diamond-shaped, or ovalshaped in conformance with the disclosure in
US Patent 5,979,812 Cross-shaped opening 67 enables the end of the
filamentary material protruding from opening 62 to be inserted to prevent it
from
freely moving in a random manner and falling back into the container.
Fig. 10B shows a plan view of container 60 as it appears in unassembled
form and consists of four sections, namely sections 70, 72, 74 and 76. First
section 70 includes end panel 71, bottom panel 73 and top panel 75. Top panel
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75 in turn includes V-shaped cutout 77 which forms part of a diamond-shaped
payout tube to be more fully described hereinafter. Hand hold 78 enables the
container 60 to be carried about as desired. Serrated hole 79 enables the end
of
the filamentary mater'ral of the wound coil to be inserted, thereby preventing
it
from moving freely. Flap 80 at the side of end panel 71 is a glue flap that
connects panel sections 70 and 76 during the manual process that produces the
box.
Second section 72 comprises side panel 81, bottom panel 82 and top
panel 83. Top panel 82 includes a diamond-shaped payout tube opening 84,
hand-hold 85, opening 86, which aligns with opening 79 in top panel 75. Flaps
87 and 88 in top panel 83 provide a means for securing top panel 83 with a
counterpart top panel in fourth section 76 to be described more fully
hereinafter.
Flaps 89 and 90 in bottom panel 82 also aid in securing bottom panel 82 with a
counterpart bottom panel in fourth section 76.
Third section 74 comprises an end panel 91, bottom panel 92 and top
panel 93. Top panel 93 includes the other half of the diamond-shaped and
round-shaped opening payout tube 94 formed -along with V-shaped cutout 77 in
top panel 75 when the various sections of the container are folded over during
assembly.
Fourth section 76 includes side panel 95, bottom panel 96 and top panel
97. Side panel 95 includes port 98 which provides access to the wound coil
when container 60 is assembled. Bottom panel 96 includes flap 98 for engaging
a counterpart opening in the bottom panel 82. Top panel 97 includes serrated
opening 99, which is aligned with payout tube opening 84 in top panel 83 when
container 60 is assembled. Once the box is assembled serrated hand hold 100
aligns with hand-holds 78 and 85 providing three larger corrugated thicknesses
and increased strength for carrying the container 60. Flap 101 engages a
counterpart opening in top panel 83 when the container 60 is assembled by
folding over the various sections described above.
The procedure for assembling the container 60 is as follows:
(1) The payout tube (round, diamond or oval-shaped) is inserted
into the hole of the coil.
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(2) The coil is then inserted into the box (after the bottom is
made and the coil material is threaded through the guide tube).
(3) The flaps 75 and 93 are slid under the flange of the tube by
bending the flaps at A and B. At this point a round tube will be held by the
round portion of the cutout 77/94.A diamond will be held in place and in shape
by the pointy area of the cutout 77/94. The side flaps 75 and 93 both have
tabs
(X&Y)that mate with slot Z.When these tabs are mated with the slot the two
flaps prevent the tube from falling into the box when the coil is completely
payed out.
(4) The flap 83 is folded over the tube, which helps hold the tube
in place along with the top flap 97.
When the container 60 is assembled as shown in Fig. 10A, and as
described above, with a wound coil of filamentary material enclosed therein,
the
end of the filamentary material (not shown) is unwound through the payout tube
71, 77, and 84 without kinking or birdnesting. The combined container and
payout tube structure according to the invention provides a single structure
for
housing and paying out the wound filamentary material. The construction of the
container 60 of corrugated paperboard makes the payout tube and the container
recyclable.
In summary, the round paper pulp guide tube has a wall thickness of
approximately 1/4 inch and may be made in various lengths depending on the
coil size with a 2-1 /2 inch entrance opening as illustrated in Fig. 1. The
diamond-shaped (with round corners) paper pulp guide tube has a wall thickness
of approximately 1/4 inch and has the approximate dimensions as the diamond
shape discussed in the above description. The paper pulp material has the
distinct advantages of being biodegradable and recyclable. It is also the
least
expensive of the three materials disclosed herein and may be purchased close
to
any location where it is to be used, thereby significantly reducing
transportation
costs.
The round plastic guide tube has a wall thickness of approximately .04
inches, is biodegradable and has the advantage of stacking more efficiently
than
the pulp paper guides. This makes shipping costs lower, plus the other
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~ = . '~
advantages mentioned in the above description. The advantage of the round
tube over the diamond-shaped corrugated tube is that they tend to retain their
shape once inserted into the payout hole. At most they may tend to.become
oval. However, the side flaps 75 and 93 (Fig. IOB) form a diamond shape
opening once placed behind the flange of the guide tube and help to retain the
diamond shape.
The above description serves only to describe exemplary embodiments of
the best mode of making the combined fiber container and payout tubes and
plastic payout tubes to demonstrate the features and advantages of its
construction and operation. The invention is not intended to be limited
thereby,
as those skilled in the art to which the invention is directed will readily
perceive
modifications of, the above-described embodiments. Thus the invention is
intended to be limited only by the following claims and the equivalents to
which
the claimed components thereof are entitled.
The general representation of one figure 8 of a REELEX coil laid out flat
and shown in Fig. 11 represents two revolutions of the mandrel (i.e., 2pi Dm;
where Dm is the diameter of the mandrel). If the coil in Fig. 11 were
wrapped around a circle of proper diameter such that the points marked A
and B were located at the same point that would represent one revolution of
the mandrel (i.e., pi Dm). If the coil were wrapped around the same circle
twice, points A, B and C would be coincident and a complete figure 8 would
be represented.= In this example the figure 8 is wound on an 8" mandrel and
the loops of the figure 8 extend 3.5" on either side of the coil from the
centreline of the mandrel. As the pattern laid down on the surface of a
mandrel/coil is roughly that of a sinusoid, for simplicity the pattern is
roughly
a sinusoid represented by equation (1):
Yc = k sin (X/Dm) (1)
Where: k is a constant that is dependent on the coil diameter as described,
for example iri U.S. Patent No. 3,178,130; "Winding Flexible Material";
assigned to Windings, Inc., the assignee of the present application.
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'Moreover, it is known to those skilled in the winding art that a coil that is
8" in diameter (the innermost diameter of a coil wound on an 8" mandrel
(cylinder) is about 7" wide (twice the 3.5" amplitude of the curve). For a
coil of
18" (Dm = 18) the value of k is approximately 5.5 (the coil is about 11"
wide).
Continuing with the parameters of equation (1):
Dm is the diameter of the mandrel, X is the length along the
circumference of the wind and Yc is the substantially sinusoidal figure 8 coil
pattern.
Equation (2) is the flrst derivative of equation (1) which represents the
slope of the curve at (A) in Fig.- 11 and therefore the. angle (H) to the
horizontal axis (X) can be determined where the payout hole is formed, i.e.,
where (A) and (B) intersect and (H) equals 23.629 degrees:
Yc' = 3.5/Dm Cos (X/Dm)
Where: k = 3.5 for an 8" mandrel (as explained above)
At x 0 (where the hole is formed); Yc' = 3.5/Dm
And the slope H=Tan-' = 23.629 degrees
The length L of the payout hole is determined as:
L=.PTO x Dm xTr /360 degrees
where PTO is the size of the payout hole in degrees.
The width W. of the payout hole is determined as:
W=Lcos(H).
It has been determined that a cylindrical payout tube with an inside
diameter of about 2.5" seems to avoid kinking from a REELEX II package
containing CAT 5, CAT 6 and CAT 7 cable material during payout, which.is a
primary object of the present invention. Also, if it is assumed that the wall
thickness 'of the payout tube is .05", then the outside diameter of the tube
is
2.6".
The problem is to find a diamond shape payout.tube that allows a
cylinder of 2.6" to fit within the walls thereof. This determines the size of
the
payout hole (or reversing the process, the size of the payout tube can be
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determined given the payout hole size).
Fig. 12 essentially represents the diamond shape that forms the desired
payout hole. The vertical line (V) represents the horizontal line X in Fig.
11.
The sides of the diamond are defined by Yc. The angle (H) is shown. In Fig.
12 (G) represents 1/2 the distance of (V) (the vertical height of the
diamond).
The diameter (D) of the payout tube is 2.6" and therefore the radius (R) of
the
payout tube is 1.3". From a simple trigonometric relationship:
G = 1.3/Sin (23.629 degrees) = 3.243" Equation (3)
And therefore 2G = 6.487"
And the hole size = 6.487"/ ( Dm) x 360 degrees = 92.9 Degrees
A reverse procedure as mentioned above can also be utilized to
determine the diameter (Dt) of the payout tube. With continuing reference to
Fig. 12, assume a hole size of 110 degrees. Then it follows that:
110 degrees = 2G/ ( Dm) x 360 degrees Equation (4)
G = 3.84" and Gsin(H) = Rt = 3.84Sin(23.629 = 1.54" and
therefore:
Dt = 3.08"
Figure 12 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the payout hole in
accordance with the invention. If the payout hole is created to be, for
example, 99 degrees then it exists for 99/360 of the circumference of the
coil, which for an 8" mandrel is L = 99 degrees x 8" x pi/360 degrees =
6.912", where L is the length of the payout hole. With this data and the
angle (H), the width of the payout hole is 3.024". Therefore, the opening of
the payout tube is a diamond having a major axis V that is 6.912" long and a
minor axis Y that is 3.024" wide. However, it has been found the wire or
cable gets caught in the narrow V's at the ends Va and Vb of the major
dimension V of the diamond. Also a payout tube created in this way is weak
and subject to cracking (especially for piastic material). To solve this
problem
- 13B -
CA 02353282 2004-02-09
a radius (r) of to is created as shown at the ends of Va and Vb of the
major dimension V of the diamond. The modified length of the major
dimension V is 4.626". The minor dimension Y of the guide or payout tube is
simply rounded as shown in Figure 12 by numerals Ya and Yb, thereby
reducing the width of the minor dimension Y, but not less than 2-1/2". The
payout tube modified as described above has a diameter of approximately 2-
3/4".
If the payout hole were produced with a constant angle the size of the
hole would be 13.824" by 4.32" at the.end of a 16" diameter coil. However,
the payout holes are not produced with a constant angle, but they are larger.
The shape of the payout tube, its taper in this case, is more a function of
molding and stacking stability. Thus, for example, a 3/4" taper from the
1.5 entrance of the payout tube to the exit thereof may be approximately.3/4"
to
Jenable the payout tubes to be stacked, thereby enhancing their
transportability.
The wound coil 90 shown in Fig. 13A has a 40 degree payout hole 92
with a 1 inch OD payout tube 94. The distance between the top cross-over -95
and the exit point 96 is approximately 26 degrees as illustrated in the Fig.
This
subtends a coil arc of 1.82 inches on an 8 inch mandrel and a 3.18 inch coil
arc
at 14 inches (14 inches is _chosen because this is the nominal size for CAT5-
CAT7 unshielded cables).
The wound coil 100 shown in Fig. 13B has a.payout hole 102 of 110
degrees using a round payout tube/guide 102 of approximately 2.75 inches.
The crossover 103 and exit point 104 distance is 70 degrees which corresponds
to. coil arcs of 4.89 inches and 8.55 inches for an 8 inch mandrel and a .14
inch
coil, respectively.
The wound coil 1 1 0 shown in Fig. 1 3C has a diamond-shaped hole 1 1 1 of
110 degrees and includes a diamond-shaped payout guide 112. The crossover
1 13 and exit point 114 distance is 100 degrees which corresponds to coil arcs
of 7 inches and. 12.22 inches for an 8 inch mandrel and a 14 inch coil,
respectively.
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CA 02353282 2001-07-19
The wound coil 120 shown in Fig. 1 3D has a payout hole 121 of 110
degrees and uses a generally oval-shaped guide 122. The crossover 123 and
exit point 124 distance is 100 degrees which corresponds to coil arcs of 7
inches and 12.22 inches for an 8 inch mandrel and 14 inch coil, respectively.
It is apparent that, since the distance from the exit point and the
crossovers nearest the payout hole are greatly increased, the filamentary
material (cable or wire) does not have to experience anywhere as much bending
stress with a larger than nominal hole and guide in accordance with the method
of the invention. Moreover, the larger than nominal payout hole/tube of the
invention is better than the nominal prior art-sized payout holes/tubes for
many
electronic and fiber optic cables as the bending radius of the coil is
increased
over that afforded by prior art winding techniques. Furthermore, the payout is
also much smoother because the bending forces are much lower. With the
smaller payout hole and tube, as the bending radius decreases, and the forces
increase, the cable tends to spring free from the coil wall, placing many
loops in
the path of the exiting cable. This is reduced (or even eliminated) with the
large
hole. This is all in addition to the twist that is allowed to exit the
package.
Therefore, it is desired that the present invention not be limited to the
embodiments specifically described, but that it include any and all such
modifications and variations that would be obvious to those skilled in this
art. It
is our intention that the scope of the present invention should be determined
by
any and all such equivalents of the various terms and structure as recited in
the
following annexed claims.
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