Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Title
Handle for Roll Core
Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to roll core holders, and more
particularly to a disposable handle adapted for insertion into an open end of
a film
dispensing roll.
Background Art
A roll core is made of compressed paper stock or plastic. It is used to wind
up
plastic, metal and paper sheets into rolls. These sheet materials are
subsequently
l0 dispensed from the rolls. Rolls of this sort may be supported on a core
chuck or similar
equipment whereby the roll goods are pulled from the roll core by revolving
the core on
the core chuck. This may be a mechanized or manual operation. In some cases
the roll
goods is dispensed by simply holding the roll core and pulling the sheet roll
goods from
the roll core. This is difficult and can cause burns as the roll slips in the
hands of one
holding the core.
The following cited references teach that a manually held support can be used
with a core for the dispensing step that defines the present state of this
field:
Parry, U.S. 4,179,081, describes an improved apparatus for the manual
application of plastic stretch films to materials and items to be packaged and
secured as a
unit or packaged and secured to a shipping and transporting means. The
apparatus
consists of an extended core for the supply of plastic stretch film and a pair
of tubular-like
grip means for said extended core. Said grip means serving as a manual control
means for
the speed of paying out the plastic stretch f lm material, and as a manual
means for
applying for applying tension on the film during the course of applying it to
materials and
items.
Parry, U.S. 4,248,392, described an improved apparatus for the application of
plastic stretch film to materials and items to be packaged and secured as a
unit or
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packaged and secured to a shipping and transporting means. The apparatus
consists of a
pair of insertable adapters for the ends of a cylindrical core which holds a
supply of
plastic stretch films and a pair of tubular-like grip means for said
insertable adapters. The
grip means serves as a control means for the speed of paying out the plastic
stretch film
material, and as a means for applying tension on the film during the course of
applying it
to materials and items. The apparatus may be used for manual or machine
application of
film to materials. Brake shoe equivalents of the grip means may be used for
machine
applications.
Parry et al., U.S. 4,722,493, describe a holder for dispensing stretch film
from a
l0 roll comprising a cylindrical body and an arbor rotatably supported on the
body. A
flexible grip having internal ribs covers the body and the arbor, so that one
can, by
applying finger pressure to the grip, brake rotation of the arbor and thus
control film
tension.
Hummel et al, U.S. 4,600,163, teach apparatus for controlled manual unrolling
~ 5 of rolled flexible material, which is not suitable for the user to
rotatably hand-support
directly by his or her fingers.
Saraisky, U.S. 4,372,500, teaches inserts for use with web dispensing means,
which contains the following drawbacks.
(a) The insert must have a diameter fittingly for rotatably inserted into the
20 respective end opening of the roll core. The inserts have no way to mount
at two ends of
the roll core even when the inner diameter of the end opening of the roll core
is just
slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the inserts.
(b) If the inserts are made in tapered shaped, as shown in Fig. 6 of the cited
art, so that they are able to stack one inside the other and may fit to insert
roll cores with
25 various inner diameters, the insert would be stuck in the end opening of
the roll core,
when the user pushed to hard inwardly while supporting the web roll, that
would block
the rotation of the web roll with respect to the inserts. At this moment, the
heavy web roll
as well as the inserts would rotate with respect to the supporting hands of
the user that
may hurt and burn the user's fingers.
30 (c) Theoretically speaking, the user may hand-support the inserts by
inserting
the user's fingers into the two hollow cavities of the two inserts
respectively. However,
since the three undulations 14b-1 to 14b-3, which are spacedly and
longitudinally
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positioned around the inserts, are just slightly projected outwards, the wall
of the insert is
unavoidably in contact with the interior surface of the roll core, as shown in
Fig. 5 of the
cited art, especially when the user's fingers pressing against the wall of the
insert
outwardly that may burn the user's fingers due to the frictional heat
generated between
insert and the roll core.
In view of above, the prior arts teach the user of roll core holders but do
not
teach a relatively flimsy cylindrical handle held within a roll core at either
end by
compressive elastic material bias. Moreover, when the roll core holders are
used as
handles that the roll is directly supported by the user's fingers which are
inserted into the
holders, none of the conventional arts suggest how to prevent the user's
holding fingers
from burning heat due to the direct frictional contact of the circular wall of
the holder and
the inner surface of the roll core. The present invention fulfills these needs
and provides
further related advantages as described in the following summary.
Disclosure of Invention
~ 5 The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use
which
give rise to the objectives described below.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a disposable handle
for roll core that provides advantages not taught by the prior arts described
above.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a very low
2o manufacturing cost roll core handle which is effective and may be discarded
after use.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a disposable roll
core
handle which is capable of being produced at low cost.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a disposable roll
core
handle which is capable of compressing into a roll core and this providing
support while
25 the roll core is rotated.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a disposable roll
core
handle which is capable of being formed from a flat strip and rolled into a
cylindrical for
use as a handle for the user to support the film roll directly by his or her
hands.
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Another objective of the present invention is to provide a pair of disposable
handles for roll core, which provide a smoother rotation of the roll core with
respect to the
handles with less friction and heat generated therebetween.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a disposable handle
for
roll core, which is constructed to avoid heat transferred to the user's hand
and fingers
directly by providing an inner finger-holder portion, which has substantial
contact with
the inner surface of the roll core, for the user's fingers to support thereon.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a disposable handle
for
roll core, which holder body is equipped with a spring effect to absorb
pressure and
to vibration formed during the rotation of the film roll so as to avoid
unwanted injury to the
finger joints of the user's hands that support the roll core through a pair of
the disposable
handles.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a disposable handle
for
roll core, which can be fitted to roll cores with various inner diameters, for
example from
~ 5 2.989 inches to 3.060 inches.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a disposable handle
for
roll core, which can prevent the flange of the handle from rubbing or
scratching against
the respective end side of the film roll that may block the rotation of the
film roll.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a disposable handle
for
20 roll core, which incorporates reinforcing arrangement both in the flange
and the holder
body that minimizes the thickness of the handle so as to lower the
manufacturing cost as
much as possible.
In order to accomplish the above objectives, the present invention provides a
pair of low cost handles with every roll of goods that is shipped without
driving up the
25 cost of the commercial product.
The present invention provides a single or pair of disposable handles. For a
short
length roll core, a single handle may be used. For longer roll cores, a pair
of the handles is
necessary. Each of the handles comprises a holder body having a circular side
wall, which
has a plurality of side wall arcuate segments spacedly and longitudinally
arranged around
3o the holder body and a plurality of stiffening ribs each longitudinally and
inwardly
extended between two of the arcuate segments. The holder body is adapted fro
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compressive constraint when inserted into an end of the roll core so as to
provide an
outward spring bias deflection for gripping the roll core interiorly. The two
handles, then,
are placed in two ends of the roll core respectively. The arcuate segments may
be axially
oriented or circumferentially oriented. The stiffening ribs provided on the
holder body of
the handle in a spaced-apart and axially-directed manner are used to apply
finger pressure
to prevent the handles from revolving with the roll core. The roll core is
supported by the
one or two handles which allow the film to be dispensed from the film roll as
the film roll
rotates about the stationary handle(s).
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent
from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of embodiments, the principles
of the
invention.
Brief Description of Drawings
The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a disposable handle for roll core according
to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the disposable handle according to the
above
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is an end elevational view of a disposable handle for roll core
according to a first
alternative mode of the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figures 4 and 5 are end elevational views of a disposable handle for roll core
according to
a second and third alternative modes of the above preferred embodiment of the
present
invention, having square and round flanges respectively.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of an unrolled disposable handle according to a
fourth
alternative mode of the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 is an end elevational view of the disposable handle as shown in
Figure 6,
wherein the disposable handle is rolled into a cylinder body with seam
fastened.
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Figure 8 is a perspective view of a disposable handle for roll core according
to a fifth
preferred embodiment of the present invention, having circumferential
encircling the side
wall of the holder body.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a roll of goods with the disposable handle
as shown in
Figure 8 inserted in one end.
Figure 10 is a sectional view of the disposable handle while supporting the
roll core
according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of a disposable handle for roll core according
to a sixth
alternative mode of the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 12 is a sectional view of the disposable handle while supporting the
roll core
according to the above sixth alternative mode of the above preferred
embodiment of the
present invention.
Figure 13 is an end elevational view of the disposable handle while supporting
the roll
core according to the above sixth alternative mode of the above preferred
embodiment of
the present invention.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
The above described. drawings illustrate the present invention in a preferred
embodiment and its several alternative modes, which are further defined in
detail in the
following description.
2o A roll core 50 (not a part of the invention) is supported by one or a pair
of
cylindrical handles 10 preferably made of thin-wall plastic. Such roll cores
are made of
paper or plastic and are simple tubers with open ends. The handles 10 may be
formed by
injection molding, vacuum forming or spin molding. Each handle 10 is an
integral, one-
piece part providing a hollow holder body 20 which is a generally circular
side wall
having a plurality of side-by-side side wall arcuate segments 22 formed
thereon adapted
for compressive constraint within the roll core 50 and derives from such
compressive
constraint, an outward spring bias deflection which is used for gripping the
roll core 50
interiorly at one of its ends. In compressing, each of the arcuate segments 22
flex to form
a smaller curvature of arc, thereby diminishing the overall outside diameter
of the holder
3o body 20. Two handles 10 are placed in two ends of the roll core 50
respectively for the
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user to use both hands to manually grip to support the roll core 50 while the
roll core 50 is
rotated for unwinding the film previously wound on the roll core S0. It is
best seen in Fig.
9. The arcuate segments 22 may be axially oriented as shown in Fig. 7 or
circumferentially oriented, as shown in Fig. 8. The holder body 20 further
provides a
plurality of spaced-apart, axially-directed stiffening ribs 42.
Preferably, the handle 10 further comprises an integral, outwardly directed
flange 30 positioned at a proximal end of the holder body 20 and preferably
provides a
peripheral stiffening lip 32. This flange 30 preferably provides a plurality
of integral
spaced-apart corner ears 34 which extend radially outwardly, as clearly shown
in Figs. 1
to 3. Preferably, an integral end wall 40 is positioned at a distal end of the
holder body 20,
and may be fully closed (Fig. 4), or it may provide a finger access aperture
(Fig. 5). The
holder body 20 so it may be unrolled as is shown in Fig. 6. This seam
preferably
incorporates a means for sealing 26 the seam 24 such as the embossed dimples
28' and
corresponding surface depressions 28" as shown in Fig. 6. When the holder body
20 is
~ 5 rolled-up as shown in Fig. 7, the embossed dimples 28' are pressed in to
the surface
depressions 28" to secure or fasten the parting seam 24.
Preferably a proximal portion 21 of the holder body 20 is generally non-
tapered
while a distal portion 23 of the holder body 20 is tapered inwardly. The
distal tapered
portion 23 is sized so that it provides a sliding fit within the roll core 50,
and the proximal
2o non-tapered portion 21 provides a compression fit within the roll core 50.
To illustrate
this, the inner diameter of certain standard core rolls is exactly 3 inches.
Correspondingly,
the holder body 20 is approximately 3 inches in length. The proximal portion
21 of the
holder body 20 is preferably between 3-1/16 and 3-1/64 inches in diameter for
a distance
of about 1.5 inches from the flange 30 measured axially. For the distal
portion 1.5 inches
25 the holder body 20 tapers uniformly to 2-3/4 inches. Other dimensions may
be used as
well to achieve a handle that is easily slipped into the roll core and which
is secured in it,
as shown in Figs. 1 to 10.
As shown in Fig. 8, the inventive device may comprise primarily the holder
body 20 with circumferentially directed arcuate ribs 22 as previously stated.
In this
30 alternative mode, the flange 30 may comprise several small tabs 32. The
compressive
flexing of the holder body 20 when inserted into the roll core 50 is primarily
accomplished when the stiffening ribs 42 move radially inwardly. This causes a
strong
spring force to apply gripping power to the interior of the roll core 52.
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Referring to Figs. 11 to 13, a disposable handle 10' for roll core 50
according to
a sixth embodiment of the above preferred embodiment of the present invention
is
illustrated, wherein the handle 10' also comprises a hollow holder body 20'
and a flange
30' radially and outwardly extended from a proximal end of the holder body 20'
integrally.
Similarly, the holder body 20' is a generally circular side wall made by
injection
molding, vacuum forming or spin molding. The hollow holder body 20', which
defines a
handle chamber 200' extended from a proximal end to a distal end thereof,
further has a
plurality of side-by-side side wall arcuate segments 22' and a plurality of
stiffening ribs
42' formed longitudinally around the holder body 20', wherein the stiffening
ribs 42' are
positioned spacedly apart that separate the plurality of arcuate segments 22'
into groups of
resilient rotor support 220' adapted for compressive constraint within the
roll core 50 and
derives from such compressive constraint.
According to the preferred embodiment, there are totally six stiffening ribs
42'
separating eighteen arcuate segments 22' into six rotor supports 220' equally
spaced apart
that each contains preferably three arcuate segments 22'. As shown in Fig. 13,
the six
rotor supports 220' substantially are in contact with more than 80% of the
inner surface of
the roll core 50 so as to well support the roll core 50 in a balance manner.
It is worth to
emphasize that the three arcuate segments 22' of each group of rotor support
220' are
2o constructed in continuous wave form to provide three Arc-shaped smooth and
round
bearing surfaces, as shown in the Figs. 11 and 13. When the holder body 20' of
the handle
10' is fitted into the open end of the roll core 50, as shown in Figs. 12 and
13, these
bearing surfaces of the arcuate segments 22' function just like the ball
bearings that
provides a frictionless smooth contact with respect to the inner surface of
the roll core 50
while well supporting the roll core 50 substantially through such eighteen
linear contacts
of the accurate segments 22', so as to enable the roll core 50 to smoothly
rotate about the
handle 10'.
It should be noticed that, the depth of each of the stiffening ribs 42' must
be
deeper than the curvature of all the arcuate segments 22'. Such arrangement
renders each
stiffening ribs 42' to provide an outward spring bias deflection effect with
respect to the
neighboring rotor supports 220'. Such spring bias deflection effect enables
the two groups
of rotor support 220' positioned at two sides of a particular stiffening rib
42' towards
move together to reduce the distance between the two rotor supports 220' so as
to
substantially reduce the outer diameter of the holder body 20' adapted for
fitting into
various sizes of roll core 50, varying from 2.989 inches to 3.060 inches.
After the holder
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body 20' of the handle 10' fits into the open end of the roll core 50, the
spring bias
deflection effect of the stiffening ribs 42' also renders the rotor support
220' to move
away from each other that forms a slightly gripping effect for gripping the
roll core 50
interiorly at one of its ends. In addition, in compressing, each of the
arcuate segments 22
may further flex to form a smaller curvature of arc, thereby diminishing the
overall outer
diameter of the holder body 20.
In addition, the spring bias deflection effect of the holder body 20' of the
present
invention further achieves unexpected results as follows:
(i) The waved structure of the arcuate segments 22' and the stiffening ribs
42'
structurally reinforce the holder body 20' radially to provide a stronger
radial support to
the roll core 50 while using a relatively thinner thickness of material so as
to provide a
minimum manufacturing cost, so that the users are affordable to discard the
handle 10'
after use.
(ii) The vibration occurred during the rotation of the roll core 50 with
respect
~ 5 of the handles 10' supported at two ends thereof can be absorbed by such
spring bias
deflection effect of the holder body 20' so as to prevent the vibration
transferring to the
user's hands.
(iii) The spring bias deflection effect also renders the holder body 20' to
absorb
the pressure from the roll core 50, especially during the rotation of the roll
core 50, so as
to avoid unwanted injury to the finger joints of the user's hands.
It is worth to further explain that when the user pulls the film and rotates
the
film roll 51, the uneven pulling force may cause the roll core 50 vibrates up
and down or
left or right with respect to the user's hands. The vibrating force of the
roll core 50 will
substantially absorbed by moving the respective rotor supports 220' towards
each other
due to the spring bias deflection effect so that less vibration or shock will
be transferred to
the user's holding hands.
Like the above preferred embodiment and its first to fifth embodiments, the
holder body 20' has a proximal portion 21' longitudinally extended from the
flange 30' to
a middle portion of the holder body 20' and a distal portion 23'
longitudinally extended
from the proximal portion 21' to the end wall 40' of the holder body 20' to
form a
supporting portion. In which, the proximal supporting portion 21' is generally
non-tapered
that the arcuate segments 22' are longitudinally extended parallel to the axis
of the holder
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body 20' so that, as shown in Figs. 10, 12 and 13, the bearing surfaces of the
arcuate
segments 22' of the rotor supports 220' of the holder body 20' are smoothly in
linear
contact with the inner surface of the roll core 50 for smooth rotation
correspondingly and
well supporting all around evenly.
Similarly, the proximal non-tapered portion 21' provides a compression fit
within the roll core 50. For example, if the inner diameter of certain
standard core rolls is
exactly 3 inches. Correspondingly, the holder body 20' is approximately 3
inches in
length. The proximal portion 21' of the holder body 20' is preferably made
slightly
bigger, such as between 3-1/16 and 3-1/64 inches, in diameter for a distance
of about 1.5
l0 inches from the flange 30' measured axially.
Alternatively, instead of having a tapered ,distal portion 23 as shown in
Figs. 10,
the distal portion 23' of the sixth alternative mode of the preferred
embodiment equally
reduces its outer diameter to form a finger-holder portion and defines a step
shoulder 24'
between the proximal supporting portion 21' and the distal finger-holder
portion 23'. For
example, the distal portion 23' which has a length of 1.5 inches is preferably
having an
outer diameter of 2-3/4 inches uniformly.
Accordingly, the distal finger-holder portion 23' has a size smaller than the
inner
diameter of the roll core 50 so that a circumferential air gap is defined
around the distal
finger-holder portion 23' to provide a cushion effect and renders the distal
portion 23' has
2o no substantial contact with the inner surface of the roll core 50 during
the rotation of the
roll core 50 with respect to the handles 10' supported at two ends thereof, as
shown in
Fig. 12. Therefore, the user's finger tips are capable of resting at the
distal finger-holder
portion 23' inside the holder body 20' while hand supporting the handles 10'
and the roll
core 50 to avoid heat transferred to the user's hand and fingers directly and
thus prevent
from getting burnt. Moreover, the distal finger-holder portion 23' also
balances the
strength of the fingers of the user so the holder body 20' can thus be pushed
and held
evenly.
As shown in Figs. 11 to 13, the flange 30' of the handle 10' is an integral
and
outwardly extended periphery wall positioned around a proximal end of the
holder body
20'. The flange preferably provides a peripheral stiffening lip 32' and a
plurality of
integral spaced-apart corner ears 34' which extend radially outwardly at four
corners
respectively of the stiffening lip 32, as embodied in Figs. 11 and 13. Also an
integral end
wall 40 is positioned at a distal end of the holder body 20.
t0
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Similarly to the above embodiment and its alternative modes, each of the
corner
ears 34' has an indention button 341' projected inwardly thereon to reinforce
the corner
ear 34'. Moreover, when such indention buttons may bias against the end side
of the film
roll 51 and/or roll core 50 so as to prevent the holder body 20' from over
inserted into the
open end of the roll core 50 to ensure smooth rotation of the roll core 50 and
to prevent
the stiffening lip 32' to be engaged with the film roll 51 that may block the
rotation of the
roll core 50.
On the stiffening lip 32', a plurality of indented tips 321' are spacedly
provided
thereon, which not only reinforce the stiffening lip 32' but also arranged to
generally bias
l0 against the roll core 50 so as to ensure a smooth rotation of the roll core
50 with respect to
the handles 10' and prevent the holder body 20' from over inserted into the
open end of
the roll core 50.
Two claw notches 342' are formed at two sides of each of the corner ears 34'
respectively, so that when the user uses his or her hand to hold the handle
for rotatably
~ 5 supporting the roll core 50, the user's thumb can rest on the respective
claw notch 342' to
ensure firmly gripping and holding the handle 10' during the relatively
rotation of the roll
core 50.
In view of above, the handle 10, 10' enables holding a spinning or roll core
50
without finger contact so that friction burns are avoided. Due to the
arrangement of the
20 stiffening ribs 42, 42' between the arcuate segments 22, 22', the arcuate
segments 22, 22'
provide spring-like action which absorbs vibration forces which would
otherwise be
passed to the hands. The low friction material used in construction of the
invention
enables the roll core 50 to slip as it rolls, yet also enables holding the
roll core 50
securely.
25 The present invention is preferably light in weight such that the total
weight is
not significantly changed by using the handles 10, 10'. The holder body 20,
20' of the
handle 10 is approximately 0.050 inch or less in thickness. Thus the cost of
the handles
10, 10' is insignificant allowing them to be discarded after use that renders
the handle 10
a disposable handle. The flanges may be used as a brake against the roll core
50, and
30 otherwise protects the hands from burns.
While the prevent invention has been described with reference to at least one
preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the
art that the
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present invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the invention
is to be
interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims.
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