Sonoco Development Incorporated

Brian P Couchey

Victor J DesRosiers

John Wrenn

James P Stevens

William E Leidel

Chad Eric Lagace

James E Johanson

Ismael A Hernandez

Edmond L Fratianni

Fedor Baranov

Richard K Mims

Clifford A Bellum

Gerd Rieker

Ismael A Hernández

Clint M Jones

Christoph Reicherz

Fedar Baranov

Christoph Reichrez

Bellum A Clifford

A core for winding sheet material is proved. The core comprises a cylindrical tube having a longitudinally oriented slot formed therein, and a strip of soft material located in the slot. Because of the geometry of the slot and the strip, the strip may be softer (less compressed) in the central region but firmer where the core transitions from the relatively soft strip to the relatively hard tube. The leading edge of the sheet material imbeds itself into the soft central region of the strip as additional layers are wound around the core.

Core with cushion strip and varying slot depth

The present disclosure is directed to a reusable yarn carrier tube around which yarn may be wound at high speeds (e.g., within winding machines). The yarn carrier tube may include a pick-up groove having structural features configured to better snag yarn to initiate winding of the yarn around the cylindrical body of the yarn carrier tube. The structural features may include an adaptable snagging feature that is adaptable to many different yarn types (e.g., diameter, denier, texture, material). The structural features may include projections (e.g., teeth) with incremental narrowing therebetween in the direction opposite to the rotational winding direction. The teeth may increase in sharpness (e.g., decreasing radii of curvature) as the yarn moves further into the pick-up groove.

Yarn carrier tubes

A core for winding sheet material is proved. The core comprises a cylindrical tube having a longitudinally oriented slot formed therein, and a strip of soft material located in the slot. Because of the geometry of the slot and the strip, the strip may be softer in the central region but firmer where the core transitions from the relatively soft strip to the relatively hard tube. The leading edge of the sheet material imbeds itself into the soft central region of the strip as additional layers are wound around the core.

Core with strip or strips of varying density

Core with cushion strip

A mounting plate for holding a roll of wound material. The mounting plate comprises a body, a hub extending from the body for holding a core, and one or more spacers affixed to the body and extending beyond the body in the direction of the roll. Each spacer comprises an inner member which may contact the roll and one or more resiliently deformable legs extending outwardly from the inner member. The spacers can maintain contact with the ends of the roll and prevent the roll from being damaged due to telescoping or impacts with the mounting plates or other structures.

Self-adjusting mounting plate for wound roll

An end support for supporting a roll of material wound on a tubular core is defined by a generally rectangular plate and a projecting hub member. The hub is dimensioned for insertion into a tubular core material roll. A plurality of spaced plate ribs are provided internally within the plate with at least one rib extending inwardly from each of the plate side perpendicular to the hub member. A plurality of crossing ribs are also provided and intersect with the perpendicular plate ribs and other crossing ribs to define a generally open areas lattice pattern. A plurality of corrugation surfaces are fixed to one or more of the side members, corner members, hub member, crossing ribs and plate ribs and extend into the open areas of the lattice pattern. The corrugations surfaces are alternately formed along the front and rear faces of the plate.

End support for wound rolls

A yarn carrier is provided in the form of a yarn winding tube having a yarn catch insert. The yarn winding tube is a hollow cylindrical tube having a longitudinal axis extending lengthwise between its first and second opposite ends. The tube has a hole through its surface for receiving a yarn catch insert. The yarn catch insert includes a first member and a second member, each having an inside surface. When positioned within the hole, the inside surfaces of the first and second members face each other and form a string-up groove therebetween. After a yarn winding and unwinding process, the yarn catch insert may be removed from the hole in the tube, the first and second member may be separated, and the string-up groove may be cleaned. The yarn catch insert may then be re-inserted into the hole and the tube may be reused for winding.

Yarn carrier

A winding device includes a barrel defining a primary winding area and an auxiliary winding area. A flange wall separates the primary and auxiliary winding areas. A guide pathway directs a flexible material between the primary and auxiliary winding areas and includes opposite end segments curving in a circumferential direction. The pathway also includes a transition segment between the end segments in which the circumferential direction of curvature is reversed to provide for simultaneous winding of material in the primary and auxiliary winding areas. The device may include inserts received within the barrel having channels formed in an outer surface to define the pathway between the inserts and the barrel. Alternatively, the device may include a flange body defining an interior and a cover enclosing the interior. Structure having correspondingly formed first and second parts respectively carried by flange body and cover define the pathway within the interior.

Spool having reversing spiral guide

A spool is provided having opposing identical end flanges coupled to a central barrel. An annular rim portion of the flanges is provided with a plurality of openings positioned at different radial and circumferential positions. The openings are sized such that if the openings were rotated into angular alignment, the openings would span the annular rim portion from an inner radius to an outer radius. The openings thus allow a user to view contents of the spool. Each flange may further provide a generally semi-circularly shaped recess sized and shaped to receive a winding dog.

Shipping spool

A spool for optical fiber ribbon or other flexible media has an opening communicating with an interior of the spool in which a first end of a helical guide is located. The helical guide receives the ribbon from an exterior winding space to direct the ribbon to an auxiliary winding surface located outside one of the main flanges at an end of the spool.

Spool for optical fiber media

A yarn dye tube includes end portions having male and female elements for aligned stacking of multiple tubes. The female end portion includes a cylindrical ring having non-perforating recesses defining reduced wall portions having a thickness of at least one-half of a wall thickness of ring. Each recess also includes arcuate ends for reducing stress concentrations. The diameter of the inner surface of the female element is greater than that of the inner surface of the ring defining an annular distance therebetween. A radially extending shoulder at the terminal end of the ring contacts the male element of an adjacent tube in a stack of aligned tubes. A fillet at the terminal end of the first end portion ring extends over a substantial portion of the annular distance for reducing stress concentrations.

Yarn dye tube having opposite end portions adapted for nested stacking

A carrier tube includes a vacuum draw system for promoting receipt of a yarn tail end within a circumferential start-up groove of the tube. The draw system includes angled air-scoop openings extending through the tube wall adjacent the start-up groove to move air through the tube rotation. Each of the angled openings includes a narrowed venturi portion creating a zone of reduced pressure. The system further includes passages extending between the start-up groove and the narrowed portions of the air-scoop openings to connect the start-up groove to the reduced pressure of the openings.

Vacuum draw system for a yarn carrier start-up groove

A winding tube has a tubular body and a removable and replaceable end ring. The end ring has opposite end faces that, according to one embodiment, each define at least two recesses that form start-up regions between the end ring and the tubular body for capturing yarn during a winding operation. The recesses are spaced apart from one another so as to allow the end ring to be easily mounted and secured to the tubular body, and allowing the end ring to be reversible in relation to the tubular body.

Growing community of inventors

Inman, SC, United States of America

Brian P Couchey