Ppg Industries, Inc.

Lesley M Allen

Jerry C Hedden

The present invention includes packaging units which include a generally rigid support base having a bottom wall having edges, side walls and corners. Each side wall extends upwardly from an edge and each corner extends upwardly from an intersection of two edges. Generally cylindrical objects are arranged in an assembly on the support base in at least one vertical column or horizontal row. Each object has a top end, bottom end and side extending therebetween, a portion of which can contact the support base. The assembly is free of walls between the objects of the assembly. A generally rigid lid has a top wall, edges and corners. Each edge of the lid has a side wall extending downwardly therefrom and each corner extends downwardly from an intersection of two edges. Each corner of the support base is adjacent to or connected to a corresponding corner of the lid or by corner protectors extending between the corresponding corners of the support 14 base and lid. Each side wall of the support base is spaced apart from each corresponding side wall of the lid. A retainer means extends around the support base, assembly of cylindrical objects and lid to maintain the integrity of the packaging unit during movement thereof.

Packaging units for packaging a plurality of generally cylindrical

A package of wound glass fiber strand from which the glass fiber strands can be removed more efficiently for feeding into processing operations. The wound package of glass fiber strand is a package of superimposed annular layers of glass fiber strands having a central longitudinal, cylindrical cavity about which the strands are wound and having an outer cylindrical surface and a substantially flat circular top and bottom section. This package is covered with a stretchable polymeric film having a stiffness modulus of at least 1200 pounds/square inch and an elongation of about at least 5 and a thickness of about 0.75 to about 10 mils. The stretchable polymeric film is stretched around the package of glass fiber strands with a force greater than 4 pounds (18 Newtons) to stretch the film to cover the outer peripheral, cylindrical portion and to extend at least 0.5 inches (1.27 cm.) radially onto the top and bottom flat circular portions of the package. The polymeric film is stretched around the package for one or more wraps. The method of producing the wrapped package includes preparing a package of glass fiber strands wound in superimposed annular layers to have a central longitudinal, cylindrical cavity and an outer cylindrical surface and a substantially flat circular top and bottom section where at least one free end of the glass fiber strand extends into the central cavity for removal from the interior to the exterior of the package with the package prepared a stretchable polymeric material is selected having a stress modulus of at least about 1200 pounds per square inch and a percent elongation of at least about 5 and a thickness of about 0.75 to 10 mils. This stretchable polymeric film is wrapped about the package with a stretching force of greater than 4 pounds (18 Newtons) to stretch the film to cover the outer cylindrical portion of the package and to extend radially 0.5 inches onto the flat top and bottom circular portions of the package in one or more wraps.

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Shelby, NC, United States of America

Lesley M Allen