Tape Reel Container

This invention relates to reel containers, and particularly to such containers having reel-supporting inserts.

Previously in the art, reels have been stored and shipped in containers of widely varying types, but including particularly the flat-walled box type with at least one interior reel-supporting hub.

However, the manufacture of all such prior art containers has required the bonding or fitting together of various complex members made either of metal, plastic, rubber or paperboard, requiring expensive machinery installations for automatic and accurate assembly, or being alternatively too complex for accurate hand assembly.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tape reel container of improved simplicity in manufacture and assembly.

It is another object of the invention to provide a tape reel container as above described and requiring no adhesives, bonding techniques or fasteners for assembly and use.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the reel container of the invention in open condition;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a corrugated paperboard blank used in the manufacture of the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmented cross-sectional elevation view of the container, taken on the plane of lines 3--3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmented cross-sectional elevation view of the container, to the same scale as FIG. 3, and taken on the plane of lines 4--4 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a rectangular reel container of the one-piece corrugated paperboard type, comprising a flat bottom wall 11 (FIGS. 2-4), a front wall 12, a pair of side walls 13 and 14, a back wall 15, a folding cover 16, cover side flaps 17 and 18, and a cover front flap 19. For holding the reel (not shown) in a centralized position securely in the container, but yet comparatively free to rotate in the container so as to avoid "cinching" or transverse creasing of the tape, there is provided a molded, low-friction plastic tray 21. As is well known in the magnetic tape and cinema film art, a standard reel having an axial hub and two generally circular side flanges, and mounting a tape or film wound thereon, may be shipped by mail in a protective container, but preferably should not be tightly enclosed in the container so as not to be rotatable therein. It has been found that during the rough handling to which the container may be subjected during travel, an outer part of the tape coil may rotate upon the reel even though the reel itself and the inner part of the tape coil is securely held in the box; such differential rotation of portions of the tape coil then causes the formation of overlapping S-shaped folds of tape within the tape coil, together with transverse creases and other damage to the tape. To obviate this problem, it is common practice to provide a central spindle or arbor structure in the container, dimensioned for only loosely fitting within the standard reel hub opening, together with ribbed supporting structure confronting the reel flanges to reduce frictional contact between the container and flanges, the whole being made of low-friction material such as low-friction molded plastic.

Accordingly, the container of the present invention is provided with such a low-friction plastic tray 21, in which the side of the reel may be supported upon a narrow peripheral surface 22, on radially-extending ribs 24, which are separated by depressions 23, 23a, and upon an inner peripheral surface 27, from which rises a central reel arbor portion 28. Extra protection for the flange peripheries of the reel is provided at the four corners of the container, as by means of raised corner portions 25 and 29, so that the reel remains undamaged even if the box is subjected to severe impact causing damage to the reel hub. Also, hand access recesses 26 are provided in corner portions 25. The recesses 26 extend inwardly into the corner depressions 23a previously mentioned, and outwardly beyond the periphery of the reel, so as to facilitate slipping the fingers beneath the reel for grasping and removing it. It will be understood that, particularly with tape of a width in the neighborhood of two inches, the tape pack is so heavy that damage to the reel can result if it is attempted to lift the reel by one flange alone. The alternative, in prior art containers, has usually been to turn the box upside-down and drop the reel out, also a risky procedure. In the present invention this problem is overcome because recesses 26 permit access of the operator's fingers entirely beneath both flanges of the reel, inasmuch as the reel is supported on tray portions 22 and 24, while recesses 26 go below this level to the level of recesses 23, 23a.

As a particular feature of the invention, the front wall 12, and sides 13, 14 are formed with inwardly and downwardly folding flap portions 12b, 13b and 14b, respectively, terminating near the bottom wall 11, see FIGS. 3 and 4; and the periphery of the plastic tray 21 is formed with a downwardly and outwardly facing step 31, confronting the walls 12, 13 and 14; and the lower edges of the flaps 12b, 13b and 14b snugly overlie the lowest and most peripheral portion of the step 31, so as to retain the tray securely in the container. Likewise, the step 31 of the tray is in part defined by the adjacent outwardly facing walls of the support portions 29, 22 and 25 of the tray, and these portions are of sufficient height, and are spaced closely enough to the flaps 12b, 13b and 14b that the flaps in turn are retained securely by the step 31 and cannot be unfolded so as to release the tray and disassemble the container.

It will be readily recognized that with such interlocking step 31 and flap portions, the container may be simply and inexpensively hand-folded and snap-fitted together, without the need for adhesives or of fasteners of any sort, and with little chance for error. Also, the avoidance in the present invention of adhesives and fasteners minimizes debris in the final package, and resultant debris-caused drop-outs on the tape.

FIG. 2 shows the form of the corrugated paperboard blank from which the container is folded. To make the box, portions 13c, 13d, 14c and 14d are folded 90.degree. upwardly (from the plane of the drawing sheet); portions 12c, 12d, 15b and 15c are folded 90.degree. downwardly; then the tray 21 is fitted onto bottom 11, and portions 12a, 13a, 14a and 15a are folded 90.degree. upwardly with portions 13d, 14d, 13c and 14c being fitted against the adjacent inner faces of portions 13a and 14a; then portions 13b and 14b are folded inwardly and downwardly to register against the adjacent inner faces of portions 13a, 13c, 13d and 14a, 14c, 14d, respectively, the outer edges of portions 13b and 14b being snap-fitted into the step 31 of the tray, and with portion 15c lying inwardly of portion 15b and tap 37 of portion 15c being snap-fitted into slot 36 of portion 13b; and finally, portion 12b is folded downwardly and inwardly to snap-fit into the tray step 31, leaving opening 33 as an access opening to the cover 16, flaps 17, 18, 19 of which are also folded 90.degree. inwardly.

Thus, there has been described a tape reel container of the flat-walled box type holding a reel supporting tray. The periphery of the tray is formed with a downward and outwardly facing step confronting the side walls of the container, and the side walls are formed with inward and downwardly folding flaps engaging the tray step, so as to both retain and be retained by the tray.