End cap support for jumbo rolls of material

Abstract

An end cap support for the protruding end of a jumbo roll of paper or other materials (weighing between 2,000 and 4,000 pounds) includes at least one corrugated paper panel bonded to at least one lightweight rigid panel, preferably comprising luaun wood that resists moisture absorption. A very substantial weight reduction is obtained consonant with excellent stacking strength for the end cap support. The luaun panel does not fold over or warp, and all of the materials are biodegradable and hence environmentally friendly.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10 / 173,951 field Jun. 17, 2002, the contents and disclosure of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to very large rolls of material wound on a core and, more particularly, to end cap supports for the rolls of material in storage or shipping. [0004] 2. Description of Related Art [0005] Continuous rolls of material such as tape, paper, plastic film, fabrics and the like are stored and shipped on central cores or spools around which the material is wound. These rolls may be several feet long and may weigh at least 2,000 pounds (“jumbo rolls”). The core protrudes beyond the outer ends of the material, and the protruding core is supported by end caps within a carton, crate, shrink wrap or suitable frame. [0006] At the present time, an end cap is form...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide an end cap support (or assembly) for jumbo rolls of material, which alleviates the disadvantages and deficiencies of the prior art.

[0011] It is another object of the present invention to provide an end cap support which is lightweight, biodegradable, resistant to moisture absorption, and utilizes its materials to maximum advantage.

[0016] In the preferred embodiment, the corrugated paper panel includes substantially-tubular channels oriented vertically in use of the end cap support, thereby substantially assisting in accommodating compressive loads especially encountered when the jumbo rolls of material are stacked vertically.

[0017] In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the end cap support is lightweight and biodegradable and comprises a central corrugated paper panel including at least one pair of corrugated paper sheets. A pair of lightweight rigid panels is bonded to the central corrugated paper panel on opposite sides thereof and each of the panels comprises a luaun panel that resists moisture absorption. The corrugated paper panel has substantially-tubular channels oriented vertically in use of the end cap support, thereby substantially assisting in accommodating compressive loads especially encountered when the jumbo rolls of material are stacked vertically.

Problems solved by technology

There are several problems with these commercially-available end caps.

The roll then rests on the shipping carton or crate and is difficult to remove.

Sometimes, the heavy roll shifts during transport and may damage the shipping vehicle or may damage the material on the roll.

The polystyrene is not biodegradable and disposal introduces environmental problems.

Further, the wooden sheet must be the same size as the polyethylene panel for maximum strength and preparation of the end cap is relatively costly since there is waste in cutting the wooden sheet to the required size.

Additionally, the end caps heretofore used in the prior art are relatively heavy, thus increasing shipping costs particularly with overseas shipments.

Another problem encountered in the prior art is warpage of the wooden (or pressed plywood) boards that tend to absorb moisture.

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