Device for storing, transporting and installing electrical wires and cables, and associated assembly method

Abstract

A device (10) for storing, transporting and installing electrical wires and cables comprises a cardboard cylinder (12) designed to receive a winding of electrical wire or cable, and two cardboard flanges (14) respectively attached to the two ends of the cylinder (12), each of the two flanges (14) being glued to the cylinder (12). Both flanges (14) are fitted onto the cylinder (12) such that each flange (14) has a bead (16) of adhesive at the periphery of the respective ends of the cylinder (12).

Description

[0001] DEVICE FOR STORING, TRANSPORTING AND INSTALLING ELECTRICAL WIRES AND CABLES AND ASSOCIATED ASSEMBLY METHOD

[0002] The present invention relates to a device for storing, transporting and installing electrical wires and cables and to an associated assembly method.

[0003] The invention belongs to the field of equipment for electrical wires and electrical cables in various sectors, such as building or industry.

[0004] Some cardboard reels commonly used for packaging electrical wires and cables consist of a cylinder with flanges glued to both ends.

[0005] Because of the simple juxtaposition of the flanges and the cylinder, the flange-cylinder connection is not robust, so that in the event of a shock perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder, the flanges can partially, or even completely, detach from the cylinder.

[0006] The usual response to this problem is to increase the thickness of the cylinder, in order to increase the lateral surface area on which the flanges and the cylinder are glued, which minimizes stress in the glue.

[0007] However, this solution has the disadvantage of consuming more cardboard for the cylinder and more glue, thus degrading the environmental performance of the reel.

[0008] The present invention aims to remedy the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art.

[0009] To this end, the present invention proposes a device for storing, transporting, and installing electrical wires and cables, comprising a cardboard cylinder adapted to receive a winding of wire or electrical cable and two cardboard end caps attached respectively to each end of the cylinder, each end cap being glued to the cylinder. The device is remarkable in that each end cap is also fitted onto the cylinder, so that each end cap has a bead of glue around the periphery of each end of the cylinder. Thus, because the end caps are attached to the cylinder by a fitting combined with gluing, the resulting bead of glue acts as a "polymer circlip," preventing the end caps from being ejected in the event of an impact.

[0010] In a particular embodiment, the cardboard of the cylinder and the two flanges is made up of several layers.

[0011] This helps to improve the robustness of the device conforming to the invention.

[0012] In a particular embodiment, the cardboard of the cylinder and the two flanges comprises a core made of recycled fibers and an outer coating made of non-recycled fibers.

[0013] The presence of recycled fibers helps to reduce the environmental impact of the device conforming to the invention.

[0014] In a particular embodiment, each of the two flanges has a thickness between 1 and 2 times the thickness of the cylinder.

[0015] This results in superior strength compared to existing designs, ensured by efficient force transmission and distribution between the components. Furthermore, it guarantees optimal industrial feasibility.

[0016] In a particular embodiment, there is a gap between the cylinder and each of the two flanges, this gap being between 0.06 and 0.6 times the thickness of each of the two flanges.

[0017] This allows the predisposition to buttress in one direction while ensuring the role of shock absorber, by deformation of the polymer of the glue, in the perpendicular direction.

[0018] In a particular embodiment, the dimensions of the cylinder and the two flanges are chosen so that the cylinder with the winding of wire or electrical cable can be grasped with one hand.

[0019] This ensures optimal ergonomics of the device.

[0020] In a particular embodiment, the glue has an open time of between 1 and 30 seconds.

[0021] This maximizes the absorption of the glue by the cardboard, while allowing for positioning without degrading the mechanical properties of the glue and ensuring good industrial productivity. For the same purpose as indicated above, the present invention also proposes a method for assembling a device such as the one briefly described above, remarkable in that it comprises successive steps consisting of:

[0022] (a) apply glue to the periphery of each end of the cylinder;

[0023] (b) fit each of the two flanges onto the cylinder.

[0024] Since the advantages of the process are the same as those of the device, they are not repeated here.

[0025] In a particular embodiment, the process further comprises a step consisting, at the end of step (b) of fitting, of carrying out a back-and-forth movement of each of the two flanges relative to the cylinder by a quarter turn.

[0026] This allows the glue to be distributed evenly between each flange and the cylinder.

[0027] Alternatively, the process involves successive steps consisting of:

[0028] (c) fit each of the two flanges onto the cylinder;

[0029] (d) apply glue to the periphery of each end of the cylinder.

[0030] In this variant, the process may further include a step consisting, after step (d) of glue deposition, of carrying out a back-and-forth movement of each of the two flanges relative to the cylinder by a quarter turn.

[0031] This also allows the glue to be distributed evenly between each flange and the cylinder.

[0032] Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of particular embodiments, given by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0033] - Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a device according to the present invention, in a particular embodiment;

[0034] - Figure 2 is a flowchart of a method for assembling a device according to the present invention, in a first particular embodiment; - Figure 3 is a flowchart of a method for assembling a device according to the present invention, in a second particular embodiment.

[0035] As shown in Figure 1, in a particular embodiment, a device 10 for storing, transporting, and installing electrical wires and cables comprises a cylinder 12 and two flanges 14 fixed respectively to each end of the cylinder 12, that is, to its base and its top. The flanges 14 are discs of a certain thickness. The cylinder 12 is adapted to receive a winding of electrical wire or cable.

[0036] Cylinder 12 and the two flanges 14 are made of cardboard. The selected cardboard may be composed of several layers made of different cardboard materials. It advantageously comprises a core made of rigorously selected recycled fibers and an outer covering made of rigorously selected virgin, i.e., non-recycled, fibers.

[0037] Advantageously, each of the two flanges 14 has a thickness between 1 and 2 times the thickness of the cylinder 12.

[0038] Each of the two flanges 14 is glued onto the cylinder 12, by means of an adhesive substance which, by way of non-limiting example, may be a polymer glue.

[0039] Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention, each of the two flanges 14 is fitted onto the cylinder 12, so that, due to the combination of gluing and fitting, each of the two flanges 14 has a bead 16 of glue at the periphery of each end of the cylinder 12. The two beads 16 of glue, located respectively at the base and at the top of the cylinder 12, are therefore annular in shape.

[0040] Advantageously, there is a gap between the cylinder 12 and each of the two flanges 14, this gap being between 0.06 and 0.6 times the thickness of each of the two flanges 14.

[0041] Advantageously, the dimensions of the cylinder 12 and the two flanges 14 are chosen so that the cylinder 12, once the wire or electrical cable is wound around it, can be grasped with one hand.

[0042] Advantageously, the adhesive used to bond the two flanges 14 to the cylinder 12 has an open time, also called open time or open assembly time, of between 1 and 30 seconds. This is the period between application and setting of the adhesive.

[0043] The flowchart in Figure 2 illustrates the main steps of a first particular embodiment of a method, according to the present invention, for assembling device 10.

[0044] In this first embodiment, a first step (a) consists of depositing glue on the periphery of each end of the cylinder 12, that is to say on the periphery of the base and the top of the cylinder 12, in the form of a bead of glue.

[0045] Then a step (b) consists of fitting, that is to say fitting, each of the two flanges 14 onto the cylinder 12.

[0046] Optionally, the process may further include a step consisting, after step (b) of fitting, of making a back-and-forth movement of each of the two flanges 12 relative to the cylinder 12 by a quarter turn, in order to distribute the glue homogeneously between the flanges 14 and the cylinder 12. This step is carried out before the expiry of the glue's open time.

[0047] The flowchart in Figure 3 illustrates the main steps of a second particular embodiment of a method, according to the present invention, for assembling device 10.

[0048] In this second embodiment, the gluing and fitting steps are carried out in the reverse order compared to the first embodiment.

[0049] Thus, in this second embodiment, a first step (c) consists of fitting each of the two flanges 14 onto the cylinder 12.

[0050] Then a step (d) consists of depositing glue around the periphery of each end of the cylinder 12, that is to say around the periphery of the base and the top of the cylinder 12, in the form of a bead of glue.

[0051] Optionally, in this second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the process may further include a step consisting, at the end of the gluing step (d), of carrying out a back-and-forth movement of each of the two flanges 12 relative to the cylinder 12 by a quarter turn, in order to distribute the glue homogeneously between the flanges 14 and the cylinder 12. This step is carried out before the expiration of the glue's open time.

[0052] In the two embodiments described above, the combination of gluing and fitting has the effect of expelling the glue and thus forming the glue bead 16 which consolidates the device 10. In the first embodiment, part of the glue is expelled inwards during fitting, so that the glue bead 16 is mostly located inside the device 10 while in the second embodiment, part of the glue is expelled outwards, so that the glue bead 16 is mostly located outside the device 10.

[0053] The assembly and cutting machines are chosen to minimize deformation and delamination of the cardboard layers, in order to guarantee good integrity of device 10. In addition, the outer coating can be cleverly reversed compared to the usual known practice, to obtain better capillarity.

[0054] The assembly technique of the device 10 according to the present invention thus makes it possible not only to achieve good environmental performance thanks to components mostly from recycling, but also to offer a mechanical strength twice as high as known assembly techniques, for the same quantity of material.

Claims

DEMANDS 1. Device (10) for storing, transporting and installing electrical wires and cables, comprising a cardboard cylinder (12) adapted to receive a winding of electrical wire or cable and two cardboard flanges (14) fixed respectively to each end of said cylinder (12), each of said two flanges (14) being glued onto said cylinder (12), said device (10) being characterized in that each of said two flanges (14) is further fitted onto said cylinder (12), so that each of said two flanges (14) has a bead (16) of glue on the periphery of each end of said cylinder (12).

2. Device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cardboard of said cylinder (12) and of said two flanges (14) is made up of several layers.

3. Device (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the cardboard of said cylinder (12) and of said two flanges (14) comprises a core composed of recycled fibers and an outer coating composed of non-recycled fibers.

4. Device (10) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that each of said two flanges (14) has a thickness between 1 and 2 times the thickness of said cylinder (12).

5. Device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a clearance is present between said cylinder (12) and each of said two flanges (14), said clearance being between 0.06 and 0.6 times the thickness of each of said two flanges (14).

6. Device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dimensions of said cylinder (12) and of said two flanges (14) are chosen so that said cylinder (12) with said winding of wire or electrical cable is graspable with one hand.

7. Device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said glue has an open time of between 1 and 30 seconds.

8. A method for assembling a device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises steps consisting successively of: (a) apply glue to the periphery of each end of said cylinder (12); (b) fit each of the two said flanges (14) onto the said cylinder (12).

9. Assembly method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it further comprises a step consisting, at the end of the fitting step (b), of carrying out a back-and-forth movement of each of said two flanges (14) relative to said cylinder (12) relative to following a quarter turn.

10. A method for assembling a device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises steps consisting successively of: (c) fit each of the two said flanges (14) onto the said cylinder (12); (d) apply glue to the periphery of each end of said cylinder (12).

11. Method of assembling a device (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it further comprises a step consisting, at the end of the step (d) of depositing glue, of carrying out a back-and-forth movement of each of said two flanges (14) with respect to said cylinder (12) with respect to following a quarter turn.

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