US3198329A - Packaging of tubular articles - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 3, 1965 c. GOLENPAUL ETAL 3,198,329

PACKAGING OF TUBULAR ARTICLES V Filed July 22, 1955 E 4 WML mi G. --,-w:,...ww|.l @uf im", F WE f/ 7 .V1 Q/o O/ d G 2 MZZ/ Q /Y 0 (fl W0 O 7 Q j 0 9@ 2 llmw 1 0 m F m 610 MG ,/w

United States Patent O 3,198,329 PAClA-.GENG @il TUBULAR ARTECLES Charles Golenpaul and Murray De La Fuente, New hedford, lli/lass., assignors to Acrovox Corporation, New Redford, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed duly 22, 1953, Ser. Filo. 2%,666 1 Claim. (Cl. 20dd This invention relates to the art of packaging, more particularly to a cradle for tubular units such as tubular capacitors or the like, having opposed outwardly extending leads.

lt is among the objects of the invention to provide a cradle for a plurality of tubular units of the above type which will serve to maintain the units in a secure, relatively fixed position within a shipping carton so as to prevent damage thereof, and which Will permit ready viewing of the units supported in the cradle so that any indicia appearing on the unit indicative of its characteristics may be observed, and which will protect the leads and prevent them from being bent or other-wise damaged and at the same time permit testing of the capacitor without removal from the cradle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cradle of the above type which may be readily fabricated of simple sheet stock, land in which the articles to be packaged may be readily positioned with minimum effort or skill, thus minimizing cost.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the cradle is formed from a rectangular sheet of stock which may be of cardboard, or the like relatively inexpensive material which is scored along its center to permit the sheet to be folded over upon itself. Each half of the folded sheet is provided with a central -aperture dimensioned to accommodate the desired number of tubular units to be packaged, the apertures being aligned when the sheet is folded. Each aperture is preferably rectangular in configuration with an area substantially equal to the cross sectional area of the plurality of units to be accommodated taken along a plane through the longitudinal axes of the plurality of units when positioned in side by side relation. Extending into each aperture, preferably on all four sides thereof are flaps which are formed `by scoring fold lines adjacent the boundaries of the aperture, and cut lines diagonally at the corners thereof. These flaps are designed to be bent out of each aperture when the sheet halves are folded over the plurality of units, with the flaps frictionally engaging the side and end walls of the units to be accommodated. Access apertures are arranged on either side of the central apertures and are aligned with the axis of the tubular units along which the leads normally extend so that the leads of the units are exposed and available for testing.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several fcatures of the invention,

FIG. l is a perspective View of a cradle showing the tubular capacitors arranged therein,

FIG. 2 is a top plan View of the blank from which the cradle of FIG. l is formed,

HG. 3 is a sectional View taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a cradle according to another embodiment of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, like numerals in the various figures will be employed to designate like parts.

As best shown in FG. 1, the cradle 9 is formed from a blank or sheet 1li of stock material such as cardboard, paper board, sheet plastic, or the like. For most situations, the rectangular con-figuration will be preferred so Edi-i332@ Patented Aug. 3, 1965 as to implement insertion of the package into conventional shipping containers, such as boxes or the like. It will be understood, however, that a variety of different shapes may be employed embodying the instant inventive concept. The blank 1d from `which the package 1s formed, as shown in FIG. 2, is scored to .provide a central fold line 13 forming two plates 11 and 12. Each of the .plates is formed with a rectangular aperture 15 which is dimensioned to receive the units to be accommodated. in the case of elongate cylindrical members such as tubular capacitors C, it will be understood that each of the apertures 15 is substantially equal in area to the cross sectional arca of the plurality of units to be accommodated, taken along a plane through the longitudinal axes of the plurality of units when positioned in side by side relation. Thus, yas viewed in the drawings, where live capacitors are shown, the total area of each aperture 15 is equal to the total cross sectional area through the ve packaged capacitors in a side by side array. Cut lines 16, 17, `13 and 19 are extended diagonally from the corners of each aperture 15, and score lines 2l), 2:1, 22 and 23 are formed at the boundary of each aperture 15 so as to define flaps 24, 25, 2d and 27 extending into the aperture 15.

in order to provide access .to the terminal leads 31 of the capacitors C, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, a plurality of access apertures 3i? are provided `in each plate 11, 12, illustratively circular. To implement fabrication, it is preferred that the apertures 3@ are formed a distance one from the other suHiciently great to prevent inadvertent tearing of the stock during format-ion or subsequent handling of the blank. More particularly, in the illustrated embodiment, a staggered relationship between the apertures 30 is employed.

ln the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4, the access apertures have been modified by employing elongate slits all extending over the area to be viewed. Slits 3d 'are preferably formed simultaneously with the formation of the anticle receiving aperture 15 which is identical to that previously described in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3.

The use, with the blank 1li in open position as shown in FIG. 2, the tubular capacitors, for example, are laid in `the aperture 15 of plate 11, `for example, in side by side relation with suiicient capacitors arranged within the aperture 15 so as to completely fill the area thereof. The capacitors are positioned so that the leads 3d thereof extend over the longitudinally aligned pairs of access apertures 3d `in plate 11 and the capacitors are inserted with suiiicient force so aS to displace outwardly the engaging flap-s 24, 25, 26 and 27 of plate 111. Thereafter, plate 12 is folded over the plate 11 along score line 13- so that the aperture 1S of plate 12 will be aligned with aperture 1:'3 of plate 11 .and the plate 12 is forced down over the capacitors so the the flaps of the aperture 15 of plate 12 will `be displaced outwardly in a direction opposite that of the flaps of plate 11 as best shown in FIG. 3.

Thereupon, conventional fastening means such as staples S or the like may be employed to retain the plates 11, 112 together.

As a result of the oppositely extending flaps, which react against the capacitors, the latter will be dependably retained in position.

It will be noted that any identifying indicia imprinted on the capacitors will be readily accessible to view and access for testing the individual capacitors without need for removal from the cradle is provided through access apertures Sii.

A similar mode of oper-ation is employed in conneci vll/ith the embodiment of the invention illustrated in sible t-o View for identification and testing with the terminal leads thereof safeguarded from injury, and as the aps will yield, it is apparent that within limits, different lengths of capacitors may be accommodated.

As many changes could be made `in the above constructions, and many .apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made Without departing from the Scope of the claim, it is inten-ded that all rna-tter contained in .the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative Vand not in a limi-ting sense.

Having thus described our invention what We claim as new and desire to secure by Lettens Patent of the United States is:

A capacitor package for a .plurality of capacitors of the tubular type having terminal leads extending axially from each end, compris-ing a first plate having a central capacitor receiving aperture of length equal to the length of the capacitors packaged, and of Width equal to the Width of the plurality of capacitors when arranged in side by side relationship as measured diametnically thereacross, liaps extending into the aperture in said first plate from an edge thereof, a second plate arranged over said first plate, said second plate having an aperture dimensioned like the aperture in said first plate, and aligned therewith, aps extending into the aperture in said second plate from an edge thereof, a plurality of capacitons positioned Within said apertures with the flaps on said first plate lying against portions of said capacitors protruding beyond the plane of said first plate and the aps on sai-d second plate lying against portions of said capacitors protruding beyond the plane of said second plate, whereby the Flaps on said second plate cooperate with the flaps on said first plate to retain the capacitors in said article receiving apertures, means t-o retain said plates in juxtaposition and a plurality of spaced access apertures arranged in said rst and second plates With said apertures aligned With the terminal leads extending from said capacitors.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,639,637 10/28 Mordecai.

1,879,105 9/32 Corigliano 20G-45.31 X 2,645,339 7/53 Toy 206-532 2,962,161 11/60 Lacy 20G-79 X 2,976,990 y3/ 61 Nevai 206-65 3,661,091 10/ 62 Wichrnan 20G-*7S 3,130,833 4/64 Glasser 296-80 THERON E. CONDO'N, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Examiner.

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