Packing element for housing a wound electrical conductor

Abstract: The bailing and automatic stowing system is designed for the winding of electric conductors, particularly for automotive harnesses, and is characterized by an arrangement consisting of: a conventional cutting table (10) with electronic control arranged in the reels as support of up to seven stacked packings (12); an octagonal packing (12) of three octagonal cardboard or plastic pieces (A,B,C), specially designed for the electric conductor roll and a metal universal cabinet (13) to accommodate up to four stowages of piled packings (12) for their storage.

Description: There are different ways or designs for packing electric conductors, such as semiautomatic, automatic, or manual mode. This is enhanced by the packing of rolls in common reinforced cardboard boxes or with a hoop for transportation purposes or in cylindrical cardboard drums for a weight over 100kg. In order to reduce inventories and distribution costs, the applicant has designed a bailing and automatic stowing system for electric conductors. This system offers cable presentations seven times smaller compared to the traditional packing in 76 cm (30-inch) high cardboard drums. The packing presentation of a smaller quantity of cable made it possible to have more flexibility in cutting operations, since it allows to cut the same product in several machines and when more than one 15 cm (6-inch) high package is required. Moreover the presentation in a package of a smaller quantity which is an object of the present invention made easier the handling for the users, because the conventional drum weight is of about 120kg, and the 15 cm (6-inch) high package presents a maximum weight of 20kg. The same package can be used several times, which is an advantage for the user and the supplier. The internal traffic of the packaged product is easier because it includes in the packing a rack that allows the use of two superposed stowages on two levels. To ship it to the users, the product is placed in two superposed wooden stowages that correspond the capacity of a trailer. French Patent No. 2641255 discloses a packing element according to the preamble of claim 1. US. Patent No.4623063 and U.K. Patent No. 232071 also disclose packing elements for housing wound electrical conductors. According to the invention there is provided a packing element for housing a wound electrical conductor, the packing element including three sections A, B and C in which: Section A comprises an outer wall including eight sides such that the wall is substantially octagonal in plan view; section C comprises an inner wall including eight sides such that the wall is substantially octagonal in plan view; and section B comprises a base extending substantially between the inner and outer walls, the sections A, B and C thus defining a passage for accommodating the wound electrical conductor characterised in that the three sections are detachable from one another and in that the outer and inner walls are of a height up to about 15 cm. Preferred features of the invention are defined in the subclaims. Hereinafter the invention will be described according to the drawing of the figures 1 to 8, where: Figure 1 shows the bailing and stowing system from an isometric view on an automatic cutting table of electric conductors rolls for automotive harnesses. Figure 1.1 shows an isometric view of a sectional cut of figure 1, with one individual packing. Figure 2 shows a top view of an individual, octagonal cardboard packing for electric conductor rolls. Figure 3 shows a lateral view of figure 2. Figure 4 shows a lateral side of a stowage with seven modules of stacked packings. Figure 5 shows a top view of a package of an electric conductor roll, which is no part of the present invention. Figure 6 shows a lateral view of figure 5. Figure 7 shows a lateral view of a module of seven piled packings of figure 5 inside a rack of four modules, for storage. Figure 8 shows an isometric view of the structure of a rack, with a module of seven packings. The bailing and stowing system shown in figure 1 is integrated by a conventional cutting table 10, that is electrically and automatically set and controlled at the desired height through its supports 14, to handle the stowage of module 11, during the rolling of the seven packings 12 that form it; a cardboard or plastic packing 12, for electric conductor rolls for automotive harnesses, this packing supports 20 to 25kg. A portable rack 13 figure 8, with four modules specially designed to be used as container for the stowages for internal transportation or storage. Plastic or cardboard packing: The cardboard packing 12 Fig. 2, and 1.1 is designed in three assembly sections A, B, C, being the A section structured as an octagonal container made out of just one cardboard piece, that is, every side of the octagonal surface 15, in its periphery, presents directionally extended bends up to an extension of 15cm approximately to form a peripheral wall and then presents another bend 16, of approximately 15cm, to form a reinforced wall. Also, four of its sides, alternately disposed, present projections 17 reinforced with an additional wall 18 allowing the packing 12 to be self-stacking with a maximum of 7 packings to form a stowage 11. Moreover, the packing 12 has a rabbet 19, in the opposite furthest end of the projection 17, formed by a folding of two walls, that allows a coupling of the adjacent projection with the piled packing. The packing presents in two of its opposite walls, longitudinal hollows that work as handles 20 of the packing. The B section of the packing 12 is a reinforcement sheath peripherally disposed between the A section and the C section; the internal and external peripheries of this sheath are octagonal. The C section of the packing is a bridle 28, fig. 1.1 with an octagonal form, which is situated concentrically relative to the A section. This bridle has the same height as that of the A section. In its lower ends, it also has flanges working as fastening elements that are pressed between the A section and the B section, to define a passage where the electric winding 29 is accommodated. The cardboard packing 12 presents a characteristic in its design, when it is manufactured with plastic material it may or may not have projections for its self stacking or just manual handles 20, and up to seven stowages can be self-stacked. Operation: The packings were designed to be self-stacked, this permits them to be automatically stowed and filled one by one on the reels of automotive cable being supported on the cutting table. The seven packings are filled one by one until they form a stowage, continuity tests are automatically made on the reels. Once the seven packings are filled they are removed from the reel being assisted by the cutting table and by a roller conveyor. When the packings are ready to be stored, they are set in the four modules 11 of the rack 13. The four posts 23 are set and another rack is stowed to send them to a double level. The Objects of the System of preferred embodiment of the Invention are: Reduction of process inventory The 15 cm (6-inch) high packing capacities are seven times smaller than the capacities of the packing in 76 cm (30-inch) high drums. Handling facilities The fact that the 76 cm (30 inch) drums can weigh up to 120kg makes their handling difficult, the 15cm (6 inches) packings weigh 20kg maximum and are equipped with handles so the operators can handle them without any difficulty. Reuse The 15 cm (6-inch) packings can be reused several times; this means that the distribution costs will be reduced. Reduction of obsolete inventories When a product is not of high consumption, there is an opportunity to ask for it in smaller amounts so when the automotive model is changed, the risk of having it as obsolete inventory is reduced. Reduction of polluting material The 15 cm (6-inch) high packing is made of 100% cardboard or 100% polyethylene, and thus has a smaller amount of substances that pollute the environment. The traditional drum has metal rings hooked to the lower and upper parts so that it is difficult to take them away from the cardboard. Rack 13 description Fig. 8 The function of the Universal rack is to store the cable packings for several uses. The kinds of packing are the following: 15 cm (6-inch) high octagonal cardboard packing; distance between opposite faces = 60cm. Round cardboard packing height = 15 cm (6 inches); diameter: 60cm. Cardboard drums - 60cm diameter and various heights: 38 cm (15 inches), 53 cm (21 inches), 76 cm (30 inches) and 107cm (42 inches). This is a symmetric structure with a housing consisting of an articulated base 25 of tubular profiles 25, arranged in four rectangular sections to accommodate four stowages with seven octagonal packings 11, respectively. The rack 13 also has a series of four rigid supports 23 vertically disposed in each of the corners of the base 24 to support a second base (stowage). In the lower part of the base of the rack 30, there are four feet with a male support 26, for stacking up the rack; in the upper part of the rack there are four female supports 27 for the introduction of the second rack for its transportation, The rack has four packing accesses and its design permits to pile up to 3 racks, one on top of the other, being of adequate dimensions so they can be stored in the containers of trailers two by two, one on top of the other.

Claims: A packing element (12) for housing a wound electrical conductor (29), the packing element (12) including three sections A, B and C in which: section A comprises an outer wall (15) including eight sides such that the wall is substantially octagonal in plan view; section C comprises an inner wall (28) including eight sides such that the wall is substantially octagonal in plan view; and section B comprises a base extending substantially between the inner (28) and outer (15) walls, the sections A, B and C thus defining a passage for accommodating the wound electrical conductor (29) characterised in that the three sections are detachable from one another and in that the outer and inner walls (15, 28) are of a height up to about 15 cm. A packing element (12) according to Claim 1 characterised in that the sides of section C are substantially parallel to the sides of section A. A packing element (12) according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 characterised in that one or more of the sides of the wall (15) of section A includes an upwardly directed extension (17). A packing element (12) according to Claim 3 characterised in that upwardly directed extensions (17) are provided on alternate sides of the wall (15) of section A. A packing element (12) according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 characterised in that at least one of the sides of the wall (15) of section A is provided with a rabbet (19) in its underside, for engaging an extension (17) on a second packing element when placed upon the second packing element. A packing element (12) according to any preceding claim characterised in that at least two opposing sides of the wall (15) of section A include hollows (20) for acting as packing handles. A packing element (12) according to any preceding claim characterised in that the wall (28) of section C includes sides of substantially the same height as those of section A, and also includes flanges on its underside, for engaging section B. A bailing and automatic stowing system for electrical conductors, the stowing system including a cutting table (10) that is electrically and automatically set and controlled at a desired height; at least one packing element (12) according to any preceding claim; and a universal cabinet for accommodating stacked packing elements. A system according to Claim 8 characterised in that the system includes a roller carrier for transporting the packing elements to universal cabinets or wooden stowages for transportation.

Inventors: GONZALEZ LOPEZ SIVERIO, LAVIE FLORES CLEMENTE, TENORIO GUTIERREZ CARLOS, GONZALEZ LOPEZ, SIVERIO, LAVIE FLORES, CLEMENTE, TENORIO GUTIERREZ, CARLOS
Applicants: SERVICIOS CONDUMEX SA, SERVICIOS CONDUMEX S.A. DE C.V.
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B65D85
IPC codes: B65H49, B65D85