Abstract:
A wire payoff structure includes a plurality of arm members, a first ring, a second ring, and a third ring. The first ring is coupled with each of the arm members. The second ring is coupled with each of the arm members and is spaced radially outwardly from the first ring. The third ring is coupled with each of the arm members and is spaced radially outwardly from the second ring. A portion of each arm member passes beneath the third ring to facilitate contact with an underlying wire stack.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    A wire dispensing system includes a wire payoff structure. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Certain conventional wire dispensing systems include a wire payoff structure and a wire container. A wire stack can be disposed within the wire container and the wire payoff structure can fit over top the wire stack to facilitate dispensation of a wire strand from the wire stack and out of the wire container. An intermediate structure, such as a cardboard ring, is provided between the wire payoff structure and the wire stack to prevent unraveling of the wire stack. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    In accordance with one embodiment, a wire payoff structure comprises a plurality of arm members, a first ring, a second ring, and a third ring. The first ring is coupled with each of the arm members. The second ring is coupled with each of the arm members and is spaced radially outwardly from the first ring. The third ring is coupled with each of the arm members and is spaced radially outwardly from the second ring. A portion of each arm member passes beneath the third ring to facilitate contact with an underlying wire stack. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the invention, it is believed that the same will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view depicting a wire dispensing system, according to one embodiment; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a wire payoff structure of the wire dispensing system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the wire payoff structure of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the wire payoff structure of  FIG. 2  provided on top of a wire stack; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view depicting a wire dispensing system. according to another embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    Embodiments are hereinafter described in detail in connection with the views of  FIGS. 1-5 , wherein like numbers indicate the same or corresponding elements throughout the views. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a wire dispensing system  10  can include a wire container  12  and a wire payoff structure  14 . The wire container  12  can include a wall  16  that defines a receptacle  18 . A wire stack  20  can be disposed at least partially within the receptacle  18 . The wire stack  20  can be formed from a wire strand that can be wound such that the wire stack  20  comprises a cylindrical-shaped stack. In one embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the wire strand can be wound to form a cylindrical shape that defines an inner perimeter  22  and an outer perimeter  23 . The wire strand can be dispensed from the inner perimeter  22  such as for use in a welding process, for example. In some embodiments, the wire strand can be wound with a pre-twist that facilitates more effective dispensation of the wire strand from the inner perimeter. When the wire stack  20  is within the receptacle  18 , the wire payoff structure  14  can be stacked on top of the wire stack  20  and the wire strand can be routed through the inner ring  26  to facilitate dispensation of the wire strand from the wire stack  20  and the wire container  12 . As will be described in further detail below, the wire payoff structure  14  can prevent unraveling of the wire stack  20  during dispensation of the wire strand. 
         [0011]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the wire payoff structure  14  can include an inner ring  26 . an intermediate ring  28 , and an outer ring  30 . In one embodiment, the inner ring  26  can be arranged above the intermediate ring  28 . The intermediate ring  28  can be spaced radially outwardly from the inner ring  26  and the outer ring  30  can be spaced radially outwardly from the intermediate ring  28 . The wire payoff structure  14  can include a plurality of arm members  32 . The arm members  32  can be equally circumferentially spaced about the inner, intermediate, and outer rings  26 .  28 .  30 , or otherwise circumferentially spaced. Arm members  32  can be attached to each of the inner ring  26 . the intermediate ring  28 , and the outer ring  30  such that the inner. intermediate, and outer rings  26 ,  28 ,  30  cooperate with the arm members  32  to form an inverted funnel-type configuration. The inner ring  26 , the intermediate ring  28 , and the outer ring  30  are shown to be concentrically arranged and with the arm members  32  extending radially outwardly from the inner ring  26  and beyond each of the intermediate ring  28  and the outer ring  30 . It will be appreciated. however, that the inner ring  26 , the intermediate ring  28 , the outer ring  30 . and the arm members  32  can be provided in any of a variety of suitable alternative arrangements. In one embodiment, each of the inner ring  26 , the intermediate ring  28 , the outer ring  30 , and the arm members  32  can be formed from metal (e.g., steel, iron, copper) and coupled together, such as through welding, for example. In another embodiment, the inner ring  26 , the intermediate ring  28 , the outer ring  30 , and the arm members  32  can be formed from plastic and integrally coupled together (e.g., through plastic thermoforming) so as to form a one-piece structure. In other embodiments, however. the wire payoff structure  14  can be formed from any of variety of suitable alternative materials. 
         [0012]    As described above, the wire payoff structure  14  can be provided on top of the wire stack  20 . The wire strand from the wire stack  20  can be routed through the wire payoff structure  14  (e.g., through the inner ring  26 ). As the wire strand is dispensed from the wire stack  20 , the height of the wire stack  20  can decrease. The wire payoff structure  14  can accordingly move downwardly with the wire stack  20  (e.g., due to gravitational forces) to provide a consistent dispensing location at the top of the wire stack  20 . 
         [0013]    The plurality of arm members  32  are shown to be attached to the inner ring  26  and the intermediate ring  28  such that each of the arm members  32  overlies the inner ring  26  and the intermediate ring  28 . In this configuration, when the wire strand is dispensed from the wire container  12  and through the wire payoff structure  14 , the inner ring  26  and the intermediate ring  28  can facilitate effective routing of the wire strand out of the wire container  12  and without the wire strand becoming entangled with the arm members  32 . In other embodiments, however, the arm members  32  can be attached to the inner ring  26  and the intermediate ring  28  such that the arm members  32  might not overlie the inner ring  26  and the intermediate ring  28 . For example, each arm member can extend between an inner ring and an intermediate ring such that the arm members abut with the inner ring and the intermediate ring. In another example, arm members can underlie the inner ring  26  and the intermediate ring  28 . 
         [0014]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , each of the arm members  32  can extend beyond the outer ring  30  and can include an upwardly extending end portion  34 . When the wire strand is dispensed from the wire container  12 , the upwardly extending end portions  34  can contact the wall  16  of the wire container  12  to prevent the wire payoff structure  14  from spinning. In one embodiment, the upwardly extending end portions  34  can maintain contact with the wall of the wire container  12 . In such an embodiment, the upwardly extending end portions  34  frictionally engage the wire container  12  sufficiently to keep the wire payoff structure  14  from spinning while simultaneously permitting the wire payoff structure  14  to move downwardly as the height of the wire stack  20  decreases (e.g., as the wire strand is dispensed from the wire stack  20 ). In another embodiment, the upwardly extending end portions  34  can selectively contact the wall of the wire container  12 . In such an embodiment, the wire payoff structure  14  can be sized such that different ones of the upwardly extending end portions  34  contact the wire container  12  during dispensation of the wire strand from the wire stack  20 . For example, the wire payoff structure  14  can be sized such that the wire payoff structure  14  can wobble during dispensation of the wire strand from the wire stack  20 . In such an arrangement, different ones of the upwardly extending end portions  34  can continually contact the wire container  12  during dispensation (e.g., to allow the wire payoff structure  14  to wobble without spinning). 
         [0015]    In an alternative embodiment, the wall  16  of the wire container  12  can define a plurality of recesses that are configured to receive the upwardly extending end portions  34 . The plurality of recesses can be arranged in columns and each column of recesses can be aligned with one of the upwardly extending end portions  34 . As the height of the wire stack  20  decreases. each upwardly extending end portion  34  can selectively engage lower ones of the respective recesses to prevent the wire payoff structure  14  from being inadvertently separated from the wire stack  20 . It will be appreciated that the wire payoff structure can include any of a variety of suitable alternative means for engaging a wall of a wire container. In yet another alternative embodiment, the upwardly extending portions  34  can prevent the wire payoff structure  14  from spinning without contacting the wall  16  of the wire container  12 . 
         [0016]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 2-4 , the arm members  32  can include a lower extending portion  36 . The lower extending portion  36  can pass beneath the outer ring  30  to prevent the wire stack  20  from unraveling. For example, as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the arm member  32  can be attached to the intermediate ring  28  such that the lower extending portion  36  is adjacent to the intermediate ring  28 . The lower extending portion  36  can define a bottom surface  37  and the intermediate ring  28  can define a bottom surface  38 . In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the respective bottom surfaces  37 ,  38  of the lower extending portion  36  and the intermediate ring  28  can be substantially coplanar to facilitate direct contact with the wire stack  20 . 
         [0017]    The wire payoff structure  14  can be provided on top of the wire stack  20  such that the intermediate ring  28  is substantially aligned with the inner perimeter  22  of the wire stack  20 . With the wire payoff structure  14  in this arrangement, the lower extending portion  36  can extend transverse to the wound wire strand (e.g.,  40  in  FIG. 4 ) between the inner perimeter  22  and the outer perimeter  23 . The respective bottom surfaces  37 .  38  of the lower extending portion  36  and the intermediate ring  28  can directly contact the wire stack  20  and the weight of the wire payoff structure  14  can be distributed across the top of the wire stack  20  (e.g., between the inner perimeter  22  and the outer perimeter  23 ) via each of the lower extending portions  36 : During dispensation of the wire strand (e.g.,  40 ) from the wire container  12 , the lower extending portions  36  of the wire payoff structure  14  directly contact the top of the wire stack  20  to prevent the wire stack  20  from unraveling and without impeding the dispensation of the wire strand. 
         [0018]    The direct contact between the wire payoff structure  14  and the wire stack  20  can alleviate the need for an intermediate structure for use in conjunction with conventional wire payoff structures. For example, sonic conventional wire payoff structures can include radial arms that pass above an outer ring such that the outer ring underlies the radial arms. When these wire payoff structures are provided on top of a wire stack, the outer ring contacts the outer perimeter of the wire stack while the radial arms are angled away from the stack (e.g., resulting in a space between the wire stack and the radial arms). These conventional wire payoff structures are thus ineffective to prevent a wire strand from unraveling when provided in direct contact with a top of a wire stack. An intermediate structure is therefore provided vertically between the conventional wire payoff structure and the wire stack. The intermediate structure rests upon the wire stack (e.g., directly contacting the wire stack) and extends between the inner and outer perimeters. The intermediate structure distributes the weight of the conventional wire payoff structure between the inner and outer perimeters of the wire stack and compensates for the inability of the conventional wire payoff structure alone to prevent the wire stack from unraveling. Typically, the intermediate structure comprises a flat cardboard ring. However, it will be appreciated that intermediate structures can be any of a variety of suitable shapes formed from any of a variety of materials, such as fiberboard, wood, paper, or plastic, for example. 
         [0019]    Since the lower extending portions  36  of the arm members  32  are configured to rest upon the wire stack  20  to provide even weight distribution, the wire payoff structure  14  can prevent unraveling without the use of an intermediate structure and can thus be more cost effective and easier to employ in a wire dispensing system than a conventional wire payoff structure and an associated intermediate structure. Manufacturing costs are oftentimes affected by the amount of waste material that requires disposal (e.g., a waste stream). The wire payoff structure  14  can be formed from a material (e.g., steel) that conforms to a facility&#39;s existing waste stream to reduce the burden of the wire payoff structure on a facility&#39;s waste stream costs. Moreover, by omitting the reliance on an intermediate structure, certain waste streams at a facility may be further reduced, and in some cases, even eliminated. 
         [0020]    Although the wire container  12  is shown to be a box-shaped container, it will be appreciated that the wire payoff structure  14  can be employed with any of a variety of suitable wire container configurations. For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a wire payoff structure  114 . that is similar in many respects to wire payoff structure  14 , can be employed with a wire drum  112 . It will also be appreciated that a lower extending portion of an arm member can extend beneath an outer ring in any of a variety of suitable alternative arrangements. For example, a lower extending portion can be coupled with the intermediate ring with a bottom surface of the lower extending portion disposed beneath the intermediate ring such that the wire stack contacts only the lower extending portion (e.g., the intermediate ring overlying the arm members). 
         [0021]    Although the embodiments above have been described with respect to three rings and four arm members, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments a wire dispensing assembly can include more or less than three rings and/or more or less than four arm members. While various embodiments of a wire dispensing assembly have been illustrated by the foregoing description and have been described in detail with respect to  FIGS. 1-5 . it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Numerous modifications are possible in light or the above teachings. Some of those modifications have been discussed and others will be understood by those skilled in the art.