Patent ID: 7398881

Claim:
A retainer ring for use in a welding wire package, the package having a coil of welding wire positioned in a coil receiving cavity in the package and extending about a vertically extending coil axis, the coil further including a coil bottom and an oppositely facing coil top, a radially extending outer cylindrical surface extending between the coil bottom and the coil top and a radially inner cylindrical surface extending between the coil bottom and the coil top, said ring comprising an annular ring body extending about a ring axis with an outer peripheral edge and an inner peripheral edge, said ring body comprising a top surface extending between said outer and inner peripheral edges and an oppositely facing bottom surface extending between said outer and inner peripheral edges, said bottom surface being configured to rest on the coil top and said outer peripheral edge being sized to allow said ring to descend within the wire receiving cavity as the wire is unwound from the wire coil, said ring body further including a thickness between said top surface and said bottom surface and said body being comprised of a material composition having a ring body density, said ring body further including at least one upwardly opened pocket having a base surface spaced above said bottom ring surface defining a pocket depth that is less than said thickness of said ring body and at least one side wall extending about said base defining a pocket perimeter, said pocket depth and perimeter defining a pocket volume, said pocket volume having a pocket density less than said ring body density.