Patent ID: 7093786

Claim:
A take up reel, comprising: a core having a generally open interior and an outer surface that is adapted to hold a sheet-like material that is wound around the core, wherein the core defines at least one slot; a slider member that is slidable within the slot between a home position and an extended position away from the outer surface, wherein when the sheet-like material is wound around the outer surface of the core when the slider member is in the extended position, the sheet-like material is spaced apart from the core in the region of the slot, and wherein when the slider member is moved to the home position, tension in the wound sheet-like material is reduced to facilitate removal of the core; and a pair of ends coupled to the core, wherein each of the ends includes an extension that extends into the interior and holds the slider member in the extended position when the end is coupled to the core, and wherein the slider member is movable to the home position when the ends are uncoupled from the core.