Patent Document

The present invention relates to welding wire packaging and more particularly to a welding wire package with an improved lifting strap configuration that cannot be easily removed until the welding wire is consumed. 
   INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
   Welding wire used in high production operations, such as robotic welding stations, is provided in a package generally having over 200 pounds of wire. The package is often a drum where a large volume of welding wire is looped in the drum around a central core or a central clearance bore. During transportation a hold down mechanism can be used to prevent the wire coil from shifting. To control the transportation and payout of the wire, it is standard practice to provide an upper retainer ring which can be utilized as a part of the hold down mechanism to prevent wire shifting. One such package is shown in Cooper U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,934 which is incorporated by reference herein as background material showing the same. Another such packaging is shown in Kawasaki U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,367 which is also incorporated by reference herein for showing welding wire packages utilizing hold down mechanisms. Cipriani U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,575 shows a welding wire package which utilizes a packing skid and is also incorporated by reference for showing the same. Jenkins U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,005 shows a wire package which utilizes handles and is also incorporated by reference for showing the same. 
   BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   In the welding industry, a tremendous number of robotic welding stations are each operable to draw welding wire from a package to provide a continuous supply of wire to perform successive welding operations. The advent of this mass use of electric welding wire has created a need for large packages for containing and dispensing large quantities of welding wire. A common package is a drum where looped or coiled welding wire is deposited in the drum as a wire stack, or body, of wire having a top surface with an outer cylindrical surface against the drum and an inner cylindrical surface defining a central bore. The central bore is often occupied by a cardboard cylindrical core as shown in Cooper U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,934. It is common practice for the drum to have an upper retainer ring that is used in transportation to stabilize the body of welding wire as it settles. This ring, as is shown in Cooper, remains on the top of the welding wire to push downward by its weight so the wire can be pulled from the body of wire between the core and the ring. In addition, a hold-down mechanism can be utilized to increase the downward force. As can be appreciated, large welding wire packages are heavy and require the use of lifts and other material transport devices to move the packages. As can also be appreciated, the wire packages may be moved several times before the wire is consumed. This can include several moves between the wire manufacturer and the end user and even several moves once the package reaches the end user. Therefore, it is advantageous to include a mechanism on the packaging to facilitate the use of lifting equipment to move the packaging. 
   Some prior art packages include handles on their outer surfaces to help grasp the container. However, handles provide little benefit for larger wire packages. 
   Other prior art welding wire packages include a built in packing skid or pallet to allow a fork lift to move the wire packaging. As can be appreciated, the packing skid which is heavy and bulky, and often expensive, must be disposed of once the welding wire is consumed. In view of the high volumes of welding wire used during many welding operations, especially robotic welding operations, there is a need for a wire package that is easily and economically disposable. 
   In order to overcome the shortcomings of packing skids, others have utilized lifting straps to lift the heavy wire packages. These lifting straps have loops on either end and the straps extend into the packaging and wrap around the base of the wire coil. The loops are utilized to attach the packaging to a lifting device. However, if only one loop is pulled, the strap can be pulled from the packaging. As can be appreciated, once the strap has been pulled from the packaging, it is difficult, if not impossible, to utilize the strap to lift the welding wire package. Further, if the strap is securely affixed to the packaging, such as by staples, it is difficult to separate the strap from the packaging after the wire is consumed. As can be appreciated, in order to recycle the packing materials, it is advantageous to be able to easily separate unlike materials, such as separating paper products of the package from the materials used to make the strap. 
   STATEMENT OF INVENTION 
   In accordance with the present invention, a welding wire package is provided which includes a lifting strap that cannot be pulled from the packaging but which is also easily separable from the packaging after the welding wire is consumed. In this respect, a package according to the present invention includes a lifting strap which interengages with the hold-down mechanism of the wire package to prevent removal of the strap until the welding wire is consumed. 
   An object of the present invention is the provision of a welding wire package which includes a lifting strap that cannot be inadvertently removed from the package until the welding wire has been consumed. 
   A further object of the present invention is the provision of welding wire package which includes a lifting strap that prevents removal of the strap before the welding wire has been consumed. 
   Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of a welding wire package which includes a lifting strap that can be easily separated from the remaining package components after the welding wire has been consumed. 
   Another object of the present invention is the provision of a welding wire package which includes a lifting strap that can be used to transport the package. 
   Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a welding wire package which includes a lifting strap that is economical to produce, easy to use and either reuse or discard after use. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing objects, and others, will in part be obvious and in part pointed out more fully hereinafter in conjunction with a written description of preferred embodiments of the present invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a welding wire package according to the present invention with a lifting strap in a non-lifting condition; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional elevation view taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional elevation view as is shown in  FIG. 2  with the lifting strap in a lifting condition; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective sectional view of the base area of the package shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged perspective sectional view of the base area of another embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of a welding wire package according to the present invention with a lifting strap in the lifting condition; and, 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional elevation view taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now in greater detail to the drawing wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention only, and not for the purpose of limiting the invention,  FIGS. 1-4  illustrate a welding wire drum type package  10  wherein a wire W is stored in and paid out of the package which includes a bottom  12 , a top  14 , and a cylindrical side wall  15  having an inner surface  16 . Package  10  can further include a cylindrical cardboard core (not shown) concentric with surface  16 . Package  10  further includes a hold-down mechanism  20  which helps maintain a coil  30  of wire W and prevents coil  30  from shifting during transportation. 
   As is know, package  10  is loaded with wire W at the wire manufacturing facility and the wire is looped into the package to define a body of welding wire, namely, wire coil  30  having a top surface  40 , an outer cylindrical surface  42  against surface  16  and an inner cylindrical surface  44 . In this manner, a central vertically extending bore  46  is formed which is concentric with surface  16 . Again, in some instances, an inner core (not shown) can be used. The coil further includes a bottom surface  48  which can rest against package bottom  12  which will be discussed in greater detail below. The wire is looped in a manner such that it has a cast to facilitate payout with a minimum of tangles. This produces an upward springing effect which must be controlled during both the transport of packaging  10  and during the unwinding of the welding wire. During the transport of the package the upward springing, and generally the prevention of wire shifting in the coil, is managed by hold-down mechanism  20 . 
   Hold-down mechanism  20  includes a hold-down bar  50 , a force producing member  52  and a top bar  54 . As is stated above, the hold-down mechanism prevents the shifting and/or upward springing of the wire in the wire coil during transport. This is accomplished by producing a downward force on top surface  40  of coil  30 . More particularly, hold down bar  50  is maintained relative to bottom  12  of the package. Bar  50  can be any known hold-down bar including, but not limited to, a straight elongated bar, a curved bar (not shown) or a hook (not shown). Further, based on all intended uses of bar  50 , the bar is made from a suitable material such as, but not limited to, metal. Depending on the type of bar utilized, the bar is secured relative to the bottom of the package. In the case of a straight hold down bar, the bar can be positioned between coil bottom  48  and bottom  12  of package  10 . The weight of coil  30  prevents upward movement of the bar. However, hold down bar  50  can also be fastened to wall  15  and/or bottom  12 . Force member  52  is attached between hold-down bar  50  and top bar  54  such that member  52  produces a downward force in top bar  54 . Member  52  can be any know force producing member including, but not limited to, an elastic band or a spring, as shown. 
   Hold-down mechanism  20  can further include a ring  56  on top surface  40  of the coil to produce an even downward force on the coil. Ring  56  can be a retainer ring which is also used to prevent tangles in wire W as the wire is unwound from wire coil  30 . As is known in the art, package  10  can further include a ring protection member (not shown) which extends between top bar  54  and ring  56 . In this respect, if ring  56  is a retainer ring, it is typically configured for maximum functionality for the controlling of the unwinding of the wire and is not optimally designed for the transport of the package. As is shown, ring  56  has a top surface  60  and a bottom surface  62  wherein bottom surface  62  engages coil top  40 . Top bar  54  engages top ring surface  60  to produce the downward force on ring  56 . Ring  56  further includes an outer periphery  64  having a diameter less than that of inner surface  16  of wall  15  and an inner periphery  66 . As is shown, outer periphery  64  can be spaced slightly inward of surface  16 . Further, ring  56  can be any known ring in the art and/or can be a ring design for transporting only. 
   Package  10  further includes a lift strap  70  having a first end  72  and a second end  74 . First and seconds ends  72  and  74  include loops or rings  76  and  78 , respectively. Loops  76  and  78  can be of any configuration and constructed of any suitable material including, but not limited to, metal, and can be loops created integrally by the material of strap  70 . Loops  76  and  78  are used to attach strap  70  to a lifting device  90  that can also be any known device in the art. Strap  70  has a middle section or bottom  80  between ends  72  and  74  that is positioned between bottom  12  and coil bottom  48 . As will be appreciated, the majority of the weight of package  10  is from coil  30 . Therefore, by extending below the coil, the strap can support the weight of the package without being attached to the outer packaging. Strap  70  is provided with a strap securing hole  82  in bottom section  80  for securing the strap to hold-down bar  50 . In this respect, hold-down bar  50  extends through strap hole  82  such that strap  70  cannot be removed from package  10  without dislodging bar  50 . While it is preferred that an existing structure, such as mechanism  20 , be used to secure strap  70 , bar  50  can be an independent component with its primary function being to secure strap  70 . 
   In one embodiment ( FIG. 4 ), strap hole  82  is produced by a strap section  84  attached to strap  70  at strap bottom  80  by any known means. This can include, but is not limited to, sewing strap section  84  to strap  70 . By including section  84  which extends generally parallel to bottom  80 , hole  82  is substantially parallel to the strap faces of strap  70 . As a result, bar  50  can extend through hole  82  without twisting or distorting the strap. In another embodiment, package  10  can further include inserts or flaps  92  and  94  that are smaller than bottom  12  such that they produce a flap recess  96 . Flap recess  96  is large enough to a least partially receive bar  50 . By having recess  96 , bar  50  is more difficult to dislodge and has less bending affect on coil  30  at the points in which bar  50  extends under the coil. 
   In yet another embodiment ( FIG. 5 ), strap section  80  has a strap securing hole  100  integral therewith between strap edges  102  and  104 . Hole  100  can be cut into strap bottom  80  or can be sewn into the strap section or can be produced in any known manner in the art. As will be appreciated, while only two arrangements for providing strap holes are shown, other arrangements for providing strap holes, and/or other methods of securing strap  70  to bar  50 , and/or another component of mechanism  20  can be utilized without detracting from the invention. 
   Strap  70  further includes upward extending portions  110  and  112  which extend upwardly from either side of bottom  80 . In this embodiment, portions  110  and  112  extend between outer coil surface  42  and inner carton surface  16 . However, while not shown, package  10  can further include a liner and/or a vapor barrier extending around coil  30  and can include other packaging material(s) known in the art. In order to better stabilize the lifting of package  10 , the package further includes diametrically opposite strap openings  114  and  116  in side wall  15  near top  14 . The strap openings are shaped to allow strap  70  to pass through side wall  15 . Outer sections  120  and  122  of strap  70  extend from openings  114  and  116 , respectively, to strap ends  72  and  74 . As can be seen best in  FIG. 3 , by passing strap  70  through strap openings  114  and  116 , the position of strap bottom  80 , and strap sections  110  and  112 , are substantially maintained regardless of the direction of the lifting forces produced by lifting device  90 . In addition, lifting stability is increased by at least partially controlling the lifting at a point at or near top  14  of package  10 . 
   In the following discussions concerning yet further embodiments of the present invention, the components of the wire package which remain the same as those discussed above are identified by the same reference numbers. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , welding wire package  200  is shown. As will be appreciated from these figures, welding wire strap  70  can be used with a wide range of welding wire packages known in the art including square box packages such as welding wire package  200 . In addition, while not shown, package  200  can include a hold-down mechanism such as hold-down mechanism  20 . In this respect, if a hold down mechanism is not desired or a different style is used, bar  50  in any embodiment can be used only for strap  70  such that it does not have a secondary function. As is shown, package  200  includes bar  50  positioned below coil bottom  48 . Essentially, strap  70  is as discussed above and, therefore, will not be discussed in detail with respect to package  200 . However, due to the square design of this packaging, package  200  can include rectangular inner bottom flaps  210  and  212  and outer bottom flaps  214  and  216 . In order to produce a flap recess  220  for at least partially receiving bar  50 , inner flaps  210  and  212  can be shortened. As stated above, by including flap recess  220 , bar  50  has less of a distorting affect on coil  30 . Further, recess  220  makes it more difficult to dislodge bar  50  and, therefore, strap is better secured to package  200  without the need to fasten the strap to the package. As with package  10 , strap  70  can utilize a wide range of arrangements for providing holes to allow bar  50  to pass through strap  70  and maintain the strap relative to the bar until the wire is consumed. 
   Package  200  includes side walls  230  and  232  which extend upwardly from inner flaps  210  and  212 , respectively, and side walls  234  and  236  which extend upwardly from outer flaps  214  and  216 . However, it will be appreciated, that walls  230  and  232  can extend from the outer bottom flaps and walls  234  and  236  can extend from the inner bottom flaps. Side wall  230  extends to a top edge  240 , Side wall  232  extends to a top edge  242 , Side wall  234  extends to a top edge  244  and Side wall  236  extends to a top edge  246 . Package  200  further includes inner top flaps  250  and  252  extending respectively from side walls  230  and  232 , and outer flaps  254  and  256  extending respectively from side walls  234  and  236 . Again, while not shown, the inner and outer top flaps can be attached to any of the side walls of package  200 . 
   Package  200  further includes openings  260  and  262  at or near top edges  240  and  242 , respectively. As discussed above with package  10 , openings  260  and  262  are large enough to allow strap  70  to pass from the inside of package  200  to the outside. Similar to package  10 , this configuration increases the stability of package  200  when being lifted by lifting device  90 . As will be appreciated, openings similar to openings  260  and  262  can also be provided at or near top edges  244  and  246  of sides  234  and  236 , thus providing selectively for the position of the coil and strap in the box. 
   While only a few package configurations are shown, the invention of this application can be used with a wide range of welding wire packages and package accessories known in the art. The accessories include, but are not limited to, a package liner  270  between the side wall(s) and outer surface  42  of coil and, while not shown, vapor barriers, corner supports for the other hold-down mechanisms, and a wide range of retainer rings. 
   While considerable emphasis has been placed on the preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated that other embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principals of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the invention and not as a limitation and that it is intended to include other embodiments and all modifications of the preferred embodiments insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

Technology Category: b