COIL HOLDER

Abstract

A holder for a metal coil that includes a pair of spaced apart end members and a bridge member that inter-couples the spaced apart end members. Each end member has a base that includes a base receptacle for receiving opposed ends of the bridge member so as to form a unitary holder. Each end member also includes an arcuate retaining strip extending from said base and having a free end that defines an open front space through which the coil is insertable into the holder.

Claims

1. A holder for a coil comprised of a pair of spaced apart end members and a bridge member that inter-couples the spaced apart end members, each end member having a base that includes a base receptacle for receiving opposed ends of the bridge member so as to form a unitary holder, each said end member also including an arcuate retaining strip extending from said base and having a free end that defines an open front space through which the coil is insertable into the holder.

2. The holder of claim 1 wherein the bridge member is tubular and the base receptacle is likewise tubular in shape for receiving an opposed end of the tubular bridge member.

3. The holder of claim 2 wherein a means is provided for securing the opposed ends of the bridge member with the respective base receptacles.

4. The holder of claim 1 wherein the coil is a metal coil and each spaced apart end member also includes an outer end wall for limiting the lateral position of the metal coil.

5. The holder of claim 1 wherein each arcuate retaining strip is substantially circular in cross-section.

6. The holder of claim 5 wherein each arcuate retaining strip extends about a circumference that is greater than half the circumference of the circular cross-section.

7. The holder of claim 6 wherein the free end of the arcuate retaining strip has an upwardly turned end edge.

8. The holder of claim 1 wherein the bridge member has a flattened upper surface for receiving the coil and defining a flat surface for cutting the coil by means of a cutting blade.

9. The holder of claim 1 wherein the bridge member comprises a first bridge member and including a second bridge member that inter-couples the spaced apart end members, said second bridge member being spaced from the first bridge member and substantially disposed in parallel to the first bridge member.

10. The holder of claim 9 wherein the respective base receptacles comprises first base receptacles and further including second base receptacles at the respective bases and for receiving opposed ends of the second bridge member.

11. The holder of claim 10 wherein the second base receptacles are disposed at a rear of the respective bases.

12. The holder of claim 11 including a third bridge member extending between the respective bases and disposed over and substantially in parallel with the first base member.

13. The holder of claim 12 wherein both the first and third bridge members are disposed at a front of the holder with the coil material adapted to be disposed between the first and third bridge members.

14. The holder of claim 1 wherein the bridge member comprises one bridge member and including another bridge member that extending between the respective bases and disposed over and substantially in parallel with the first base member.

15. The holder of claim 14 wherein both the one and another bridge members are disposed at a front of the holder with the coil material adapted to be disposed between the one and another bridge members.

16. The holder of claim 1 wherein each arcuate retaining strip is substantially circular in cross-section, and each arcuate retaining strip extends about a circumference that is greater than half the circumference of the circular cross-section.

17. The holder of claim 16 wherein each arcuate retaining strip extends in a circumference that is orthogonal to a length of the bridge member, the open front space is measured between the free end of the arcuate retaining strip and the base, and the open front space has a length measured in the direction of the circumference that is greater than a radius of the circumference.

18. The holder of claim 17 wherein the free end of the arcuate retaining strip has an upwardly turned end edge.

19. A holder for a coil comprised of; a pair of spaced apart end members and a bridge member that inter-couples the spaced apart end members, each end member having a base that includes a base receptacle for receiving opposed ends of the bridge member so as to form a unitary holder, each said end member also including an arcuate retaining strip extending from said base and having a free end that defines an open front space through which the coil is insertable into the holder, wherein each arcuate retaining strip extends in a circumference that is orthogonal to a length of the bridge member, the open front space is measured between the free end of the arcuate retaining strip and the base, the open front space has a length measured in the direction of the circumference that is greater than a radius of the circumference, and the arcuate retaining strips are disposed in parallel to each other.

20. The holder of claim 19 wherein the free end of the arcuate retaining strip has an upwardly turned end edge and the length of the open front space is also less than a diameter of the circumference.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] It should be understood that the drawings are provided for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to define the limits of the disclosure. The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the embodiments described herein will become apparent with reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention;

[0011] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

[0012] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the coil holder of the present invention without having the coil disposed within the holder;

[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view similar to that shown in FIG. 4 and illustrating one of the end members exploded away from the bridge member;

[0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the coil holder of the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

[0017] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the coil holder illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 but without the coil being disposed in place and with each bridge rod being supported in a different manner;

[0018] FIG. 9 is a perspective view similar to that shown in FIG. 8 but with one of the end members exploded away from the bridge members;

[0019] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention

[0020] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 10

[0021] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the third embodiment of the present invention without the metal coil in place; and

[0022] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the third embodiment similar to that shown in FIG. 12 with one of the end members exploded away from the bridge members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Reference is now made to the drawings. In this regard, FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a first embodiment of the pres inv; FIGS. 6-9 illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention; and FIGS. 10-13 illustrate a third embodiment of the present invention. In these various embodiments, some of the same reference numbers are used to identify similar components.

[0024] In the first embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the coil holder is comprised of a pair of spaced apart end members 12 and a bridge member 14 that intercouples the spaced apart end members. FIGS. 3-5 show the end members 12 and the bridge member 14. For this particular embodiment there is only a single bridge member 14 and this may be provided with a flattened surface, such as illustrated at 17 in FIG. 4. The flattened surface can assist in the cutting of the metal coil which occurs at the exit point from the coil at a location shown approximately at 17 in FIG. 3. The surface 17 preferably extends the full length of the bridge member. FIG. 3 also shows the free end 13 of the coil 11.

[0025] Each end member 12 has a base 20 that includes a base receptacle 22, clearly shown in, for example, FIG. 5. These base receptacles are for receiving opposed ends of the bridge member 14 so as to form a unitary folder as illustrated in FIG. 4. Each of the end members 12 also include an arcuate retaining piece or strip 24 extending from the base 20 and having a free end 25 that defines an open front space S through which the coil is insertable into the holder. In this regard, FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the coil 11 in place within the arcuate retaining piece or strip 24.

[0026] The bridge member 14 is preferably a tubular member. The base 20 of each end member also includes an outer end wall 26 for limiting the lateral position of the metal coil. The arcuate retaining piece 24 is preferably substantially circular in cross section. This arcuate piece extends about a circumference that is greater than half the circumference of the circular cross section. This is quite clear from the cross sectional view of FIG. 3. The free end 25 preferably has an upward turned end edge which is clearly illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. This upwardly turned end edge assists in moving the metal coil into the arcuate retaining strip 24 from the front. In FIG. 4 each base receptacle has a front facing slot 23 of a sufficient width that allows the metal to be cut along its complete width. The flattened surface 17 may extend into each slot 23.

[0027] There are certain dimensions, such as illustrated in FIG. 3, that are important in providing the desired ability to insert the metal coil as well as retain the metal coil in place. FIG. 3 illustrates the dimension S which is a front space through which the coil is inserted. These coils have a certain amount of resiliency and thus can be somewhat flattened for insertion. FIG. 3 also shows the radius R of the circular cross section. It is noted that each of the retaining strips 24 extends in a circumference that is substantially orthogonal to a length of the bridge member. The open front space S is measured between the free end 25 of the retaining strip and the base 20. The open front space S has a width that is greater than the radius R of the circumference. These dimensional relationships are clear from the diagram of FIG. 3.

[0028] A second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 6-9. In this embodiment the same reference numbers are used particularly with regard to the identification of the end members 12. Reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 clearly indicates that in addition to the forward bridge member 14 there is also a rearward bridge member 14. Each of these bridge members, such as illustrated in FIG. 9 is received in a receptacle. These receptacles are indicated in FIG. 9 as receptacles 22 and 22. Like receptacles are provided at each of the end members 20. With regard to the second embodiment, also refer to the cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 which clearly illustrates the position of the respective bridge members 14, 14. With the use of a second bridge member, there is a somewhat greater stability to the holder. In the second embodiment the diameter of both bridge members may be smaller than the diameter of the bridge member 14 illustrated in the first embodiment. It is noted in FIG. 7 that the same type of front open space S is provided. In the second embodiment the forward bridge 14 may also be provided with a flattened surface like that illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0029] In FIG. 8 there is illustrated a slightly different version of attaching the bridge members. In, for example, FIG. 4 or 12 an adhesive may be applied on the outer surface of the bridge member at each end thereof. The adhesive would be applied essentially between the bridge member and base receptacle. However, in FIG. 8, instead of a base receptacle, there are provided end posts 27 that extend into each end of the bridge member. An adhesive may be applied between the post 27 and the inner surface of the bridge member. An advantage of this version is that the receptacle and slot is not necessary. In all versions shown, that flattened surface 17 may be used to provide an easier surface against which a cutting knife can extend.

[0030] A third embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 10-13. This embodiment also uses end members that are substantially the same as illustrated and described in the first two embodiments. However, in this embodiment there is a third bridge member 14 that is disposed over the bridge member 14. This provides a gap G between the bridge members 14 and 14. This gap is for receiving the end 13 of the metal coil. This arrangement stabilizes the end of the metal coil and provides an area adjacent to the gap G where the metal coil can be cut across the full width thereof. The cross-sectional view of FIG. 11 also illustrates the space S which, due to the existence of two front bridge members, may be smaller than the space S shown in the second embodiment and illustrated in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 7. In this third embodiment, such as illustrated in FIG. 13, each of the end members has respective receptacles 22, 22 and 22.

[0031] Having now described a limited number of embodiments of the present invention, it should now be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous other embodiments and modifications thereof are contemplated as falling within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.