Spool for fastener strips and method of winding fastener strips

Abstract

A spool for a fastener strip includes a cylinder comprising a substantially U-shaped recess or protrusion for accommodating a turn in the fastener strip such that an upstream portion and a downstream portion of the fastener strip can point in the same direction. The recess or protrusion allows the strip to be wound onto the spool in such a manner that when the strip is unwound, there is a sufficiently long lead of fastener strip to allow an operator to replace the emptied spool with a new spool and to splice an upstream end of the strip from the emptied spool with a downstream end of the strip from the new spool.

1 . A spool for holding a fastener strip, comprising:
 a cylinder on which to wind a fastener strip, said cylinder comprising a substantially U-shaped recess for accommodating a turn in said fastener strip such that an upstream portion and a downstream portion of said fastener strip can point in the same direction.   
   
   
       2 . The spool of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said recess has a depth at least equal to the width of said fastener strip. 
   
   
       3 . The spool of  claim 1 , wherein said recess has a radius of curvature at least equal to the radius of curvature that said fastener strip can be bent without permanently deforming the fastener strip. 
   
   
       4 . A spool for holding a fastener strip, comprising:
 a cylinder on which to wind a fastener strip, said cylinder comprising a substantially U-shaped protrusion for accommodating a turn in said fastener strip such that an upstream portion and a downstream portion of said fastener strip can point in the same direction.   
   
   
       5 . The spool of  claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of said protrusion has a height at least equal to the width of said fastener strip. 
   
   
       6 . The spool of  claim 4 , wherein said protrusion has a radius of curvature at least equal to the radius of curvature that said fastener strip can be bent without permanently deforming the fastener strip. 
   
   
       7 . A method of winding a fastener strip, comprising:
 providing a spool according to  claim 1 ;   winding a fastener strip around the substantially U-shaped recess such that an upstream portion and a downstream portion of said fastener strip point in the same direction.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the upstream portion of said fastener strip is sufficiently long to allow an operator to replace a spool depleted in fastener strip with a new spool and to splice an upstream end of the fastener strip from the depleted spool with a downstream end of a fastener strip from the new spool without stopping a production line employing said fastener strip. 
   
   
       9 . A method of winding a fastener strip, comprising:
 providing a spool according to  claim 4 ;   winding said fastener strip around the substantially U-shaped protrusion such that an upstream portion and a downstream portion of said fastener strip point in the same direction.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the upstream portion of said fastener strip is sufficiently long to allow an operator to replace a spool depleted in fastener strip with a new spool and to splice an upstream end of the fastener strip from the depleted spool with a downstream end of a fastener strip from the new spool without stopping a production line employing said fastener strip.