Winding spool for a package and method for producing and unwinding the same

Abstract

A winding spool for a transportable package is disclosed. In one aspect, the winding spool includes a first flange and a second flange, wherein the winding core top is arranged detachably with at least the first flange at the first end of a winding core top and is connected with the second flange. The conical hollow section of the winding core top has a thin-walled configuration. The conical hollow section has a length l between the first and second flanges, and an average wall thickness t. The conical hollow section has a modulus of elasticity in the range of 1000 N/mm 2 to 30000 N/mm 2 . An aspect ratio of l/t is selected for this conical hollow section in dependence of the modulus of elasticity. The product of the modulus of elasticity and the aspect ratio can be greater than 0.1×106 and less than 2.5×106.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A winding spool for a transportable package for an elongated winding material having a substantially rotationally symmetrical conical hollow winding core top made of plastic, which has a first end having a smaller diameter and a second end having a larger diameter than that of the first end, wherein a cavity of the hollow winding core top is conical and open at both ends, the winding spool comprising:
 a first flange and a second flange, wherein the winding core top is arranged detachably with at least the first flange at the first end of the winding core top and is connected with the second flange, which is arranged at the second end of the winding core top,   wherein the conical hollow section of the winding core top, which is arranged between the two flanges, has a thin-walled configuration,   wherein the conical hollow section has a length l between the first flange and the second flange, and an average wall thickness t,   wherein the conical hollow section is made of a plastic having a modulus of elasticity (E modulus) in the range of 1000 N/mm 2  to 30000 N/mm 2 ,   wherein an aspect ratio of 1/t is selected for this conical hollow section in dependence of the modulus of elasticity,   and wherein the product of the modulus of elasticity (N/mm 2 ) and the aspect ratio (mm/mm) is greater than at least one of 0.1×106, 0.2×106, 0.3×106 and less than at least one of 2.5×106, 1.5×106 and 0.8×106.   
     
     
         2 . The winding spool according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the winding core top is configured to be mounted on one of i) a carrier system, ii) a winding core of a further winding spool having a higher rigidity and iii) an NPS winding spool, and wherein this higher rigidity is existent in the radial direction to the inside, in regard to the hollow conical section of the winding spool. 
     
     
         3 . The winding spool according to  claim 1 , wherein the winding spool is formed at least partially of at least one of the following materials: polyurethane, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). 
     
     
         4 . The winding spool according to  claim 3 , wherein at least a part of the winding spool is made of a thin elastic plastic, an elastic recyclable plastic, PP or PE. 
     
     
         5 . The winding spool according to  claim 3 , wherein the material is enhanced with glass fibers, carbon fibers, metal fibers or plastic fibers. 
     
     
         6 . The winding spool according to  claim 3 , wherein a first section of the winding spool, the detachable flange and a second section, the hollow conical section are made of different materials, and wherein the first section is made of PE and the second section is made of PP, or vice versa. 
     
     
         7 . The winding spool according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of first flanges and/or a plurality of winding core tops and/or a plurality of winding spools in an unwound state and/or in a wound state and/or in a transportable state are stackable on a pallet. 
     
     
         8 . The winding spool according to  claim 1 , wherein a connection between the winding core top and the first detachable flange is constructed in a form-fitting manner, including using snap-in elements, which are in engagement with each other. 
     
     
         9 . The winding spool according to  claim 1 , wherein the first detachable flange is connected with the winding core top using a locking system. 
     
     
         10 . The winding spool according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking system comprises at least one circumferential latching on the winding core top and a further circumferential latching on the first flange, and wherein the latchings are configured to be engaged with each other. 
     
     
         11 . The winding spool according to  claim 1 , further comprising a locking system which is configured to connect the detachable flange with the winding core top, wherein the detachable flange has latching intrusions,
 wherein the winding core top has pocket-like sections in the area of its hollow conical section, substantially on the front surface, which is arranged opposite to the integrally constructed flange on the winding core top, and   wherein these pocket-like sections are constructed to accommodate these latching intrusions.   
     
     
         12 . The winding spool according to  claim 11 , wherein the pocket-like sections are offset in the axial direction with respect to the front surface of this hollow conical section such that they are offset by the dimension k1, wherein the dimension k1 corresponds substantially to the wall thickness of the latching intrusions of the detachable flange, which regularly engage in the locked state into these pocket-like sections. 
     
     
         13 . The winding spool according to  claim 11 , wherein the pocket-like sections have in the radial direction inwards in respect to the hollow conical section a reduced wall thickness and less than the wall thickness t, wherein the wall thickness is substantially reduced by the dimension k2, and wherein the dimension k2 substantially corresponds to the wall thickness of the latching intrusions of the detachable flange, which regularly engage into these pocket-like sections in the engaged state. 
     
     
         14 . The winding spool according to  claim 1 , wherein the second flange is integrally formed with the winding core top and/or configured to be produced together with this winding core top by an injection molding process. 
     
     
         15 . The winding spool according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the cavity of the winding core top, a weight member is fitted in an area at and/or in the vicinity of the first end of the winding core top. 
     
     
         16 . The winding spool according to  claim 1 , wherein the winding spool is used in a one-way system and/or in an NPS logistics system. 
     
     
         17 . The winding spool according to  claim 1 , the product of the modulus of elasticity (N/mm 2 ) and the aspect ratio (mm/mm) is substantially 0.5×106. 
     
     
         18 . A method of producing a transportable package for an elongated winding material using a winding spool, wherein the winding spool has a substantially rotationally symmetrical conical hollow winding core top made of plastic, and an aspect ratio l/t of the hollow conical section, which has a first end having a smaller diameter and a second end having a larger diameter that that of the first end, wherein a cavity of the winding core top is conical and open at both ends, having a first flange and a second flange, wherein the winding core top is connected with the at least first flange, which is arranged detachably at the first end of the winding core top, and is connected with the second flange, which is arranged at the second end of the winding core top, the method comprising:
 assembling the winding spool such that the first flange with the winding core top is detachably connected at the first end;   mounting the assembled winding spool onto a support system including a divisible carrier spool having a higher rigidity;   inserting the carrier system with the assembled winding spool being mounted on it into a winding device configured to wind the divisible winding spool;   winding a winding material onto the winding spool, which has been mounted on the carrier system, by using a laying unit, which is controlled by a control unit in such a manner that a predetermined winding pattern is brought onto the mounted winding spool;   terminating the winding process when a desired degree of filling is reached, and a removing of the carrier system together with the winding spool being mounted on it out of the winding device; and   detaching the winding spool being mounted on carrier system, wherein the detaching comprises detaching the divisible carrier spool.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the production is carried out by using an NPS winding device. 
     
     
         20 . A method of unwinding a transportable package for an elongated winding material using a winding spool, wherein the winding spool has a substantially rotationally symmetrical conical hollow winding core top made of plastic, and an aspect ratio l/t of the hollow conical section, which has a first end having a smaller diameter and a second end having a larger diameter that that of the first end, wherein a cavity of the winding core top is conical and open at both ends, having a first flange and a second flange, wherein the winding core top is connected with the at least first flange, which is arranged detachably at the first end of the winding core top, and is connected with the second flange, which is arranged at the second end of the winding core top, the method comprising:
 inserting the winding spool, which has been wounded up with a winding material, into an unwinding device configured to unwind the winding spool, which has been wounded up;   unwinding the wound up winding material from the winding spool by using additional unwinding units;   terminating the unwinding operation, when a desired grade of unwinding has been reached; and   removing the winding spool, which has been unwound up to the desired grade of unwinding, out of the unwinding device.   
     
     
         21 . A package having a substantially rotationally symmetrical conical hollow winding core top made of plastic, and an aspect ratio l/t of the hollow conical section, which has a first end having a smaller diameter and a second end having a larger diameter than that of the first end, wherein a cavity of the winding core top is conical and open at both ends, the package comprising:
 a flange, which is fixedly connected to the second end of the winding core top; and   a cable, which is wound up on the winding core top according to a predetermined winding pattern.