Packaging for wound coil

Abstract

A packaged wound coil assembly includes a coil of wire, a payout tube, two flat panels on either side of the coil of wire, and a retainer to secure the flat panels relative to the coil assembly. The package assembly uses significantly less materials than prior packages and as assembled can assume less overall space than prior packages for similar wire coils.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packaged wound coil assembly, comprising:
 a coil of wire, the coil of wire having an outer diameter and a wound coil width extending between first side and a second side;   a payout tube having a longitudinal axis extending into the wound coil; and   a first panel and a second panel on the first and second sides of the coil, the first and second panels each having a periphery; and   retention means for securing the first and second panels to the coil.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the retention means includes a film wrap extending over the coil across the width of the coil and over at least the periphery of each of the first and second panels.   
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the film wrap is a shrink wrap film.   
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the retention means includes a strapping extending across the width of the coil and over each of the first and second panels.   
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the strapping is poly band strapping.   
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein:
 each of the first and second panels defines recesses into which the strapping extends.   
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the retention means includes both of (i) a film wrap extending over the coil across the width of the coil and over at least the periphery of each of the first and second panels, and (ii) a strapping extending across the width of the coil and over each of the first and second panels.   
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the periphery of the first panel has a non-round periphery.   
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the periphery of the first panel is polygonal in shape.   
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first panel includes at least one cutout defining a hand-hold.   
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the at least one cutout extends through a center of the first panel.   
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the at least one cutout extends adjacent a corner of the first panel.   
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the coil defines an opening between windings of the wire, the payout tube includes a body and a flange, and the body extends into the opening and the flange seats adjacent an exterior of the coil.   
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a film that extends about at least a portion of the coil of wire.   
     
     
         15 . A packaged wound coil assembly, comprising:
 a coil of wire, the coil of wire having an outer diameter and a wound coil width extending between first side and a second side;   a payout tube having a longitudinal axis extending into the wound coil; and   a first panel and a second separate and discrete panels on the first and second sides of the coil, the first and second panels each having a periphery; and   a retainer extending over the coil that secures the first and second panels to the coil of wire in a manner that permits the wire to be dispensed from the coil through the payout tube while the retainer continues to secure to the first and second panels relative to the coil.   
     
     
         16 . A wound coil package assembly, comprising:
 a coil of wire, the coil of wire having an outer diameter and a wound coil width extending between a first side and a second side, the coil of wire defining windings;   a payout tube having a longitudinal axis extending radially into the coil of wire between the first side and the second side;   a first and second separate and discrete panels located on the first and second sides of the coil of wire, the first and second panels each having a periphery; and   a film wrap extending over the coil of wire across the width of the coil of wire and over at least the periphery of the first and second panels to retain the film wrap and first and second panels relative to the coil of wire.   
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the peripheries of each of the first and second panels are non-circular.   
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein:
 at least the first panel defines a hand-hold.   
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the film wrap is a heat shrink film.   
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a film that is separate from the film wrap and extends about at least a portion of the coil of wire.   
     
     
         21 . A wound coil package assembly, comprising:
 a coil of wire, the coil of wire having an outer diameter and a wound coil width extending between a first side and a second side, the coil of wire defining windings;   a payout tube having a longitudinal axis extending radially into the coil of wire between the first side and the second side;   a first and second separate and discrete panels located on the first and second sides of the coil of wire, the first and second panels each having a periphery; and   strapping extending over the coil of wire across the width of the coil of wire and over the first and second panels to retain the first and second panels relative to the coil of wire.   
     
     
         22 . The assembly of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the peripheries of each of the first and second panels are non-circular.   
     
     
         23 . The assembly of  claim 21 , wherein:
 at least the first panel defines a hand-hold.   
     
     
         24 . The assembly of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the first and second panels define movable tabs with guides, and the strapping extends over the tabs and through the guides, causing the tabs to deform inward over the first and second sides of the coil of wire.   
     
     
         25 . The assembly of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a film that extends about at least a portion of the coil of wire.   
     
     
         26 . A wound coil package assembly, comprising:
 a coil of wire, the coil of wire having an outer diameter and a wound coil width extending between a first side and a second side, the coil of wire defining windings;   a payout tube having a longitudinal axis extending radially into the coil of wire between the first side and the second side;   separate and discrete first and second panels located on the first and second sides of the coil of wire, the first and second panels each having a periphery;   strapping extending about the first and second panels and the coil to retain the first and second panels relative to the coil; and   a film wrap extending over the coil of wire across the width of the coil of wire and over at least the periphery of the first and second panels to retain the film wrap and first and second panels relative to the coil of wire.   
     
     
         27 . The assembly of  claim 26 , wherein:
 each of the first and second panels defines guides into which the strapping extends.   
     
     
         28 . The assembly of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 a film that is separate from the film wrap and extends about at least a portion of the coil of wire.   
     
     
         29 . A method of dispensing wire, comprising:
 a) providing a packaged coil of wire including,
 a coil of wire defining windings extending between first and second sides of the coil of wire, 
 a payout tube extending radially into the coil of wire between the windings, 
 a first panel and a second panel on the first and second sides of the coil of wire, the first and second panels each having a periphery, and 
 retention means securing the first and second panels relative to the coil; 
   b) positioning the packaged coil of wire on a working surface supported by the first and second panels and with the payout tube oriented between horizontal and vertical; and   c) pulling the wire out of the package through the payout tube.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein:
 the first and second panels are discrete from each other, flat, and define a non-round shape.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein:
 the retention means includes a film wrap that extends over the coil of wire and about the peripheries of the first and second panels, the method further including:   piercing the film wrap over the payout tube to permit the wire to be dispensed from the coil out through the payout tube.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein:
 the retention means includes a strapping extending across the width of the coil and over each of the first and second panels.