Reel and method of assembly

(19)

(11)

EP 1 350 752 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	02.01.2004 Bulletin 2004/01

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	08.10.2003 Bulletin 2003/41

(21)	Application number: 03252082.7

(22)	Date of filing: 02.04.2003

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁷: B65H 75/22

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR
	Designated Extension States:
	AL LT LV MK

(30)

Priority:

05.04.2002 US 370491 P

(71)	Applicant: Sonoco Development, Inc.
	Hartsville, South Carolina 29550 (US)

(72)	Inventors:
	Soepnel, John W. 6336 SX Hulsberg (NL) Beke, Stephan W. P. 9321 XA Peize (NL)

(74)	Representative: McNally, Roisin et al
	Murgitroyd & Company, Scotland House, 165-169 Scotland Street Glasgow G5 8PL Glasgow G5 8PL (GB)

(54)	Reel and method of assembly

(57) A reel and a method of assembling and disassembling the reel are described. The reel includes a pair of flanges (10), each flange engaged with the circular or polygonal end of a flexed stave pane formed from appropriately sized staves (20) connected to one another by one or more flexible bands (30). To make the reel, the staves (20) are aligned side by side and connected to one another by way of the flexible bands (30). Once connected, the staves (20) form the flexible stave pane having joints in between each stave. Assembly of the reel involves flexing the stave pane into a tubular barrel with circular or polygonal ends adapted to correspond with a stave-engaging portion (12) on each flange (10). Once one end is engaged with the stave-engaging portion of one flange, the opposing end of the flexed stave pane is engaged with a second stave-engaging portion on the second flange and the flanges are connected.

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