RECONFIGURABLE HANDLE AND METHOD FOR UNROLLING AND DEPLOYING A ROLLED SHEET OF MATERIAL
A handle and method for unrolling and deploying a sheet of material from a roll are provided. In a first configuration, the handle includes a rigid rod and a graspable arm that form an open quadrilateral frame. The frame is assembled to pierce through an open core of the roll of sheet material. The graspable arm may be manually manipulated while the roll of sheet material is constrained by the rod. In a second orientation, components of the frame are differently coupled to form an extended arm whereby an edge of the sheet material is captured at a far end of the extended arm, and a user may thus unroll the sheet material by forcing the far end of the extended arm to pull the sheet material away from the sheet material roll. A cap cylinder may couple the far end of the extended arm with the sheet material.
This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. Non Provisional patent application Ser. No. 12/828,900 titled DEVICE AND METHOD FOR A ROLLING A SHEET OF MATERIAL FOR PACKAGING, STORAGE, SHIPMENT, AND DISPENSING and filed on Sep. 13, 2010 by Wayne S. Morgan. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 12/828,900 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety and for all purposes, to include claiming benefit of the priority date of filing of Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 12/828,900.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to the field of deploying sheets of material. More particularly, the method of the present invention relates to devices and methods applicable for unrolling and deployed sheets of material from an initial rolled state.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONSheet materials, such as textiles, paper, flexible plastics and fencing materials, often have surface areas that extend for dozens or hundreds of square feet. Where the surface area of a deployed sheet is defined as extending in a width dimension that is orthogonal to a length dimension, prior art sheets include sheets having widths greater than six feet and lengths longer than ten feet. Sheet materials are often rolled about an axis that is parallel with the width dimension in order to package and ship the sheet material. In certain cases, consumers and business purchasers find the extension of the rolled material in the full width dimension to be inconvenient.
As used herein, the terms “sheet material” and “sheet” mean a material that is thin in comparison to its length and breadth. For example, certain sheet materials may be less than 0.01 inch thick while presenting a surface are that is several feet in width and several feet in length. Generally speaking, sheet materials should exhibit a relatively flat planar configuration and be flexible to permit folding, rolling, stacking, and the like. Exemplary sheets and sheet materials include, but are not limited to, flexible materials such as a netting, elastomer netting, deer netting, fencing materials, barrier materials, plant protection materials, organic fabric, textile, cloth, metallic chain mail sheet, metallic threaded fabric, aramid fiber, polyester film, elastomer, metallic foil, metallic film, paper tissue, paper towels, label rolls, or other fibrous, film, polymers, and filamentary products. As can be seen from the breadth of materials that sheet materials may comprise, sheets are used widely in agricultural, agrarian, domestic, and urban environments. Yet the prior art fails to optimally provide reconfigurable tools and method of use for deploying sheet material from a rolled orientation.
There is therefore a long felt need to provide methods and devices that more broadly enable the deployment of sheet material from a rolled state and into an unrolled and deployed state
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis and other objects of the present invention are made obvious in light of this disclosure, wherein a method and device for unrolling and deploying a rolled sheet material is presented. In a first configuration, a disassemblable handle is provided that may be assembled to form a frame having an insertable length and a graspable arm. When assembled by coupling the insertable length and the graspable arm, the frame is adapted to capture and position a roll of sheet material. The insertable length may be extended through an open core of the roll of sheet material while the invented handle is at least partially disassembled, and the graspable arm is adapted to be fully coupled with the insertable length to form the frame while the insertable length is positioned within the open core of the roll of sheet material. The frame may thus be assembled to capture the roll of sheet material by (a.) first positioning the insertable length through or into the open core of the roll of sheet material while the insertable length is at least partially decoupled from the graspable arm; and (b.) then completely coupling the graspable arm to both ends of the insertable length while the insertable length is positioned within the open core of the roll of sheet material. One or more additional or optional alternate configurations of the invented handle may permit the graspable arm to be first inserted into the core of the roll of sheet material and for the insertable length to then be attached to the graspable arm.
The invented handle and method further provide additional, optional and alternative features aspects, such as (a.) the insertable length may be formed by two or more substantively equally long lengths that may be detachably assembled to form the insertable length; (b.) the graspable arm may be formed by two or more substantively equally long elements that may be detachably assembled to form the graspable arm; (c.) components of the graspable arm and/or the insertable length may be configured or used for direct attachment with the sheet of material and adapted to enable a user to unroll and deploy the sheet of material; (d.) a combination of one or more components of the graspable arm and/or the insertable length may be configured to form an extended arm and to capture the sheet material between a cap and a far end of the extended arm.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of aspects of the present invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
These, and further features of various aspects of the present invention may be better understood with reference to the accompanying specification, wherein:
It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to particular aspects of the present invention described, as such may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only, and is not intended to be limiting, since the scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims.
Methods recited herein may be carried out in any order of the recited events which is logically possible, as well as the recited order of events. Where a range of values is provided herein, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range, is encompassed within the invention. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included in the smaller ranges and are also encompassed within the invention, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the invention.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the methods and materials are now described.
It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It is further noted that the claims may be drafted to exclude any optional element. As such, this statement is intended to serve as antecedent basis for use of such exclusive terminology as “solely,” “only” and the like in connection with the recitation of claim elements, or use of a “negative” limitation.
Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to
The unified sheet 6 is a sheet material that may be or comprise a netting, a deer netting, a plant protection sheet, a fabric, a textile, a cloth, a netting, a metallic chain mail sheet, a metallic threaded fabric, an aramid fiber sheet, polyester film, an elastomer sheet, and an elastomer netting.
An inner channel 8 of the flexible core 2 extends fully through the flexible core 2 and is sized to accept a rigid member 10 to removably pass through the flexible core 2, as per
Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to
Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to
Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to
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The rod tongue TR presents an outer diameter that is preferably only slightly smaller than the inner diameter of each of the second rod receiver R2 and the third receiver R3, whereby the first rod element 26 may be detachably coupled to the second rod element 28 by inserting the rod tongue TR into either the second receiver R2 and the third receiver R3. The outer diameter of the rod tongue TR is preferably in the range of from 0.001 inch to 0.005 inch smaller than the inner diameter of each of the second rod receiver R2 and the third receiver R3.
The invented handle 24 further comprises a first arm portion 30 and a second arm portion 32. The first arm portion 30 and the second arm portion 32 preferably comprise separate hollow metal tubing that are each bent to position an insertable tongue T1 & T2 at a distance from an elongate arm portion body 30L & 32L of each of the separate hollow metal tubes. The first arm portion 30 includes a first elongate arm portion body 30L, a first arm portion tongue T1 and an internal handle tongue TH. The first elongate arm portion body 30L preferably comprises a continuous tubing that is bent at approximately 90 degrees plus or minus five degrees from a first elongate central axis E1, as shown in
The second arm portion 32 includes a second elongate arm portion body 32L, a second arm portion tongue T1 and an internal handle receiver RH.
The handle tongues T1, T2 & TH each present an outer diameter that is preferably only slightly smaller than the inner diameter of each of the rod receivers R2 & R3 and the internal handle receiver RH, whereby the first arm portion 30 may be detachably coupled to the second arm portion 32 by inserting the handle tongue TH into the internal handle receiver RH. The outer diameter of the handle tongues T1, T2 & TH are each preferably in the range of from 0.001 inch to 0.005 inch smaller than the inner diameter of each of the rod receivers R2 & R3 and the internal handle receiver RH.
One or more components 26L, 28L, 30L, & 32L of the invented handle 24 may be or comprise metal tubing having an inner diameter preferably within the range of from 0.25 inch to 1.0 inch and an outer diameter of from 0.5 inch 1.5 inch, and wherein the thickness of the tubing wall 26L, 28L, 30L & 32L is preferably in the range of from 0.125 inch to 0.25 inch. In certain preferred embodiments, one or more components 26L, 28L, 30L, & 32L of the invented handle 24 may be rigid metal conduit, galvanized rigid conduit, intermediate metal conduit and/or electrical metallic tubing, wherein (a.) rigid metal conduit is a thick threaded tubing, usually made of coated steel, stainless steel or aluminum; (b.) galvanized rigid conduit is galvanized steel tubing, with a tubing wall that is thick enough to allow it to be threaded; (c.) intermediate metal conduit is a steel tubing heavier than electrical metallic tubing but lighter than rigid metal conduit and may be threaded; and (d.) electrical metallic tubing, sometimes called thin-wall, and is generally made of coated steel or galvanized steel, though electrical metallic tubing may be aluminum.
It is understood that certain still other alternate preferred embodiments of the present invention, one or more tongues T1, T2, TH & TR may be formed by crimping and end of a continuous tubing that forms a body 26L, 28L, 30L & 32L, and wherein one or more receivers R1, R2, R3 & RH are formed merely by an end length of a tubing body 26L, 28L, 30L & 32L having a length sufficient to fully receive and enclose a tongue T1, T2, TH & TR within an inner diameter ID of the tubing body 26L, 28L, 30L & 32L. The crimping is best dimensioned to reduce the outer diameter of the crimped tongue T1, T2, TH & TR while permitting a friction fit with the inner diameter of a receiving receiver R1, R2, R3 & RH.
In certain other alternate preferred embodiments of the invented handle 24, one or more components 26L, 28L, 30L, & 32L of the invented handle 24 may be or comprise ELECTUNITE™ electrical metallic tubing as market by Republic Conduit of Louisville, Ky. and preferably having an inner diameter of one or more components 26L, 28L, 30L, & 32L in the range of from 0.5 inch to 0.75 inch and a tubing wall thickness in the range from 0.125 to 0.500, wherein the outer diameter of one or more components 26L, 28L, 30L, & 32L is greater an inner diameter at a thickness in the range from 0.125 to 0.500.
It is understood that the invented handle 24 may be assembled by first placing the rod assembly 36 into the channel 8 of the roll of material 2, then coupling the first arm portion 30 with the first rod element 26 by insertion of the first tongue T1 into the first receiver arm R1, and then simultaneously coupling the second arm portion 32 with both the second rod element 28 and the first arm portion 30 by near simultaneous insertion of (a.) the handle tongue TH of the first arm portion 30 into the handle receiver RH of the second arm portion 32; and (b). insertion of the second tongue T2 of the second arm portion 32 into the second receiver R2 of the second rod element 28.
It is further understood that the invented handle may alternately be assembled by separately inserting the first arm portion 30 and the second arm portion 32 into the channel 8 of the roll 2 in an orientation that permits the handle tongue TH to be inserted into the handle receiver RH. The rod assembly 36 may be coupled with one of either the first arm portion 30 or the second arm portion 32 prior to seating the handle tongue TH to be inserted into the handle receiver RH, whereby the invented handle 24 is assembled with the rod assembly 36 being located external to the roll 2.
Additional alternate methods of assembling the invented handle 24 in an orientation of passing through the channel 8 are made obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the present disclosure.
The first arm element 26 and the second arm element 28 each present a total elongate length smaller than the elongate lengths of each of the arm portions 30 & 32. Each of the rod elements 26 & 28 are preferably equivalent in length, and in the order of +/−5% of equivalence in the elongate axis of each rod element 26 & 28. Each of the arm portions 30 & 32 are also preferably equivalent in length, and in the order of +/−5% of equivalence in the elongate axis of each of the arm portions 30 & 32. When assembled, the rod assembly 36 preferably presents a length along the elongate axis on the order of 90% to 95% of the length of the assembled handle 34 along the same elongate axis.
It is understood a majority of the of the length first arm body 30L has an elongate dimension along the first elongate central axis E1 and further that the first tongue T1 preferably extends from the first arm body 30L symmetrically along a second elongate central axis E2 wherein the first elongate axis E1 and the second elongate axis E2 are parallel. It also preferable that the handle tongue TH extend symmetrically from the length first arm body 30L along the first elongate axis E1. It is additionally preferable that (a.) the second tongue T2 extend from the second arm body 32L symmetrically in parallel with a majority of the length of the second arm body 32L; and (b.) that the receiver tongue TR extend symmetrically from a elongate axis of the first rod element body 26L
It is understood that each other tongue T2, TR & TH may optionally conform to the description of the alternate design of the first tongue T1 of
A cap tongue 40BT of the cap assembly 40B extends from a cap assembly plug 40BP, whereby the cap tongue 40BT is positioned to extend through or pierce the sheet 6 when the cap assembly plug 40BP is inserted into and coupled with a receiver R1, R2, R3 & RH. A cap 40A of the cap assembly 40 is sized and shaped to form a friction fit around the cap tongue 40BT and thereby capture the sheet 6 between the cap 40A and the cap assembly plug 40BP.
The cap assembly plug 40BP further includes a first cap plug portion 40BP1 that is sized and shaped to present a first outer diameter to form a friction fit with the receivers R1, R2, R3 & RH, and a second cap plug portion 40BP2 having a larger outer diameter approximately equal to the outer diameter of the rod elements 26 & 28 and the arm portions 30 & 32. The first cap plug portion 40BP1 further forms a cap plug aperture 40BA that is sized and shaped to permit the spring-loaded pin S1P of the spring assembly S1A to pass extend through and further through a receiver aperture R1A of a receiver R1, R2, R3 & RH.
It is understood that cap assembly 40 or additional embodiments of the cap assembly 40 may be alternatively or additionally detachably coupled with alternate receivers R2, R3 & RH of the second rod element and the second arm portion 32.
The foregoing disclosures and statements are illustrative only of the present invention, and are not intended to limit or define the scope of the present invention. The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Although the examples given include many specificities, they are intended as illustrative of only certain possible applications of the present invention. The examples given should only be interpreted as illustrations of some of the applications of the present invention, and the full scope of the Present Invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described applications can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that the present invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein. The scope of the present invention as disclosed and claimed should, therefore, be determined with reference to the knowledge of one skilled in the art and in light of the disclosures presented above.
Claims
1. A sheet dispensing device comprising:
- an insertable rod, the rod adapted for extension into a longitudinal cavity of a roll of sheet material, the rod comprising a first rod element and a rod second element, wherein the first element and the second element are detachably coupled; and
- a handle, the handle comprising a first arm portion and a handle second portion, the first arm portion detachably coupled with the second arm portion, wherein the first arm portion is detachably coupled with the first rod element and the second arm portion is detachably coupled with the second rod element, whereby the device may be alternately assembled to couple with roll of sheet material and then disassembled and removed from coupling with the roll of sheet material.
2. The sheet dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the first rod element presents a first length in the range of from within 90% to 110% of a second length of the second rod element.
3. The sheet dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the first arm portion presents a first handle length in the range of from within 90% to 110% of a second handle length of the second arm portion.
4. The sheet dispensing device of claim 3, wherein both the first rod element and the second rod element present length in the range of from within 45% to 55% of the assembled handle.
5. The sheet dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the handle is adapted to extend fully through the longitudinal cavity of the roll of sheet material.
6. The sheet dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising a sheet capture cap and the first arm portion further comprising a handle tongue, wherein the handle tongue is adapted to extend through the sheet of material and the sheet capture cap is adapted to removably fit around the handle tongue to maintain the sheet of material in position around the handle tongue, whereby the sheet dispensing device is adapted for a secondary use in unrolling the sheet of material by manipulating first arm portion.
7. The sheet dispensing device of claim 6, wherein the second arm portion further comprises a handle tongue receiver, the handle tongue receiver adapted to removably receive the handle tongue whereby the first arm portion and the second arm portion are detachably coupled.
8. The sheet dispensing device of claim 6, wherein the first rod element comprises a first rod tongue and a first rod receiver, wherein first rod receiver is adapted to removably receive the handle tongue whereby the first arm portion and the first rod element are detachably coupled, the first rod tongue is adapted to extend through the sheet of material, and the sheet capture cap is adapted to removably fit around the first rod tongue to maintain the sheet of material in position around the first rod tongue, whereby the sheet dispensing device is adapted to be configured as a detachably coupled first arm portion and first rod element for the secondary use of an extended in unrolling the sheet of material.
9. The sheet dispensing device of claim 1, wherein the insertable rod extends full through the roll of sheet material.
10. The sheet dispensing device of claim 1, wherein when assembled the handle is adapted for simultaneous gripping by two hands of a same person.
11. The sheet dispensing device of claim 1, wherein when assembled the rod is adapted for simultaneous gripping by two hands of a same person.
12. The sheet dispensing device of claim 1, wherein when assembled the handle is adapted to enclose a geometric plane extending from the roll of sheet material, the geometric plane having a width dimension disposed between the handle and the roll of sheet material in the range of from one inch to twelve inches.
13. The sheet dispensing device of claim 1, further comprising a sheet capture cap and a third arm portion, the additional third arm portion being substantively similar in shape and construction to the first arm portion and comprising a third handle tongue, wherein the third handle tongue is adapted to extend through the sheet of material and accept the sheet capture cap to maintain the sheet of material in position around the third handle tongue, whereby the sheet dispensing device is available for assembly around the roll of sheet material and the third arm portion is adapted in combination with the sheet capture cap for unrolling the sheet of material by manipulation of the third arm portion.
14. A sheet dispensing device for manipulating a roll having a longitudinal cavity, the sheet dispensing device comprising:
- a. An elongate rod and a handle;
- b. the elongate rod comprising a first rod element and a second rod element;
- c. the first rod element comprising a first rod length, a first rod receiver, and an internal rod tongue;
- d. the second rod element comprising a second rod length, an internal rod tongue and a second rod receiver, wherein the internal rod tongue is removably inserted into the internal rod receiver and the elongate rod is formed;
- e. the handle comprising a first handle section and a second handle section;
- f. the first handle section comprising a first handle body having a first handle tongue and an internal handle tongue, wherein the first handle tongue is removably inserted into the first rod receiver, whereby the first handle section and the first rod element are directly detachably coupled; and
- g. the second handle section comprising a second handle body having a second handle tongue and an internal handle receiver, wherein the internal handle tongue of the first handle section is removably inserted into the internal handle receiver, whereby the handle is formed, and the second handle tongue is inserted into the second rod receiver, whereby the handle and the elongate rod are simultaneously detachably coupled by the first combination of the first handle tongue and into the first rod receiver and the second combination of the second handle tongue and the second handle receiver.
15. The sheet dispensing device of claim 14, wherein the first rod element presents a length dimension in the range of from within 90% to 110% of a length dimension of the second rod element.
16. The sheet dispensing device of claim 14, wherein the first handle section presents a length dimension in the range of from within 90% to 110% of a length dimension of the second handle section.
17. The sheet dispensing device of claim 14, wherein both the first rod element and the second rod element present a length dimension in the range of from within 40% to 49% of a length of the assembled handle.
18. The sheet dispensing device of claim 1, wherein when assembled the sheet dispensing device is adapted to enclose a geometric plane extending from an external surface of the roll, the geometric plane having a width dimension disposed between the handle and the external surface of the roll in the range of from one inch to twelve inches.
19. A method of unrolling a sheet of material from a roll, the method comprising
- a. Assembling the sheet dispensing device of claim 1 to constrain the roll; and
- b. Manually pulling the sheet of material from the roll.
20. A method of unrolling a sheet of material from a roll, the method comprising
- a. Assembling the sheet dispensing device of claim 13 to constrain the roll;
- b. Disposing the sheet between the third arm portion and the sheet capture cap; and
- c. Manipulating the third arm portion to pull the sheet of material from the roll.
Type: Application
Filed: May 20, 2012
Publication Date: Dec 27, 2012
Inventor: WAYNE STEVEN MORGAN (SOQUEL, CA)
Application Number: 13/476,012
International Classification: B65H 16/06 (20060101);