초록 ▼

A divider for use in handling quantities of yarn spools arranged in layers. The divider includes a main body generally planar polygonal portion and a skirt portion extending around the periphery of the main body portion and formed into a series of circumferentially spaced, arcuate, inwardly opening

A divider for use in handling quantities of yarn spools arranged in layers. The divider includes a main body generally planar polygonal portion and a skirt portion extending around the periphery of the main body portion and formed into a series of circumferentially spaced, arcuate, inwardly opening scallops with each scallop having a curvature substantially matching the curvature of the yarn spools so that, with a layer of spools positioned on the main body portion and the skirt upstanding from the main body portion, each scallop may compliantly engage the outer periphery of an individual outer spool of the spool layer. Each scallop is connected to the main body portion by a strap extending from the main body portion to the scallop and the scallops are connected together to form a continuous circumferential band. Sockets are provided in the main body portion to accommodate the upper or lower ends of the tubes of the yarn spools and a plastic wrap is stretched around the yarn package to enhance the compliance of the scallops to the spools.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A divider for use in handling quantities of yarn spools arranged in layers, the divider including:a main body generally planar polygonal portion; and a skirt portion extending around the periphery of the mainbody portion and formed into a series of circumferentially spaced, arcuate, inwardly open

1. A divider for use in handling quantities of yarn spools arranged in layers, the divider including:a main body generally planar polygonal portion; and a skirt portion extending around the periphery of the mainbody portion and formed into a series of circumferentially spaced, arcuate, inwardly opening scallops with each scallop having a curvature substantially matching the curvature of the yarn spools so that, with a layer of spools positioned on the main body portion and the skirt upstanding from the main body portion, each scallop may compliantly engage the outer periphery of an individual outer spool of the spool layer, the skirt portion being connected to the main body portion by a series of circumferentially spaced flexible straps allowing each scallop to selectively move outwardly or inwardly to accommodate spools of varying sizes. 2. A divider according to claim 1 wherein each strap extends from the main body portion to a respective scallop.3. A divider according to claim 2 wherein the individual scallops are connected together by flat portions.4. A divider according to claim 1 wherein:each spool includes yarn material wrapped around a central tube; and the main body portion further includes sockets sized and distributed to accommodate the ends of the tubes of the respective yarn spools. 5. A divider according to claim 1 wherein:the main body portion has a rectangular configuration; the skirt portion includes corner scallops and side scallops intermediate the corner scallops; and each side scallop is circular and has an arcuate extent not exceeding 180°. 6. A divider according to claim 5 where each corner scallop is circular and has an arcuate extent of at least 120°.7. A divider for use in handling layers of yarn spools of the type including a central tube with yarn wound around the tube, characterized in that:the divider has a twin sheet construction including upper and lower plastic sheets selectively fused together; the divider includes a main body generally rectangular and generally planer portion sized to seat a plurality of spools with the tubes on end and formed of portions of the upper and lower sheets selectively fused together to define upper and lower generally planar spaced faces; and the divider further includes a skirt portion extending around the perimeter of the main body portion and formed of upstanding fused together portions of the first and second sheets configured to define a circumferentially spaced series of inwardly opening arcuate scallops each sized to embrace the outer diameter of a yarn spool seated on the main body portion. 8. A divider according to claim 7 wherein each scallop is connected to the main body portion by a strap extending from the main body portion to the scallop and the scallops are connected together to form a continuous circumferential band of scallops.9. A divider according to claim 8 wherein each strap connects to a central region of the respective scallop.10. A method of handling a layer of yarn spools, the method comprising:providing a divider having a main body, generally planar, polygonal portion and a skirt portion extending around the periphery of the main body portion and formed into a series of circumferentially spaced, arcuate, inwardly opening scallops with each scallop having a curvature substantially matching the curvature of the yarn spools; positioning one of said dividers on a support surface with the skirt portion upstanding; and positioning a layer of spools on the divider with each scallop of the divider engaging an individual outer spool in the layer. 11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the method includes the further steps of:positioning a further layer of spools on the spool layer; and positioning another of said dividers on top of the further layer of spools with the main body portion overlying the further layer and the skirt portion extending downwardly with each scallop engaging an individual outer spool in the further layer. 12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the method includes the further step of positioning a further of said dividers between the layers of spools with the skirt portion either upstanding or downstanding.13. A method according to claim 10 wherein the method includes the further steps of connecting each scallop to the main body portion by a strap and connecting the scallops together to form a continuous circumferential band of scallops.14. A divider for use in handling quantities of yarn spools arranged in layers, the divider including:a main body generally planar polygonal portion; and a skirt portion extending around the periphery of the main body portion and formed into a series of circumferentially spaced, arcuate, inwardly opening scallops with each scallop having a curvature substantially matching the curvature of the yarn spools so that, with a layer of spools positioned on the main body portion and the skirt upstanding from the main body portion, each scallop may compliantly engage the outer periphery of an individual outer spool of the spool layer, each scallop being connected to the main body portion by a strap extending from the main body portion to a central region of the scallop, and the scallops being connected together by flat portions to form a continuous circumferential band of scallops. 15. A divider for use in handling quantities of yarn spools arranged in layers, the divider including:a main body generally planar polygonal portion; and a skirt portion extending around the periphery of the main body portion and formed into a series of circumferentially spaced, arcuate, inwardly opening scallops with each scallop having a curvature substantially matching the curvature of the yarn spools so that, with a layer of spools positioned on the main body portion and the skirt upstanding from the main body portion, each scallop may compliantly engage the outer periphery of an individual outer spool of the spool layer, each spool including yarn material wrapped around a central tube, the main body portion further including sockets sized and distributed to accommodate the ends of the tubes of the respective yarn spools, the sockets being provided in an upper face of the main body portion and further sockets being provided in a lower face of the main body portion in respective alignment with the sockets in the upper face. 16. A divider according to claim 15 wherein the sockets are oversize with respect to the diameter of the yarn spool tubes with the extent of oversize increasing progressively in proportion to the distance from the geometric center of the main body portion.17. A divider according to claim 16 wherein the sockets have a slot configuration with the primary axis of each slot intersecting the geometric center of the main body portion.18. A divider according to claim 15 wherein the sockets have a depth greater than the extent to which the tube ends project beyond the yarn material whereby to provide a clearance between the ends of the tubes and the bottoms or tops of the sockets.19. A divider for use in handling quantities of yarn spools arranged in layers, the divider including:a main body generally planar polygonal portion; and a skirt portion extending around the periphery of the main body portion and formed into a series of circumferentially spaced, arcuate, inwardly opening scallops with each scallop having a curvature substantially matching the curvature of the yarn spools so that, with a layer of spools positioned on the main body portion and the skirt upstanding from the main body portion, each scallop may compliantly engage the outer periphery of an individual outer spool of the spool layer, each spool including yarn material wrapped around a central tube, the main body portion further including sockets sized and distributed to accommodate the ends of the tubes of the respective yarn spools, the divider having a twin sheet construction including upper and lower sheets selectively fused together, the main body portion being defined by spaced portions of the first and second sheets, and the sockets being defined by flat confronting fused together portions of the first and second sheets. 20. A divider according to claim 19 wherein the flat, confronting fused together portions of the first and second sheets lie in a plane intermediate the general plane of the first and second sheets whereby to define upwardly and downwardly opening sockets for accommodating ends of the tubes of the yarn spools.