Packaging for dispensing of Flexible Pipe in a Coil, Method for Packaging Flexible Pipe in a Coil, and Method of Using Packaged Flexible Pipe in a Coil

This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 63/569,816, filed Mar. 26, 2024, the content of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

This disclosure relates generally to packaging for dispensing of coiled flexible pipe, e.g., polyethylene pipe, especially crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) pipe, a method for packaging flexible pipe, e.g., PEX pipe in a coil, and method of using packaged flexible pipe, e.g., PEX pipe in a coil.

Stretch wrapping of coiled flexible PEX pipe is common in the market and most PEX manufacturers package their pipe in this manner. For example, as shown in, a coil of pipeis generally packaged in shrink wrap.

There are certain installing contractors that dispense coiled PEX pipe on the jobsite by pulling the pipe from the inside of the coil while taking advantage of the stretch packaging to keep the coil intact during installation. One problem found is that when pulling the pipe from the inside of the stretch wrap is that the coil can start to unravel (“birds nesting”) and the pipe then becomes entangled with itself.

There are two companies known to have added an additional feature to their pipe coils to address the issue of birds nesting. This is accomplished by a secondary packaging step after stretch wrapping by enclosing the entire coil in heat shrink. One company is Uponor, Inc. and their product is called Punch&Pull™. The other company is EVERFLOW and their product is called Center-Pull.shows such a package in use. As shown in, the packaged coiled pipeis dispensed by pulling the pipethrough a holein the heat shrink packaging. However, as with pulling the pipe from the inside of the coil in the typical stretch packaging, the coilcan unravel (“birds nesting”) due to the pulling of the pipeunintentionally tearing or otherwise enlarging the hole. Thus, the coil can become entangled with itself.

While this heat shrink bag concept addresses the issue of birds nesting while the PEX pipe is being dispensed, there remain some issues with the concept.

While the concept of using a secondary heat shrink packaging over the stretch wrap packaging of coiled PEX pipe addresses the issue of birds nesting while the PEX pipe is being dispensed, applicant has found that there are some issues with the concept. One problem is that the secondary heat shrink packaging or bag easily tears and the PEX pipe can come out during installation. Also, the entire coil is covered so the only access to the inside end of the pipe is through the hole. Additionally, some contractors do not want to utilize the heat shrink feature and cut off the heat shrink bag before installation. From a manufacturing standpoint, there is added cost to packaging with this concept since there is a secondary step (heat shrink wrapping) required after the stretch wrap. This requires the coil to be installed in a heat shrink material and then sent through a heat tunnel. This requires added equipment cost and packaging cost and time.

The present invention addresses the birds nesting issue while dispensing the pipe and also addresses the problems applicant has found with the concept of using a secondary heat shrink packaging over the stretch wrap packaging of coiled flexible pipe, e.g., polyethylene pipe, especially crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) pipe.

According to a first embodiment of the present invention shown in, a dispensing ring or openingis adhered to a top (or bottom) of the stretch wrapped coil package. There are many potential variations of this concept with the size and shape of the dispensing ring hole or opening, material, the manner in which the dispensing ringis adhered to the stretch wrap, etc. The dispensing ring can be adhered to the stretch wrapped coil packagewhile also eliminating the need for the additional heat shrink equipment. The dispensing ringcan be installed inline or during the stretch process before the pipe coils are palletized. In the embodiment shown in, the dispensing ring or openingis provided on a cardboard sheet or platehaving a size and shape matched to and slightly larger than the opening in the top of the stretch wrapped coil package. Of course, materials other than cardboard can be used and can be chosen based on strength of the material, ease of adhering to the stretch wrapped coil package, etc. For example, the sheet or platecan be made of a plastic material. It is preferable that the sheet or plateis not made of heat shrink wrap material. Rather, the sheet or plate has a strength greater than packaging material (stretch wrapping) provided around the outer perimeter of the coil of flexible pipe. The dispensing ring or openingcan be provided at a center portion of the sheet or plateor can be offset from the center.

The dispensing ring or openingcan be pre-formed in the sheet or plate. The package can be sold with an open dispensing ring or opening, or the pre-formed openingcan be covered during shipment and sale, and opened by the contractor. Alternatively, the sheet or platecan have a pre-formed weakened portion that can be used to allow the contractor to tear or break the weakened portion to provide the opening.

The sheet or platecan adhered to the stretch wrapped coil packagewith tape or, as shown in, a more aesthetic appearance can be achieved by adhering the underside of sheet or plateto the top or bottom surface of the stretch wrapped coil packagewith an adhesive composition.

While it is possible to provide the sheet or platewith the dispensing ring or openingon both the top and bottom sides of the stretch wrapped coil package, it is preferable to provide the sheet or platewith the dispensing ring or openingon only one of the top and bottom sides of the stretch wrapped coil package. This will allow the other of the top and bottom of the stretch wrapped coil packageto be open, allowing easy access to the coil inside. This allows the contractor to locate the end of the coil and push it through the dispensing ring or openingfrom the open side before dispensing.

The size and/or shape of the dispensing ring or openingcan be adjusted from that shown in. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the openingcan be square or triangular instead of circular. The dispensing ring or opening can also be offset from the center of the sheet. The sheetcan be made of cardboard, a plastic material, etc.

The package can be manufactured by coiling the piping, stretch wrapping the coiled piping leaving top and bottom surfaces of the wrapped package open, and adhering sheet or platewith the dispensing ring or openingon one of the top and bottom sides of the stretch wrapped coil package.

The package can be used by the user locating the end of the coil from an open top or bottom surface of the package, push the end through the dispensing ring or opening from the open side of the package, and then dispensing the piping through the dispensing ring or opening.

show two variations of a second embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiments of, a band made of a material, such as an adhesive tape, having a strength suitable to prevent tearing or otherwise enlarging the opening of the stretch wrapping beyond the inner perimeter of the band, is used in place of the sheethaving the opening. As shown in, a band, in the shape of a ring, is adhered to the top and/or bottom side of the stretch wrapped coil package. The bandis made of a material, such as an adhesive tape, e.g., duct tape-like (i.e., a cloth- or scrim-backed pressure-sensitive tape, e.g., coated with polyethylene), having a strength suitable to prevent tearing or otherwise enlarging the opening of the stretch wrapping beyond the inner perimeter of the band. In the variation shown in, a band, in the shape of a square, is adhered to the top and/or bottom side of the stretch wrapped coil package. Of course, other shapes can be used, such as a triangular shape. Multiple bands may be used to form the shape, or multiple pieces of material may be used to form the shape.

The present invention addresses the problems noted above with a heat shrink bag.

1. The plate or tape can be made of more durable material than heat shrink wrap material so it does not tear during handling or dispensing of the PEX pipe.

2. In a preferable embodiment. Only the top (or bottom) of the coil is closed. The bottom (or top) of the coil is still open. This allows the contractor to locate the end of the coil and push it through the hole from the backside before dispensing.

3. Some contractors do not want to dispense the PEX pipe through the dispensing ring. Since the backside (or frontside) of the coil is open, contractors can dispense the pipe from the open side without using the dispensing ring or opening and without having to remove any wrapping or packaging.

4. There is no additional equipment necessary for the heat shrink process (e.g. tunnels).