U.S. patent application number 11/043120 was filed with the patent office on 2005-07-28 for packaging material provided with cushioning members.
Invention is credited to Harada, Tomoyuki, Kobashi, Masakuni.
Application Number | 20050161366 11/043120 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34792568 |
Filed Date | 2005-07-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050161366 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kobashi, Masakuni ; et
al. |
July 28, 2005 |
Packaging material provided with cushioning members
Abstract
To improve cushioning effect for a packaged object without
causing cost increase and prevent positional shift of cushioning
members without causing lowering of the strength and durability of
a packaging box, a packaging material includes a packaging box and
cushioning members, a bottom panel and a cover panel of the
packaging box being made of inwardly bendable inner flaps and outer
flaps respectively, each of the inner flaps being provided with at
least a through hole, the cushioning members being provided in
inner side surfaces thereof with recesses in which corner portions
or side portions of an object to be packaged are fitted, and on
outer side surfaces thereof with cushioning projections fitted in
the through holes of the inner flaps, the length of the cushioning
projections being set larger than the thickness of the inner flaps
so as to form a clearance between the inner flaps and cushioning
projections when the cushioning members are housed in the packaging
box.
Inventors: |
Kobashi, Masakuni; (Fukui,
JP) ; Harada, Tomoyuki; (Fukui, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WENDEROTH, LIND & PONACK, L.L.P.
2033 K STREET N. W.
SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20006-1021
US
|
Family ID: |
34792568 |
Appl. No.: |
11/043120 |
Filed: |
January 27, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/586 ;
206/593 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 5/5002 20130101;
B65D 81/058 20130101; B65D 2581/053 20130101; B65D 2585/6837
20130101; B65D 2581/055 20130101; B65D 5/0227 20130101; B65D 85/30
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/586 ;
206/593 |
International
Class: |
B65D 085/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 28, 2004 |
JP |
2004-019363 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A packaging material comprising a packaging box and cushioning
members, a bottom panel and a cover panel of the packaging box
being made of inwardly bendable inner flaps and outer flaps
respectively, each of the inner flaps being provided with at least
a through hole, the cushioning members being provided in inner side
surfaces thereof with recesses in which corner portions or side
portions of an object to be packaged are fitted, and on outer side
surfaces thereof with cushioning projections fitted in the through
holes of the inner flaps, the length of the cushioning projections
being set larger than the thickness of the inner flaps, whereby a
clearance is formed between the inner flaps and the portions of the
cushioning members which are other than the cushioning projections
when the cushioning members are housed in the packaging box.
2. A packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the packaging
box is made of a corrugated board, the cushioning members being
made of expanded polystyrene.
3. A packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the size of
the cushioning projections is set slightly larger than that of the
through holes of the inner flaps.
4. A packaging material according to claim 1, wherein shape of the
through holes of the inner flaps and that of the cushioning
projections of the cushioning members are set so that recognition
of the longitudinal direction can be made.
5. A packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the
cushioning members are provided on the upper and lower surfaces
thereof with a plurality of cushioning projections
respectively.
6. A packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the object to
be packaged is electrical equipment.
7. A packaging material according to claim 1, wherein positions of
the cushioning projections are set correspondingly to that of the
center of gravity of the object to be packaged.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a packaging material
including a packaging box used to package a product such as
electrical equipment therein, and cushioning members arranged in
the packaging box.
[0003] 2. Related Art
[0004] A product, though it is not limited to electrical equipment,
manufactured in a factory is packaged in a corrugated carton and
shipped, and cushioning members for protecting the product against
an impact imparted thereto during the transportation thereof are
used in the packaging box. Especially, electrical equipment has a
structure in which electronic parts and precise mechanical parts
are combined together, so that the electrical equipment is easily
affected by an impact. Therefore, cushioning members are necessary
for and indispensable to the packaging of electrical equipment.
There are various types of such cushioning member-carrying
packaging boxes.
[0005] The "Packaging Box with Cushioning Member" disclosed in
JP-A-7-242233 is capable of placing an product to be packaged,
smoothly in a packaging box without positional shift of cushioning
members, and provided on an internal surface of the packaging box
with cut and raised parts so as to prevent the product from being
taken out with the cushioning members left attached thereinto. Each
of the cushioning members protecting lower edge parts of the
packaged product is provided with an engaging part formed so that
the engaging part is engaged with the relative cut and raised part
when the relative cushioning member is slid substantially in
parallel with a bottom surface of the packaging box. The cushioning
member is held in the packaging box by engaging this engaging part
with the relative cut and raised part.
[0006] In this structure, the cushioning members are held in
predetermined positions in the packaging box. Therefore, the
positions of the cushioning members are not shifted when a product
to be packaged is placed in the packaging box, and the packaged
product is not taken out with the cushioning members left attached
thereinto. However, since the cut and raised parts are formed in
the internal surface of the packaging box, the durability of the
box lowers greatly, and there is the possibility that the box
collapses during the transportation of the product. Although the
material of the packaging box can be changed to a stronger one, the
price of the packaging box increases, and the cost of the packaging
material increases. Although the packaging box and cushioning
members can be enlarged, the material cost increases, and, in
addition, the transportation expenses increases since the packaging
box being transported becomes bulky, to give rise to problems.
[0007] This packaging box has a structure for fixing a product by
engaging the engaging parts of the cushioning members with the cut
and raised parts of the packaging box. However, since the same
engaging parts are provided on the front and rear sides of the
cushioning members, there is the possibility that, when a product
whose shapes of the left and right cushioning members are
different, such as a television set is packaged, the cushioning
members to be arranged on the left and right sides of the product
be fixed to wrong sides thereof. Furthermore, since cut and raised
parts are formed on the panel walls of the packaging box, through
holes are formed thereon and the product and cushioning members
contained in the box are seen from the outside therethrough, and
accordingly, the external appearance of the product in a packaged
condition is spoiled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide
a packaging material capable of preventing positional shift of
cushioning members when electrical equipment and the like is
inserted in the packaging box without causing a lowering of the
strength and durability of a packaging box; and, moreover,
improving a cushioning effect for a packaged object such as
electrical equipment without causing a cost increase.
[0009] A packaging material according to the present invention
includes a packaging box and cushioning members, a bottom panel and
a covering panel of the packaging box are made of inwardly bendable
inner flaps and outer flaps respectively, each of the inner flaps
being provided with at least a through hole, the cushioning members
being provided in inner surfaces thereof with recesses with which
corner portions or side portions of an object to be packaged are
fitted, and on outer surfaces thereof with cushioning projections
fitted in the through holes of the inner flaps, the length of the
cushioning projections being set larger than the thickness of the
inner flaps to thereby form a clearance between the inner flaps and
the portions of the cushioning members which are other than the
cushioning projections when the cushioning members are housed in
the packaging box.
[0010] When the object product is inserted in the packaging
material of such a structure, the corner portions or side portions
of the object product are covered with the recesses of the
cushioning members, and the cushioning projections of the
cushioning members are fitted in the through holes of the inner
flaps. Therefore, the cushioning members are fixed in the packaging
box without causing positional shifts. An impact imparted to the
packaging box is absorbed in the cushioning members fixed between
the packaging box and packaged product, and the weight of the
packaged product imparted to the inner surfaces of the recesses of
the cushioning members is supported on the downwardly extending
cushioning projections.
[0011] The packaging box is preferably made of corrugated board
from the viewpoint of the elasticity and cost, and the cushioning
members are made of expanded polystyrene that satisfies the
requirements for the high strength and small weight.
[0012] When the size of the cushioning projections provided on the
cushioning members is set slightly larger than that of the through
holes of the inner flaps, the projections become difficult to be
disengaged from the through holes. This enables to prevent more
reliably the positional shift of the cushioning members in the
packaging box, and, when the packaged product is taken out from the
packaging box, the cushioning members are not fixed thereto and do
not come out with the packaged product.
[0013] The through holes of the inner flaps and the cushioning
projections of the cushioning members may be formed into shapes by
which the longitudinal direction can be recognized, so that an
error of fixing the cushioning members to the object to be packaged
can be prevented. Moreover, when a plurality of cushioning
projections are provided on upper and lower surfaces of the
cushioning members, the longitudinal direction can be recognized,
and it becomes possible to support the object product more
stably.
[0014] This packaging material is suitable to be used for
electrical equipment formed by combining electronic parts and
precision mechanical parts together, and easily affected by an
impact. It is preferable for securing a stable object-supporting
force that the positions of the cushioning projections of the
cushioning members be set correspondingly to that of the center of
gravity of the object product. In the case of, for example, a
television set, it is preferable to form the cushioning projections
of the cushioning members in upper and lower positions on a
cathode-ray tube since the cathode-ray tube accounts for the
greater part of the weight of the product.
[0015] According to the packaging material of the present
invention, the projections of the cushioning members are engaged
with the through holes formed in the inner flaps of the packaging
box. Therefore, the cushioning members may not cause positional
shift, so that the object product contained in the packaging box
becomes stable.
[0016] Since the size of the cushioning projections provided on the
cushioning members is set slightly larger than that of the through
holes of the inner flaps, the cushioning members are not lifted
simultaneously with the product when the product is taken out of
the packaging box.
[0017] Since the through holes are formed in only the inner flaps,
the strength of the packaging box does not lower, and the through
holes of the inner flaps are not seen from the outside, so that the
external appearance of the packaging box is not spoiled.
[0018] The cushioning projections are formed in the position of the
center of gravity of the product with clearances formed between the
packaging box and the portions of the cushioning members other than
the cushioning projections. Therefore, an impact imparted to the
packaged product being transported is effectively absorbed.
Accordingly, the product is not damaged during the transportation
thereof, and the reliability of the transportation of the product
is improved. Since the cushioning projections are fitted in the
through holes provided in the inner flaps, the portions capable of
cushioning the product increase by a level corresponding to the
thickness of each of the inner flaps. Therefore, even when the
clearances provided between the cushioning members and packaging
box are narrowed, a cushioning effect can be obtained, and in its
turn the cushioning members can be miniaturized. This enables a
decrease in the cost due to the reduction of the materials.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of
the packaging material according to the present invention and a
television set, an object to be packaged;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing cushioning members and
the television set;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the interior
of a packaging box containing the television set therein with a
front panel of the packaging box removed;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a sectioned front elevation showing the interior
of the packaging box containing the television set therein with
cushioning projections of the cushioning members shown in
longitudinal section;
[0023] FIG. 5 is a sectioned side elevation showing the interior of
the packaging box containing the television set therein with the
cushioning projections of the cushioning members shown in
longitudinal section;
[0024] FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial sectional view in side
elevation showing the portion of a lower cushioning member fitted
in a through hole of the packaging box;
[0025] FIGS. 7A and 7B are a side view and a plan view respectively
showing an upper cushioning member;
[0026] FIG. 8 is a partial enlarged plan view showing a through
hole formed in an inner flap;
[0027] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of
the packaging material according to the present invention and a
disk apparatus as an object to be packaged;
[0028] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the condition of the
disk apparatus to be placed in the packaging box with cushioning
members fixed to both side portions of the disk apparatus; and
[0029] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of
the packaging material according to the present invention and a
disk apparatus as an object to be packaged.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0030] FIGS. 1 to 8 show a first embodiment of the packaging
material according to the present invention, which includes a
packaging box 1 made of a corrugated board, and cushioning members
10, 10 and 11, 11 made of expanded polystyrene, and which is formed
so as to package a television set TV. The packaging box 1 is formed
rectangular of a front panel 2 constituting a front wall, a rear
panel 3, left and right side panels 4, 4, bottom side front and
rear outer flaps 5, 5 constituting a bottom panel, bottom side left
and right inner flaps 6, 6, cover side front and rear outer flaps
7, 7 and cover side left and right inner flaps 8, 8. The bottom
side left and right inner flaps 6, 6 and cover side left and right
inner flaps 8, 8 are provided with through holes 6a, 6a, 8a, 8a in
which parts of the cushioning members are fitted. After the bottom
side left and right inner flaps 6, 6 are folded, the bottom side
front and rear outer flaps 5, 5 are folded to form the bottom
panel. Therefore, the through holes 6a, 6a appear in the bottom
panel but enclosed with the bottom side front and rear outer flaps
5, 5, so that these through holes are not seen from the
outside.
[0031] The cushioning members used include lower side cushioning
members 10, 10 covering left and right corner portions of a lower
side of the television set TV, and upper side cushioning members
11, 11 covering left and right corner portions of an upper side
thereof. Each lower side cushioning member 10 is provided at an
upper side thereof with a recess 10a to cover a lower corner
portion of the television set TV of a right angled shape, and at a
lower side thereof with a cushioning projection 10b to be fitted in
the through hole 6a formed in the bottom panel side inner flap 6 of
the packaging box 1. On the other hand, each upper cushioning
member 11 is provided at a lower side thereof with a recess 11a
covering an upper corner portion of the television set TV, and at
an upper side thereof with a cushioning projection 11b to be fitted
in the through hole 8a formed in the cover side inner flap 8 of the
packaging box 1.
[0032] In order to contain the television set TV in the packaging
box 1, the television set TV with the cushioning members 10, 10,
11, 11 fixed to the corner portions thereof is placed in the
packaging box 1 (refer to FIG. 1). The packaging of the television
set TV may also be done by arranging the cushioning members 10, 10
on a bottom surface of the packaging box 1 without fixing the
cushioning members 10, 10, 11, 11 in advance to the corner portions
of the television set TV, inserting the resultant television set TV
in the packaging box 1, and dosing the cover of the packaging box 1
with the cushioning members 11, 11 fixed to upper left and right
corner portions of the television set TV. In order to close the
cover for the packaging box 1 after the television set TV is
inserted therein, the inner flaps 8, 8 are folded first, and
thereafter the outer flaps 7, 7. As a result, the television set TV
comes to be packaged with the cushioning projections 11b of the
cushioning members 11 fitted in the through holes 8a of the cover
inner flaps 8.
[0033] FIG. 3 shows the interior of the packaging box 1 in which
the television set TV is housed with the front panel 2 removed. The
cushioning members 10, 10, 11, 11 fixed to the lower left and right
corner portions and the upper left and right corner portions of the
television set TV are in contact with the corner portions of the
packaging box 1 and housed therein. In such packaged condition, a
space S is formed between the television set TV and the packaging
box 1, and an impact imparted to the packaging box 1 during the
transportation of the television set TV is absorbed in the
cushioning members 10, 10, 11, 11, the television set TV being
thereby protected. The weight of the television set TV exerted on
inner surfaces of the recesses 10a, 10a is borne by the downwardly
extending cushioning projections 10b, 10b.
[0034] FIG. 4 shows the interior of the packaging box 1 in which
the television set TV is housed with the cushioning projections
10b, 11b taken in longitudinal section, in which the cushioning
projections 10b, 11b of the cushioning members 10, 11 fixed to the
upper and lower, left and right corner portions of the television
set TV are fitted in the through holes 6a, 8a formed in the bottom
side and cover side inner flaps 6, 8 of the packaging box 1.
Therefore, the cushioning members 10, 11 do not cause positional
shift in the packaging box 1, and the television set TV can be
supported stably in a fixed position.
[0035] FIG. 5 shows the condition of the television set TV
supported on the cushioning members 10, 11 in the interior of the
packaging box 1 from the side viewpoint. Each lower corner portion
of the television set TV is fitted in the recess 10a of the
relative cushioning member 10, and each upper corner portion
thereof in the recess 11a of the relative cushioning member 11. The
cushioning projections 10b, 11b of the cushioning members 10, 11
are fitted in the through holes 6a, 8a formed in the relative inner
flaps 6, 8. The cushioning projections 10b, 11b of the cushioning
members 10, 11 are provided in the positions corresponding to the
center of gravity of the television set TV. Namely, since the
center of gravity of the television set TV is positioned
correspondingly to the heavy cathode-ray tube thereof, the
cushioning projections 10b, 11b are provided in upper and lower
positions on the cathode-ray tube, thereby effectively absorbing an
impact imparted to the packaging box.
[0036] As shown on an enlarged scale in FIG. 6, the cushioning
projection 10b is fitted in the through hole 6a formed in the lower
inner flap 6. The length of a projecting portion of the cushioning
projection 10b is set larger than the thickness of the inner flap
6, thereby forming a space S1 between the portion of the cushioning
member 10 other than the cushioning projection 10b and the inner
flap 6. Even when an impact is imparted to the television set TV to
cause the cushioning projection 10b to be compression deformed, the
portion of the cushioning member 10 other than the cushioning
projection 10b does not impinge upon the inner flap 6 owing to the
existence of the clearance S1, and the television set TV is thereby
protected. The cushioning member 11 fixed to the upper corners of
the television set TV is also formed in the same manner (refer to
FIG. 5).
[0037] A size a.times.b of a rectangular plane of the cushioning
projection 11b of the cushioning member 11 and that c.times.d of
the through hole 8a formed correspondingly in the inner flap 8 have
relation of a.gtoreq.c, b.ltoreq.d (refer to FIGS. 7B and 8).
Therefore, the cushioning projection 11b is fitted in the through
hole 8a without a clearance therebetween, and rather in such a
manner that the cushioning projection 11b expands the through hole
8a, and the cushioning projection 13 fitted in the through hole 8a
thereby becomes difficult to disengage therefrom. This relation
also applies to the structure of a combination of the cushioning
projection 10b of the cushioning member 10 and the through hole 6a
formed in the inner flap 6.
[0038] FIGS. 9 to 10 show a second embodiment of the packaging
material according to the present invention, which includes a
packaging box 20 of corrugated board, and cushioning members 30, 30
of expanded polystyrene, and which is formed for packaging a disk
apparatus DR The packaging box 20 is formed to a shape
substantially similar to that of the rectangular disk apparatus DP,
and a bottom panel and a cover panel have bottom side left and
right inner flaps 21, 21 and outer flaps 22, 22, and cover side
left and right inner flaps 23, 23 and outer flaps 24, 24. The
bottom side and cover side inner flaps 21, 23 are provided with
through holes 21a, 23a respectively.
[0039] The cushioning members 30, 30 are formed symmetrically, and
provided in inner surfaces thereof with recesses 30a, 30a in which
left and right portions of the disk apparatus DP are fitted. Each
cushioning member 30 is provided on the portion of an upper surface
thereof which corresponds to the through hole 23a of the inner flap
23 with an upwardly extending cushioning projection 31, and on the
portion of a lower surface thereof which corresponds to the through
hole 21a of the inner flap 21 with a downwardly extending
cushioning projection 32. The through holes 21a, 23a and the
cushioning projections 32, 31 are formed in the shape of an arrow
indicative of a front direction, which indicates the direction in
which the cushioning members are fixed to the disk apparatus
DP.
[0040] The disk apparatus DP is placed in the packaging box 20 with
the cushioning members 30, 30 fitted around both side portions
thereof (refer to FIG. 10). In order to cover the packaging box 20
after the disk apparatus DP is placed therein, the inner flaps 23,
23 are folded first, and the outer flaps 24, 24 thereafter. When
the disk apparatus DP is housed in the packaging box 20, the
cushioning projections 32, 32 are fitted in the through holes 21a,
21a of the bottom side inner flaps 21, 21. When the cover is dosed,
the cushioning projections 31, 31 are fitted in the same manner in
the through holes 23a, 23a of the inner flaps 23, 23.
[0041] Since the shape of both side surfaces of the disk apparatus
DP is rectangular, both side portions of the disk apparatus DP can
be fitted in the rectangular recesses 30a of the cushioning members
30 even when the longitudinal direction in which the disk apparatus
DP faces is erroneous. However, when the center of gravity of the
disk apparatus DP does not exist in the center of the cushioning
member, the cushioning projections 31, 32 extending downward and
upward from each cushioning member 30 is provided not on the center
of the cushioning member but on the portions thereof which are
offset in the longitudinal direction from the center thereof in
accordance with the mentioned center of gravity. Therefore, the
shape of the cushioning projections 30, 31 and inner flaps 21, 23
can be changed to that of an arrow as mentioned above, so as not to
mistake the direction in which the cushioning members face when the
cushioning members are fixed to both side portions of the disk
apparatus DP.
[0042] The length of the lower side cushioning projections 32 and
upper side cushioning projections 31 are set larger than the
thickness of the inner flaps 21, 23 to form clearances adjacent to
these cushioning projections. An impact imparted to the disk
apparatus DP can be absorbed owing to the compression deformation
of the cushioning projections 31, 32.
[0043] FIG. 11 shows a third embodiment of the packaging material
according to the present invention. This embodiment is formed by
adding cushioning projections 31a, 32a having a square shape in
plan to the upper and lower surfaces of such cushioning members as
are provided in the second embodiment, and forming through holes
23b, 21b in which the cushioning projections 31a, 32a are fitted,
in the corresponding portions of the upper and lower flaps. Since
two cushioning projections 31, 31a and 32, 32a are thus provided on
the upper and lower surfaces respectively of the cushioning member
30a, a disk apparatus DP housed in a packaging box 20a is more
stabilized, and an impact imparted to the disk apparatus DP is
efficiently absorbed. Also, the positioning and fixing of the
cushioning member 30a can be done without an error.
* * * * *