U.S. patent application number 11/426178 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-04 for packaging device and buffer.
Invention is credited to Tsuyoshi Abe, Hideyuki Goda, Satoshi Ishihara, Sakae Ishikawa, Moku Naruishi.
Application Number | 20070000920 11/426178 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36793888 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070000920 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Naruishi; Moku ; et
al. |
January 4, 2007 |
PACKAGING DEVICE AND BUFFER
Abstract
A packaging device includes a bottom base with legs; a front
member detachable to the bottom base to form a front wall; a rear
member to form a rear wall; two side members to form left and right
side walls; a buffer member arranged on the bottom base and formed
of a plurality of airtight containers in which gas is filled; and a
mounting base on which an article is mounted. The front member is
formed turnably with a bottom end thereof being put adjacent to the
bottom base, to be used as a tilted table for loading and unloading
the article, including an angle regulating member that restricts a
tilt angle of the front member with respect to the bottom base.
Inventors: |
Naruishi; Moku; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Goda; Hideyuki; (Tokyo, JP) ; Abe;
Tsuyoshi; (Tokyo, JP) ; Ishihara; Satoshi;
(Tokyo, JP) ; Ishikawa; Sakae; (Tokyo,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
C. IRVIN MCCLELLAND;OBLON, SPIVAK, MCCLELLAND, MAIER & NEUSTADT, P.C.
1940 DUKE STREET
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
36793888 |
Appl. No.: |
11/426178 |
Filed: |
June 23, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/1.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2519/00975
20130101; B65D 2519/00293 20130101; B65D 2519/00129 20130101; B65D
81/052 20130101; B65D 19/12 20130101; B65D 2519/00318 20130101;
B65D 2519/00059 20130101; B65D 2519/00338 20130101; B65D 2519/00512
20130101; B65D 2519/00233 20130101; B65D 2519/00815 20130101; Y02W
30/80 20150501; B65D 2519/00666 20130101; Y02W 30/807 20150501;
B65D 2519/00497 20130101; B65D 2519/00024 20130101; B65D 2519/00164
20130101; B65D 2519/00656 20130101; B65D 88/542 20130101; B65D
2519/00273 20130101; B65D 2519/00805 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/001.5 |
International
Class: |
B65D 88/00 20060101
B65D088/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 4, 2005 |
JP |
2005-195078 |
Mar 29, 2006 |
JP |
2006-090024 |
Claims
1. A packaging device comprising: a bottom base that includes legs
on an underside thereof; a front member detachable to the bottom
base to form a front wall; a rear member attached to the bottom
base to form a rear wall; two side members attached to the bottom
base to form left and right side walls; a buffer member arranged on
the bottom base and formed of a plurality of airtight containers in
which gas is filled; and a mounting base arranged on the buffer
member, on which an article is mounted, wherein the front member is
formed turnably in a state with a bottom end thereof being put
adjacent to the bottom base, to be used as a tilted table for
loading and unloading the article, and the front member includes an
angle regulating member that restricts a tilt angle of the front
member with respect to the bottom base.
2. The packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the angle
regulating member is extended from the front member, and is brought
into contact with a bottom surface of the bottom base with turning
of the front member, to restrict the tilt angle of the front
member.
3. The packaging device according to claim 1, wherein a contact
member is provided on a surface of the front member, in such a
manner that one end of the contact member is fitted to the front
member turnably, and when the front member is turned to be used as
the tilted table, the other end thereof is brought into contact
with ground.
4. The packaging device according to claim 3, wherein the contact
member is a handle of the front member.
5. The packaging device according to claim 4, wherein the handle
includes a slide member provided slidably along a surface of the
front member; a locking device including a latch member into which
a bar member is inserted; and a holding unit that holds a locked
state and an unlocked state of the locking device.
6. The packaging device according to claim 5, wherein the holding
unit is an affixing unit that affixes an insertion member to the
front member so that a position of the insertion member is kept
constant.
7. The packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the front
member is formed of an outer frame and an inner frame arranged
inside of the outer frame, and the both frames include an inner
frame moving unit that moves the inner frame to spring out from the
outer frame in a direction opposite to the bottom base.
8. The packaging device according to claim 7, wherein the inner
frame moving unit has a retractable pantograph structure, and also
functions as a reinforcing member of the inner frame.
9. The packaging device according to claim 1, wherein a second
tilted table different from the front member is provided on the
front member turnably.
10. The packaging device according to claim 9, further comprising:
a detachable unit that detachably holds the second tilted table and
the front member, between the second tilted table and the front
member.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present document incorporates by reference the entire
contents of Japanese priority document, 2005-195078 filed in Japan
on Jul. 4, 2005 and 2006-090024 filed in Japan on Mar. 29,
2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a packaging device and a
buffer, and more particularly, to a packaging device in which an
article is mounted on a bottom base, side members are arranged in
front and back and left and right of the bottom base, and a ceiling
member is arranged at the top, and a buffer used together with the
packaging device.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] It is one of major concerns of product manufacturers to
transport articles that should be handled carefully at the time of
transportation, for example, a manufactured product like an image
forming apparatus, such as a copying machine, a printer, and a
facsimile machine, from a production plant to an installation site
of a user, without damaging the product. It is common to perform
package designing, assuming that products are transported by
various transportations such as a truck, a freight train, or a
ship. Particularly, it is important to design the articles so as
not be damaged during transportation, on the assumption that the
articles are reloaded and temporarily stored in the middle of the
transportation.
[0006] In the present physical distribution of articles, when
manufactured products or goods are shipped from factories, there
are two main transportation routes. One of the routes is that the
products or goods are temporarily stored in a warehouse and
delivered to users afterwards, and the other one is that the
products or goods are directly delivered to the users from the
manufacturer. In any case, it is an important issue to protect the
articles from various external impacts and transportation
environments, which the articles undergo in a process in which the
articles are delivered to users and installed, and to deliver the
articles to the users without degrading their quality. In other
words, in a distribution process of the products, it is desired to
provide a package variety, which can maintain the quality of the
products with respect to vibrations and impacts, which are
generated when the goods are transported by transportation such as
a truck, and external hazards (an inertia or inclination due to
shift), which occur in material handling such as reloading and
storage to be performed at respective warehouse stations and work
locations, and has an effective function with respect to
transportability and material handling efficiency.
[0007] On the other hand, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a
material of PET-bottles are lightweight, have excellent shock
resistance and heat resistance, and have been used as various
containers for industrial and domestic use, as general-purpose
engineering plastics. Particularly, PET is used as familiar
containers in the name of PET-bottles. The production volume of
PET-bottles is increasing, as containers of 500 ml, 350 ml, 330 ml,
and 200 ml. On the other hand, a problem of the plastic waste
including wasted PET-bottles is increasing. That is, if the
PET-bottles are incinerated as a waste, there is a possibility that
harmful substances can remain in the burnt ashes after
incineration.
[0008] Furthermore, as recycling modes, there are material
recycling methods in which materials are shredded without
accompanying a chemical change to form a pellet, and used as a raw
material, a thermal recycling in which materials are reused as a
fuel for power generation combined with refuse incinerator, and
chemical recycling in which resin is dissolved and decomposed to
return it to a chemical material and used as a raw material.
However, the recycling ratio has not been so high, and when the
material is finally disposed of as a waste, there is the same
problem mentioned above.
[0009] Furthermore, as one form of the reuse methods, there is an
example in which collected PET-bottles are washed, refilled, and
reused. However, washing and the like of the bottles are
troublesome, and the current amount of reuse is not sufficient as a
measure against the increasing amount of wasted PET-bottles.
[0010] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-002813
discloses a buffer material for packaging that is arranged between
a packaged article and an outer box to absorb external forces due
to impacts or pressing forces. A plurality of the buffer materials
for packaging is arranged on a flat board with cylindrical portions
being parallel with each other, and a first bending groove arranged
at a position where the flat board is bent, matched with the size
of the packaged article, substantially parallel with the
cylindrical portions, and a second bending groove with a notch in a
V-shape arranged at a position where the flat board is bent,
matched with the size of the packaged article, substantially
orthogonal to the cylindrical portions, are respectively provided
on the flat board. By bending the flat board at the first and the
second bending grooves to cover the packaged article, at least two
cylindrical portions are made to abut against the respective sides
of the packaged article.
[0011] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-335024
discloses a buffer material for packaging in which an opening of a
plastic bottle is inserted into a depression of a thin-film molded
plastic material having a plurality of depressions, to fix the
thin-film molded plastic material and a plurality of plastic
bottles, and these are arranged between a member to be packaged and
a box.
[0012] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-261179
discloses a buffer material for packaging arranged between a
cardboard box and an article, which includes a paper sheet material
and a plurality of paper pipes fitted to only a face where there
are peaks of folds of the paper sheet material, where the paper
pipes are fitted to a plurality of pipe fitting areas arranged via
the folds.
[0013] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H9-267866
discloses a buffer material for packaging in which a buffer member
is formed of laminated paper made of a substance having high
recyclability and easy disposability, and provided with a buffer
function, where, in a packaging body using the buffer materials, a
single or a continuous block buffer members are mounted on sides of
a container corresponding to a gap between the container and an
article.
[0014] Under such circumstances, articles are generally packaged by
forming the buffer members so as to match the shape of the article
to be transported, and under current circumstances, cost and time
of investment for plant and equipment, and designing with respect
to packaging materials are required for each article. Furthermore,
to perform such designing and control, types of the parts increase,
and the parts control is complicated accordingly.
[0015] Therefore, it is desired that few types of the packaging
device can handle various articles having different shapes and can
be used repeatedly. That is, it is desired that after the article
is delivered to a user, the packaging device is returned to a
factory or the like and used repeatedly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0016] It is an object of the present invention to at least
partially solve the problems in the conventional technology.
[0017] A packaging device according to one aspect of the present
invention includes a bottom base that includes legs on an underside
thereof; a front member detachable to the bottom base to form a
front wall; a rear member attached to the bottom base to form a
rear wall; two side members attached to the bottom base to form
left and right side walls; a buffer member arranged on the bottom
base and formed of a plurality of airtight containers in which gas
is filled; and a mounting base arranged on the buffer member, on
which an article is mounted. The front member is formed turnably in
a state with a bottom end thereof being put adjacent to the bottom
base, to be used as a tilted table for loading and unloading the
article. The front member includes an angle regulating member that
restricts a tilt angle of the front member with respect to the
bottom base.
[0018] The above and other objects, features, advantages and
technical and industrial significance of this invention will be
better understood by reading the following detailed description of
presently preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered
in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0019] FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of a packaging device
according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIGS. 2A to 2D are detailed views of a front member-locking
device of the packaging device according to the first
embodiment;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a modified example of
the front member-locking device of the packaging device according
to the first embodiment;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the locking device shown in
FIG. 3;
[0023] FIG. 5 is another perspective view of the locking device
shown in FIG. 3;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of another modified
example of the front member-locking device of the packaging device
according to the first embodiment;
[0025] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the locking device shown in
FIG. 6;
[0026] FIG. 8 is another perspective view of the locking device
shown in FIG. 6;
[0027] FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of a state when the front
member is used as a tilted table, in the packaging device according
to the first embodiment;
[0028] FIG. 10 is an enlarged front elevational view of the front
member shown in FIG. 9;
[0029] FIGS. 11A and 11B are enlarged front elevational views of an
angle regulating unit for the front member shown in FIG. 9;
[0030] FIG. 12 depicts a contact portion of the front member
according to another example;
[0031] FIGS. 13A and 13B are enlarged diagrams of the front member
shown in FIG. 9;
[0032] FIGS. 14A and 14B are plan views of another example of the
front member;
[0033] FIGS. 15A to 15C are plan views of arrangement examples of
PET-bottles in the packaging device according to the first
embodiment;
[0034] FIGS. 16A and 16B are plan views of arrangement examples of
PET-bottles in the packaging device according to the first
embodiment;
[0035] FIG. 17 is a side view of a bottom base of a packaging
device according to a second embodiment of the present
invention;
[0036] FIG. 18 is a front view of a bottom base of the packaging
device according to the second embodiment;
[0037] FIG. 19 is a plan view of a bottom base of the packaging
device according to the second embodiment;
[0038] FIGS. 20A and 20B depict a front plate of the packaging
device according to the second embodiment;
[0039] FIGS. 21A to 21C depict a side plate of the packaging device
according to the second embodiment;
[0040] FIGS. 22A and 22B depict a rear plate of the packaging
device according to the second embodiment;
[0041] FIGS. 23A and 23B are side views of a top plate member of
the packaging device according to the second embodiment;
[0042] FIG. 24 is a plan view of an arrangement example of
PET-bottles in a packaging device according to a third embodiment
of the present invention;
[0043] FIGS. 25A to 25F are perspective views of an unloading state
of and an unloading procedure in the packaging device according to
the third embodiment;
[0044] FIGS. 26A to 26D are perspective views of a collecting state
of and a collection procedure in the packaging device according to
the present embodiment;
[0045] FIGS. 27A and 27B depict the front member of the packaging
device according to the present embodiment;
[0046] FIGS. 28A and 28B depict an unloading state in the packaging
device according to the present embodiment; and
[0047] FIGS. 29A and 29C depict another example of the packaging
device according to the present embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0048] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be
explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0049] FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of a packaging device
according to a first embodiment of the present invention: FIG. 1A
depicts a state where a mounting base is lifted; and FIG. 1B
depicts a state where an article is mounted thereon. FIGS. 2A to 2D
are detailed views of a front member-locking device of the
packaging device according to the first embodiment: FIG. 2A is an
entire perspective view of a front member; FIG. 2B is a perspective
view of an unlocked state of the locking device; FIG. 2C is a
perspective view of a locked state thereof; and FIG. 2D is an
enlarged perspective view of a lower part of the front member. FIG.
3 is a front elevational view of a modified example of the front
member-locking device of the packaging device according to the
first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the locking
device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is another perspective view of the
locking device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a front elevational view
of another modified example of the front member-locking device of
the packaging device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a
perspective view of the locking device shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is
another perspective view of the locking device shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of a state when the front member
is used as a tilted table, in the packaging device according to the
first embodiment. FIG. 10 is an enlarged front elevational view of
the front member shown in FIG. 9. FIGS. 11A and 11B are enlarged
front elevational views of an angle regulating unit for the front
member shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 12 depicts a contact portion of the
front member according to another example. FIGS. 13A and 13B are
enlarged diagrams of the front member shown in FIG. 9. FIGS. 14A
and 14B are plan views of another example of the front member: FIG.
14A depicts a contracted state of an inner frame shift unit; and
FIG. 14B depicts a developed state thereof. FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C
are plan views of arrangement examples of PET-bottles in the
packaging device according to the first embodiment. FIGS. 16A and
16B are plan views of arrangement examples of PET-bottles in the
packaging device according to the first embodiment.
[0050] According to the present embodiments, it is assumed that an
article to be mounted is a copying machine, and the buffer member
is PET-bottles. However, the article can be anything that requires
buffering against vibrations and impacts, and the buffer member is
not limited to the PET-bottles, and various types of buffer members
having the same or similar structure and operation can be employed.
It is a matter of course that a buffer member can be created
exclusively for the present invention.
[0051] There are various types of PET-bottles used as the buffer
member, such as (1) bottles for carbonated beverages (cola, cider,
and the like), (2) bottles for high-temperature filled beverages
(fruit drink, sports drink, tea, coffee, and the like), (3) bottles
for light carbonated beverages sterilized after filling (light
carbonated fruit drink or lactic drink), and (4) bottles for
aseptic filling. Furthermore, as for an external shape or sectional
shape, there are round shapes, rectangular shapes (many of them are
shapes rounded at four corners or shapes obtained by cutting four
corners and rounding the corners to form a deformed octagon), and
shapes mixed with circle and square. In the present invention, any
of these shapes can be employed.
[0052] The bottles for carbonated beverages are referred to as a
pressure-resistant bottle, which can endure an inner pressure
increased by a gas generated from a beverage. The bottles for
high-temperature filled beverages are used for beverages, which do
not contain carbon dioxide, and referred to as a heat-resistant
bottle, whose opening is formed so as to be able to endure
deformation due to heat at the time of filling. The bottles for
light carbonated beverages sterilized after filling are referred to
as a heat-resistant and pressure-resistant bottle having both heat
resistance and pressure resistance. The bottles for aseptic filling
are used for a method (aseptic filling) in which a content and
bottles are separately sterilized before filling, the content is
filled in the bottles in a sterilized room, and the bottles are
sealed with sterilized caps, and referred to as an aseptic bottle.
In this case, the entire bottle is generally transparent.
[0053] A packaging device 100 according to the first embodiment is
for packaging a product 10, and as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, four
casters 11, 12, 13, and 14 are fitted to the product 10. The
packaging device 100 includes a bottom base 110, four support
members 121, 122, 123, and 124 arranged upright on four corners of
the bottom base 110, and also serving as legs of the bottom base
110, a front member 130 detachably fitted to the bottom base 110
and forming a front wall, a rear member 140 fitted to the bottom
base 110 and forming a rear wall, a side member 150 fitted to the
bottom base 110 and forming a right wall, a side member 160 forming
a left wall, a buffer member 170 arranged on the bottom base 110
and formed of PET-bottles 171, which are multiple sealed containers
containing a gas sealed therein, and a mounting base 180 arranged
on the buffer member 170, on which an article is mounted.
[0054] The packaging device 100 according to this embodiment
includes locking devices 190, which fix the front member 130 to the
support members 121 and 124, between the front member 130 and the
support members 121 and 124.
[0055] The bottom base 110 is made of a steel material, and
includes a bottom plate 111, and frame members 112, 113, 114, and
115 provided on four sides of the bottom base 110. The support
members 121, 122, 123 and 124 formed of a square pipe are arranged
upright on four corners of the bottom base 110. The lower parts of
the support members 121, 122, 123 and 124 protrude downward from
the bottom plate 111, to form the legs, thereby forming a space
below the bottom base 110, into which forks of a forklift are
inserted.
[0056] The bottom base 110 includes the buffer member 170 formed by
arranging a plurality of PET-bottles regularly, and a flat mounting
base 180 is arranged on the buffer member 170. The product 10 is
mounted on the mounting base 180 and packaged. Preferably, the
mounting base is made of hard rubber, polypropylene (PP), or
polyethylene (PE), since these materials have rigidity and
appropriate resilience.
[0057] According to the first embodiment, on the bottom plate 111
of the bottom base 110, a partition 118 is arranged as shown in
FIG. 15A in the buffer member 170, and the PET-bottles 171 are
arranged over the whole surface of the partitioned bottom plate 111
in a predetermined pattern. As required, as shown in FIG. 15B, a
plurality of partitions 119 can be arranged in a predetermined
pattern to arrange the PET-bottles 171 in an appropriate pattern
away from each other, or as shown in FIG. 15C, the PET-bottles 171
can be arranged so as to match the positions of the casters 11, 12,
13, and 14 of the product 10. In this example, arrangement
directions of body parts 171a and caps 171b of the PET-bottles 171
are made the same.
[0058] Another example in which the PET-bottles 171 are arranged in
the same direction is shown in FIG. 16A. Still another example in
which the arrangement directions of the body parts 171a and the
caps 171b of the PET-bottles 171 are made alternate is shown in
FIG. 16B. In this example, the resilience of the buffer members 170
can be made uniform.
[0059] FIG. 24 is another arrangement example of the PET-bottles
171. In this example, a number of PET-bottles 171 are placed over
the bottom plate 111, without providing the partition. In this
example, at the time of placing the PET-bottles 171, the
PET-bottles 171 are placed horizontally. As for the shape of the
PET-bottles 171, the body part is at the highest position, and a
portion from the end of the body part to the cap becomes lower than
the body part. If the caps of the PET-bottles 171 face each other,
a gap is formed between the mounting base 180 and the caps in the
portion where the caps face each other, and the caster is not
stabilized in this portion. In this example, therefore, the body
parts makes contact with each other, to increase contact areas
between the mounting base 180 and the body parts, so that a load is
uniformly distributed (parts A in FIG. 24). Furthermore, in this
example, the product 10 is unloaded in a direction indicated by
arrow a, and if the height is not fixed at the time of shifting the
product from the mounting base 180 to the front member 130, the
casters of the product 10 cannot ride across the front member 130.
Therefore, the PET-bottles 171 are arranged so that the body parts
thereof are arranged in the whole area of the end portion on a near
side. It is desired that the PET-bottles to be arranged have a flat
portion in the body part thereof, since the upper face thereof
becomes flat to increase the contact area when the PET-bottles 171
are placed over the bottom plate.
[0060] As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a crossbar 153 forming the
right side member 150, and two vertical bars 151 and 152 for
connecting the crossbar 153 and the frame member 113 are provided
between the support members 121 and 122.
[0061] Furthermore, a crossbar 143 forming the rear member 140, and
two vertical bars 141 and 142 for connecting the crossbar 143 and
the frame member 114 are provided between the support members 122
and 123.
[0062] Similarly, a crossbar 163 forming the left side member 160,
and two vertical bars 161 and 162 for connecting the crossbar 163
and the frame member 115 are provided between the support members
123 and 124.
[0063] As shown in FIG. 2A, the front member 130 is formed, by
arranging a plate member 131 and reinforcing members 252, 253, 255,
and 256 on four sides of the plate member 131, and arranging two
reinforcing bars 257 and 258 horizontally. A turning shaft 135 is
inserted into the inside of a U-shaped holder 134 shown in FIG. 2D
from above, so that the turning shaft 135 can be turned to the near
side and the far side of the packaging device 100, and can be
freely movable in a vertical direction. According to this
configuration, the front member 130 is turned to the near side of
the packaging device 100, and the other end of the turning shaft
135 is placed on the floor, thereby enabling the use of the front
member 130 as a tilted table to be used for loading and unloading
of the article.
[0064] Furthermore, the locking devices 190 for fixing the front
member 130 to the support members 121 and 124 are provided, as
shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, on the front member 130 and the
support members 121 and 124. According to the first embodiment, as
shown in FIGS. 2A and 2C, the locking device 190 can slidably and
rotatably support a handle 191 by supports 192 and 193, so that the
handle 191 can be inserted into and pulled out from a hole in a
lock plate 194 provided on the support member 121. In FIGS. 2B and
2C, reference numeral 195 denotes a handle fixing member, 196
denotes a spring for pushing out the handle, and 187 denotes a
holder of the handle.
[0065] By using the locking devices 190, the front member 130 can
be turned to an unlocked state (FIG. 2B) or to a locked state (FIG.
2C) with respect to the support members 121 and 124.
[0066] An unloading procedure of the packaging device 100 according
to the first embodiment is explained with reference to FIGS. 25A to
25F. Firstly, a box 700 mounted on a top plate member 610 is
unloaded from the near side of the packaging device (FIG. 25A). A
latching protrusion 611 of the top plate member 610 is then
detached from a hole 623 of a sliding guide 622, and the top plate
member 610 is pulled to the near side of the packaging device and
detached therefrom (FIG. 25B). A lock of a locking device 290 on a
front member 250 is released, to bring down the front member 250 to
the near side (FIG. 25C). Furthermore, belts 640, a buffer 300 on
the near side of the apparatus, and a second buffer 630 are
removed, and an article is brought down to the near side of the
apparatus by using a slope formed by the front member 250, thereby
finishing unloading.
[0067] Upon completion of unloading, when an old copying machine is
collected from a delivery destination, the old copying machine can
be packaged and collected by the above procedure backwards. Only a
case of collecting the packaging device 100 is explained below,
assuming that there is no article to be collected at the delivery
destination. As shown in FIGS. 26A to 26D, a rear member 270 and
upper side members 240 are pulled out upwards (FIG. 26A). The front
member 250 is folded toward the mounting base 180 side, and the
rear member 270, the upper side members 240, and the top plate
member 610 are stacked thereon. The two buffers 300 placed back to
back and one buffer 300 are arranged with a space therebetween on
the stacked members, and the box 700, which has been mounted on the
top plate, is arranged in the space. The second buffer 630 can be
placed in the box, or a bag for protecting the article can be
folded and placed therein. Lastly, the belts 640, which have
positioned the article, are respectively latched to belt engagement
holes, thereby fixing the members. Thus, a plurality of members
constituting the packaging device can be reliably collected in a
compact manner, without dropping.
[0068] According to the first embodiment, the front member 250, the
upper side members 240, a top plate member 280, and the rear member
270 are formed in a size that can be accommodated within the face
of the mounting base 180, such that when these members are stacked,
the uppermost position at the time of stacking the buffers and the
box on these stacked members becomes equal to or lower than the
position of the crossbars 243. Furthermore, when the two buffers
300 placed back to back and another buffer 300 are arranged with a
space therebetween, and the box 700, which has been mounted on the
top plate, is arranged in the space, the length between ends of the
buffer 300 is smaller than a width of the mounting base 180, and
smaller than the width of the front member 130, the upper side
members 240, the top plate member 280, and the rear member 270.
Accordingly, respective members can be reliably collected without
dropping due to locking by the belts 640.
[0069] According to this configuration, there is no excessive
space, and even the box 700 for carrying accessories to be mounted
on the top plate member 610 can be put in the packaging device,
thereby increasing collection efficiency. At the time of
collection, space-saving of the packaging device can be realized by
mounting legs 261 and 263 on a guide plate 235 of the crossbar 243
of the folded packaging device, and stacking the packaging device
vertically for collection.
[0070] An unloading operation until the article is unloaded can be
performed from the near side of the packaging device. Therefore, an
operator does not need to perform any operation from various
directions, thereby enabling improvement in the work efficiency.
Although not shown, if the unloading operation can be seen from
outside of the front member (the front of the packaging device),
the work efficiency is improved for the operator who performs
operations from the front of the packaging device. In addition, for
example, if the collection procedure is shown on the box 700
arranged at the uppermost position in FIG. 26D, the procedure can
be read and performed until the box 700 is fastened by the belts,
thereby improving the work efficiency.
[0071] FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a modified example of
the front member-locking device of the packaging device according
to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is an example in which a locking
device 510 according to a first modified example is arranged on the
left side of the front member 130, and a locking device 520
according to a second modified example is arranged on the right
side thereof. For convenience, respective locking devices 510 and
530 are provided on one front member 130. However, in practice,
these locking devices are respectively arranged on the left and
right sides of one front member 130.
[0072] The locking device 510 shown on the left side in FIG. 3
slidably and rotatably supports a handle 511 by a support 512 fixed
to the front member 130 by screws 513, so that the handle 511 can
be inserted into and pulled out from a hole in the lock plate 194
provided on the support member 121. In this example, a permanent
magnet 516 is attached to a bent portion 511a of the handle 511 by
belts 514 and 515, and the state of the handle 511 can be fixed by
an attraction of the permanent magnet 516 by pressing the bent
portion 511a to the front member 130 made of iron.
[0073] Similarly, the locking device 520 shown on the right side
slidably and rotatably supports a handle 521 by a support 522 fixed
to the front member 130 by screws 523, so that the handle 521 can
be inserted into and pulled out from a hole in the lock plate 194
provided on the support member 121. In this example, a
hook-and-loop fastener 524 is adhered to a bent portion 521a of the
handle 521, and another hook-and-loop fastener 525, to which the
hook-and-loop fastener 524 is adhered, is adhered to the front
member 130. In this example, by pressing the hook-and-loop fastener
524 at the bent portion 521a against the hook-and-loop fastener
525, the state of the handle 521 can be fixed by a fixing strength
of the hook-and-loop fasteners 524 and 525.
[0074] FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of another modified
example of the front member-locking device of the packaging device
according to the first embodiment. A locking device 540 in this
example forms a ring portion 542, as shown in FIG. 8, at one end of
a handle 541 in a straight bar shape, and slidably and rotatably
supports the handle 541 by a support 544 fixed to the front member
130 by screws 543, so that the handle 541 can be inserted into and
pulled out from a hole in the lock plate 194 provided on the
support member 121.
[0075] In the locking device 540 according to this example, as
shown in FIG. 7, the locking devices 540 provided at the left and
right of the front member 130 are connected with each other by
attaching a string type member 551 such as a wire between the ring
portions 542 of the locking devices 540 via a fitting ring 553, and
a handle 552 is provided at the center of the string type member
551. The handle 552 is fitted to the front member 130 by a guide
member 554. In this example, a coil spring 545, which energizes the
handle 541 in a direction in which the handle 541 is inserted into
the lock plate 194, is arranged between the fitting ring 553 and
the support 544. Accordingly, the handle 541 is energized in a
direction of the lock plate 194 at all times, to turn the locking
device 540 to a locked state. To unlock the locking device 540 in
this example, the handle 552 is pulled, to slide the handle 541 via
the string type member 551, so that the handle 541 can be pulled
out from the lock plate 194.
[0076] When a permanent magnet is provided in the handle 552, the
handle 552 can be stuck to the front member 130. Instead of the
permanent magnet, one of the hook-and-loop fasteners can be
provided on the handle 552, and the other can be provided on the
surface of the front member 130.
[0077] According to the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the
front member can be used as the tilted table. FIG. 9 is a front
elevational view of a state when the front member is used as the
tilted table. According to the first embodiment, a cover member 660
includes, as shown in FIG. 10, a first plate 662 fitted to a shaft
661 rotatably provided on the front member 130, and a second plate
663 fitted to a shaft 664 provided on the first plate 662 in a
freely turnable manner. In this example, the two plates 662 and 663
can turn, matched with the height of the front member 130 and the
mounting base 180, to dissolve a gap and a difference in level
between the front member 130 and the mounting base 180, thereby
enabling smooth shift of the product 10.
[0078] As shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, a crossbar member 670 is
fitted to the front member 130, which comes in contact with the
bottom base 110 when the front member 130 is turned about the
turning shaft 135 and used as the tilted table. The crossbar member
670 is an edge engagement member having rigidity, and can
distribute the weight of the product 10 due to the contact with the
bottom base 110, and can restrict a fitting position of the front
member 130.
[0079] As shown in FIG. 12, an angle regulating member 680 can be
provided on the front member 130. The angle regulating member 680
is stuck to the front member 130, and turns about the turning shaft
135, so as to restrict the turning angle of the front member 130,
which makes contact with a member 690 fixed to the bottom base
110.
[0080] Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 27A and 27B, an angle
regulating member 900 can be provided at the bottom of the front
member 130. The angle regulating member 900 is provided over the
whole area on the front of the front member 130 in a cross
direction thereof, and is configured so as to protrude from the
packaging device 100 in an upright state of the front member 130.
The amount of protrusion is preferably determined so as not to
deteriorate the load efficiency due to the angle regulating member
900, when other packaging devices are arranged horizontally and
transported.
[0081] As shown in FIG. 27B, the angle regulating member stops at a
position where the angle regulating member abuts against the bottom
surface of the mounting base 180 when the front member 130 is
brought down to the near side of the packaging device. At this
time, the height positions of the turning shaft 135 of the front
member 130 and the mounting base 180 are substantially the same, to
prevent that the casters 11, 12, 13, and 14 are caught by the front
member, when the product 10 is unloaded from the right to the left
in FIGS. 27A and 27B. Since the whole area of the mounting base 180
are only mounted on the upper faces of the PET-bottles, when the
product 10 is in parts A shown in FIG. 24, the positions of the
casters 11, 12, 13, and 14 span over a plurality of PET-bottles. As
a result, the mounting base 180 can be displaced vertically as a
whole.
[0082] However, when the product 10 is shifted from the right to
the left in FIGS. 27A and 27B, that is, from a state shown in FIG.
28A to a state shown in FIG. 28B, if the casters 11, 12, 13, and 14
are located at an edge on the "a" side of the bottom base 110 shown
in FIG. 24, the weight of the casters concentrate on the
PET-bottles 171 at the edge on the "a" side of FIG. 24.
Accordingly, the mounting base 180 displaces downward as compared
to a position shown in FIGS. 28A and 28B.
[0083] In this case, since the mounting base 180 presses the upper
face of the angle regulating member 900, the front member 130 turns
about the turning shaft 135, and the turning shaft 135 side of the
front member 130 displaces downward in the U-shaped holder 134, so
that the front member 130 becomes the same height as that of the
upper face of the downward displaced mounting base 180.
Accordingly, the position of the front member can be adjusted,
accompanying the displacement of the height position of the
mounting base due to collapse (buffer) of the PET-bottles 171.
Thus, the product 10 can be smoothly unloaded without being caught
by the turning shaft 135 of the front member. According to the
packaging device according to the first embodiment, even when the
height is different according to the type of the PET-bottles, the
height of the turning shaft 135 side of the front member 130 in the
state with the front member 130 being brought down to the near side
of the apparatus and the height of the mounting base 180 can be
made substantially the same by the angle regulating member 900 and
the U-shaped holder 134. Accordingly, a stable unloading operation
can be achieved.
[0084] Furthermore, when the product 10 is unloaded to an unloading
spot 1010 arranged at a higher position than the upper face of the
mounting base, as shown in FIG. 29A to 29C, if an auxiliary base
1000, which can be turned to an opposite direction to the direction
of the turning shaft 135 of the front member 130, is mounted on an
unloading face, unloading can be performed easily. At this time,
the auxiliary base 1000 is formed separately from the front member
130, and pivotally fitted to the front member 130 via a turning
shaft 1001. Furthermore, the auxiliary base 1000 has a size that
does not interfere with the locking device 290, when the auxiliary
base 1000 is turned toward the front member 130 side, or the
locking device 290 is arranged so as not to interfere with the
auxiliary base 1000.
[0085] As shown in FIG. 29C, a fixing member 1002 is arranged on
the rear face of a slope formed by the auxiliary base 1000, and a
fixing member 1003 is arranged on the front face of the front
member 130. Consequently, when the auxiliary base 1000 is turned to
the front member 130 side, the fixing member 1002 on the auxiliary
base 1000 is fixed to the fixing member 1003 on the front member
130. The fixing members 1002 and 1003 are formed of a material such
as a magnet or a hook-and-loop fastener. In this device, when the
front member 130 is closed as shown in FIG. 29C, members of a
not-so-thick material, other than the magnet and the hook-and-loop
fastener, can be used.
[0086] It is assumed here that the packaging device according to
the first embodiment is used repeatedly. Since the fixing member
1002 is brought into contact with the floor or the like, as shown
in FIG. 29C, it is likely to become dirty. Therefore, the fixing
member 1002 is formed of a material, whose fixing power at the time
of closed state as shown in FIG. 29B hardly deteriorates, even when
it is used repeatedly as shown in FIG. 29A. As a result, the
maintainability of the packaging device is improved, and fixation
is released at the time of transportation and collection, thereby
preventing any contact with another packaging device mounted
adjacent to the packaging device.
[0087] In the above example, while it is shown that the auxiliary
base 1000 is folded toward the inside of the front member 130 at
the time of arranging the front member 130 upright, the auxiliary
base 1000 can be folded toward the outside of the front member 130.
In this case, in a state where the auxiliary base 1000 can be
turned at the time of packaging, the auxiliary base 1000 comes in
contact with the product 10 or an adjacent packaging device.
Therefore, like the above example, it is preferable to provide the
fixing member on the sides where the auxiliary base 1000 and the
front member 130 come in contact with each other.
[0088] According to the first embodiment, the front member 130 and
the auxiliary base 1000 are formed as separate members, but the
present invention is not limited to this configuration. For
example, the front member 130 can be divided vertically, and the
upper part thereof can be used as an auxiliary base. In this case,
if the locking device 290 is provided on the divided upper member,
so that the entire front member 130 can be fixed to the apparatus
body, the fixing members 1002 and 1003 are not required.
[0089] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, as shown in
FIG. 13A, a plate-like contact member 652 is provided on the
surface of the front member 130, one end of which is fitted so as
to be freely turned on a shaft 651, and suspended in a state where
the front member is turned and arranged as the tilted table, and
the other end of which is brought into contact with the ground.
According to the first embodiment, when the front member 130 is
used as a tilted table, the weight of the product 10 acting on the
front member 130 can be shared with the floor. As shown in FIG.
13B, when the contact member is formed as a handle 653 of the front
member 130, and the front member 130 is used as the tilted table,
the point thereof can be brought into contact with the floor.
[0090] Moreover, according to the first embodiment, as shown in
FIGS. 14A and 14B, the front member 130 can be formed of an outer
frame 710 and an inner frame 720 arranged inside of the outer frame
710, and the inner frame 720 can be formed so as to protrude from
the inside of the outer frame 710 toward a direction opposite to
the bottom base. In this case, an inner frame moving unit 730 is
provided between the outer frame 710 and the inner frame 720.
[0091] The inner frame moving unit 730 has a retractable pantograph
structure, so as to serve as a reinforcing member of the inner
frame.
[0092] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, not only the
impact against the article, which occurs during transportation, can
be alleviated by the buffer, but also the packaging device can be
used repeatedly. Accordingly, the investment for plant and
equipment, the cost, and the time of packaging can be reduced, and
parts control can be facilitated.
[0093] In addition, since the mounting base can be formed by using
PET-bottles or materials having a similar shape, the PET-bottles
are not disposed of as a waste and can be reused.
[0094] FIG. 17 is a side view of the bottom base of a packaging
device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 18 is a front view of the bottom base of the packaging device
according to the second embodiment. FIG. 19 is a plan view of the
bottom base of the packaging device according to the second
embodiment. FIGS. 20A and 20B depict a front plate of the packaging
device according to the second embodiment, where FIG. 20A is a
front view and FIG. 20B is a plan view. FIGS. 21A to 21C depict a
side plate of the packaging device according to the second
embodiment: FIG. 21A is a front view; FIG. 21B is a plan view; and
FIG. 21C is a side view. FIGS. 22A and 22B depict a rear plate of
the packaging device according to the second embodiment: FIG. 22A
is a back view; and FIG. 22B is a plan view. FIGS. 23A and 23B are
side views of the top plate member of the packaging device
according to the second embodiment.
[0095] A packaging device 200 according to the second embodiment is
made of a steel material, and includes a bottom base 210, lower
side members 230, the upper side members 240, the front member 250,
the rear member 270, and the top plate member 280. According to the
second embodiment, the left and right upper side members 240, the
front member 250, the rear member 270, and the top plate member 280
are formed so as to be freely assembled and disassembled with
respect to the bottom base 210. According to the second embodiment,
since the configuration of the mounting base and the buffer member
are the same as those according to the first embodiment, detailed
explanation thereof is omitted.
[0096] In the bottom base 210, as shown in FIGS. 17, 18, and 19,
frames 212, 213, 214, and 215 are arranged on four sides of a
rectangular plate member 211, and reinforcing members 217 and 218
are arranged on the underside of the plate member 211 in a pattern
in the shape of a well crib. According to the second embodiment,
legs 261, 262, and 263 are arranged below the bottom base 210, to
form a fork inserting portion of the forklift. Reference numeral
236 in FIG. 19 denotes a reinforcing corner plate.
[0097] According to the second embodiment, pillar members include
lower pillar members 231, 232, 233, and 234 arranged on the bottom
base 210, and two pairs of, in total four, upper pillar members 241
and 242 (since two upper pillar members constituting the right side
member are not shown in FIG. 19, reference numerals thereof are
omitted) constituting the upper side members 240 to be detachably
provided thereon.
[0098] Left and right side members are respectively formed of the
lower side member 230 provided between the lower pillar members 231
and 232 on the bottom base 210, and a detachable upper side member
240. The left side member has the same configuration.
[0099] Lower pillar members 231, 232, 233, and 234 made of a square
pipe are upright on four corners of the bottom base 210. These
lower pillar members 231, 232, 233, and 234 constitute a lower part
of the pillar members arranged at four corners of the packaging
device 200.
[0100] The lower side member 230 is formed of a crossbar 243
provided between the upper ends of the lower pillar members 231 and
232, and five linear members 234 provided between the crossbar 243
and the frame 213. Reference numeral 216 in FIG. 17 denotes a belt
securing unit that secures a belt for fixing the product 10, and
235 denotes a guide plate of the upper side member 240. The guide
plate 235 serves as a guide at the time of stacking the bottom base
210.
[0101] The front member 250 is formed, as shown in FIGS. 20A and
20B, by arranging the reinforcing members 255 and 256 on four sides
of a rectangular plate member 251, and arranging the reinforcing
bars 257 and 258 horizontally. A shaft member 259 is provided in
the lower part of the front member 250, which becomes an axis of
rotation, when the front member 250 is rotated and used as the
tilted table. Locking devices 290 that fix the front member 250 are
provided in the upper part of the front member 250. According to
the second embodiment, the locking devices 290 have the same
structure as that of the first embodiment, and include a handle
291, supports 292 and 293, a handle fixing member 295, a spring 296
for pushing out the handle, and a handle holder 297.
[0102] The upper side member 240 is formed, as shown in FIGS. 21A
to 21C, by providing crossbars 243, 244, and 245 between the upper
pillar members 241 and 242 in upper, middle, and lower positions,
and arranging five linear members 246 longitudinally. According to
the second embodiment, the lower parts of the upper pillar members
241 and 242 are inserted into the lower pillar members 231 and 232
and fixed therein, to constitute the side member together with the
lower side member 230. Reference numeral 247 in FIGS. 21A and 21B
denotes a fitting guide for fitting the rear member 270, and 248
denotes a fitting guide for fitting the top plate member 280.
[0103] As shown in FIG. 23B, on the right upper side member 500, a
latching step 501 in a flange form for mounting the top plate
member is provided, instead of the fitting guide 248.
[0104] The rear member 270 is formed by, as shown in FIGS. 22A and
22B, providing a crossbar 272 on a frame 271 obtained by forming a
round bar in a substantially square ring, and arranging five linear
members 273 vertically between the frame 271. Reference numeral 274
denotes a hook to be inserted into the fitting guide 247 of the
upper side member 240.
[0105] The top plate member 280 is formed of, as shown in FIGS. 23A
and 23B, frames 281, 282, 283, and 284 forming four sides, and
linear members 285 and 286 provided between opposite frames and
arranged in a lattice shape. According to the second embodiment,
the frame 284 includes engagement members 287 to be inserted into
the fitting guides 248 of the upper side member 240. According to
the second embodiment, the engagement members 287 of the top plate
member 280 are engaged with the fitting guides 248 of the upper
side members 240, on the side including the engagement members 287,
and on the opposite side, as shown in FIG. 23B, the top plate
member 280 is mounted on the latching steps 501 provided on the
upper side members 500.
[0106] According to the second embodiment, in a state where the
product 10 is unloaded, the front member 250 and the rear member
270 detached from the bottom base 210, the upper side members 240,
and the top plate member 280 can be mounted on the bottom base 210
in a compact form, in addition to the effects of the packaging
device according to the first embodiment.
[0107] FIG. 24 is a plan view of an arrangement example of
PET-bottles in a packaging device according to a third embodiment
of the present invention. FIGS. 25A to 25F are perspective views of
an unloading state of and an unloading procedure in the packaging
device according to the third embodiment. As the packaging device
according to the third embodiment, the packaging devices 100 and
200 shown in the first and the second embodiments can be used.
[0108] According to the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 24, the
buffer 300 arranged between two side members of the packaging
device and the article is used as the buffer. As the buffer 300, a
plurality of PET-bottles 330, which are airtight containers, with a
gas being sealed in a hollow box member 310, are arranged along the
apparatus with the caps being arranged upward. According to this
configuration, the bodies of the PET-bottles in the buffer 300 can
absorb the impacts from the side of the packaging device, with
respect to lateral vibrations.
[0109] According to an embodiment of the present invention, not
only the impact against the article, which occurs during
transportation, can be alleviated by the buffer, but also the
packaging device can be used repeatedly. Accordingly, the
investment for plant and equipment, the cost, and the time of
packaging can be reduced, and parts control can be facilitated.
Furthermore, the PET-bottles are not disposed of as a waste and can
be reused, fixation and releasing of the front member with respect
to the packaging device can be performed by an easy operation, and
the front member can be easily used as an unloading slope.
[0110] Although the invention has been described with respect to a
specific embodiment for a complete and clear disclosure, the
appended claims are not to be thus limited but are to be construed
as embodying all modifications and alternative constructions that
may occur to one skilled in the art that fairly fall within the
basic teaching herein set forth.
* * * * *