U.S. patent application number 12/491831 was filed with the patent office on 2010-02-11 for package member.
This patent application is currently assigned to FUJITSU LIMITED. Invention is credited to Katsuyuki Fukuda, Hiromitsu Yokoyama.
Application Number | 20100032336 12/491831 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41651908 |
Filed Date | 2010-02-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100032336 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yokoyama; Hiromitsu ; et
al. |
February 11, 2010 |
PACKAGE MEMBER
Abstract
A package member includes a first cushioning member and a bottom
supporting member that supports the first cushioning member. The
first cushioning member includes concave portions in which bottoms
of a plurality of packaged articles are fitted, and a convex
portion that is inserted between the packaged articles. A
predetermined space is formed at backsides of the concave portions.
The bottom supporting member is arranged in the predetermined space
in contact with the backside of any of the concave portions of the
first cushioning member and is inflatable when filled with air.
Inventors: |
Yokoyama; Hiromitsu;
(Kawasaki, JP) ; Fukuda; Katsuyuki; (Kawasaki,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GREER, BURNS & CRAIN
300 S WACKER DR, 25TH FLOOR
CHICAGO
IL
60606
US
|
Assignee: |
FUJITSU LIMITED
Kawasaki-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
41651908 |
Appl. No.: |
12/491831 |
Filed: |
June 25, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/522 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 81/052
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/522 |
International
Class: |
B65D 81/02 20060101
B65D081/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 5, 2008 |
JP |
2008-201762 |
Claims
1. A package member comprising: a first cushioning member that
includes concave portions in which bottoms of a plurality of
packaged articles are fitted, a convex portion that is inserted
between the packaged articles, and a predetermined space that is
formed at backsides of the concave portions; and a bottom
supporting member that is arranged in the predetermined space in
contact with the backsides of the concave portions of the first
cushioning member and that is inflatable when charged with air.
2. The package member according to claim 1, further comprising a
second cushioning member that includes concave portions in which
upper portions of the packaged articles are fitted, and a convex
portion that is inserted between the packaged articles.
3. The package member according to claim 1, wherein the bottom
supporting member includes a gas charge-discharge unit that charges
air into and discharges air from the bottom supporting member, and
a shutoff cock that opens and closes the gas charge-discharge
unit.
4. The package member according to claim 2, wherein the bottom
supporting member includes a gas charge-discharge unit that charges
air into and discharges air from the bottom supporting member, and
a shutoff cock that opens and closes the gas charge-discharge
unit.
5. The package member according to claim 1, wherein the bottom
supporting member is arranged in contact with backside of at least
one of the concave portions of the first cushioning member.
6. The package member according to claim 2, wherein the bottom
supporting member is arranged in contact with backside of at least
one of the concave portions of the first cushioning member.
7. The package member according to claim 3, wherein the bottom
supporting member is arranged in contact with backside of at least
one of the concave portions of the first cushioning member.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of
priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-201762,
filed on Aug. 5, 2008, the entire contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD
[0002] The embodiments discussed herein are directed to a package
member, more particularly, to a package member that makes packaging
simpler and reduces impact on an object being transported.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Upon transportation of electronic components, assembly
components, or electronics, a cushioning member is generally placed
between an external box and a separate box to protect a packaged
article from impact during the transportation. The cushioning
member is selected from various types in consideration of the
impact resistance, dust aversion, size and weight of an object to
be transported, and the size and material of the external box.
[0004] For example, for transporting assembly components such as
head gimbal assembly (HGA) of magnetic heads that are used in a
magnetic memory device, a plurality of HGAs are housed in which
dedicated trays. The dedicated trays are stacked and housed in a
separate box, and a plurality of separate boxes are housed in an
external box to be transported. At that time, a cushioning member
formed of polystyrene foam is used to absorb impact.
[0005] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a package example when
polystyrene foam is used as a cushioning member. As illustrated in
FIG. 8, four separate boxes 100 are housed in an internal box 210,
and the corners of the internal box 210 are fixed in an external
box 200 by using cushioning members 300 formed of polystyrene foam.
In FIG. 8, although the corners of the lower portions of the
separate boxes 100 are fixed by the cushioning members 300, the
corners of the upper portions of the separate boxes 100 are also
fixed by the cushioning members 300 (not illustrated).
[0006] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the cushioning members 300 are
respectively sandwiched between the inner surfaces of the external
box 200 and the corner surfaces of the internal box 210 to form a
space. When impact is applied to the external box 200, the impact
is not directly introduced into the internal box 210 via the space
from the external box 200, but is introduced into the internal box
210 via the cushioning members 300 from the external box 200 and is
further introduced into the separate boxes 100. Because most of
impact energy is absorbed by the cushioning members 300, large
impact energy is not directly added to the separate boxes 100.
[0007] At the time of the transportation of general electronics, a
cushioning member shaped of plastic sheet is used in addition to a
cushioning member shaped of polystyrene foam. FIG. 9 is a
perspective view of cushioning members 400 and 401 formed of
plastic sheet and the separate boxes 100. Four concave portions 410
for fitting therein the separate boxes 100 are formed in the
cushioning member 400. Convex portions are formed around the
concave portions 410. Moreover, edges 430 are formed to project
outward from the bottom of the cushioning member 400. The edges 430
are in contact with the inner surface of an external box (not
illustrated). The backsides of the concave portions 410 are
positioned at a position, at which the backsides are higher than
the edge 430 by a predetermined height, to form a space between the
backsides and the external box. The cushioning member 401 has
concave portions, convex portions, and edges similarly to the
cushioning member 400.
[0008] The cushioning member 400 is arranged on the inside bottom
of the external box and the cushioning member 401 is arranged to
cover the tops of the separate boxes 100 that are fitted in the
concave portions 410 of the cushioning member 400. When the
cushioning member 401 covers the tops of the separate boxes 100,
concave portions 411 of the cushioning member 401 are fitted in the
upper portions of the separate boxes 100. Therefore, a part of
convex portions 420 and 421 of the cushioning members 400 and 401
are inserted between the separate boxes 100 so that the separate
boxes 100 are not in contact with each other.
[0009] When impact is applied to the external box (not
illustrated), the most of impact energy is absorbed by the plastic
sheet of the cushioning members 400 and 401 and the convex portions
420 and 421 of the plastic sheet. Therefore, large impact energy is
not directly added to the separate boxes 100.
[0010] For example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No.
05-51070 discloses a conventional technology related to a
cushioning member for packages, in which a cushioning member is
produced by shaping corrugated fiberboard. The conventional
technology considers an environment and improves recycling
efficiency by using corrugated fiberboard instead of a plastic
sheet.
[0011] Further, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication
No. 05-16670 discloses a conventional technology using a pouched
member having a gas space, of which a volume is variable by sealing
air, as a cushioning member. The pouched member functions as a
cushioning member by putting therein gas. Then, the pouched member
is easily collected and discarded by drawing gas after
transportation.
[0012] As described above, at the time of the transportation of
assembly components such as HGA, a cushioning member made by
shaping polystyrene foam has been used. However, because HGA has a
sensitive structure, there has been a demand for developing a
packaging method for easily absorbing impact at the time of
transportation compared with a conventional packaging method.
[0013] The method of using the cushioning member formed of plastic
sheet as illustrated in FIG. 9 achieves better effect by shaping
the cushioning member with the aid of the elasticity of plastic
sheet when the weight of a package is small (light). Generally,
when a cushioning member is shaped to have a thin sheet thickness
(for example, the sheet thickness of plastic sheet is 0.5 to 0.8
millimeter), an effect acting as the cushioning member can be
expected because the rigidity becomes small. However, when a
plurality of separate boxes is accommodated, the cushioning member
is bended due to the weight of the separate boxes by making the
sheet thickness thin. This leads to decline the separate boxes that
are fitted in the concave portions of the cushioning member.
Therefore, it is difficult to cover the tops of the separate boxes
with another cushioning member.
[0014] With reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, an example will be
described in which the cushioning member is bent when the separate
boxes are arranged on the cushioning member as described above.
FIG. 10 illustrates a state in which the cushioning member 400 is
bended due to the weight of the separate boxes 100 and the separate
boxes 100 are inclined toward the center of the cushioning member
400 when the separate boxes 100 are placed in the cushioning member
400 (are fitted in the concave portions). In FIG. 10, the external
box is not illustrated. In this state, the cushioning member 401
cannot cover the tops of the separate boxes.
[0015] FIGS. 11A to 11C illustrate a bending procedure of the
cushioning member 400 when being cut by an A surface of FIG. 10.
FIG. 11A illustrates a state in which the cushioning member 400 is
arranged in the external box 200. FIG. 11B illustrates a state in
which the separate boxes 100 are arranged on the cushioning member
400 from the state illustrated in FIG. 11A. At this time, the
cushioning member 400 is bended due to the arrangement of the
separate boxes 100. For this reason, the separate boxes 100 are
inclined toward the center of the cushioning member 400. FIG. 11C
illustrates a state in which the upper gap between the separate
boxes 100 becomes narrow due to the inclination of the separate
boxes 100 and the convex portion 421 of the cushioning member 401
cannot be easily inserted between the separate boxes 100.
Therefore, a packaging work becomes difficult because the upper
portions of the separate boxes 100 cannot be fitted in the concave
portions 411 of the cushioning member 401.
SUMMARY
[0016] According to an aspect of an embodiment, a package member
includes a first cushioning member and a bottom supporting member.
The first cushioning member includes concave portions in which
bottoms of a plurality of packaged articles are fitted, and a
convex portion that is inserted between the packaged articles. The
predetermined space is formed at backsides of the concave portions.
The bottom supporting member is arranged in the predetermined space
in contact with the backsides of the concave portions of the first
cushioning member and that is inflatable when charged with air.
[0017] The object and advantages of the invention will be realized
and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly
pointed out in the claims.
[0018] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are exemplary
and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, as
claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1A is an example plan view of a cushioning member
according to a first embodiment;
[0020] FIG. 1B is an example side view of the cushioning member
according to the first embodiment;
[0021] FIG. 2A is an example schematic diagram of a bottom
supporting member according to the first embodiment;
[0022] FIG. 2B is an example schematic diagram of the bottom
supporting member when assembled according to the first
embodiment;
[0023] FIGS. 3A to 3C are example schematic diagrams for explaining
a packaging procedure according to the first embodiment;
[0024] FIGS. 4A to 4C are example schematic diagrams for explaining
a packaging procedure according to the first embodiment;
[0025] FIG. 5A is an example schematic diagram of a cushioning
member according to a second embodiment;
[0026] FIG. 5B is an example schematic diagram of a bottom
supporting member according to the second embodiment;
[0027] FIG. 6A is an example schematic diagram for explaining a
packaging procedure according to the second embodiment;
[0028] FIG. 6B is an example bottom view of the bottom supporting
member according to the second embodiment;
[0029] FIG. 7 is a comparative example of an impact value between a
cushioning member of the embodiment and a cushioning member of a
conventional technology;
[0030] FIG. 8 is an example perspective view of a conventional
cushioning member formed of polystyrene foam;
[0031] FIG. 9 is an example perspective view of a conventional
cushioning member formed of plastic sheet;
[0032] FIG. 10 is an example perspective view of a wrong
arrangement of the cushioning member formed of plastic sheet;
and
[0033] FIGS. 11A to 11C are example schematic diagrams for
explaining a procedure of wrong arrangement of the cushioning
member formed of plastic sheet.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S)
[0034] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in
detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0035] A package member of a first embodiment includes a cushioning
member and a bottom supporting member. With reference to FIGS. 1A
to 4C, a description will now be given of the shape of a package
and how to use the package.
[0036] FIG. 1A illustrates an example of the shape of a cushioning
member 500 made by shaping flexible plastic sheet according to the
first embodiment. FIG. 1B illustrates an example of the shape of
the cushioning member 500. The cushioning member 500 according to
the first embodiment is made by shaping polystyrene sheet of 0.8
millimeter (mm) thickness. In the cushioning member, its width is
460 mm, its depth is 400 mm, and its height is 110 mm.
[0037] The first embodiment describes an example of packing four
separate boxes in an external box. The cushioning member 500
includes four concave portions 510 (its height is 55 mm) tailored
to the width and depth of the separate box. Two cushioning members
are arranged at the upper and lower sides of the external box, and
the separate boxes are respectively fitted in upper and lower
concave portions. Convex portions 520 are formed to be linked to
the concave portions 510 and be crossed in the center of the
cushioning member. The convex portions 520 are inserted between the
four separate boxes. In other words, the separate boxes are fitted
in the concave portions 510 by inserting the convex portions 520
between the separate boxes. In the separate box, its width is 140
mm, its depth is 110 mm, its height is 200 mm, and the weight is
600 grams.
[0038] A hollow 530 illustrated in FIG. 1A permits the passage of a
pipe of a gas charge/discharge unit 620 of the bottom supporting
member 600 described below.
[0039] A space 512 is formed at the backsides of the concave
portions 510 as indicated by dotted lines of FIG. 1B as a cross
section. The bottom of the cushioning member 500 is opened. When
the cushioning member 500 is arranged in the external box, a side
portion 540 and a bending portion 541 bent at the bottom side of
the cushioning member 500 contact the inner surface of the external
box. Therefore, the separate boxes arranged in the cushioning
member 500 are supported by the cushioning member 500 at the center
of the external box in a state where the separate boxes are
floating in the external box.
[0040] FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of the bottom supporting
member 600 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2B is a
schematic diagram of the bottom supporting member 600 when
assembled according to the first embodiment. The bottom supporting
member 600 includes a gas accommodating unit 610 that is filled
with gas like a balloon to inflate it and the gas charge/discharge
unit 620 that charges and discharges gas to and from the gas
accommodating unit 610.
[0041] The gas accommodating unit 610 includes a volume varying
unit 611 that swells out by charging gas and coupling units 612 and
613 that are connected to the volume varying unit 611 to be coupled
with another gas accommodating unit or the gas charge/discharge
unit 620.
[0042] The gas charge/discharge unit 620 includes a
charge/discharge port 621 that charges and discharges gas, a pipe
622 that is connected to the charge/discharge port 621 to permit
the passage of gas into the volume varying unit 611, a coupling
unit 623 that is coupled with the gas accommodating unit 610. In
addition, the charge/discharge port 621 includes a cock that locks
and unlocks the gas that is charged in the gas accommodating unit
610.
[0043] FIG. 2B illustrates the bottom supporting member 600 made of
four gas accommodating units (610) and one gas charge/discharge
unit (620). According to the first embodiment, the gas
accommodating units 610 of the bottom supporting member 600 are
arranged at the backsides of the four concave portions 510 of the
cushioning member 500 illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
[0044] In the first embodiment, the bottom supporting member 600 is
made of polyvinyl chloride. However, the bottom supporting member
600 may be made of materials other than polyvinyl chloride if the
bottom supporting member made of the other materials can be
inflated by charging gas and have mechanically sufficient
intensity. When seeing the gas accommodating unit 610 from the
upper side, its shape is a circle and its diameter is 100 mm. When
seeing the gas accommodating unit 610 from the lateral side, its
shape is an ellipse and its thickness is 55 mm (gas-charged state)
as illustrated in FIG. 2B.
[0045] Next, an example of a procedure of packing four separate
boxes by using the cushioning member 500 and the bottom supporting
member 600 as described above will be described with reference to
FIGS. 3A to 4C. FIGS. 3A to 4C are cross-sectional views for easy
understanding of the function of the bottom supporting member
600.
[0046] First, in FIGS. 3A to 3C, the bottom supporting member 600
is arranged on the inside bottom of the external box 200 in which
the gas charge/discharge unit 620 is arranged along the inner
surface of the external box 200 to project the charge/discharge
port 621 out of the upper side of the external box 200. Then, the
charge/discharge port 621 is opened to put therein air with a
pressure of 3 Kg/cm.sup.2 and its cock is locked after inflating
the gas accommodating units 610. The position of the gas
accommodating units 610 placed on the bottom of the external box
200 is modified so that the four inflated gas accommodating units
610 are arranged substantially just under the four concave portions
510 of the cushioning member 500 to be arranged next. In addition,
charging air into the gas accommodating units 610 can be performed
before putting the bottom supporting member 600 in the external box
200 (FIG. 3A).
[0047] Next, the cushioning member 500 is arranged from the top of
the bottom supporting member 600. The backsides of the concave
portions 510 of the cushioning member 500 contact the gas
accommodating units 610 of the bottom supporting member 600. The
gas charge/discharge unit 620 is arranged through the hollow 530
(see FIG. 1A) of the cushioning member 500 (FIG. 3B).
[0048] The lower portions of the separate boxes 100 are
respectively fitted in the four concave portions 510 of the
cushioning member 500. Because the gas accommodating units 610 are
arranged at the backsides of the concave portions 510, the
cushioning member 500 is not bended due to the separate boxes 100
fitted in the concave portions 510 (FIG. 3C).
[0049] An upper cushioning member 501 covers the separate boxes 100
arranged in the cushioning member 500 from the top of the box.
Although the cushioning member 500 and the cushioning member 501
have the same shape, a member disposed at the bottoms of the
separate boxes 100 is the cushioning member 500 and a member
disposed at the tops of the separate boxes 100 is the cushioning
member 501. At this time, the concave portions of the cushioning
member 501 are fitted in the upper portions of the separate boxes
100. As a result, the convex portions of the cushioning member 501
are inserted between the separate boxes 100 (FIG. 4A).
[0050] When the arrangement of the cushioning member 501 is
finished, the cock of the charge/discharge port 621 of the bottom
supporting member 600 is opened to draw the air charged in the gas
accommodating units 610. In this way, the gas accommodating units
610 wither away, and thus the gas accommodating units 610 is
downward detached from the backsides of the concave portions 510 of
the cushioning member 500 (FIG. 4B).
[0051] If the upper cover of the external box 200 is closed, the
packaging work is finished (FIG. 4C).
[0052] As illustrated in FIG. 4C, the separate boxes 100 are
supported by the cushioning members 500 and 501 at the center of
the external box 200. By employing such a configuration, most of
impact energy can be absorbed by the elasticity of the cushioning
members 500 and 501 when the external box 200 is shocked from the
outside.
[0053] According to the first embodiment, the package member
accommodates the four separate boxes in the external box. The gas
accommodating units of the bottom supporting member respectively
contact the bottoms of the separate boxes via the cushioning
member. According to a second embodiment, a package member
accommodates eight separate boxes in an external box. The package
member includes two upper cushioning members, two lower cushioning
members, and a bottom supporting member having two gas
accommodating units. The second embodiment will be described with
reference to FIGS. 5A to 7.
[0054] FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram of a cushioning member 700
according to the second embodiment. FIG. 5B is a schematic diagram
of a bottom supporting member 800 according to the second
embodiment. The cushioning member 700 includes four concave
portions 710 similarly to the cushioning member 500. The cushioning
member 700 is different from the cushioning member 500 in minor
ways and is similar to the cushioning member 500 in most ways.
[0055] The bottom supporting member 800 includes two gas
accommodating units 811 of which diameters are 200 mm. The other of
the bottom supporting member 800 is similar to the bottom
supporting member 600.
[0056] An example of packing using the cushioning member 700 and
the bottom supporting member 800 will be below explained. FIG. 6A
illustrates a state where air is charged into the bottom supporting
member 800 that is arranged on the bottom of an external box 201,
the two cushioning members 700 are arranged thereon, the eight
separate boxes 100 are arranged on the cushioning members 700, and
the two cushioning members 701 covers the separate boxes 100.
Because air is not yet drawn, the gas accommodating units 811 of
the bottom supporting member 800 are in contact with the backsides
of the concave portions 710 of the cushioning members 700.
[0057] After the work as illustrated in FIG. 6A, air is drawn from
a charge/discharge port 821 of the bottom supporting member 800,
and the cover of the external box 201 is closed to finish the
packaging work.
[0058] FIG. 6B is a bottom view of the bottom supporting member 800
when seeing the bottom supporting member 800 from beneath after
removing the bottom of the external box 201. The gas accommodating
units 811 of the bottom supporting member 800 are respectively
arranged at the substantially central position of the cushioning
members 700. Even when employing such a configuration, the bending
caused by the weight of the separate boxes 100 of the cushioning
members 700 can be prevented.
[0059] FIG. 7 is a table indicating a comparison example of impact
values acting on the separate boxes when the cushioning members 700
and 701 formed of plastic sheet of the embodiment are used and when
the cushioning member 300 formed of polystyrene foam according to
the conventional packaging example illustrated in FIG. 8 is used.
In both the embodiment and the conventional technology, eight
separate boxes are packed. In the conventional technology, eight
separate boxes are housed in an internal box. Impact values are
acceleration values when a wireless impact sensor is provided in
the separate box 100 and the package member is dropped to a plastic
tile from the height of 80 centimeters. As can be seen from FIG. 7,
the method of the embodiment improves an impact value by 15% to 50%
compared with the conventional method. The impact values of the
conventional method are large and have fluctuation. This reason is
that the separate boxes 100 move inside the internal box 210
because the separate boxes 100 housed in the internal box 210 are
not individually separated.
[0060] As described above, according to an embodiment, a plurality
of packages are fitted in the concave portions of the first
cushioning member, and the convex portion of the first cushioning
member is inserted between the packages. Further, a bottom
supporting member is arranged between the backsides of the concave
portions of the first cushioning member and the bottom surface of
the external box, which prevents a lower cushioning member from
bending when the packages are arranged on the lower cushioning
member if the bottom supporting member is filled with air.
[0061] Moreover, a bottom supporting member filled with air is
arranged at the backsides of the concave portions of the first
cushioning member. Therefore, the cushioning member is not bend
when packaged articles are fitted in the concave portions of the
cushioning member. Thus, a convex portion of a cushioning member
can be easily inserted between the packaged articles, and the
efficiency of a packaging work can be improved. Moreover, because
the bottom supporting member suppresses the bending of the first
cushioning member, the thickness of the first cushioning member can
be made thin and impact at the time of transportation can be
absorbed.
[0062] All examples and conditional language recited herein are
intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in
understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the
inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being
without limitation to such specifically recited examples and
conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the
specification relate to a showing of the superiority and
inferiority of the invention. Although the embodiment(s) of the
present inventions have been described in detail, it should be
understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations
could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of
the invention.
* * * * *