U.S. patent application number 14/004137 was filed with the patent office on 2013-12-26 for flexible package and a method of tearing the same apart.
This patent application is currently assigned to NEC Display Solutions, LTD. The applicant listed for this patent is Kazuya Inoue, Yasushi Itou, Takahisa Yamada. Invention is credited to Kazuya Inoue, Yasushi Itou, Takahisa Yamada.
Application Number | 20130343679 14/004137 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45851318 |
Filed Date | 2013-12-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130343679 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Itou; Yasushi ; et
al. |
December 26, 2013 |
FLEXIBLE PACKAGE AND A METHOD OF TEARING THE SAME APART
Abstract
A bag-like flexible package is provided which is made of a
flexible sheet capable of preventing unintended breakage, has good
packing operation workability and a good stability of holding
shock-absorbing materials, and exhibits a good workability for
operations of suspended ceiling installation and wall mounting
installation. The flexible package is made of flexible sheet and
has a bag-like configuration having opening at one end thereof
whereby it can receive goods therein that are inserted through
opening. The flexible package has outwardly convex ridges,
outwardly concave valleys, and notches formed on opening. Ridges
and valleys are alternately arranged on flexible sheet , and extend
in a direction that is orthogonal to or that is oblique to opening
.
Inventors: |
Itou; Yasushi; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Yamada; Takahisa; (Tokyo, JP) ; Inoue;
Kazuya; (Tokyo, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Itou; Yasushi
Yamada; Takahisa
Inoue; Kazuya |
Tokyo
Tokyo
Tokyo |
|
JP
JP
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
NEC Display Solutions, LTD
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
45851318 |
Appl. No.: |
14/004137 |
Filed: |
March 10, 2011 |
PCT Filed: |
March 10, 2011 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2011/055684 |
371 Date: |
September 9, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/105 ;
225/2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 33/00 20130101;
B65D 75/5805 20130101; Y10T 225/12 20150401; B65D 2585/6837
20130101; B65D 81/03 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/105 ;
225/2 |
International
Class: |
B65D 75/58 20060101
B65D075/58 |
Claims
1. A flexible package made of a flexible sheet comprising a
bag-like configuration with an opening at one end thereof, and a
notch being formed on said opening, said package being capable of
receiving goods therein that are inserted therein through said
opening.
2. The flexible package according to claim 1, further comprising
outwardly convex ridges and outwardly concave valleys, wherein said
ridges and said valleys are alternately arranged on said flexible
sheet, and extend in a direction that is orthogonal to or that is
oblique to said opening.
3. The flexible package according to claim 2, wherein said ridges
and said valleys are parallel to each other.
4. The flexible package according to claim 2, wherein said notch is
formed at positions on said opening where said opening intersects
with said ridges or said valleys.
5. The flexible package according to claim 1, wherein said flexible
sheet comprises a sheet in which a polyethylene film is laminated
on a non-cross-linked, high porosity polyethylene foam sheet.
6. A method of partially tearing a flexible package apart, said
flexible package being made of a flexible sheet, and having a
bag-like configuration with an opening at one end thereof, the
method comprising starting said tearing from a notch formed on said
opening as a start point.
7. The method of partially tearing a flexible package apart
according to claim 6, further comprising extending a torn-apart
portion that is started from said notch as a start point either
along outwardly convex ridges or along outwardly concave valleys,
wherein said ridges and said valleys are alternately arranged on
said flexible sheet, and extend in a direction that is orthogonal
to or that is oblique to said opening.
8. A method of removing goods from a flexible package, said
flexible package being made of a flexible sheet and having a
bag-like configuration with an opening at one end thereof, the
method comprising: starting tearing from a notch formed on said
opening as a start point; fixing an attachment member for said
goods to a predetermined position of said goods without fully
removing said goods from said flexible package; and removing said
goods to which said attachment member is fixed, from said flexible
package.
9. The method of removing goods from a flexible package according
to claim 8, wherein said goods comprise a projector.
10. The flexible package according to claim 3, wherein said notch
is formed at positions on said opening where said opening
intersects with said ridges or said valleys.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a flexible package and a
method of tearing the same apart.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A flexible sheet is widely used in order to pack a wide
variety of goods. Packaging goods by wrapping a flexible sheet
around them has the problem in which packaging operation is
characterized by low workability. Packaging shock-absorbing
materials together with goods for protecting the latter from shocks
due to falling etc. presents a problem in which it is difficult to
stably hold the shock-absorbing materials together with goods. To
address these problems, a flexible package has been developed in
which a flexible sheet has a bag-like configuration with an opening
at one end thereof whereby a wide variety of goods can be placed in
the flexible package (Patent documents 1 to 3). Such a bag-like
flexible package can reduce the risk of damage to goods therein due
to vibrations, shocks, etc. during transportation of the goods.
[0003] One example of a flexible sheet for packaging goods is a
non-cross-linked, high porosity polyethylene foam sheet (for
example, Miramat.TM. manufactured by JSP Ltd.). When the
non-cross-linked, high porosity polyethylene foam sheet is used as
is to pack goods, however, it tends to get ripped, thus creating
the risk that damage of goods due to vibrations, shocks, etc.
during transportation of the goods cannot be fully prevented. For
this reason, a flexible sheet in which a polyethylene film is
laminated on the non-cross-linked, high porosity polyethylene foam
sheet for increasing strength, is sometimes used for packaging
goods. This flexible sheet has tear resistance which reduces
unintended breakage. When the abovementioned packing workability
operation and stability, in which the goods are held together by
shock-absorbing materials, are taken into consideration, it is
preferable to form a bag-like flexible package using this flexible
sheet, and to receive goods using this bag-like flexible package. A
bag-like flexible package, which is made of a flexible sheet in
which a polyethylene film is laminated on a non-cross-linked, high
porosity polyethylene foam sheet to increase strength, can reduce
the risk of damage of goods therein due to vibrations, shocks, etc.
during transportation of the goods. Therefore, the bag-like
flexible package is used for packing home electric appliances such
as projectors, television sets, etc.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS
Patent Documents
[0004] Patent document 1: JP2000-255640A
[0005] Patent document 2: JP2010-241448A
[0006] Patent document 3: JP H10-167287A
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Problems to be solved by the Invention
[0007] When installing home electric appliances such as projectors,
television sets, etc., other than floor installation in which the
appliances are installed on a floor so that they stand on their own
feet, suspended ceiling installation in which the appliances are
suspended from a ceiling, and a wall mounting installation in which
the appliances are hung on a wall may be carried out. When the
suspended ceiling installation or the wall mounting installation is
carried out, goods are mounted on a ceiling through a ceiling
suspending unit or on a wall through a wall hanging unit,
respectively. Specifically, parts of the ceiling suspending unit or
parts of the wall hanging unit are fixed to the goods themselves
and to the ceiling or to the wall, and then the part that is fixed
to the goods and the part that is fixed to the ceiling or to the
wall are coupled with each other. The suspended ceiling
installation or the wall mounting installation is thus
completed.
[0008] In such an installation method, part of the ceiling
suspending unit or part of the wall hanging unit needs to be fixed
either after the goods are fully taken out from the bag-like
flexible package or after part of the bag-like flexible package is
torn apart to partially expose the goods.
[0009] When goods are fully taken out from the bag-like flexible
package, in order to prevent damage to the goods, it is preferable
to fold the bag-like flexible package so that it becomes thin after
the goods are taken out, and to carry out an operation to fix parts
of the ceiling suspending unit or parts of the wall hanging unit
with the folded bag-like flexible package as an underlay for the
goods. However, this operation is problematic in that workability
is poor because it includes operations to remove goods and to fold
the flexible package in order to form an underlay for the goods. On
the other hand, when part of the bag-like flexible package is torn
apart, problems exist in that the tearing operation is not easy
because the flexible sheet in which a polyethylene film is
laminated on a non-cross-linked, high porosity polyethylene foam
sheet to increase strength, resists being torn apart, as mentioned
earlier.
[0010] Only workability, when parts of the ceiling suspending unit
or parts of the wall hanging unit is now considered. If the
flexible sheet is not formed in a bag-like configuration and is
used as is to pack goods, workability of the suspended ceiling
installation and workability of the wall mounting installation are,
of course, good because the goods can be easily removed. However,
this is problematic in that workability of packing operation and
the stability when goods are held together by the shock-absorbing
materials are low, as mentioned earlier. Further, if a
non-cross-linked, high porosity polyethylene foam sheet on which a
polyethylene film is not laminated is used, then a tearing
operation, when parts of the ceiling suspending unit or parts of
the wall hanging unit are fixed, is easy, but problems exist in
that the flexible sheet tends to be torn apart, readily causing an
unintended breakage of the package.
[0011] It is therefore an object of the present invention to remedy
the aforementioned problems, to provide a bag-like flexible package
which is made of a flexible sheet whose unintended breakage can be
prevented, and that has good packing operation workability, a good
stability of holding shock-absorbing materials, and a good
workability for operations of the suspended ceiling installation
and the wall mounting installation, and to provide a method of
tearing the bag-like flexible package apart.
MEANS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS
[0012] A bag-like flexible package of the present invention is made
of a flexible sheet, has a bag-like configuration having an opening
at one end thereof whereby it can receive goods therein that are
inserted through the opening, and characterized in that it has a
notch formed on the opening. The bag-like flexible package may
further comprise outwardly convex ridges and outwardly concave
valleys, wherein the ridges and the valleys are alternately
arranged on the flexible sheet, and extend in a direction that is
orthogonal to or that is oblique to the opening.
EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0013] According to the present invention, the user can easily
start to tear the flexible sheet apart by designating the notch
provided on the opening as a start point. Further, when ridges and
valleys are provided on the flexible sheet, the user can easily and
linearly tear the flexible sheet apart to reach the desired
position, by continuing tearing operation either along the ridge or
along the valley.
BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flexible package according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating part of a method
of tearing apart the flexible package shown in FIG. 1.
[0016] FIGS. 3a and 3b are enlarged views illustrating variants of
notches on the flexible package of the present invention.
EXAMPLARY EMBODIMENT
[0017] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be
explained with reference to the drawings.
[0018] A flexible package of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1
and 2 has a bag-like configuration in which it is made of flexible
sheet 1 and has opening 2 at one end thereof. Flexible sheet 1 in
the present exemplary embodiment is a sheet in which a polyethylene
film is laminated on a non-cross-linked, high porosity polyethylene
foam sheet. Flexible sheet 1 has outwardly convex ridges 3 and
outwardly concave valleys 4. Ridges 3 and valleys 4 are alternately
arranged on flexible sheet 1, are parallel to each other, and
extend linearly in a direction that is orthogonal to opening 2.
However, they may extend in a direction that is oblique to opening
2. Ridges 3 and valleys 4 are schematically illustrated by
dashed-dotted lines and dashed-two dotted lines, respectively, on
portions of FIGS. 1 and 2. In fact, a definite crease as shown in
the drawings is not put in flexible sheet 1. Flexible sheet 1 has a
wavelike configuration in which curved convex portions (ridges 3)
and curved concave portions (valleys 4) are alternately arranged
thereon. Flexible sheet 1, which has a wavelike configuration, may
have a thickness that partially changes according to the
arrangement of ridges 3 and valleys 4, or may have a constant
thickness. However, a configuration in which ridges 3 and valleys 4
are definitely creased so that they may have clear apexes, is also
not precluded from the present invention.
[0019] Opening 2 has a plurality of (two in the examplarly example
shown) semi-circular notches 5 formed thereon having a radius in
the order of 10 mm
[0020] The flexible package of the present exemplary embodiment can
receive goods 7 therein (which are schematically illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2) that are inserted through opening 2, and can reduce
the risk of damage to goods 7 due to vibrations, shocks, and the
like during transportation of goods 7. Further, because of its
bag-like configuration, the flexible package can stably hold
together goods 7 with shock-absorbing materials. Furthermore,
because of its configuration in which a polyethylene film is
laminated on a non-cross-linked, high porosity polyethylene foam
sheet, the flexible package of the present exemplary embodiment is
tear resistant, thus preventing the flexible package from
unintentionally being damaged.
[0021] In order to fix part (attachment member) 8 (which is
schematically illustrated in FIG. 2) of a ceiling suspending unit
or a wall hanging unit (not shown) to goods 7 that has been
received in the flexible package, part (fixed section) of goods 7
may be exposed from the flexible package. At that time, the user
can expose the fixed section of goods 7 by easily tearing flexible
sheet 1 apart. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the user starts to
tear flexible sheet 1 apart by designating notch 5 (in particular,
a substantially central portion of the semicircle) provided on
opening 2 as a start point, and extends torn-apart portion 6 either
along ridge 3 or along valley 4 to linearly tear flexible sheet 1
apart until the fixed section of goods 7 is sufficiently
exposed.
[0022] The non-cross-linked, high porosity polyethylene foam sheet
is formed through extrusion, and has ridges 3 and valleys 4 to
provide moderate expansibility. The polyethylene sheet has a
property in which the tensile strength falls to a low level at
positions adjacent to ridges 3 and valleys 4, that is, positions
between ridges 3 and valleys 4, thus causing the polyethylene foam
sheet to be easily torn apart. Accordingly, when the user
intentionally tears flexible sheet 1 apart, then the user can
easily and substantially linearly tear flexible sheet 1 apart
without using a blade, such as a knife, and the like, owing to the
difference in the tensile strength at positions adjacent to ridges
3 and valleys 4 of flexible sheet 1. In addition, since notches 5
are provided on opening 5, the user can easily start to tear
flexible sheet 1 apart with notch 5 as a start point. In
particular, when notches 5 are formed at positions on opening 2
where the notches intersect with ridges 3 and valleys 4, the user
can easily and linearly tear flexible sheet 1 apart from the start
point to the desired position.
[0023] Therefore, it is possible to easily fix part 8 of the
ceiling suspending unit or the wall hanging unit to a predetermined
position (fixed section) of goods 7, without fully removing goods 7
from the bag-like flexible package. Goods 7 can then be removed
from the flexible package with part 8 of theses units being
mounted. As a result, workability for suspended ceiling
installation or for wall mounting installation is increased. This
is effective especially when the suspended ceiling installation or
the wall mounting installation of goods 7, which are large in mass
and requires complicated handling, is carried out. Goods 7 include
display units such as, for example, liquid crystal monitors, plasma
monitors, projectors, and the like. Attachment member 8 of the
display unit includes ceiling suspending units, wall hanging units,
and the like.
[0024] When flexible sheet 1 has perforation-like section lines
that have interruptedly divided sections or has section lines that
have continuous or interrupted weakened resin layers, there is a
likelihood that flexible sheet 1 tends to be torn apart, thus
causing an unintended damage, even if flexible sheet 1 has a
configuration in which a polyethylene film is laminated on a
non-cross-linked, high porosity polyethylene foam sheet. However,
since the present invention provides only ridges 3 and valleys 4 on
flexible sheet 1, there is a little likelihood that flexible sheet
1 will experience unintended damage. That is, in the present
invention, ridges 3 and valleys 4 themselves are not low in
strength, but the difference in the tensile strength at positions
adjacent to ridges 3 and valleys 4 is utilized. Accordingly, as
compared with a configuration that has section lines with low
strength, such as perforation-like section lines or section lines
that have weakened resin layers, the present invention can maintain
a certain degree of strength, thus reducing the likelihood that
flexible sheet 1 will experience an unintended breakage. Instead,
the user can easily start to tear apart the package because notches
5 are provided. After tearing is thus easily started, the user can
easily tear flexible sheet 1 apart along ridges 3 and valleys 4
owing to the aforementioned difference in the tensile strength and
can reach the desired position linearly. Since flexible sheet 1 can
be easily torn apart linearly along ridges 3 and valleys 4,
torn-away portion 6 will not tear further in an unintended
direction, therefore, excessive damage will not occur, and parts of
goods 7 will not be unnecessarily exposed.
[0025] In the present exemplary embodiment, since notches 5 formed
on opening 2 have a semicircular shape, excessive stress
concentration does not occur, thus making unintended tearing
unlikely. However, as shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b, notches 5 that do
not have a semicircular shape, but have a semielliptical or
semi-polygonal shape (a semi-hexagonal shape in the illustrated
example) may be formed. In any of these cases, such a shape that
will not cause excessive stress concentration is preferable.
Accordingly, even if the flexible package is strongly pulled when a
packing operation to receive goods 7 in the flexible package is
carried out, stress concentration on notches 5 can be avoided, thus
preventing the flexible package from being damaged during the
packing operation.
[0026] Notch 5 not only facilitates start of tearing of flexible
sheet 1, as mentioned, but also serves to indicate to the user a
tearing position that is necessary for exposing a predetermined
location (for example, the fixed section to which part 8 of a
ceiling suspending unit or a wall hanging unit is fixed) of goods
7. In other words, notches 5 are preferably formed at tearing
positions that are necessary to expose a predetermined location
(for example, the fixed section) of goods 7.
[0027] Either one or plural notches 5 may be formed, as required.
Plural notches 5 may be formed on only one side that forms opening
2, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or alternatively, may be formed on
both sides that form opening 2.
[0028] The same number of ridges 3 and valleys 4 may be formed as
that of notchs 5. However, when a concavo-convex shape, that is
formed in order to provide moderate expansibility when flexible
sheet 1 is extruded, is utilized, a multitude of ridges 3 and
valleys 4 may be formed on the entire surface of flexible sheet 1.
This requires no special operation to form ridges 3 and valleys 4
on flexible sheet 1 after it is shaped, and therefore the
production process is less complicated.
[0029] When a plurality of ridges 3 and a plurality of valleys 4
are formed, ridges 3 and valleys 4 are preferably parallel to each
other in order to avoid a situation in which the direction of
travel of torn-apart potion 6 is not limited to one direction
because ridges 3 and valleys 4 intersect with each other. In that
case, ridges 3 and valleys 4 may extend in directions such that
they intersect opening 2 at right angles or obliquely.
EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS
[0030] 1 flexible sheet [0031] 2 opening [0032] 3 ridge [0033] 4
valley [0034] 5 notch [0035] 6 torn-apart portion [0036] 7 goods
[0037] 8 attachment member (part of a ceiling suspending unit or a
wall hanging unit)
* * * * *