U.S. patent application number 17/666602 was filed with the patent office on 2022-09-15 for transport box.
This patent application is currently assigned to KONICA MINOLTA, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is KONICA MINOLTA, INC.. Invention is credited to Takeshi HASHIMOTO, Hiromi MIZUGUCHI, Koji YAMAMOTO, Narutaka YOSHIDA.
Application Number | 20220289453 17/666602 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000006191996 |
Filed Date | 2022-09-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220289453 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HASHIMOTO; Takeshi ; et
al. |
September 15, 2022 |
TRANSPORT BOX
Abstract
A transport box includes: an outer box formed in a rectangular
parallelepiped shape and capable of packing a packed object; and a
buffer body disposed between the outer box and the packed object,
wherein the buffer body includes medium enclosing buffer members
having a resin sheet welded in a bag shape and a medium sealed in
the resin sheet, each medium enclosing buffer member of the medium
enclosing buffer members includes buffer parts each having a bag
shape and enclosing a medium, and a communication flow path that
allows the buffer parts adjacent to each other to communicate with
each other, the buffer parts are disposed in a straight line, the
communication flow path is formed between the buffer parts adjacent
to each other and is bendable, and each of the medium enclosing
buffer members is disposed in the outer box.
Inventors: |
HASHIMOTO; Takeshi;
(Okazaki-shi, JP) ; YOSHIDA; Narutaka;
(Toyokawa-shi, JP) ; YAMAMOTO; Koji;
(Toyokawa-shi, JP) ; MIZUGUCHI; Hiromi;
(Toyokawa-shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KONICA MINOLTA, INC. |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
1000006191996 |
Appl. No.: |
17/666602 |
Filed: |
February 8, 2022 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2581/051 20130101;
B65D 81/052 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65D 81/05 20060101
B65D081/05 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 11, 2021 |
JP |
2021-039395 |
Claims
1. A transport box comprising: an outer box formed in a rectangular
parallelepiped shape and capable of packing a packed object; and a
buffer body disposed between the outer box and the packed object,
wherein the buffer body includes a plurality of medium enclosing
buffer members having a resin sheet welded in a bag shape and a
medium sealed in the resin sheet, each medium enclosing buffer
member of the plurality of medium enclosing buffer members includes
a plurality of buffer parts each having a bag shape and enclosing a
medium, and a communication flow path that allows the buffer parts
adjacent to each other among the plurality of buffer parts to
communicate with each other, the plurality of buffer parts is
disposed in a straight line, the communication flow path is formed
between the buffer parts adjacent to each other and is bendable,
and each of the medium enclosing buffer members is disposed in the
outer box in a state where the buffer parts of the medium enclosing
buffer member is in contact with one of six inner surfaces of the
outer box and the communication flow path is bent.
2. The transport box according to claim 1, wherein the buffer body
includes three medium enclosing buffer members as the plurality of
medium enclosing buffer members, and each of the three medium
enclosing buffer members has two buffer parts as the plurality of
buffer parts.
3. The transport box according to claim 2, wherein the buffer body
includes two medium enclosing buffer members as the plurality of
medium enclosing buffer members, and each of the two medium
enclosing buffer members has three buffer parts as the plurality of
buffer parts.
4. The transport box according to claim 1, further comprising a
fixing member that fixes the buffer parts to the inner surface of
the outer box.
5. The transport box according to claim 1, wherein each of the
buffer parts includes at least one buffer chamber in which the
medium is sealed, and an edge part formed around the at least one
buffer chamber.
6. The transport box according to claim 5, wherein the at least one
buffer chamber includes a plurality of buffer chambers arranged in
a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the plurality of
buffer parts is arranged with the communication flow path
interposed therebetween.
7. The transport box according to claim 5, wherein at least a
portion of the edge part in one of the plurality of medium
enclosing buffer members is connected to a portion of the edge part
in another of the plurality of medium enclosing buffer members.
8. The transport box according to claim 6, wherein the resin sheet
constituting one of the plurality of buffer chambers in one of the
plurality of medium enclosing buffer members is connected to the
resin sheet constituting one of the plurality of buffer chambers in
another of the plurality of medium enclosing buffer members.
9. The transport box according to claim 1, wherein the
communication flow path is bent or curved.
10. The transport box according to claim 1, wherein the resin sheet
has airtightness.
Description
[0001] The entire disclosure of Japanese patent Application No.
2021-039395, filed on Mar. 11, 2021, is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
Technological Field
[0002] The present invention relates to a transport box.
Description of the Related Art
[0003] Conventionally, a transport box in which a packed object can
be carried while protecting the packed object has been known. For
example, JP 2003-34363 A discloses a transport box including a
package box, a first air mat having a shape that opens upward and
accommodates a packed object, and a second air mat placed on the
packed object. The first air mat has four side walls that fit four
side wall portions of the packed object and a bottom wall portion
that fits a bottom surface of the packed object.
[0004] In the transport box described in JP 2003-34363 A, when the
first air mat is manufactured from a rectangular sheet, for
example, it is conceivable that a bottom wall portion is disposed
at a central portion of the sheet, a side wall portion is disposed
at a position adjacent to each of the four sides of the bottom wall
portion, and the side wall portions adjacent to each other are
connected after each side wall portion is raised with respect to
the bottom wall portion. In this case, since four corners of the
sheet do not contribute to formation of the first air mat, there is
room for improvement in yield.
SUMMARY
[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a transport
box capable of improving a yield.
[0006] To achieve the abovementioned object, according to an aspect
of the present invention, a transport box reflecting one aspect of
the present invention comprises: an outer box formed in a
rectangular parallelepiped shape and capable of packing a packed
object; and a buffer body disposed between the outer box and the
packed object, wherein the buffer body includes a plurality of
medium enclosing buffer members having a resin sheet welded in a
bag shape and a medium sealed in the resin sheet, each medium
enclosing buffer member of the plurality of medium enclosing buffer
members includes a plurality of buffer parts each having a bag
shape and enclosing a medium, and a communication flow path that
allows the buffer parts adjacent to each other among the plurality
of buffer parts to communicate with each other, the plurality of
buffer parts is disposed in a straight line, the communication flow
path is formed between the buffer parts adjacent to each other and
is bendable, and each of the medium enclosing buffer members is
disposed in the outer box in a state where the buffer parts of the
medium enclosing buffer member is in contact with one of six inner
surfaces of the outer box and the communication flow path is
bent.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The advantages and features provided by one or more
embodiments of the invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description given hereinbelow and the appended
drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are
not intended as a definition of the limits of the present
invention:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a
transport box according to a first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a medium enclosing buffer
member;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a view schematically illustrating a behavior of a
medium when an external force acts on one surface of the transport
box;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically illustrating a
configuration of an air mat in a comparative example;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a
modification example of the medium enclosing buffer member;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a
transport box according to a second embodiment of the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a medium enclosing buffer
member in the transport box illustrated in FIG. 6;
[0015] FIG. 8 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a
modification example of the transport box;
[0016] FIG. 9 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a
modification example of the transport box;
[0017] FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically illustrating a
modification example of a communication flow path;
[0018] FIG. 11 is a plan view schematically illustrating a
modification example of the communication flow path;
[0019] FIG. 12 is a plan view schematically illustrating a
modification example of the communication flow path;
[0020] FIG. 13 is a plan view schematically illustrating a
modification example of the communication flow path;
[0021] FIG. 14 is a plan view schematically illustrating a
modification example of the communication flow path;
[0022] FIG. 15 is a plan view schematically illustrating a
modification example of the communication flow path;
[0023] FIG. 16 is a plan view schematically illustrating a
modification example of the communication flow path; and
[0024] FIG. 17 is a plan view schematically illustrating a
modification example of the communication flow path.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0025] Hereinafter, one or more embodiments of the present
invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
However, the scope of the invention is not limited to the disclosed
embodiments. Note that in the drawings referred to below, the same
or corresponding members are denoted by the same reference
numerals.
First Embodiment
[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a
transport box according to a first embodiment of the present
invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a medium enclosing
buffer member.
[0027] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the transport box 1
includes an outer box 5, a fixing member 8, and a buffer body
10.
[0028] The outer box 5 can pack the packed object 2 (see FIG. 3).
The outer box 5 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape.
The outer box 5 is formed by cardboard, thick paper, soft resin,
hard resin, metal, or the like. The outer box 5 has six inner
surfaces 5a to 5f. Specifically, the six inner surfaces include
four inner surfaces 5a to 5d (see FIG. 3) surrounding the periphery
of the packed object 2, a bottom surface 5e positioned below the
packed object 2, and a top surface 5f positioned above the packed
object 2. The outer box 5 has a box body 5A having five inner
surfaces 5a to 5e other than the top surface 5f, and a lid portion
5B having the top surface 5f. The lid portion 5B is openable and
closable with respect to the box body 5A.
[0029] The buffer body 10 is disposed between the outer box 5 and
the packed object 2. The buffer body 10 has a plurality of medium
enclosing buffer members 100 and 200. In the present embodiment,
the buffer body 10 has two medium enclosing buffer members 100 and
200. Each of the medium enclosing buffer members 100 and 200 has a
resin sheet welded in a bag shape and a medium (for example, air)
enclosed in the resin sheet. The resin sheet preferably has
airtightness. In the present embodiment, the medium enclosing
buffer members 100 and 200 all have the same structure. Thus, one
medium enclosing buffer member 100 thereof will be described
below.
[0030] The medium enclosing buffer member 100 has a plurality of
buffer parts 110, 120, and 130 and communication flow paths 140 and
150.
[0031] The plurality of buffer parts 110, 120, and 130 has a first
buffer part 110, a second buffer part 120, and a third buffer part
130. The plurality of buffer parts 110, 120, and 130 is disposed in
a straight line (in one direction). The buffer parts 110, 120, and
130 have substantially the same shape. Therefore, the first buffer
part 110 will be described below as an example.
[0032] The first buffer part 110 has a bag shape and encloses a
medium. The first buffer part 110 has at least one buffer chamber
111 and an edge part 112.
[0033] A medium is sealed in the at least one buffer chamber 111.
In the present embodiment, the at least one buffer chamber 111 has
five buffer chambers 111. However, the number of buffer chambers
111 is not limited to five. Each of the buffer chambers 111 has a
shape extending long in one direction. The plurality of buffer
chambers 111 is disposed side by side in a direction orthogonal to
the one direction.
[0034] The edge part 112 is formed around the buffer chambers 111.
The edge part 112 is formed by welding a resin sheet.
[0035] The communication flow paths 140 and 150 allow the buffer
parts adjacent to each other among the plurality of buffer parts
110, 120, and 130 to communicate with each other. In the present
embodiment, the medium enclosing buffer member 100 has a first
communication flow path 140 that communicates an inside of the
first buffer part 110 and an inside of the second buffer part 120,
and a second communication flow path 150 that communicates an
inside of the second buffer part 120 and an inside of the third
buffer part 130. More specifically, the first communication flow
path 140 communicates between an inside of the buffer chamber 111
of the first buffer part 110 and an inside of a buffer chamber 121
of the second buffer part 120, and the second communication flow
path 150 communicates between the inside of the buffer chamber 121
of the second buffer part 120 and an inside of the buffer chamber
131 of the third buffer part 130.
[0036] Each of the communication flow paths 140 and 150 is formed
between buffer parts adjacent to each other. That is, a direction
in which the buffer chambers 111 are adjacent to each other is
orthogonal to a direction in which the plurality of buffer parts
110, 120, and 130 is arranged with the communication flow path 140
or 150 interposed therebetween.
[0037] Each of the communication flow paths 140 and 150 is
bendable. That is, each of the communication flow paths 140 and 150
connects a pair of buffer parts adjacent to each other so as to
allow one of the pair of buffer parts to be bent with respect to
the other.
[0038] In the present embodiment, each of the communication flow
paths 140 and 150 is bent. A cross-sectional area of each of the
communication flow paths 140 and 150 is smaller than a
cross-sectional area of each of the buffer chambers 111, 121, and
131. Thus, when the medium in each of the buffer chambers 111, 121,
and 131 passes through the communication flow paths 140 and 150,
the medium receives resistance.
[0039] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the medium enclosing buffer member
100 is disposed in the outer box 5 in a state where each of the
buffer parts 110, 120, and 130 of the medium enclosing buffer
member 100 is in contact with one of the six inner surfaces 5a to
5f of the outer box 5, and the communication flow paths 140 and 150
are bent. The same applies to the medium enclosing buffer member
200. That is, the buffer body 10 has six buffer parts.
[0040] The fixing member 8 is provided on an inner surface of the
outer box 5. In the present embodiment, the fixing member 8 is
provided on each of the inner surfaces 5a to 5f of the outer box 5.
The fixing members 8 fix the respective buffer parts 110, 120, and
130 to the inner surfaces 5a to 5f of the outer box 5. In other
words, the fixing member 8 has a function of determining the
position of the medium enclosing buffer members 100 and 200 with
respect to the outer box 5. In the present embodiment, the fixing
member 8 is formed by a band into which the buffer parts 110, 120,
and 130 can be inserted. However, the fixing member 8 may be formed
by an adhesive member capable of bonding each of the buffer parts
110, 120, and 130 to the inner surface of the outer box 5, or other
means such as a hook-and-loop fastener.
[0041] For example, at least a portion of the edge part in one
medium enclosing buffer member 100 may be connected to a portion of
an edge part in another medium enclosing buffer member 200. The
edge parts connected to each other are selected within a range
where the lid portion 5B can be opened and closed with respect to
the box body 5A. For example, in FIG. 1, the edge part of the
buffer part in contact with the bottom surface 5e of the medium
enclosing buffer member 200 and the edge part of each buffer part
110, 120, and 130 of the medium enclosing buffer member 100 are
connected to each other. Note that the edge parts may be connected
to each other by an adhesive member, a stapler, a hook, a loop
fastener, or the like, or may be connected to each other by a
locking recess provided in one edge part and a locking protrusion
provided in the other edge part and engageable with and
disengageable from the locking recess.
[0042] Alternatively, the resin sheet constituting one of the
plurality of buffer chambers in one of the medium enclosing buffer
members 100 may be connected to the resin sheet constituting one of
the plurality of buffer chambers in another of the medium enclosing
buffer members 200. In this case, the medium is not sealed in the
portion constituting the buffer chamber of the resin sheet.
[0043] Next, a case where an external force acts on one surface of
the transport box 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. For
example, when an external force acts on a portion (a portion having
the inner surface 5d) of the outer box 5 that is in contact with
the second buffer part 120 of the medium enclosing buffer member
100, the medium in the second buffer part 120 is directed to the
first buffer part 110 and the third buffer part 130 through the
communication flow paths 140 and 150 as indicated by an arrow in
FIG. 3. Then, a part of impact energy due to the external force is
consumed by the resistance acting on the medium passing through the
communication flow paths 140 and 150, and the part of the impact
energy is consumed by compressing the medium in the first buffer
part 110 and the third buffer part 130. Therefore, the packed
object 2 is effectively protected.
[0044] FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically illustrating a
configuration of an air mat in a comparative example. The air mat
of the comparative example has a main body having a bottom wall
portion and four side wall portions, and an upper wall portion
disposed on the main body. When the main body of the air mat is
manufactured from a rectangular sheet, as illustrated in FIG. 4,
the bottom wall portion is disposed at the central portion of the
sheet, and a side wall portion is disposed at a position adjacent
to each of the four sides of the bottom wall portion, and side wall
portions adjacent to each other are connected after each side wall
portion is raised with respect to the bottom wall portion. In this
case, as indicated by hatching in FIG. 4, four corners of the sheet
do not contribute to formation of the main body, and thus the yield
is low.
[0045] On the other hand, in the transport box 1 of the present
embodiment, since the plurality of buffer parts 110, 120, and 130
is arranged in a straight line and the communication flow paths 140
and 150 are formed between the buffer parts adjacent to each other,
the medium enclosing buffer members 100 and 200 can be efficiently
manufactured from a rectangular resin sheet.
[0046] Further, since the communication flow paths 140 and 150 are
configured to be bendable, by combining the plurality of medium
enclosing buffer members 100 and 200, each of the medium enclosing
buffer members 100 and 200 can be disposed so that each buffer part
is in contact with the six inner surfaces 5a to 5f of the outer box
5.
[0047] Note that in the above embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 5,
each of the buffer parts 110, 120, and 130 may have a single buffer
chamber 111, 121, or 131.
Second Embodiment
[0048] Next, a transport box 1 according to a second embodiment of
the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6
and 7. Note that in the second embodiment, only portions different
from those of the first embodiment will be described, and the
description of the same structure, operation, and effect as those
of the first embodiment will not be repeated.
[0049] In the present embodiment, the buffer body 10 has three
medium enclosing buffer members 100, 200, and 300. Also in the
present embodiment, the medium enclosing buffer members 100, 200,
and 300 all have the same structure. As illustrated in FIG. 7, each
of the medium enclosing buffer members 100, 200, and 300 has two
buffer parts 110, 120 and the communication flow path 140.
[0050] Also in this embodiment, by combining the three medium
enclosing buffer members 100, 200, and 300, the respective medium
enclosing buffer members 100, 200, and 300 can be disposed so that
the respective buffer parts are in contact with the six inner
surfaces 5a to 5f of the outer box 5.
[0051] Further, as illustrated in FIG. 8, when the lid portion 5B
of the outer box 5 is formed by the first lid portion 5B1 and the
second lid portion 5B2, the buffer body 10 may have a medium
enclosing buffer member 100 having three buffer parts and two
medium enclosing buffer members 200,300 each having two buffer
parts.
[0052] Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the buffer body 10
may have two medium enclosing buffer members 100 and 200 each
having three buffer parts. In this example, the medium enclosing
buffer member 200 is inserted from above the box body 5A after the
packed object 2 is accommodated in the box body 5A.
[0053] Further, the communication flow path 140 may have a bent
shape as illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 12, or may have a curved shape
as illustrated in FIG. 13.
[0054] Alternatively, the communication flow path 140 may be formed
at a central portion in an orthogonal direction (vertical direction
in FIG. 14) orthogonal to the direction in which the first buffer
chamber 111 and the second buffer chamber 121 are arranged as
illustrated in FIG. 14, may be formed at both ends in the
orthogonal direction as illustrated in FIG. 15, or may be formed so
as to be arranged at intervals along the orthogonal direction as
illustrated in FIG. 16.
[0055] Further, as illustrated in FIG. 17, the communication flow
path 140 may be formed in a shape in which a portion gradually
narrowed from the first buffer chamber 111 toward the second buffer
chamber 121 and a portion gradually widened are arranged in this
order.
[0056] It is understood by those skilled in the art that the
exemplary embodiments described above are specific examples of the
following aspects.
[0057] A transport box according to the above embodiment includes
an outer box formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and
capable of packing a packed object, and a buffer body disposed
between the outer box and the packed object, in which the buffer
body includes a plurality of medium enclosing buffer members having
a resin sheet welded in a bag shape and a medium sealed in the
resin sheet, and each medium enclosing buffer member of the
plurality of medium enclosing buffer members includes a plurality
of buffer parts each having a bag shape and enclosing a medium, and
a communication flow path that allows the buffer parts adjacent to
each other among the plurality of buffer parts to communicate with
each other, the plurality of buffer parts is disposed in a straight
line, the communication flow path is formed between the buffer
parts adjacent to each other and is bendable, and each of the
medium enclosing buffer members is disposed in the outer box in a
state where the buffer parts of the medium enclosing buffer member
is in contact with one of six inner surfaces of the outer box and
the communication flow path is bent.
[0058] In this transport box, the plurality of buffer parts is
arranged in a straight line, and the communication flow path is
formed between the buffer parts adjacent to each other, so that it
is possible to efficiently manufacture the medium enclosing buffer
members from a rectangular resin sheet. Further, since the
communication flow path is configured to be bendable, by combining
the plurality of medium enclosing buffer members, each medium
enclosing buffer member can be disposed such that the buffer part
is in contact with the six inner surfaces of the outer box.
[0059] Further, the buffer body may include three medium enclosing
buffer members as the plurality of medium enclosing buffer members,
and each of the three medium enclosing buffer members may have two
buffer parts as the plurality of buffer parts.
[0060] Alternatively, the buffer body may include two medium
enclosing buffer members as the plurality of medium enclosing
buffer members, and each of the two medium enclosing buffer members
may have three buffer parts as the plurality of buffer parts.
[0061] In these aspects, each of the medium enclosing buffer
members is bent at the communication flow path, and thereby each of
the buffer parts can be disposed so as to be in contact with the
six inner surfaces of the outer box.
[0062] Preferably, the transport box further includes a fixing
member that fixes the buffer parts to the inner surface of the
outer box.
[0063] Thus, relative displacement of each medium enclosing buffer
member with respect to the outer box is suppressed.
[0064] Further preferably, each of the buffer parts includes at
least one buffer chamber in which the medium is sealed, and an edge
part formed around the at least one buffer chamber.
[0065] In this case, preferably, the at least one buffer chamber
includes a plurality of buffer chambers arranged in a direction
orthogonal to a direction in which the plurality of buffer parts is
arranged with the communication flow path interposed
therebetween.
[0066] Further preferably, at least a portion of the edge part in
one of the plurality of medium enclosing buffer members may be
connected to a portion of the edge part in another of the plurality
of medium enclosing buffer members.
[0067] In this manner, relative positions of the medium enclosing
buffer members with each other are determined.
[0068] Further, the resin sheet constituting one of the plurality
of buffer chambers in one of the plurality of medium enclosing
buffer members may be connected to the resin sheet constituting one
of the plurality of buffer chambers in another of the plurality of
medium enclosing buffer members.
[0069] Further, the communication flow path is preferably bent or
curved.
[0070] In this manner, impact energy is effectively consumed when
the medium passes through the communication flow path.
[0071] Further, the resin sheet preferably has airtightness.
[0072] Although embodiments of the present invention have been
described and illustrated in detail, the disclosed embodiments are
made for purposes of illustration and example only and not
limitation. The scope of the present invention should be
interpreted not by terms of the above description but by terms of
the appended claims, and it is intended that all modifications are
included in the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims
* * * * *