PACKAGING MATERIAL HAVING A BUFFERING FUNCTION

Abstract

A buffering material for mitigating impact applied to an article can be formed of a corrugated-paper board. The buffering material has a cut formed on a surface of the buffering material. The cut can be formed on a side surface of the buffering material, or on a surface along a direction in which a load of the article placed on the buffering material is applied. The cut can be formed by clipping the surface of the buffering material in a predetermined shape, applying a linear cutting line to the surface of the buffering material, or applying a cutting line to the surface of the buffering material.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-323265, filed on Nov. 30, 2006, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a packaging material, particularly to a packaging material having a buffering material utilizing a corrugated-paper board material, or a buffering material.

Various packaging materials have been used for transporting various kinds of apparatuses and products such as electronic apparatuses. For transportation of such various kinds of apparatuses, various buffering materials have been widely used to mitigate the effects of an impact by preventing vibration and impact from being applied to buffered apparatuses.

BACKGROUND

Various kinds of buffering materials as listed below have been used.

1) Urethane or Foamed Styrene Molding Products:

A member such as urethane or foamed styrene has a higher buffering function and it has therefore been widely used as a packaging material and a buffering material. Since urethane or styrene material may be easily formed into a desired shape, the buffering materials utilizing such a material are molded in accordance with the shape of the packing object and the shape of packing box. Namely, recesses are formed inside of the buffering material corresponding to an external shape of the product to be packed, and an external shape of the buffering material has been formed in accordance with a shape and a size of the packing box.

2) Foamed Chips:

A foamed chip is a buffering material of comparatively small size formed of a resin having a foaming property. The packing box is packed with the chips to fill the gap between the packing box and the packing object. In accordance with a material forming the foamed chip, the foamed chip itself may have a buffering function. Moreover, the buffering function may be enhanced through the gap between mutual foamed chips.

3) Aircaps:

An aircap is also formed from a resin material such as polyethylene. The aircap may be utilized by wrapping the packing object wherein many hollow projected areas are formed on the resin sheet. Such hollow projected areas are capable of mitigating impact applied from an external side.

4) Laminated Plate of Corrugated-Paper Boards:

A laminated plate is a buffering material formed by laminating a plurality of corrugated-paper boards. The laminated plate is aimed at filling the gaps between the packing object and packing box, and thereby mitigating impact by laminating the corrugated-paper boards.

Moreover, an angled paper pipe obtained by assembling the corrugated-paper board into the shape of pipe is also used.

[Patent document 1]

• • Japanese Unexamined Published Patent Application JP-A No. 1994-243784

[Patent document 2]

• • Japanese Unexamined Published Patent Application JP-A No. 2004-9174

[Patent document 3]

• • Japanese Unexamined Published Patent Application JP-A No. 1989-105376

[Patent document 4]

• • Japanese Unexamined Published Patent Application JP-A No. 1992-189548

However, in recent years, it has been requested to replace the member using resin with the other materials in order to take consideration of potential harm to the natural environment.

Of the buffering materials mentioned above, a buffering material utilizing material such as a urethane or foamed styrene-molding product assures higher buffering property. However, these kinds of buffering materials also have a disadvantage from the viewpoint of disposing processes. Namely, when such buffering materials are burned it is likely to generate poisonous gas. It is of course possible to dispose a urethane of foamed styrene in a way no (or few) poisonous gas would be produced. However, such disposing processes require larger cost, resulting in the disadvantage from the viewpoint of manufacturing cost. The same issue applies to any buffering material utilizing the other resin materials.

On the other hand, the foamed chip is a versatile buffering material having higher application capability, as the same buffering material may be used for packing of a various products from the shape thereof. In this point, the foamed chip is more useful in comparison with the buffering material formed of a molding material which requires the molding process in accordance with the packing object. In addition, it is also possible to form a buffering material similar to the foamed chip with a material other than resin.

However, in order to achieve the higher buffering effect, it is required to use the foamed chip in a large quantity to fill in the gap between the packing box and the packing object. Therefore, the foamed chip has a detriment in that a large gap must be provided between the packing box and the packing object, and a relatively large packing box is required when using the foamed chip.

The aircap is used in a manner as wrapping the packing object, it can be used corresponding to the packing of comparatively large kinds of products with a less number of limitations on the shape of the product to be used. However, the aircap is also accompanied by a problem with the disposing processes because it is formed of a resin material.

The buffering material using the corrugated-paper board allows recycle use of material, and does not generate any poisonous gas even if it is burned. Therefore, it can be considered extremely excellent in comparison with the other buffering materials from the viewpoint of protecting the environment. However, considering characteristics of the materials, both laminated plates and angled-paper pipes are inferior in the buffering capability compared to the other buffering materials.

In addition, the corrugated-paper based buffering material may have a problem in that it requires a higher manufacturing cost. Particularly, the cost of material forming the corrugated-paper board is greater than that of the buffering material based on the other materials. Particularly, in the case of the laminated plate, the cost thereof is likely to increase because such laminated board is formed with lamination of the corrugated-paper board in many stages.

It is an object of the present invention to achieve a packaging material and/or a buffering material capable of maintaining a high buffering performance, while suppressing generation of poisonous gas when it is burned. Moreover, it is also an object of the present invention to achieve a packaging material and a buffering material which has reduced manufacturing costs such as the material expense.

SUMMARY

To solve the above-mentioned problems, a buffering material of the present invention is formed of a corrugated-paper board, and a cut is formed on a surface of the buffering material.

Meanwhile, the cut can be formed on a side surface of the buffering material, or on a surface along a direction in which a load of the article placed on the buffering material is applied.

Further, the cut can be formed on the buffering material by clipping the surface of the buffering material in a predetermined shape.

Moreover, the cut can be formed on the buffering material by applying a linear cutting line to the surface of the buffering material.

Furthermore, the cut can be formed on a buffering material by applying a cutting line to the surface of the buffering material.

Further, the buffering material can be made of an angled paper pipe made of a corrugated-paper board, and a cut can be formed within the angled paper pipe.

Further, a packaging material comprising a box accommodating a packing object, and a buffering material formed of paper in a shape of a pipe is accommodated within the box, and a cut is formed on the surface of the buffering material.

In addition, the packaging material further comprises a holding member for holding the packing object, and the buffering material is arranged between the box and the holding member.

Further a buffering material having the function to absorb impact to be applied is formed of paper, the cross-sectional shape of the buffering material has the square hollow structure, and a cut is formed at least to one surface of the buffering material.

Further, the cut can respectively be formed on two surfaces of the buffering material opposing each other.

Moreover, a packaging material for packing of articles may have a hollow structure and a cut formed to at least one side surface of the packaging material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a buffering material of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the buffering material in a condition where a load is applied onto the buffering material.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an application profile of the buffering material of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the conditions of cutting edge formed to the buffering material of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an external shape of the buffering material of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the variations of cutting edge formed to the buffering material.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the side surface of the buffering material on which circular clipping patterns are formed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

A buffering material of a preferred embodiment will be explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a buffering material of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The buffering material 1 in this embodiment is formed in the shape of angled paper pipe, that is, in the shape assembled into a square pole pipe from the corrugated-paper board.

Cuts in the shape of letter ‘X’ are formed in a couple of positions on a side surface of the buffering material 1. In FIG. 1, a plate 3 illustrated with dotted lines schematically shows an article to be placed on the buffering material 1. When the article 3 is placed on the buffering material 1, a load is applied by the article to the buffering material 1 in a direction indicated by the thick arrow mark. Edges of the cut 2 are usually in contact with each other and a contact state thereof is maintained through friction between edges. When the load applied on the buffering material 1 is less than a predetermined load, in other words, when the impact applied on the article 3 or buffering material 1 is small, a condition where the edges of the cut 2 are in the contact state is maintained and thereby the buffering material 1 is kept within the shape shown in FIG. 1.

Meanwhile, when the load applied on the article becomes larger than the predetermined value, in other words, when a large impact is applied to the article or buffering material 1, a load larger than a friction force between the edges of the cut 2 is applied to the buffering material 1 as shown in FIG. 2. In this case, the cut 2 opens and thereby a supporting force of the side surface of the buffering material 1 is lowered. Accordingly, a side surface of the buffering material 1 to which the cut 2 is formed is buckled as schematically shown in FIG. 2. When the buffering material 1 is buckled as explained above, the buffering material 1 (angled paper pipe) buffers the impact. In other words, an impact load applied to the article 3 or buffering material 1 is absorbed, and a stress is dispersed in the vertical and horizontal directions as indicated by the small arrow marks.

The size, arrangement position, and/or number of cutting edges explained above may be determined in accordance with the load of article applied on the buffering material 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an application of the buffering material 1 of the present embodiment. The article 3 as the packing object is accommodated within an exterior box 5 (packing box) in a manner where the article is held between an upper pad and a lower pad. The upper pad is a member formed, for example, of the corrugated-paper board covering an upper surface of the article 3. Meanwhile, the lower pad is a member including the buffering material 1 according to the present embodiment. In the example of FIG. 3, a member 4 on which the article 3 is placed is arranged on two sets of the buffering material 1. The member 4 is formed in the shape for supporting the bottom surface of the article 3 and conforms to the shape of bottom surface of the article 3.

Here, shapes and sizes of the upper and lower pads may be determined so as to prevent the article 3 from shifting within the exterior box 5.

A cut 2 in this embodiment is preferable, from the viewpoint of absorption of impact, to be formed on the surface of the buffering material 1 extending in the same direction as the load applying direction. In the example of FIG. 1, the cut 2 is formed in the side surface of the buffering material 1 as illustrated in the figure. The direction where the side surface is extending is matched with the direction where the load is applied indicated by the thick arrow mark. Therefore, a load by the article 3 is applied to the side surface of the buffering material 1. When the load is principally applied in the direction indicated by the thick arrow mark, load and impact applied to the article 3 can be mitigated more effectively by forming the buffering material 1 so that particularly the side surface of the buffering material 1 is buckled.

FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) are diagrams showing the cut 2 formed in the angled paper pipe 1, and in a condition where the cut 2 is buckled. FIG. 4(a) shows the cuts 2 in the shape of an X formed in the side surface of the angled paper pipe 1. In FIG. 4(a), the cuts 2 reaching the angled portion of the angled paper pipe 1 are formed into two positions in total. An angle between two cuts 2 should be determined as required in accordance with the condition with which the buffering material 1 is used.

FIG. 4(b) shows the angled paper pipe wherein the cuts 2 are buckled because a large load is applied on the buffering material 1. When the load applied on the buffering material 1 is large and a friction force between the edges of the cuts 2 is no longer resistive to the load, the cuts 2 are buckled as shown in FIG. 4(b). In the condition of FIG. 4(b), the side surface portions of the angled paper pipe 1 are bent at the portion corresponding to each side of the square formed with the cuts 2 defined as a diagonal line. When the cuts 2 are buckled, a supporting force of the side surface of the angle paper pipe 1 is lowered, the side surface of the angled paper pipe 1 is also buckled and thereby the applied impact can be buffered.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an external shape of the buffering material 1. Numerical values shown in FIG. 5 are only examples of sizes of the angled paper pipe and the cut 2. These sizes depend on the shape or the like of the article to be packed, and this embodiment is not intended to limit the invention to the example of FIG. 5.

The cuts 2 formed to the surface of buffering material 1 are not limited to the shape of an X, but may be formed in any shape that would be buckled in accordance with the load to be applied, or in the shape to be buckled to achieve the desired effect.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of the cut 2 formed to the buffering material 1. Examples described below may include any instance where the exact cut is not formed in fact. However, such variations are also mentioned as “cut” hereafter.

Some conceivable variations of the cut are as follows.

1) Cut in the Shape of Slit:

In this example, a slit is formed to the side surface or the like of the buffering material 1.

FIG. 6(a) shows linear slits formed on the buffering material 1 in the horizontal direction. The slit may be formed throughout the horizontal direction of the buffering material 1, or may be formed only to the particular part on the side surface of the buffering material 1.

Variably from the slits of FIG. 6(a), FIG. 6(b) shows linear slits formed on the buffering material 1 in the vertical direction. The slits of FIG. 6(b) may also be formed throughout the vertical direction of the buffering material 1, or may be formed only to a partial area.

FIG. 6(c) is a diagram showing curved slits formed on the surface of the buffering material 1. Moreover, FIG. 6(d) is a diagram showing the slits in the shape of an X, which is already explained above. Moreover, the slits may also be formed in the diagonal direction on the surface of the buffering material 1 as shown in FIG. 6(e). As explained above, the slits of various shapes may be formed on the buffering material.

2) Cut in the Shape of Clipping Pattern:

In this example, the predetermined shape is clipped from the surface of the buffering material 1.

For example, clipping of triangular shapes shown in FIG. 6(f), clipping of square shapes shown in FIG. 6(g) and clipping of circular shapes shown in FIG. 6(h) may be considered. This clipping shape can also be selected from other shapes.

FIG. 7 shows an example where a plurality of circular clippings is formed on the side surface of the buffering material 1. In the example of FIG. 7, the circular clippings are formed in the side surface of the buffering material 1. A circular piece 21 clipped from the side surface of the buffering material 1 is engaged with the circular hole 22 formed to the side surface. Under the normal condition, a side of the hole 22 is in contact with the side of the clipped circular piece 21 through a predetermined friction force, and the side surface of the buffering material 1 is supported by the clipped circular piece 21.

On the other hand, if the load applied on the buffering material 1 exceeds a predetermined value, the friction force between the hole 22 and the clipped circular piece 21 is no longer resistive to the load, and the clipped circular piece 21 is separated from the circular hole 22. Accordingly, the supporting force in the surface side of the buffering material 1 is lowered, and the buffering material 1 is buckled around the hole 22 from which the clipped circular piece 21 is deviated. Thereby the impact applied to the packing object article is buffered.

Here, it is also possible not to engage the clipped portion with the hole in accordance with the factor such as the assumed load and the aperture is maintained as it is on the surface of buffering material.

3) Cut in the Shape of Half-Clipping Pattern:

In this example, unlike the example of the clipping pattern, a clipping piece is not perfectly clipped from the surface of the buffering material 1. The cut is formed under the condition that the clipping piece is partly coupled with the side surface of buffering material 1.

In the example of FIG. 6(j), a cut is formed as a part of the circumference. The cut is indicated with a dotted line in FIG. 6(j). Moreover, at the area near the upper end of the buffering material 1, a non-clipping region exists as indicated as a linear part.

In the example of FIG. 6(j), when a load larger than a predetermined load is applied, the cut is separated and thereby the buffering material 1 is buckled as in the case of the cut in the shape of clipping pattern. However, since the clipping portion is still partly coupled with the surface of the buffering material 1, it is possible to prevent the clipping part from separating from the hole under unexpected condition.

4) Cut in the Shape of Folding Line:

In this example, a folding line is formed in the surface of the buffering material 1. This folding line may be formed as a simple folding line by pressing the buffering material 1 or may be formed to the surface of the buffering material 1 by forming the cut in the shape of dotted/scoring line.

In the example of FIG. 6(i), an example of a folding line formed on the buffering material 1 in the horizontal direction is illustrated. In the case the cut is formed of a folding line, the load is absorbed according to the conditions such as number of the folding lines, interval between the folding lines and depth of the folding line or the like. Direction of the folding line to be formed to the buffering material is not required to be in the horizontal direction.

The cut may be formed in various shapes in addition to those mentioned above.

As explained above, in this embodiment, a cut is formed to the surface of angled paper pipe and the impact applied to the article is mitigated through absorption of the impact by deformation of the cut and buckling of the angled paper pipe. Here, since the buffering material 1 in this embodiment is formed with the corrugated-paper board, a problem such as generation of poisonous gas when the buffering material is burned is never generated and recycle use of the member can be realized.

On the other hand, since quantity of the corrugated-paperboard used may be reduced remarkably in comparison with the laminated plate of the corrugated-paper board which has been used in the related art, a material expense of the buffering material 1 can also be reduced.

Moreover, the shape of packaging material including the buffering material 1 may be matched with the shape of the packing object article and reinforced box and thereby the reinforced box becomes largely unnecessarily. Accordingly, loading efficiency of the reinforced box accommodating the packing object article can be improved.

Here, the member used as the buffering material is not restricted to the angle paper pipe. In addition, a material of the buffering material, for example, a thick paper, may be selected from the materials giving less influence on the environment other than the corrugated-paper board in accordance with the impact to be buffered or with the article.

When attention is paid only to the viewpoint of the buffering function, it is not required to restrict the member forming the buffering material to a material such as paper. In the case where the material allows formation of cutting edge is possible and buckling deformation in accordance with the load applied, the buffering material in the present invention can be constituted using such material.

Moreover, an example where the buffering material is arranged at the lower part of the packing object has particularly been explained above. However, the buffering material may also be arranged in the upper surface or in the side surface of the packing object in accordance with direction and kind of assumed load or with loading condition of the packing box. For example, when it is assumed that a plurality of packing boxes are stacked in the vertical direction, it is also possible that the load generated by the packing boxes (packing objects) stacked in the upper part can be mitigated by arranging the buffering materials also to the upper surface of the packing objects.

Moreover, a cut is formed to the side surface of the buffering material in above explanation and to the surface extending in the vertical direction for the horizontal surface in the example of FIG. 1 or the like. However, the location of such a cut may be changed as required in accordance with the assumed direction in which the impact is applied to the packing object. That is, in the case where the impact applied to the packing object due to deformation and/or buckling of the buffering material can be mitigated through absorption, the cut may be formed to the regions other than the locations illustrated in FIG. 1.

Meanwhile, the example where the angled paper pipe having the square cross-sectional shape is used has been explained above, but when it is possible to form the cut to the surface thereof, the cross-sectional shape is not restricted to the square shape. Moreover, the buffering material may also be constituted, for example, with a rectangular-parallel piped box material having six surfaces in accordance with shape and size of the packing object or direction and kind of impact likely applied. In this case, it is desirable for the buffering material to have at least a partial hollow structure in order to realize effective deformation by buckling of the buffering material.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the present invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and applications shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be regarded as falling within the scope of the invention in the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A buffering material for mitigating impact applied to an article, formed of a corrugated-paper board; and

a cut formed on a surface of the buffering material.

2. The buffering material according to claim 1, wherein:

the cut is formed on a side surface of the buffering material.

3. The buffering material according to claim 1, wherein:

the cut is formed on a surface along a direction in which a load of the article placed on the buffering material is applied.

4. The buffering material according to claim 1, wherein:

the cut is formed by clipping the surface of the buffering material in a predetermined shape.

5. The buffering material according to claim 1, wherein

the cut is formed of a linear cutting line to the surface of the buffering material.

6. The buffering material according to claim 1 wherein:

the cut is formed of a cutting line to the surface of the buffering material.

7. The buffering material according to claim 1, wherein:

the buffering material is formed of an angled paper pipe formed of the corrugated-paper board with the cut formed therein.

8. A packaging material comprising:

a box, accommodating a packing object; and

a buffering material, formed of paper in a shape of a pipe, and accommodated within the box to mitigate impact applied to the packing object;

wherein a cut is formed on the surface of the buffering material.

9. The packaging material according to claim 8, wherein:

the packaging material further comprises a holding member for holding the packing object;

the buffering material is arranged between the box and the holding member.

10. A buffering material having the function to absorb impact to be applied, wherein:

the buffering material is formed of paper;

the cross-sectional shape of the buffering material has a square hollow structure; and

a cut is formed at least to one surface of the buffering material.

11. The buffering material according to claim 10, wherein:

the cut is respectively formed on two surfaces of the buffering material opposing each other.

12. A packaging material for packing of article, having a hollow structure and a cut formed to at least one side surface of the packaging material.