PACKAGING FOR STORING AUTOMOTIVE PARTS

Abstract

The present patent of invention pertains to a packaging (E) for storing automotive parts, particularly, wheel hub, or any other parts having similar formats for automotive vehicles, made of thermo-plastic material, the main objective of which is to provide a suitable sealing system to prevent the entry of humidity and liquids inside the packaging. Additionally, said packaging (E) comprises its own specific structural characteristics that enable a reduction in material, maintaining the desired mechanical resistance. The packaging (E) comprises a suitable sealing system (3) between the body (1) and the lid (2), designed and shaped to form sealing regions (3A and 3B).

Description

The present patent of invention pertains to a packaging for storing automotive parts, particularly wheel hub or any other parts having similar formats for automotive vehicles, said packaging being made of thermo-plastic material, the main objective of which is to provide a suitable sealing system to prevent the entry of humidity and liquids inside the packaging. Additionally, said packaging comprises its own specific characteristics, which besides providing more efficient sealing, presents a structure with better mechanical resistance to house the parts, and to promote safe and practical stacking. Further, advantageously, the constructive form of the packaging now innovated enables the lid to be opened and closed several times without compromising its integrity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A person skilled in the art knows packagings used for storing automotive parts, principally to protect them against external agents or contacts with other objects, and to facilitate their transport and handling, since they are automotive components made of high density materials, resulting in heavy parts, which exercise a great amount of force against the walls of their packagings, which must offer sufficient mechanical resistance for safe transport and stacking thereof.

A known form of packing these automotive parts is the use of cardboard packagings. Viewing greater protection, in some cases the parts are previously involved with thermo-shrinkable material, plastic films, foam, among others, before being housed in the cardboard packagings.

Disadvantageously, the need to envelop the parts with additional protection materials during the packaging process requires an additional stage in the manufacturing process, which can be eliminated, as it increases the manufacturing cost.

Notwithstanding the alternative of enveloping the parts for greater protection, before housing them in the cardboard packagings, today, it is most common simply to store the parts in said cardboard packagings without any additional protection.

Although the parts are stored without additional protection, the packaging is made of hydrophilic material, which makes the parts susceptible to humidity, because when the cardboard absorbs humidity, consequently this humidity is transferred to the part, generating malfunction.

Additionally, said packagings do not offer any structural resistance for stacking, generating logistical and storage difficulties in stocking the packaged parts, and said parts may be damaged when stacked or during transport.

Another disadvantage of cardboard packagings is that once they are opened for information checks on the parts contained inside them, the packaging remains open, because of the breakage of the adhesive seal normally used to guarantee the integrity of the parts. This procedure is common before they are assembled, but in many cases when the parts are exposed in stock, they become susceptible to humidity and/or drop, which may compromise their useful life, leading to destruction.

Additionally, due to the different environmental conditions which these packagings undergo during transport, many times spending months inside containers on ships crossing oceans, these packagings require a more efficient sealing and one that is capable of preventing the entry of humidity, or even liquids, inside the packaging. Therefore, disadvantageously, this humidity can end up causing damage to the parts stored by these packagings.

Among the problems, we may cite the oxidation factor, which in many cases may reach a level of premature rooting, that is, before they are assembled and used, the parts may be oxidized due to the entry of humidity inside the packaging, which reduces their useful life, and may require repair soon after using the vehicles due to functional problems. This factor may worsen, considering environmental conditions and transport time, when exported by sea roots, which due to the high level of salt-water mist causes corrosion of various metal objects.

Others examples of packagings are the bipartite packagings made of plastic material and which basically comprise a base for housing an automotive component, which is closed by a lid, finally, radially sealed with an adhesive tape. However, disadvantageously, once the seal is broken, the packaging sealing is again compromised, since the user needs to make multiple information checks on the product, this procedure being common before its assembly, leaving the part susceptible to humidity, for example, and may damage or deteriorate the product, leading to its destruction.

Additionally, due to the different environmental conditions which these packagings undergo during transport, many times spending months inside containers on ships crossing oceans, these packagings require a more efficient sealing and one that is capable of preventing the entry of humidity, or even liquids, inside the packaging. Therefore, disadvantageously, this humidity can end up causing damage to the parts stored by these packagings.

Also disadvantageously, said packaging's made of plastic material do not have suitable sealing means and structural technical characteristics of mechanical resistance to withstand the forces involved in stacking several packagings with parts housed on their inside, generating logistical and storage difficulties, and may cause deformations in the product.

Another known example of packaging is disclosed by patent document U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,345A, filed on Jul. 10, 1992, which describes a device that provides hermetic sealing for a recipient, such as a bucket, whose device consists of an adapter and a lid, and the adapter may be encased under pressure at the rim of the recipient, and then receive a twist lid, enabling the formation of a packaging sealed against the passage of air. However, disadvantageously, this combination forms two sealing regions independent of each other, and requires the use of two sealing elements to promote the sealing of the packaging which should occur simultaneously. If one of the elements is not correctly positioned, the sealing will not be efficient.

Further, disadvantageously, this packaging was not designed to facilitate its opening and closing in a practical and safe manner, as many times as necessary, as it requires the untwisting of the lid from the adapter which, depending on the format and sizes of the parts contained inside the packaging, should also be removed. Additionally, the recipient does not provide good structural resistance, and cannot be used for storing heavy parts, such as automotive parts, nor is it convenient for stacking several packagings on top of each other.

With a view to solving these drawbacks, the present invention proposes a packaging for storing automotive parts, made of thermo-plastic material, which comprises a body closed by a lid, and this packaging comprises a closing and sealing system capable of promoting efficient sealing, preventing the humidity from entering the packaging and damaging the part(s) stored. Additionally, the packaging presents a lid endowed with projections, which provide greater mechanical resistance to packaging, and a body endowed with structural grooves, which enables a reduction in material and, at the same time, increases the mechanical resistance of the packaging.

Therefore, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a packaging endowed with a closing and sealing system disposed between the lid and the body base of the packaging, being capable of guaranteeing the integrity of the automotive parts stored, by forming two consecutive sealing regions, besides enabling the packaging to be opened and closed as many times as needed, so as to prevent the lid of the packaging from being involuntarily moved, but enabling it to be opened when a user so wishes, without restriction in the number of repetitions of this procedure.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a packaging with a suitable configuration so that when these packagings are stacked, an upper packaging can be encased in a lower packaging so as to guarantee greater stability for the pile, as well as withstanding the mechanical efforts involved.

It is another objective of present invention to provide a packaging with lid having specific characteristics that when water accumulates in its upper portion, no amount can seep into the packaging and damage the product.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide packagings having different sizes and a suitable configuration for a smaller diameter packaging to be able to be housed inside a bigger diameter packaging, whereby facilitating the storage thereof and optimizing inventory logistics.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a sustainable packaging, which being made of thermo-plastic material, significantly reduces the amount of disposable material for composing each packaging.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In short, the present invention describes a packaging in a substantially cylindrical shape endowed with a body closed by a lid, destined for storing automotive parts, particularly, wheel hubs and the like, and the packaging is endowed with a convenient sealing system designed and shaped to form connection regions between the body and the lid which prevent the entry of humidity, or even liquids, inside the packaging so as to guarantee the integrity of the product during storage and transport thereof.

Additionally, the packaging comprises a set of diagonal grooves disposed on the body, which enable the reduction of material, maintaining the desired mechanical resistance.

The packaging comprises cooperative encasement means between two packagings that enable the safe stacking and laying of two or more packagings.

Said packaging can be made in different sizes to receive automotive parts with varied sizes, and may also comprise sizes compatible with each other, so as to enable the storage of one packaging inside the other, with a view to optimizing storage space.

Next there are presented schematical drawings of a particular embodiment of the invention, whose sizes and proportions are not necessarily real, since the purpose of the drawings is merely to present didactically its diverse aspects, whose protection coverage is determined solely by the scope of the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a packaging (E).

FIG. 2A illustrates a perspective view of a large size of packaging (E).

FIG. 2B illustrates a perspective view of a medium size of packaging (E).

FIG. 2C illustrates a perspective view of a small size of packaging (E).

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a packaging (E).

FIG. 3A illustrates a perspective view of a packaging (E) that has a lid (2), endowed with a substantially modified top face, forming a constructive variation.

FIG. 4 illustrates an under perspective view of a packaging (E).

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a packaging (E).

FIG. 5A illustrates an expanded view of detail (A) of FIG. 5, showing the closing and sealing system (3) of the packaging (E).

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As represented by the accompanying drawings, the packaging (E) comprises a body (1), having a substantially cylindrical format, closed by a lid (2), also having a substantially cylindrical format, and the packaging (E) is endowed with a sealing system (3) of the lid (2) on the body (1), said packaging (E) being used for storing at least an automotive part (not illustrated).

The packaging (E) can be obtained by means of a blow-molding process and or by injection, in thermo-plastic material.

It will be understood that minor alterations to size or to the configuration can be implemented so as to enable manufacturing by any of the blow-molding or injection processes, considering the specific characteristics of each process, type of material and equipment to be used, without straying from the scope of the accompanying claims.

As illustrated by FIGS. 5 and 5A, the sealing system (3) is designed and shaped to form encasement regions that prevent the entry of humidity and liquids inside the packaging (E), in order to guarantee the integrity of the product during storage and transport thereof.

The sealing system (3) comprises a connection segment (3A), disposed on the lid (2) endowed with a step (33), and a connection segment (3B) disposed on the body (1) which has an upper peripheral region (32) contacting the step (33) of the lid (2).

Both connections segments (3A and 3B) are endowed with radial projections (30), whose formats, sizes and positioning, enable the laying of the connection segment (3B) around the connection segment (3A) such that said radial projections (30) are pressed together, forming a first connection region and sealing, when the body (1) is closed by the lid (2). The connection segment (3B) of the body (1) is delimited by the step (33) when closing the lid (2), at which moment the upper peripheral region (32) of the body (1) contacts the step (33) of the lid (2).

The distances of the radial projections (30) in relation to the step (33) of the lid (2) and the upper peripheral region (32) of the body (1) are sized so as to determine contact points between radial projections (30), and simultaneously, position the step (33) on the upper peripheral region (32), such that said step (33) is kept pressed against the upper peripheral region (32), forming a second sealing region in the packaging (E).

When closing the lid (2) on the body (1) under pressure, the sealing system (3) seals the packaging (E) in an efficient manner, in at least two distinct regions, that is, at least between the step (33) and the upper peripheral region (32), and between at least a radial projection (30) disposed on the connection segment (3A) and at least a radial projection (30) disposed on the connection segment (3B). Accordingly, two consecutive sealing regions are formed, and either one is capable of preventing the passage of air or humidity.

Optionally, said upper peripheral region (32) of the body (1) comprises a tab (32′) which projects from the upper end of the body (1), so as to provide a bigger area contacting the step (33) of the lid (2), which advantageously prevents entry of humidity and liquids inside the packaging (E) with greater efficiency.

In an example of embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 5A, the connection segment (3A) comprises at least two radial projections (30), which provide greater structural resistance and consequently, greater rigidity so as to prevent deformations of the connection region, keeping the contact under pressure between the radial projections (30), and at the same time keeping the step (33) pressed against the upper peripheral region (32). Therefore, said sealing system (3) also prevents involuntary opening of the lid (2) when transporting or handling the packaging (E) for replacement or sale.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A, the lid (2) comprises a radial edge (22), a step (23) and projections (21) which continuously stand out from the thickness of the top face (20) and are interconnected with the radial edge (22) delimited by the step (23). Preferably, the projections (21) are positioned in parallel to each other on the top face (20).

Advantageously, both said projections (21) and the radial edge (22) and step (23), confer greater mechanical and structural resistance to the lid (2), enabling it to withstand the mechanical forces involved when stacking two or more packagings (E). Regarding structure, the step (23) can be configured as a radial rib that provides greater rigidity to the top face (20), a fact that does not cede to bending or pressure upon stacking.

To promote the stacking of packagings (E), the lower region of the body (1), as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, comprises a ring projection (12) and a peripheral region (11) agreeing with the radial edge (22) of the lid (2), whereas the step (23) of the lid (2) encases with the ring projection (12) disposed in the lower region of the body (1).

Optionally, the radial edge (22) of the lid (2) comprises a widened and substantially domed perimeter area so as to provide a bigger contact area between said radial edge (22) and peripheral region (11) of the body (1) when stacking two or more packagings (E).

Therefore, the stacking of two or more packagings (E) is defined from the cooperating encasement between the radial edge (22), disposed on the top (20) of the lid (2) and a peripheral region (11) disposed on the lower face of the body (1), whereas the ring projection (12) is encased on the step (23) of the lid (2). Advantageously, this encasement system enables safe stacking and laying, guaranteeing greater stability of two or more packagings (E).

Also as illustrated by FIGS. 3, 3A and 5, the lid (2), preferably, is configured and designed to have an external dimension (De) minimally bigger that the external dimension (de) of the body (1). Therefore, when liquids accumulate on the lid (2), it prevents seepage of the liquid inside the packaging (E), and the liquid flows through the sides of the lid (2) by dripping, guaranteeing the integrity of the part inside the packaging (E).

As better illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 4, said packaging comprises a set of diagonal grooves (4), distributed interspersed, which helps break down the molecules of the structure of the body (1), enabling a reduction in its thickness and the material necessary for manufacturing, maintaining the desired mechanical resistance of the set.

However, it will be understood that the diagonal grooves (4) can be disposed along any region of the side face (10) of the body (1), without compromising the structural mechanical properties and without straying from the scope of protection of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the packaging (E) is configured and manufactured in different sizes (S, M or L), compatible with each other, enabling the housing the automotive parts having varied sizes and also housing one empty packaging inside the other, for example, a packaging (G), may receive a packaging (M) and so on and so forth, which advantageously enables greater optimization of storage space of these packagings (E).

A person skilled in the art will readily perceive from the description and from the drawings represented, various ways of carrying out the invention without straying from the scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. PACKAGING FOR STORING AUTOMOTIVE PARTS, the packaging (E) being endowed with a body (1) closed by a lid (2), characterized by comprising a sealing system (3) formed by the combination of a connection segment (3A), endowed with at least a radial projection (30) and disposed on the lid (2) which is endowed with a step (33), with a connection segment (3B), endowed with at least a radial projection (30) and an upper peripheral region (32) contacting the step (33) of the lid (2); the radial projections (30) of the connection segments (3A and 3B) having geometries that agree with each other, being positioned and encased under pressure, simultaneously, when positioning the upper peripheral region (32) of the body (1) on the step (33) of the lid (2).

2. PACKAGING FOR STORING AUTOMOTIVE PARTS, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the upper peripheral region (32) of the body (1) comprises a tab (32′) contacting the step (33) of the lid (2), which projects from the upper end of the body (1).

3. PACKAGING FOR STORING AUTOMOTIVE PARTS, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the lid (2) comprises projections (21) disposed on a top face (20) of the lid (2), wherein the projections (21) stand out continuously from the thickness of the top face (20) and are interconnected with a radial edge (22) delimited by a step (23).

4. PACKAGING FOR STORING AUTOMOTIVE PARTS, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the projections (21) being positioned parallel to each other.

5. PACKAGING FOR STORING AUTOMOTIVE PARTS, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the stacking is carried out based on the cooperative encasement between the radial edge (22) of the lid (2) and a lower peripheral region (11) of the body (1), and there occurs simultaneously the encasement of a lower ring projection (12) of the body (1) on the step (23) of the lid (2).

6. PACKAGING FOR STORING AUTOMOTIVE PARTS, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the radial edge (22) of the lid (2) comprises a widened and substantially domed perimeter area so as to provide a bigger contact area between said radial edge (22) and peripheral region (11) of the body (1).

7. PACKAGING FOR STORING AUTOMOTIVE PARTS, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the body (1) comprises a set of diagonal grooves (4) distributed interspersed.

8. PACKAGING FOR STORING AUTOMOTIVE PARTS, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the lid (2) comprise an external dimension (De) minimally bigger than the external size (de) of the body (1).

9. PACKAGING FOR STORING AUTOMOTIVE PARTS, as claimed in claim 1, characterized by being configured and manufactured in different sizes (S, M or L) and are compatible with each other.