Impact cushioning rib structure, molded-pulp cushioning material, packaging material, and packaging system

[0001] This patent application is based on and claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-122303, filed on Jul. 27, 2021, in the Japan Patent Office, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

[0002] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an impact-cushioning rib structure, a molded-pulp cushioning material, a packaging material, and a packaging system.

[0003] In order to realize a circulating society, reduction in the use amount of single-use plastics has been cited in environmental management policies of various companies. Further, in recent environmental problems, reducing the use amount of plastic packaging materials is required to cope with problems such as marine plastic waste. For this reason, the use value of molded-pulp packaging materials excellent in recoverability and recyclability has been further increased.

[0004] An impact may be applied to an object to be packaged due to vibration and drop impact received in a distribution process. The cushioning material made of molded pulp can buffer such impact acceleration by its own deformation and buckling action. For example, a technique is known and has already been implemented that, even when an impact acceleration of several hundred G at the maximum is applied to an object to be packaged, can reduce the impact acceleration to 100 G or less by using a cushioning material.

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an impact-cushioning rib structure for a molded-pulp cushioning material is hollow and includes a top plate, a side wall, and an open bottom. A distance from the bottom to the top plate is a height of the impact-cushioning rib structure. At least one opening is in a range of half or less of the height in the side wall.

[0006] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, an impact-cushioning rib structure for a molded-pulp cushioning material is hollow and includes a top plate, a side wall, and an open bottom. A distance from the bottom to the top plate is a height of the impact-cushioning rib structure. At least one opening is in a vicinity of a middle of the height in the side wall.

[0007] According to still another embodiment of the present disclosure, an impact-cushioning rib structure for a molded-pulp cushioning material is hollow and includes a top plate, a side wall, and an open bottom. A distance from the bottom to the top plate is a height of the impact-cushioning rib structure. At least one opening is in a range of half or more of the height in the side wall.

[0008] According to still yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, a molded-pulp cushioning material includes a space to house an object to be packaged and at least one impact-cushioning rib structure including the impact-cushioning rib structure according to any one of the above-described embodiments.

[0009] According to still yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a packaging material for packaging an object to be packaged to which the molded-pulp cushioning material is attached.

[0010] According to still yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a packaging system using the packaging material.

[0029] The accompanying drawings are intended to depict embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be interpreted to limit the scope thereof. The accompanying drawings are not to be considered as drawn to scale unless explicitly noted.

[0030] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0031] In describing embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure of this specification is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that have a similar function, operate in a similar manner, and achieve a similar result.

[0032] Hereinafter, embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In order to facilitate understanding of the description, the same components in the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible, and redundant description is omitted.

[0033] Before describing embodiments of the present disclosure, preliminary matters for facilitating understanding of the embodiments will be described below.

[0034] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a molded-pulp cushioning material 100 according to a comparative example basically includes a space 105 to house an object to be packaged and an impact-cushioning rib structure 110 having a columnar or prismatic structure and having an impact-cushioning function.

[0035] As illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, each of impact-cushioning rib structures 110 according to comparative examples includes a top plate 12 and side walls or a side wall 14, and has a hollow structure with an open bottom 16, that is, (a) a prismatic structure or (b) a cylindrical structure. An impact-cushioning mechanism by the impact-cushioning rib structure 110 is as follows.

[0036] FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are views illustrating compressive deformation of side walls in a comparative example. As illustrated in FIG. 3A, FIGS. 3B and 3C illustrate the impact-cushioning rib structure 110 viewed in a direction indicated by cross-sectional arrow 3B of FIG. 3A.

[0037] When an object 20 to be packaged is dropped as a packaged cargo, a dynamic load DL from the object 20 acts on the impact-cushioning rib structure 110. The impact-cushioning rib structure 110 supports the dynamic load DL received from the object 20 to be packaged mainly by the side wall 14, and buffers the impact by stress of compression or crushing due to compressive deformation of the side walls 14. That is, the side walls 14 of the impact-cushioning rib structure 110 are compressed and deformed to reduce the impact acceleration applied to the object 20 to be packaged, thereby protecting the object 20 to be packaged.

[0038] A basic formula represented by the following formula (1) is used to design such an impact-cushioning rib structure.
G(impact acceleration)=C(impact coefficient)×h(falling height)/t(thickness of cushioning material)  (1)

[0039] Specifically, the strain (ε) at which the impact coefficient (C) determined by the stress characteristics of the cushioning material 30 is minimized is targeted (see FIG. 4), taking into consideration that the outer shape of the object 20 to be packaged does not bottom in the packaged cargo. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5, a clearance tc with respect to the bottom of the object 20 to be packaged is formed by a cushioning material 30. In addition, the support area of the cushioning material 30 for supporting the load of the object 20 to be packaged is adjusted so that the instantaneous strain amount of the impact-cushioning rib structure is usually within a range of 0.4 to 0.6.

[0040] However, in the impact-cushioning rib structure 110 according to the comparative example illustrated in FIG. 2 and the above-described design method, a new impact-cushioning rib structure having a lower impact coefficient (C) is preferably set to further improve the impact cushioning property when the impact acceleration (G) has reached its reduction limit.

[0041] The inventor of the present application has observed in detail the deformation state of the impact-cushioning rib structure 110 according to the comparative example and has focused on the fact that the compression or crushing occurs unevenly on the side closer to the top plate 12 (see FIG. 3). That is, the inventor has found that in the comparative example, the entire height of the rib structure is not utilized and the potential of the spring constant of the entire rib structure is impaired.

[0042] FIGS. 6A and 6B are views illustrating side walls having gradients. As illustrated in FIG. 6A, FIG. 6B illustrates the impact-cushioning rib structure 110 viewed in the direction indicated by cross-sectional arrow 6B. Each of the side walls 14 of the impact-cushioning rib structure 110 has a gradient (Δθ) due to its molding. The gradient is provided in advance for the product shape to facilitate the molded product to be taken out from the mold.

[0043] FIGS. 7B and 7C are cross-sectional views of side wall 14 of FIG. 7A having a varying perimeter (cross-sectional area). Cross sections of FIG. 7B and of FIG. 7C of the impact-cushioning rib structure of FIG. 7A are seen in the directions of cross-sectional arrows 7B and 7C, respectively, of FIG. 7A. Since the impact-cushioning rib structure 110 has the gradient (40), the peripheral length (cross-sectional area) of the side walls 14 gradually increases toward the bottom 16 (opening bottom 16).

[0044] Therefore, the stress due to compression or crushing gradually decreases toward the lower portion (bottom 16) of the impact-cushioning rib structure 110. Therefore, the inventor has considered that the compression or crushing is unevenly generated on the top plate 12 side having a relatively weak structure.

[0045] In the following embodiments, a description will be given of an impact-cushioning rib structure for a molded-pulp cushioning material that can further reduce impact acceleration than the above-described comparative examples.

[0046] A first embodiment is described below.

[0047] FIGS. 8A and 8B are perspective views of impact-cushioning rib structures according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8B, each of impact-cushioning rib structures 10 and 10A according to the present embodiment includes a top plate 12 and side walls or a side wall 14, and has a hollow structure with an open bottom 16, that is, (a) a prismatic structure or (b) a cylindrical structure. When the distance from the bottom 16 to the top plate 12 is defined as a height h of the impact-cushioning rib structure, a plurality of openings 18 are disposed in a range of half or less of the height h of the side wall 14.

[0048] In the impact-cushioning rib structures 10 and 10A, the openings 18 are disposed in the lower part (within the range of half or less of the height h) of the side wall 14, thus reducing the rigidity of the lower part of the rib structure. That is, the rigidity of the upper portion of the rib structure and the rigidity of the lower portion of the rib structure are set to be substantially equal to each other to have consistency. Thus, the entire rib structure can be uniformly compressed or crushed.

[0049] FIGS. 9B and 9C are schematic cross-sectional views, viewed on cross-section A indicated in FIG. 9A, illustrating a modification of the impact-cushioning rib structure of FIG. 8A in the first embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 9A, FIGS. 9B and 9C illustrate the impact-cushioning rib structure 10 viewed in the direction indicated by cross-sectional arrow 9B of FIG. 9A.

[0050] With respect to the dynamic load DL received from the object 20 to be packaged, the impact-cushioning rib structure 10 of FIGS. 9A and 9B mainly supports the dynamic load DL by the side walls 14. However, the impact-cushioning rib structure 10 of FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C is different from the comparative example of FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C in that the compression and crushing of the side walls 14 span the entire range of each side wall 14 in the height direction.

[0051] In this way, the impact-cushioning mechanism utilizing the entire height of the rib structure can reduce the spring constant and reduce the impact acceleration applied to the object to be packaged, as compared with the comparative examples.

[0052] Width Dimension of Opening

[0053] FIGS. 10A and 10B are schematic views illustrating the dimensions of the opening disposed in the side wall. FIG. 10A is a cross-sectional view representing a view similar to the view from the cross-sectional arrow 9B of FIG. 9A. As illustrated in FIG. 10A, the side wall 14 has a gradient in the height direction. On the outer surface of the side wall 14, the distance perpendicular to the height direction from the middle position (h/2) of the height of the side wall 14 to an end of side wall 14 at bottom 16 is defined as a distance “a”.

[0054] As illustrated in FIG. 10B, setting the width W of the opening 18 to be substantially 2a (W≈2a) is desirable in setting the rigidity of the upper portion of the rib structure to be substantially equal to the rigidity of the lower portion of the rib structure. The results of this verification will be described below.

[0055] A descriptions is given below of a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an impact-cushioning rib structure according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIG. 11, the same components as those in FIGS. 8A and 8B are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0057] As illustrated in FIG. 11, an impact-cushioning rib structure 10a for a molded-pulp cushioning material according to the second embodiment is different from the impact-cushioning rib structure 10 according to the first embodiment in that a plurality of openings 18a are disposed in the vicinity of the middle of the height in the side wall 14. The vicinity of the middle of the height in the side wall 14 is at a height that is not a height of the bottom nor a height of the top plate, an includes a middle point between the height of the bottom and the height of the top plate.

[0058] This is intended to provide a weakened portion in the vicinity of the middle of the height in the side wall 14 to cause bending at an origin of the middle.

[0059] FIGS. 12B and 12C are schematic cross-sectional views, viewed on cross-section A indicated in FIG. 12A, illustrating a modification of the impact-cushioning rib structure of FIG. 11 in the second embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 12A, FIGS. 12B and 12C illustrate the impact-cushioning rib structure 10a viewed in the direction indicated by cross-sectional arrow 12B of FIG. 12A.

[0060] With respect to the dynamic load DL received from the object 20 to be packaged, the impact-cushioning rib structure 10a mainly supports the dynamic load DL by the side walls 14. However, the impact-cushioning rib structure 10a is different from the impact-cushioning rib structure 10 according to the first embodiment in that bending and buckling occur in the side walls 14. Such a configuration can generate a bending stress smaller than a compression stress over the entire region of the side wall 14, thus reduce the impact acceleration applied to the object 20 to be packaged.

[0061] A description is given below of a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0062] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an impact-cushioning rib structure according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIG. 13, the same components as those in FIG. 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0063] As illustrated in FIG. 13, an impact-cushioning rib structure 10b for a molded-pulp cushioning material according to the third embodiment is different from the impact-cushioning rib structure according to the first embodiment and the impact-cushioning rib structure according to the second embodiment in that a plurality of openings 18b are disposed in a range of half or more of the height of the side walls 14.

[0064] This is intended to provide a weakened portion at an upper part of the side wall 14 to cause an upper portion of the rib structure to buckle early with low stress due to bending stress and then cause compression or crushing below a middle portion of the rib structure.

[0065] FIGS. 14B and 14C are schematic cross-sectional views, viewed on cross-section A indicated in FIG. 14A, illustrating a modification of the impact-cushioning rib structure of FIG. 13 in the third embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 14A, FIGS. 14B and 14C illustrate the impact-cushioning rib structure 10b viewed in the direction indicated by cross-sectional arrow 14B of FIG. 14A.

[0066] With respect to the dynamic load DL received from the object 20 to be packaged, the impact-cushioning rib structure 10 supports the dynamic load DL mainly by the side walls 14. However, bending and buckling are generated in an upper part of the side wall 14, and compression and crushing are generated below a middle part of the side wall 14.

[0067] In the impact-cushioning rib structure 10b of the present embodiment, stress acting from the upper portion of the rib structure at the initial stage of impact generation is reduced. Such a configuration can prevent a sudden impact from being applied to an object to be packaged, and reduce the acceleration generated in internal components of the object to be packaged.

[0068] A description is given below of configurations in some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0069] Arrangement of Openings

[0070] In some embodiments, only one opening 18, 18a, or 18b may be disposed in side walls 14 of an impact-cushioning rib structure. When a plurality of openings 18, 18a, or 18b are disposed, the openings 18, 18a, or 18b are preferably arranged at equal intervals in the width direction of the side wall. Such a configuration allows the impact-cushioning rib structure to have uniform rigidity over the entire circumference thereof, and the above-described effect can be further obtained.

[0071] Shape of Opening

[0072] The shape of the opening is preferably polygonal (see, e.g., FIGS. 8A and 8B) or circular (see, e.g., FIG. 15). Impact is not necessarily applied to the impact impact-cushioning rib structure in the vertical direction, and may be applied from an unintended direction. Such polygonal or circular shape of the opening 18c can cope with impacts from various directions.

[0073] Shape of Impact-Cushioning Rib Structure

[0074] As illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the impact-cushioning rib structure is preferably a prism or a cylinder. As in the above description of “Shape of Opening”, the impact impact-cushioning rib structure can cope with impacts from various directions. In particular, when the impact-cushioning rib structure is a quadrangular prism, excellent moldability can be obtained, thus enhancing the productivity.

[0075] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a molded-pulp cushioning material provided with an impact-cushioning rib structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. A molded-pulp cushioning material 30 includes at least one of the impact-cushioning rib structures 10, 10A, 10a, and 10b of the first to third embodiments. The molded-pulp cushioning material 30 can accommodate an object to be packaged and can reduce impact acceleration applied to the object to be packaged more than a molded-pulp cushioning material of a comparative example.

[0076] The top plate of the impact-cushioning rib structure 10 desirably abuts an object to be packaged. Supporting the intended position of an object to be packaged allows the object to be stably housed and held.

[0077] The open bottom 16 (see, e.g., FIG. 8A) of the impact-cushioning rib structure 10 also desirably abuts the object to be packaged. A product storage surface 40 of the molded-pulp cushioning material 30 is brought into contact with a flat surface of the object to be packaged to stably store and hold the object.

[0078] The molded-pulp cushioning material 30 of the present embodiment is mounted on an image forming apparatus (for example, a copying machine or a printing machine) as an object to be packaged, and is packed in a packaging material (for example, a cardboard box). The packaging material is used in a packaging system including, for example, packing machinery equipment.

[0079] Verification Test 1

[0080] A description is given of a comparative verification test of the response acceleration of an object to be packaged by the impact-cushioning rib structures of a comparative example and an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0081] Verification Method: A drop test under the following conditions was performed on an impact-cushioning rib structure according to a comparative example and an impact-cushioning rib structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, to measure the impact acceleration applied to an object to be packaged.

[0082] Test article (see FIG. 17):

[0083] Main member m1 (aluminum material with a weight of 1.02 kg)

[0084] Internal component m2 (aluminum material with a weight of 0.2 kg)

[0085] Intermediate member k1 (gel sheet with a weight of 0.01 kg)

[0086] Cushioning material k2 (molded-pulp cushioning material of used corrugated cardboard with a thickness t of 3 mm)

[0087] Here, the main member m1 is a model of the entire copier (an example of a precision machine), and the internal component m2 is a model of a component incorporated in the copier. The intermediate member k1 models a component that supports the internal component m2 on the main member m1 and acts as a spring element.

[0088] The relationship of support between the internal component m2 and the intermediate member k1 is set to have the natural frequency of 200 Hz.

[0089] Type of Cushioning Material:

[0090] Sample 1: Pulp-molded cushioning material having the impact-cushioning rib structure of the comparative example illustrated in FIG. 2A

[0091] Sample 2: Pulp-molded cushioning material having the impact-cushioning rib structure according to the first embodiment (i.e., the quadrangular prism having four openings in the lower portion, illustrated in FIG. 8A)

[0092] Sample 3: Pulp-molded cushioning material having the impact-cushioning rib structure according to the second embodiment (i.e., the quadrangular prism having four openings in the middle portion, illustrated in FIG. 11)

[0093] Sample 4: Pulp-molded cushioning material having the impact cushioning rib structure according to the third embodiment (i.e., the quadrangular prism having four openings in the upper portion, illustrated in FIG. 13)

[0094] Conditions and Evaluation Criteria:

[0095] Free fall each sample from the height of 80 cm to a flat floor surface.

[0096] Measure impact accelerations applied to the main member m1 and the internal component m2 in each of Samples 1 and 4.

[0097] Measure impact acceleration applied to the main member m1 in each of Samples 2 and 3.

[0098] Results: The results are illustrated in Table 1 (including Table 1-1 and 1-2).

[0099] In Sample 2 (first embodiment) and Sample 3 (second embodiment), the impact accelerations applied to the main member m1 were reduced as compared with Sample 1 (comparative example). In Sample 4 (third embodiment), the result was obtained that the impact acceleration applied to the internal component m2 was reduced as compared with Sample 1 (comparative example).

[0100]

TABLE 1-1
		Impact response
		acceleration (G's) of
	Test	external component	Average acceleration
Test mode	No.	of product	(G's)
Sample 1	N1	48.17	50.76
(Comparative	N2	54.00
example)	N3	59.58
	N4	51.24
	N5	40.80
Sample 2	N1	42.07	40.11
(with openings in	N2	43.98
lower portion)	N3	33.99
	N4	40.52
	N5	40.00
Sample 3	N1	47.62	46.39
(with openings in	N2	42.65
middle portion)	N3	41.26
	N4	50.65
	N5	49.77
Sample 4	N1	52.63	55.00
(with openings in	N2	55.12
upper portion)	N3	56.69
	N4	50.32
	N5	60.23

[0101]

	TABLE 1-2
		Impact response	Impact response
		acceleration (G's) of	acceleration (G's) of
		internal component	external component
	Test mode	of product	of product
	Sample 1	57.22	1.19
	(Comparative	68.18	1.26
	example)	70.65	1.19
		63.24	1.23
		60.31	1.48
	Sample 2	—	—
	(with openings in	—	—
	lower portion)	—	—
		—	—
		—	—
	Sample 3	—	—
	(with openings in	—	—
	middle portion)	—	—
		—	—
		—	—
	Sample 4	55.69	1.06
	(with openings in	60.52	1.10
	upper portion)	63.36	1.12
		53.21	1.06
		62.38	1.04

[0102] Verification Test 2

[0103] Comparative Verification Test of Impact Cushioning Property on Width Dimension of Opening

[0104] Verification Method: In the molded-pulp cushioning material having the impact-cushioning rib structure according to the first embodiment (i.e., the quadrangular prism having four openings in the lower portion, illustrated in FIG. 8A), the width of the opening was changed between two widths, and the impact acceleration applied to an object to be packaged was measured.

[0105] Test Article:

[0106] Main member m1 (aluminum material with a weight of 1.02 kg)

[0107] Cushioning material k2 (molded-pulp cushioning material of used corrugated cardboard with a thickness t of 3 mm)

[0108] Type of Cushioning Material:

[0109] Sample 5: Pulp-molded cushioning material having the impact-cushioning rib structure according to the first embodiment (i.e., the quadrangular prism having four openings in the lower portion, illustrated in FIG. 8A) Here, the width W of the opening 18 illustrated in FIG. 10 was set to “a” (W a).

[0110] Sample 6: Pulp-molded cushioning material having the impact-cushioning rib structure according to the first embodiment (i.e., the quadrangular prism having four openings in the lower portion, illustrated in FIG. 8A)

[0111] Here, the width W of the opening 18 illustrated in FIG. 10 was set to “2a” (W≈2a).

[0112] Conditions and Evaluation Criteria:

[0113] Free fall each sample from the height of 80 cm to a flat floor surface.

[0114] Measure the impact acceleration applied to the main member m1 in each of Samples 5 and 6.

[0115] Results: The results are illustrated in Table 2.

[0116] In Sample 6 (in which the width W of the opening 18 is nearly equal to 2a (W≈2a)), the result was obtained that the impact acceleration was reduced as compared with Sample 5 (in which the width W of the opening 18 is nearly equal to “a” (W≈a)).

[0117]

TABLE 2
		Impact response
		acceleration (G's) of
	Test	external component	Average acceleration
Test mode	No.	of product	(G's)
Sample 5	N1	50.48	48.13
(width W ≈ a)	N2	52.78
	N3	40.79
	N4	48.62
	N5	48.00
Sample 6	N1	42.07	40.11
(width W ≈ 2a)	N2	43.98
	N3	33.99
	N4	40.52
	N5	40.00

[0118] From the verification tests, it is understood that according to the configuration of each embodiment of the present disclosure, the impact acceleration applied to an object to be packaged (and an internal component) can be reduced as compared with the configuration of the comparative example.

[0119] Some embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above. Numerous additional modifications to the above-described embodiment and variations are possible. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the disclosure of this patent specification may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. For example, several embodiments and the above-described configurations may be combined in each case.