Special receptacle or package – Shock protection type
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-15
2002-10-29
Gehman, Bryon P. (Department: 3629)
Special receptacle or package
Shock protection type
C229S103300, C229S125350, C229S169000, C229S940000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06471062
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a packaging box for packaging goods, and a packaging method using the packaging box, which packaging box and method are used, for example, when intermediately packaged photosensitive printing plates are further packaged (externally packaged).
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 10
shows a conventional packaging box
110
as an example.
FIG. 11
shows the packaging box
110
before it has been folded (see Japanese Patent Application Publication (JP-B) No. 57-38,150).
As shown in
FIG. 11
, in the packaging box
110
, bottom-surface lamination panels
116
and upper-surface lamination panels
118
are formed adjacently to respective two short sides of a bottom surface panel
112
and an upper surface panel
114
. A plurality of bend lines
120
are formed in each of the bottom-surface lamination panel
116
and the upper-surface lamination panel
118
. By folding these lamination panels along the bend lines
120
, as shown in
FIG. 10
, four-sided spiral-wound portions
122
and
124
are formed. As a result, goods contained in the packaging box
110
are protected. For example, if a great impact acts on the box from outside, the impact transmitted internally is reduced thereby helping to prevent damage to the goods.
As described above, in the conventional packaging box
110
, a process in which the bottom-surface lamination panel
116
and the upper-surface lamination panel
118
are folded along the plurality of bend lines
120
was required. Further, as the size of goods to be packaged increases, great force becomes necessary for the folding operation. Therefore, folding at correct positions substantially only by a manual operation was very difficult. For this reason, there were cases in which a large-size folding apparatus was required, but it resulted in greater manufacturing costs.
FIG. 12
shows a packaging box
140
different from the packaging box shown in FIG.
10
.
FIG. 13
shows the packaging box
140
before it has been folded (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 10-16,946).
As shown in
FIG. 13
, in the packaging box
140
, side surface panels
144
are respectively extended from the longer sides of a bottom surface panel
142
and cover surface panels
146
extend from the side surface panels
144
. Further, a side surface panel
148
and face panels
150
sequentially extend from each of the shorter sides of the bottom surface panel
142
. When the packaging box
140
is assembled, as shown in
FIG. 12
, an upper surface of the box is structured so as to open like a double door and a three-sided tubular body
152
is formed along each side of the box by the side surface panel
148
and the face panels
150
.
However, as can be seen from the unfolded configuration shown in
FIG. 13
, in the packaging box
140
, a length of the side surface panel
144
and the cover surface panel
146
extending from the bottom surface panel
142
and a length of the side surface panel
148
and the face panels
150
extending from the bottom surface panel
142
are both long. For this reason, a great quantity of corrugated fiberboard becomes necessary in forming such a packaging box
140
. Particularly, as the size of goods to be packaged become larger, the quantity of required corrugated fiberboard increases, thereby resulting in an increase of manufacturing costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a packaging box which can be manufactured at lower cost and by which goods to be packaged can be easily packaged, and further provides a method for packaging goods using the packaging box.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a packaging box for receiving and packaging goods. The goods include a top surface and a bottom surface, and a number of side surfaces. The packaging box includes a bottom surface member having a base panel formed substantially in the same shape as the bottom surface of the goods to be packaged. The packaging box further includes a plurality of side panels corresponding in number to the number of side surfaces of the goods. Each side panels extends integrally from the base panel and is substantially the same shape as its respective corresponding side surface of the goods. The box further includes a top surface member formed to have dimensions substantially equal to dimensions as a top surface of the goods.
Accordingly, few or no useless portions are formed in the material composing the packaging box (for example, a sheet material such as corrugated fiberboard or cardboard), the packaging box is foldable, and initially it is provided in a flattened or unfolded configuration. After the goods are packaged in the box, there is substantially no overlap of any of the base panel, the side panels, and the top surface member with one another. Namely, the packaging box can be formed using a reduced amount of material and thus costs are reduced. Moreover, the bottom surface, side surfaces, and top surface of the goods to be packaged are covered by the base panel, side panels, and top surface member of the packaging box. Thus, the goods are protected from bending or deformation.
In packaging, the goods are placed on the base panel of the packaging box when it is unfolded, in such a manner that the bottom surface of the goods substantially coincides with the base panel of the packaging box. Then, the side panels are each folded along a boundary between the base panel and the side panels so as to be substantially made parallel to the side surfaces of the goods. Further, the top surface member is disposed so as to substantially coincide with the top surface of the goods, and the top surface member is fixed in place over the goods. As described above, the number of folds is fewer as compared with a conventional packaging box, and packaging is facilitated. Further, it is not necessary to use a folding device or the like, and therefore, costs are reduced.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, the packaging box further includes an attachment flap integrally extending from each side panel. When the packaging box receives goods therein, each side panel is folded to extend substantially parallel to a corresponding side surface of the goods. The attachment flaps are folded to extend substantially parallel to a top surface of the goods, without the attachment flaps overlapping one another. This permits the top plate member to be fixed to the attachment flaps, thereby connecting the top plate member to the bottom plate member. The lack of overlap between attachment flaps, reduces the amount of material required, and therefore, costs as well.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, when the attachment flaps are folded substantially parallel to the top surface of the goods, the attachment flaps define an opening located substantially centrally above the goods. The opening permits small attachment flaps, further reducing material requirements, and thus costs.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, the bottom and top surface members are each formed from a sheet of material. Each sheet includes a plurality of substantially corrugations formed therein. When the packaging box receives goods, the top surface member is placed over the goods with its corrugations oriented substantially transverse to the corrugations in the bottom surface member. Directionality in the strength of the packaging box is therefore reduced and the rigidity of the packaging box is increased. Thus, the packaging box with goods packaged therein is better able to resist deformation and retain a fixed shape. For example, when the packaging box is lifted up by putting hands on the bottom plate and holding the box in one's arms, no consideration of a direction to which hands are placed is required and handling of the packaging box becomes easier.
In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention, a reinforcing plate is attached to the bottom panel.
Since the reinforcing plate is
Sone Takehiro
Usui Takayuki
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Gehman Bryon P.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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