EP1511675B2

EP1511675B2 - Packaging system especially for computers and the like

Info

Publication number: EP1511675B2
Application number: EP02745798A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Franco Goretti
Original assignee: ASSOGRAPH ITALIA Srl
Current assignee: ASSOGRAPH ITALIA Srl
Priority date: 2002-06-13
Filing date: 2002-06-20
Publication date: 2008-08-27
Anticipated expiration: 2022-06-20
Also published as: ATE324329T1; EP1511675A1; DE60211034T2; EP1511675B1; WO2003106278A1; DE60211034T3; DE60211034D1; ITMI20021308A1

Abstract

Box-shaped packaging (10) using corrugated cardboard for the protection of objects in general, especially of computers (70) and the like, comprising between two box-shaped volumes (50, 60), orthogonally interposed in two of their opposing ends, of a pair of parallel tubular volumes having a rectangular cross-section, joined at 90 DEG by a central piece forming a substantially parallelepiped housing for the packaged object (70), protected by said tubular volumes directly on the four edges and by their reaction on the box-shaped volumes (50, 60).

Description

The invention concerns packaging for despatching objects generally, especially computers and similar machines, difficulties frequently arising over transporting these and other types of electronic and electric equipment used in offices and homes.
Such diffiiculties are due in particular to five factors: extreme delicacy, weight, varying shapes and sizes, large bulk, the need to minimise transport costs.
A mere covering of corrugated cardboard, even in case form, is not sufficient to absorb the shocks received during transport, neither is this material adaptable to the varyingly shaped articles to be packed. Polystrene foam is bulky and expensive, and creates storage problems because of having to adapt it to so many differently sized and shaped objects.
A weak point in the parallelepipedly-shaped cardboard or foam packaging materials generally used, is particularly noticeable round the edges, even though it is just the edges that are most likely to receive blows and become damaged during transport.
JP 2000085846 uses panels of corrugated cardboard for packing purposes.
This patent comprises a tubular U-shaped frame into which the object to be protected will be placed, said frame consisting of a sheet of corrugated cardboard, the ends of whose side are repeatedly bent back onto each other.
This double bending of the sides of the sheet of corrugated cardboard creates approximately two chambers in the two longitudinal ends of the U-shaped frame; said chambers, of a rectangular cross section, are joined by an intermediate sheet, their longer sides lying parallel to be object to be protected.
This means that protection against shocks and the like is ensured by the shorter sides of said two chambers, while the longer sides, lying parallel to the object to be protected, give only a minimum amount of protection.
To increase protection a pair of opposite angular bodies are placed inside the U-shaped frame, one on either side of the object to protect, said angular bodies having a double wall similarly created by their edges being bent over.
The packaged object is thus protected by double walls formed by the terminal chambers in the frame, as well as by the chambers created by said angular bodies.
The whole is placed in a box also made of corrugated cardboard.
It will be clear from the above that this protection is both complex and costly because of the operations needed for its composition and for adapting it to the object to be protected, as well as for the quantity of corrugated cardboard needed to make it.
The purpose of the subject invention is to ensure protection of an object during transport using simple means requiring only a few operations as will be explained here below.
The invention reduces these drawbacks at the same time ensuring adequate protection at the most vulnerable points by the use of simple and inexpensive means as will now be explained.
Subject of the invention is a box-shaped packaging means as claimed in claim 1.
Each pair of tubular elements is made of corrugated cardboard comprising a rectangular central piece, internal sides, first narrow sides, broad intermediate sides, second narrow sides, broad external sides.
All connecting joins are constituted by creases
Each tubular element is formed by progressive 90° bends inwards of the internal sides, of the first narrow sides outwards, of the intermediate sides of the second narrow sides and of the external sides inwards to the point where the external sides become superimposed over the internal sides.
The external sides are then glued onto the internal sides.
Alternatively the external sides are fixed to the internal sides by suitably shaping the matching parts to be fitted together.
One or both of the longitudinal ends of the internal sides, and of the intermediate sides adjacent to the first narrow sides and of the external sides, present an arc-shaped bevel so that the length of the first narrow sides is reduced by a length substantially corresponding to the radius of the arc-shaped bevel.
Width of the intermediate and external sides is greater than the width of the internal sides so that the intermediate wall connecting the two tubular elements creates, on one face, a space having a squared U-shaped cross section, the sides of which are longer than those of the squared U-shaped space created on the other face of said intermediate wall, corresponding to the areas of the external sides that are not covered by the internal sides.
Width of the pair of tubular elements corresponds to that of the packed object, plus the thickness of said tubular elements as the object is placed between these latter.
One box-shaped element, placed at the base of the two pairs of tubular volumes, consists of a rectangular piece whose width corresponds to that of each pair of tubular elements, provided with four side-pieces of the same height to be bent at 90° in relation to said rectangular piece.
A second box-shaped element, placed at the top of the two pairs of tubular elements, consists of a rectangular piece whose width corresponds to that of each pair of tubular elements, provided with two side-pieces of the same height to be bent at 90° in relation to said rectangular piece.
Length and width of the upper and lower box-shaped elements correspond to those of the rectangular area comprising the two opposing pairs of parallel tubular elements, sized to house the object to be packed within that part of said tubular elements projecting onto the internal face of the connecting wall.
The upper box-shaped element is formed of a substantially parallelepiped box of sufficient height to receive accessories of the packed object, especially of a computer.
The invention offers evident advantages.
The box obtainable by means of the described parts surrounds the object contained therein on six sides.
The areas most likely to suffer shocks and damage, these being the four edges of the object such as, for example, those of a substantially parallelepiped computer, are effectively protected by the tubular elements joined up in pairs.
Said tubular elements extend well outwards creating, at the position of the above edges, strong compressible cushioning able to absorb any shocks received during transport and avoid damage to the protected object.
Bearing in mind the test results referred to at the end of this description, it will be clear that protective efficiency is far greater than that provided by conventional forms of packaging.
Of special interest is the possibility of fitting in accessories for the packed object, especially those accompanying computers and similar instruments.
The advantages may be summed up as follows: by means of the above tubular elements, subject of the invention, a sort of continuous cushion is created all round the product especially effective at the most vulnerable parts, namely the edges, of the object carried, forming shock-absorbers able to withstand all the stresses normally encountered during transport.
Characteristics and purposes of the invention will be made still clearer by the following examples of its execution illustrated by diagrammatically drawn figures.

Fig. 1 Packaging comprising upper and lower box-shaped elements and pairs of edge-protective tubular elements, perspective.
Fig. 2 A pair of tubular edge-protective elements opened out.
Fig. 3 The lower box-shaped element opened out.
Fig. 4 The upper box-shaped element opened out.
Fig. 5 Cross section of a pair of edge-protective tubular elements.
Fig. 6 A pair of elements in Fig. 5 during assembly, perspective.
Fig. 7 The packaging used to pack a PC standing vertically, perspective.
Fig. 8 The same with the PC placed horizontally.
Fig. 9 Diagram showing stresses reaching the edge-protective tubular elements during transport.

Packaging 10 comprises the lower box-shaped element 50, the upper box-shaped element 60 and two pairs 15, 16 of tubular elements 31.
The lower box-shaped element 50 comprises the central rectangular piece 54 and four rectangular longitudinal side-pieces 55 with slightly converging sides connected to the central piece by the creases seen in the drawings.
The upper box-shaped element 60 comprises the central rectangular piece 63 and two rectangular longitudinal side-pieces 65 connected to the central body by the creases seen in the drawings.
Pairs 15, 16 of tubular element 31 are made from a central rectangular piece 30 joined, on two longitudinal sides, to internal side-pieces 35 joined, by first narrow side pieces 38, to broad intermediate side-pieces 36 joined, by second narrow side-pieces 39, to external broad side-pieces 37.
All joins are formed by, the creases seen in the drawings.
Each tubular element 31 is obtained (Figures 5 and 6) by progressive bending at 90° of the internal side-pieces 35 inwards, of the first narrow side-pieces 38 outwards, of the intermediate side-pieces 36, of the second external side-pieces 39 and of the external side-pieces 37 inwards, to the point where these latter external side-pieces 37 lie over the internal side-pieces 35.
Glue 45 is spread on the internal side-pieces 35 for fixing them to the external side- pieces 37.
The sides of internal side-pieces 35 and of intermediate side-pieces 36, adjacent to the first narrow side-pieces 38, and the external sides of external side-pieces 37 present, at one or both longitudinal ends, arc-wise bevels 40.
Length of the narrow side-pieces 38 is therefore reduced by a length substantially corresponding to the radius of said arc-wise bevel 40.
Widths of the narrow side- pieces 38, 39 are substantially the same.
Widths of side- pieces 36 and 37 are substantially the same, and are greater than that of the side-pieces 35.
As can be seen in Figure 5, the squared U-shaped space created by one face of central piece 30 and side-pieces 35 at 90°, is therefore deeper than the squared U-shaped space created by the second face of central piece 30 and by that part of side-pieces 37 left free by side-pieces 35.
Figures 7-9 illustrate the use of the described packaging 10 for protection of a PC 70 placed in the space laterally delimited by the internal opposing walls of central pieces 30 and of tubular elements 31 of the two opposing pairs 15 and 16 and by the lower box-shaped element 50.
Packing is completed by placing the upper box-shaped element 60 over the pairs 15 and 16 of tubular elements 31.
Said packing so formed can be placed either vertically as marked by 85 in Figure 7, or horizontally as marked by 86 in Figure 8.
Figure 9 illustrates resistance by the packaging to stresses generally concentrated at the edges, as indicated by arrows 80.
Impact stresses, measurable in 150 G of acceleration, were received by the packaged object during experimental testing carried out at the
TUV laboratory at Scarmagno (To) Italy, where the packaging described was found capable of absorbing 75%, ensuring functional integrity of the packaged object.

Claims

Box-shaped packaging (10) made of corrugated cardboard to protect objects in general, especially computers (70) and the like, characterized in that, it comprises two box-shaped elements, a lower box-shaped element (50) and an upper box-shaped element (60), and, orthogonally interposed between said two box-shaped elements at each of their two opposite ends, a pair (15,16) of parallel tubular elements (31), having a rectangular cross section, the two tubular elements in each pair being connected to an intermediate wall (30), each tubular element progressively comprising an internal side-piece (35), joined and inwardly bent at 90° to a longitudinal side of the intermediate wall, a first narrow side-piece (38), joined and outwardly bent at 90° to said internal side-piece (35), an intermediate broad side-piece (36), joined to said first narrow side-piece (38), a second narrow side-piece (39), joined to said intermediate broad side-piece (36), and an external broad side-piece (37), joined to said second narrow side-piece (39), the width of the intermediate (36) and external (37) side-pieces being greater than the width of the internal side-piece (35), all said joins consisting of creases, said external side-piece (37) overlapping onto the internal side-piece (35), forming a substantially parallelepiped housing for the packaged object (70) protected by said tubular elements (31).
Box-shaped packaging (10) as in claim 1, characterized in that the external side-pieces (37) are fixed to the internal side-pieces (35) by application of glue between said side-pieces (35) and (37).
Box-shaped packaging (10) as in claim 1, characterized in that the external side-pieces (37) are fixed to the internal side-pieces (35) by means of attachment formed by suitably shaping the matching parts.
Box-shaped packaging (10) as in claim 1, characterized in that, on one or on both longitudinal ends of the internal side-pieces (35) and of the intermediate side-pieces (36) adjacent to the first narrow side pieces (38) and of the external side pieces (37), are arc-wise bevels (40), as a result of which the length of the first narrow side-pieces (38) is reduced by a length substantially corresponding to the radius of said arc-wise bevels (40).
Box-shaped packaging (10) as in claim 1, characterized in that the width of the intermediate (36) and external (37) side-pieces, greater than the width of the internal side-pieces (35), generates on one first face of the intermediate wall (30) a space having a cross section in the form of a squared "U" the sides (35) of which are longer than the sides of the squared "U" space generated on the second face of said intermediate wall (30), corresponding to that part of the external side-pieces (37) that are not covered by the internal side-pieces (35).
Box-shaped packaging (10) as in claim 1, characterized in that the width of the pairs (15,16) of tubular elements (31) correspond to that of the packaged object, increased by the thickness of said tubular elements (31) since the object is placed between these latter.
Box-shaped packaging (10) as in claim 1, characterized in that one box-shaped element (50), to be placed at the base of the two pairs (15,16) of tubular element (31), consists of a rectangular piece (54), of a width corresponding to that of each pair (15,16) of tubular elements (31), provided with four wings (55) of the same height bent at 90° in relation to said rectangular piece (54).
Box-shaped packaging (10) as in claim 1, characterized in that one box-shaped element (60), to be placed at the top of the two pairs (15,16) of tubular elements (31), consists of a rectangular piece (63), of a width corresponding to that of each pair (15,16) of tubular elements (31), provided with two wings (65) of the same height bent at 90° in relation to said rectangular piece (63).
Box-shaped packaging (10) as in claims 1, 6 and 7, characterized in that the length and width of the upper (60) and lower (50) box-shaped elements correspond to those of the rectangular area comprising the two opposing pairs (15,16) of parallel tubular elements (31), so sized as to receive the object (70) to be packaged in that part of said tubular elements (31) projecting onto the internal face of the intermediate wall (30).
Box-shaped packaging (10) as in claims 1 and 9, characterized in that the upper box-shaped element (60) consists of a substantially parallelepiped box of a height sufficient to accommodate the accessories of the packaged object, especially those of a computer.