GB2078203A - A packaged assembly of micromotors - Google Patents

Abstract

Micromotors 2 are packaged on a series of stacked trays 1 each made from a flexible synthetic resin sheet e.g. of polyvinyl chloride and having formed therein recesses generally shaped to correspond with a part of the external shape of a micromotor. The trays 1 are adapted when empty to be closely nested for storage. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A packaged assembly of micromotors This invention relates to a packaged assembly of micromotors. We describe below a packaged assembly of micromotors utilising low cost packaging trays which are manufactured from a synthetic resin sheet and which require a minimum of storage space when empty.

According to the present invention we provide a packaged assembly of micromotors, comprising: a plurality of micromotors and two or more trays, each being made from a flexible synthetic resin sheet and having formed therein recesses generally shaped to correspond with a part of the external shape of-a micromotor; each micromotor being iocated in a recess in one of said trays; and the loaded trays being stacked to form said packaged assembly; and the trays being adapted when empty to be closely nested for storage.

Preferably, the recesses are formed in parallel rows, the recesses of one row being staggered relative to the recesses of an adjacent row.

In order more clearly to describe both the invention and a conventional arrangement reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a conventional packaging tray for micromotors; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the conventional packaging tray of Fig. 1, taken along the line X-X' in Fig. 1, loaded and in a stack of similar loaded trays; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a packaging tray of a packaged assembly according to the invention; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional elevation of the tray of Fig. 3, taken along the line.Y--Y' in Fig. 3, the tray being loaded and in a stack of similar loaded trays; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 4, illustrating empty packaging trays nested for storage;; Fig. 6A and B are plan views of the tray of Fig. 3, one being rotated through 1800 relative to the other.

Heretofore, containers made of foamed polystyrene have been widely used as packaging trays for micromotors. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a conventional tray made of foamed polystyrene. In the figure, reference numeral 1 refers to the tray, 2 to a micromotor, and 3 to a recess for housing a micromotor.

In Fig. 1 , the recesses 3 for housing micromotors, each having a shape that fits the external shape of a micromotor 2, are disposed in a regular array on the top of the foamed polystyrene tray 1 which is substantially box shaped.-As shown in Fig. 1, each of the recesses 3 may house a micromotor 2. Tray 1 loaded with micromotors 2 may be stacked with one or more similar trays in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2, the tray being illustrated in a cross-sectional view taken along the line X-X' in Fig. 1. The stack of loaded trays comprising a packaged assembly of micromotors may be packed in corrugated boxes (not shown), for example, for transporting.

The conventional packaging method using foamed polystyrene containers, as described above, has, however, the following disadvantages.

(a) Because of the low strength of foamed polystyrene, the strength of a tray made of this material has to be reinforced by increasing its wall thickness or providing reinforcing members. This undesirably increases the volume of the tray, reducing the number of micromotors that can be packaged in a given space, and consequently increasing storage and transport costs.

(b) Even when empty, the tray occupies the same space as when loaded.

(c) Foamed polystyrene is an expensive packaging material.

(d) Disposal of unwanted or damaged trays causes problems, since even when crushed into pieces, foamed polystyrene hardly reduces in volume. Furthermore, incinerating the trays produces toxic fumes, thus causing air pollution.

Referring now to Figs. 3 to 6B which illustrate the invention, reference numerals 1 to 3 in Figures 3 to 6B correspond to like numerals in Figs. 1 and 2.

In a packaged assembly of micromotors according to this invention a packaging tray 1 is manufactured by shaping a synthetic resin (such as rigid polyvinyl chloride) sheet into the form of a tray 1 with recesses 3 for accommodating micromotors 3 as shown in Fig. 3. Each recess 3 has a shape corresponding to the external shape of a micromotor 2, the depth of the recess 3 being approximately 1/3 the outside diameter of the micromotor 2, so that the micromotor 2 can be accommodated snugly in the recess 3 without undesirable vibration during transit. The recesses 3 are disposed in a plurality of parallel rows, the recesses of one row being staggered relative to the recesses of an adjacent row, as shown in Fig.

3, so as to increase the number of micromotors which can be picked in a tray per unit area.

The packaging trays 1, each loaded with micromotors 2 carried in the recesses 3 thereof, are stacked in a plurality of layers, the stack, comprising a packaged assembly of micromotors, being packed in, for example, a corrugated box, which is manufactured in a suitable size to accommodate the stack of packaging trays 1.

Stacking the packaging trays 1 in such a manner that the micromotors 2 are staggered vertically, as shown in Fig. 4, not only permits greater vertical packaging efficiency, but also prevents unwanted movement of the micromotors 2 inside the recesses 3, since a micromotor on the lower layer is held securely between the lower parts of the two adjacent micromotors 2 on the upper layer. The positions of the micromotors 2 on the upper and lower layers can be staggered vertically, as shown in Fig. 2, merely by rotating the packaging tray 1 of every other layer through 180 in the horizontal plane. Fig. 6B illustrates the packaging tray 1 shown in Fig. 6A, which is a plan view of the tray 1 of Fig. 3, rotated through 1 800 in the horizontal plane relative to the tray 1 of Fig. 6A.

Fig. 6 illustrates a tray 1 having eight recesses 3 in each of 5 parallel rows, the recessses 3 of one row being staggered relative to the recesses of an adjacent row. This non-centrosymmetric array of recesses 3 allows the trays 1 to be stacked, when loaded, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4. A tray 1 having any other odd number of rows will stack similarly, provided that every row has the same number of recesses. A similarly noncentrosymmetric array of recesses 3 can be achieved with an even number of parallel rows, if each row of one set of alternate parallel rows has one or more recess than each row of the other set of alternate parallel rows.The arrangement of the micromotors 2 shown in Fig. 4 can be obtained by placing a loaded packaging tray 1 oriented as in Fig. 6B on a loaded tray 1 oriented as in Fig. 6A so that the side a of the tray 1 oriented as shown in Fig. 6A is aligned with the side b of the tray 1 oriented as shown in Fig. 6B, and then placing a second tray 1 oriented as shown in Fig. 6A on the resulting stack of two trays 1.

The provision of a plurality of ribs (not shown) on the recesses 3 helps reinforce the packing tray 1 and prevent damage to the motors 2 due to external impact. The ribs may be shaped as arcs of a circle, or they may be trapezoidal, triangular or any other shape that is effective in reinforcement and shock-absorbtion.

Packaging trays for micromotors are generally mass-produced and must be stored in large quantities before use in warehouses, etc.

Therefore, the space required for storage of empty trays should preferably also be as small as possible.

Fig. 5 illustrates how the packaging trays 1 may be nested for storage when not in use. (Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the trays taken along the line Y-Y' in Fig. 3). The packaging trays 1 as shown in Fig. 3 are layered in the same orientation so that all the sides a are aligned with each other and similarly for the sides b. The resulting pile of trays 1 is then lightly compressed to produce a closely nested set of trays 1, as shown in Fig. 5.

The packaging trays 1 thus nested require less space for storage and are therefore suitable for mass storage.

The above description, referring to Figs. 5, 6A and B, is concerned with a packaging tray having a non-centrosymmetric array of recesses and which will both stack and nest.-However, if the array of recesses is centrosymmetric, it will be necessary to have two types of tray 1, which will stack if placed in alternate layers, and will nest in two separate piles.

As is clear from the foregoing description, this invention makes it possible to provide a packaging arrangement for micromotors using trays made from a flexible synthetic resin sheet at low manufacturing cost, and requiring less space for storage in the loaded and in the empty state than conventional trays, thus reducing the cost of storage of the trays, both loaded and empty, and of their transportation.

Claims (6)

1. A packaged assembly of micromotors, comprising: a plurality of micromotors, and two or more trays, each being made from a flexible synthetic resin sheet and having formed therein recesses generally shaped to correspond with a part of the external shape of a micromotor; each micromotor being located in a recess in one of said trays; and the loaded trays being stacked to form said packaged assembly; and the trays being adapted when empty to be closely nested for storage.

2. A packaged assembly of micromotors as claimed in Claim 1 , wherein the recesses are formed in parallel rows, and recesses of one row being staggered relative to the recesses of an adjacent row.

3. A packaged assembly of micromotors as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the trays are identical with one another, and wherein the array of recesses in each tray is non centrosym metric.

4. A packaged assembly of micromotors as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein alternate trays are identical and adjacent trays are not, and wherein the array of recesses in each tray is centrosymmetric.

5. A packaged assembly of micromotors as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the recesses are reinforced by ribs.

6. A packaged assembly of micromotors substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 3 to 6B of the - accompanying drawings.