JP7630372B2 - Cushioning material - Google Patents

Description

Article 30, paragraph 2 of the Patent Act applies to deliveries from Dynapac Co., Ltd. to Daishichi Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. from April 9 to June 24, 2021 (see "Certificate 1" and "Appendix 1-1" and "Appendix 1-2" of the Certificate of Exception to Lack of Novelty)

Application of Article 30, paragraph 2 of the Patent Act Press briefing held by Dynapac Co., Ltd. on May 13, 2021 (see "Certificate 2" and "Appendix 2" in the submission form for the certificate of exception to lack of novelty)

Application of Article 30, paragraph 2 of the Patent Act. Based on the contents of the press briefing held by Dynapac Co., Ltd. on May 13, 2021, the publication in a newspaper on May 14, 2021 (see the document "Certificate 3" and "Appendix 3-1", "Appendix 3-2", and "Appendix 3-3")

Application of Article 30, paragraph 2 of the Patent Act Based on the contents of the press briefing held by Dynapac Co., Ltd. on May 13, 2021, the disclosure was made on television broadcasts and on the websites of broadcasting companies on May 13, 2021, May 14, 2021, and May 29, 2021 (see the submission form for certificate of exception to lack of novelty, "Appendix 4-1", "Appendix 4-2", "Appendix 4-3", "Appendix 4-3a" to "Appendix 4-3e")

The present invention relates to a cushioning material suitable for use in packaging products, etc.

Conventionally, when packaging products such as bottles, cushioning materials made of materials such as polystyrene foam processed into a shape that corresponds to the product are used. When packaging a product using such cushioning materials, the product is packaged by fitting it into the part that has been processed into the product's shape. In this way, the product is fixed in place by the cushioning material, and external forces such as impacts are absorbed by the cushioning material, preventing the packaged product from being damaged, for example, during transportation.

In addition, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, a packaging box is also known that uses an elastic film to hold the product and protect the product from external impact by preventing the product from coming into contact with the packaging box, etc.

JP 2014-5054 A

In recent years, as part of efforts to prevent environmental pollution and realize a sustainable society, it has become common to replace products that were previously manufactured using chemical substances with products made from renewable materials such as paper.

On the other hand, conventional cushioning materials used to package products such as bottles often use chemical materials such as polystyrene foam. For this reason, there is a demand for cushioning materials made from recyclable materials such as paper. In addition, conventional cushioning materials that use materials such as polystyrene foam cannot be folded, which creates the problem of requiring more space for storage.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a cushioning material made from a sheet material such as a cardboard sheet.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following means.
The cushioning material of the present invention comprises a first packaging section and a second packaging section formed by folding a sheet material, and packages contents by placing the contents between the first packaging section and the second packaging section, wherein the first packaging section comprises at least a first inner surface section that faces the contents when the contents are packaged, and a first side section that extends in a direction intersecting with the direction in which the first inner surface section extends and is adjacent to the first inner surface section, and the second packaging section comprises at least a second inner surface section that faces the contents when the contents are packaged, and a second side section that extends in a direction intersecting with the direction in which the second inner surface section extends and is adjacent to the second inner surface section, the first inner surface section and the second side section are connected to each other so that they can be folded and unfolded via a crease, and at least one of the first inner surface section and the second inner surface section has a fixing section that is connected to the fixing section and is formed to correspond to the shape of at least a portion of the contents, and a storage section in which at least a portion of the contents is stored is provided.

The cushioning material of the present invention can be opened and closed by folding the first side portion and the second side portion at the crease into a hinge shape and then folding back. This makes it easy to pack and remove contents.

In addition, the fixing part, which is formed to correspond to the shape of the contents, is provided adjacent to the storage part, so that the contents can be properly fixed and packaged, and the fixing part will not come off the cushioning material when the contents are packaged or removed. Furthermore, since the cushioning material of the present invention is formed by folding the sheet material, it can be stored in a sheet state when not in use.

In the above invention, it is preferable that the fixing portion is composed of a first fixing portion formed to correspond to the shape of one side of the contents, and a second fixing portion formed to correspond to the shape of the other side of the contents.

In this way, both sides of the contents are fixed by the first and second fixing parts. This prevents the contents from moving unnecessarily inside the cushioning material and also provides proper protection for the contents from external impacts.

In the above invention, it is preferable that the storage section is provided in each of the first packaging section and the second packaging section.

By doing this, a part of the contents is stored in the storage section on one side, and the other part of the contents is stored in the storage section on the other side. Then, when the cushioning is opened, a part of the contents is stored in the storage section on one side, and the other part of the contents is removed from the storage section on the other side.

In the above invention, it is preferable that a first locking piece defined by a cut line is provided at one end of the first inner surface portion, and a second locking piece defined by a cut line is provided at a portion of the second inner surface portion that overlaps with the first locking piece when the contents are placed inside.

By doing this, the first locking piece and the second locking piece can be folded over and the cushioning material can be fixed in a closed state. This prevents the first packaging part and the second packaging part from opening unintentionally.

In the above invention, the first packaging section and the second packaging section are formed by folding the sheet material into a rectangular tubular shape at the opening. When configured in this manner, the surfaces constituting the first packaging section and the second packaging section support each other, making it possible to provide a strong cushioning material.

The cushioning material of the present invention can adequately secure and protect the contents without using materials such as polystyrene foam, and can provide a cushioning material that is not bulky when not in use.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the front side of the cushioning material according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the rear side of the cushioning material according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the cushioning material according to the present invention in an unfolded state. FIG. 2 is a development view of the cushioning material according to the present invention. 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating the assembly of a cushioning material according to the present invention. 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating the assembly of a cushioning material according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the assembly of the cushioning material according to the present invention. Fig. 8(a) is a front perspective view for explaining the assembly of the cushioning material, and Fig. 8(b) is a rear perspective view for explaining the assembly of the cushioning material. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating how the contents are packaged using cushioning material. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating how the contents are packaged using cushioning material.

A cushioning material 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 10. In the following description, the front-rear, left-right, and top-bottom directions refer to the directions shown in the figures unless otherwise specified. The side of the cushioning material 1 that contains the contents will also be referred to as the inside, and the opposite side as the outside.

In this embodiment, the following description will be given taking as an example a case where the cushioning material 1 of the present invention is used as a cushioning material for packaging a beverage bottle B. Note that the use of the cushioning material 1 is not limited to the above, and for example, the cushioning material 1 may be used as a cushioning material for packaging bottles used for other purposes or other containers. Alternatively, the cushioning material 1 may be used as a cushioning material for packaging industrial products and other products. In the following description, the bottle B packaged with the cushioning material 1 will also be referred to as the "contents". The bottom side of the bottle B will also be referred to as the "bottom side", and the side opposite the bottom side where the bottle's spout is provided will also be referred to as the "mouth side".

<1. Description of the configuration>
First, the configuration of the cushioning material 1 of this embodiment will be described. The cushioning material 1 is a roughly rectangular paper packaging material shown in Figures 1 and 2. The cushioning material 1 is configured to sandwich and package a bottle B placed between a first packaging section 10 on the upper side and a second packaging section 40 on the lower side.

The first packaging section 10 has a cylindrical shape with a rectangular opening, surrounded by a first left side surface section 11, a top surface section 12, a first right side surface section 13, and a first inner surface section 15 (see Figures 1 and 2).

The first inner surface portion 15 is the surface that faces the bottle B when packaging. The first inner surface portion 15 has an opening 20A of a predetermined size, and a first inner surface portion 15F and a first inner surface portion 15E arranged on either side of the opening 20A (see FIG. 3).

The first inner surface portion 15F is a generally rectangular portion located forward of the opening 20A. A first recess 30A is provided near the center of the first inner surface portion 15F in a direction intersecting with the front-to-rear direction. The first recess 30A is a depression large enough to accommodate at least a portion of the mouth side of the bottle B, and is connected to the opening 20A.

The first inner surface portion 15E is a generally rectangular portion provided on the opposite side of the opening 20A from the first inner surface portion 15F. An inner wall portion 21 extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the inner surface of the top surface portion 12 is connected to the edge of the opening 20A side of the first inner surface portion 15F. At least a portion of the leading end of the inner wall portion 21 abuts against the inner surface of the top surface portion 12. An inner wall portion 25 extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the top surface portion 12 is connected to the edge of the opening 20A side of the first inner surface portion 15E. At least a portion of the leading end of the inner wall portion 25 abuts against the inner surface of the top surface portion 12. The inner wall portion 25 is a portion that supports part of the bottom of the bottle B when it is packaged.

The first packaging section 10 is surrounded by a first left side surface section 11, a top surface section 12, a first right side surface section 13, an inner wall section 21, and an inner wall section 25, and has a space with an opening 20A inside. This space is a portion in which at least a portion of the bottle B is contained. Hereinafter, the area inside the first packaging section 10 with the opening 20A is also referred to as the "first containing section 20."

A plate-shaped retaining portion 30B is provided near the inner wall portion 25, extending from the portion where the tip of the inner wall portion 25 and the inner surface of the top portion 12 meet toward the opening 20A. This retaining portion 30B is formed by folding a substantially rectangular sheet material connected to the inner wall portion 25 at a predetermined crease. On the side of the opening 20A of this retaining portion 30B, a recess 26 is provided that is recessed in a shape substantially identical to the outline of a portion of the bottom side of the bottle B.

The second packaging section 40 has a cylindrical shape with a rectangular opening, surrounded by a second left side surface section 41, a bottom surface section 42, a second right side surface section 43, and a second inner side surface section 45 (see Figures 1 and 2).

The second inner surface portion 45 is the surface that faces the bottle B when packaging. The second inner surface portion 45 has an opening 50A that is approximately the same size as the opening 20A, and second inner surface portions 45F and 45E arranged on either side of the opening 50A (see FIG. 3).

The second inner surface portion 45F is a generally rectangular portion located forward of the opening 50A. The second inner surface portion 45F has generally the same size as the first inner surface portion 15F, and is similarly provided with a second recess 60A having the same configuration as the first recess 30A.

The second inner surface portion 45E is a generally rectangular portion located on the opposite side of the opening 50A from the second inner surface portion 45F. The second inner surface portion 45E has generally the same size as the first inner surface portion 15E.

An inner wall portion 51 extending in a direction approximately perpendicular to the bottom portion 42 is connected to the edge of the second inner surface portion 45F on the opening 50A side. At least a portion of the leading edge of the inner wall portion 51 abuts against the inner surface of the bottom portion 42. An inner wall portion 55 extending in a direction approximately perpendicular to the bottom portion 42 is connected to the edge of the second inner surface portion 45E on the opening 50A side. At least a portion of the leading edge of the inner wall portion 55 abuts against the inner surface of the bottom portion 42. The inner wall portion 55 is a portion that supports part of the bottom of the bottle B when it is packaged.

The second packaging section 40 is surrounded by a second left side surface section 41, a bottom surface section 42, a second right side surface section 43, an inner wall section 51, and an inner wall section 55, and has a space with an opening 50A inside. This space is a section in which at least a portion of the bottle B is housed on the opposite side to the portion housed in the first storage section 20. Hereinafter, the area inside the second packaging section 40 with the opening 50A is also referred to as the "second storage section 50".

Near the inner wall 55, there is a holding portion 60B formed in a mountain-like fold from the inside of the bottom surface 42 toward the opening 50A. The holding portion 60B is formed by folding a substantially rectangular sheet material connected to the inner wall 55 at a predetermined crease to form a mountain-like shape. At the top of the mountain-like shape of the holding portion 60B, there is a recess 56 formed in a shape substantially identical to the outer shape of a part of the bottom side of the bottle B.

The first right side portion 13 and the second right side portion 43 are connected so that they can be folded and folded back via fold line A. The cushioning material 1 can be folded outwardly around fold line A, so that the first inner surface portion 15 and the second inner surface portion 45 are separated.

The cushioning material 1 can be opened and closed by folding back the folded first right side surface portion 13 and second right side surface portion 43 about the fold line A, so that the first inner surface portion 15 and second inner surface portion 45 face each other and come into contact or are in close proximity. In other words, the cushioning material 1 can be opened and closed by folding back the first right side surface portion 13 and second right side surface portion 43 about the fold line A in a hinge-like manner.

Hereinafter, the state of the cushioning material 1 in which the first inner surface portion 15 and the second inner surface portion 45 are separated will also be referred to as the "open state." Additionally, the state of the cushioning material 1 in which the first inner surface portion 15 and the second inner surface portion 45 are facing each other and in contact or close to each other will also be referred to as the "closed state."

The first right side surface portion 13 of this embodiment is an example of a first side surface portion, and the second right side surface portion 43 is an example of a second side surface portion. Also, the first recess 30A, the second recess 60A, the holding portion 30B, and the holding portion 60B of this embodiment are examples of fixing portions. Also, the first recess 30A and the second recess 60A are examples of a first fixing portion. Also, the holding portion 30B and the holding portion 60B are examples of a second fixing portion.

<2. Explanation of the development diagram>
Next, the sheet material 2 constituting the cushioning material 1 will be described mainly with reference to FIG.
The cushioning material 1 is formed by folding the sheet material 2, which is a rectangular cardboard sheet formed into the shape shown in Fig. 4, along a predetermined crease. The sheet material 2 may be another known sheet material, such as cardboard, formed into a predetermined shape. In this embodiment, the sheet material 2 is formed so that the width direction of the cardboard sheet (the direction in which the core of the cardboard sheet extends) is the short side direction of the sheet material 2 (the front-rear direction in Fig. 4). Note that the width direction of the cardboard sheet may be a direction different from the above.

A substantially rectangular first inner surface portion 14 is provided on one end of the sheet material 2 in the longitudinal direction. The first inner surface portion 14 is a portion that is placed on top of the inside of the first right side surface portion 13 when assembling the first packaging section 10. A substantially rectangular second inner surface portion 44 is provided on the end of the sheet material 2 opposite the first inner surface portion 14. The second inner surface portion 44 is a portion that is placed on top of the inside of the second right side surface portion 43 when assembling the second packaging section 40.

The first inner surface portion 15F is connected to the front portion of the first inner surface portion 14 via a crease. The first inner surface portion 15F is a portion having a substantially rectangular shape, and its length in the front-to-rear direction is configured to be shorter than that of the first inner surface portion 14 in the front-to-rear direction. The first inner surface portion 15E is connected to the rear portion of the first inner surface portion 14 via a crease. The first inner surface portion 15E is a portion having a substantially rectangular shape, and its length in the front-to-rear direction is configured to be shorter than that of the first inner surface portion 14 and the first inner surface portion 15F in the front-to-rear direction. The sides of the first inner surface portion 15F and the first inner surface portion 15E opposite the first inner surface portion 14 are connected to the front and rear portions of the first left side surface portion 11, respectively, via creases.

A second inner surface portion 45F, which is approximately the same size as the first inner surface portion 15F, is connected to the front portion of the second inner surface portion 44 via a crease. A second inner surface portion 45E, which is approximately the same size as the first inner surface portion 15E, is connected to the rear portion of the second inner surface portion 44 via a crease. The sides of the second inner surface portion 45F and the second inner surface portion 45E opposite the second inner surface portion 44 are connected to the front and rear portions of the second left side surface portion 41, respectively, via creases.

Between the first left side portion 11 and the second left side portion 41, the top surface portion 12, the first right side portion 13, the second right side portion 43, and the bottom surface portion 42 are arranged side by side. A crease is provided between the first left side portion 11 and the top surface portion 12, and between the top surface portion 12 and the first right side portion 13, respectively, to connect them. A crease is provided between the second right side portion 43 and the bottom surface portion 42, and between the bottom surface portion 42 and the second left side portion 41, respectively, to connect them. A crease A is provided between the first right side portion 13 and the second right side portion 43, to connect them.

The lengths of the first left side surface portion 11, the first right side surface portion 13, the first inner surface portion 14, the second left side surface portion 41, the second right side surface portion 43, and the second inner surface portion 44 in the longitudinal direction of the sheet material 2 are all approximately the same. In addition, the lengths of the top surface portion 12, the first inner surface portion 15F, the first inner surface portion 15E, the bottom surface portion 42, the second inner surface portion 45F, and the second inner surface portion 45E in the longitudinal direction of the sheet material 2 are all approximately the same.

The front edge of the bottom surface portion 42 is positioned rearwardly of the front edges of the second left side surface portion 41 and the second right side surface portion 43. In other words, the bottom surface portion 42 is formed so that its length in the front-to-rear direction is shorter than the second left side surface portion 41 and the second right side surface portion 43.

A roughly trapezoidal pressing piece 35a is provided on the front side of the first inner surface portion 14. The pressing piece 35a is a portion surrounded by a linear fold of a predetermined length and a roughly U-shaped cut line connecting both ends of the fold. Here, the cut line refers to a portion where the sheet material 2 is continuously cut through by a blade or the like.

A folding piece 36a is provided on the rear side of the first inner surface portion 14. The folding piece 36a is a portion defined by two cut lines that extend side by side at a distance from a predetermined point on the rear edge of the first inner surface portion 14 to the front side, and a crease that connects the front ends of the cut lines. In addition, a pushing piece 35b and a folding piece 36b are similarly provided in the respective portions of the first right side portion 13 where the pushing piece 35a and the folding piece 36a overlap when the first packaging section 10 is assembled into a cylindrical shape.

A push-in piece 65a similar to push-in piece 35a is provided on the front side of the second inner surface portion 44. A foldable piece 66a similar to foldable piece 36a is provided on the rear side of the second inner surface portion 44. In addition, push-in piece 65b and foldable piece 66b are similarly provided in the respective portions of the second right side surface portion 43 where push-in piece 65a and foldable piece 66a overlap when the second packaging portion 40 is assembled into a cylindrical shape.

A substantially rectangular inner wall portion 21 extending toward the first inner surface portion 15E is connected to the rear edge of the first inner surface portion 15F via a fold. A substantially rectangular inner top surface portion 22 extending toward the first inner surface portion 15E is connected to the rear edge of the inner wall portion 21 via a fold. The inner top surface portion 22 is a portion that is placed on top of the inner surface of the top surface portion 12 during assembly. A protrusion 31 is provided near the approximate center of the rear edge of the inner wall portion 21, which is defined by a substantially U-shaped cut line and extends toward the inner top surface portion 22.

A substantially rectangular inner wall portion 25 extending toward the first inner surface portion 15F is connected to the front edge of the first inner surface portion 15E via a crease. A substantially rectangular retaining piece 24 extending toward the first inner surface portion 15F is connected to the front edge of the inner wall portion 25 via a crease. Furthermore, a substantially rectangular retaining piece 23 extending toward the first inner surface portion 15F is connected to the front edge of the retaining piece 24 via a crease. The retaining pieces 23 and 24 are folded at the crease at the boundary between them to become the retaining portion 30B.

A through hole 26a is provided across the holding pieces 23 and 24. The through hole 26a is surrounded by an arc-shaped cut line 26b that is curved forward and provided on the holding piece 23, and arc-shaped cut lines 26c that are curved backward and provided on the holding piece 24 from both ends of the cut line 26b. The through hole 26a is formed so that when the holding pieces 23 and 24 are folded together at the crease between them, it becomes a recess 26 that corresponds to a part of the shape of the outer shape of the bottom side of the bottle B.

At both ends of the front side of the inner wall 25, protrusions 33a, 33b are provided, which are defined by an approximately L-shaped cut line and extend toward the retaining piece 24. In addition, near the center of the front side of the retaining piece 23, a protrusion 32 is provided, which is defined by an approximately U-shaped cut line and extends toward the inner top surface 22. The retaining piece 23 and the inner top surface 22 are separated by the approximately U-shaped cut line that defines the protrusion 32 and linear cut lines that extend from both ends of the cut line.

A recessed piece 27 is provided on the first inner surface portion 15F approximately near the center of the sheet material 2 in the longitudinal direction, separated by a set of cut lines 28a, 28b that run side by side in the front-to-rear direction and are spaced apart by a predetermined length d1 in the longitudinal direction of the sheet material 2. The recessed piece 27 is pressed inward when the cushioning material 1 is assembled, forming the first recess 30A.

The length d1 between the cut lines 28a and 28b is set to be approximately the same as the width d2 of the portion of the bottle B that corresponds to the first recess 30A during packaging, or is slightly longer than the width d2. In other words, the cut lines 28a and 28b are set with a distance of length d1 between them so that when the cushioning material 1 is assembled, a first recess 30A large enough to accommodate a specified portion of the mouth side of the bottle B is formed.

The rear sides of the cut lines 28a, 28b extend into the inner wall portion 21 beyond the boundary between the first inner surface portion 15F and the inner wall portion 21. The cut lines 28a, 28b extend in a direction toward the inner top surface portion 22 while curving in an arc in the direction approaching each other in the inner wall portion 21. The leading ends of the cut lines 28a, 28b are connected by a fold that extends in the longitudinal direction of the sheet material 2.

The front portion of the recessed piece 27 has a fold 27c that extends in the longitudinal direction of the sheet material 2 and connects the front ends of the cut lines 28a and 28b. In addition, a fold 27d that extends approximately parallel to the fold 27c is provided in a portion a predetermined distance rearward from the fold 27c. Hereinafter, the portion of the recessed piece 27 between the folds 27c and 27d is also referred to as the recess side portion 27b. In addition, the portion of the recessed piece 27 rearward of the fold 27d of the recessed piece 27 is also referred to as the recess top portion 27a.

The fold 27c is provided so that the distance L1 between the first inner surface portion 15E and the side of the opening 20A is approximately the same as the height L2 of the bottle B (see FIG. 3). The fold 27d is provided at a position such that the first recess 30A is a depression deep enough to accommodate at least a portion of the mouth side of the bottle B.

A long and narrow through hole 37 is provided in the front-rear direction between the inner wall portion 21, the inner top surface portion 22, the holding piece 23, the holding piece 24, and the inner wall portion 25 and the first left side surface portion 11. In addition, a similar through hole 37 is provided between the inner wall portion 21, the inner top surface portion 22, the holding piece 23, the holding piece 24, and the inner wall portion 25 and the first inner surface portion 14.

A lock piece 34 is provided on the front end of the first inner surface portion 15F, on the side of the first left side surface portion 11. The lock piece 34 is a generally trapezoidal portion surrounded by a set of cut lines extending from the front edge of the first inner surface portion 15F toward the rear side and a fold line connecting the rear ends of the cut lines.

A substantially rectangular inner wall portion 51 extending toward the second inner surface portion 45E is connected to the rear edge of the second inner surface portion 45F via a fold. A substantially rectangular inner bottom surface portion 52 extending toward the second inner surface portion 45E is connected to the rear edge of the inner wall portion 51 via a fold. The inner bottom surface portion 52 is a portion that is placed on top of the inner surface of the bottom surface portion 42 during assembly. A protrusion 61 is provided near the approximate center of the rear edge of the inner wall portion 51, which is defined by a substantially U-shaped cut line and extends toward the inner bottom surface portion 52.

A substantially rectangular inner wall portion 55 extending toward the second inner surface portion 45F is connected to the front edge of the second inner surface portion 45E via a crease. A substantially rectangular retaining piece 54 extending toward the second inner surface portion 45F is connected to the front edge of the inner wall portion 55 via a crease. A substantially rectangular retaining piece 53 extending toward the second inner surface portion 45F is connected to the front edge of the retaining piece 54 via a crease. The retaining pieces 53 and 54 are folded in a mountain fold at the crease between them to form the retaining portion 60B.

A through hole 56b is provided on the side of holding piece 54 facing holding piece 53, cut along an arc-shaped cut line and a straight cut line connecting both ends of the arc-shaped cut line. The arc-shaped edge of through hole 56b has a shape that corresponds to the outer periphery of part of the bottom side of bottle B. The straight edge of through hole 56b is provided on the line along which the crease at the boundary between holding pieces 53 and 54 extends.

A pressing portion 56a is provided in the portion of the holding piece 53 adjacent to the through hole 56b. This pressing portion 56a has a shape that is symmetrical to the through hole 56b with respect to the boundary between the holding pieces 53 and 54 as the axis.

The pressing portion 56a is a portion surrounded by the arc-shaped fold line 56c and the straight edge of the through hole 56b. In this embodiment, the fold line 56c surrounding the pressing portion 56a is formed by cutting with a sewing machine blade. This fold line 56c may be formed by any other known method that makes it easy to fold the cardboard sheet at a predetermined position.

The pressing portion 56a has a number of pressing pieces 56d that are partitioned by a number of cut lines that extend radially from a number of predetermined points on the boundary between the pressing portion 56a and the through hole 56b toward the folding line 56c.

When the holding portion 56a is pressed by the outer part of the bottle B while the holding pieces 53 and 54 are folded in a mountain fold, the holding piece 56d is bent toward the through hole 56b, forming a recess 56 shaped to correspond to the bottom part of the bottle B.

At both ends of the front side of the inner wall portion 55, protrusions 63a, 63b are provided, which are defined by an approximately L-shaped cut line and extend toward the holding piece 54. In addition, near the center of the front side of the holding piece 53, a protrusion 62 is provided, which is defined by an approximately U-shaped cut line and extends toward the inner bottom surface portion 52. The holding piece 53 and the inner bottom surface portion 52 are separated by the approximately U-shaped cut line that defines the protrusion 62 and linear cut lines that extend from both ends of the cut line.

In the second inner surface portion 45F, approximately near the center in the longitudinal direction of the sheet material 2, a recessed piece 57 is provided in the same manner as the recessed piece 27, separated by a set of cut lines 58a, 58b that extend side by side in the front-to-rear direction and are spaced apart by a predetermined length d1 in the longitudinal direction of the sheet material 2. The recessed piece 57 is pressed in when the cushioning material 1 is assembled, and forms a second recess 60A similar to the first recess 30A.

The front portion of the recessed piece 57 has a fold 57c that extends in the longitudinal direction of the sheet material 2 and connects the front ends of the cut lines 58a and 58b. In addition, a portion of the recessed piece 57 a predetermined distance rearward from the fold 57c also has a fold 57d that extends approximately parallel to the fold 57c. Hereinafter, the portion of the recessed piece 57 between the folds 57c and 57d is also referred to as the recess side portion 57b. In addition, the portion of the recessed piece 57 rearward of the fold 57d of the recessed piece 57 is also referred to as the recess bottom portion 57a.

The fold 57c is provided so that the distance L1 between the second inner surface portion 45E and the side of the opening 50A is approximately the same as the height L2 of the bottle B (see FIG. 3). The fold 57d is provided at a position such that the second recess 60A is a depression deep enough to accommodate at least a portion of the mouth side of the bottle B.

A long and narrow through hole 67 is provided in the front-rear direction between the inner wall portion 51, the inner bottom surface portion 52, the holding piece 53, the holding piece 54, and the inner wall portion 55 and the second left side surface portion 41. Similarly, a through hole 67 is provided between the inner wall portion 51, the inner bottom surface portion 52, the holding piece 53, the holding piece 54, and the inner wall portion 55 and the second inner surface portion 44.

A lock piece 64 is provided on the front end of the second inner side surface portion 45F, on the side of the second left side surface portion 41. The lock piece 64 is a trapezoidal portion having the same shape as the lock piece 34, and is provided in a position that overlaps with the lock piece 34 when the cushioning material 1 is in a closed state. The lock piece 34 in this embodiment is an example of a first lock piece. The lock piece 64 is also an example of a second lock piece.

A rectangular through hole 16 extending in the longitudinal direction of the sheet material 2 is provided on the front side of the top surface portion 12, approximately at the center of the longitudinal direction of the sheet material 2. The through hole 16 is provided at a position away from the front edge of the top surface portion 12 by a length approximately equal to the front-to-rear dimension of the first inner surface portion 15F. This through hole 16 is the portion into which the protrusion 31 is inserted when the cushioning material 1 is assembled.

A rectangular through hole 17 extending in the longitudinal direction of the sheet material 2 is provided on the rear side of the top surface portion 12, approximately at the center of the longitudinal direction of the sheet material 2. The through hole 17 is provided at a position away from the rear edge of the top surface portion 12 by a length approximately equal to the front-to-rear dimension of the first inner surface portion 15E. This through hole 17 is the portion into which the protrusion 32 is inserted when the cushioning material 1 is assembled.

In the rear of the through hole 17 in the top surface 12 and adjacent to the first left side surface 11 and the first right side surface 13, approximately rectangular through holes 18a and 18b are provided side by side in the longitudinal direction of the sheet material 2. These through holes 18a and 18b are the portions into which the protrusions 33a and 33b are inserted, respectively, when the cushioning material 1 is assembled.

Similarly, through hole 46, through hole 47, and through holes 48a and 48b are provided in bottom surface 42. Through hole 46 is the portion into which protrusion 61 is inserted when cushioning material 1 is assembled. Through hole 47 is the portion into which protrusion 62 is inserted, and through holes 48a and 48b are the portions into which protrusions 63a and 63b are inserted, respectively, when cushioning material 1 is assembled. Note that through hole 47 is provided forward of the position where through hole 17 is provided.

<3. Assembly and packaging instructions>
Next, a method of assembling the cushioning material 1 and a method of packaging the bottle B using the cushioning material 1 will be described with reference mainly to FIGS.

First, the inner top surface portion 22 and the inner wall portion 21 are raised and folded at their respective creases. Specifically, the inner wall portion 21 is folded so as to be approximately perpendicular to the first inner surface portion 15F. Furthermore, the inner top surface portion 22 is folded in the same direction as the inner wall portion 21 so as to be approximately perpendicular to the inner wall portion 21. At this time, the inner top surface portion 22 is made approximately parallel to the first inner surface portion 15F (see FIG. 5). Furthermore, the recessed piece 27 is cut from the inner top surface portion 22 and the inner wall portion 21 at the cut lines 28a, 28b, and folded at the creases 27c, 27d to form the first recess 30A.

Similarly, the inner bottom surface portion 52 and the inner wall portion 51 are raised and folded at their respective creases. Specifically, the inner wall portion 51 is folded so as to be approximately perpendicular to the second inner side surface portion 45F. Furthermore, the inner bottom surface portion 52 is folded in the same direction as the inner wall portion 51 so as to be approximately perpendicular to the inner wall portion 51. At this time, the inner bottom surface portion 52 is made approximately parallel to the second inner side surface portion 45F (see FIG. 5). Furthermore, similar to the above-mentioned recessed piece 27, the recessed piece 57 is cut off and folded at the creases 57c and 57d to form the second recess 60A.

Furthermore, the retaining pieces 23 and 24 and the inner wall portion 25 are raised and folded at their respective creases. Specifically, they are folded to the same side as the inner wall portion 21 so that the inner wall portion 25 and the first inner surface portion 15E are approximately perpendicular to each other. Next, the inner wall portion 25 and the retaining piece 24 are folded in a mountain fold. In other words, the retaining piece 23 side of the retaining piece 24 is folded down toward the first inner surface portion 15F. In this way, the protrusions 33a and 33b protrude in a direction away from the crease between the inner wall portion 25 and the retaining piece 24 and away from the first inner surface portion 15E.

Furthermore, the retaining piece 23 is folded back so that the protrusion 32 faces the same side as the protrusions 33a and 33b. Similarly, the retaining piece 53, the retaining piece 54, and the inner wall portion 55 are raised and folded in the same manner as the retaining piece 23, the retaining piece 24, and the inner wall portion 25. In this way, the inner wall portion 55 and the second inner surface portion 45E are perpendicular to each other, and the protrusion 62 and the protrusions 63a and 63b each protrude to the same side.

When each is folded as described above, an opening is created between the first inner surface portion 15F and the first inner surface portion 15E. This opening becomes opening 20A. Similarly, an opening is created between the second inner surface portion 45F and the second inner surface portion 45E. This opening becomes opening 50A.

Then, the first left side surface portion 11, the top surface portion 12, the first inner surface portion 14, and the first inner surface portion 15 are folded into a cylindrical shape. Specifically, the first left side surface portion 11, the top surface portion 12, the first inner surface portion 14, and the first inner surface portion 15 are raised from the side of the first inner surface portion 14, and are folded sequentially at each crease to form a cylindrical shape. In this way, the first inner surface portion 14 comes into contact with the boundary between the top surface portion 12 and the first right side surface portion 13 (see Figures 5 and 6).

When forming the first left side surface portion 11, the top surface portion 12, the first inner surface portion 14, and the first inner surface portion 15 into a cylindrical shape, the protrusion portion 31 is inserted into the through hole 16. In this way, the inner wall portion 21 is perpendicular to each of the first inner surface portion 15F and the top surface portion 12, and the inner top surface portion 22 is fixed in contact with the top surface portion 12.

Then, the protrusion 32 is inserted into the through hole 17, and the protrusions 33a and 33b are inserted into the through holes 18a and 18b, respectively. In this way, the inner wall portion 25 is fixed to the top surface portion 12 in a state where it is approximately perpendicular to the first inner side surface portion 15E and the top surface portion 12, respectively. In addition, the holding pieces 23 and 24 are folded over and fixed in a state where they extend from the portion where the inner wall portion 25 and the top surface portion 12 abut toward the opening 20A.

The second left side surface portion 41, the bottom surface portion 42, the second inner surface portion 44, and the second inner side surface portion 45 are also folded along the creases between them to form a cylindrical shape. In this way, the second inner surface portion 44 comes into contact with the boundary between the bottom surface portion 42 and the second right side surface portion 43 (see Figures 5 and 6).

When forming the second left side surface portion 41, the bottom surface portion 42, the second inner surface portion 44, and the second inner surface portion 45 into a cylindrical shape, the protrusion portion 61 is inserted into the through hole 46. In this way, the inner wall portion 51 is approximately perpendicular to each of the bottom surface portion 42 and the second inner surface portion 45F, and the inner bottom surface portion 52 is fixed to the bottom surface portion 42 in a state of contact with the bottom surface portion 42.

The protrusion 62 is inserted into the through hole 47, and the protrusions 63a and 63b are inserted into the through holes 48a and 48b, respectively. In this way, the inner wall portion 55 is fixed to the bottom portion 42 in a state where it is approximately perpendicular to the second inner side surface portion 45E and the bottom portion 42. The retaining pieces 53 and 54 are also fixed to the bottom portion 42 in a state where they are folded in a mountain fold at the crease between them.

The first right side portion 13 is then folded along the crease between the top surface portion 12 so that the first inner surface portion 14 and the first right side portion 13 overlap. Similarly, the second right side portion 43 is folded along the crease between the bottom surface portion 42 so that the second inner surface portion 44 and the second right side portion 43 overlap. In this way, a roughly rectangular parallelepiped is formed in which the first packaging portion 10 and the second packaging portion 40 are stacked vertically (see FIG. 7).

After the first inner surface portion 14 and the first right side surface portion 13, and the second inner surface portion 44 and the second right side surface portion 43 are overlapped, the pushing pieces 35b and 65b are pushed inward (see FIG. 7). When the pushing piece 35b is pushed inward, the corresponding pushing piece 35a is also pushed inward while overlapping with the pushing piece 35b. Also, when the pushing piece 65b is pushed inward, the corresponding pushing piece 65a is also pushed inward while overlapping with the pushing piece 65b (see FIG. 8(a)).

Furthermore, the folded pieces 36a and 36b are folded inward while overlapping each other. Similarly, the folded pieces 66a and 66b are folded inward while overlapping each other (see FIG. 8(b)). In this way, the first inner surface portion 14 and the first right side surface portion 13 are fixed in an overlapping state, and the first packaging portion 10 is fixed in a cylindrically formed state. Furthermore, the second inner surface portion 44 and the second right side surface portion 43 are fixed in an overlapping state, and the second packaging portion 40 is fixed in a cylindrically formed state.

When packaging bottle B, the cushioning material 1 is opened by folding the first right side portion 13 and the second right side portion 43 outward at crease A (see FIG. 9). Then, bottle B is stored in the second storage section 50. Specifically, the bottom side of bottle B faces the inner wall portion 55, and its mouth side faces the inner wall portion 51. Then, bottle B is positioned so that the bottom portion fits into the recess 56 of the holding section 60B, and the mouth side fits into the second recess 60A.

In this way, in the holding section 60B, each pressing piece 56d is pressed by the bottom side of the bottle B and is folded along the folding line 56c toward the bottom surface section 42. That is, the bottom side of the bottle B is in contact with the arc-shaped edge of the through hole 56b and the folded pressing piece 56d, and is supported from the bottom surface section 42 side. Also, a part of the inner wall section 55 is in contact with or in close proximity to a part of the bottom of the bottle B. Furthermore, in the second recess 60A, the mouth side of the bottle B is fitted, and the recess bottom surface section 57a, the recess side surface section 57b, and the edge part of the inner wall section 51 formed by the cut lines 58a and 58b are in contact with or in close proximity to the corresponding part of the mouth side of the bottle B. That is, a part of one side of the bottle B is accommodated and fixed in the second accommodation section 50.

After the bottle B is accommodated in the second storage section 50, the first right side section 13 is folded back at the crease A to close the cushioning material 1. When the cushioning material 1 is closed, the bottom part of the bottle B is fitted into the recess 26 of the holding section 30B. A part of the inner wall section 25 is in contact with or close to the bottom part of the bottle B. Furthermore, the mouth side part of the bottle B is fitted into the recessed part of the first recess 30A, and the recess top surface section 27a, recess side surface section 27b, and the edge part of the inner wall section 21 formed by the cut lines 28a, 28b are in contact with or close to the mouth side part of the bottle B. In other words, a part of the other side of the bottle B is accommodated and fixed in the first storage section 20.

Here, when bottle B is fixed, it is not necessary that all of the first recess 30A, second storage section 50, holding section 30B, holding section 60B, inner wall section 25, and inner wall section 55 are in contact with the corresponding parts of bottle B. In other words, when bottle B is fixed, at least one of the above may have a gap between it and the corresponding bottle B.

When the cushioning material 1 is closed, the locking pieces 34 and 64 are folded down to one side while overlapping each other (see FIG. 10). In this way, the cushioning material 1 is maintained in a closed state. After the locking pieces 34 and 64 are folded down, the outside of the cushioning material 1 is wrapped in a sleeve-shaped wrapping material (not shown). Alternatively, the outside of the cushioning material 1 may be wrapped in a flexible sheet-like wrapping material or other known wrapping material capable of covering the outside of the cushioning material 1. Alternatively, such wrapping may not be performed.

With the cushioning material 1 configured as described above, the first packaging section 10 and the second packaging section 40 can be opened and closed in a hinged manner with the fold A as the axis. This allows the bottle B to be easily packaged by sandwiching it between the first packaging section 10 and the second packaging section 40. Furthermore, since the first packaging section 10 and the second packaging section 40 are connected by the first right side section 13 and the second right side section 43, the respective sections that package the contents do not come apart. This makes it easy to package the contents and remove the product.

In addition, there are a first recess 30A and a second recess 60A for fixing the mouth side of the bottle B, retaining portions 30B, 60B for fixing the bottom side of the bottle B, and inner wall portions 25, 55. Therefore, the cushioning material 1 can package the bottle B with both its mouth side and bottom side fixed. In other words, the cushioning material 1 can package the bottle B while firmly fixing it, and the bottle B will not move unnecessarily inside the cushioning material 1 during transportation, etc.

Furthermore, the first recess 30A is provided adjacent to the first inner surface portion 15F, and the holding portion 30B and the inner wall portion 25 are provided adjacent to the first inner surface portion 15E. The second recess 60A is provided adjacent to the second inner surface portion 45F, and the holding portion 60B and the inner wall portion 55 are provided adjacent to the second inner surface portion 45E. This makes it easier to wrap and remove the bottle B, as these parts will not come off the cushioning material 1 and fall apart.

Furthermore, the first packaging section 10 and the second packaging section 40 are provided with a first storage section 20 and a second storage section 50, respectively. Therefore, the bottle B can be stored and packaged on both sides of the first packaging section 10 and the second packaging section 40. Also, for example, when the second packaging section 40 is placed on the bottom and the cushioning material 1 is opened, a part of the bottle B is stored on the second packaging section 40 side, and the opposite side of the bottle B is taken out from the first packaging section 10 and exposed. Alternatively, for example, when the first packaging section 10 is placed on the bottom and the cushioning material 1 is opened, a part of the bottle B is stored on the first packaging section 10 side, and the opposite side of the bottle B is taken out from the second packaging section 40 and exposed. Therefore, packaging work of the bottle B and taking out the bottle B can be easily performed.

In addition, when an external impact is applied to the cushioning material 1 in a closed state, the force is dispersed to both the first packaging section 10 and the second packaging section 40. This prevents the external force from concentrating on either the first packaging section 10 or the second packaging section 40, which could cause part of the cushioning material 1 to deform or break.

Furthermore, the cushioning material 1 is equipped with locking pieces 34 and 64 that maintain the closed state. This makes it possible to prevent the cushioning material 1 from opening unintentionally without using additional parts. For example, it is possible to prevent the cushioning material 1 from opening unintentionally and causing the contents to fall out during transportation or when removing packaging material such as a sleeve that covers the outside of the cushioning material 1.

The cushioning material 1 is further composed of a first packaging section 10 and a second packaging section 40, each of which has an opening formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape. In this way, the surfaces constituting the cylindrical shapes of the first packaging section 10 and the second packaging section 40 support each other, thereby making it possible to provide a cushioning material 1 with increased strength.

The first recess 30A, the second recess 60A, the holding portion 30B, and the holding portion 60B are provided at positions away from the outside of the cushioning material 1, such as the top surface portion 12 and the bottom surface portion 42. That is, the first recess 30A, the second recess 60A, the holding portion 30B, and the holding portion 60B are configured to hold the bottle B at positions away from the parts that form the outside of the cushioning material 1. The inner wall portion 25 and the inner wall portion 55 are also provided at positions away from the cylindrical openings of the first packaging portion 10 and the second packaging portion 40. Therefore, even if a force such as an impact is applied to the cushioning material 1 from the outside, the force is prevented from acting directly on the bottle B.

Furthermore, the first packaging section 10 and the second packaging section 40 can be fixed in a cylindrical state by the pushing pieces 35a, 35b and the folding pieces 36a, 36b, etc., without using any additional materials such as adhesives. This makes it easy to assemble the cushioning material 1. In addition, these fixings can be easily released and the material can be easily returned to a sheet shape. In other words, after the contents are removed, the fixings can be released and the material can be returned to a sheet shape for storage, etc., allowing for compact storage.

The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the cushioning material may have an opening only in the second inner side surface portion 45. In other words, the second packaging section 40 may have a storage section in which the contents are stored, and the first packaging section 10 may have no storage section. In this way, a cushioning material with a simpler configuration can be obtained.

The holding portion 30B and the holding portion 60B may be formed in the same manner as the first recess 30A and the second recess 60A. That is, the first inner surface portion 15E and the second inner surface portion 45E may be configured to have recessed portions corresponding to the shapes of the corresponding portions of the contents. Alternatively, the first recess 30A and the second recess 60A may be formed in the same manner as the holding portion 30B and the holding portion 60B.

In the above embodiment, the first packaging section 10 and the second packaging section 40 are both cylindrically shaped with openings. On the other hand, the cylindrical openings of the first packaging section 10 and the second packaging section 40 may be closed by the side, and the respective side surfaces may be connected via a fold. For example, the cylindrical first packaging section 10 may have a side surface that closes the opening on the bottom side of the bottle B, and the cylindrical second packaging section 40 may have a side surface that closes the opening on the bottom side of the bottle B, and the respective side surfaces may be connected via a fold. In other words, the side surface of the cushioning material 1 on the bottom side of the bottle B may be folded in a hinge shape and connected so as to be able to fold back, so that the cushioning material can be opened and closed in the longitudinal direction of the bottle B. In this way, a wide variety of cushioning materials can be provided.

In the above embodiment, the first packaging unit 10 and the second packaging unit 40 are described as having rectangular tubular openings. However, the first packaging unit 10 and the second packaging unit 40 may have tubular openings of other shapes as long as they can be provided with a storage section capable of storing the contents. For example, the openings may be tubular with other shapes, such as a triangular or trapezoidal opening.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments as long as it conforms to the spirit of the disclosure described in the above-mentioned embodiments. Therefore, the present invention may be a configuration in which at least two of the above-mentioned embodiments are combined, or a configuration in which any of the constituent elements illustrated or the constituent elements described with reference numerals in the above-mentioned embodiments are eliminated.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1... cushioning material 2... sheet material 10... first packaging section 11... first left side surface section 12... top surface section 13... first right side surface section 14... first inner surface section 15, 15E, 15F... first inner side surface section 16-18b... through hole 20... first storage section 20A, 50A... opening 21, 25, 51, 55... inner wall section 22... inner top surface section 23, 24, 53, 54... holding piece 26, 56... recess 26a, 56b... through hole 26b, 26c, 28a, 28b, 58a, 58b... cut line 27, 57... recess piece 27a... recess top surface section 27b, 57b... recess side surface section 27c, 27d, 57c, 57d... fold 30A... first recess 60A...second recess 30B, 60B...holding portion 31-33b, 61-63b...projection portion 34, 64...locking piece 35a, 35b, 65a, 65b...push-in piece 36a, 36b, 66a, 66b...folding piece 37, 67...through hole 40...second packaging portion 41...second left side portion 42...bottom portion 43...second right side portion 44...second inner surface portion 45, 45E, 45F...second inner side portion 46-48b...through hole 50...second storage portion 52...inner bottom surface portion 56a...pressing portion 56c...fold line 56d...pressing piece 57a...recessed bottom surface portion A...fold B...bottle

Claims (3)

A cushioning material including a first packaging section and a second packaging section formed by folding a sheet material, the cushioning material packaging the contents by disposing the contents between the first packaging section and the second packaging section,
The first packaging section includes:
A first inner side surface portion that faces the content when the content is packaged;
The first inner surface portion has a first side surface portion adjacent to the first inner surface portion, and the first side surface portion extends in a direction intersecting the direction in which the first inner surface portion extends.
The second packaging section includes:
A second inner side surface portion that faces the content when the content is packaged;
The second inner surface portion has at least a second side surface portion extending in a direction intersecting with the direction in which the second inner surface portion extends and adjacent to the second inner surface portion;
The first side surface portion and the second side surface portion are connected to each other via a fold line so as to be able to be folded and unfolded,
The first inner surface portion and the second inner surface portion each have a fixing portion formed corresponding to a shape of at least a part of the content and are connected to each other, and a storage portion is provided in which at least a part of the content is stored ,
The fixing portion is composed of a first fixing portion formed corresponding to the shape of one side of the content and a second fixing portion formed corresponding to the shape of the other side of the content,
At least a part of an area of the storage section provided on the first inner surface portion in which a part of the one side of the contents is stored is defined by an inner wall portion connected to the first inner surface portion, and at least a part of an area of the storage section provided on the second inner surface portion in which a part of the other side of the contents is stored is defined by an inner wall portion connected to the second inner surface portion,
the first fixing portion is formed by bending a first holding piece connected to an edge of an inner wall portion connected to the first inner surface portion, the first holding piece being connected to an edge opposite the first inner surface portion, so as to protrude toward an opening of the accommodating portion provided on the first inner surface portion;
The second fixing portion is formed by bending a second holding piece connected to an edge of an inner wall portion connected to the second inner surface portion, the second holding piece being connected to an edge opposite to the second inner surface portion, so as to protrude toward an opening of the storage portion provided on the second inner surface portion.
Cushioning material. A first lock piece is provided at one end of the first inner surface portion and is defined by a cut line.
The cushioning material according to claim 1 , wherein a second locking piece defined by a cut line is provided in a portion of the second inner surface portion that overlaps with the first locking piece when the contents are contained. 3. The cushioning material according to claim 1 , wherein the first packaging portion and the second packaging portion are formed by folding the sheet material so that the openings of the first packaging portion and the second packaging portion are rectangular tubular.