JP7791360B2 - Ramps and how to use them - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a slope and its use.

Heavy objects are typically transported on pallets or other loading platforms (packaging materials). When unloading heavy objects from their packaging at their destination, loading equipment such as hand trucks or forklifts may be used. However, depending on the destination, this type of loading equipment may not be available. In light of this situation, wooden ramps are now often transported along with heavy objects.

Heavy objects are typically equipped with casters for movement. When lowering a heavy object from its packaging onto a placement surface, a wooden ramp is installed to connect the packaging to the placement surface, and the casters attached to the heavy object are caused to slide along the ramp. This allows the heavy object to be removed from the packaging and moved onto the placement surface. An example of a wooden ramp is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below.

However, wooden ramps sent to their destination are often disposed of immediately at the destination, which is undesirable from the perspective of environmental impact. Furthermore, wooden ramps are relatively expensive, so there are concerns about the increased costs involved in transporting them.

From this perspective, Patent Document 2 below proposes using cardboard ramps instead of wooden ramps, which have low material costs, are recyclable, and have a low environmental impact.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-207935 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-096356

However, cardboard ramps are less durable than wooden ramps. Specifically, if casters attached to a heavy object are slid across the surface of a cardboard ramp, the cardboard ramp may become deformed.

Patent Document 2 proposes supporting a cardboard ramp with a support to prevent deformation. In order to reduce environmental impact, Patent Document 2 also uses a reinforcing member made of laminated cardboard for the support. More specifically, the reinforcing member is a block made of stacked pieces of cardboard cut into a trapezoidal shape, with each layer glued together. The ramp and reinforcing member are connected, and by rotating the ramp, the reinforcing member is positioned between the slope of the ramp and the installation surface. Patent Document 2 claims that with this structure, the reinforcing member improves the ramp's load-bearing capacity, even when casters attached to heavy objects slide along the ramp.

The block-shaped reinforcing member disclosed in Patent Document 2 is formed by stacking multiple sheets of cardboard with their facing surfaces glued together. However, with this method, an adhesive bonding step is required each time the number of stacked cardboard sheets increases, making the manufacturing process more complicated. Therefore, if another company were to be commissioned to manufacture a ramp that includes such a reinforcing member, the cost of obtaining the ramp could increase.

Furthermore, the reinforcing member disclosed in Patent Document 2 has adhesive applied to the surfaces of each cardboard, which makes recycling impossible or difficult and poses a significant environmental burden.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention aims to provide a ramp for moving heavy objects that can be manufactured at low cost and with low environmental impact. Another aim of the present invention is to provide a method for using such a ramp.

The slope according to the present invention comprises:
a frame body made of cardboard, the frame body including a bottom plate portion extending in a first direction, and a pair of side wall portions extending in the first direction, connected to the bottom plate portion, facing each other, and decreasing in height as they extend in the first direction, the cross section perpendicular to the first direction being channel-shaped;
a reinforcing member formed by stacking a plurality of flat plate-like members made of corrugated cardboard without bonding them to each other and filling the internal space surrounded by the frame body;
The plurality of flat plate-like members are packed in the frame body with the step direction of the cores oriented substantially parallel to the surface of the side wall portion.

In this specification, "channel shape" refers to a shape equivalent to a U-shape or a C-shape.

The above-mentioned slope has a cardboard frame. The sidewalls included in the cardboard frame are shaped so that their height decreases as they extend in the first direction. A reinforcing member filled with multiple flat plate-like members is disposed in the internal space enclosed by the frame, which includes the sidewalls and bottom plate. In other words, if the bottom plate is positioned vertically upward, the bottom plate or other members disposed on the top surface of the bottom plate form the sloped surface (slide surface). Furthermore, if the bottom plate is positioned vertically downward, typically above the installation surface, the side of the reinforcing member made of multiple flat plate-like members, or other members disposed on the top surface of this side, form the sloped surface (slide surface). As described below, when the slope includes a pair of frames, bottom plate members are located on both the installation surface side and the sliding surface side.

With the above configuration, similar to conventional ramps, the ramp is positioned so that it connects to the packaging material, allowing the casters attached to the heavy object removed from the packaging material to be positioned on the ramp's sliding surface and slide along the sliding surface to the installation surface (typically the floor). This prevents impacts to the heavy object due to the presence of a step. In particular, if the heavy object is a precision instrument, impacts that occur when crossing a step could affect the quality of the product, so this situation must be avoided. By using the above ramp, the casters can slide along the sliding surface to the installation surface, allowing the heavy object to be unloaded from the packaging material while avoiding impacts to the heavy object.

As described above, the ramp of the present invention comprises a cardboard frame and a reinforcing member in which multiple flat plate-shaped members are filled into the internal space surrounded by the frame. In other words, because both the frame and the reinforcing member are made of cardboard, it has a lower environmental impact and is less expensive than wooden ramps.

The reinforcing member is constructed by filling the internal space defined by the frame with multiple flat plate-shaped members. This eliminates the need to glue the surfaces of each flat plate-shaped member together. This reduces the environmental impact compared to the slope disclosed in Patent Document 2. Additionally, because the reinforcing member can be formed simply by filling the frame with multiple flat plate-shaped members, it can be manufactured more simply and at lower manufacturing costs compared to the slope disclosed in Patent Document 2, which requires the surfaces of each flat plate-shaped member to be glued together with adhesive.

While cardboard is weak against forces applied perpendicular to the corrugation direction of the corrugation, it is strong against forces applied along the corrugation direction. According to the above configuration, the multiple flat plate-shaped components constituting the reinforcing member are packed into the frame so that the corrugation direction of the corrugation is substantially parallel to the surface of the sidewall. In other words, when casters attached to a heavy object slide along the sloped surface located vertically above the reinforcing member, the direction of the load applied by the heavy object to the reinforcing member is aligned with the corrugation direction of the corrugation of the multiple flat plate-shaped components. As a result, even if the object being transported along the sloped surface is heavy, deformation of the sloped surface is suppressed. Heavy objects are expected to weigh approximately 100 kg to 500 kg. For example, the above slope can be used to move a product weighing 300 kg from packaging to a placement surface.

The phrase "the step direction of the cores of multiple flat plate-like components is substantially parallel to" the surface of the side wall refers to the case where 90% or more of the multiple flat plate-like components filling the internal space are arranged with the step direction of the cores approximately parallel to the surface of the side wall. Furthermore, in this specification, the term "approximately parallel" refers to the case where the step direction of the cores and the surface of the side wall are completely parallel, in other words, the angle between the step direction of the cores and the surface of the side wall is 0°, as well as the case where the absolute value of this angle is 10° or less.

When installing the ramp on an installation surface (typically a floor), it is preferable that the main surfaces of the pair of side walls are approximately perpendicular to the installation surface. Here, "approximately perpendicular" is a concept that encompasses cases where the angle between the surfaces of the pair of side walls and the installation surface is 90°, as well as cases where the angle is between 80° and 100°.

the frame body includes a first frame body in which the bottom plate portion is disposed on the installation surface side, and a second frame body in which the bottom plate portion is disposed vertically above the installation surface, and one of the first frame body and the second frame body is disposed so as to surround the other,
The reinforcing member may be formed by filling the plurality of flat plate-shaped members into the internal space surrounded by the bottom plate portion of the first frame body, the bottom plate portion of the second frame body, and the side wall portions of the first frame body and the second frame body.

With the above configuration, the bottom plate portion of the first frame body is placed on the installation surface, and the bottom plate portion of the second frame body is positioned vertically above the bottom plate portion of the first frame body. In this case, the surface formed by the bottom plate portion of the second frame body becomes an inclined surface, forming the surface along which the casters slide.

The multiple flat plate-shaped members that make up the reinforcing member are filled into the internal space surrounded on all four sides by the bottom plate portion of the first frame body, the bottom plate portion of the second frame body, and the side wall portions of the first and second frame bodies. This further improves the stability of the multiple flat plate-shaped members.

The slope may further include a sliding plate-like member made of paper that is harder than the frame body and is arranged on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion of the second frame body, extending in the first direction.

As mentioned above, both the first and second frames are made of cardboard. When the casters of a heavy load slide along the bottom plate of the first frame, there is a possibility that the weight of the heavy load may cause deformation of the bottom plate, even though a reinforcing member made of multiple flat plate members is located vertically below. In contrast, by placing a sliding plate member made of paper that is harder than the frame body on the upper surface of the bottom plate of the first frame, as in the above configuration, and using the surface of this sliding plate member as the sliding surface for the casters of the heavy load, the effect of suppressing deformation of the slope, including the bottom plate of the first frame, is further improved.

The sliding plate-shaped member is preferably made of paper tube base paper. However, the material of the sliding plate-shaped member is not limited to paper tube base paper, as long as it is made of paper that is harder than the frame body.

When moving a heavy object from the packaging material to the installation surface, the casters of the heavy object slide downward along the surface of the sliding plate-like member attached to the upper surface of the bottom plate of the first frame. When the heavy object approaches the installation surface, although the difference in level between the upstream side of the slope (the packaging material side) and the installation surface is significantly reduced, it is still expected that a difference in level will exist between the tip of the sliding plate-like member and the installation surface. As mentioned above, particularly when the heavy object is a precision instrument, there are circumstances that make it desirable to avoid as much as possible the impact that occurs when crossing an area where a difference in level exists.

From this perspective, the tip of the sliding board in the first direction may protrude further forward than the tip of the frame in the first direction. With this configuration, when the caster moves onto the surface of the sliding board in the area protruding forward from the frame, the weight of the heavy object causes the sliding board to further tilt toward the installation surface. As a result, the inclined surface formed by the sliding board can be extended to a height position extremely close to the installation surface, allowing the heavy object to reach the installation surface with minimal impact to the heavy object.

The slope is divided into a plurality of partial slopes in the first direction,
each of the plurality of partial slopes includes the frame body and the reinforcing member;
the bottom plate portions of the frame bodies included in the pair of adjacent slope portions are connected to each other in the first direction by a connecting member;
The pair of adjacent partial slopes may be foldable via the connecting member.

The longer the length of the slope in the extension direction, the smaller the inclination angle of the slope surface (sliding surface). When moving a heavy object from a packaging material such as a pallet to a placement surface using casters attached to the object while sliding them along the sliding surface, a smaller inclination angle of the slope surface makes it easier to move using the casters. In consideration of the ease of moving the casters, it is preferable to make the length of the slope in the extension direction somewhat long. The inclination angle of the slope surface is preferably 6° or less, and 5° or less is more preferable.

However, as mentioned above, the ramp is intended to be transported to the destination together with a heavy object. If a ramp that is too long is packed together with the heavy object during transportation, it may require packaging that is taller or wider than the packaging designed for the size of the heavy object, and this may also reduce the efficiency of transportation.

In contrast, with the above configuration, even if the ramp is long in the extension direction (first direction), it can be folded and packed with a heavy object during transport. This allows the ramp, which is long in the extension direction, to be used at the destination without increasing the size of the packaging material.

The connecting member is provided to prevent adjacent partial slopes from separating and falling apart. From the perspective of environmental impact and cost, the connecting member is preferably made of paper. The connecting member is in a folded state during transportation, and is unfolded and stretched out when used at the destination. From this perspective, it is preferable that the connecting member has properties that make it easy to fold and return to its original state from a folded state. Kraft paper, etc., is a typical example.

As a detailed example, the reinforcing members of adjacent partial slopes may each have a vertically cutout from the bottom surface, with a connecting member positioned in the cutout. For convenience, one of a pair of adjacent partial slopes is referred to as the "first partial slope" and the other as the "second partial slope." A vertical cutout is provided in a portion of the reinforcing member of the first partial slope, facing the second partial slope. Similarly, a vertical cutout is provided in a portion of the reinforcing member of the second partial slope, facing the first partial slope. A connecting member is then positioned in the space formed by both cutouts. The connecting member is positioned within the space formed by the cutouts in the reinforcing member of the first partial slope and the space formed by the cutouts in the reinforcing member of the second partial slope, and is adhered to the surface of the frame (more specifically, the bottom plate) of each partial slope.

With this configuration, the first and second partial slopes can be folded toward the installation surface via the connecting member. Furthermore, by unfolding and extending the connecting member from its folded state, the first and second partial slopes are connected to form a slope surface (slide surface) extending in the first direction.

In addition, with the above structure, adhesive or other bonding is required in the areas where the connecting member and the bottom plate of the partial slope come into contact. However, compared to the slope in Patent Document 2, the area that needs to be bonded using adhesive is much smaller. Furthermore, considering the size of the entire slope, the bonded area is only a very small, specific area near the boundary where the partial slopes connect to each other. In other words, excluding this area, most of the area that makes up the slope is adhesive-free. Therefore, if the bonded areas are eliminated, the majority of the slope can be recycled.

Each of the multiple partial slopes may be arranged on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion of the first frame body, extending in the first direction, and may include a sliding plate-like member made of paper that is harder than the frame body.

In this case, the connecting member may be provided on the sliding plate-like member side. As a detailed example, each sliding plate-like member of adjacent partial slopes may have a partial cutout formed vertically from the bottom surface, with the connecting member positioned in this cutout. A vertical cutout is provided in a portion of the sliding plate-like member of the first partial slope facing the second partial slope. Similarly, a vertical cutout is provided in a portion of the sliding plate-like member of the second partial slope facing the first partial slope. The connecting member is then positioned in the space formed by both cutouts. The connecting member is positioned within the space formed by the cutouts in the sliding plate-like member of the first partial slope and the space formed by the cutouts in the sliding plate-like member of the second partial slope, and is adhered to the surface of each sliding plate-like member. This allows the first partial slope and the second partial slope to be folded via the connecting member without being separated.

In this configuration, however, because a cutout is provided in part of the sliding plate, the strength of the sliding plate may be partially reduced. From this perspective, it is preferable for the sliding plate to have a multi-layer structure. Specifically, the sliding plate may have a first sliding plate that contacts the upper surface of the bottom plate portion of the second frame, and a second sliding plate that contacts the upper surface of the first sliding plate, and the cutout may be provided in the second sliding plate. In this case, it is preferable for the second sliding plate to be thicker than the first sliding plate, taking into account the thickness of the cutout.

As another example, a connecting member may be placed on a portion of the upper surface of each sliding plate member of adjacent partial slopes. Specifically, the connecting member is placed so as to straddle a portion of the upper surface of the sliding plate member of the first partial slope on the second partial slope side and a portion of the upper surface of the sliding plate member of the second partial slope on the first partial slope side. The connecting member is adhered with an adhesive or the like to a portion of the upper surface of the sliding plate member of the first partial slope and a portion of the upper surface of the sliding plate member of the second partial slope.

In this configuration, when the casters attached to a heavy object slide along the sliding surface, a tiny step equivalent to the thickness of the connecting member occurs as the casters pass through the area where the connecting member is located. However, as mentioned above, the connecting member is made of a foldable material, typically made of paper such as kraft paper. Therefore, since the material is softer than sliding plate members made of paper core base paper, the connecting member is compressed vertically by pressure as the heavy object passes, reducing its thickness. As a result, the step associated with the thickness of the connecting member has almost no effect when the casters slide.

a protruding portion is formed by a tip end of the sliding board member included in a first partial slope, which is one of a pair of adjacent partial slopes, protruding in the first direction from the frame body included in the first partial slope toward a second partial slope, which is the other of the pair of adjacent partial slopes;
The tip of the sliding board included in the second partial slope is set back in the first direction in a direction away from the first partial slope relative to the frame body included in the second partial slope, thereby forming a setback portion in an area sandwiched between the tip of the sliding board included in the second partial slope and the frame body,
When the first partial slope and the second partial slope are transitioned from a folded state via the connecting member to a state in which they are adjacent to each other in the first direction, the protrusion formed on the first partial slope may be positioned within the recessed portion formed on the second partial slope.

With the above configuration, when the first and second partial slopes transition from a folded state to an extended state, the protruding portion is inserted into the retracted portion. As a result, when the first and second partial slopes are extended, the boundary position between the sliding plate-like member of the first partial slope and the sliding plate-like member of the second partial slope can be shifted in the extension direction (first direction) from the boundary position between the frames of the two partial slopes. This suppresses deformation of the slope even if a load from a heavy object is applied vertically downward when the heavy object passes through the boundary position between the frames of the two partial slopes.

To increase strength, the sliding plate may have a multi-layer structure. Specifically, the sliding plate may include a first sliding plate that contacts the upper surface of the base plate of the first frame, and a second sliding plate that contacts the upper surface of the first sliding plate. In this case, the tip of the first sliding plate included in the first partial slope protrudes toward the second partial slope from the frame included in the first partial slope in the first direction, thereby forming a protruding portion. Furthermore, the tip of the first sliding plate included in the second partial slope recedes from the frame in a direction away from the first partial slope, thereby forming a receding portion in the area between the second sliding plate included in the second partial slope, the tip of the first sliding plate, and the frame. When the first partial slope and the second partial slope are transitioned from a folded state via the connecting member to a state in which they are adjacent to each other in the first direction, the protrusion formed on the first partial slope is inserted into the recessed portion formed on the second partial slope.

In addition, for the second sliding plate-shaped members, the end positions in the first direction may be set to the same position as the frame body.

With this configuration, when the first and second partial slopes are extended, the boundary between the first sliding plate member of the first partial slope and the first sliding plate member of the second partial slope can be shifted in the extension direction (first direction) from the boundary between the second sliding plate members of both partial slopes. Furthermore, as described above, the boundary between the first sliding plate members of both partial slopes can also be shifted in the first direction from the boundary between the frames of both partial slopes.

The first sliding plate is sandwiched vertically between the second sliding plate and the frame. Therefore, the setback formed by the setback of the tip of the first sliding plate of the second partial slope is sandwiched vertically between the second sliding plate and the frame, and forms a groove-shaped space with a concave bottom defined by the tip of the first sliding plate in the first direction. When both partial slopes are extended, the tip of the first sliding plate of the first partial slope is inserted into this groove-shaped space. At this time, the second sliding plate, placed on the top surface of the first sliding plate of the first partial slope, is positioned near the tip of the second sliding plate of the adjacent second partial slope. As a result, the first sliding plates of both partial slopes act to lock the two partial slopes together.

When positioning the protruding portion formed by the tip of the sliding plate-shaped member of the first partial slope within the setback portion formed by the setback of the tip of the sliding plate-shaped member of the second partial slope, there is a possibility that the protruding portion may come into contact with the corners of multiple flat plate-shaped members existing within the internal space surrounded by the frame on the second partial slope side. If such contact were to occur, it could make it difficult to position the protruding portion within the setback portion.

From this perspective, each of the multiple flat plate-like members constituting the reinforcing member included in the second partial slope may have a chamfered corner at a position vertically below the recessed portion. This makes it less likely that the protruding portion will come into contact with the flat plate-like member when being inserted into the recessed portion.

The slope may be provided with a guide member that covers one or both of the side wall portions of the frame body from the outside, protrudes vertically upward from the side wall portions, and is arranged to extend in the first direction.

Heavy objects are expected to be large, and when sliding down a slope on casters, it is difficult to visually determine the width of the casters, making it necessary to carefully guide the object to prevent the casters from coming off the slope. With the above configuration, guide members are provided that protrude vertically beyond the slope, making it easier to recognize the boundary position of the slope's width even when sliding a large, heavy object along the slope, facilitating the operation of sliding the object without the casters coming off the slope.

In consideration of ease of use during sliding, the width of the ramp (in other words, the length in the direction perpendicular to the extension and vertical direction of the base plate of the frame) should preferably be at least three times the width of the caster, and more preferably at least four times. However, since making the ramp width too long results in the ramp itself becoming larger, it is preferable to make it no more than eight times the width of the caster.

When using the above-mentioned slope, a plurality of the slopes extending in the first direction are prepared and arranged on an installation surface at intervals from each other,
The casters on the object to be transported may slide on each inclined surface consisting of the bottom plate portions of the multiple slopes, or on each inclined surface consisting of a surface parallel to the bottom plate portions, from the side with the higher vertical height position downward toward the installation surface.

Furthermore, if the slope is equipped with the guide member, the casters may be made to slide on the inclined surfaces of each of the multiple slopes so as not to go beyond the outside of the guide member.

The present invention provides a ramp for transporting heavy objects that has a low environmental impact and can be manufactured at low cost.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a situation in which a slope according to an embodiment is used. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the situation shown in FIG. 1 as viewed vertically from above. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the structure of a slope according to the first embodiment. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 3 taken along line V4-V4. FIG. 5 is a diagram in which only the frame 10 is extracted from FIG. 4 and the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are shown separately. 5 is a diagram illustrating only the frame 10 extracted from FIG. 4. 4 is a schematic partial side view of the frame 10 shown in FIG. 3 when viewed from the Y direction. FIG. 5 is a schematic partial side view of the flat plate member 21 shown in FIG. 4 when viewed from the Y direction. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the flat plate member 21 shown in FIG. 8 taken along line V9-V9. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the tip portion on the +X side of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 3. 4 is a schematic partial side view of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 3, showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the tip portion on the +X side as viewed from the Y direction, with the guide member 71 omitted from the illustration. 4 is a schematic partial side view of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 3, showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the tip portion on the +X side as viewed from the Y direction, with the guide member 71 omitted from the illustration. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a slope 1 of another configuration example, shown in accordance with FIG. 4 . FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a slope 1 of another configuration example, shown in accordance with FIG. 4 . FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a slope 1 of another configuration example, shown in accordance with FIG. 4 . FIG. 4 is a perspective view schematically showing a slope 1 of a second embodiment, following FIG. 3 . FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically showing the slope 1 of the second embodiment in a folded state. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the slope 1 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 15 taken along line V17-V17. 18 is a schematic diagram of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 17 slightly bent at the connecting member 51. FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 17 when bent at the connecting member 51 until the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b overlap each other. 17A and 17B are enlarged views of the side of the reinforcing member 20 provided in the first partial slope 1a that is closer to the second partial slope 1b. 17A and 17B are enlarged views of the side of the reinforcing member 20 provided in the second partial slope 1b that is closer to the first partial slope 1a. 18A and 18B are enlarged views of the vicinity of the connecting member 51. FIG. 18 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 17, showing the vicinity of the connecting member 51 in an enlarged view. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the slope 1 of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 15 taken along line V17-V17. 25 is a schematic diagram of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 24 slightly bent at the connecting member 51. FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 24 when bent at the connecting member 51 until the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b overlap each other. 24 is an enlarged view of the end of the first partial slope 1a on the second partial slope 1b side, with the connecting member 51 omitted from the illustration. 24 is an enlarged view of the end of the second partial slope 1b on the first partial slope 1a side, in which the connecting member 51 is omitted. 24 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the connecting member 51. FIG. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another example of the configuration of the slope 1 of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 15 taken along line V17-V17. FIG. 31 is a schematic diagram of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 30 slightly bent at the connecting member 51. FIG. 31 is a schematic diagram of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 30 bent at the connecting member 51 until the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b overlap each other. FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically showing a slope 1 of a fourth embodiment, following FIG. 3 . 34 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 33 taken along line V34-V34. 35 is a schematic diagram of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 34 slightly bent at the connecting member 51. FIG. This is a schematic diagram of the slope 1 shown in Figure 35 when it is bent at the connecting member 51 until the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b, and the second partial slope 1b and the third partial slope 1c overlap each other. 34 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 34, showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the connecting member 51 that connects the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b. 34 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 34, showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the connecting member 51 connecting the second partial slope 1b and the third partial slope 1c. 35 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 35, showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the connecting member 51 that connects the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b. 35 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 35, showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the connecting member 51 connecting the second partial slope 1b and the third partial slope 1c. 34 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another configuration of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 33 taken along line V34-V34. 42 is a schematic diagram of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 41 slightly bent at the connecting member 51. FIG. 42 is a schematic diagram of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 41 when it is bent at the connecting member 51 until each partial slope (1a, 1b, 1c) overlaps with each other. 41, and is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the connecting member 51 connecting the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b. 34 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another configuration of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 33 taken along line V34-V34. 46 is a schematic diagram of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 45 slightly bent at the connecting member 51. FIG. 46 is a schematic diagram of the slope 1 shown in FIG. 45 when it is bent at the connecting member 51 until each partial slope (1a, 1b, 1c) overlaps with each other. 45 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 45, showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the connecting member 51 connecting the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b. This is a drawing illustrating only the frame body 10 provided on the slope 1 of another embodiment.

Embodiments of a slope and its use according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following drawings are schematic illustrations. The dimensional ratios shown in the drawings do not necessarily match the actual dimensional ratios, and the dimensional ratios between the drawings do not necessarily match. Furthermore, the number of components shown in the drawings is merely an example.

[First embodiment]
A first embodiment of the slope will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a situation in which a slope 1 of this embodiment is used.

The heavy object 5 (object to be transported) is transported to its destination using packaging material 7 such as a pallet. It is then lowered from the packaging material 7 onto a placement surface 9 at the destination and transported to its destination (not shown). The heavy object 5 is equipped with casters 6, and after being lowered onto the placement surface 9, it is typically moved to its destination by sliding along the placement surface 9 on the casters 6.

When placed on the top surface of the packaging material 7, the heavy object 5 is positioned vertically above the installation surface 9 by a distance equivalent to the height h7 of the packaging material 7. Therefore, when the heavy object 5 is lowered from the packaging material 7 onto the installation surface 9, a step equivalent to the height h7 is created.

If the heavy object 5 weighs more than 100 kg, it is difficult to manually lower it stably from the packaging material 7 onto the installation surface 9. Furthermore, because there is a step equivalent to height h7, there is a possibility that the heavy object 5 may be subjected to an external impact when lowered onto the installation surface 9. In particular, if the heavy object 5 is a precision instrument, such an impact may affect the quality of the instrument, which is undesirable.

From this perspective, by installing a slope 1 so that it connects to the packaging material 7 in the direction of the installation surface 9, and sliding the casters 6 of the heavy object 5 in direction d1 (downward) along the inclined surface 2 (slope surface) of the slope 1, the heavy object 5 can be moved stably from the top surface of the packaging material 7 until it reaches the installation surface 9.

In Figure 1, an X-Y-Z coordinate system is also shown, with the plane parallel to the installation surface 9 defined as the X-Y plane and the direction perpendicular to this X-Y plane defined as the Z direction. This coordinate system will be referenced as appropriate in the following explanation. The Z direction typically corresponds to the vertical direction.

In this specification, when a direction needs to be expressed as either positive or negative, it is indicated by adding a positive or negative sign, such as "+X direction" and "-X direction." When a direction is expressed without distinguishing between positive and negative, it is simply referred to as "X direction." In other words, in this specification, when simply referring to the "X direction," it includes both the "+X direction" and the "-X direction." The same applies to the Y direction and the Z direction.

Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the situation shown in Figure 1 as seen from vertically above. However, the heavy object 5 and casters 6 are shown schematically as they are positioned on the inner bottom of the packaging material 7.

Figure 2 shows two slopes 1 installed spaced apart from each other in the Y direction. Casters 6 attached to the heavy load 5 slide along the inclined surfaces 2 of the two slopes 1, allowing the heavy load 5 to smoothly reach the installation surface 9.

As will be described later, the slope 1 shown in Figure 2 has a guide member 71 located on its outer edge in the Y direction (width direction). This guide member 71 protrudes further in the +Z direction than the slope 1. The provision of the guide member 71 makes it easier for workers to recognize the boundary position of the slope 1 in the width direction when sliding the casters 6 along the inclined surface 2 of the slope 1, making it easier to slide the casters 6 without them going off the outside of the inclined surface 2.

The structure of slope 1 is explained in detail below with reference to Figures 3 to 11B.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the structure of the slope 1. Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the slope 1 of Figure 3 taken along line V4-V4.

As shown in Figure 3, the slope 1 has a frame body 10 extending in the X direction. The X direction corresponds to the "first direction."

As shown in Figure 4, in this embodiment, the frame body 10 has a first frame body 11 and a second frame body 12. Figure 5 is a drawing that extracts only the frame body 10 from Figure 4 and illustrates the first frame body 11 and the second frame body 12 separately. Figure 6 is a drawing that simply extracts only the frame body 10 from Figure 4 and illustrates it separately.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, each frame body 10 (first frame body 11, second frame body 12) has a bottom plate portion 15 and a pair of side wall portions 16 facing each other. The bottom plate portion 15 and the side wall portions 16 are connected. In other words, each frame body 10 has a channel shape when cut in a cross section perpendicular to the X direction. As mentioned above, in this specification, "channel shape" refers to a shape equivalent to a U-shape or a C-shape.

Each frame 10 is made of cardboard.

As shown in Figure 6, one of the frame bodies 10 (here, the second frame body 12) surrounds the other frame body (here, the first frame body 11). More specifically, the side wall portion 16 (for convenience, referred to as "side wall portion 16b") of the second frame body 12 is located outside the side wall portion 16 (for convenience, referred to as "side wall portion 16a") of the first frame body 11. As a result, the frame body 10 forms an internal space 17 surrounded by the bottom plate portion 15 and the side wall portion 16 inside. In the example shown in Figures 4 to 6, the bottom plate portion 15 (for convenience, referred to as "bottom plate portion 15a") of the first frame body 11 is located on the installation surface 9 (see Figures 1 and 2), and the bottom plate portion 15 (for convenience, referred to as "bottom plate portion 15b") of the second frame body 12 is located vertically above (on the +Z side of) the installation surface 9, on the inclined surface 2 side.

In other words, as shown in Figure 6, the bottom plate portion 15a of the first frame body 11 forms the bottom surface of the internal space 17, and the bottom plate portion 15b of the second frame body 12 forms the top surface of the internal space 17. In addition, the side wall portion 16a of the first frame body 11 forms the inner surface of the internal space 17.

Figure 7 is a schematic partial plan view of the frame body 10 as viewed from the Y direction. As shown in Figure 7, the frame body 10 has a shape in which the height (length in the Z direction) decreases as one moves in the +X direction. In other words, the height (length in the Z direction) of the internal space 17 also decreases as one moves in the +X direction.

As shown in Figure 2, the aforementioned guide member 71 is arranged to cover at least one side wall portion 16 of the frame body 10 from the outside. The guide member 71 protrudes vertically upward beyond the side wall portion 16 and extends in the X direction.

Returning to Figure 4, we will continue the explanation. The slope 1 is equipped with a reinforcing member 20. The reinforcing member 20 is composed of a plurality of flat plate-shaped members 21, 21, ... stacked one on top of the other. More specifically, the plurality of flat plate-shaped members 21, 21, ... are stacked in the Y direction. Each flat plate-shaped member 21 is made of cardboard.

More specifically, the reinforcing member 20 is constructed by stacking multiple flat plate-like members 21, 21, ... so as to fill the internal space 17 surrounded by the frame body 10 described above. Furthermore, no special adhesive treatment is applied to the contact surfaces between the flat plate-like members 21, 21, .... By stacking multiple flat plate-like members 21, 21, ... so as to fill the internal space 17, each flat plate-like member 21, 21, ... can be stably positioned within the internal space 17 without adhesively bonding the contact surfaces between the flat plate-like members 21, 21, ....

As mentioned above, each of the flat plate-like members 21, 21, ... is made of corrugated cardboard. Each of the flat plate-like members 21, 21, ... is arranged so that the direction of the corrugations of the core is substantially in the Z direction. This point will be explained with reference to Figures 8 and 9.

Figure 8 is a schematic partial plan view of the flat plate-shaped member 21 shown in Figure 4 when viewed from the Y direction. Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the flat plate-shaped member 21 shown in Figure 8 when cut along line V9-V9.

As mentioned above, the flat plate-like member 21 is made of corrugated cardboard. As shown in Figure 9, the corrugated cardboard has a pair of liners 24, 24 and a corrugated core 25 located between the pair of liners 24. As shown in Figures 8 to 9, the flat plate-like member 21 provided on the slope 1 is arranged so that the direction in which the apex 25a of the core 25 extends, i.e., the corrugation direction, is substantially in the Z direction.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4 to 7, the surface of the side wall portion 16 of the frame body 10 is depicted as being arranged parallel to the Z direction. In other words, the step direction of the flat plate-shaped member 21 provided on the slope 1 is substantially parallel to the surface of the side wall portion 16.

As described above, the multiple flat plate-like members 21, 21, ... are stacked and arranged in the Y direction so as to fill the internal space 17 surrounded by the frame body 10. The pair of side wall portions 16, 16 that form the frame body 10 face each other in the Y direction. In other words, the multiple flat plate-like members 21, 21, ... are arranged with their main surfaces substantially parallel to the pair of side wall portions 16, 16 that form the frame body 10.

In other words, the slope 1 comprises a cardboard frame 10 whose height (length in the Z direction) effectively decreases as it progresses in the +X direction, and a reinforcing member 20 made of multiple flat cardboard members 21, 21, ... arranged to fill the internal space 17 inside the frame 10. Therefore, the upper surface of the frame 10 (in the example of Figure 6, the bottom plate portion 15b of the second frame 12) forms the inclined surface 2 (see Figure 1), and the lower part is reinforced by the reinforcing member 20.

In particular, the multiple flat plate-like members 21, 21, ... that make up the reinforcing member 20 are arranged so that the step direction of the central core is essentially in the Z direction. In other words, the reinforcing member 20 increases the load-bearing capacity in the Z direction. As a result, when the casters 6 attached to the heavy object 5 are slid along the inclined surface 2, deformation of the slope 1 is prevented even if a load from the heavy object 5 is applied vertically downward (in the -Z direction).

When manufacturing the slope 1, for example, the following procedure is adopted. First, a first frame 11 is prepared, with the bottom plate portion 15 positioned vertically downward (toward the installation surface 9). Next, multiple flat plate-shaped members 21, 21, ... are stacked and arranged so as to fill the internal space 17 surrounded by the bottom plate portion 15 and a pair of side wall portions 16 of the first frame 11. Next, a second frame 12 is arranged vertically from above, surrounding the outside of the first frame 11.

As shown in Figure 4, the slope 1 of this embodiment additionally includes a sliding plate member 40 on the upper surface of the frame body 10, more specifically, on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 15b of the second frame body 12, which forms the ceiling surface of the internal space 17. In this embodiment, the sliding plate member 40 has a multi-layer structure. More specifically, the sliding plate member 40 has a first sliding plate member 41 that contacts the bottom plate portion 15b of the second frame body 12, and a second sliding plate member 42 that contacts the upper surface of the first sliding plate member 41.

The sliding plate-shaped member 40 is made of paper that is harder than the frame body 10, in other words, harder than cardboard. The sliding plate-shaped member 40 is typically made of paper core base paper.

The sliding plate member 40 is located on the upper surface of the frame body 10 extending in the X direction, in other words, on the upper surface of the inclined surface formed by the frame body 10. Therefore, the sliding plate member 40 essentially forms the inclined surface 2 (see Figure 1) located on the +Z side of the slope 1. By placing the sliding plate member 40, made of a material harder than the frame body 10, on the upper surface of the frame body 10, it is less likely to deform even when the casters 6 attached to the heavy object 5 are slid along it.

It is preferable that the tip of the sliding plate member 40 on the +X side protrudes further forward than the tip of the frame body 10 on the +X side. This point will be explained with reference to Figures 10 to 11B. Figure 10 is a schematic perspective view showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the tip of the +X side of the slope 1. Figures 11A to 11B are schematic partial side views of the tip of the slope 1 shown in Figure 10 as viewed from the Y direction, with the guide member 71 omitted from the illustration. For convenience of explanation, casters 6 are shown in Figures 11A to 11B. However, for convenience of illustration, heavy loads 5 are omitted.

In the example shown in Figure 10, the first sliding plate-like member 41 located closer to the frame body 10 protrudes forward (towards the +X direction) than the frame body 10. In addition, the tip of the second sliding plate-like member 42 located on the upper surface of the first sliding plate-like member 41 is set back from the tip of the first sliding plate-like member 41.

As shown in FIG. 11A, the caster 6 attached to the heavy load 5 glides along the top surface of the second sliding plate 42 in the direction d1 toward the installation surface 9. Because the tip 41a of the first sliding plate 41 protrudes forward (toward the +X side) beyond the frame 10, at this point a free space 43 is formed vertically below the tip 41a of the first sliding plate 41. Thereafter, when the caster 6 continues to travel in the direction d1 and reaches the vicinity of the tip 41a of the first sliding plate 41, the weight of the heavy load 5 causes the first sliding plate 41 to further tilt vertically downward within the free space 43, as shown in FIG. 11B. As a result, the inclined surface 2 formed by the second sliding plate 42 can be extended to a height position very close to the installation surface 9.

(Another configuration example)
12 to 14 are schematic cross-sectional views showing other configuration examples of the slope 1 of this embodiment, following the example of FIG.

As shown in Figure 12, the slope 1 may also have a single sliding plate-like member 40.

As shown in Figure 13, the slope 1 does not have to be equipped with a sliding plate member 40. In the case of the slope 1 shown in Figure 13, the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 15 (see Figure 6) of the frame body 10 (more specifically, the second frame body 12) directly forms the inclined surface 2, and the casters 6 slide along this surface.

As shown in Figure 14, the slope 1 may be configured to have a single frame body 10. In this case, the multiple flat plate-like members 21, 21, ... that make up the reinforcing member 20 are free vertically downward. However, as described above, by stacking the multiple flat plate-like members 21, 21, ... so as to fill the internal space 17 surrounded by the frame body 10, the multiple flat plate-like members 21, 21, ... can be stably positioned.

[Second embodiment]
The second embodiment of the slope 1 will be described, focusing on differences from the first embodiment. The same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate. The same applies to the third and subsequent embodiments.

The slope 1 of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it is foldable. The same applies to the third and fourth embodiments described below.

Figure 15 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of the slope 1 of this embodiment, modeled after Figure 3. As shown in Figure 15, the slope 1 of this embodiment is divided into multiple partial slopes in the X direction. Hereinafter, the partial slope located on the side closer to the installation surface 9, in other words, on the +X side and at a lower height, will be referred to as the "first partial slope 1a," and the partial slope located on the -X side of the first partial slope 1a, in other words, on the side further away from the installation surface 9 in the height direction, will be referred to as the "second partial slope 1b."

The schematic cross-sectional view of the slope 1 shown in Figure 15 taken along line V4-V4 is the same as that shown in Figure 4.

Figure 16 is a perspective view that shows the state of the ramp 1 shown in Figure 15 when folded at the boundary 50. The ramp 1 of this embodiment has a foldable structure as shown in Figure 16, so that even though it is long in the X direction (extension direction), it can be packed with a heavy object 5 without significantly increasing the size of the packaging material 7 (see Figure 1).

Figure 17 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the slope 1 of this embodiment shown in Figure 15 taken along line V17-V17. As shown in Figure 17, the slope 1 of this embodiment has a connecting member 51 that foldably connects the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b.

Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b slightly bent at the connecting member 51 from the state shown in Figure 17. Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b bent further from the state shown in Figure 18, overlapping each other.

In the slope 1 of this embodiment, notches are provided in each of the flat plate-like members 21, 21, ... that make up the reinforcing member 20. Figure 20 is a partial enlargement of Figure 17, showing an enlarged view of the side of the reinforcing member 20 provided in the first partial slope 1a, closer to the second partial slope 1b. Similarly, Figure 21 is a partial enlargement of Figure 17, showing an enlarged view of the side of the reinforcing member 20 provided in the second partial slope 1b, closer to the first partial slope 1a.

As shown in Figure 20, the reinforcing member 20 provided on the first partial slope 1a has a notch 53 at a location located on the side of the adjacent second partial slope 1b. Also, as shown in Figure 21, the reinforcing member 20 provided on the second partial slope 1b has a notch 53 at a location located on the side of the adjacent first partial slope 1a.

The connecting member 51 is positioned to connect the notches 53 provided in the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b. As described above, the connecting member 51 is expected to be bent, so it is preferable that it be easy to bend and return to its original state from the folded state. From this perspective, the connecting member 51 is made of paper, typically kraft paper.

The connecting member 51 is adhered to the first frame body 11 of each of the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b. More specifically, the connecting member 51 is adhered to the surface of the bottom plate portion 15 of the first frame body 11 of each of the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b.

Figure 22 is an enlarged view of a portion near the connecting member 51 in Figure 18, and Figure 23 is an enlarged view of a portion near the connecting member 51 in Figure 17.

In the example shown in Figure 22, the tip of the first sliding plate member 41 of the first partial slope 1a on the side facing the second partial slope 1b protrudes further toward the second partial slope 1b than the frame body 10 (here, the second frame body 12) of the first partial slope 1a, forming a protruding portion 55. Conversely, the tip of the first sliding plate member 41 of the second partial slope 1b is set back in a direction away from the first partial slope 1a than the frame body 10 (here, the second frame body 12) of the second partial slope 1b. As a result, a setback portion 56 is formed in the area sandwiched between the second sliding plate member 42 of the second partial slope 1b, the tip of the first sliding plate member 41, and the frame body 10 (here, the second frame body 12).

When transitioning the slope 1 from the state shown in Figure 18 to the state shown in Figure 17, the protrusion 55 shown in Figure 22 is inserted into the retraction portion 56. As a result, as shown in Figure 23, the tip (protrusion 55) of the first sliding plate member 41 of the first partial slope 1a is sandwiched between the second sliding plate member 42 of the second partial slope 1b and the frame body 10 (second frame body 12) in the vertical direction (Z direction), thereby locking both partial slopes (1a, 1b).

Furthermore, when each partial slope (1a, 1b) is extended in the X direction, the boundary 50 between the partial slopes (1a, 1b) can be offset in the X direction (see Figure 23). This makes it difficult for the slope 1 to deform near the boundary 50, even if a heavy object 5 passes near the boundary 50 between the partial slopes (1a, 1b).

As shown in Figure 22, in the slope 1 of this embodiment, the reinforcing member 20 of the second partial slope 1b has a chamfered upper corner on the side of the first partial slope 1a (chamfered portion 54). This makes it less likely that the protruding portion 55 will come into contact with the reinforcing member 20 of the second partial slope 1b when inserting the protruding portion 55 into the recessed portion 56. In other words, this facilitates the transition of the slope 1 from the folded state shown in Figure 19 to the extended state shown in Figure 17.

In this embodiment, as described above with reference to Figure 12, each partial slope (1a, 1b) may also be configured to have a single sliding plate-like member 40.

[Third embodiment]
The third embodiment of the slope 1 will be described, focusing on differences from the above-described embodiments. The perspective view of the slope 1 in the extended state of this embodiment is the same as that shown in FIG. 15, and the perspective view of the slope 1 in the folded state is the same as that shown in FIG. 16.

The slope 1 of this embodiment differs from the slope 1 of the second embodiment in the direction in which the partial slopes (1a, 1b) are bent. In other words, the slope 1 of the second embodiment is folded by bending the partial slopes (1a, 1b) toward the installation surface 9 (the -Z side in Figure 17). In contrast, the slope 1 of this embodiment is folded by bending the partial slopes (1a, 1b) toward the inclined surface 2 (the +Z side in Figure 24).

Figure 24 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the slope 1 of this embodiment taken along line V17-V17 in Figure 15. Figure 25 is a schematic drawing of the state in which the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b are slightly bent at the connecting member 51 from the state in Figure 24. Figure 26 is a schematic drawing of the state in which the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b are further bent from the state in Figure 25, overlapping each other.

Unlike the second embodiment, the slope 1 of this embodiment has a notch in the sliding plate member 40. Figure 27 is a partially enlarged view of Figure 24, showing an enlarged view of the end of the first partial slope 1a facing the second partial slope 1b. Figure 28 is a partially enlarged view of Figure 24, showing an enlarged view of the end of the second partial slope 1b facing the first partial slope 1a. However, the connecting member 51 is not shown in Figures 27 to 28.

As shown in Figure 27, the sliding plate member 40 (more specifically, the second sliding plate member 42) provided on the first partial slope 1a has a notch 57 at a location located on the side of the adjacent second partial slope 1b. Also, as shown in Figure 28, the sliding plate member 40 (more specifically, the second sliding plate member 42) provided on the second partial slope 1b has a notch 57 at a location located on the side of the adjacent first partial slope 1a.

In the slope 1 of this embodiment, the connecting member 51 is positioned to connect the notches 57 provided in the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b. More specifically, the connecting member 51 is adhered to the upper surface of the first sliding plate-shaped member 41 of the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b.

Note that the protrusion 55, recessed portion 56, and chamfered portion 54 shown in Figures 27 and 28 are the same as those in the second embodiment.

In other words, when the slope 1 is transitioned from the state shown in Figure 25 to the state shown in Figure 24, the protruding portion 55 shown in Figure 27 is inserted into the retracted portion 56 shown in Figure 28 (however, as mentioned above, please note that the connecting member 51 is not shown in Figures 27 and 28). As a result, as shown in Figure 29, the tip (protruding portion 55) of the first sliding plate member 41 of the first partial slope 1a is sandwiched between the second sliding plate member 42 of the second partial slope 1b and the frame body 10 (second frame body 12) in the vertical direction (Z direction), thereby locking both partial slopes (1a, 1b).

Furthermore, when each partial slope (1a, 1b) is extended in the X direction, the boundary 50 between the partial slopes (1a, 1b) can be offset in the X direction (see Figure 23). This makes it difficult for the slope 1 to deform near the boundary 50, even if a heavy object 5 passes near the boundary 50 between the partial slopes (1a, 1b).

As described above, according to the slope 1 of this embodiment, the slope 1 can be folded toward the inclined surface 2 via the connecting member 51.

In the above-described configuration, a vertical cutout 57 is provided in a portion of the second sliding plate member 42 to accommodate the connecting member 51. Taking into account the thickness of this cutout, the thickness (length in the Z direction) of the second sliding plate member 42 may be made thicker than that of the first sliding plate member 41.

(Modification)
In the above description, the connecting member 51 is arranged on the upper surface of the first sliding plate-like member 41. However, as shown in Figures 30 to 32, the connecting member 51 may be arranged on the upper surface of the second sliding plate-like member 42. Figures 30 to 32 illustrate this alternative example of a slope 1, following the example of Figures 24 to 26, respectively.

In the slope 1 shown in Figures 30 to 32, as in the slope 1 shown in Figures 24 to 26, the partial slopes (1a, 1b) are folded by being bent toward the inclined surface 2 (the +Z side in Figure 24) via the connecting member 51.

In this configuration, when the slope 1 is in the state shown in Figure 30, the connecting member 51 is located on the top surface of the inclined surface 2 over which the caster 6 (see Figure 1, etc.) passes. However, as mentioned above, the connecting member 51 is made of a bendable material (typically kraft paper, etc.), which is a softer material than the sliding plate member 40, which is made of paper core base paper, etc. Therefore, when the caster 6 attached to the heavy load 5 passes over the top surface of the connecting member 51, the load of the heavy load 5 compresses the connecting member 51 vertically, reducing its thickness. As a result, it is thought that the step caused by the thickness of the connecting member 51 has almost no effect when the caster 6 slides.

[Fourth embodiment]
The fourth embodiment of the slope 1 will be described, focusing mainly on the differences from the above-described embodiments.

The slope 1 of this embodiment differs from the slopes 1 of the second to third embodiments in the number of divided partial slopes. Hereinafter, these will be referred to as the "first partial slope 1a," "second partial slope 1b," and "third partial slope 1c," starting from the side closest to the installation surface 9. In other words, the slope 1 of this embodiment has a first partial slope 1a, a second partial slope 1b, and a third partial slope 1c, and the boundary between the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b, and the boundary between the second partial slope 1b and the third partial slope 1c are each foldable via a connecting member 51.

Figure 33 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of the slope 1 of this embodiment, following the example of Figure 15. The slope 1 shown in Figure 33 is essentially the same as that shown in Figure 15, except that the number of boundaries 50 has increased from 1 to 2 and the number of partial slopes has increased from 2 to 3. Note that the schematic cross-sectional view of the slope 1 shown in Figure 33 taken along line V4-V4 is the same as that shown in Figure 4.

Figure 34 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the slope 1 of this embodiment shown in Figure 33, taken along line V34-V34. Figure 35 is a schematic drawing of the slope 1 when each partial slope (1a, 1b, 1c) is slightly bent at the connecting member 51 from the state of Figure 34. Figure 35 is a diagram of the slope 1 when further bent from the state of Figure 34. In detail, this is a schematic drawing of the slope 1 when bent until the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b, and the second partial slope 1b and the third partial slope 1c, respectively, overlap.

Figure 37 is a partial enlargement of Figure 34, showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the connecting member 51 connecting the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b. Figure 38 is a partial enlargement of Figure 34, showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the connecting member 51 connecting the second partial slope 1b and the third partial slope 1c.

Figure 39 is a partial enlargement of Figure 35, showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the connecting member 51 connecting the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b. Figure 40 is a partial enlargement of Figure 35, showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the connecting member 51 connecting the second partial slope 1b and the third partial slope 1c.

The positions of the connecting members 51 provided on the slope 1 of this embodiment shown in Figures 33 to 40 are substantially the same as the positions of the connecting members 51 provided on the slope 1 of the second embodiment described above with reference to Figures 17 to 23. Therefore, with the slope 1 of this embodiment, the boundary 50 between the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b, and the boundary 50 between the second partial slope 1b and the third partial slope 1c can be folded toward the installation surface 9 (toward the bottom plate portion 15 of the first frame body 11) (see Figure 36). As a result, a slope 1 that is even longer in the extension direction (X direction) than the slopes 1 of the second and third embodiments can be realized.

In the present embodiment of the slope 1 shown in Figures 33 to 40, the boundary 50 between the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b, and the boundary 50 between the second partial slope 1b and the third partial slope 1c are both configured to fold toward the bottom plate portion 15 of the first frame 11 (the installation surface 9 side). However, by applying the structure of the slope 1 described above in the third embodiment, it is possible to fold it toward the inclined surface 2 as well.

Figure 41 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a slope 1 of another structure of this embodiment shown in Figure 33, taken along line V34-V34. Figure 42 is a schematic drawing of the state when each partial slope (1a, 1b, 1c) is slightly bent at the connecting member 51 from the state shown in Figure 41. Figure 43 is a drawing of the slope 1 when it is further bent from the state shown in Figure 42. In detail, it is a schematic drawing of the state when the slope 1 is bent until each partial slope (1a, 1b, 1c) overlaps with each other.

Figure 44 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 41, showing an enlarged view of the vicinity of the connecting member 51 connecting the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b. Note that the enlarged view of the vicinity of the connecting member 51 connecting the second partial slope 1b and the third partial slope 1c in the slope 1 shown in Figure 41 is the same as Figure 38.

In other words, in the slope 1 shown in Figures 41 to 44, the position of the connecting member 51 connecting the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b is substantially the same as the position of the connecting member 51 provided in the slope 1 of the third embodiment described above with reference to Figures 24 to 29. Also, in the slope 1 shown in Figures 41 to 44, the position of the connecting member 51 connecting the second partial slope 1b and the third partial slope 1c is substantially the same as the position of the connecting member 51 provided in the slope 1 of the second embodiment described above with reference to Figures 17 to 23.

Accordingly, the slope 1 of this embodiment can be folded toward the inclined surface 2 (toward the sliding board member 40) at the boundary 50 between the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b, and toward the installation surface 9 (toward the bottom plate portion 15 of the first frame 11) at the boundary 50 between the second partial slope 1b and the third partial slope 1c. As a result, as shown in Figure 43, it is possible to fold the partial slopes (1a, 1b, 1c) while overlapping each other in one direction. In other words, it can be folded more compactly than the slope 1 shown in Figure 36.

Furthermore, by applying the structures shown in Figures 40 to 43, it is possible to divide the slope 1 into four or more partial slopes. In particular, a slope 1 in which areas where adjacent partial slopes are connected by connecting members 51 provided on the installation surface 9 side (the bottom plate portion 15 side of the first frame body 11) alternate with areas where adjacent partial slopes are connected by connecting members 51 provided on the inclined surface 2 side (the sliding plate member 40 side) can be divided into four or more partial slopes.

The position of the connecting member 51 connecting the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b may be the same as the position of the connecting member 51 provided in the slope 1 of the third embodiment described above with reference to Figures 30 to 32. In other words, the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b may be connected by the connecting member 51 arranged on the upper surface of the second sliding plate-shaped member 42.

Figure 45 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a slope 1 of another structure of this embodiment shown in Figure 33, cut along line V34-V34. Figure 46 is a schematic drawing of the state when each partial slope (1a, 1b, 1c) is slightly bent at the connecting member 51 from the state shown in Figure 45. Figure 47 is a drawing of the slope 1 when it is further bent from the state shown in Figure 46. In detail, it is a schematic drawing of the state when the slope 1 is bent until each partial slope (1a, 1b, 1c) overlaps with each other.

Figure 48 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 45, and is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the connecting member 51 connecting the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b. Note that the enlarged view of the vicinity of the connecting member 51 connecting the second partial slope 1b and the third partial slope 1c in the slope 1 shown in Figure 45 is the same as Figure 38.

In the examples shown in Figures 41 to 48, the connecting member 51 connecting the first partial slope 1a located closest to the +X side to the adjacent second partial slope 1b is bent toward the inclined surface 2, and the connecting member 51 connecting the second partial slope 1b and the third partial slope 1c is bent toward the installation surface 9, but the bending direction may be reversed. In other words, the connecting member 51 connecting the first partial slope 1a and the second partial slope 1b may be bent toward the installation surface 9, and the connecting member 51 connecting the second partial slope 1b and the third partial slope 1c may be bent toward the inclined surface 2.

[Another embodiment]
Another embodiment will be described below.

〈1〉 In each of the above embodiments, the slope 1 may not have a guide member 71.

<2> In the embodiment described above with reference to Figures 5 and 6, the second frame 12, whose bottom plate portion 15 is located on the inclined surface 2 side, is described as surrounding the first frame 11, whose bottom plate portion 15 is located on the installation surface 9 side, from the outside, thereby forming the internal space 17. However, as shown in Figure 49, the internal space 17 may also be formed by the first frame 11, whose bottom plate portion 15 is located on the installation surface 9 side, surrounding the second frame 12, whose bottom plate portion 15 is located on the inclined surface 2 side.

However, in this case, there is a concern that the manufacturing steps for the slope 1 may be slightly increased compared to the structure described above with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Specifically, for example, the following procedure is adopted. First, a second frame 12 is prepared upside down, with the bottom plate portion 15 positioned vertically upward (toward the inclined surface 2). Next, multiple flat plate-like members 21, 21, ... are stacked and arranged so as to fill the internal space 17 surrounded by the bottom plate portion 15 and a pair of side wall portions 16 of the second frame 12. Next, a first frame 11 is placed vertically from above, surrounding the outside of the second frame 12. After that, the first frame 11 is turned upside down so that the bottom plate portion 15 is positioned vertically downward.

〈3〉 The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to provide a better understanding of the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those having all of the described configurations. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1: Slope 1a: First partial slope 1b: Second partial slope 1c: Third partial slope 2: Inclined surface 5: Heavy load 6: Caster 7: Packaging material 9: Installation surface 10: Frame body 11: First frame body 12: Second frame body 15, 15a, 15b: Bottom plate portion 16, 16a, 16b: Side wall portion 17: Internal space 20: Reinforcing member 21: Flat plate-like member 24: Liner 25: Core 25a: Top portion of core 40: Sliding plate-like member 41: First sliding plate-like member 41a: Tip portion of first sliding plate-like member 42: Second sliding plate-like member 43: Free space 50: Boundary 51: Connecting member 53: Notch 54: Chamfered portion 55: Protruding portion 56: Setback portion 57: Notch 71 : Guide member

Claims (12)

a frame body made of cardboard, the frame body including a bottom plate portion extending in a first direction, and a pair of side wall portions extending in the first direction, connected to the bottom plate portion, facing each other, and decreasing in height as they extend in the first direction, the cross section perpendicular to the first direction being channel-shaped;
a reinforcing member formed by stacking a plurality of flat plate-like members made of corrugated cardboard without bonding them to each other and filling the internal space surrounded by the frame body;
A slope characterized in that the plurality of flat plate-like members are packed into the frame body with the step direction of the center core oriented substantially parallel to the surface of the side wall portion. the frame body includes a first frame body in which the bottom plate portion is disposed on the installation surface side, and a second frame body in which the bottom plate portion is disposed vertically above the installation surface, and one of the first frame body and the second frame body is disposed so as to surround the other,
The slope described in claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcing member is formed by filling the multiple flat members into the internal space surrounded by the bottom plate portion of the first frame body, the bottom plate portion of the second frame body, and the side wall portions of the first frame body and the second frame body. A slope as described in claim 2, characterized in that it is provided with a sliding board-like member made of paper that is harder than the frame body and is arranged on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion of the second frame body, extending in the first direction. A slope as described in claim 3, characterized in that the sliding plate-shaped member is made of paper tube base paper. A slope as described in claim 3, characterized in that the tip of the sliding board member in the first direction protrudes forward further than the tip of the frame body in the first direction. The slope is divided into a plurality of partial slopes in the first direction,
each of the plurality of partial slopes includes the frame body and the reinforcing member;
the bottom plate portions of the frame bodies included in the pair of adjacent slope portions are connected to each other in the first direction by a connecting member;
3. The slope according to claim 2, wherein a pair of adjacent partial slopes are foldable via the connecting member. Each of the plurality of partial slopes is disposed on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion of the first frame body in a state extending in the first direction, and has a sliding plate-like member made of paper that is harder than the frame body,
a protruding portion is formed by a tip end of the sliding board member included in a first partial slope, which is one of a pair of adjacent partial slopes, protruding in the first direction from the frame body included in the first partial slope toward a second partial slope, which is the other of the pair of adjacent partial slopes;
The tip of the sliding board included in the second partial slope is set back in the first direction in a direction away from the first partial slope relative to the frame body included in the second partial slope, thereby forming a setback portion in the area sandwiched between the tip of the sliding board included in the second partial slope and the frame body,
7. The slope according to claim 6, wherein when the first partial slope and the second partial slope are transitioned from a state in which they are folded via the connecting member to a state in which they are adjacent to each other in the first direction, the protruding portion formed on the first partial slope is positioned within the recessed portion formed on the second partial slope. the sliding plate-shaped member includes a first sliding plate-shaped member that contacts the upper surface of the bottom plate portion of the second frame body, and a second sliding plate-shaped member that contacts the upper surface of the first sliding plate-shaped member,
The protruding portion is formed by a tip of the first sliding plate member included in the first partial slope protruding toward the second partial slope,
The recessed portion is formed in an area sandwiched between the second sliding plate included in the second partial slope, the tip of the first sliding plate included in the second partial slope, and the frame body, by the tip of the first sliding plate included in the second partial slope being recessed in a direction away from the first partial slope more than the frame body,
8. The slope according to claim 7, wherein when the first partial slope and the second partial slope are transitioned from a state in which they are folded via the connecting member to a state in which they are adjacent to each other in the first direction, the protrusion formed on the first partial slope is inserted into the recess formed on the second partial slope. A slope as described in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that each of the multiple flat plate-shaped members constituting the reinforcing member included in the second partial slope has a chamfered corner at a position corresponding to the vertically downward position of the recessed portion. A slope described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it is provided with a guide member that covers one or both of the side wall portions of the frame body from the outside, has a shape that protrudes vertically upward from the side wall portions, and is arranged to extend in the first direction. A method for using the slope according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
A plurality of the slopes extending in the first direction are prepared and arranged on an installation surface at intervals from each other;
A method of using a slope, characterized in that casters provided on the object to be transported are slid down from the higher vertical height position toward the installation surface on each inclined surface consisting of the bottom plate portions provided on multiple slopes or surfaces parallel to the bottom plate portions. a guide member that covers one or both of the side wall portions of the frame body from the outside, that has a shape that protrudes vertically upward from the side wall portions, and that is arranged to extend in the first direction;
12. The method for using a slope according to claim 11, wherein the casters are caused to slide on the inclined surfaces of each of the plurality of slopes so as not to go beyond the outside of the guide members.