On-site foamed and hardened resin cushioning material

Abstract

To provide an on-site foamed and hardened resin cushioning material that can automate the entire process of product shipping work, including the automation of complicated work such as attaching a cushioning material to prevent damage and breakdowns during product transportation, which has been difficult to automate in conventional product shipping work such as picking products, packing them into boxes, and attaching slips in manufacturing plants and logistics centers.SOLUTION: Conventionally, a cushioning material used in product packaging work include a corrugated cardboard, a polystyrene foam form, and a foam cushioning material, which is attached to the product before it is packed in a box. Because it is difficult to automate attaching work of the cushioning material, the product is placed in a box, and a mixture of a liquid resin and a foaming agent is sprayed into a space around the product. A foam resin then hardens and adheres to the space around the product, fulfilling its function as a cushioning material. This method can be handled by industrial robots, solving the problem of how difficult it is to fully automate product shipping work.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the application of foam-in-place insulation installation techniques. [Background technology]

[0002] A resin technology used in building insulation that foams and hardens by mixing a liquid resin with a foaming agent. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] In the past, tasks such as picking products, packing them into boxes, and attaching shipping labels have been automated in product shipping operations at manufacturing plants and logistics centers. However, the task of packing products with cushioning material to prevent damage or malfunction during transportation is complex and difficult to automate, making it difficult to automate the entire product shipping process. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] Conventionally, cushioning materials used in product packaging include cardboard, polystyrene foam forms, and bubble wrap, and these are attached to the product before it is packed into a box, or the product is placed in a box and cushioning material is placed around it. Because it is difficult to automate (mechanize) these tasks, after the product is placed in a box, a mixture of liquid resin (polyurethane, polystyrene, etc.) and a foaming agent (carbon dioxide, etc.) is sprayed (injected) into the space around the product. The foam resin then hardens and adheres to the space around the product, acting as a cushioning material. This method can be handled by industrial robots, solving the problem of how difficult it is to automate the entire product shipping process.

Claims

1. Foamed resins such as urethane foam are used as insulation materials for houses and other buildings. This foamed resin insulation is generally manufactured (foamed and cured) in a factory and then laid at the construction site in the spaces intended for wall, ceiling, and floor insulation, but there is also insulation that is made by mixing liquid resin and a foaming agent at the construction site and then spraying it directly into the spaces intended for wall, ceiling, and floor insulation, where it foams and cures. This method uses insulation material (foamed resin) that is foamed and hardened on-site as cushioning material for packaging. The packaging process can be simplified by using a method in which liquid resin (such as polyurethane) is mixed with a foaming agent (such as carbon dioxide gas) and foamed and cured on the spot to produce the required amount (producing the required amount of foamed resin on the spot) as a cushioning material during packaging. When packaging products for shipment at manufacturing plants, logistics centers, etc., cushioning material is used in the product box and in the space around the product to prevent damage or breakdown during transportation. Cushioning materials include cardboard, polystyrene foam forms, and bubble cushioning materials, but this method uses foamed resin (such as urethane foam) that is foamed and hardened on site and is used as insulation for homes and other buildings.

2. A buffer material prepared by the method according to claim 1.

3. 10. An apparatus for using the cushioning material according to claim 2 in a packaging operation. In the packaging process, a product is placed in a box, and the cushioning material according to claim 2 is sprayed (injected) into the space around the product. When liquid resin and foaming agent are mixed and sprayed (injected) into the space around the product, the liquid resin immediately foams and hardens, acting as a cushioning material to protect the product. At this time, the equipment is used to spray (inject) the foam resin that serves as cushioning material.

4. A service or business using the cushioning material, device, or facility according to claim 2 or 3.