Bubble wrap volume reduction device

Abstract

To provide a bubble wrap volume reduction device for small to large sizes featuring a simple structure that is difficult to break, enabling movement of the bubble wrap, perforation, compression without a "fluffy" feel, pressing, separation from perforation rollers, and easy attachment / detachment of storage bags.SOLUTION: The perforated roller is composed of a perforated plate and an elastic plate having elasticity. The material of the receiving roller is of higher rigidity than the elastic plate. The perforated roller and receiving roller are arranged in contact. Furthermore, when using a separating plate, the gas bubble cushioning material is compressed between the separating plate and the receiving plate. Furthermore, the use of a receiving roller drive plate enables easy rotational drive of the receiving roller. Additionally, the perforated plates are interconnected using perforated plate connecting rods to enhance durability, and the receiving plates are fixed together using receiving plate connecting rods to eliminate plate wobble. Moreover, a storage bag fixing device, which sandwiches the storage bag between the through hole and the stop pin, facilitates easy attachment and removal of the storage bag.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Bubble wrap is used as a packaging material when transporting luggage. This product uses two resin sheets to create a cylindrical air pocket that traps air, and the air pressure acts as a cushioning material.It is known by various names, including air packing, air cap, and bubble wrap, which are all trademarked products. In the present invention, this is called bubble cushioning material, and the cylindrical portion with a circular bottom that traps the air is called an air reservoir.

[0002] The details of the structure of bubble cushioning material, and the fact that it is useful but has the disadvantage of being bulky after use and that it is desirable to reduce its volume, are described in detail in Patent Documents 1 to 12, etc., and are, so to speak, publicly known matters, so will not be described in detail in this application; however, the present invention relates to a device for reducing the volume of bubble cushioning material. [Background technology]

[0003] Various devices have been proposed for reducing the volume of bubble cushioning material, but all of them are large, complex, difficult to manufacture, and unsuitable for mass production. At present, there are no small, inexpensive products for home use. The problems that exist in conventional bubble cushioning material volume reduction devices such as those disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 12 that have actually been published are described in detail in Patent Document 13, so they will not be repeated here.

[0004] The methods of Patent Documents 13 to 15 are extremely practical, and are methods for producing a bubble cushioning material volume reduction device that is inexpensive, applicable to industrial use, and can be miniaturized as a general-purpose product for home use. The bubble cushioning material volume reduction device of the present application follows the methods of Patent Documents 13 to 15, and improves on their shortcomings. Accordingly, the names and terms of parts common to Patent Documents 13 to 15 are used as they are known and will not be explained in detail again.

[0005] Although we are talking about "background technology," there are currently no bubble wrap volume reduction devices officially on the market, so there is no technology that can be publicly mentioned or improved. Therefore, the "background art" described here is an improvement that was discovered in the process of developing a completely new bubble cushioning volume reduction device in Patent Documents 13 to 15 from a state of no prior art, and is different in nature from ordinary "background art."

[0006] The first background art will be described. FIG. 1 shows a basic bubble cushioning material volume reduction device, and the bubble cushioning material volume reduction device of the present invention has the same basic configuration. In FIG. 1, the insertion guide 1 is for guiding the bubble cushioning material to the volume reduction section 2, and is for facilitating the insertion of the bubble cushioning material. The volume reducing unit 2 has a perforating roller 203, a receiving roller 204, and a separation plate 295 (not shown in the drawing), and these three components mainly perform the perforation, compression, separation, and movement of the bubble cushioning material. This operation is described in detail in Patent Document 13.

[0007] The drive unit 3 consists of a motor that drives the perforation roller 203, etc., and various switches and control circuits that control the motor. There are various ways to realize this circuit, as well as mechanisms such as what to use as bearings when installing the shafts of the perforation roller 203 and receiving roller 204 in the volume reduction unit 2, using known technology; generally, known technology is sufficient, and these can be easily manufactured by anyone skilled in the art. Since they are unrelated to the subject matter of this application, they will not be mentioned specifically hereinafter unless necessary, and will not be shown in the drawings.

[0008] The legs 4 may be any known rod-shaped or box-shaped object as long as they can support the bubble cushioning material volume reduction device which integrates the above-mentioned feeding guide 1, volume reduction section 2, and drive section 3. Since they are unrelated to the subject matter of this application, they will not be mentioned specifically hereinafter unless necessary, and will not be shown in the drawings.

[0009] Separation plates such as those shown in FIGS. 7 and 15 of Patent Document 15 have been proposed. These separators are important components in constructing the bubble wrap volume reduction device. On the other hand, in bubble wrap volume reduction equipment for small-lot production of a wide variety of products, these separation plates are expensive because they are made one by one by cutting polyacetal resin (hereinafter referred to as POM resin) or the like. It is important that the device is relatively small and low cost for reducing the volume of bubble wrap. The separation plate of Patent Document 15 is difficult to adopt as it is. Reference technology 1 Here are some countermeasures.

[0010] The second background art will now be described. FIG. 21 of Patent Document 15 proposes a scraper wheel and a scraped wheel. This is also an important function of bubble wrap volume reduction equipment, but in bubble wrap volume reduction equipment that is usually produced in small quantities, the scraper in particular is expensive because it is made one by one by cutting POM resin or the like.

[0011] Furthermore, since the receiving roller rotates only when the scraper claws of the scraper come into contact with the scraped wheel, the rotation of the receiving roller pulsates when there is no load, which can cause unnecessary noise and vibration. Ideally, it is desirable to rotate the receiving roller stably regardless of whether the volume of the bubble wrap is being reduced or not. Original Vow Claim 1 Here are some countermeasures.

[0012] The third background art will now be described. When reducing the volume of bubble cushioning material stacked in multiple layers, the bubble cushioning material volume reduction devices using the separation plates of Patent Documents 13 to 15 can completely compress relatively hard bubble cushioning material such as bubble cushioning material D42 (Kawakami Sangyo Co., Ltd.), but in the case of soft bubble cushioning material such as bubble cushioning material D35 (Kawakami Sangyo Co., Ltd.), the layers may not completely adhere to each other, leaving some thickness and a fluffy feel, meaning that the material may not be completely compressed. Since there is no suitable expression to describe this feeling, hereafter in this application we will refer to this as a "fluffy feeling," and the cause of this feeling will be explained below.

[0013] In Patent Documents 13 to 15, the basic principle of volume reduction is shown in FIGS. 11, 12, 13, and 17 of Patent Document 13. In other words, the entire volume reduction operation is carried out through the interaction of the perforated plate and the receiving plate (bubble cushion receiving surface, roller plate), and the function of the separation plate is basically to separate the bubble cushion from the perforated plate, and it is not involved in perforation or compression.

[0014] A typical example of the compression will be explained below using the perforated plate and backing plate in the explanatory diagrams of the compression space in Figures 22 and 23 of the present application. In FIG. 22, which is a left side view of the roller pair, if the radius of the inner circumferential circle 207A1 of the perforated plate 207 is R2, the radius of the receiving plate 204A is R4, the shortest distance between the separation surface 208C of the separation plate 208 and the receiving plate 204A is W, and the center distance of the roller pair is L, the compression gap distance G is G=L-(R2+R4) The perforation and compression of the bubble cushioning material is carried out within this compression gap distance G. On the other hand, the distance U between the separation surface 208C of the separation plate 208 and the inner circumference 207A1 of the perforated plate 207 is U=R2-W is.

[0015] When manufacturing a bubble cushioning material volume reduction device using the methods of Patent Documents 13 to 15, U>0 is usually set to minimize W from the viewpoint of cost, and U may be set to 10 mm or more. U creates a non-compressed space 802 that is not involved in the compression of the bubble cushioning material, and when viewed from the top view of Figure 23, it can be seen that this is the space between the separation surface 208C and the push plate 204A.

[0016] Figure 24 shows the state in which the bubble cushioning material 8 has been inserted and compressed, as shown in Figure 23. As can be seen from the figure, the bubble cushioning material 8 is completely compressed in the areas sandwiched between the perforated plate 207 and the gaps between the support plates 204A on either side of it, but in areas outside of this, it protrudes into the uncompressed space 802, causing a "fluffy feeling." The softer the bubble cushioning material, the more easily it will protrude into the uncompressed space 802, making it feel more "fluffy."

[0017] Furthermore, the number of overlapping layers (thickness) of bubble cushioning material is generally not uniform when it is reduced in volume, so when the target to be reduced in volume is viewed along a line sandwiched along the length of the roller pair, the thicker parts will have a greater compression effect and the thinner parts will have a lesser degree of compression, meaning that the compression effect will be patchy.

[0018] One method of increasing the compression effect is proposed in Patent Document 15, such as in Figure 56, in which the compression gap distance is variable, but this is difficult to completely solve as long as non-compressed space 802 remains between the separation plate and the perforated roller. Original Vow Reference technology 1 and Reference technology 2 Here are some solutions to the "fluffy feeling" and the compression effect of spots.

[0019] The fourth background art will now be described. The basic structure of the perforating roller 203 used in Patent Documents 13 to 15 is shown in FIG. That is, the perforated plates 101 are arranged at required intervals on the perforated roller shaft 203A. Typically, perforated plate 101 is made of metal such as stainless steel plate with a thickness of about 1 mm. The spacing between the perforated plates can be secured using spacers, but since the required spacing can usually be maintained using separation plates (not shown), spacers are not necessary.

[0020] The perforated roller having the above-described structure has the following weaknesses. That is, for example, if a volume reduction target or a foreign object becomes entangled in one of the perforation plates, stopping its rotation, if the rotational torque of the perforation roller shaft 203A is large, the perforation roller shaft will rotate in the direction of the arrow as shown in Figure 31(a) relative to the perforation plate that is stopped from rotating, and the shaft hole 101B in the perforation plate will be deformed as shown in Figure 31(b) and will be broken.

[0021] In Figure 30, the shaft hole is drum-shaped, but since the thickness of the perforated plate is relatively small, it can be square, hexagonal, or Key hole Even with other shapes, if the rotational torque of the perforating roller shaft is large, similar problems will occur. In this case, the perforated plate may cause groove-like scratches on the perforated roller shaft, requiring extensive repairs. Original Vow Claim 2 Here are some countermeasures.

[0022] The fifth background art will now be described. The basic configuration of the receiving roller 204 used in Patent Documents 13 to 15 is shown in FIG. That is, the receiving plate 204A is arranged on the receiving roller shaft 204G so that the required groove width is achieved by using a spacer 204F having the width of the groove 204H. In this case, if the bubble cushioning material volume reduction device is large, the diameter of the receiving roller will also be large, but in order to make the spacer proportionally larger, it will be necessary to design and manufacture it specifically, which will increase costs. Using commercially available spacers with a diameter relatively small compared to the receiving rollers is inexpensive, but it is difficult to stabilize the receiving plate, and the receiving plate is prone to wobbling from side to side during the volume reduction operation.

[0023] FIG. 36(a) shows an example, in which when a thick volume reduction target 8 is pushed into a groove 204H by the triangular projection 207B, it acts like a wedge, and the left and right receiving plates 204A are pushed apart and tilted in the directions indicated by the arrows. When the receiving roller rotates and moves away from the triangular protrusion, the inclined portion returns to its original position and narrows as shown in Figure 36(b), which may result in the bubble cushioning material remaining sandwiched on the receiving roller side regardless of the separation plate. Furthermore, the compressive force of the volume-reducing object is weakened in the expanded portion, making it easier for the "fluffy feeling" to remain. Original Vow Claim 3 Here are some countermeasures.

[0024] The sixth background art will now be described. In a bubble wrap volume reduction device, a storage box or storage bag is required to receive and store the reduced volume bubble wrap. There is no problem if the user prepares some used cardboard boxes or the like by themselves, but it is not realistic to attach used cardboard boxes to a bubble wrap volume reduction device as a product. On the other hand, attaching a new box would increase the volume and cost, so it would be convenient if commercially available plastic bags for storing garbage (hereinafter referred to as storage bags) could be used even if a box was not available.

[0025] In particular, from the perspective of reducing the volume of bubble wrap, relatively large bags of 70 liters or more are desired, but storage bags of that size often do not have handles or other features for attachment to structures, and in order to actually install the storage bags in a bubble wrap volume reduction device, a certain mechanism is required, which is not easy. The following methods have been proposed as known methods.

[0026] Patent Document 16 discloses a method of fixing a storage bag to a basket using a holder made of a cylindrical ring having a hollow, oval cross section and a bulging portion formed from a resilient member. This holder is not easy to manufacture and is not suitable for use in bubble wrap volume reduction equipment.

[0027] Patent Document 17 employs a structure in which a rectangular frame is placed inside a shredder cut-off piece storage bag, which is not easy to manufacture and is not suitable for use as a bubble wrap volume reduction device.

[0028] Patent Document 18 relates to a shredder equipped with a device for closing a storage bag for shredded waste, but the device uses double clips, clothespins, hairpins, elastic leaf springs, etc. to attach the storage bag, which cannot be used as a method for fastening storage bags used in bubble wrap volume reduction devices, which require strong fastening force, and is not structurally easy.

[0029] Many other methods have been proposed, such as attaching plastic bags to the container with clips or using the handles on the storage bag, but none of these methods are suitable for use with bubble wrap volume reduction devices. Original Vow Reference technology 3 The following shows the proposed countermeasures. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0030] [Patent Document 1] Patent 2826628 [Patent Document 2] Patent 4010235 [Patent Document 3] Patent 4452852 [Patent Document 4] Patent Publication No. 11-277297 [Patent Document 5] Patent Publication No. 2001-191329 [Patent Document 6] Patent Publication No. 2001-191416 [Patent Document 7] Patent Publication No. 2003-260709 [Patent Document 8] Patent Publication No. 2004-298845 [Patent Document 9] Patent Publication No. 2006-168030 [Patent Document 10] Patent Publication No. 2010-29964 [Patent Document 11] Patent Publication No. 2013-176928 [Patent Document 12] Patent Publication No. 2001-277241 [Patent Document 13] Patent 7023652 [Patent Document 14] Patent application 2021-153759 [Patent Document 15] Patent application 2024-000005 [Patent Document 16] Patent Publication No. 2010-173766 [Patent Document 17] Patent Publication No. 2016-209832 [Patent Document 18] Patent Publication No. 2018-095299 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0031] The problem to be solved is to provide a bubble cushioning material volume reduction device that has a simple structure and is capable of moving, perforating, compressing without "fluffy feeling", pressing and separating bubble cushioning material from the perforation roller, and that does not break the perforation plate or perforation roller shaft when the perforation plate is restrained, and that is less likely to cause the receiving plate of the receiving roller to shake, and that allows for easy attachment and detachment of storage bags. [Means for solving the problem]

[0032] The first is a perforation roller with a structure in which a perforation plate is sandwiched between elastic rebound plates, and a receiving roller with a receiving plate that is more rigid than the rebound plate, which allows the bubble cushioning material to be moved, perforated, compressed, pressed, and separated from the perforation roller. At the same time, during the compression operation, the compression gap distance is automatically adjusted to an optimum value according to the thickness of the object to be reduced in volume.

[0033] Second, an elastic receiving roller drive plate is attached to the receiving roller, and the receiving roller is rotated by rotating the receiving roller drive plate with the perforation plate of the perforation roller that is in contact with it.

[0034] Third, in addition to the volume reduction operation using the perforated plate and receiving plate, the separation plate and receiving plate also perform compression operation. Furthermore, during the compression operation, the compression gap distance is automatically adjusted to an optimum value depending on the thickness of the object to be reduced in volume.

[0035] Fourth, the perforation plates are connected to each other with perforation plate connecting rods, so that even if the rotation of one perforation plate is prevented, all of the perforation plates connected by the perforation plate connecting rods can withstand the rotational torque of the perforation roller shaft.

[0036] Fifth, the support plates are connected and fixed together with support plate connecting rods and spacers, making the support plates less likely to wobble left and right (towards the shaft), and increasing their rigidity as support rollers.

[0037] Sixth, a storage bag fixing device is provided on the bubble cushioning volume reduction device body or its stand, and one end of the entrance of the storage bag is passed through the through hole, and the storage bag is fixed and released with a stopper piece, making it possible to easily attach and detach the storage bag. [Effects of the Invention]

[0038] According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a bubble cushioning material volume reduction device with a simple structure that can reduce the volume of the bubble cushioning material with less "fluffy feeling," that is less likely to break down the perforation roller, and that allows easy attachment and detachment of the storage bag. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0039] [Figure 1] This is a basic bubble wrap volume reduction device. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a perforation roller using a repulsion plate. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the repulsion plate. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a left side view illustrating the operation of the roller pair. [Figure 7] 5 is an explanatory view of the operation of the roller pair taken along the arrows AA. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the diameters of the perforated plate and the rebound plate. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the tip angle of the triangular protrusion and the difficulty of separation. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the shape of a triangular protrusion. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a perforated roller with spacers. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a stepped rebound plate. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a resin rebound plate. [Figure 14] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an integrated receiving roller. [Figure 15] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a bubble cushioning material volume reduction device using a drive roller. [Figure 16] FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a receiving roller with a receiving roller drive plate. [Figure 18] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of a receiving roller with a receiving roller drive plate. [Figure 19] 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a case where the contact position of the receiving roller drive plate is shifted to the left. FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a receiving roller drive plate with a perforated plate guide. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a receiving roller drive plate with a perforated plate guide and an adjustment section. [Figure 22] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram (left side view) of a non-compressed space. [Figure 23] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram (top view) of a non-compressed space. [Figure 24] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a compressed state of a non-compressed space. [Figure 25] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram (left side view) of a separation plate with a non-compressed space removed. [Figure 26] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram (top view) of a separation plate with a non-compressed space removed. [Figure 27] FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of the compressed state of the separation plate with the non-compressed space removed. [Figure 28] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a separation plate with elastic bridges. [Figure 29] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a separation plate with a compression wheel. [Figure 30] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a basic perforated roller. [Figure 31] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of deformation of a shaft hole in a perforated plate. [Figure 32] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a perforated plate with holes for connecting rods. [Figure 33] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a perforation roller with a perforation plate connecting rod. [Figure 34] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of three perforated plates with holes for perforated plate connecting rods. [Figure 35] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of three perforation rollers with perforation plate connecting rods. [Figure 36] FIG. [Figure 37]FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a support roller with three support plate connecting rods. [Figure 38] FIG. [Figure 39] FIG. [Figure 40] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the relationship between the locking piece and the through hole. [Figure 41] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of how to use the locking piece and the through hole. [Figure 42] This is an example of using a stopper piece and a through hole for flat mounting. [Figure 43] This is an example of using a stopper piece and a through hole to attach it to a vertical surface. [Figure 44] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an elliptical through hole. [Figure 45] This is an example of using an aluminum frame. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] By introducing new technologies into the perforation rollers, receiving rollers, and separation plates, we have achieved a bubble cushioning material volume reduction device that is simple in structure, has a higher compression effect, and allows for easy attachment and detachment of the storage bag.

[0041] The bubble cushioning material volume reduction device of the present application is not currently available in the world, and many of the terms used are not previously known, so in order to explain the technology, it is necessary to explain newly defined terms. Although many of these are explained in Patent Documents 13 to 15, the terms used in this application will be defined below for clarity.

[0042] (a) Type A bubble wrap volume reduction device The Type A bubble cushioning material volume reduction device is characterized by the use of an elastic plate newly proposed in this application, and the bubble cushioning material volume reduction device in Example 1 is an example, and is more suitable as a small bubble cushioning material volume reduction device.

[0043] (b) Type B bubble wrap volume reduction device It is characterized by the use of separation plates such as those shown in Figures 2, 8, and 15 of Patent Document 15, and the bubble cushioning material volume reduction device shown in Figure 1 of the same document is an example, and it is suitable for both small and large bubble cushioning material volume reduction devices.

[0044] For the sake of convenience in the explanation of this application, we have defined type A bubble cushioning material volume reduction devices and type B bubble cushioning material volume reduction devices, but they are essentially the same bubble cushioning material volume reduction devices in that both have a pair of rollers as their basic component. Therefore, the names Type A bubble cushioning material volume reduction device and Type B bubble cushioning material volume reduction device will be used when it is necessary to avoid confusion as to which type of bubble cushioning material volume reduction device is being described, and in all other cases they will be referred to as bubble cushioning material volume reduction device.

[0045] (c) Volume reduction target To avoid redundancy and to the extent that no misunderstandings arise, bubble wrap that is subject to volume reduction will be referred to as "volume reduction target." (d) Perforated plate To avoid redundant description, the disc with triangular projections will be called a "perforated disc." The term "disc with triangular projections" is used in Patent Document 13, and "perforated plate" has the same function.

[0046] (e) Perforating rollers, receiving rollers, separating plates, separating wheels, scraper wheels, scraped wheels, receiving plates Details are described in Patent Document 15. (f) Laura Vs. The bubble cushioning material volume reduction device of the present invention basically comprises a pair of perforating rollers and receiving rollers, which perform perforating, compression, separation and movement. The perforating roller and the receiving roller are collectively called a "roller pair."

[0047] (g) Separation blockage When the object to be reduced in volume does not separate properly from the perforated plate and gets stuck in the grooves of the separation plate, this is called "separation clogging." (h) Burr joint According to Patent Document 13, this refers to a state in which the upper and lower sheets of the air pocket or overlapping bubble cushioning materials are bonded together as a result of the rupture protrusions and rupture openings intertwining during volume reduction. In this application, this is referred to as "burr bonding" in the sense that the material is joined by burrs.

[0048] (i) Elastic plate, drive roller, receiving roller drive plate These are not currently common terms in the industry, but are part names newly created in connection with the present invention, and details are explained in each embodiment. (j) Load, overload From the perspective of the roller pair of the bubble cushioning material volume reduction device, the bubble cushioning material is a load, and in descriptions related to the rotational force of the roller pair, the object to be reduced in volume is sometimes referred to as a load. Furthermore, if the object to be reduced in volume is too hard or if the overall thickness is too large due to multiple layers, the roller pair may become unable to move. In this application, the excessive load that causes such a situation is referred to as an overload.

[0049] (k) Through holes, stoppers, storage bag fixing devices In Figures 38 and 39 of the present invention, through holes and stoppers are proposed for fixing a storage bag for storing the bubble cushioning material after reduction in volume. The collective term for these two is "storage bag fixing device."

[0050] Hereinafter, in the present application, the same names and numbers will be used for the same items in each drawing, and once a name has been explained, the explanation or number will not be repeated to the extent that it does not cause misunderstanding.

[0051] Furthermore, the embodiments described in this application are merely "examples," and from the perspective of a person skilled in the art, methods for achieving equivalent functions can be easily envisioned through various variations that can be derived from, modified, applied, derived, or inferred from these combinations, and are "design matters that can be appropriately set by a person skilled in the art," and as long as they are based on the principles demonstrated by the invention, they are all considered to be included in the scope of the present invention.

[0052] Furthermore, when design values, etc. are shown as specific numerical values, these are merely concrete examples (embodiments) to make the explanation easier to understand, and a person skilled in the art can easily implement the invention with other values ​​according to the respective target specifications, and all of these are considered to be included in the scope of the present invention.

[0053] Furthermore, it is common knowledge to add an interlock mechanism, such as stopping the motor, when opening and closing safety-related parts such as various doors, lids, and insertion guides attached to a bubble cushioning volume reduction device, and since this is a design matter that can be appropriately set by a person skilled in the art, including the method of realizing it and the location of the addition, no specific mention will be made of the necessary interlocks, as they should be present, except in parts related to the main purpose of the configuration of this application. Furthermore, in order to ensure safety, the dimensions of the human body parts are assumed to be the safest values, taking into account variations between adults, infants, and individuals, and this is not explained as a prerequisite each time.

[0054] Similarly, it is common practice in industrial systems to install metal detectors to prevent damage to perforating rollers and receiving rollers by metal objects, and the method and necessity of doing so are "design matters that can be appropriately determined by a person skilled in the art." In this application, there are many other design conditions that can be changed depending on the target specifications, and henceforth, these will be referred to as "designer discretion items" and will not be mentioned in detail.

[0055] Furthermore, although the present application describes the bubble cushioning material volume reduction device as being targeted at bubble cushioning material, it is also possible to reduce the volume of other items such as cushion envelopes, various plastic food containers such as tofu packs, PET bottles, and bulky paper products such as cardboard. Therefore, the device based on the inventive principles of the present application is not limited to bubble cushioning material volume reduction devices, but also extends to devices for reducing the volume of other items to which the same principles can be applied.

[0056] In addition, the description may include the phrase "required...", which means that the present invention makes it possible to manufacture a wide range of bubble cushioning material volume reduction devices, from industrial to household use, and the required specifications vary greatly depending on the hardness, number of layers, size, processing speed, dimensions, weight, durability, driving capacity, etc. of the bubble cushioning material that can be processed by the target bubble cushioning material volume reduction device, so the "required..." refers to the requirements necessary to meet the specifications in each case. Furthermore, some content that can be easily understood by a person skilled in the art through written explanations may not be illustrated. Furthermore, although not included in the claims, characteristic technical content that supplements the present invention is referred to as "reference art," and numbers are added to distinguish them from each other.

Embodiment

[0057] Fig. 1 Reference technology 1 is an embodiment showing a type-A bubble cushioning material volume reduction device by the third angle projection method. When the bubble cushioning material volume reduction device is regarded as a system, it basically seems to be not much different from those disclosed in Patent Documents 13 to 15. However, the feature of the invention of the present application is that the elastic plate 216 shown in Fig. 2 is used for the perforating roller 203.

[0058] Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the perforating roller 203 using the elastic plate 216 by the third angle projection method. Let the radius of the outer peripheral circle 207A of the perforated plate 207 be R1. The material of the disc-shaped elastic plate 216 has elasticity, and let the radius be R3. The perforating roller shaft 203A is the shaft of the perforating roller, and is arranged so as to sandwich the left and right of the perforated plate 207 with the elastic plate 216 to form the perforating roller.

[0059] As materials for imparting elasticity to the elastic plate, various general or special urethanes, rubbers, sponges, etc. that are widely commercially available can be used, and their hardnesses are also various. Therefore, which material to use is a "matter of designer's discretion" according to the required specifications.

[0060] Fig. 3 shows the receiving roller 204, which corresponds to those disclosed in Patent Documents 13 to 15, so the details are known. The material of the receiving plate 204A can be various metals, various resins, various urethanes, rubbers, sponges, etc., but it should be harder than the material of the elastic plate, and the groove 204H formed by the spacer 204F should be in a positional relationship such that the tip of the perforated plate passes through it.

[0061] As shown in Fig. 1, the roller pair is mounted by bringing the elastic plate of the perforating roller into contact with the receiving plate of the receiving roller so that pressure is generated. The details will be described in Fig. 4. In Fig. 4, it is shown as R1 < R3, but it does not necessarily have to be so as will be described later. If the distance between the shaft centers of the roller pair is L1, the elastic plate 216 having elasticity is pressed by the highly rigid receiving plate 204A, and the contracted part 216A of the elastic plate is deformed and recessed toward the perforating roller shaft center 203A, and the deformation amount L2 is L2=(R3+R4)-L1 becomes. If the structure is fabricated so that R1>R3-L2, triangular projection 207B at the tip of the perforated plate will be exposed from the elastic plate at contracted portion 216A of the elastic plate between the backing plates.

[0062] In this state, as shown in FIG. 5, stress acts on the elastic plate contraction portion 216A, which has been deformed by the pressure of the backing plate 204A, as shown by the arrows, to return it to its original shape. At the same time, frictional force is generated between the contracted portion of the elastic plate and the receiving plate, and when the elastic plate is rotated regardless of whether a load is applied or not, the receiving roller is rotated in the opposite direction via the receiving plate. As it rotates, it comes off the elastic plate contraction portion 216A and returns to its original shape due to its elasticity.

[0063] Based on the explanation of FIG. 5, the operation of the roller pair to reduce the volume of the bubble cushioning material will be explained using the left side view of the roller pair in FIG. The perforating roller 203 is rotated manually or by a motor or the like, and the receiving roller 204 also rotates in the opposite direction to the perforating roller due to frictional force, which makes it easier to pull the inserted bubble cushioning material 8 into the roller pair.

[0064] The bubble cushioning material sandwiched between the pair of rollers is perforated and compressed by the triangular projections of the perforated plate exposed at the elastic plate contracting portion 216A and the receiving plate 204A. At the same time, the bubble cushioning material is compressed by the elastic plate contraction part and the backing plate.

[0065] As the perforation roller rotates, the bubble cushioning material is reduced in volume by the perforated plate and moved downward in Figure 5. When it escapes from the contracted part of the elastic plate, the elastic plate returns to its original shape, pushing the bubble cushioning material out from the tip of the perforated plate and separating it. That is, a series of volume reduction operations are carried out, including moving, perforating, compressing and separating the bubble cushioning material. At this time, if the shape of the perforated plate and receiving plate and the deformation amount L2, which are "a matter of designer discretion," are appropriate, it is possible to produce a burr joint.

[0066] From the above explanation of the operation, it can be seen that the bubble cushioning material volume reduction device of the present invention is characterized in that it can achieve the following functions, which are important for a bubble cushioning material volume reduction device, without taking any special measures. Rotates the receiving roller This means that the same functionality can be obtained without providing the scraper wheel or scraped wheel of Patent Document 15.

[0067] -Compression gap distance is automatically adjusted The elastic plate contracts according to the thickness of the object to be reduced in volume, providing the function of automatically adjusting the compression gap distance to ensure optimal compression at all times. This is not done all at once across the entire roller pair, but is done for each part of the roller pair, which solves the problem of uneven compression effects when the thickness of the object to be reduced in volume is not uniform. That is, optimal compression is performed according to the thickness of each portion to be reduced in volume. · Volume reduction without "fluffiness" As shown in the view of the roller pair in FIG. 7 taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, the bubble cushioning material volume reducing device of the present invention does not have a space like the non-compressed space 802 in FIG. This makes it possible to reduce the volume without using any special means and without creating a "fluffy" feeling.

[0068] ·Reliable separation Without the need for dedicated separation means such as the separation plate or separation wheel of Patent Document 15, the volume reduction target can be pushed out by the elastic plate returning to its original shape, and the volume reduction target can be separated reliably. As described above, according to the present invention, the scraper wheel, scraped wheel, separation plate, etc. are no longer necessary, making it possible to reduce the size and cost of the device. [Example]

[0069] Figure 8 is Reference technology 1Another embodiment according to [description omitted], for the A-type bubble cushioning material volume reduction device, this is the case where the radius R1 of the perforated plate outer circumference circle 207A of the perforated plate 207 and the radius R3 of the elastic plate 216 are set such that R1 ≥ R3. In Example 1, R1 < R3 was set, but in FIG. 8, R1 ≥ R3. Even if the elastic plate returns to its original shape, since the radius is smaller than or equal to that of the perforated plate outer circumference circle, there is a possibility that the separation of the bubble cushioning material may not be successful.

[0070] However, if the shape of the triangular protrusion 207B of the perforated plate is appropriately adjusted, separation is possible. Although it is a matter of designer discretion, if the difference between R1 and R3 is about 1 to 5 mm, the problem can be eliminated. In FIG. 9, the tip angle of the triangular protrusion and the difficulty of separation are explained. The tip angles of the triangular protrusions in FIGS. 9(a) and (b) are θ1 and θ2 respectively, and θ1 > θ2.

[0071] In the case of (a), the width of the perforated hole is large. When the elastic plate 216 returns to its original shape as shown by the arrow, the perforation gap 207C is wide, so the friction between the triangular protrusion of the perforated plate and the bubble cushioning material is small. If the bubble cushioning material 8 moves downward, it will separate by its own weight. Therefore, θ1 can be set and manufactured accordingly.

[0072] In the case of (b), the width of the perforated hole is narrow. When the elastic plate 216 returns to its original shape as shown by the arrow, the perforation gap 207C is narrow, and the friction effect between the triangular protrusion of the perforated plate and the bubble cushioning material also acts strongly, making it difficult for the bubble cushioning material 8 to separate by its own weight.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 10, if the tip of the triangular protrusion is made into a rounded curve such as a circle or an ellipse and its curvature is increased, when the elastic plate 216 returns to its original shape, if the bubble cushioning material 8 moves downward, it will slide in the sliding direction shown by the arrow and be separated.

[0074] From the above, it can be seen that even when R1 ≥ R3, if the shape of the triangular protrusion of the perforated plate is appropriately designed, the separation of the bubble cushioning material is possible. In cases such as the boundary between separation and non-separation, if the separation plate 205 in FIG. 6 is provided, separation can be ensured. In this case, the separation plate does not have to be one of the complex shapes shown in Patent Documents 13 to 15; a simple rectangular plate is sufficient, and it may also serve as a guide to determine the direction in which the separated bubble cushioning material travels.

[0075] The separation plate 208 in Figure 1 also serves as a guide, and is simply a metal piece at the bubble cushioning outlet on the bottom plate of the volume reduction section 2 that has been bent diagonally upward while remaining rectangular (details not shown), but it functions satisfactorily. Of course, the separation plate may be provided with a comb-shaped or wave-shaped irregularity, but this increases costs.

[0076] In the case of R1≧R3 in the present application, the tip of the triangular protrusion at the contracted portion of the elastic plate protrudes from the elastic plate even when there is no load, which has the advantage of providing a guide function and preventing the receiving plate from protruding outside the perforated plate. [Example]

[0077] Figure 11 is Reference technology 1 This is an example of an elastic plate using a spacer, which is used in an A-type bubble cushioning material volume reduction device. As explained in Example 1, the elastic plate 216 is placed adjacent to the perforated plate 207, but since the elastic plate needs to contract under pressure, it is advantageous for the two plates to have low friction and slide easily against each other, especially at the triangular protrusions of the perforated plate. However, although urethane rubber and the like are suitable as materials in terms of elasticity, they have the disadvantage of being slippery because they tend to stick tightly to the surface.

[0078] In FIG. 11, spacers 217 having a diameter smaller than the triangular projections are inserted on both sides of the perforated plate. This has solved this difficulty. Naturally, the use of spacers is an effective means for any elastic plate, not just urethane rubber. [Example]

[0079] Figure 12 is Reference technology 110 is another embodiment of a stepped elastic plate 216 used in an A-type air bubble cushioning material volume reduction device. A feature of this embodiment is that a disk-shaped step is provided on the elastic plate itself instead of the spacer of Example 3, eliminating friction between the elastic plate and the triangular projection. Figure 12(a) shows steps on both sides of the elastic plate, while (b) shows steps on one side. In either case, the function is the same, and it is a "matter of designer discretion" that can be decided taking into consideration production costs, effort, etc. [Example]

[0080] Figure 13 is Reference technology 1 10 is another embodiment of a resin elastic plate 216 used in an A-type air bubble cushioning material volume reduction device. In the present application, it is necessary for the pressure plate to have elasticity, and Examples 1 to 4 are based on the premise that elastic materials such as urethane and rubber are used.

[0081] In contrast, Figure 13 shows an elastic plate made from a less elastic material such as POM resin. FIG. 13 shows an example of this, in which an elastic plate elastic bridge 216B is formed by providing a gap 216C for an elastic plate elastic bridge in a resin disk, and this elastic plate elastic bridge 216B exhibits elasticity against pressure from anywhere around the elastic plate.

[0082] The resin elastic plate of this embodiment is elastic in the radial direction, but not in the left and right lateral directions when viewed from the front view. It does not expand in response to pressure from the outer edge, making it less likely to come into contact with the triangular protrusions of the perforated plate. It also has the advantage of being highly durable for long-term use, compared to elastic plates made of urethane, rubber, etc. There are various processing methods other than those shown in Figure 13 that can be used to obtain elasticity, and this is a "matter left to the designer's discretion." [Example]

[0083] Figure 14 is Reference technology 1 This is another embodiment of the present invention, which is an embodiment of an integrated receiving roller used in an A-type bubble cushioning material volume reduction device. The receiving roller in Figure 3 is made up of a required number of individual receiving plates and spacers arranged alternately, but the receiving roller in Figure 14 can be manufactured by making a receiving cylinder 204I out of a hard, low-elastic resin such as urethane or rubber, and then cutting a groove 204H into it. The material can be metal other than resin. In principle, the integrated receiving roller of the present invention can be made larger, and can also be applied to a B-type air bubble cushioning material volume reduction device.

[0084] If a large number of pieces are to be produced, a mold may be made and the raw material poured into it. This integrated receiving roller enables cost reduction, reduction in assembly steps, and weight reduction. Furthermore, by using a method of raising a mold and pouring raw material into it, it is possible to manufacture a one-piece perforated roller as well. [Example]

[0085] Figure 15 is Reference technology 1 1 is an example of a method for driving an A-type bubble cushioning material volume reduction device. The drive roller 219 is installed in contact with the perforation roller 203, and when the drive roller is rotated manually or by a motor (not shown) using the drive unit 3 due to the frictional force between them, the perforation roller rotates in the opposite direction.

[0086] The drive roller 219 will be described using FIG. 16 as an example. The drive roller shaft 219A is the shaft of the drive roller, and is rotated by the drive unit 3 manually or by a motor (not shown). The drive cylinder 219B is a cylindrical roller made of elastic resin or the like. The length of the drive cylinder is determined as long as it can transmit the necessary driving force to the corresponding perforation roller, and can be any length as shown by the chain line, and is a "designer's discretionary matter." The same applies to the diameter of the drive cylinder; if you want to obtain a large driving force with a small force, it is normal to make the diameter smaller than the diameter of the perforation roller in accordance with the ratio.

[0087] The present application has the following advantages: · The driving force transmission force and rotation ratio can be easily determined without using gears or pulleys. · By designing the drive roller to slip when overloaded, it is possible to prevent excessive force from being applied to the drive roller, which could damage the device. To prevent such accidents when using gears or pulleys, a torque limiter is usually required, but this increases costs and space, so the method of the present invention, which does not require a torque limiter, is a great advantage. Both of these are particularly effective for relatively small bubble cushioning material volume reduction devices.

[0088] In the left side view of FIG. 15, the drive roller is disposed to the lower left of the perforating roller, but the position can be arbitrary as long as the required operation can be performed. Furthermore, the frictional force that contributes to rotation is determined by the characteristics of the materials of the drive roller and perforating roller, the distance between the shaft centers of the two rollers, etc., and these are ``matters at the designer's discretion'' when actually manufacturing a bubble cushioning material volume reduction device. [Example]

[0089] Figure 17 is Claim 1 This is an embodiment of a B-type bubble cushioning material volume reduction device in which a receiving roller drive plate 204J is used for the receiving roller, and is shown in third angle projection. The basic configuration of the receiving roller 204 is the same as that of the receiving roller of the bubble cushioning material volume reduction device using a separation plate shown in Patent Documents 13 to 15. The main feature is the provision of a receiving roller drive plate 204J.

[0090] The receiving roller driving plate 204J is a disk-shaped member made of an elastic material and has the same thickness as the spacer 204F, and is installed between the receiving plates to also function as a spacer. The diameter is set so that a part of the tip of the triangular projection of the perforated plate is slightly recessed into the elastic backing roller drive plate and caught, and the force that rotates the backing roller can be transmitted via the backing roller drive plate (not shown). The dimensions are a "designer's discretion" that should be determined based on the material properties of the receiving roller drive plate, and the mass and size of the receiving roller.

[0091] The operation will be explained with reference to the top view of the receiving roller 204 with the receiving roller drive plate and the perforating roller 203 in FIG. The triangular projection contact portion 204K is a portion into which the tip of the triangular projection sinks and transmits a force that allows the receiving roller to rotate. As a result, when the perforating roller is rotated, the receiving roller drive plate is rotated at the triangular protrusion contact portion, and the receiving roller rotates in conjunction with this.

[0092] In other words, according to the present invention, simply by providing a receiving roller drive plate, the receiving roller can be rotated, making it easier to draw the bubble cushioning material into the roller pair, thereby reducing costs and installation space compared to methods using a scraper wheel and a scraped wheel. Furthermore, since the receiving roller is driven continuously, not intermittently, there is the advantage that noise due to pulsation and damage to the device are eliminated.

[0093] While the bubble cushioning material is being reduced in volume, the rotational driving force of the backing roller is mainly due to the driving force caused by the friction between the bubble cushioning material and the backing plate, so the rotational angular velocity of the contact point between the bubble cushioning material and the backing roller becomes the rotational angular velocity of the backing roller (not shown). On the other hand, the rotational angular velocity of the receiving roller driven by the receiving roller drive plate is determined by the ratio of the radius of the outer circumference of the perforated plate to the radius of the receiving roller drive plate, so the smaller the radius of the receiving roller drive plate, the greater the rotational angular velocity of the receiving roller (not shown).

[0094] Although the two types of rotational angular velocities are not the same, during volume reduction the receiving roller rotates at an angular velocity generally determined by the bubble cushioning material and the receiving plate, which have a large driving force, so "slippage" occurs at the contact points of the triangular protrusions. However, if a material with high elasticity or stretchability is used, problems such as wear are unlikely to occur. The smaller the amount of "slippage," the longer the life of the receiving roller drive plate. Therefore, it is desirable to make the diameter of the receiving roller drive plate as close as possible to the diameter of the receiving plate, and to use a material such as urethane rubber that has a moderate elasticity and can easily return to its original shape even when scratched.

[0095] If the device is large and the mass of the receiving roller is large, a plurality of receiving roller drive plates may be provided. In this case, it is only necessary to replace it with the spacer 204F between the receiving plates, and there is a great advantage in that it is not necessary to change the dimensions of the device. Furthermore, the mounting position of the receiving roller drive plate does not have to be limited to the left end as shown in FIG. 17, and the effect is almost the same regardless of where it is located on the receiving roller. [Example]

[0096] Figure 20 is Claim 1 This is another embodiment of the present invention, which uses a receiving roller drive plate with a perforated plate guide. In the case of the receiving roller drive plate 204J in Figure 17, since the outer periphery is flat, as the relative left-right positional relationship with the perforation plate 207 changes, the position of the triangular protrusion contact portion 204K may shift to the left or right as shown in Figure 19 (not shown), and the perforation plate and the receiving plate 204A may rub against each other (not shown), potentially causing damage to each other.

[0097] To avoid this, as shown in FIG. 20, a perforated plate guide 204M is provided around the receiving roller drive plate 204J so that the triangular projection comes into contact with the bottom of the guide. This means that even if the perforation plate tries to move left or right, it will move along the groove of the perforation plate guide and will not come into contact with the left or right receiving plates. The depth of the perforated plate guide (the height of the left and right walls of the perforated plate guide) should be large enough so that the perforated plate does not come off the guide, and is a "matter of designer discretion."

[0098] As shown in Figure 20 (view from the arrow AA), when the tip of the triangular protrusion 101A is set to sink into the receiving roller drive plate by a distance S1, the trajectory of the tip of the triangular protrusion will be like the triangular protrusion contact line 204L shown by the dotted line. The magnitude of the distance S1 determines the magnitude of the driving force of the receiving roller, and is a "designer's discretionary matter." [Example]

[0099] Figure 21 is Claim 1 Another embodiment of the receiving roller drive plate with a perforated plate guide. An adjustment section 204N is provided in the In the receiving roller drive plate with perforated plate guide in FIG. 20, if the sinking distance S1 is large, the roller pair When mounting on the chassis, in order to keep the center distance between the shafts within a specified value, , they must be pressed together strongly, making the assembly process difficult. Furthermore, it is not possible to adjust the rotation of the perforation roller by rotating only the perforation roller without rotating the receiving roller.

[0100] In Figure 21, the recession distance S2 of the adjustment part is smaller than the recession distance S1, and if the adjustment part and the perforation roller are in a relative positional relationship where they come into contact, the assembly work will be easier, and if they are restrained by hand or a jig, the rotation of the receiving roller can be stopped, but if they are not restrained, the perforation roller can rotate, and this is a ``matter of designer discretion.''

[0101] Furthermore, if distance S2 is set to 0 (zero) or less, it becomes a dead point, so to speak, and if the adjustment part is at the triangular protrusion contact part when the roller pair is stopped and volume reduction begins, the receiving roller will not rotate and will remain stopped, so it is not recommended to set distance S2 to 0 (zero) or less.

[0102] Also, in Figure 21, the adjustment part is arched, but it can be square, sector-shaped, or any other shape as long as the recessed distance S2 is ensured, and this is "a matter of designer discretion." [Example]

[0103] Figure 25 is Reference technology 2 This is a left side view of a pair of rollers in a B-type bubble cushioning material volume reduction device that uses a roller pair to compress the separation plate as well. In FIG. 25, the distance from the shaft center to the point on the separation surface 208 of the separation plate 208 closest to the receiving plate 204A is W, the radius of the inner peripheral circle 207A1 of the perforated plate 207 is R2, and the radius of the receiving plate 204A is R4. Here, it is an important point that the separation plate of the present invention satisfies R2=W.

[0104] As mentioned above in the background art, if the center distance between the roller pair is L, the compression gap distance G between the perforated plate and the backing plate is: G=L-(R2+R4) The perforation and compression of the bubble cushioning material is carried out within this compression gap distance G. On the other hand, the distance G1 (not shown) between the separation surface of the separation plate and the receiving plate is, taking into account R2 = W, G1=L-(W+R4) =L-(R2+R4) and it turns out that G = G1.

[0105] In other words, the gap distance G1 between the separating plate and the receiving plate is equal to the compression gap distance G, and there is no non-compression space between the separating plate and the receiving plate, so that the same compression action as that which occurs between the perforated plate and the receiving plate can be performed between the separating plate and the receiving plate. That is, as shown in the top view of the roller pair in FIG. 26, there is no non-compression space 802 in FIG. 23 between the separating plate 208 and the receiving plate 204A, and the bubble cushioning material can be compressed in the remaining compression gap distance.

[0106] FIG. 27 is a top view showing the state in which the pair of rollers compresses the bubble cushioning material 8. This shows that the exact same compression action occurs between the perforated plate and the receiving plate, and between the separating plate and the receiving plate, making it possible to reduce the volume of bubble cushioning material without making it feel "fluffy."

[0107] The separator plate shown in Figure 25 is just one example, and it is possible to avoid creating an uncompressed space between the receiving plate and separator plates of other shapes, such as separator plates with separator wheels or large separator plates, and all of these fall within the scope of the present invention. [Example]

[0108] Figure 28 is Reference technology 2This is another embodiment using a roller pair of a B-type bubble cushioning material volume reduction device that also compresses the separation plate. However, in order to make the drawing easier to see, a part of the perforated plate 207 shown by the chain line near the right end of the separation plate 208 has been removed.

[0109] The difference from FIG. 25 is that in FIG. 28, a through hole is provided in the separation plate as a gap 208K for an elastic bridge, and elasticity is imparted to the elastic bridge 208J. For this purpose, a material with low friction and high viscosity such as POM resin is suitable. The compression gap distance between the resilient bridge and the backing plate 204A is greater than or equal to zero and less than the compression gap distance between the perforated plate and the backing plate.

[0110] During the volume reduction operation, when the bubble cushioning material is drawn into the compression gap, pressure is applied to the elastic bridge in the direction of the arrow due to its thickness, causing the elastic bridge to deform in the direction of the arrow. Stress occurs in the opposite direction depending on the magnitude of the deformation, and a compressive force acts on the bubble cushioning material sandwiched between the backing plate, resulting in a higher compression effect than in the case of Figure 25. In other words, this means that the elastic bridge deforms according to the thickness of the object to be reduced in volume, and the compression gap distance is automatically adjusted so that optimal compression is always achieved, which is a major advantage.

[0111] This is not done all at once across the entire roller pair, but for each individual separation plate, which solves the problem of uneven compression effects when the thickness of the object to be reduced in volume is not uniform. That is, optimal compression is performed according to the thickness of each portion to be reduced in volume.

[0112] However, with this method, the friction between the elastic bridge and the bubble cushioning material at the separation surface 208C increases, and the rotational driving force required for the perforation roller increases. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure a suitable driving force by increasing the gear ratio or the motor wattage, for example. Furthermore, in order to deform the elastic bridge, the support plate must have greater rigidity than the elastic bridge, so metal or hard resin is desirable as the material for the support plate, but the choice is at the discretion of the designer. [Example]

[0113] Figure 29 is Reference technology 2 This is another embodiment using a roller pair of a B-type bubble cushioning material volume reduction device that also compresses the separation plate. The difference from FIGS. 25 and 28 is that in FIG. 29, a hole (not shown) is formed in the separation plate to allow the compression wheel 208L to be inserted, and the compression wheel is inserted into this hole so that it can rotate freely. The compression gap distance G between the right end face of the compression wheel and the backing plate 204A is set to be approximately the same as the compression gap distance between the perforated plate 207 and the backing plate.

[0114] During the volume reduction operation, the bubble cushioning material is drawn into the edge of the compression wheel, and if its thickness is greater than the compression gap distance G, the bubble cushioning material comes into contact with the compression wheel, but if it is thicker than that, the bubble cushioning material is sandwiched between the compression wheel and the backing plate and compressed. That is, the separating plate and the receiving plate can compress the bubble cushioning material.

[0115] One advantage of using a compression wheel is that it rotates due to friction with the bubble cushioning material during compression, reducing the braking effect caused by friction and requiring less rotational drive force than the methods shown in Figures 25 and 28. [Example]

[0116] Although not shown Reference technology 2 As another example using Example 13 An embodiment that is an extension of the above will be described. In Figure 29, the radius of the compression wheel 208L is increased, and the compression gap distance G is made close to zero (not shown). The compression wheel is made of an elastic material, or a circular plate (cylinder) made of POM resin or the like is drilled with holes to give it the appropriate elasticity. The hole into which the compression wheel is inserted should be large enough so that the compression wheel can rotate freely even if it is deformed elastically.

[0117] With the above mechanism, during the volume reduction operation, the bubble cushioning material is pulled into the edge of the compression wheel, and when it reaches the compression gap, the compression wheel is deformed by the thickness of the bubble cushioning material, generating stress, and the bubble cushioning material is compressed by being sandwiched between the compression wheel and the receiving roller. Compressive force acts on the compression wheel depending on the degree of deformation of the compression wheel, Example 13 A higher compression effect can be achieved.

[0118] In other words, this means that the compression wheel deforms according to the thickness of the object to be reduced in volume, and the compression gap distance is automatically adjusted to always achieve optimal compression.This is a major advantage, but at the same time, because the compression wheel rotates freely, there is less friction than in the method of Figure 28, and less driving force is required for the perforation rollers, which is an even greater advantage.

[0119] This is not done all at once across the entire roller pair, but for each individual separation plate, which solves the problem of uneven compression effects when the thickness of the object to be reduced in volume is not uniform. That is, optimal compression is performed according to the thickness of each portion to be reduced in volume.

[0120] Even if the compression wheel becomes more deformed and can no longer rotate freely, as long as it is strong enough to withstand the increased friction and difficulty in rotation, the volume reduction operation can be continued or stopped due to overload and the roller pair can be reversed, and no problems will occur. [Example]

[0121] Although not shown Reference technology 2 As another example using Example 12 and Example 14 An embodiment that combines and develops the above will be described. A gap 208K for an elastic bridge shown in Figure 28 is provided on the left side (towards the shaft center) of the compression wheel 208L shown in Figure 29, so that the compression wheel rests on the elastic bridge 208J (not shown). Due to this Example 12 and Example 13 You can get the benefits of: One of the advantages is that it is easy to manufacture, as there is no need to make the compression wheel elastic or to enlarge the hole into which the compression wheel is inserted. [Example]

[0122] In Figure 33 Claim 2 This shows an example in which a single perforated plate connecting rod is used. For the purpose of explanation, let us assume that the perforation plate 101 is constrained (fixed) as shown in FIG. 31(a), the perforation roller shaft rotates in the direction of the arrow, and the torque of the perforation roller shaft required for the shaft hole 101B of the perforation plate to deform as shown in FIG. 31(b) is T [N·m]. The required number is N (a natural number greater than or equal to 2). Let's say. Furthermore, the perforated plate connecting rods must have sufficient rigidity so that they will not be deformed by external forces.

[0123] A perforated plate 101 used in the perforated roller is shown in FIG. The hole 101C for the connecting rod of the perforated plate is a hole through which the connecting rod of the perforated plate is passed. The perforation roller 203 of FIG. 33 has N perforation plates of FIG. 32 passed through a perforation roller shaft 203A and connected by a perforation plate connecting rod 203B. is one end The connecting rods are fixed with a perforated plate connecting rod stopper 203C. The perforated plate connecting rod stopper 203C may be any type such as a nut or a retaining ring.

[0124] The perforation plates are connected laterally by the perforation plate connecting rods 203B, and it becomes difficult to independently change the relative position (angle) in the rotation direction with respect to the perforation roller shaft 203A as shown in FIG. In other words, even if one perforated plate is forcibly constrained so that it cannot rotate, all of the perforated plates are constrained by the perforated plate connecting rods, so a torque of T·N [N·m] is required to change the relative position (angle) in the rotational direction with respect to the perforated roller shaft. In other words, the torque required to deform the shaft hole of one perforated plate is multiplied by N by the use of the perforated plate connecting rod, and the strength is increased accordingly.

[0125] In addition, As an example The spacing between the perforated plates is As shown in Figure 23, the distance between adjacent separation plates 208 is determined. Since the connecting rods do not need to be rigidly connected to each other, spacers are not required, but spacers may be used in the connecting rods of the perforated plates if necessary for other reasons, such as to facilitate assembly. In actual design, the setting of each value and whether or not to use a spacer are "matters at the discretion of the designer." In addition, when a perforation plate connecting rod is used for the perforation roller, for example, the hole through which the perforation roller passes in the center of the separation plate 208 in Figure 22 is enlarged so that the perforation plate connecting rod can rotate (not shown). [Example]

[0126] In Figure 35 Claim 2 This shows an example in which three perforated plate connecting rods are used. FIG. 34 shows a perforated plate 101 in which three holes 101C for perforated plate connecting rods used in perforated rollers are arranged. The assembly method and function are the same as those in Figure 33. The number of perforated plate connecting rods is not limited to one or three, and can be any number as long as there is at least one, and is a "matter of designer discretion." In addition, in the case of a large bubble cushioning material volume reduction device where the strength required for the perforated plate connecting rods is great, it is appropriate to provide multiple perforated plate connecting rods. [Example]

[0127] In Figure 37 Claim 3 This shows an example in which three support plate connecting rods are used. The support plate 204 has three holes through which the support plate connecting rods 204P pass. All the support plates 204 are firmly fixed together by support plate connecting rods 204P and support roller connecting rod stops 204Q at both ends via spacers 204F. The receiving roller connecting rod stopper 204Q may be any type such as a nut or a retaining ring.

[0128] This gives the entire receiving roller high rigidity in the left-right direction, preventing the receiving plate from wobbling left and right, preventing the object to be reduced from getting caught in the receiving roller as shown in Figure 36, and preventing the "fluffy feeling" that comes with wobbling. In the case of a receiving roller, the connection between the receiving plates is made firm to increase rigidity, but in the case of the perforation roller connecting rod of the perforation roller, the connection between the perforation plates is loose, and high rigidity is not required, which is a major difference.

[0129] In this embodiment, three support plate connecting rods are used, but the number can be determined appropriately depending on the diameter of the support plate. Furthermore, the spacers for the backing plate connecting rods may be disks similar in shape to the backing rollers, but this increases costs. However, if they are made separate as in this embodiment, commercially available small-diameter standard spacers can be used, which has the advantage of being inexpensive. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the backing plate is a single circular plate, but it is also possible to manufacture several backing plates with an integrated backing roller as shown in Figure 14, and line up several of them to form a perforation roller, and connect them with a backing plate connecting rod. How these are actually applied is at the discretion of the designer. [Example]

[0130] As an embodiment of claim 4, a case where a receiving roller provided with the receiving roller drive plate of claim 1 is used as the receiving roller of claim 3 will be described. Instead of the spacer 204F in the leftmost groove 204H of the receiving roller with the receiving plate connecting rod of Figure 37 according to claim 3, a receiving roller provided with the receiving roller drive plate 204J of Figure 18 according to claim 1 is applied to the bubble cushioning material volume reduction device of Figure 1 (not shown). As a result, the left and right receiving plates 204A sandwiching the receiving roller drive plate 204J do not become displaced from side to side due to the pressure of the bubble cushioning material as shown in FIG. This prevents a gap from being generated between the receiving roller drive plate 204J and the receiving plate 204A, and prevents the tip of the pressing plate from getting into the gap, preventing the receiving roller from rotating properly. Furthermore, the receiving roller drive plate 204J for rotating the receiving roller 204 is simply substituted for the spacer 204F, so no additional space is required, which is also advantageous in that it contributes to making the device more compact. The receiving roller driving plate 204J does not have to be the leftmost groove, but may be a groove at any position, or may have a plurality of grooves. [Example]

[0131] As another embodiment of claim 4, a case where the receiving roller of embodiment 19 and the perforating roller 203 with perforated plate connecting rods of FIG. 35 are used will be described. These two rollers, i.e., roller pairs, are applied to the bubble wrap volume reduction device shown in Figure 1 (not shown). This makes it possible to obtain the advantages described in the 19th embodiment. Furthermore, the perforation roller 203 with perforation plate connecting rods is characterized in that the torque required to deform the shaft hole of one perforation plate is multiplied by the number of perforation plates, which increases the strength accordingly. As a result, the perforation plates that drive the receiving roller drive plates increase in number, and it becomes possible to drive receiving rollers that are correspondingly heavier in mass. . This advantage becomes particularly significant when the bubble cushioning material volume reduction device becomes large and the mass of the receiving roller becomes large. [Example]

[0132] Figures 38 and 39 Reference technology 3This is an example of a storage bag fixing device consisting of a through hole and a stop piece for fixing a storage bag of reduced volume material used in a bubble cushioning material volume reduction device or its stand, and is shown in third angle projection. Figure 38 shows a through hole, and structure 17 is the structure of the bubble cushioning material volume reduction device or its stand, which is usually made of sheet metal (metal plate) or resin, but this is optional and is at the "designer's discretion." The through-hole 16 is a hole (perforation) opened in the structure, and is assumed to be rectangular in shape here as an example only, with the dimensions defined as shown in the figure.

[0133] FIG. 39 shows an example of a stopper piece 15, which is composed of a lever 1501, a neck 1502, and a holding portion 1503, and the dimensions of each portion are defined as shown in the figure. The basic operation method is shown in Figure 40. As shown in FIG. 40(a), when the longitudinal direction of the locking piece 15 and the through-hole 16 are aligned in the horizontal direction, the holding portion of the locking piece passes through the through-hole and becomes insertable and removable.

[0134] Set the storage bag (not shown), insert the locking piece into the through-hole, and rotate it 90 degrees as shown in Figure 40(b). The locking piece will be fixed in the through-hole and will not come out, and the storage bag will be fixed in the through-hole.

[0135] To achieve the above operation, the dimensions of the through holes and locking pieces required are set as follows using the symbols in Figures 38, 39, and 40. However, "^" indicates exponentiation. ΔX is a value inserted to make the calculation formula easier to understand, and is the dimension of the space required to pass the storage bag through the through hole. Specifically, this is the portion indicated by Δx in FIG. 40, and is set to a value taking into consideration the thickness of the storage bag and margins, with ΔX being twice Δx. Generally, a ΔX of about 2 to 3 mm is sufficient.

[0136] a>b (1) a1=a-ΔX (2) a1>b (3) b1=b-ΔX (4) t1=t+ΔX (5) a2=b-ΔX ···(6) √(a2^2+b1^2))+ΔX <b ···(7) a3>a (8)

[0137] Formulas (1) to (8) are for the case where the through hole and the locking piece have the shapes shown in FIGS. 38 and 39, and are for satisfying the following requirements. Formula (1) is the condition that the through-hole is a horizontally long rectangle. Expressions (2) and (4) are the conditions under which the retaining portion of the stopper piece can be inserted and removed in FIG. 40(a). Equation (3) is the condition for the stopper piece to not come out of the through hole in Figure 40(b). Formula (5) is the condition in FIG. 40(b) that the neck of the locking piece 15 fits into the through hole 16 as shown in FIG. 41(c). Equations (6) and (7) are the conditions for making the diagonal dimension, which is the maximum dimension of the neck of the locking piece, smaller than b, so that the locking piece can be inserted into the through-hole and rotated 90 degrees. Formula (8) is the condition for the retaining portion of the stopper piece to enter the through-hole and not pass through.

[0138] If the shapes of the through holes and the locking pieces change, the dimensional requirements for satisfying the above requirements also change. For example, if the neck is cylindrical and the cross section is a circle with a radius r, then instead of equations (6) and (7), r=b-ΔX will be necessary. Furthermore, as long as these conditions are met, the size of the through holes and locking pieces can be determined arbitrarily, and it is a "matter of designer discretion" that can be determined by taking into account the strength and other characteristics of the material and the load of the storage bag.

[0139] Although Figure 39 is shown as an example, the overall thickness is b1 and it can be manufactured by simply applying two-dimensional processing to a plate material, making it extremely practical in terms of cost. Alternatively, when mass production is required, a rod-shaped material processed to have a cross section of the required shape may be cut to a thickness of b1, as in the manufacturing method of Kintaro candy.

[0140] Figure 41 shows the procedure for fixing the storage bag. The AA cross section is a cross section of the AA portion in FIG. 41(a) shows the preparation stage, in which the portion of the storage bag 18 to be fixed is set on the through-hole 16. At this time, the stopper piece 15 is removed from the through-hole. Next, as shown in FIG. 41(b), the retaining piece 15 is pushed into the through hole from above the storage bag.

[0141] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 41(c), by rotating the locking piece 90 degrees, gathering the storage bag 18 on the main body side, and pulling it slightly, the locking piece will not come out of the through-hole and will be fixed in the through-hole together with the storage bag. The reason why the storage bag 18 is gathered and pulled slightly toward the main body is that the strength of the fixed part of the storage bag increases, making it less likely to break, and the through-hole, the storage bag and the stopper piece come into close contact with each other, increasing friction and providing the effect of stably fixing the storage bag. From this point of view, so-called plastic bags made of polyethylene, polypropylene, or the like, which are stretchable and difficult to tear, are suitable for the storage bag fastener of the present invention. When fixing the storage bag, the thickness of the stopper piece, dimension b1, should be large enough to prevent the neck of the stopper piece from rotating unnecessarily.

[0142] Examples of how to install the storage bag fixing device are shown in Figures 42 and 43. In Figure 42, four stoppers are installed vertically at the four corners of the bubble cushioning material volume reduction device. The number is not limited to four and can be determined according to the size of the bubble wrap volume reduction device, and is a "matter of designer discretion." When the locking piece is oriented vertically, the load of the storage bag is not directly applied to the through-hole and locking piece, but goes over the corner of the structure (device housing), and a large amount of load is applied here, which has the advantage of reducing the strength required for the through-hole and locking piece.

[0143] Figure 43 shows four stoppers installed horizontally on the side of a bubble wrap volume reduction device. The number is not limited to four and can be determined according to the size of the bubble wrap volume reduction device, and is a "matter of designer discretion." Generally, the inside of the side of a bubble cushioning material volume reduction device is often empty space, so this is advantageous in terms of space.

[0144] Alternatively, a storage bag fixing device can be installed on the underside of the bubble wrap volume reduction device (not shown). When installing the storage bag fixture on the stand of the bubble cushioning material volume reduction device, the same procedure as for installation on the bubble cushioning material volume reduction device can be used.

[0145] As is clear from the above explanation, the storage bag fixing device of the present application is not limited to bubble wrap volume reduction devices and their stands, but can also be applied to other similar devices and their stands, such as shredders and PET bottle recycling devices that use storage bags. [Example]

[0146] Figure 44 is Reference technology 3 10 is another embodiment of a storage bag fixing device. Here, the cross section of the through hole 16 is elliptical, and the operation is Example 21 It is exactly the same as: The shape of the through hole and the stopper piece is to achieve the purpose of easily fixing the storage bag. Example 21 There are countless variations of shapes, including polygons other than triangles and rectangles, and are not limited to the above shapes (not shown).

[0147] Another variation is to chamfer or round the through holes and locking pieces (not shown). Furthermore, variations include providing holes in the stoppers to attach strings or chains to prevent loss, and applying three-dimensional designs (not shown), all of which are included in the surface matters of this application. [Example]

[0148] Figure 45 is Reference technology 3 10 is another embodiment of a storage bag fixing device. When manufacturing a stand for a bubble wrap volume reduction device, it is expected that a commercially available general-purpose aluminum frame will be used. Since most of the cross sections of the aluminum frame 17A have a groove 17B as shown in FIG. 45, a storage bag fixing device can be realized by simply preparing the stopper piece 15 to fit the groove, without providing a dedicated through-hole.

[0149] For reference, the following describes related technologies and effects not claimed in the claims of the present invention. (a) An item equivalent to the side guide plate 2010 shown in FIG. 50 of Patent Document 15 is also provided on the outlet side of the reduced volume bubble cushioning material. This prevents the bubble cushioning material near the outlet from spilling out to the right or left end and becoming entangled with the shaft when the roller pair is rotated in the reverse direction. Furthermore, in order to prevent the entry of fingers or other human bodies from the outlet side of the bubble cushioning material, the guide plate has a box-like structure with a narrow and deep outlet that makes it difficult for fingers or other human bodies to enter, thereby providing a protective function.

[0150] (b) The following technologies exist regarding the drive unit, which is hardly mentioned in this application: In the case of a small bubble wrap volume reduction device that uses a manual handle, a socket for the bit of a commercially available electric screwdriver can be provided in combination with the handle, making it possible to drive the device with an electric screwdriver. This makes it possible to manufacture an inexpensive, electrically driven bubble cushioning material volume reduction device. The manual handle can be attached to either the left or right side, allowing it to be used according to the user's dominant hand, which will improve usability for the user.

[0151] - Small AC commutator motors can be used in relatively small household bubble wrap volume reduction devices, but they are not suitable for continuous operation as they tend to stop in a short time due to overheating. The motor and manual handle can be used together. This allows the bubble wrap volume reduction device to be operated manually even if the motor overheats and stops.

[0152] (c) When a long length of bubble wrap is reduced in volume, it becomes strip-shaped and many S-shaped curves overlap, reducing the volume of the bubble wrap itself, but the bends of the S-shaped curves create empty spaces, taking up a lot of space and reducing the overall volume reduction effect. A cutter is provided at the outlet of the bubble cushioning material, allowing the compressed material that is discharged manually or automatically to be cut at any interval. This increases the volume reduction effect of long bubble cushioning materials. Furthermore, if the bubble wrap gets clogged for some reason and needs to be reversed and returned to the inlet side, only the remaining part that was cut off at the end is returned, rather than the entire reduced volume, which is more efficient.

[0153] (d) Artificial intelligence, which has made remarkable progress in recent years, is combined with surveillance equipment such as cameras and microphones, and computers or smartphones to control bubble wrap volume reduction equipment. This makes it possible to automate a variety of operations that require human intervention, such as normal operation, non-normal operation in the event of an abnormality, monitoring the status of the equipment itself and the volume reduction target, and monitoring the status around the equipment. [Industrial Applicability]

[0154] According to the present invention, it is possible to manufacture a small, high-performance bubble cushioning material volume reduction device that has a simple structure, is hard to break, and is capable of moving, perforating, compressing, pressing, and separating bubble cushioning material from the perforation roller. [Explanation of symbols]

[0155] 1, 1A Insertion Guide 101 Perforated plate 101A Triangular projection 101B Shaft hole 101C Hole for perforated plate connecting rod 105 Left side plate 106 Right side plate 2, 2A volume reduction section 2B Open / Close Version 201 Volume reduction section entrance boundary 202 Outlet 203 perforated roller, Perforation roller with perforation plate connecting rod 203A Perforated Roller Shaft 203B Perforated plate connecting rod 203C Perforated Plate Connecting Rod Stopper 204 Receiving roller 204A Receiving plate 204B Support plate outer circumference 204C Frictional force 204E, 204G Support roller shaft 204F, 217 spacer 204H Groove 204I Receiving cylinder 204J Receiving roller drive plate 204K Triangular protrusion contact area 204L Triangular projection contact line 204M Perforated Plate Guide 204N Adjustment part 204P Support plate connecting rod 204Q Support plate connecting rod stopper 205 Separation plate 206 Roller intersection 207 Perforated plate 207A Perforated Plate Outer Circle 207A1 Perforated plate inner circumference 207B Triangular protrusion 207C Perforation gap 208 Separation plate 208A Roller shaft hole 208B Connecting shaft hole 208C Separation surface 208J Elastic Bridge 208K Elastic Bridge Gap 208L Compressor Truck 209 Drilling Unit 214 Scraping Wheel 215 Scraping Wheel 216 Elastic Plate 216A Elastic plate contraction part 216B Elastic Plate Elastic Bridge 216C Elastic Plate Elastic Bridge Gap 219 Drive roller 219A Drive shaft 219B drive tube 3 Drive unit 4 legs 5 Side loading guide 8. Bubble wrap 802 Uncompressed Space 15 Stopping Piece 1501 Lever 1502 Neck 1503 Holding part 16 through holes 17 Structure 17A aluminum frame 17B Groove 18 Storage bag

Claims

1. a receiving roller drive plate having elasticity is provided on the receiving roller; This is rotated by the perforation plate of the perforation roller, which rotates the receiving roller. This is a bubble wrap volume reduction device characterized by the following.

2. A bubble cushioning material volume reduction device characterized by connecting the perforation plates of the perforation rollers with perforation plate connecting rods.

3. This bubble cushioning material volume reduction device is characterized by fixing the receiving plates of the receiving rollers with a receiving plate connecting rod and spacers.

4. A receiving roller with a receiving plate connecting rod of claim 3 is provided with a receiving roller drive plate of claim 1, or Alternatively, the receiving roller is used in combination with the perforation roller with perforation plate connecting rod according to claim 2. This is a bubble wrap volume reduction device characterized by the following.

Images