Cushioning member for packed object

The combination of foam and cardboard cushioning members within the packing frame addresses the inadequate protection of large outboard motors, enhancing impact absorption and minimizing foam waste.

JP2025146148APending Publication Date: 2025-10-03SUZUKI MOTOR CORP
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2024046777
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-03-22
Publication Date
2025-10-03

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing packaging methods for medium to large outboard motors lack sufficient cushioning and structural support, leading to potential damage during transport due to high center of gravity and susceptibility to impacts, and result in excessive use of polystyrene foam that becomes industrial waste.

Method used

A cushioning member comprising a first foam cushioning member and a second cardboard cushioning member, arranged inside the packing frame to absorb impacts through elastic and plastic deformation, respectively, providing enhanced protection and reducing foam usage.

Benefits of technology

The combined deformation of foam and cardboard members effectively absorbs impacts, minimizing damage to the packaged item while significantly reducing the amount of foam waste generated.

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Abstract

To provide a cushioning member that can achieve an excellent cushioning effect despite a small form, as a cushioning member for protecting a packed object, and advantageously reduce industrial waste.SOLUTION: A cushioning member is disposed inside a side of a packing frame surrounding a packed object, in order to protect the packed object secured on an inner bottom of the packing frame. The cushioning member comprises: a first cushioning member that has a front face disposed adjacent to the packed object and a back side opposite to the front face; and a second cushioning member that has an upper end in contact with the back side of the first cushioning member and a bottom disposed near the side of the packing frame. The first cushioning member is made of a foam material, and the second cushioning member is constituted of a corrugated board assembly.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cushioning member for protecting an object to be packaged. [Background technology]

[0002] When industrial products and the like are transported to distant destinations (e.g., overseas) using shipping containers, a packaging structure is adopted in which the product is fixed inside a packaging frame to protect the product from vibrations and shocks during transport.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a packaging structure in which an outboard motor is placed horizontally between polystyrene foam pads and secured to a wooden skid with square posts and angled cardboard tubes. This packaging structure is intended for lightweight, small outboard motors and cannot be used for medium- to large-sized outboard motors. Furthermore, despite its flat packaging, it lacks the strength to withstand multiple stacks, resulting in poor loading efficiency. Furthermore, the structure requires a wide-area pad to support the load in order to distribute it, resulting in the use of a large amount of polystyrene foam, which becomes industrial waste.

[0004] In the case of outboard motors, particularly medium-sized or larger outboard motors, a packaging method is adopted in which the outboard motor is stored upright with its propulsion direction facing downwards using stern brackets, which are structures for fixing the outboard motor to the hull, and is bolted to a stand installed on the inner bottom of the packaging frame.

[0005] In this packaging configuration, there is essentially no support structure for the packing frame other than the stern brackets, and the outboard motor is supported inside the packing frame in an overhanging state on both sides of the frame.In addition, the center of gravity is high relative to the support position and biased toward the engine.If an external impact occurs during loading and unloading or transport, there is a risk that the outboard motor, which is the item to be packed, will swing against the packing frame and come into contact with it.Therefore, to prevent damage from contact, cushioning materials such as polystyrene foam are also used.

[0006] Incidentally, final products such as outboard motors are transported to their destinations in a packaged state. Therefore, packing crates are essentially one-way packaging materials, and to reduce additional costs, they are designed to have the minimum strength and rigidity required for normal loading and unloading operations and transportation. Therefore, if a large impact is applied due to an external factor, particularly if the packing crate falls over, there is a risk that the cushioning material, such as polystyrene foam, will not be able to absorb the impact and will break, causing damage to the outboard motor that is being packaged. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-250768 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its object is to provide a cushioning material that is small in size but provides good cushioning effect as a cushioning material for protecting packaged items, and that is also advantageous in reducing industrial waste. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides: A cushioning member disposed on the inside of a side portion of a packing frame surrounding an object to be packed in order to protect the object fixed to the inner bottom portion of the packing frame, a first cushioning member having a surface disposed adjacent to the object to be packed and a back surface opposite the surface; a second buffer member having an upper end that contacts the back surface of the first buffer member and a bottom portion that is disposed on the side of the packaging frame, The first buffer member is made of a foam material, and the second buffer member is made of a cardboard assembly. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] With the above-described configuration, when a large impact is applied to the cushioning member according to the present invention due to an external factor, the impact load acting on the cushioning member from the packaged item is alleviated by the elastic deformation of the first cushioning member made of foam material, and is absorbed by the plastic deformation of the second cushioning member made of a corrugated cardboard assembly, thereby suppressing breakage of the first cushioning member, especially in the early stages, thereby achieving good cushioning effects. Furthermore, compared to cushioning members made entirely of foam material, the amount of foam material used, which becomes industrial waste after use, can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the packaging structure for the outboard motor. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the packaging structure for the outboard motor. [Figure 3] 1A is a front view showing a mounting structure of a buffer member, and FIG. 1B is a side view showing the mounting structure of a buffer member. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] 1A is a side view showing the disassembled state of the buffer member, and FIG. 1B is a side cross-sectional view showing the fitted state. [Figure 6] 1A is a plan view showing a second buffer member, and FIG. 1B is a development view thereof. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a front cross-sectional view of a main part showing an exploded state of the buffer member. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a front cross-sectional view of a main part showing a deformed state of the buffer member. [Figure 9] 1A is a side view of a main part showing a buffer member, and FIG. 1B is a side view of a main part showing a deformed state of the buffer member. [Figure 10] 10A is a side view of a main part showing a cushioning member according to a second embodiment, and FIG. 10B is a side view of a main part showing a deformed state of the cushioning member according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0013] 1 and 2 show a packaging structure in which an outboard motor 60, which is the object to be packaged, is fixed and housed inside a packaging frame 50. The packaging frame 50 comprises a bottom frame 51 that forms a skid, and side frames 52 and end frames 53 that form a crate portion around the bottom frame 51. A stand 54 is erected approximately in the center of the bottom frame 51.

[0014] The outboard motor 60 is fixed to the mount 54 by placing the stern bracket 64 on the mount 54 in an upright position with its propulsion direction facing downwards and fastening it with bolts. The propeller (not shown) is removed from the propeller shaft 63 and is wrapped in a sheet 65 (such as a vinyl sheet) in this state.

[0015] Next, the lower parts (521) of the side frames 52 are fixed to each long side of the bottom frame 51 with bolts, the lower ends of the end frames 53 are fixed to each short side with bolts, the side frames 52 and the end frames 53 are joined to each other with bolts, and the upper parts of the opposing side frames 52 are connected with a reinforcing frame (not shown) to form a crate section that surrounds the outboard motor 60. After that, a cardboard box (not shown) is placed over the packaging frame 50, and the outboard motor is shipped in this state.

[0016] The bottom frame 51 is configured as a skid by joining five base frames 511 arranged parallel to the short side direction and four vertical frames 512 arranged parallel to the long side direction and crossing the five base frames 511 above them, together with a bottom plate (not shown). The base frames 511 and vertical frames 512 are made of structural materials such as channel steel. The platform 54 has legs erected adjacent to the joints between the two base frames 511 and the two vertical frames 512 near the center, and an upper surface that fits onto the stern bracket 64 and has the same slope as the transom board of the boat so that the engine crankshaft is horizontal when the outboard motor 60 is fixed.

[0017] 1, the side frame 52 is configured such that the lower frame 521, which serves as the fixed portion to the bottom frame 51, and the upper frame 522 are bolted to the lower and upper ends of multiple vertical frames 523, respectively, and are welded to the ends of a pair of braces 525, which are welded to each other at their central intersection, and are rigidly connected by fastening braces 524 to prevent distortion. The lower frame 521, upper frame 522, and braces 524 are configured as L-angle structural materials, and the vertical frame 523 is configured as a hat-shaped structural material.

[0018] As shown in Figure 2, the end frame 53 is constructed by connecting the upper parts of a pair of vertical frames 531 with an upper frame 532, and by welding a pair of braces 533 welded to each other at the central intersection, creating a rigid connection that prevents distortion. The vertical frames 531 and the upper frames 532 are constructed from L-angle structural materials. A reinforcing frame 535 is installed between the side frames 52, providing a support structure for the upper buffer member 45.

[0019] As described above, the side frames 52 and end frames 53 surrounding the outboard motor 60 fixed to the mount 54 on the bottom frame 51 each have a truss structure, which not only protects the outboard motor 60 but also provides the strength and rigidity to enable it to be stacked when loaded into a container or stored.

[0020] However, medium to large outboard motors have an overall height of 1.5 to 2 m and a weight of 100 to 350 kg, and in addition to being supported in a state where they overhang significantly from the frame 54, their center of gravity is high relative to the support position and is biased toward the engine, which is on the left side in Figure 1. Moreover, as already mentioned, the packing frame 50 is basically a one-way packing material, and is designed to have the minimum strength and rigidity required for normal loading and unloading operations and transportation.

[0021] Therefore, if an excessive impact is applied to the packing crate 50 due to an external factor during loading and unloading operations or transportation, for example, if a transport vehicle passes over a bump in the road surface such as a speed breaker without slowing down during land transportation, the outboard motor 60 may swing inside the packing crate 50 and come into contact with the packing crate 50. In particular, if the packing crate 50 were to tip over, it would be difficult for the stand 54 to cantilever the outboard motor 60, and the outboard motor 60 would fall onto the inside surface of the packing crate 50.

[0022] Therefore, in order to prevent damage to the outboard motor 60 due to contact with the packing frame 50, shock absorbing members 41, 45, 46 are provided adjacent to the outboard motor 60 inside the packing frame 50.

[0023] Of these, the buffer members 45, 46 are buffer member 45 against upward movement near the cavitation plate and buffer member 46 against downward movement of the top cowling 62 when a counterclockwise moment in Figure 1 is generated due to the offset in the center of gravity of the outboard motor 60 mentioned above, and buffer member 46 is fixed onto the bottom plate of the bottom frame 51.

[0024] On the other hand, the buffer members 41 are disposed adjacent to the sides of the outboard motor 60 and inside the side frames 52 for the purpose of absorbing shock when the outboard motor 60 swings left and right in Figure 2 or when the outboard motor 60 is dropped due to tipping over of the packing frame 50. The buffer members 41 and their mounting structure will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0025] (Mounting structure of cushioning member 41) As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the cushioning member 41 is made up of a first cushioning member 10 having a surface that is curved two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally along the shape of the side surface near the bottom cowl 61 of the outboard motor 60, and a second cushioning member 20 that supports the first cushioning member 10 while abutting against the back surface of the first cushioning member 10, with the first cushioning member 10 being made up of a foam material and the second cushioning member 20 being made up of a cardboard assembly.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1 , the buffer member 41 is oriented to match the shape of the bottom cowl 61 of the outboard motor 60, and is joined to the surface of the base portion 42 at the bottom of the second buffer member 20. The base portion 42 is made of a cardboard sheet, and a block-shaped anchor portion 43 is joined to the back surface of the base portion 42. The anchor portion 43 is made of a laminate of multiple cardboard sheets, and therefore the base portion 42 and the anchor portion 43 also have a buffer function in their thickness direction, and together with the buffer member 41, they constitute the buffer member assembly 40.

[0027] The buffer member 41 (buffer member assembly 40) having the above-described mounting structure is positioned adjacent to the side of the outboard motor 60 inside the side frame 52 by fitting the anchor portion 43 between the two vertical frames 523 so that the side edge portion 423 of the base portion 42 overlaps the inside of each part (flange portion) of the two adjacent vertical frames 523 of the side frame 52, and by sandwiching the side edge portion 433 of the anchor portion 43 between the two vertical frames 523.

[0028] The base portion 42 has a vertical length corresponding to the length from the top to the bottom of the vertical frame 523, and the lower end 422 of the base portion 42 is supported on the inner bottom of the packing frame 50, and in this state, the upper end 421 of the base portion 42 abuts or is adjacent to the upper frame 522.This configuration prevents the cushioning member 41 from shifting position during transportation.

[0029] (Assembly structure of the buffer member 41) Next, an embodiment of the first buffer member 10 and the second buffer member 20 that constitute the buffer member 41 will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0030] 4, the first cushioning member 10 has a front surface 11 formed of a curved surface that curves along the shape of the side surface of the outboard motor 60, and a back surface 12 having a flat basic shape, and is configured as an elongated block having a first width w1 and extending in the longitudinal direction. The foam material that forms the first cushioning member 10 is not particularly limited, but a synthetic resin foam material such as expanded polystyrene can be suitably used.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the first buffer member 10 has a plurality of legs 14 protruding from the rear surface 12 at intervals in the longitudinal direction, as shown in FIG. 5(A), and the second buffer member 20 has a plurality of sockets 24 formed therein that hold the legs 14 of the first buffer member 10 in an inserted state, as shown in FIG. 5(B).

[0032] 6(B), the second cushioning member 20 is formed from a single corrugated cardboard blank, with the bottom wall 21, a pair of side walls 22, and a pair of end flaps 23 having a flute direction in the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. That is, fold lines 221, 231 (rules, scores) are formed on both sides and both ends of the bottom wall 21, respectively, and are continuous with the side walls 22 and end flaps 23 via these fold lines. Slits 25 that engage with the engaging pieces 33 of the bridging portions 30 are formed on the edges of each side wall 22.

[0033] The multiple bridging portions 30 are each formed from a corrugated cardboard blank of the same shape, with the flute direction extending from the upper end 32 toward the lower end 31. At positions corresponding to the engaging pieces 33 on both sides of the lower end 31, engaging grooves 35 are provided toward the engaging piece 33 on the upper end 32 side to engage with the lower portions of the slits 25 in the side wall portions 22, and as shown in Figure 7, expanded portions 34 are formed extending laterally via the engaging piece 33. In addition, an expanded portion is formed at the introduction portion at the lower end of each engaging groove 35 to facilitate engagement with the slit 25.

[0034] Then, the fold lines 221 on both sides of the bottom wall portion 21 are bent, and the bottom wall portion 21 and the pair of side wall portions 22 on either side thereof form a groove shape extending in the longitudinal direction with a second width w2. By engaging the engagement grooves 35 of the bridging portions 30 with each slit 25 and engaging the engagement piece portions 33, as shown in Figure 6(A), the pair of side wall portions 22 are bridged by each bridging portion 30, and three socket portions 24 that hold the leg portions 14 of the first buffer member 10 are formed by three adjacent pairs of bridging portions 30 and side wall portions 22.

[0035] 5 and 7, when the engaging piece 33 of the bridging part 30 is engaged with the slit 25 of the side wall part 22, a gap is formed between the lower end 31 of the bridging part 30 and the bottom wall part 21. In other words, the height from the upper end 32 to the lower end 31 of the bridging part 30 and the depth of the engaging groove 35 (the length of the engaging piece 33 in the engaging direction) are determined so that a gap is formed between the bridging part 30 and the bottom wall part 21 in the engaged state.

[0036] 5, when the leg portions 14 of the first cushioning member 10 are inserted into and held in the socket portions 24 of the second cushioning member 20 until the upper ends of the bridging portions 30 abut against the rear surface 12 of the first cushioning member 10, a gap is formed between the end portions of the leg portions 14 and the bottom wall portion 21. In other words, the dimensions of the leg portions 14 are determined so that a gap remains between the leg portions 14 and the bottom wall portion 21.

[0037] In this embodiment, the legs 14 of the first buffer member 10 are held in the sockets 24 of the second buffer member 20, thereby integrating the first buffer member 10 and the second buffer member 20. Therefore, no additional joining or engagement is required between the first buffer member 10 and the second buffer member 20. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 9(A), an end flap 23 of the second buffer member 20 may be joined 15 to the end surface 13 of the first buffer member 10. Because the flute direction of the end flap 23 is oriented in the width direction, it can easily deform in the height direction, as shown in FIG. 9(B), and does not hinder the elastic deformation of the first buffer member 10 or the plastic deformation of the second buffer member 20 (bridging portion 30).

[0038] (Impact absorption effect of buffer member 41) As described above, the cushioning members 41 (cushioning member assemblies 40), each made of the first cushioning member 10 made of foam and the second cushioning member 20 made of a cardboard assembly, are arranged inside the side frames 52 of the packing crate 50, adjacent to the side of the outboard motor 60. If the packing crate 50 falls over on its side due to an external factor during transportation or loading / unloading of the outboard motor 60 (packing crate 50), causing the outboard motor 60 to fall sideways inside the packing crate 50, as shown in Figures 8 and 9(B), the first cushioning member 10 and the second cushioning member 20 are interposed below the outboard motor 60', so that the impact load from the outboard motor 60' acts on the surface 11' of the first cushioning member 10', causing the first cushioning member 10' to be pressed downward while partially elastically deforming, and the bridging portion 30' of the second cushioning member 20' to undergo plastic deformation from the upper end 32' (first stage).

[0039] Furthermore, as plastic deformation of the engaging piece portion 33' of the bridging portion 30' and the slit 25' and slit bottom portion 253 of the side wall portion 22 progresses and the bridging portion 30' descends, the leg portion 14' of the first buffer member 10' seats on the bottom wall portion 21 of the second buffer member 20 before the bridging portion 30' is crushed, and elastic deformation of the leg portion 14' begins, and plastic deformation of the bridging portion 30' progresses in parallel (second stage).

[0040] Thereafter, the bridge portion 30' of the second shock absorber 20 is crushed by the weight of the outboard motor 60', and the body and leg portion 14' of the first shock absorber 10' are elastically and partially plastically compressed, and the fall of the outboard motor 60' ends while it is bearing the static load of the outboard motor 60' (third stage).

[0041] The above process is actually completed almost instantly, but the difference in deformation patterns between the elastic deformation of the first cushioning member 10 made of foam material and the plastic deformation of the second cushioning member 20 made of a cardboard assembly, in particular the synergistic effect of the plastic deformation of the second cushioning member 20 delaying the elastic compression of the first cushioning member 10 and slowing down the plastic deformation of the second cushioning member 20, prevents the first cushioning member 10 from breaking and maximizes the shock absorption effect achieved by the elastic deformation of the first cushioning member 10 and the plastic deformation of the second cushioning member 20, which is advantageous in preventing damage to the outboard motor 60.

[0042] Furthermore, in the above process, the first buffer member 10 enters the groove defined between the side wall portions 22, 22 of the second buffer member 20, and the side surface of the first buffer member 10 is guided by the side wall portions 22. In addition, the leg portions 14 of the first buffer member 10 are guided by the socket portions 24 formed between the bridging portions 30 of the second buffer member 20. This prevents the first buffer member 10 and the second buffer member 20 from shifting positions, ensures that the elastic deformation of the main body and leg portions 14 of the first buffer member 10 is guided between the side wall portions 22, 22 of the second buffer member 20, and ensures that the impact load acting on the first buffer member 10 is input to the bridging portions 30 of the second buffer member 20, thereby achieving the designed impact absorption effect.

[0043] (Second embodiment) Next, Figures 10(A) and (B) show a cushioning member 41 according to a second embodiment, in which a recess 122 extending in the width direction is formed on the back surface 12 adjacent to the leg portion 14 of the first cushioning member 10.

[0044] By forming such a recess 122, a gap is naturally formed between the back surface 12 of the first buffer member 10 and the upper end 32 of the bridging portion 30 of the second buffer member 20, and when an impact load acts on the first buffer member 10, the upper end 32' of the bridging portion 30' is introduced into the recess 122', and plastic deformation of the bridging portion 30 is induced adjacent to the base of the leg portion 14, suppressing irregular deformation and breakage of the bridging portion 30, which is advantageous in achieving the designed impact absorption effect.

[0045] Furthermore, for the same reason, it is preferable that the recess 122 has a slope in which the depth decreases with increasing distance from the leg 14. With this configuration, as shown in Fig. 10(B), the upper end 32' of the bridge 30' is reliably guided to a position adjacent to the base of the leg 14 within the recess 122', which is more advantageous in achieving the designed shock absorption effect.

[0046] As described above, the recess 122 is formed as a small recess in principle, since it serves to guide the upper end 32' of the bridging portion 30' to a position adjacent to the base of the leg 14 in the initial stage, and the maximum depth of the recess 122 is smaller than the gap between the lower end of the leg 14 of the first buffer member 10 and the bottom wall 21 of the second buffer member 20.

[0047] (Main components and effects) The cushioning member according to the present invention has the following features and effects.

[0048] (1) In a basic form, the cushioning member (41) is arranged inside the side (52) of the packing frame (50) surrounding the object (60) to be packed in order to protect the object (60) fixed to the inner bottom (51, 54) of the packing frame (50), and comprises a first cushioning member (10) having a surface (11) arranged adjacent to the object (60) to be packed and a back surface (12) opposite the surface, and a second cushioning member (20) having an upper end (32) abutting the back surface of the first cushioning member and a bottom (21) arranged on the side of the packing frame, the first cushioning member (10) being made of a foam material and the second cushioning member (20) being made of an assembly of cardboard.

[0049] With this configuration, when a large impact is applied due to an external factor, the impact load acting on the cushioning member from the packaged item is alleviated by the elastic deformation of the first cushioning member made of foam material, and is absorbed by the plastic deformation of the second cushioning member made of a cardboard assembly, thereby suppressing breakage of the first cushioning member, especially in the early stages, and providing a good cushioning effect.

[0050] Moreover, compared to when the entire cushioning member is made of foam material, there is an advantage in that the amount of foam material used, which becomes industrial waste after use, can be reduced.

[0051] (2) In a preferred embodiment, the first buffer member (10) comprises a main body portion extending in the longitudinal direction with a first width (w1), and a plurality of leg portions (14) protruding from the back surface (12) of the main body portion at intervals in the longitudinal direction, while the second buffer member (20) comprises a bottom wall portion (21) extending in the longitudinal direction so as to form a groove extending in the longitudinal direction with a second width (w2) larger than the first width, a pair of side wall portions (22) connected to both sides of the bottom wall portion via bent portions (221), and a plurality of bridging portions (30) bridging the pair of side wall portions at multiple locations at intervals in the longitudinal direction, and two adjacent bridging portions of the plurality of bridging portions and the pair of side wall portions form a socket portion (24) that holds the leg portions (14) with the upper ends (32) of the bridging portions abutting against the back surface (12) of the first buffer member.

[0052] This configuration prevents the first and second buffer members from shifting in position when an impact load is applied, ensures that elastic deformation of the first buffer member is induced between the pair of side wall portions, and ensures that plastic deformation of the bridging portion between the pair of side wall portions is induced. In addition, plastic deformation of the bridging portion and elastic deformation of the leg portions are induced at an early stage, resulting in a synergistic effect that maximizes the impact absorption effect.

[0053] (3) In a more preferred embodiment, when the upper end 32 of the bridging portion 30 abuts against the back surface 12 of the first buffer member 10, a gap is formed between the end of the leg portion 14 and the bottom wall portion 21. This configuration delays the elastic deformation of the leg portion and induces plastic deformation of the bridging portion at an early stage, thereby preventing breakage of the first buffer member and maximizing the impact absorption effect through a synergistic effect.

[0054] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the present invention.

[0055] For example, in the above embodiment, three legs 14 are formed on the rear surface 12 of the first buffer member 10, but the number of legs 14 may be two or four or more. Furthermore, if the gap between the end of the leg 14 and the bottom wall portion 21 is too large, the amount of elastic deformation of the leg 14 decreases accordingly, so the gap is set to ½ or less, preferably ⅓ or less, of the depth of the socket portion 24.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the width of the leg portions 14 in the longitudinal direction of the first buffer member 10 is 1 / 4 of the spacing between sections where no leg portions are provided, i.e., the leg-to-spacing ratio is 1:4, but this ratio may be other. Also, in the illustrated example, legs (foam portions) can be added to sections where no leg portions are provided. However, if the spacing ratio is too large, the leg portions will not have sufficient elasticity. Conversely, if the leg portion (foam portion) ratio is too large, not only will the amount of foam material used increase, but the proportion of elastic deformation in the stage (second stage) where plastic deformation and elastic deformation progress in parallel will increase, which may reduce the contribution of the plastic deformation of the bridging portion to the buffering effect.

[0057] Furthermore, the back surface 12 of the first cushioning member 10 may be formed flat without providing the legs 14 on the back surface 12 of the first cushioning member 10. In this case, as shown in FIG. 9(A), the first cushioning member 10 can be held by the second cushioning member 20 by joining 15 the end flap 23 of the second cushioning member 20 to the end surface 13 of the first cushioning member 10.

[0058] In the above embodiment, the upper end 32 of the bridging portion 30 of the second buffer member 20 is aligned with the upper end of the side wall portion 22, but the upper end of the side wall portion 22 may extend upward beyond the upper end 32 of the bridging portion 30. While such an extension does not contribute to reducing material costs, it is advantageous in ensuring that the first buffer member 10 is reliably guided into the groove of the second buffer member 20 in the configuration without the legs 14, as described above, and thus preventing displacement.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the shock absorbing member 41 is disposed between the vertical frames 523, 523 at an angle along the bottom cowl 61, which is a high-strength portion of the outboard motor 60, but it may also be disposed inside the vertical frame 523 on the top cowl 62 side, which is the left side in Fig. 1, or may be added. In that case, the shock absorbing member 41 may be fixed directly to the inside of the vertical frame 523 without using the base member 42.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the outboard motor 60 is described as the packed object. However, the cushioning member 41 according to the present invention can also be used to pack other objects that, like the outboard motor, are not self-supporting enough but are transported fixed in a packing frame in an upright position, such as a motorcycle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 10 First cushioning material (foam material) 11 Surface 12 Bottom 14 Legs 20 Second cushioning member (cardboard assembly) 21 Bottom wall 22 Side wall 24 sockets 25 slit 30 Bridge section 31 Bottom end 32 Top 33 Engagement piece 35 Engagement groove 60 Outboard motor (packaged item) 50 packing boxes 51 Bottom frame 52 Side frame 53 End Frame 54 Mounting stand

Claims

1. A cushioning member disposed on the inside of a side portion of a packing frame surrounding an object to be packed in order to protect the object fixed to the inner bottom portion of the packing frame, a first cushioning member having a surface disposed adjacent to the object to be packed and a back surface opposite the surface; a second buffer member having an upper end that contacts the back surface of the first buffer member and a bottom portion that is disposed on the side of the packaging frame, A cushioning member, wherein the first cushioning member is made of a foam material and the second cushioning member is made of a cardboard assembly.

2. the first buffer member includes a main body portion having the front surface and the back surface, the main body portion having a first width and extending in a longitudinal direction, and a plurality of legs protruding from the back surface of the main body portion at intervals in the longitudinal direction, 2. The cushioning member according to claim 1, wherein the second cushioning member has a bottom wall portion extending in the longitudinal direction so as to form a groove extending in the longitudinal direction with a second width larger than the first width, a pair of side wall portions continuing on both sides of the bottom wall portion via bent portions, and a plurality of bridging portions bridging the pair of side wall portions at a plurality of locations spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, and wherein two adjacent bridging portions of the plurality of bridging portions and the pair of side wall portions form a socket portion that holds the leg portion with an upper end of the bridging portion abutting against the back surface of the first cushioning member.

3. 3. The buffer member according to claim 2, wherein a gap is formed between the end of the leg portion and the bottom wall portion when the upper end of the bridge portion abuts against the rear surface of the first buffer member.

4. 4. The cushioning member of claim 3, wherein the leg portion of the first cushioning member is provided at a middle portion of the main body portion excluding both longitudinal ends thereof, and the main body portion of the first cushioning member has a recess on the back surface adjacent to the leg portion that extends in the width direction so as to define a gap between the upper end of the bridging portion and the back surface.

5. 5. The shock absorbing member according to claim 4, wherein the recess has a slope such that the depth decreases with increasing distance from the leg portion.

6. 6. The shock absorber according to claim 5, wherein the maximum depth of the recess is smaller than the gap between the end of the leg and the bottom wall.

7. 3. The cushioning member of claim 2, wherein the bridging portion has a pair of engaging portions that engage with the pair of side wall portions to bridge the pair of side wall portions, and the engaging portions include engaging piece portions that extend laterally to engage with slits extending from the upper ends of the side wall portions toward the bottom wall portion.

8. 8. The cushioning member according to claim 7, wherein the engagement piece of the bridge portion further includes an enlarged portion extending beyond the slit to form an engagement groove that engages with a lower portion of the slit of the side wall portion.

9. 3. The cushioning member according to claim 2, wherein the bottom wall portion and the pair of side wall portions of the second cushioning member are formed from a single first corrugated board blank whose flute direction is the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the plurality of bridging portions are formed from a plurality of second corrugated board blanks whose flute direction is the direction from the upper end to the lower end.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Packaging case

    JP1998250768A