Buffer material, packing material and pack

Abstract

To provide a buffer material, packing material and pack allowed to easily prevent damages to a buffer material and suppress the size increase of the buffer material.SOLUTION: A buffer material 30 is for protecting a protrusion end (for example, projection 82) a packed object 70 possesses. The buffer material 30 has a buffer member 50 and a reinforcement member 60. The buffer member 50 has a recess 51 to receive an end of the packed object 70 in a manner covering it. The buffer member 50 is formed of a first material having flexibility. The reinforcement member 60 is received in the recess 51 and formed of a second material greater in hardness than the first material. The reinforcement member 60, when the recess 51 receives an end of the packed object 70, is positioned between the end of the packed object 70 and the buffer member 50 in a projecting direction Z1 of the end of the packed object 70.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cushioning material, a packaging material, and a packaged product. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a packaging material (equivalent to one example of a cushioning material) that protects a product from impact. The product is, for example, a printer designed specifically for single-sheet printing and a core rod that is inserted into a roll of paper. The document discloses a package in which the printer is sandwiched between a pair of packaging materials that cover both ends of the printer and then inserted into a packaging box. This package is configured so that bearing holes are formed in both packaging materials in advance, and the core rod that is inserted into the roll of paper is inserted and supported in these holes before the printer is housed in the packaging box. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-61659 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the packaging material described in Patent Document 1, for example, if the packaged item is accidentally dropped, there is a risk that the mandrel will penetrate or damage the packaging material. Therefore, to prevent the mandrel from penetrating or damaging the packaging material, the thickness of the packaging material needs to be increased, at least in the axial direction of the mandrel. As a result, there is a problem that the packaging size of the product increases. Furthermore, if the cushioning material protects not only rod-shaped packaged items such as mandrels, but also packaged items with protruding ends, such as projections or protrusions, there is a risk that the protruding ends of the packaged items will penetrate or damage the cushioning material when the packaged item is dropped. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the thickness of the packaging material, which also poses the same problem of increasing the size of the packaged item. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The cushioning material that solves the above problem is a cushioning material that protects the end of a packaged item having a protruding end, and has a recess that can be accommodated to cover the end of the packaged item, and includes a cushioning member formed from a flexible first material, and a reinforcing member that is accommodated in the recess and is formed from a second material that is harder than the first material, and when the recess accommodates the end of the packaged item, the reinforcing member is positioned between the end of the packaged item and the cushioning member in the protruding direction of the end of the packaged item.

[0006] The packaging material that solves the above problem includes the above-mentioned cushioning material and a packaging box that contains the cushioning material. A package that solves the above problem includes the above packaging material and the item to be packaged. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a package according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the state in which the lid of the box of the package is open. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the recording apparatus. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a packaging material and an object to be packaged. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of a packaging material and an object to be packaged. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the packaged item. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the cushioning material. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view showing the cushioning material. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the dimensions of the buffer member and the reinforcing member. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view showing a cushioning material that covers an end of an item to be packed. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a packaged product subjected to a drop impact. [Figure 12]FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the stress to which the cushioning material of the comparative example is subjected when a packaged product is dropped and impacted. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the stress to which the cushioning material of the example is subjected when a packaged product is dropped and impacted. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a side cross-sectional view showing a cushioning material for covering an end of an article to be packed in a modified example. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the reinforcing member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the cushioning material, packaging material, and packaging item will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 13. First, an overall outline of the packaging item and packaging material will be described with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. <Overall Overview of Package 10 and Packaging Material 30> FIG. 1 shows a packaged product 10. FIG. 2 shows the packaged product 10 with the lid 42 of the packaging box 40 open. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the packaged product 10 includes a packaging material 20 and an object 70 to be packaged. The packaged product 10 is formed by packaging the object 70 with the packaging material 20. The packaging material 20 includes a cushioning material 30 and a packaging box 40 that houses the cushioning material 30. The packaging box 40 houses the object 70 to be packaged. The cushioning material 30 is interposed between the packaging box 40 and the object 70 to be packaged. In other words, the object 70 to be packaged is housed in the packaging box 40 via the cushioning material 30.

[0009] For ease of explanation, a packaging box coordinate system fixed to the packaging box 40 will be introduced below. The packaging box coordinate system is a three-axis coordinate system having an XW axis, a YW axis, and a ZW axis, which are perpendicular to each other. The ZW axis extends in the ZW direction, which is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped member 80 housed in the packaging box 40. The ZW direction is the direction toward one end 72 in the axial direction of the rod-shaped member 80. The XW axis extends in the XW direction, which is perpendicular to the ZW direction. The YW axis extends in the YW direction, which is perpendicular to the ZW and XW directions. Note that the XW axis, YW axis, and ZW axis do not necessarily have to be perpendicular to each other, but may intersect each other. In the following, the direction opposite the XW direction will be referred to as the -XW direction, the direction opposite the YW direction will be referred to as the -YW direction, and the direction opposite the ZW direction will be referred to as the -ZW direction.

[0010] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the packaging material 20 includes a packaging box 40 capable of accommodating an object 70 to be packaged, and a cushioning material 30 for protecting an end 72 of the object 70 accommodated in the packaging box 40. The object 70 has a main body 71 and a protruding end 72. The packaging box 40 includes a box main body 41 and a lid 42. The lid 42 is connected to the box main body 41.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 2, the packaged object 70 is housed in the packaging box 40 with at least the protruding end 72 protected by the cushioning material 30. The packaged object 70 may be a rod-shaped member 80. When the packaged object 70 is a rod-shaped member 80, it has two end portions 72 on both axial sides. In this case, the packaging material 20 may be provided with two cushioning materials 30 that protect the two end portions 72. In FIG. 2, the lid 42 of the packaging box 40 is closed to form the packaged product 10 shown in FIG. 1. The cushioning material 30 cushions external forces applied to the packaged object 70. The cushioning material 30 of this embodiment cushions external forces applied to the protruding end portions 72 of the packaged object 70.

[0012] As an example, the packaged object 70 is an article having a protrusion at its end 72. The article may be a part or member, or may be an electronic product. Any one of these articles has at least one protruding end 72. In this way, the packaged object 70 is not limited to a rod-shaped member 80, and may have at least one protruding end 72.

[0013] 1 and 2, a rod-shaped member 80, which is an example of an item 70 to be packaged, has a rod shape and therefore has protruding ends 72 at both ends. If the rod-shaped member 80 is, for example, a columnar member such as a cylinder, the protruding ends 72 may be columnar in shape with the same thickness as the rest of the member, or may have a shape with a different thickness from the rest of the member. If the protruding ends 72 have a different thickness from the rest of the member, they may be protrusions with a smaller thickness than the rest of the member.

[0014] 1 and 2 has protrusions 82 at both ends thereof that are thinner than the portions other than the end portions 72. In other words, the rod-shaped member 80 has protrusions 82 that are thinner than the shaft portion 81 as an example of the protruding end portions 72.

[0015] The rod-shaped member 80 may be, for example, a component of the recording device 100 shown in Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the recording device 100 includes the rod-shaped member 80. The rod-shaped member 80 may be made of metal, a composite of metal and synthetic resin material, or synthetic resin. The rod-shaped member 80 may need to be replaced due to wear caused by operation of the recording device 100, for example.

[0016] The example recording device 100 shown in FIG. 3 includes a recording unit 102 within a housing 101. The recording device 100 includes a payout spindle 111 that supports a roll 120 so that the medium 121 can be paid out, and a take-up spindle 116 that supports a roll 125 so that the medium 121 can be taken up after recording. The recording device 100 includes a guide rod 112 that guides the medium 121 paid out from the roll 120, and a guide rod 115 that guides the medium 121 after recording before being taken up onto the roll 125. The recording device 100 includes roller shafts 113 and 114 that transport the medium 121 supplied within the housing 101. The recording unit 102 records on the medium 121 transported by the roller shafts 113 and 114. The recording unit 102 may include a recording head 103 that ejects ink.

[0017] Rod-shaped member 80 may be any one of supply spindle 111, take-up spindle 116, guide rods 112 and 115, and roller shafts 113 and 114. Rod-shaped member 80 may also be a tension rod that applies tension to medium 121 as transported medium 121 slides against it, or a tension roller that pulls transported medium 121 by its own weight. Rod-shaped member 80 may also be another rod-shaped member that constitutes recording device 100.

[0018] When the protruding end 72 hits the cushioning material 30, the contact area with the cushioning material 30 is small. Therefore, for example, if the packaged item 10 is accidentally dropped with the protruding end 72 facing downward, the cushioning material 30 will receive a concentrated force from the protruding end 72. Because the cushioning material 30 is made of a relatively flexible material, the protruding end 72 may penetrate the cushioning material 30. Even if the protruding end 72 does not penetrate the cushioning material 30, the cushioning material 30 will suffer fatal damage that will impair its cushioning function.

[0019] Therefore, in this embodiment, the end of the packaged item 70 is accommodated in the recess 51 of the cushioning member 50 so that the reinforcing member 60 is positioned between the protruding end 72 and the cushioning member 50. Therefore, when the package falls, the force from the protruding end 72 is received by the reinforcing member 60, which is harder than the cushioning member 50.

[0020] (Configuration of rod-shaped member 80 and cushioning material 30) Next, the configuration of the rod-shaped member 80 and the cushioning material 30 will be described with reference to Figs. 4 to 6. Fig. 4 shows a state in which the protruding end of the packaged item 70 is protected by the cushioning material 30. That is, Fig. 4 shows the packaged item 70 and the cushioning material 30 before they are housed in the packaging box 40. Fig. 5 shows an exploded perspective view in which the packaged item 70 and the cushioning material 30 are individually disassembled. Fig. 6 shows a part of the rod-shaped member 80.

[0021] 4 and 5, two buffer materials 30 are provided so as to be able to protect both axial ends 72 of a rod-shaped member 80. The buffer member 50 has a recess 51. A protrusion 82 is inserted into the recess 51 of the buffer member 50 via a reinforcing member 60.

[0022] 4 to 6, rod-shaped member 80 has a shaft portion 81 of a predetermined length extending along the axial direction, and a pair of protrusions 82 protruding outward in the axial direction from both axial ends of shaft portion 81. Protrusions 82 are formed to have a smaller diameter than shaft portion 81, for example.

[0023] 4 and 5, both ends of the shaft 81, including the protruding end 72, are inserted into the recess 51 of the buffer member 50. As shown in Fig. 4, both ends of the rod-shaped member 80 are housed in the recess 51 of the buffer member 50 with the protruding portions 82 at the tips thereof facing the reinforcing member 60. The protruding portions 82 are protected by the buffer material 30.

[0024] The protrusion 82 shown in Fig. 6 is formed, for example, by cutting the end of a metal shaft (rod), which is the material before the rod-shaped member 80 is formed, or by fixing the protrusion 82 to the end face of the shaft 81 by welding, fitting, or the like. Note that while the rod-shaped member 80 shown in Fig. 6 and other figures has protrusions 82 at both ends, it may also be configured to have protrusions 82 at only one end. In this case, only one end of the rod-shaped member 80 may be protected by the buffer material 30, or both ends of the rod-shaped member 80 may be protected by the buffer material 30.

[0025] <Detailed configuration of the cushioning material 30> Next, the detailed configuration of the cushioning material 30 will be described with reference to FIG. 7. For ease of explanation, a cushioning material coordinate system will be introduced for each cushioning material 30 below. The cushioning material coordinate system is a three-axis coordinate system having an X1 axis, a Y1 axis, and a Z1 axis that are perpendicular to each other. The X axis extends in the X1 direction. The Y axis extends in the Y1 direction. The Z axis extends in the Z1 direction. FIG. 7 focuses on one cushioning material 30 and shows the X1 axis, Y1 axis, and Z1 axis of the cushioning material coordinate system. The X1 direction, Y1 direction, and Z1 direction of the cushioning material coordinate system are a three-axis coordinate system defined for each cushioning material 30 based on the following definitions.

[0026] The Z1 direction is the direction from the end surface 50A of the buffer member 50 on the opening 51A side of the recess 51 toward the bottom surface 50B. The Z1 direction is a direction parallel to the axial direction of the recess 51 of the buffer member 50. The X1 direction is a direction perpendicular to the Z1 direction. The Y1 direction is a direction perpendicular to the Z1 direction and the X1 direction. In the example shown in FIG. 7, when the buffer member 50 is cut along a plane perpendicular to the axis, the shape of the side surface 50C is approximately square, and the side surface 50C has four side surfaces. The X1 direction is a direction perpendicular to the Z1 direction and parallel to one of the four side surfaces.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 7 , the cushioning material 30 includes a cushioning member 50 and a reinforcing member 60. The cushioning member 50 has a recess 51 that can accommodate the end 72 of the packaged object 70. If the packaged object 70 is a rod-shaped member 80, the recess 51 has a predetermined depth that can accommodate a portion of the shaft 81. The shaft 81 is a columnar body with a predetermined cross-sectional shape taken along an imaginary plane perpendicular to its axis. Therefore, the recess 51 is formed on a cylindrical inner surface whose cross-sectional shape taken along an imaginary plane perpendicular to its axis is the same predetermined shape regardless of its depth. In the example shown in FIG. 7 , the shaft 81 is a cylinder. The recess 51 is formed on a cylindrical inner surface whose cross-sectional shape taken along an imaginary plane perpendicular to the axis is approximately square. The opening 51A of the recess 51 is approximately square in size so that the shaft 81 can be inscribed therein. The opening 51A has an approximately square shape with tapered corners.

[0028] Furthermore, reinforcing member 60 is a circular plate. The surface shape of reinforcing member 60 made of a circular plate is a circle with a diameter slightly larger than a circle of a size that can be inscribed in opening 51A. In other words, reinforcing member 60 is made of a circular plate that can be press-fitted into recess 51 while keeping its surface perpendicular to the axis of recess 51.

[0029] <About the cushioning member 50 and the first material> The cushioning member 50 is made of a first material having flexibility. In other words, the main material of the cushioning member 50 is the first material. The cushioning member 50 may be made of the first material at least 80% and not more than 100%. For example, the cushioning member 50 may be made of 100% of the first material. Examples of the first material constituting the cushioning member 50 include resin materials such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polystyrene (PS). The first material may be a resin material formed with a closed-cell structure. The expansion ratio of the first material may be a value in the range of 20 to 80 times. For example, a first material with an expansion ratio of 30 times or 45 times is used.

[0030] <Regarding the reinforcing member 60 and the second material> The reinforcing member 60 is made of a second material that is harder than the first material. In other words, the main material of the reinforcing member 60 is the second material. The buffer member 50 may be made of the second material at 80% or more and 100% or less. For example, the buffer member 50 may be made of the second material at 100%. Examples of the second material constituting the reinforcing member 60 include resin materials such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polystyrene (PS). The second material may be a resin material formed with a closed-cell structure.

[0031] The expansion ratio of the first material may be a value within a range of 1.2 to 5 times. In this embodiment, the first material has an expansion ratio of, for example, 2 or 3 times. The first material is, for example, a polypropylene foam resin material having an expansion ratio within a range of 1.2 to 5 times. Examples of polypropylene foam resin materials that satisfy this expansion ratio include Paronia (registered trademark), Paronia (registered trademark) Super, and Paronia (registered trademark) Super HD (all manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals Tohcello Co., Ltd.). Sumiceller (registered trademark) (manufactured by Sumika Plastech Co., Ltd.) may also be used. Note that the range of expansion ratio is an example, and the expansion ratio may be 1 time. In other words, a resin material molded product without foaming may also be used. In short, the second material may be a material that is harder than the cushioning material 50 and softer than the material of the end portion 72 of the packaged item 70 to be protected.

[0032] <Regarding the Shape and Size of the Recess 51 and the Reinforcing Member 60> Next, the configuration of the cushioning material 30 will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 shows a side cross section of the cushioning material 30. Figure 9 shows a plan view of the cushioning material 30 as seen from the opening.

[0033] The reinforcing member 60 is press-fit into the recess 51. Because the reinforcing member 60 is press-fit into the recess 51, the orientation of the reinforcing member 60 within the recess 51 can be prevented from changing. For example, when the end 72 of the packaged item 70 is placed in the recess 51, even if the buffer member 50 is placed horizontally with the opening 51A of the recess 51 facing horizontal, the reinforcing member 60 within the recess 51 can be maintained in an appropriate position. For example, even if the buffer member 50 is tilted 90 degrees horizontally after the reinforcing member 60 is placed in the recess 51, the reinforcing member 60 is prevented from tipping over or shifting position within the recess 51. Therefore, the end 72 can be placed in the recess 51 with the reinforcing member 60 correctly positioned between the end 72 of the packaged item 70 and the buffer member 50. Therefore, the end 72 of the packaged item 70 can be appropriately protected. For example, if the packaged item 10 is dropped, the protruding end 72 is supported by the hard reinforcing member 60. The shock absorbing member 50 receives the impact force from the reinforcing member 60 over its entire surface, which makes it easier to avoid stress concentration on the shock absorbing member 50. This prevents the protruding end 72 from damaging or penetrating the shock absorbing member 50.

[0034] 9, the reinforcing member 60 is press-fitted into the inner circumferential surface 51B of the recess 51 at a portion of the entire circumference of the opening 51A of the recess 51. That is, the reinforcing member 60 is press-fitted into the inner circumferential surface 51B of the recess 51 at a portion of the entire circumference in a cross section taken along an imaginary plane parallel to the opening 51A of the recess 51. The reinforcing member 60 has four press-fit portions 61 press-fitted into the recess 51 at four locations in the circumferential direction.

[0035] The cross section of the recess 51 taken along an imaginary plane perpendicular to the press-fitting direction Z1 is rectangular or oblong. The recess 51 has a predetermined depth from the opening 51A to the inner bottom surface. In other words, the recess 51 of the cushioning member 50 has a predetermined depth necessary to protect the edge 72 of the packaged item 70.

[0036] On the other hand, the reinforcing member 60 is made of a disk. Therefore, the cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing member 60 cut along an imaginary plane, that is, the shape of the reinforcing member 60 viewed from the press-fitting direction Z1, is circular. 9, two directions that are perpendicular to the press-fitting direction Z1 in which the reinforcing member 60 is press-fitted into the recess 51 and intersect with each other are defined as a first direction A and a second direction B. The first direction A is a direction that follows the sides of the rectangular opening 51A. The second direction B is a direction that follows the diagonal direction of the rectangular opening 51A.

[0037] When the reinforcing member 60 is press-fitted into the recess 51, the length EL1 of the reinforcing member 60 in the first direction A is longer than the length IL1 of the inner circumferential surface 51B of the recess 51 in the first direction A. The length EL2 of the reinforcing member 60 in the second direction B is shorter than the length IL2 of the inner circumferential surface 51B of the recess 51 in the second direction B.

[0038] In other words, when the reinforcing member 60 is press-fitted into the recess 51, in the plan view shown in FIG. 9 as seen from the opening 51A side, there is at least one direction in which the length EL1 of the reinforcing member 60 is longer than the length IL1 of the inner circumferential surface 51B of the recess 51. The first direction A is one of such directions. Specifically, the length EL1 of the reinforcing member 60 is longer than the length IL1 of the inner circumferential surface 51B of the recess 51 in two directions: the first direction A and a direction perpendicular to the first direction A. The reinforcing member 60 is press-fitted into the recess 51 of the buffer member 50 at multiple locations (e.g., four locations) on the outer periphery 62 (e.g., circumference).

[0039] 9, there is at least one direction in which the length EL2 in the second direction B of the reinforcing member 60 is shorter than the length IL2 in the second direction B of the inner circumferential surface 51B of the recess 51. The second direction B is one of such directions. Specifically, in two directions, the second direction B and the direction perpendicular to the second direction B, the length EL2 in the second direction B of the reinforcing member 60 is shorter than the length IL2 in the second direction B of the inner circumferential surface 51B of the recess 51.

[0040] 9, gaps are formed at the four outer corners of the reinforcing member 60 press-fitted into the recess 51. When recycling the cushioning material 30, these gaps are used to hook a finger, a nail, or a tool onto the edge of the reinforcing member 60 when removing the reinforcing member 60 from the recess 51 of the cushioning material 50. Therefore, the cushioning material 30 can be recycled.

[0041] <About the color of cushioning material 30> The inside of the recess 51 is formed in a first color. The reinforcing member 60 is formed in a second color different from the first color. The first color is, for example, white. The second color is, for example, blue. The first material may be white. That is, the first color may be the color of the first material itself. In this case, the entire cushioning member 50 may be white. The second material may be blue. That is, the second color may be the color of the second material itself. In this case, the entire reinforcing member 60 may be blue.

[0042] The first and second colors may be any combination of colors that allows humans to visually distinguish the difference. Using the color of the material itself eliminates the need for post-molding coloring, such as painting. Furthermore, even after necessary processing, such as cutting, the desired color remains on the processed surface. This contributes to improved production efficiency and reduced manufacturing costs of the cushioning material 30 by reducing labor costs. Therefore, recoloring is not required after processing. The first color may be the color of the material itself, and the second color may be added. With this configuration, even if coloring is required, only one of the colors is required. If one of the colors is to be colored, the reinforcing member 60, which has a small volume, may be colored. In this case, the colored area is smaller than if the inner circumferential surface 51B of the recess 51 of the cushioning member 50 were colored. Furthermore, while the outer circumferential surface of the reinforcing member 60 is easy to color, coloring the inner circumferential surface 51B of the recess 51 of the cushioning member 50 is relatively difficult. For these reasons, it is preferable to color the reinforcing member 60 a color different from that of the cushioning member 50.

[0043] <Protective Structure of the Buffer Material 30 for Protecting the Protruding End 72> As shown in Fig. 10, the protrusion 82 of the rod-shaped member 80 is protected by the buffer material 30 attached so as to cover the end of the rod-shaped member 80. Both ends of the shaft 81 of the rod-shaped member 80 are inserted over a predetermined length into the recess 51 of the buffer member 50. The reinforcing member 60 is press-fitted into the recess 51 in advance. The press-fitted reinforcing member 60 is positioned on the bottom surface of the recess 51. The rod-shaped member 80 is inserted into the recess 51 to a predetermined depth.

[0044] When the recess 51 of the buffer member 50 accommodates the end 72 of the object 70, the reinforcing member 60 is located between the end 72 of the object 70 and the buffer member 50 in the protruding direction Z1 in which the end 72 of the object 70 protrudes. In other words, in the protruding direction Z1 in which the protrusion 82 of the rod-shaped member 80 protrudes, the reinforcing member 60 is located between the protrusion 82 and the buffer member 50. The reinforcing member 60 is held in a position in which the surface facing the protrusion 82 intersects (for example, is perpendicular to) the protruding direction Z1.

[0045] The end of the shaft portion 81, inserted to a predetermined depth into the recess 51, is positioned by abutting against the inner circumferential surface 51B of the recess 51 so as not to shift radially. Therefore, the axis of the rod-shaped member 80 is maintained perpendicular to the surface of the reinforcing member 60. That is, the protrusion 82 is maintained facing the surface of the reinforcing member 60. The portion of the rod-shaped member 80 inserted into the recess 51 of the buffer member 50 is protected by being surrounded on three sides by the reinforcing member 60 made of a soft first material having a predetermined thickness. Furthermore, the protrusion 82 is maintained facing the surface of the plate-shaped reinforcing member 60 made of the first material, which is harder than the second material. The first material forming the reinforcing member 60 is a synthetic resin material with a low foaming rate, and is therefore softer than the metal material of the protrusion 82. Therefore, the protrusion 82 will not be damaged even when rubbing against the reinforcing member 60.

[0046] <Operation of the embodiment> Next, the functions of the package 10, the packaging material 20, and the cushioning material 30 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 5, the reinforcing member 60 is press-fitted into the recess 51 of the buffer member 50. As shown in Fig. 8, the reinforcing member 60 is press-fitted up to the bottom surface of the recess 51. The reinforcing member 60 is disk-shaped, and its diameter Fl1 is larger than the distance IL1 between two pairs of opposing sides of the substantially square opening 51A, i.e., the minimum width IL1 of the opening 51A (Fig. 9). Therefore, the reinforcing member 60 is press-fitted into the recess 51 of the buffer member 50.

[0048] For example, as shown in Fig. 5, the packaging work is performed with the rod-shaped member 80 placed horizontally. Even if the buffer member 50 with the reinforcing member 60 attached is placed horizontally, the plate-shaped reinforcing member 60 that is pressed into the buffer member 50 can be prevented from falling over within the recess 51. For example, if the reinforcing member 60 falls over within the recess 51, when the rod-shaped member 80 is inserted into the recess 51 of the buffer member 50, the protrusion 82 will no longer face the surface of the reinforcing member 60. In this case, if the packaged item 10 falls, the protrusion 82 of the rod-shaped member 80 may penetrate the buffer member 50, impairing its buffering function.

[0049] In contrast to this, in this embodiment, the reinforcing member 60 is press-fitted, so even if the buffer member 50 is placed horizontally, the plate-shaped reinforcing member 60 will not fall over inside the recess 51. Therefore, when the rod-shaped member 80 is inserted into the recess 51 of the buffer member 50, it can be packed so that the protrusion 82 faces the surface of the reinforcing member 60.

[0050] Furthermore, since the first color inside the recess 51 of the reinforcing member 60 is different from the second color of the reinforcing member 60, it is easy to visually recognize that the reinforcing member 60 is inserted into the recess 51. By checking the color inside the recess 51, the user can easily determine whether or not the reinforcing member 60 is inserted into the recess 51.

[0051] 11, assume that packaged item 10 collides with, for example, floor surface FP with its axial direction aligned with vertical direction Z. In other words, assume that packaged item 10 falls onto floor surface FP with one protrusion 82 of rod-shaped member 80, which is object 70, facing downward. In this case, when packaged item 10 collides with floor surface FP, cushioning material 30 inside packaged item 10 receives a large impact force in vertical direction Z from protrusion 82 of object 70.

[0052] Here, the cushioning effect will be compared between the cushioning material 130 of the comparative example shown in Fig. 12 and the cushioning material 30 of the embodiment shown in Fig. 13. The stress acting on the cushioning materials 30, 130 when subjected to an impact force from a rod-shaped member 80 during a drop impact will be described.

[0053] 12 does not have a reinforcing member 60. In other words, the cushioning material 30 of the comparative example only has a cushioning member 50. When the packaged item 110 is dropped, the cushioning member 50 receives a large impact force from the protrusion 82 of the rod-shaped member 80. At this time, since the cushioning member 50 is soft, the impact force received from the protrusion 82 concentrates at the point where the protrusion 82 hits, and a stress σ0 acts. As a result, the cushioning member 50 is damaged by the protrusion 82, or the protrusion 82 penetrates the cushioning member 50.

[0054] On the other hand, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, when the packaged product 10 is dropped, the impact force from the protrusion 82 is received by the hard reinforcing member 60. As shown in FIG. 13, the buffer member 50 receives the impact force from the protrusion 82 via the reinforcing member 60. That is, the buffer member 50 receives the impact force from the protrusion 82 from a surface of the reinforcing member 60 that is wider than the contact area between the protrusion 82 and the reinforcing member 60. Therefore, the impact force received by the buffer member 50 is dispersed. That is, the stress received by the buffer member 50 from the protrusion 82 via the reinforcing member 60 is dispersed into a small stress σ1. Therefore, it is possible to avoid relatively serious damage to the buffer member 50, such as the protrusion 82 penetrating through the buffer member 50.

[0055] In this way, if packaged item 10 is accidentally dropped, the impact force from protrusion 82 is received by hard reinforcing member 60. Cushioning member 50 receives the impact force from protrusion 82 via hard reinforcing member 60. Cushioning member 50 receives the impact force from reinforcing member 60 over an area larger than the area when reinforcing member 60 receives the impact force from protrusion 82. This makes it easier to avoid stress concentration on cushioning member 50. Therefore, when packaged item 10 is dropped, fatal damage to cushioning material 30, such as protrusion 82 penetrating cushioning member 50, can be avoided.

[0056] When recycling the cushioning material 30 after use, the cushioning member 50 and the reinforcing member 60 are separated. At this time, a gap is created around the reinforcing member 60 in the recess 51. A user can use this gap to hook the tip of a fingernail or a tool onto the end of the reinforcing member 60. This allows the user to easily remove the reinforcing member 60 from the recess 51. This simplifies the sorting process of separating the cushioning material 30 into the cushioning member 50 and the reinforcing member 60. This makes it easy to recycle the cushioning material 30.

[0057] <Effects of the embodiment> Therefore, according to this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. (1) The cushioning material 30 protects the end 72 of the packaged item 70, which has a protruding end 72. The cushioning material 30 includes a cushioning member 50 and a reinforcing member 60. The cushioning member 50 has a recess 51 that can accommodate the end 72 of the packaged item 70 so as to cover it. The cushioning member 50 is made of a flexible first material. The reinforcing member 60 is accommodated in the recess 51 and is made of a second material that is harder than the first material. When the recess 51 accommodates the end 72 of the packaged item 70, the reinforcing member 60 is positioned between the end 72 of the packaged item 70 and the cushioning member 50 in the protruding direction Z1 of the end 72 of the packaged item 70. This configuration not only makes it easier to prevent fatal damage to the cushioning material 30, but also prevents the cushioning material 30 from becoming too large. For example, fatal damage to the cushioning material 30, such as the protruding end 72 penetrating the cushioning member 50, is less likely to occur when the packaged item 10 is dropped.

[0058] (2) The reinforcing member 60 is accommodated in the recess 51 in a press-fit state. This configuration prevents the orientation of the reinforcing member 60 from changing within the recess 51. For example, when accommodating the end 72 of the packaged item 70 in the recess 51, even if the buffer material 30 is placed horizontally with the opening 51A of the recess 51 facing horizontal, the reinforcing member 60 in the recess 51 can be maintained in an appropriate position. In other words, the reinforcing member 60 accommodated in the recess 51 can be maintained in a desired orientation. For example, even if the buffer material 30 is tilted 90 degrees horizontally after accommodating the reinforcing member 60 in the recess 51, the reinforcing member 60 can be prevented from tipping or rotating within the recess 51 and becoming in an inappropriate orientation. Therefore, the end 72 of the packaged item 70 can be accommodated in the recess 51 with the reinforcing member 60 positioned appropriately between the end 72 of the packaged item 70 and the buffer material 50. This allows the end 72 of the packaged item 70 to be appropriately protected.

[0059] (3) The reinforcing member 60 is press-fitted into the inner circumferential surface 51B of the recess 51 at a portion of the entire circumference of the opening 51A of the recess 51. According to this configuration, the reinforcing member 60 is press-fitted into the entire circumference of the opening 51A of the recess 51, so that a gap is formed around the reinforcing member 60 in the recess 51. For example, when removing the reinforcing member 60 press-fitted into the recess 51 of the buffer material 50 for recycling the buffer material 30, the reinforcing member 60 press-fitted into the recess 51 can be removed from the recess 51 by hooking a finger or a nail or the tip of a tool or the like into the gap around the reinforcing member 60.

[0060] (4) The first and second materials are resin materials formed with a closed-cell structure. This configuration makes it easy to prevent breakage or penetration due to high resilience, and the materials are moisture-resistant, so performance is less likely to change due to humidity.

[0061] (5) The expansion ratio of the first material is a value within a range of 1.2 to 5. The expansion ratio of the second material is a value within a range of 20 to 80. With this configuration, the difference in expansion ratios allows the reinforcing member 60 made of the first material to reliably protect the packaged item 70.

[0062] (6) The first material is a polypropylene foam resin material, and has an expansion ratio in the range of 1.2 times or more and 5 times or less. (7) The inside of the recess 51 is formed in a first color. The reinforcing member 60 is formed in a second color different from the first color. This configuration improves the visibility of the reinforcing member 60 inside the recess 51, making it possible to prevent the reinforcing member 60 from being left behind.

[0063] (8) The packaged object 70 is a component that constitutes the recording device 100. This configuration can prevent damage to the cushioning material 30 and prevent the cushioning material 30 from becoming too large. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the packaged item 10 that packs the component 80 that constitutes the recording device 100 from becoming too large, and it is also possible to protect the end 72 of the component 80 that is the packaged object 70.

[0064] (9) The packaging material 20 includes a cushioning material 30 and a packaging box 40 that houses the cushioning material 30. This configuration can prevent the cushioning material 30 housed in the packaging box 40 from being broken or penetrated, and can also prevent the cushioning material 30 from becoming too large. Therefore, the packaging material 20 can be prevented from being broken or becoming too large.

[0065] (10) The package 10 includes the packaging material 20 and the packaged object 70. This configuration makes it easier to prevent damage to the cushioning material 30 in the package 10 and prevents the cushioning material 30 from becoming too large. The packaged object 70 packed in the packaging material 20 can be appropriately protected.

[0066] <Example of change> The above embodiment can be modified to the following modified examples. Furthermore, further modified examples can be formed by appropriately combining the above embodiment and the modified examples shown below, or by appropriately combining the modified examples shown below.

[0067] The protruding end 72 is not limited to a protruding portion 82 having a smaller diameter than the shank 81. That is, the protruding end 72 may have a projected area in the axial direction of the rod-shaped member 80 that is equal to or larger than that of the shank 81. For example, the projected area of ​​the end 72 may be the same as that of the shank 81. The protruding end 72 may be the end of a rod-shaped member 80 that is cylindrical. For example, as shown in FIG. 14 , the rod-shaped member 80 may be a columnar member such as a cylindrical or polygonal prism. In the example shown in FIG. 14 , the end of the rod-shaped member 80, which is a columnar member, has a protruding shape due to its rod shape (columnar shape). In addition, to distribute the stress of the buffer member 50 that receives an impact force through the reinforcing member 60, the area of ​​the reinforcing member 60 is larger than the area of ​​the end face 83 of the columnar member 80. In the example shown in FIG. 14 , the buffer member 50 includes two buffer members 52, 53 cut along a plane passing through the axis. The two buffer members 52, 53 have recesses 52A, 53A that respectively form half of the recess 51. Furthermore, the two buffer members 52, 53 have two slits 52B, 53B at positions corresponding to the bottom of the recess 51. The two slits 52B, 53B are formed with a shape and size that allows a reinforcing member 60 made of a plate material to be fitted into them. The area of ​​the plate-like reinforcing member 60 fitted into the two slits 52B, 53B is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the recess 51. The greater the ratio of the area of ​​the reinforcing member 60 to the cross-sectional area of ​​the recess 51, the greater the effect of dispersing stress acting on the buffer member 50 due to impact force received from the columnar member 80 via the reinforcing member 60. For example, this ratio K may be set in the range of 2 to 20. In this way, the buffer member 50 may be composed of multiple (e.g., two) buffer members 52, 53, or one recess 51 may be formed by multiple buffer members 52, 53. Furthermore, the reinforcing member 60 is not limited to being inserted or press-fitted through the opening 51A of the recess 51, but may be fitted into slits 52B, 53B that are exposed when the buffer member 50 is split into a plurality of buffer members 52, 53. Furthermore, the two buffer members 52, 53 are not limited to having flat joining surfaces, but may each have a convex portion and a concave portion that can fit together.

[0068] The reinforcing member 60 may have a notch. For example, as shown in FIG. 15 , one or more (e.g., two) notches 64 may be provided on the periphery of the reinforcing member 60. The notch 64 may be provided on the periphery of the circular reinforcing member 60 shown in FIG. 15 . In this case, the notch 64 creates a gap around the reinforcing member 60 press-fitted into the recess. By hooking the tip of a fingernail or tool into this gap, the reinforcing member 60 press-fitted into the recess 51 becomes even easier to remove. In particular, when the reinforcing member 60 is provided with the notch 64 on the circular reinforcing member 60, the reinforcing member 60 press-fitted into the recess 51 becomes even easier to remove from the recess 51 by utilizing the gaps formed between the circular reinforcing member 60 and the four corners of the recess 51 and the gaps formed by the notch 64. Furthermore, the reinforcing member 60 is not limited to a circular plate, and may be a plate of another shape. The notch 64 may be provided on the periphery of the reinforcing member 60 made of a rectangular, elliptical, triangular, hexagonal, or other such plate. Alternatively, a plate material having a shape identical to or similar to the cross-sectional shape (opening shape) of the recess may be used. In this case, almost no gap is formed around the reinforcing member 60 press-fitted into the recess 51, but by providing the notch 64, a gap can be ensured around the reinforcing member 60 press-fitted into the recess 51. Therefore, even if the reinforcing member 60 has the same shape as the cross-sectional shape (opening shape) of the recess 51, the reinforcing member 60 press-fitted into the recess 51 can be easily removed from the recess 51. This configuration makes it easy to remove the reinforcing member 60 press-fitted into the recess 51. For example, this facilitates recycling work in which the cushioning material 30 is separated by material type.

[0069] The reinforcing member 60 may be conductive. In other words, the first material constituting the reinforcing member 60 may be conductive. The reinforcing member 60 may be, for example, a conductive foamed resin material. For example, "Conductive Paronia" (registered trademark) can be used as the conductive reinforcing member 60. This configuration can prevent dust from being attracted to the reinforcing member 60, which frequently comes into contact with the packaged item, due to static electricity. This in turn can prevent dust and other particles from adhering to the packaged item 70 placed near the reinforcing member 60.

[0070] The reinforcing member 60 does not have to be a plate material. For example, the reinforcing member 60 may have a shape in which the surface facing the opening 51A when housed in the recess 51 is flat and the bottom surface on the opposite side is a convex spherical surface. In short, the reinforcing member 60 may have any shape as long as the force applied by the bottom of the reinforcing member 60 to the buffer member 50 is dispersed.

[0071] The combination of the first color and the second color is not limited to white and blue, and other color combinations may be used. For example, the combination of the first color and the second color may be white and green, white and red, or white and yellow. Furthermore, the combination of the first color and the second color may be a color combination that does not include white. The combination of the first color and the second color may be red and blue, yellow and blue, or green and blue, or vice versa, such as blue and red, blue and yellow, or green and blue. Any other color combination that allows easy visual recognition of color differences may be used. Furthermore, taking color density into consideration, combinations of light and medium colors, light and dark colors, or medium and dark colors may be used. For example, the combination of the first color and the second color may be white and black.

[0072] The packaging box 40 is not limited to a configuration including a box body 41 and one lid 42. The number of lids 42 constituting the packaging box 40 is not limited to one. For example, the packaging box 40 may be configured to have two lids 42 or four lids 42. The lids 42 may be, for example, flaps of a cardboard box.

[0073] The reinforcing member 60 only needs to be harder than the buffer member 50. It only needs to be hard enough so that it does not penetrate when the end 72 hits it during a drop impact. If the reinforcing member 60 does not penetrate, the buffer member 50 can receive the force from the reinforcing member 60 on the surface of the reinforcing member 60. The reinforcing member 60 is preferably made of a second material that is softer than the third material that makes up the end 72 of the packaged item 70.

[0074] The first material does not have to be a foam material. The first material may be any flexible material with a high cushioning effect. For example, it may be a pulp-based cushioning material. The second material may be any material as long as its expansion ratio is smaller than that of the first material.

[0075] The second material is not limited to a foam material, but may be other porous resin materials containing voids. The second material may also be plastic cardboard. The second material may be a resin material that does not contain voids. For example, the reinforcing member may be a plastic plate.

[0076] The second material is not limited to a resin material. For example, it may be a metal material. For example, if at least the end portion 72 of the packaged item 70 to be protected is made of metal, the reinforcing member 60 may be, for example, a metal plate. In this case, if at least the end portion is made of a first metal, the reinforcing member 60 may be made of a second metal that is softer than the first metal.

[0077] The second material may be a composite material containing different materials. For example, the second material may be a composite material containing a resin material and a metal material. The second material may be a composite material containing a resin material and an inorganic material. For example, the second material may be a composite material containing at least one of a metal material and an inorganic material as dispersed particles such as fillers in a resin material.

[0078] The reinforcing member 60 may be a composite product made by combining multiple components. In other words, the reinforcing member may be made of any material as long as the main component is made of the second material. For example, if the reinforcing member 60 is a composite product, a portion, such as the periphery, may be made of a material other than the second material.

[0079] The reinforcing member 60 does not have to be a circular plate. For example, it may be an elliptical plate, an oval plate, or a polygonal plate such as a square plate, a triangular plate, or a hexagonal plate. When the shape of the reinforcing member 60 and the shape of the opening of the recess are different, the combination is not limited to a circle and a square, but may be the opposite combination of a square and a circle.

[0080] The shape of the reinforcing member 60 may be the same as the opening shape of the recess 51. For example, the opening shape of the recess 51 may be circular and the reinforcing member may be a disk. Alternatively, the opening shape of the recess 51 may be polygonal and the reinforcing member may be a polygonal plate with the same number of corners.

[0081] The packaged object 70 may be any other rod-shaped member or part that constitutes the recording device 100. The object 70 to be packed may be the recording device 100 itself. When packing a recording device, the protruding end 72 of the recording device, which may be a shaft or a protrusion, may be protected by the cushioning material 30.

[0082] The reinforcing member 60 is not limited to being housed in the recess 51 of the buffer member 50. As long as the reinforcing member 60 can be positioned between the protruding end 72 and the buffer member 50, the reinforcing member 60 may be fixed in any manner. For example, the reinforcing member 60 may be fixed to the buffer member 50 using a fixing member such as an adhesive, or may be fixed by being attached using a fixing member such as double-sided tape.

[0083] The packaged item 70 may be various devices, machines, equipment, and components other than a recording device. The components may be rods, pipes, rollers, etc. The recording device 100 may be an inkjet printer, a laser printer, a dot matrix printer, or the like. The recording device 100 may also be a printer dedicated to recording, or a multifunction device having both a recording function and an image reading function (scanning function). The multifunction device may also have a copy function or a facsimile function. The recording device 100 may be for business or industrial use. The recording device 100 may also be an industrial label printer that records labels, or a textile printing device that records on fabric.

[0084] The packaged item 70 may be any item whose end 72 is a protruding part such as a shaft or a protrusion. For example, the packaged item 70 may have only one protruding end 72. For example, the packaged item 70 may be an electronic device having an antenna part that is a shaft or a protruding part. In this case, the antenna part may be protected by the cushioning material 30 when the electronic device is packaged.

[0085] The packaged item 70 may be a component or part of an electronic device other than the recording device 100, or may be an electronic device itself. Examples of such electronic devices include scanners, projectors, wearable devices, televisions, audio equipment, and personal computers. In short, the electronic device may be anything that has a protruding edge.

[0086] <Additional Notes> The technical concepts and effects that can be understood from the above-described embodiment and modified examples will be described below. (A) The cushioning material protects the end of a packaged object having a protruding edge, and includes a recess that can accommodate the end of the packaged object and is made of a flexible first material, and a reinforcing member that is accommodated in the recess and is made of a second material that is harder than the first material. When the recess accommodates the end of the packaged object, the reinforcing member is positioned between the end of the packaged object and the cushioning member in the protruding direction of the end of the packaged object. This configuration makes it easy to prevent damage to the cushioning material and also prevents the cushioning material from becoming too large. Note that damage to the cushioning member can include, for example, the protruding edge penetrating the cushioning member.

[0087] (B) In the cushioning material described in (A) above, the reinforcing member may be a plate member having a surface facing the protruding end, arranged in a direction in which the surface intersects with the depth direction of the recess, and having an area larger than the projected area of ​​the protruding end projected onto the surface of the reinforcing member. According to this configuration, the impact force received by the cushioning member through the reinforcing member is dispersed according to the area of ​​the reinforcing member. The stress generated by the force received by the cushioning member from the reinforcing member is dispersed into small stresses. Therefore, fatal damage to the cushioning member can be easily prevented, and the size of the cushioning material can be suppressed.

[0088] (C) In the cushioning material described in (A) or (B) above, the reinforcing member may be housed in the recess in a press-fit state. With this configuration, the reinforcing member is press-fit into the recess, preventing the orientation of the reinforcing member from changing within the recess. For example, it is possible to prevent the reinforcing member from tipping over or rotating within the recess and becoming oriented in an inappropriate direction. Therefore, the end of the packaged item can be accommodated in the recess with the reinforcing member positioned in an appropriate orientation between the end of the packaged item and the cushioning member. This allows the end of the packaged item to be properly protected.

[0089] (D) In ​​the cushioning material described in any one of (A) to (C) above, the reinforcing member may be press-fitted into the recess at a portion of its entire circumference against the inner circumferential surface of the recess. According to this configuration, the reinforcing member is press-fitted into the inner circumferential surface of the recess at a portion of its entire circumference, creating a gap around the reinforcing member within the recess. For example, when recycling the cushioning material, it is necessary to remove the reinforcing member press-fitted into the recess. In this case, a finger or nail, or the tip of a tool, can be hooked into the gap created around the reinforcing member within the recess. Therefore, the reinforcing member press-fitted into the recess can be removed from the recess by hooking it through the gap around the periphery.

[0090] (E) In the cushioning material according to any one of (A) to (D) above, the first material and the second material may be resin materials having a closed-cell structure. With this configuration, the high resilience makes it easy to prevent breakage or penetration, and the material is moisture-resistant, so performance is less likely to change due to humidity.

[0091] (F) In the cushioning material described in any one of (A) to (E) above, the expansion ratio of the first material may be a value within a range of 1.2 to 5, and the expansion ratio of the second material may be a value within a range of 20 to 80. With this configuration, the difference in expansion ratios allows the reinforcing member made of the first material to reliably protect the packaged item.

[0092] (G) In the cushioning material according to any one of (A) to (F) above, the reinforcing member may be electrically conductive. This configuration makes it possible to protect the packaged item from static electricity. (H) In the cushioning material described in any one of (A) to (G) above, the first material may be a polypropylene foam resin material having an expansion ratio in the range of 1.2 to 5. This configuration makes it possible to protect the end of the protruding strip of the packaged item.

[0093] (I) In the cushioning material described in any one of (A) to (H) above, the inside of the recess may be formed in a first color, and the reinforcing member may be formed in a second color different from the first color. This configuration improves the visibility of the reinforcing member in the recess, making it possible to prevent the reinforcing member from being left behind.

[0094] (J) In the cushioning material according to any one of (A) to (I) above, the reinforcing member may have a notch. With this configuration, a gap is formed around the reinforcing member accommodated in the recess, making it easy to remove the reinforcing member from the recess.

[0095] (K) In the cushioning material described in any one of (A) to (I) above, the object to be packed may be a component of a recording device. This configuration makes it easier to prevent damage to the cushioning material and prevents the cushioning material from becoming too large. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the package containing the components of the recording device from becoming too large and to protect protruding edges of the components that are the object to be packed.

[0096] (L) A packaging material includes the cushioning material according to any one of (A) to (K) above and a packaging box for housing the cushioning material. This configuration prevents the cushioning material housed in the packaging box from being damaged or penetrated, and also prevents the cushioning material from becoming too large. This prevents the packaging material from being damaged or too large.

[0097] (M) A packaged product includes the packaging material described in (L) above and the packaged item. This configuration prevents damage to or penetration of the cushioning material and prevents the cushioning material from becoming too large. The packaged item packed in the packaging material can be properly protected. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 10...packaged product, 20...packaging material, 30...cushioning material, 40...packaging box, 41...box body, 42...lid, 50...cushioning member, 50A...end surface, 50B...bottom surface, 50C...side peripheral surface, 51...recess, 51A...opening, 51B...inner peripheral surface, 52...cushioning member, 52A...recess, 52B...slit, 53...cushioning member, 53A...recess, 53B...slit, 60...reinforcing member, 61...press-fit portion, 62...outer periphery, 64...notch, 70...item to be packaged, 71...main body, 72...protruding end, 80...member, 81...shaft portion, 82...protrusion, 83...end surface, 100...recording device, 1 01...housing, 102...recording unit, 103...recording head, 110...packaged item, 111...feed shaft, 112...guide rod, 113...roller shaft, 114...roller shaft, 115...guide rod, 116...winding shaft, 120...roll body, 121...medium, 125...roll body, 130...cushioning material, A...first direction, B...second direction, K...ratio, σ0...stress, σ1...stress, EL1...length, EL2...length, Fl1...diameter, IL1...length (minimum width), IL2...length, FP...floor surface, M...medium, Z...vertical direction, Z1...protrusion direction, press-fit direction.

Claims

1. A cushioning material that protects the end of an item to be packed, which has a protruding end, a cushioning member made of a flexible first material, the cushioning member having a recess that can accommodate the end of the packaged item so as to cover the end of the packaged item; a reinforcing member accommodated in the recess and made of a second material harder than the first material; A cushioning material characterized in that, when the recess accommodates the end of the packaged item, the reinforcing member is positioned between the end of the packaged item and the cushioning member in the protruding direction of the end of the packaged item.

2. The cushioning material according to claim 1, The cushioning material is characterized in that the reinforcing member has a surface facing the protruding end, is arranged in a direction in which the surface intersects with the depth direction of the recess, and is a plate material whose area is larger than the projected area of ​​the protruding end projected onto the surface of the reinforcing member.

3. The cushioning material according to claim 1, The cushioning material is characterized in that the reinforcing member is accommodated in the recess in a press-fit state.

4. The cushioning material according to claim 2, The cushioning material is characterized in that the reinforcing member is press-fitted into the recess at a portion of the entire circumference against the inner circumferential surface of the recess.

5. The cushioning material according to claim 1, The cushioning material is characterized in that the first material and the second material are resin materials having a closed-cell structure.

6. The cushioning material according to claim 5, The expansion ratio of the first material is in the range of 1.2 to 5 times, The cushioning material is characterized in that the expansion ratio of the second material is within the range of 20 to 80 times.

7. The cushioning material according to claim 1, The buffer material, wherein the reinforcing member is electrically conductive.

8. The cushioning material according to claim 1, the first material is a polypropylene foam resin material; A cushioning material characterized by having an expansion ratio in the range of 1.2 times or more and 5 times or less.

9. The cushioning material according to claim 1, the inside of the recess is formed with a first color; The cushioning material is characterized in that the reinforcing member is formed in a second color different from the first color.

10. The cushioning material according to claim 1, The cushioning material is characterized in that the reinforcing member has a notch.

11. The cushioning material according to claim 1, The cushioning material is characterized in that the packaged item is a component of a recording device.

12. The cushioning material according to any one of claims 1 to 11, and a packaging box that houses the cushioning material.

13. A package comprising the packaging material according to claim 12 and the object to be packaged.

Images