Packaging for electrolytic capacitors

Abstract: Electrolytic capacitors 14 having terminals 15, 16 on one base face and a fixing frame at the other end part are inserted in bags made of air-bubble plastic sheet of tubular shape whose one end is welded to form an end and further having a terminal-protection part 13 made by folding the end part of the bag and welded to the welded part 12, and the bags 11 containing the electrolytic capacitor 14 are compactly packed in a box 18 of corrugated cardboard in alternating direction and flaps 191, 191, 192, 192 are closed and sealed; the electrolytic capacitors 14 having delicate terminals 15, 16 are safely and compactly packed in the box 18, and the terminals 15, 16 and the bent part of the fixing frames 17, 17, ··· are safely isolated by the bag.

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improvement in packaging for electrolytic capacitors, and particularly to the package wherein a plurality of electrolytic capacitors are contained safely and compactly for transportation, for instance, from manufacturing shop to assembly shop. 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART FIG.6, FIG.6(a), FIG.7 and FIG.8 show wrapping for electrolytic capacitors of typical prior art. As shown in FIG.6 through FIG.8, the prior art device comprises a cardboard box 1 having flaps 5, partition member 2 configurated by several pieces of cardboard to be inserted in the box 1 and a cushion mat 4 to be inserted in the box 1 for protecting terminals of capacitor. In the above-mentioned conventional package for electrolytic capacitors, a plurality of the electrolytic capacitors 3 are inserted in partitioned spaces 21 in the partition members 2 with its end having the terminals 15, 16 upwards toward the side of opening. And thereafter, the terminal-protection member 4, for instance of foamed plastic board, corrugated cardboard or a foamed polyethylene cushion mat is placed on the partition member 2 to protect the terminals 15, 16 of the electrolytic capacitors 3. Thereafter, the flaps 5 are folded on the terminal-protection member 4 to close the box, and finally, the flaps are sealed by adhesive tapes 6 as shown in FIG.7. In the above-mentioned conventional package for electrolytic capacitors the partition member 2 which has to be assembled prior to packing the electrolytic capacitors 3 in the box 1 is necessary. Besides, isolation spaces 22 around the electrolytic capacitors 3 are required so as to insert respective electrolytic capacitors each having fixing frame 17 their one end part and around the outside of the partition member assembly and inside wall of the cardboard box 1. And further, putting the thick terminal-protection member 4 in the box 1 is required. The above-mentioned package for electrolytic capacitors has the problem of not only space-taking but also time-taking in assembling the box 1 with the partition member 2 and necessitates careful packing the electrolytic capacitors in each partitioned space. And furthermore, the fixing frames 17 may scratch outside face of the adjacent electrolytic capacitors 3. OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an improved packaging for electrolytic capacitors in which no partition member to be preliminarily assembled and a thick terminal-protection member are required, and furthermore packs the electrolytic capacitors more compactly and more safely than in the prior art. The packaging for electrolytic capacitors in accordance with the present invention comprises: a plurality of bags made of air-bubble plastic sheet, each bag being for containing one electrolytic capacitor, which is fundamentally of cylindrical shape and has terminals on one base face thereof, and shaped as a tube which has an opening at one end for inserting the electrolytic capacitor therethrough, a welded part at the other end closing the other end of the bag and a terminal-protection part which is disposed beyond the welded part for serving as a cushion member for the terminals of the electrolytic capacitor, and a cardboard box with lid flaps for fittingly containing the plurality of bags each with one electrolytic capacitor enclosed therein, and enclosing the plurality of bags and electrolytic capacitors by closing the lid flaps. The air-bubble plastic sheet is a transparent cushion sheet which is widely used as packing material for fragile articles and made of a pair of soft thin transparent plastic sheets confining a number of air bubbles between the two thin plastic sheet. By the above-mentioned configuration, the packing can be made with smaller working steps and smaller number and kinds of components, and therefore, work time and cost of the packing can be reduced. Furthermore, by using the bag 11 of air-bubble plastic sheet having recessed part inside the bag at the welded part, the terminals of the electrolytic capacitor is safely protected, and further the fixing frames are isolated from each other and from the terminals by alternate packing of the electrolytic capacitor in the corrugated cardboard box. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.1(a) is a perspective view showing a bag and an electrolytic capacitor to be inserted in the bag. FIG.1(b) is a side view showing the bag containing the electrolytic capacitor. FIG.1(c) is a perspective view showing a cardboard box which contains the bags each containing the electrolytic capacitor therein and with its flaps open. FIG.2 is a perspective view showing a terminal-protection part and welded part of the bag. FIG.3 is a perspective view showing finally packed state of the packaging for electrolytic capacitors in accordance with the present invention. FIG.4 is a sectional side view showing the inside of the box with the covering cardboard removed. FIG.5 is a perspective view showing a terminal-protection part of another embodiment of the bag. FIG.6 is a perspective view of the conventional packaging. FIG.6(a) is the plan view with flaps of box open of the conventional packaging. FIG.7 is the perspective view showing finally sealed packaging of the prior art. FIG.8 is the sectional side view showing inside arrangement of the electrolytic capacitors in the conventional packaging. It will be recognized that some or all of the Figures are schematic representations for purposes of illustration and do not necessarily depict the actual relative sizes or locations of the elements shown. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG.1(a), FIG.1(b), FIG.1(C), FIG.2, FIG.3 and FIG.4 show a first preferred embodiment. As shown in FIG.1(a), FIG.1(b) and FIG.2, a bag 11 is made of a tubular shaped air-bubble plastic sheet having an inner diameter slightly larger than outer diameter of cylindrical part of an electrolytic capacitor 14 and length suitable for containing the cylindrical part of the electrolytic capacitor 14 therein. One end of the air-bubble plastic sheet tube forms an opening 111, and at the other end there is provided a welded part 12 and further a terminal-protection part 13 at the part beyond the welded part 12. The terminal-protection part 13 is formed by, for instance, folding the end part which is beyond the welded part and then welding the folded end part on the welded part 12. As shown in FIG.1(a), the electrolytic capacitor 14 is inserted in the bag 11 in a manner that the end face having anode terminal 15 and cathode terminal 16 is at innermost part and a fixing frame 17 outermost, so that bent members 17a or flange is outside the opening 111. Thus, the electrolytic capacitor 14 is to be inserted so that the terminal 15, 16 face the inside recess formed immediately inside the welded part 12. Thereafter the bags 11 each containing the electrolytic capacitor 14 are compactly inserted in a box 18 of corrugated cardboard with flaps 191, 191, 192, 192. The directions of insertion of the bags 11 with the electrolytic capacitors 14 therein are in alternate order so that neighboring bags are directed with its terminal-protection part 13 alternatingly inward and outward. Therefore the fixing frames 17 are arranged always adjacent to the terminal-protection part 13. Thereafter flaps 191, 191, 192, 192 are closed and the box is closed by known adhesive tapes 20 to seal the box 18. As a result of the above-mentioned configuration, there is no use of the hitherto used partition members which require preliminary assembling, and there is no redundant spaces around the outside face of the partition members and in each partitioned spaces. Furthermore, fragile anode terminals 15 and cathode terminals 16 are covered in recessed space inside the welded part 12 of the bag 11, and therefore there is no use of using the hitherto-used thick terminal-protection member (4 of FIG.6), and therefore the space therefor is omitted. Furthermore by arranging the fixing frames 17 alternately inside and outside of the corrugated cardboard box 18, the fixing frames 17 touch and are held by the thick and soft terminal-protection part 13 only, and therefore the fixing frames 17 and the outside of the adjacent capacitors 14 are not damaged by each other. As has been mentioned, by compact packing of the bags 11 each containing the electrolytic capacitor 14 in alternating directions, safe and compact packing of plural electrolytic capacitors is obtainable. FIG.5 shows another example of the bag 11 wherein the terminal-protection part 13 is formed by providing two parallel welded parts 12 and 12' with a suitable distance therebetween, instead of folding the end part. This configuration of the terminal-protection part 13' also has a good cushion effect and sufficiently protect the anode terminal 15 and cathode terminal 16, and is suitable for mass-production. Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed is limited only by the claims.

Claims: Packaging for electrolytic capacitors comprising: a plurality of bags made of air-bubble plastic sheet, each bag (11) being for containing one electrolytic capacitor (14), which is fundamentally of cylindrical shape and has terminals (15, 16) on one base face (156) thereof, and said bag (11) being shaped as a tube which has an opening (111) at one end for inserting said electrolytic capacitor (14) therethrough, a welded part (12) at the other end closing the other end of said bag (11) and a terminal-protection part (13) which is disposed beyond said welded part (12) for serving as a cushion member for the terminals (15, 16) of said electrolytic capacitor (14), and a cardboard box (18) with lid flaps for fittingly containing said plurality of bags each with one electrolytic capacitor enclosed therein, and enclosing said plurality of bags and electrolytic capacitors by closing said lid flaps. Packaging for electrolytic capacitors comprising: a plurality of bags made of air-bubble plastic sheet, each bag (11) being for containing one electrolytic capacitor (14), which is fundamentally of cylindrical shape and has terminals (15, 16) on one base face (156) thereof and a fixing frame on the other end part thereof, and said bag (11) being shaped as a tube which has an opening (111) at one end for inserting said electrolytic capacitor (14) therethrough, a welded part (12) at the other end closing the other end of said bag (11) and a terminal-protection part (13) which is disposed beyond said welded part (12) for serving as a cushion member for the terminals (15, 16) of said electrolytic capacitor (14), and a cardboard box with lid flaps for fittingly containing said plurality of bags each with one electrolytic capacitor enclosed therein in a manner that said openings (111) and said terminal-protection parts (13) of adjacent bags are arranged alternately, thereby arranging said fixing frame (17) of adjacent electrolytic capacitors alternately, and enclosing said plurality of bags and electrolytic capacitors by closing said lid flaps. Packaging in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein said terminal protection part (13) is formed by folding the end part of the bag beyond said welded part (12). Packaging in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein said terminal protection part (13) is formed by providing a second welded part (12') which is substantially parallel with and beyond said welded part (12) with a given distance therebetween.

Inventors: KAWAGUCHI FUMIAKI, KITAGAWA TOSHIYUKI, NAGAI HIDEHARU, YAMAGUCHI TOORU, KAWAGUCHI, FUMIAKI, KITAGAWA, TOSHIYUKI, NAGAI, HIDEHARU, YAMAGUCHI, TOORU
Applicants: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC IND CO LTD, MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B65D81
IPC codes: B65D81