Packing system for electronic components

Abstract: A packing system which comprises a base packing material (3) provided with body containing portions (4) for containing bodies (1) of electronic parts (21) and lead wire containing portions (5), respectively formed at the respective body containing portions (4), for containing lead wires (2) drawn out from one of the ends of the respective electronic parts (21), and a top tape (6) stuck on the top of the base packing material (3) for preventing the bouncing out of the electronic parts (21) contained in the base packing material (3).

Description: The present invention relates to a packing system of electronic components having draw-out lead wires. The following is an explanation of a conventional packing system of electronic components. An aluminum electrolytic capacitor (hereinafter referred to as a capacitor) serves having draw out lead wires as an example of electronic component. Fig. 7 is a partial cross sectional front view showing the structure of a capacitor. In Fig. 7, a case 16 contains capacitor elements (not illustrated), and a sheathing sleeve 17 covers the circumference of case 16. Case 16 containing the capacitor elements and sheathing sleeve 17 comprise the body of the capacitor. Lead wires 18 are drawn out from the body of the capacitor. Fig. 8 shows the state of conventional packing of the capacitors of the type illustrated in Fig. 7. In Fig. 8, a polyethylene bag 19 contains a plurality of capacitors in bulk. In a conventional packing system, a plurality of bags such as bag 19, containing a predetermined number of capacitors, are included in a packing box (not illustrated). In the conventional packing system described above, as a plurality of the capacitors are contained in bag 19 in bulk, it is difficult to fix the positions of capacitors and the positions of bags (such as bag 19) containing the capacitors in the packing box. Consequently, during the packing process and transport, lead wires 18 of one capacitor may touch a body and lead wires 18 of other capacitors. Hence, lead wires 18 of some capacitors may become deformed, while sheathing sleeves 17 and cases 16 of other capacitors may be scratched. Also, there is another problem that much of the packing process such as inserting a plurality of capacitors into bag 19 made of thin polyethylene film, is performed manually because automating the packing process using such a bag is difficult. A packing system for electronic components is known, for instance, from prior art document US-4,702,370. Prior art document US-4,702,370 describes a base packing material in the shape of a continuous belt including a plurality of recesses at equal intervals for storing the components, wherein each recess includes a main portion receiving the main body of the electronic component and a plurality of extension portions each receiving a single lead wire. It is the object of the present invention to provide a packing system for electronic components which prevents scratches on the main bodies and deformations of the lead wires and supports an automatic insertion of the electronic components into the recesses of the base packing material. The solution a according to the invention is characterized by the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments are specified by the features of the dependent claims. With the structure described above, electronic components are contained in such a manner that the positions of respective electronic components are fixed so that the electronic component's do not touch each other. Consequently, the deformation of lead wires and scratching of sheathing sleeves and cases are mostly prevented. Also, as lead wires drawn out from electronic components are securely positioned, electronic components may not move in the body containing portions. Thus, a highly reliable packing process, transport and storage of electronic components may be realized. Fig. 1A is a plan view showing a packing system in which capacitors are contained in a base packing material and a top tape is attached according to a first exemplary embodiment shown for explanation; Fig. 1B shows a partial view as directed by an arrow 100 in Fig.1; Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a packing system in which capacitors are contained in a other base packing material and a top tape is attached according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional front view showing the structure of the packing system of electronic components according to the present invention; Fig. 4 is a cross sectional front view showing the structure of the packing system of electronic components; Fig. 5 is a cross sectional front view showing the structure of the packing system of electronic components; Fig. 6 is a cross sectional front view showing the structure of the packing system of electronic components; Fig. 7 is a partial cross sectional front view showing a structure of a popular capacitor; and Fig. 8 is a front view illustrates conventional packing of electronic components. In the following, an explanation of a first exemplary embodiment is described referring to Figs. 1A, 1B and Fig 2. Lead wires 2 are drawn out from a body 1 of a capacitor 21. A base packing material 3 is provided with body containing portions 4 for containing bodies, such as body 1, of capacitors, such as capacitor 21, and lead wire containing portions 5, protruded from the respective body containing portions 4, for containing the lead wires 2. Then a top tape 6 is attached at the top of base packing material 3 for preventing the bouncing out of capacitors, such as capacitor 21, contained in base packing material 3. Base packing material 3 is formed, by forming cavities for body containing portions 4 and for lead wire containing portions 5, for example, by vacuum forming on a material in plate shape. For the material of the base packing material 3, paper or a resin sheet may be preferably used. Regarding a resin sheet, it may be desirable to use a sheet made of polystyrene or the like which does not generate harmful gas at incineration, from the standpoint of being friendly to environment, which is a recent topic. Also, by forming a plurality of body containing portions 4 having respective lead wire containing portions 5 sequentially at intervals of a predetermined spacing provided in base packing material 3, the yield of packing materials and the work efficiency of a packing process may be improved. Furthermore, when base packing material 3 in a continuous belt shape is used, automatic carrying of electronic components may be realized by forming perforations 7 at the edge of base packing material 3 as shown in Figs. 1A and 1B. Also, top tape 6 may be color coded for helping to recognize that the contained parts are capacitors. Further, as top tape 6 has the shape of a tape, a recognition code such as multi-color markings and/or bar code markings may be provided on top tape 6 for recognition of the type of the contained capacitors and the contained quantity. Accordingly, visual confirmation and recognition by machine may be performed. With the structure described above, bodies 1 and lead wires 2 of capacitors 21 are securely positioned and held by body containing portions 4 and lead wire containing portions 5 respectively. Consequently, capacitors 21 may not touch each other, and, as lead wires 2 drawn out from bodies 1 of the capacitors are positioned and held by lead wire containing portions 5, bodies 1 of capacitors 21 may not turn around or move in body containing portions 4. Accordingly, the occurrence of scratches on bodies 1 of the capacitors and deformation of lead wires 2, during a packing process, transport and storage, may be substantially prevented, so that the reliability of the electronic components may be improved. Also, by using base packing material 3 having the structure described above, capacitors 21 may be easily inserted automatically into base packing material 3 by a machine during the packing process. In addition, as shown in Fig. 1A, by adhering top tape 6 in a manner such that at least a portion of body containing portions 4 and a portion of lead wire containing portions 5 are exposed, top tape 6 may be peeled off with relative ease improving the work efficiency of the taking-out process of capacitors 21. Also, by using resin for base packing material 3 and for top tape 6, top tape 6 may be easily attached to base packing material 3 by thermal welding. In the following, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described referring to Fig. 2. In Fig. 2, body containing portions 9 and lead wire containing portions 10 are formed on a base packing material 8 as in the case of Fig. 1. The difference from Fig. 1 is that lead wire containing portions 10 of Fig. 2 are formed by protruding, in tapered shape, one of the ends of a respective body containing portions 9. With the structure of Fig. 2, the positioning and the holding of the lead wires 2 is performed as in the case of Fig. 1. The advantage of the example of Fig. 2 is that the body containing portion side of lead wire containing portion 10 is wider than that of Fig. 1, so that the insertion of capacitor 21 into base packing material 8 may become easier during the packing process. In the following, an explanation is described referring to Fig. 3. A base packing material 3 containing a plurality of capacitors 21, may be formed into a strip shape of a predetermined length. Then a plurality of base packing materials 3 in strip shape, containing a predetermined number of capacitors 21, may be stacked and contained in a packing box 11. With the structure described above, the handling of base packing material 3 containing a predetermined number of capacitors 21, and the counting of the number of capacitors may be facilitated. In the following, an explanation is described referring to Fig. 4. Base packing material 12 containing a plurality of capacitors 21 is folded in zigzag and contained in packing box 11. With the structure described above, a relatively long base packing material 12 containing a plurality of capacitors 21 folded continuously in zigzag is taken in and out from packing box 11, so that the space for containing capacitors in packing box 11 is effectively used and work efficiency is improved. In the following, an explanation is described referring to Fig. 5. Base packing material 13 containing a plurality of capacitors 21 may be rolled and contained in packing box 11. With the structure described above, the handling of the packing system becomes relatively easy. Also, when capacitors 21 are used by a user, automatic feeding of capacitors 21 by using automatic feeding machines becomes relatively easy. In the following, an explanation is described referring to Fig. 6. Through a wall of packing box 15, peephole 14 may be provided, so that base packing material 3 is visible from outside of packing box is through peephole 14. With the structure described above, the state of the base packing material 3 contained in packing box 15 is visually confirmed through peephole 14, from outside of packing box 15. Furthermore, when base packing material 3 is taken out from packing box 15, base packing material 3 may be taken out by pushing base packing material 3 in the direction of a removable portion, with a finger inserted into the packing box 15 through peephole 14. As described above, the electronic components packing ;ystem of the present invention comprises a base packing material provided with body containing portions, for containing the bodies of the electronic components, and lead wire containing portions, respectively formed at the respective body containing portions, for containing the lead wires of the electronic components. A top tape may be attached on the top of the base packing material for covering the electronic components contained in the base packing material. Hence, the bodies of the respective electronic components are positioned and held by the body containing portions formed on the base packing material. Consequently the electronic components may not touch each other, lead wires may not deform, and sheathing sleeves and cases of the electronic components may not be scratched. Furthermore, the lead wires drawn out from the bodies of the electronic components are securely positioned, so that the electronic components may not move in the body containing portion. Accordingly, highly reliable packing process, transport and storage may be realized. Reference numerals: 1 Body of capacitor 2 Lead wire 3, 8, 12, 13 Base packing material 4, 9 Body containing portion 5, 10 Lead wire containing portion 6 Top tape 7 Perforations 11, 15 Packing box 14 Peephole 21 Capacitor

Claims: A packing system for electronic components comprising: (a) A base packing material (3; 8) including (a1) a plurality of body containing portions (9) for containing bodies (1) of said electronic components, each of said body containing portions (9) having at least one face right-angled to a plane of an array of said plurality of body containing portions (9) and parallel to a direction of an array of said plurality of body containing portions (9), and (a2) a plurality of lead wire containing portions (10), respectively formed at said respective ones of the plurality of body containing portions (9) for containing lead wires extending from respective bodies of the electronic components, each of said plurality of lead wire containing portions having two opposite walls for containing lead wires (2) in a space therebetween, characterized in that (a3) said two opposite walls extend from said body containing portions (9) so that said two opposite walls extend from said body containing portions (9) to intersect and thereby connect with each other, and (b) a top tape (6) attached to the top of said base packing material (3; 8) for maintaining the electronic components in said base packing material (3; 8). The packing system of electronic components according to claim 1, wherein said base packing material (3; 8) is shaped into a continuous belt, and sequentially provided therein at intervals of a predetermined spacing are the plurality of said body containing portions (4; 9) having respective lead wire containing portions (5; 10). The packing system of electronic components according to claim 2, wherein said base packing material (3; 8) in belt shape is provided with perforations (7). The packing system of electronic components according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said plurality of lead wire containing portions (5; 10) are formed by providing at least one protruded portion at one of the ends of said respective ones of the plurality of body containing portions (4; 9) formed on said base packing material (3; 8). The packing system of electronic components according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said plurality of lead wire containing portions (5; 10) are formed by protruding, in taper shape, one of the ends of said respective ones of the plurality of body containing portions (4; 9) formed on said base packing material (3; 8). The packing system of electronic components according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said top tape (6) is provided with at least one on a color and a code for recognition of said electronic components. The packing system of electronic components according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein said base packing material (3; 8) is made of one of a resin sheet and paper. The packing system of electronic components according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein said base packing material (3, 8) is made of styrene resin. The packing system of electronic components according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein said top tape (6) is attached to the top of said base packing material (3; 8) such that at least a portion of each of said plurality of body containing portions (4; 9) and each of said plurality of lead wire containing portions (5; 10) is exposed. The packing system of electronic components according to claims 1 to 9, wherein a resin sheet is used for said base packing material (3; 8), and a top tape (6) which is made of resin is attached by thermal welding on said base packing material (3; 8). The packing system of electronic components according to claim 2, wherein said continuous belt-shaped base packing material (3; 8) containing said electronic components is rolled and contained in a packing box (11, 15). The packing system of electronic components according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of said continuous belt-shaped base packing materials (3; 8) of predetermined length containing said electronic components are stacked and contained in a packing box (11, 15). The packing system of electronic components according to claim 12, wherein a peephole (14) is formed through a wall of the packing box (11, 15) containing said stacked base packing materials (3; 8). The packing system of electronic components according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of said continuous belt-shaped base packing materials (3; 8) of predetermined length containing said electronic components are contained in a packing box (11, 15).

Inventors: MIKAMI YOSHIO, NOMURA KATSUMI, UKITA MASAO, MIKAMI, YOSHIO, NOMURA, KATSUMI, UKITA, MASAO
Applicants: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC IND CO LTD, MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B65D73
IPC codes: B65D73, H05K13, B65D85