Patent Publication Number: US-2012031807-A1

Title: Shock Absorbing Member and Shock Absorbing Structure

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-176650, filed Aug. 5, 2010; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     Embodiments described herein relate generally to a shock absorbing member and a shock absorbing structure. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The so-called household electrical appliances including liquid crystal televisions, personal computers, washing machines and refrigerators are packed with shock absorbing members. The shock absorbing members are formed of, for example, a molded foam such as EPS. The sock absorbing members comprise a recessed portion formed therein to which a part of the product to be packed is fit. 
     In the case where a sock absorbing member is patched to a heavy article such as a household electrical appliance, the sock absorbing member which holds the article is in some cases cracked when, for example, the packed article is dropped. When the shock absorbing member is cracked, the shock absorbing capability of the member is deteriorated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A general architecture that implements the various features of the embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate the embodiments and not to limit the scope of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is an exemplary perspective view showing a packaged object according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is an exemplary perspective view showing a shock absorbing member according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is an exemplary plan view showing the shock absorbing member according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is an exemplary front view showing the shock absorbing member according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is an exemplary lateral view showing a shock absorbing member according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is an exemplary cross sectional view of the shock absorbing member according to the first embodiment taken along the line F 6 -F 6  in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an exemplary view showing the packaged object according to the first embodiment falling; 
         FIG. 8  is an exemplary view showing the packaged object according to the first embodiment having crashed on the ground; 
         FIG. 9  is an exemplary lateral view showing a shock absorbing member according to the second embodiment; 
         FIG. 10  is an exemplary cross sectional view of the shock absorbing member according to the second embodiment taken along the line F 10 -F 10  in  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is an exemplary view showing a packaged object according to the second embodiment falling; and 
         FIG. 12  is an exemplary view showing the packaged object according to the second embodiment having crashed on the ground. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various embodiments will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     In general, according to one embodiment, a shock absorbing member includes a main body of a resin, a recess portion, and a pair of first groove portions. The recess portion is made in the main body. An outer edge portion of an object to be packaged is inserted to the recess portion. The recess portion includes a first end surface which faces the outer edge portion. The pair of first groove portions are made in the main body, the pair of first groove portions being opened in the first end surface, and extending respectively in directions to depart from the outer edge portion of the object. The first end surface of the recess portion faces the outer edge portion of the object between the pair of first groove portions. 
     The first embodiment will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 8 .  FIG. 1  is an exemplary perspective view showing a packaged object  1 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the packaged object  1  comprises a liquid crystal television  2 , four shock absorbing members  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c  and  3   d , and a package box  4 . The liquid crystal television  2  is an example of a packaged object. 
     The four shock absorbing members  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c  and  3   d  are patched to the liquid crystal television  2 . The shock absorbing members  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c  and  3   d  are an example of the shock absorbing member as well as an example of the shock absorbing structure. The liquid crystal television  2  patched with the shock absorbing members  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c  and  3   d  is housed in a package box  4 . The package box  4  is, for example, a corrugated fiberboard container. 
     The liquid crystal television  2  comprises a front surface  10 , a back surface  11  (shown in  FIG. 3 ), a first side edge portion  12 , a second side edge portion  13 , a lower edge portion  14 , an upper edge portion  15 , four corner portions  16  and a display screen  17 . The first side edge portion  12  and the second side edge portion  13  are examples of outer edge portions of an object, respectively. The lower edge portion  14  and the upper edge portion  15  are examples of outer edge portions of the object, respectively. 
     The back surface  11  is located on an opposite side to the front surface  10 . The first side edge portion  12  is located on an opposite side to the second side edge portion  13 . The upper edge portion  15  is located on an opposite side to the lower edge portion  14 . The display screen  17  is exposed to the outside from an opening of the front surface  10 . 
       FIG. 2  is an exemplary perspective view showing a shock absorbing member  3   a .  FIG. 3  is an exemplary plan view showing the shock absorbing member  3   a .  FIG. 4  is an exemplary front view showing the shock absorbing member  3   a .  FIG. 5  is an exemplary side view showing the shock absorbing member  3   a . It should be noted that each of the other shock absorbing members  3   b ,  3   c  and  3   d  has a shape identical to or mirror-image symmetrical to that of the shock absorbing member  3   a . For this reason, the following explanation will be made with respect to the shock absorbing member  3   a  as a typical member. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the shock absorbing member  3   a  comprises a resin-made main body  20 , a recess portion  21  and a pair of first groove portions  22 . The main body  20  is formed of a molded foam having an elasticity, such as EPS. Note that the main body  20  may be formed of some other material. 
     The main body  20  has substantially a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The main body  20  comprises a front surface  24 , a rear surface  25 , a bottom surface  26 , a top surface  27 , a first side surface  28  and a second side surface  29 . The rear surface  25  is located on an opposite side to the front surface  24 . The top surface  27  is located on an opposite side to the bottom surface  26 . The second side surface  29  is located on an opposite side to the first side surface  28 . 
     The recess portion  21  is made in the main body  20 . The recess portion  21  is opened in each of the front surface  24 , the upper surface  27  and the second side surface  29  of the main body  20 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , each of a portion of the first side edge portion  12 , a portion of the lower edge portion  14  and one of the corner portion  16  of the liquid crystal television  2  is fit into the recess portion  21 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the recess portion  21  is set in contact with the front surface  10  and the back surface  11  of the liquid crystal television  2  so as to support and hold the liquid crystal television  2 . 
       FIG. 6  is an exemplary cross section of the shock absorbing member  3   a  taken along the line F 6 -F 6  in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the recess portion  21  comprises a first end surface  31  and a second end surface  32 . The first end surface  31  extends from the top surface  27  of the main body  20  towards the bottom surface  26 . The first end surface  31  faces the first side edge portion  12  and the corner portion  16 . The first end surface  31  is in contact with the first side edge portion  12  and the corner portion  16  via a protection bag covered onto the liquid crystal television  2 . 
     The second end surface  32  extends from the second side surface  29  of the main body  20  towards the first side surface  28 . The second end surface  32  extends to cross the first end surface  31 . The second end surface  32  faces the lower edge portion  14  of the liquid crystal television  2 . The second end surface  32  supports the lower edge portion  14  via the protection. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the pair of the first groove portions  22  are made in the main body. The pair of the first groove portions  22  are made in the first end surface  31  and the top surface  27  of the main body  20 , respectively. As shown in  FIG. 6 , each of the first groove portions  22  extends along the first end surface  31 . Each of the first groove portions  22  is made from the upper end through to the lower end of the first end surface  31 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the pair of the first groove portions  22  each extend to depart from the first side edge portion  12  of the liquid crystal television  2  in directions to further part from each other. With this structure, the pair of the first groove portions  22  extend in the directions crossing with each other. For example, the pair of the first groove portions  22  extend in the directions normally crossing with each other. A width T 1  of each of the first groove portions  22  is smaller than a thickness T 2  of the liquid crystal television  2  in order to prevent the liquid crystal television  2  from entering thereinto. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the first groove portions  22  extend to go through the second end surface  32 . In this manner, the first groove portions  22  are made in the second end surface  32 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the recess portion  21  comprises a first support portion  35 . The first support portion  35  is defined by the pair of the first groove portions  22  into substantially a trapezoidal shape which tapers down towards the first side edge portion  12  of the liquid crystal television  2 . The first support portion  35  comprises the first end surface  31  described above. The first end surface  31  faces the first side edge portion  12  of the liquid crystal television  2  between the pair of the first groove portions  22 . The first support portion  35  protrudes towards the first side edge portion  12 . 
       FIG. 7  schematically shows the state in which the packaged object  1  falls.  FIG. 8  schematically shows the state in which the liquid crystal television  2  and the sock absorbing member  3   a  have crashed on the ground. As shown in  FIG. 7 , when the packaged object  1  falls onto the ground from side, the sock absorbing member  3   a  crashes on the ground via the package box  4 . Here, as indicated in  FIG. 8 , the liquid crystal television  2  moves towards the direction indicated by an arrow A in  FIG. 8  due to the inertia. 
     As the liquid crystal television  2  moves towards the direction of the arrow A, the recess portion  21  is elastically deformed to follow the movement of the liquid crystal television  2 . Further, the first end surface  31  of the first support portion  35  receives and stops the first side edge portion  12  of the liquid crystal television  2 . As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the first support portion  35  is elastically deformed while being pushed down by the liquid crystal television  2 . The pair of the first groove portions  22  are each widened to follow the deformation of the first support portion  35 . Here, since the first support portion  35  is formed to taper down, the first groove portions  22  are each widened in a smooth manner. Thus, as the first support portion  35  is elastically deformed and the pair of the first groove portions  22  are each widened, the impact on the shock absorbing member  3   a  applied from the liquid crystal television  2  is absorbed. 
     The first support portion  35  elastically deformed then pushes back the liquid crystal television  2  due to its restoring force. When the liquid crystal television  2  is placed back to a predetermined position in the recess portion  21 , the first support portion  35  and the pair of the first groove portions  22  restore their original shapes, respectively. 
     With the shock absorbing member  3   a  having the above-described structure, the first end surface  31  supports the first side edge portion  12  of the liquid crystal television  2  when the packaged object  1  crushes on the ground. Thus, as a load is applied onto the first end surface  31  from the liquid crystal television  2 , the first support portion  35  is elastically deformed and also the pair of the first groove portions  22  are each widened. In this manner, the impact upon the crush is absorbed by the shock absorbing member  3   a , thereby making it possible to prevent damage on the liquid crystal television  2 . 
     When a load onto the first end surface  31  from the liquid crystal television  2 , the pair of the first groove portions  22  are each widened. In this manner, the shock absorbing member  3   a  is not easily cracked even when the load is applied thereto from the liquid crystal television  2 . 
     On the other hand, the portion of the first end surface  31  which is in contact with the corner portion  16  of the liquid crystal television  2  receives the maximum load. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the first groove portions  22  each extend to go through the second end surface  32 , and thus the portion of the first groove portion  22  which is close to the corner portion  16  is widened. With this structure, when the load is applied to the first end surface  31  from the corner portion  16 , a wide portion of the first groove portion  22  is widened to absorb the impact. In this manner, the shock absorbing member  3   a  is not easily cracked even when the load is applied to the area near the corner portion  16 . 
     Next, the second embodiment will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 9 to 12 . In the following descriptions, the structural elements having the same function as that of the shock absorbing member  3   a  of the first embodiment will be designated by the same reference numerals, and the explanations therefore will not be repeated. 
       FIG. 9  is an exemplary lateral view showing a shock absorbing member  3   a  according to the second embodiment.  FIG. 10  is an exemplary cross section of the shock absorbing member  3   a  taken along the line F 10 -F 10  in  FIG. 9 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the shock absorbing member  3   a  comprises a pair of second groove portions  41 . 
     The pair of the second groove portions  41  are made in the main body  20 . The pair of the second groove portions  41  are opened in the second end surface  32  and the second side surface  32  of the main body  20 , respectively. As shown in  FIG. 10 , each of the second groove portions  41  extends along the second end surface  32 . Each of the second groove portions  41  is made from one end to the other end of the second end surface  32 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , the pair of the second groove portions  41  each extend to depart from the lower edge portion  14  of the liquid crystal television  2 . For example, the pair of the second groove portions  41  extend in parallel to each other. A width T 3  of each of the second groove portions  41  is smaller than a thickness T 2  of the liquid crystal television  2  in order to prevent the liquid crystal television  2  from entering thereinto. 
     The recess portion  21  comprises a second support portion  42 . The second support portion  42  is defined by the pair of the second groove portions  41  into substantially a rectangular shape. The second support portion  42  comprises a second end surface  32 . The second end surface  32  faces the lower edge portion  14  of the liquid crystal television  2  between the pair of the second groove portions  41 . The second support portion  42  protrudes towards the lower edge portion  14  of the liquid crystal television  2 . 
       FIG. 11  schematically shows the state in which the packaged object  1  falls.  FIG. 12  schematically shows the state in which the liquid crystal television  2  and the sock absorbing member  3   a  have crashed on the ground. As shown in  FIG. 11 , when the packaged object  1  falls onto the ground from the lower side, the sock absorbing member  3   a  crashes on the ground via the package box  4 . Here, as indicated in  FIG. 12 , the liquid crystal television  2  moves towards the direction indicated by an arrow B in  FIG. 12  due to the inertia. 
     As the liquid crystal television  2  moves towards the direction of the arrow B, the recess portion  21  is elastically deformed to follow the movement of the liquid crystal television  2 . Further, the second end surface  32  of the second support portion  42  receives and stops the lower edge portion  14  of the liquid crystal television  2 . As illustrated in  FIG. 12 , the second support portion  41  is elastically deformed while being pushed down by the liquid crystal television  2 . The pair of the second groove portions  41  are each widened as being pushed by the second support portion  42 . Thus, as the second support portion  41  is elastically deformed and the pair of the second groove portions  42  are each widened, the impact on the shock absorbing member  3   a  applied from the liquid crystal television  2  is absorbed. 
     The second support portion  42  elastically deformed then pushes back the liquid crystal television  2  due to its restoring force. When the liquid crystal television  2  is placed back to a predetermined position in the recess portion  21 , the second support portion  42  and the pair of the second groove portions  41  restore their original shapes, respectively. 
     With the shock absorbing member  3   a  having the above-described structure, damage on the liquid crystal television  2  is prevented even if the packaged object  1  crushes on the ground from its lower side. Thus, if the packaged object  1  crushes on the ground from any direction, damage on the liquid crystal television  2  is prevented. 
     Note that the above-described embodiments have been described in connection with the cases where a liquid crystal television is packaged, but the object to be packaged is not limited to this. The object may be some other items, for example, a personal computer, a washing machine or a refrigerator. 
     While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.