Patent Abstract:
A cardboard packing box for packing a cartridge container which has a case shell including two mating case shell halves identical in dimensions with each other and forming a plurality of compartments for receiving sets of a specified number of flat tape cartridge units therein, respectively, each mating case shell half having a pair of bottom fitting frames different in size so that one of the bottom fitting frames of one mating case shell half is fitted in another mating case shell half by insertion so as thereby to be able to couple the cartridge container to another, comprises a cardboard box identical in internal dimension with a horizontal projection of the case shell of the cartridge container; and a pair of cardboard backing pads each of which has a pair of openings in which the bottom fitting frames of each mating case shell halves are fitted respectively by insertion.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a packing box for a cartridge container in which flat cartridges with tape reels housed respectively therein and, more particularly, to a cardboard packing box for packing and carrying a cartridge container with tape cartridges are contained. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Typically, it is general in an ordinary distribution process to secure impact protection for a package of one-reel type electromagnetic tape cartridges by filling a cardboard packing box  5  with a substantial number of the tape cartridges  1  individually encased in cartridge cases  3 , respectively, as shown in  FIG. 6 . An inconvenience encountered by the collective package is that the cardboard packing box  5  has to be opened in order to check its contents and/or the type of the tape cartridges  1  packaged therein. Further, if the cardboard packing box  5  is bedewed with water, the cardboard packing box  5  is damaged or broken at its worst. 
         [0005]    Such being the case, there has been marketed a cartridge packing case  7  for collective packing of tape cartridges  1  such as shown in  FIG. 7 . Such the transparent plastic packing box  7  is known, for example, in the name of UTO-Ultrum L-pack (Trade name of TDK Co., Ltd.). This cartridge packing case  7 , which may be named an individual packing type, has an interior space separated into a number of compartments  9  by separation rails  11  for individually receiving tape cartridges such as shown in  FIG. 6 . Accordingly, the tape cartridges are put in the cartridge packing case  7  one by one. In the case that a heavy number of the tape cartridges are packed, it can be hardly said that the cartridge packing cases  7  are handy. Further, because the compartments  9  are separated from one another so as to share isovolumetric capacities, a full weight load of packed tape cartridges concentrates on corners  13  and  15  of the cartridge packing case  7 , so that the cartridge packing case  7  is poor in impact resistance and has only a low impact absorption capacity upon falling. 
         [0006]    In these circumstances, the inventor of this application has developed a cartridge container which has high packing efficiency besides high impact resistance. Reference is made to  FIGS. 8 ,  9 A- 9 B and  10 A- 10 B for the purpose of providing a brief description of the cartridge container  100  that will enhance an understanding of the and operation of the cardboard packing box of the present invention. 
         [0007]    Referring to  FIGS. 8 ,  9 A- 9 B and  10 A- 10 B, the cartridge container  100  is used suitably for containing flat tape cartridges  21  with electromagnetic tape reels incorporated, respectively, therein. The tape cartridge  21  incorporates a tape reel (not shown) having a core axis extending in a direction of thickness of the tape cartridge  21  therein. The following description will be directed to a square tape cartridge by way of example and held true in a rectangular tape cartridge. 
         [0008]    The cartridge container  100  comprises a case shell made up of two mating case shell halves, namely upper and lower mating case shell halves  23  and  25 . These upper and lower mating case shell halves  23  and  25  are identical in structure and shape with each other. The upper and lower mating case shell halves  23  and  25  are detachably fitted together by engagement so as to be opened and closed. For this detachable fitting of the upper and lower mating case shell halves  23  and  25 , there are formed a plurality of, for example four in this embodiment, compartments  27  for receiving four tape cartridge sets  29 . The tape cartridge set  29  to be received in the compartment  27  comprises a predetermined number of, for example five in this embodiment, tape cartridges  21  arranged closely side by side in a direction of thickness in block As shown in  FIG. 8 , in order to protect tape egress/ingress slots of the tape cartridges  21  which are generally weak in mechanical structure against impact from the outside of the cartridge container  100 , it is preferred to put the tape cartridge set  29  so as to position the tape egress/ingress slots on the side of a boundary between adjacent compartments  27  and faced upward. It is more preferred to put the cartridge sets  29  in the compartments  27  so that the tape egress/ingress slots of the cartridge sets  29  in adjacent compartments  27  are opposed one another. In this instance, the compartment  27  has a storage volumetric capacity which is approximately the same as the cubic measure of the five tape cartridges  21 . Accordingly, the tape cartridges  21  are neatly arranged in the compartment  27  even if put in the compartment  27  in a careless way. This is because there is no parting strip for the tape cartridges  21  in the compartment  27 . Since it is enabled to hold two or three tape cartridges  21  together by hand and put them into the compartment  27 , the cartridge container  100  bring a marked improvement in tape cartridge packing operation as compared with the conventional cartridge container or box which needs to put tape cartridges  21  one by one. 
         [0009]    As described above, according to the structure of the cartridge container  100 , since the tape cartridges  21  are contained in lots of multiple units, the cartridge container  100  is possible to acquire an extra area uninvolved in storage in the case of the same storage area as the prior art cartridge container  7  including a flange which is adapted to receive the tape cartridges  21  individually. The extra area of the cartridge container  100  is utilized for what is called a crushable or impact absorption zone. The transverse flanges  35  of the mating case shell halves  23  and  25  at the respective short sides have rectangular openings  33 , respectively, used as carrying handgrips of the cartridge container  100 . Therefore, the cartridge container  100  can not only be carried in a horizontal position by grasping the both handgrips  33  but also be carried in a vertical position by gripping either one of the opposite handgrips  33 . If a carrier accidentally drops the cartridge container  100  while carrying it in a vertical position by one hand, the cartridge container  100  has a first hit against a floor at the far side flange  31 . At this time, the far side flange  31 , that performs as an impact absorption member, is deformed or crushed by the weight of the cartridge container  100  and its contents so as to absorb impact strength, thereby absorbing a direct shock against the tape cartridges  21 . 
         [0010]    In the general, the tape cartridge  21  has a weakness for impact in a direction of thickness or axis of the tape reel, because a roll of electromagnetic tape  21  does not always have even side surfaces but has irregularities at opposite sides thereof. The electromagnetic tape is not always wound on the tape reel with side edges of convolutions of the tape neatly flush with one another, so that a roll of the electromagnetic tape wound in the tape reel has irregularities at opposite sides. The irregularities possibly cause the electromagnetic tape to hit against the flanges of the tape reel at the side edges due to external force while winding the electromagnetic tape in the tape reel, resulting that the electromagnetic tape is crushed and/or broken back in a transverse direction at its side edges as being wound in the tape reel. The electromagnetic tape having crushed and broken irregularities brings down an adverse effect on smooth winding and unwinding, and besides causing defective record at its worst. In contrast, the container  100  having the crushable flanges  35  arranged at the short sides thereof has enhanced impact resistance in the lengthwise direction in which the tape cartridge  21  is mechanically weak. 
         [0011]    As shown in  FIGS. 10A and 10B , the cartridge container  100  has a number of side buffering ribs  35  rising outside from an external peripheral wall thereof. The side buffering rib  35  is formed so as to provide a side clearance space  35 ′ in an internal peripheral wall as shown in  FIG. 10B . The side buffering ribs  35  function as cushioning means against external impact on the cartridge container  100 . In addition, the cartridge container  100  has a corner buffering rib  37 , like the side buffering rib  35 , rising outside from an each corner of the external peripheral wall thereof and a corner clearance space  37 ′, like the side clearance space  35 ′, in an internal peripheral wall thereof. These side and corner buffering ribs  35  and  37  function as cushioning means against external impact on the cartridge container  100 . In particular, the corner clearance space  37  receives a vertical edge of the tape cartridge  21  placed adjacently to the short side wall of the cartridge container  100 , so as thereby to prevent the tape cartridge  21  being deformed or damaged at the edge when the tape cartridge  100  is dropped. 
         [0012]    The mating case shell half  23 ,  25  has a case coupling structure comprising a top fitting rails  41  extending half around an opening thereof and a generally U-shaped top fitting groove  43  extending separately half around the opening as male and female fitting components, respectively. These male and female fitting components are formed on opposite sides of a longitudinal center line  47  of the mating case shell half  23 ,  25  and completely equal in overall length to each other. The top fitting rail  41  of one of mating case shell halves  23  and  25  is fitted in the top fitting groove  43  of the other by insertion so as thereby to couple the mating case shell halves  23  and  25  together. The cartridge container  100  provided by coupling the mating case shell halves  23  and  25  together though fitting between their tip fitting rails  41  and the top fitting grooves seals up the interior, i.e. the compartments  27 , thereof, so that the tape cartridges  21  in the cartridge container  100  are protected from moisture, water, water splashes, dust and harmful substances. According to the cartridge container  100 , the mating case shell halves  23  and  25  are compatible with each other, in other words, available even as a container body or as a cap. This brings about an advantage that it is only needed to provide a single mold for production of both mating case shell halves  23  and  25 . 
         [0013]    The mating case shell half  23 ,  25  is provided with partition walls  47  arranged in cruciform for defining the respective compartments  27 . In order to protect the tape cartridges  21  from external impact the partition wall  47  has a shape and thickness such as described later so as to be easily deformable for absorption of external impact to the sets of tape cartridges  29  upon a drop of the cartridge container  100  even in a vertical or a horizontal position. That is, the cartridge container thus structured prevents sets of tape cartridges from having an effect of inertial impact on one another even when the respective sets of tape cartridges are individually affected by impact. 
         [0014]    The cartridge container  100  with four cartridge sets  29  packed therein is boxed in a cardboard packing box (not shown) for carrying about. The cardboard packing box is dimensioned so as to snugly receive the cartridge container  100  therein. In order to take out the cartridge container  100  with ease, the flange  31  is cut off at opposite corners  49  at approximately 45 degrees so as to form triangular spaces between the cartridge container  100  and the cardboard packing box for easy access to the cartridge container  100  by fingers. This cut off corner  49  may be provided with a catch tab (not shown) so that the catch tabs at each cut off corners of the mating case shell halves  23  and  25  overlap each other when the mating case shell halves  23  and  25  are coupled together. Accordingly, the mating case shell halves  23  and  25  can be easily uncoupled by pulling away the catch tabs from each other. 
         [0015]    Further, the mating case shell half  23 ,  25  is provided with a lateral rim extending entirely along either one of the top fitting rail  41  and the top fitting groove  43  and bent toward the counterpart so as to cover the periphery of the mating case shell half  23 ,  25  of the other of the top fitting rail  41  and the top fitting groove  43  of the counterpart for improved dustproof and waterproof. 
         [0016]    The mating case shell half  23 ,  25  also has a container coupling structure comprising two pairs of quadrilateral bottom fitting frames, namely a pair of larger quadrilateral fitting frames  53   a  and a pair of smaller quadrilateral bottom fitting frames  53   b,  formed as male and female fitting components, respectively, on an external bottom surface thereof The larger bottom fitting frame  53   a  defines an aperture into which the smaller bottom fitting frame  53   b  is snugly fitted by insertion. These bottom fitting frames  53   a  and  55   a  are located correspondingly to the respective compartments  27  and arranged on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line  45  (see  FIG. 9B ) of the mating case shell half  23 ,  25 . The bottom fitting flames  53   a  and  55   a  are dimensioned so that the bottom fitting frames  55   a  of the mating case shell halve  23 ,  25  are fitted in the bottom fitting frames  53   b  of the mating case shell halve,  23 ,  25  of another cartridge container  100  by insertion. By means of the container coupling structure, a plurality of the cartridge containers  100  piled on top of another are prevented from striking relative slide and, in consequence, from tumbling down. 
         [0017]    The mating case shell half  23 ,  25  is preferably made in the form of an integral product of a plastic resin such as those relatively easy in handling. Therefore, it is enabled to produce the mating case shell half  23 ,  25  provided with sufficient toughness for reliable protection of the tape cartridges  21  stored in the cartridge container  100  and appropriate impact absorbability and to be suitable for commercial and inexpensive production of the cartridge container  100 . It is preferred to use any one of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene and polystyrene for the mating case shell halves  23  and  25  by reason of easy availability of the material, easy and inexpensive vacuum molding of the mating case shell halves  23  and  25 , and collection and reclamation of waste cartridge containers  100 . It is further preferred to use translucent plastic resins by reason of visibility of the tape cartridges  21  put in the cartridge container  100  and easiness of keeping track of a contained state of the tape cartridges  21  in the cartridge container  100  hermetically closed. 
         [0018]    In order to economically acquire required minimum structural strength of the respective compartments  27  of the cartridge container  100 , and besides minimizing the cartridge container  100  in weight while satisfying required minimum structural strength of the cartridge container  100 , it is possible to form the mating case shell halves  23  and  25  by stretching press of a plastic resin sheet having a thickness of 0.5 to 2.0 mm. In addition, the usage of such a thin plastic resin sheet results in allowing the cartridge container  100  to cause proper deformation due to external impact, so as thereby to secure most appropriate impact absorbability for the tape cartridges  21 . In this instance, if the plastic resin sheet has a thickness less than 0.5 mm, the cartridge container  100  causes deformation too easily, so that it is incapable of bringing about an appropriate impact absorption effect. On the other hand, if the plastic resin sheet has a thickness greater than 2.0 mm, the cartridge container  100  encounters a difficulty in deformation which allows external impact to be directly transmitted to the tape cartridges  21  put therein. The cartridge container  100  whose thinnest part is confined in thickness to that range in the limits is provided with an optimized crushable or appropriate impact absorbable zone. 
         [0019]      FIG. 11A-11D  shows a cartridge packing procedure in the case of packing four sets of five tape cartridge units in a transparent cartridge container by way of example. In first step, an upper transparent mating case shell half  23  and a lower transparent mating case shell half  25  are set out as a container cap and a container body, respectively, as shown in  FIG. 11A . On the other hand, four sets of five tape cartridge units (first and second sets of five tape cartridge units C 1  and C 2  are shown and the remaining two sets of five tape cartridge units are hidden behind the two sets of five tape cartridge units C 1  and C 2 ) are prepared. In second step, the respective sets of five tape cartridge units C 1  and C 2  are individually put in the compartments  27  of the lower case shell half  25  separately in position as shown in  FIG. 11B . In the sane manner, the remaining two sets of five tape cartridge units are individually put in the compartments  27  of the lower case shell half  25  separately in position. Subsequently, in third step, the upper case shell half  23  is placed over the lower case shell half  25  as shown in  FIG. 11C . Then, in forth step, the upper case shell half  23  is pushed down against the lower case shell half  25  so as to fit the top fitting rails  41  of the case shell halves  23  and  25  in the top fitting grooves  43  of them by insertion, respectively, thereby coupling the mating case shell halves  23  and  25  together as shown in  FIG. 11D . In this procedure, a cartridge container  100  in which two sets of tape cartridges are received in the respective compartments is completed. The cartridges are seen through the transparent cartridge container for checking the type and the state of the contents. 
         [0020]      FIG. 12A and 12B  show, respectively, a cartridge container  100   1  with four sets of five tape cartridge units (two sets of five tape cartridge units C 1  and C 2  and the remaining two sets of five tape cartridge units are hidden behind the two sets of five tape cartridge units C 1  and C 2 ) contained therein which is prepared in the procedure shown in  FIGS. 11A-11D  and a cartridge container stack comprising two units of the cartridge containers  100   a  by way of example. As shown, the cartridge container  100   a  is made up two mating case shell halves  23  and  25  coupled together through fitting between the top fitting rails of the case shell halves  23  and  25  in the top fitting grooves  43  of them by insertion. As was described previously, the mating case shell half  23 ,  25  has two frame-shaped bottom fitting flames  53   a  and two frame-shaped bottom fitting flames  53   b  as male and female fitting components, respectively, on an external bottom surface thereof (bottom fitting frames  53   b  of the upper mating case shell half  23  and bottom fitting frames  53   a  of the lower mating case shell half  25  are hidden behind bottom fitting frames  53   b  and  53   a,  respectively). When stacking another cartridge container  100   b  on the cartridge container  100   1  as shown in  FIG. 12B , the other cartridge container  100   b  is placed on the cartridge container  100   b  so as to bring the bottom fitting frames  53   a  and  53   b  of the lower mating case shell half  25  of the other cartridge container  100   b  into alignment with the bottom fitting frames  53   b  and  53   a  of the upper mating case shell half  23  of the other cartridge container  100   a,  respectively and then pushed down against the other cartridge container  100   a  so as to fit the bottom fitting frames  53   a  and  53   b  to the bottom fitting frames  53   b  and  53   a,  respectively, by insertion. In this way, the two cartridge containers  100   a  and  100   b  are firmly coupled together, so that the stack of two cartridge containers  100   1  and  100   2  is prevented from collapse with a bit of oscillations. 
         [0021]    Incidentally, it is general in an ordinary distribution process to pack the cartridge container  100  in a cardboard packing box by a procedure such as shown in  FIGS. 13A-10C . As shown in  FIG. 13A , a cartridge container  100  and a cardboard packing box  200  with a cover  200   a  opened are prepared. The cardboard packing box  200  is designed to receive and hold the cartridge container  100  therein. Subsequently, as shown in  FIG. 13B , the cartridge container  100  is put in the cardboard packing box  200  and, then, as shown in  FIG. 13C , the cover  200   a  is closed. 
         [0022]    The cardboard packing box  200  is ordinarily designed to keep its given structural strength in a horizontal position. In consequence, although the cardboard packing box  200  having the cartridge container  100  packed therein has no problem as long as placed horizontally on a floor or a flat table as shown in  FIG. 14A . However, the trouble the cardboard packing box  200  having the cartridge container  100  packed therein encounters is that when dropped in a vertical position, the cartridge container  100  is significantly damaged at the flanges  31  themselves, portions of the mating case shell halves  23  and  25  at corners of the case shell half  23  and G 1  and roots G 2  and distal ends G 3  of the flanges  31 . 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to a cardboard packing box for packing a cartridge container with a plurality of tape cartridges contained which prevents a cartridge container from being damaged upon falling down. 
         [0024]    The foregoing object of the present invention is accomplished by a cardboard packing box for storage of a cartridge container which has a case shell comprising two mating case shell halves identical in dimensions with each other and forming a plurality of compartments for receiving sets of a specified number of flat tape cartridge units therein respectively, each mating case shell half having at least one pair of bottom fitting flames different in size so that one of the bottom fitting frames of one of the two mating case shell halves is fitted in another of the two mating case shell halves by insertion so as thereby to be able to couple the cartridge container to another cartridge container together. The cardboard packing box comprises a cardboard box having internal dimensions substantially identical with a horizontal projection of the case shell of said cartridge container and a pair of cardboard backing pads each of which has an external dimension substantially identical with an internal dimension of said cardboard box and has a pair of openings in which the bottom fitting frames of each mating case shell half are fitted respectively by insertion. The cardboard backing pad may have two or more pairs of the openings correspondingly to the number of pairs of the bottom fitting flames of each mating case shell half. It is preferred for the cardboard backing pad to have at least one fingerhold opening formed therein. Further, it is preferred for the cardboard backing pad to comprise a combination of at least two cardboards different in thickness. 
         [0025]    The cardboard box has an internal dimension of 300 mm×400 mm. In the case of the cardboard box having an internal dimension of 300 mm×400 mm, the cardboard backing pad may be shaped so as to have a clearance between 0 and 20 mm with said cardboard box. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]    The foregoing and other objects and features of the present invention will be clearly understood from the following detailed description when reading with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein same or similar parts or mechanisms are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings and in which: 
           [0027]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a cardboard packing box according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0028]    FIG.  2 A(a) is a side view of a lower case shell half of a cartridge container for use with the cardboard packing box; 
           [0029]    FIG.  2 A(b) is a front view of the lower case shell half of the cartridge container for use with the cardboard packing box; 
           [0030]    FIG.  2 B(a) is a side view of the lower case shell half of the cartridge container to which a cardboard backing pad is attached; 
           [0031]    FIG.  2 A(b) is a front view of the lower case shell half of the cartridge container to which a cardboard backing pad is attached; 
           [0032]      FIG. 2C  is a front view of the lower case shell half of the cartridge container in which sets of five cartridge units are put; 
           [0033]      FIG. 2D  is a front view of the cartridge container before an upper case shell half is coupled to the lower case shell half; 
           [0034]      FIG. 2E  is a front view of the cartridge container before a cardboard backing pad is attached to the upper case shell half; 
           [0035]      FIG. 3A  is a front view of the cartridge container before packing; 
           [0036]      FIG. 3B  is a longitudinal-sectional view of a package of the cartridge container in the cardboard packing box; 
           [0037]      FIG. 3B  is a longitudinal-sectional view of a package of the cartridge container in the cardboard packing box; 
           [0038]      FIG. 3C  is an explanatory view for showing the package dropped vertically down; 
           [0039]      FIGS. 4A to 4B  are plane views of various cardboard backing pads; 
           [0040]    FIG.  5 A(a) to  5 A(c) are plan views of various pallets standardized in different countries; 
           [0041]    FIG.  5 B(a) to  5 B(c) are plan views of layouts of the packages placed on the pallets shown in FIGS.  5 A(a) to  5 A(c), respectively, 
           [0042]      FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of a conventional cartridge case package; 
           [0043]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a conventional cartridge container; 
           [0044]      FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of a cartridge container for use with the cardboard packing box shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0045]      FIG. 9A  is a plane view of a mating case shell half of the cartridge container; 
           [0046]      FIG. 9B  is a front view of the mating case shell half of the cartridge container; 
           [0047]      FIG. 10A  is a side view of the mating case shell half of the cartridge container; 
           [0048]      FIG. 10B  is a perspective view showing a part of the interior of the mating case shell half of the cartridge container; 
           [0049]      FIGS. 11A to 11D  are explanatory views for showing steps of completing a cartridge container with cartridges contained therein; 
           [0050]      FIG. 12A  is a front view of a completed cartridge container; 
           [0051]      FIG. 12B  is a front view of a stack of two cartridge containers; 
           [0052]      FIGS. 13A to 13C  are views for showing steps of packing a completed cartridge container in a conventional cardboard packing box; 
           [0053]      FIG. 14A  is an explanatory view showing the package placed on a floor; and 
           [0054]      FIG. 14B  is an explanatory view for showing the package dropped vertically down. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0055]    Referring to the accompanying drawings in detail, and in particular, to  FIG. 1 , there is show a packing box  300  comprising a cardboard box  310  and two cardboard backing pads  320  according to an embodiment of the present invention for use with the cartridge containers  100  each of which is made up of two mating case shell halves and has the male-female container coupling structures formed on bottom surfaces thereof (see FIGS.  8  to  10 A- 10 B). The cardboard box  310  may be of conventional such as shown in  FIG. 6 . The cardboard backing pad  320  has two pairs of quadrilateral fitting apertures  320   a  and  320   b  different in size. The first pair of quadrilateral fitting apertures  320   a  are shaped so as to snugly fit on the larger bottom fitting frames  53   a  of the mating case shell half  23 ,  25 , respectively, and the second pair of quadrilateral fitting apertures  320   b  are shaped so as to snugly fit on the bottom fitting frames  53   b  of the mating case shell half  23 ,  25 , respectively. It is preferred to provide the cardboard backing pad  320  by the use of various types of commercially available cardboards in appropriate combination according to the height of the bottom fitting flames  53   a  of the mating case shell halves  23  and  25  of the cartridge container  100 . Specifically, standard cardboards commonly available for general packing boxes include types of A-flute having a thickness of 5 mm, B-flute having a thickness of 3 mm and W-flute having a thickness of 8 mm. In this instance, it is preferred for the cardboard backing pad  320  to employ these standard cardboards individually or in any combination. 
         [0056]    FIGS.  2 A(a) and  2 A(b) to  2 E show a procedure of attaching the cardboard backing pads  320  to the cartridge container  100  in use. At the outset, the mating case shell half  25  used as a container body is prepared as shown in FIGS.  1 A(a) and  1 A(b) (labels (a) and (b) indicate side and front views, respectively). The cardboard backing pads  320  is attached to the mating case shell half  25  by fitting the fitting frames  53   a  and  53   b  of the mating case shell half  25  into the fitting apertures  320   a  and  320   b  of the cardboard backing pad  320 , respectively, by insertion as shown in FIGS.  2 B(a) and  2 B(b) (labels (a) and (b) indicate side and front views, respectively). Thereafter, as shown in  FIG. 3 , four sets of five tape cartridge units (first and second sets of five tape cartridge units C 1  and C 2  are shown and the remaining two sets of five tape cartridge units are hidden behind the two sets of five tape cartridge units C 1  and C 2 ) are put in the respective compartments  27  of the mating case shell half  25 . The mating case shell half  23  used as a container cap is prepared in the subsequent step shown in  FIG. 2D  and coupled to the mating case shell half  25  through fitting between the top fitting rails  41  and the top fitting grooves  43  of the mating case shell halves  23  and  25  by insertion. On the other hand, another cardboard backing pad  320  is prepared as shown in  FIG. 2E  and attached to the mating case shell half  25  by fitting the bottom fitting frames  53   a  and  53   b  of the mating case shell half  25  into the fitting apertures  320   a  and  320   b  of the cardboard backing pad  320 , respectively, by insertion (see  FIG. 3A ). In this way, the cartridge container  100  with four sets of five tape cartridge units contained is brought to completion. It is of course that the cardboard backing pads  320  is attached to the mating case shell half  25  prior to coupling the mating case shell halves  23  and  25 . In this way, then, the cartridge container  100  is placed ready for package. The cartridge container  100  with the cardboard backing pads  320  attached thereto is packed in the cardboard box  310  in an ordinary way. 
         [0057]    The cartridge container  100  with the cardboard backing pads  320  attached thereto is placed ready for package as shown in  FIG. 3A  and then packed in the cardboard box  310  in an ordinary way as shown in  FIG. 3B . Because the cardboard box  310  is designed and made to maintain its given structural strength in a horizontal position, there is no problem as long as it is put on a flat table or a flat floor. When the cartridge-contained cardboard box  310  is fallen in a vertical position against a floor and elsewhere, the impact applied to the package is absorbed or significantly absorbed not only by the flanges  31  of the mating case shell halves  23  and  25  of the cartridge container  100  but also by the cardboard backing pads  320 , so that the impact applied to the package at a position G 3  where the flanges  31  abut against the cardboard box  310  is down by half. In addition, although it is conceivable that the cartridge container  100  encounters heavy vertical waggle due to the acceleration of impact at bottom corners G 1 , the cartridge container  100  is prevented from waggling vertically by the cardboard backing pads  320 . This protects the flanges  31  against crush or significant deformation at their roots G 3 . The cardboard backing pad  320  is tightly fitted in size to the horizontal cross section of the cardboard box  310 , in other words, it has a shape identical with a horizontal cress-section of the cardboard box  310  which is the same horizontal projection as the mating case shell half  23 ,  25  of the cartridge container  100  and is, in rerum nature, received in the cardboard box  310  leaving no gap therebetween. However, in the case where it is desired to distribute external impact to both the cardboard backing pads  320  and the cartridge container  100  in order to disperse the impact, the cardboard backing pad  320  may be shaped so as to leave an appropriate clearance with the cardboard box  310 . 
         [0058]    The tight-fitting cardboard backing pad  320  encounters an inconvenience for handpicking. In order to eliminate this inconvenience, the cardboard backing pad  320  may be provided with one or more fingerhold openings as shown in  FIGS. 4B-4D . Specifically, a cardboard backing pad  320 A shown in  FIG. 4B  has a fingerhold cut K 1  in the form of a triangular cut at one of four corners thereof. A cardboard backing pad  320 B shown in  FIG. 4C  has a semi-circular fingerhold notch K 2  at one of opposite short sides. A cardboard backing pad  320 C shown in  FIG. 4D  has a fingerhold holes K 3  in close vicinity to edges of opposite short sides, respectively. According to these cardboard backing pads  320 A,  320 B and  320 C, it is easy to detach the cardboard backing pad from the cartridge container  100  by picking the top cardboard backing pad at the fingerhold with a finger or fingers and pulling it up. The cartridge container  100  with the top cardboard backing pad removed away is easily grasped by hands and unboxed. 
         [0059]    FIGS.  5 A(a) to  5 A(c) show various pallets as used to loading or carrying a cargo in major countries such as, for example, Japan, U.S.A. and Europe. As was described previously, the cardboard box  310  preferably has substantially the same horizontal cress-section as the horizontal projection of the cartridge container  100 . In light of the dimensional requirement, a study was made on preferred lengthwise and breadthwise dimensions of the cardboard box  310 . As a result, the cardboard box  310  determined based on the notion that it is preferred to standardize the cardboard package boxes by a single unitary size. As is well known, the pallet varies in standard size depending upon countries. Specifically, the pallet  400  standardized in Japan is 1100×1100 mm as shown in FIG.  5 A(a), the pallet  401  in U.S.A. 1219×1016 mm as shown in FIG.  5 A(b) and the pallet  402  in Europe 1200×800 mm as shown in FIG.  5 A(C). It was found that the optimum size of the cardboard package box, and hence the cartridge container  100  in horizontal projection, is 300×400 mm in order to set the cardboard package boxes on the pallets  400 ,  401  and  402  as many as possible with least void spaces. 
         [0060]    FIGS.  5 B(a) to  5 B(c) show loading patterns of the cardboard boxes  310  of 300×400 mm on Japanese pallets  400 , U.S. pallet  401  and European pallet  402 , respectively. As shaded in FIGS.  5 B(a),  5 B(b) and  5 B(c), Japanese pallet  400  can stow eight packing boxes  300  leaving a 200 mm-square redundant space in the center and two 100 mm-width redundant spaces along two sides, U.S. pallet  401  can stow nine cardboard packing boxes  300  leaving a 116 mm-width marginal redundant space along one side and a 19 mm-width marginal redundant space along another side, and European pallet  402  can stow eight cardboard packing boxes  300  leaving no redundant space. As seen in the above examples, the 300 mm×400 mm cardboard packing box can be carried efficiently in quantity by any major pallets. In order to meet the requirements for both dispersion of external impact and enhanced carrying efficiency of the 300×400 mm cardboard packing boxes  300 , it is preferred for the cardboard backing pad  320  to have a clearance with the cardboard box less than 20 mm. 
         [0061]    It is also to be understood that although the present invention has been described with regard to preferred embodiments thereof, various other embodiments and variants may occur to those skilled in the ark which are within the scope and spirit of the invention, and such other embodiments and variants are intended to be covered by the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1