Magazine-like protective package, particularly for packaging surface vulnerable products

Abstract

 The protective package (1) comprises a tape-like element (2) configured to accommodate products (3) to be packaged therein, having a plurality of cutout sets (4) formed in side-by-side relationship and to be independent of one another and repeated modularly, so as to define, on the tape-like element (2) side-by-side seatings (5) adapted to hold the products (3) to be packaged at at leastthree discrete contact areas (7a, 7b, 7c).

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a magazine-like protective package, particularly for packaging surface vulnerable products.

[0002] Some product types, such as metal hardware, require to be adequately packaged to protect their surface condition resulting from precision machining of their surfaces.

[0003] Among such products, guide bushings for magnetic recording tapes may be mentioned, such as are used in video-cassettes; said bushings, having a high precision surface finish, must be packed individually because any undesired surface roughness brought about by a loose packaging of the pieces would result in rapid damage to the tape trained over them. _

[0004] To obviate such drawbacks, it is usual practice to pack such products individually, e.g. in sealed envelopes, or alternatively by inserting them manually into expanded material packages.

[0005] Both the former approach and the latter involve significant packaging costs, and do not allow mechanical picking up of the products from the packages, thus introducing, at the time of use, additional problems of a production, organization and economical character.

[0006] In the light of the foregoing technical problems, the task of the present invention is to remove such prior drawbacks by providing a magazine-like protective package which can allow mechanization of both the product packaging process and successive product withdrawal process from their packages, while ensuring full protection of the packaged products.

[0007] Within that task it is an object of the invention to provide a protective package'which can be recovered after use and reused as such for a fresh packageo

[0008] It is another object of this invention to provide a protective package, whereby the introduction therein of products to be packaged, and subsequent withdrawal thereof, may be carried out in a most practical fashion at low overall costs, thanks to the processes being quite easy to mechanize.

[0009] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a protective package which, where used with an automatic pick-up machine, can deliver the packaged products with an orderly orientation and pre-arrangement thereof for further handling.

[0010] According to one aspect of the invention, the above task and objects as well as yet other objects are achiev by a protective package comprising a tape-like ele ment configured to accommodate products to be packaged therein, characterized in that said tape-like element h_E a plurality of independent, side-by-side, modularly repea ed cutout sets formed therein which define side-by-side seatings on said tape-like element adapted to hold said products to be packaged at at least three discrete contact areas.

[0011] Further features and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of some preferred, though not exclusive, embodiments of this magazine-like protective package, as illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, where:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one portion of a protective package according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation view of this protective package;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the inventive package, as viewed from either faces thereof;

Figures 4a-4b illustrate one exemplary form of automatic withdrawal of products from the package, respectively in side elevation and plan views;

Figure 5 shows a pack of packages according to the invention, as superimposed on one another and in side elevation;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the superimposed packages of Fig. 5 taken on a plane not containing the products to be packaged;

Figure 7 shows, in plan, side elevation, and perspective views, one possible embodiment of this protective package;

Figure 8 shows similar views of the protective package according to this invention;

Figure 9 shows a top plan view and perspective view of this protective package;

Figure 10 shows similar views of a further embodiment of this protective package; and

Figure 11 is a schematical plan view of one possible embodiment of a plurality of tape-like elements.

[0012] Making reference to the drawing views, and in particular to Figures 1 to 3, the protective package of this invention is generally designated with the numeral 1.

[0013] It comprises a tape-like element 2 configured to accommodate products 3 to be packaged therein, and being to that aim formed with a plurality of cutout sets 4 which are laid side-by-side, independent of one another, and repeated modularly to define side-by-side seatings 5 which are intended for holding the products to be packaged at at least three discrete contact areas 7a, 7b and 7c.

[0014] In the exemplary embodiment shown, each set 4 is formed by a pair of cutouts, respectively 4a and 4b, which are oriented substantially in the same direction as the main direction of the tape-like element.

[0015] In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3, the cutout pairs are arranged to converge slightly together, and provided on the tape-like element are preferred fold lines 8, which are laid alternately and preferably arranged to extend in an orthogonal direction to the cited main direction such that a first fold line 8a will correspond to the start location of one cutout pair, a second fold line 8b correspond to the end location of said cutout pair, and a third fold line 8c extends at an intermediate location to the former two.

[0016] The provision of the cutouts, and possible provision of the preferred fold lines, enables the seatings 5 to be opened such that adjacent portions of the originally flat tape-like element being a part of one and the same seating, can stand off opposite sides of the plane containing the tape-like element, presenting substantially mutually facing concave regions; such concave regions will correspond, with the product packaged, to the discrete areas of contact with the product being packaged.

[0017] The tape-like element has advantageously flexible properties which allow, as shown in Figure 4a, the protective package to be rolled up, thus decreasing the space requirements for the packaged products.

[0018] As shown in Figures 4a and 4b, a machine for picking up or withdrawing products in their packaged form may include a supply coil 20 and winding coil 21 whereon the tape-like element is wound after the packaged products have been picked up therefrom. At an intermediate location between the coils, the tape-like element is passed through an unloading member 22 having a stop element 23, e.g. of yoke-like configuration, which cooperates with a punch 24 operative to unload the products. On applying a pulling force on the tape in the winding direction of the take-up coil, the tape is automatically caused to advance each time that one of the product-accommodating seatings 5 contained therein is unloaded.

[0019] Notwithstanding the rolling action involving contact between different regions of the package, as shown best in Figures 5 and 6 the packaged products are never brought into mutual contact, and any contact is established between the protective package and regions of the product which are not covered by the package.

[0020] The package of this invention may be fabricated to leave a flat surface 9 between adjacent pairs of packaged products, which extends from the end region of one cutout pair to the start portion of the following cutout pair, or alternatively and as shown in Figure 8, the cutouts may be arranged in succession such that the end portion of one pair is aligned to the start portion of an adjacent pair, e.g. along the same preferred fold line.

[0021] According to a further embodiment shown in Figure 7, the preferred fold line 8c may be omitted, thus forming side-by-side seatings having substantially round cross-sections.

[0022] Further, the cutouts may be made straight and parallel as shown in Figure 9, or arcuate as shown in Figure 10, or have a combination of the above configurations.

[0023] As shown in Figure 11, this protective package may be fabricated, for example, by stamping out of a tape of adequate width 12 a plurality of said cutouts, impressing or not the cited tape with preferred fold lines, and subsequently separating the tape 12 into plural tape-like elements defining as many protective packages according to the invention.

[0024] The operation of the package of this invention may be appreciated from the above description and illustration. In particular, the tape-like element will assume, on account of the cutouts and possible presence of the preferred fold lines, an accordion-like configuration such that adjoining portions of the tape-like element which belong to one and the same seating are located on opposite sides of the original plane containing the tape-like element, thus affording at the regions 7a, 7b and 7c, and possibly more, depending on the number of the cutouts, seatings for a product to be packaged.

[0025] A first apparent advantage of the package thus obtained is that,on applying a pulling force in the direction of the major dimension of the tape-like element, the seatings are forced to increasingly tighten on each product 3 accommodated therein.

[0026] By converse, on releasing the tension, said seatings will tend to release the products 3, thus enabling complete mechanization of the product withdrawal process, especially where an automatic product pick-up machine is fed.

[0027] The products, in fact, present themselves orderly separated from one another and oriented in the same direction, thereby they are pre-arranged for subsequent automatic handling.

[0028] After unloading its products, the protective package may be fully recovered and reused as such, to package a fresh set of products therein.

[0029] The invention as discussed hereinabove is susceptible to many modifications and changes without departing from the scope of the instant inventive idea. In particular, the shape of the cutouts may be any desired one, on condition that there are at least two such cutouts provided at each seating. Furthermore, all of the details may be replaced with technically equivalent elements.

[0030] In practicing the invention, the materials used, as well as the dimensions and contingent shapes, may be any selected ones to meet individual requirements and fit the state of the art.

Claims

1. A magazine-like protective package (1), comprising a tape-like element (2) configured to accommodate products (3) to be packaged therein, characterized in that said tape -like element (2) has a plurality of independent, side-by-side, modularly repeated cutout sets (4) which define side-by-side seatings (5) on said tape-like element (2) adapted to hold said products (3) to be packaged at at least three discrete contact areas (7a, 7b, 7c).

2. A protective package according to Claim 1, characterized in that said cutouts (4a, 4b) are oriented substantially in the same direction as the main direction of said tape-like element (2).

3. A protective package according to Claim 1 and/or 2, characterized in that adjoining portions of said tape-like element (2) being a part of one and the same seating (5) stand off opposite sides of the plane containing said tape -like element (2) and have concave formations facing said plane.

4. A protective package according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that fold lines (8) are provided on said tape -like element (2) to extend alternately in a substantially orthogonal direction to said main direction.

5. A protective package according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cutouts (4a, 4b) in said cutout sets (4) are laid side-by-side in'pairs, and that for each cutout pair at least two preferred fold lines (8a, 8b) are provided, respectively at a start region and end region of the cutouts in said pair.

6. A protective package according to Claim 5, characterized in that a fold line (8c) is provided at an intermediate location to said at least two preferred fold lines (8a, 8b).

7. A magazine-like protective package, particularly for surface vulnerable products, according to the preceding claims, and substantially as herein described and illustrated.

Drawing