PACKAGING DEVICE AND PACKAGING SYSTEM FOR ESSENTIALLY FLAT OBJECTS, FOR EXAMPLE LITHIUM-ION CELLS

• US 20100126891A1
• Filed: 10/23/2009
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Li-Tec Battery GmbH (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Li-Tec Battery GmbH (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: GUTSCH, Andreas, JUNKER, Christian, EICHINGER, Günter, SCHÄFER, Tim, SCHÖNE, Heike, MICKEL, Magnus, HOHENTHANNER, Claus-Rupert
• Granted Patent: US 8,322,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/307
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2213/02 Means for preventing buil-up of electrostatic charges
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/10 Devices to locate articles in containers for protecting articles from mechanical damage B65D81/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2577/045 stacked
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/88 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/14 in sheets or blanks folded-up around all sides of the contents from a portion on which the contents are placed
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 75/225 the sheet or blank comprising more than one fold line B65D75/245 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/006 Containers simulating a book pencil cases A45C11/34; books, book covers B42D; albums, filing appliances, e.g. boxes, B42F; for videos G11B
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/22 Details
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/025 Containers made of sheet-like material and having a shape to accommodate contents
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/03 Wrappers or envelopes with shock-absorbing properties, e.g. bubble films for thermal insulating purposes B65D81/3888
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/1275 laminated or bonded to the inner wall of a container for thermal insulating purposes B65D81/3858
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3858 formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls; for shock absorbing purposes B65D81/1275
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3888 wrappers or flexible containers, e.g. pouches, bags for shock absorbing purposes B65D81/03
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/38 for delicate optical, measuring, calculating or control apparatus

Abstract

Packaging device (10, 10′, 10″) for packaging at least one object (12, 12′, 12″), that is essentially flat, in particular a valuable technical object, such as a lithium-ion cell, comprising:

• a bottom plate (14) having at least one first side rim (42), which is linear in regard to at least a part thereof, and at least one first cover plate (20) having at least one first side rim (46) which is linear in regard to at least one part thereof, which is hingeably linked to the first side rim (42) of the bottom plate (14) such that the cover plate (20) can be hinged between a closed position in which the cover plate at least partially covers the bottom plate, and an open position in which the cover plate is not opposite to the bottom plate, characterized in that the bottom plate (14) or the at least one cover plate (20) comprises on one side a cushioning layer (16, respectively 22), wherein the cushioned side faces the object (12, 12′, 12″) when said object is in the packaging and the at least one cover plate (20) is in the closed position, and wherein the cushioning layer (16, respectively 22) is formed so that the object (12, 12′, 12″) is held in a no-slip position in respect to lateral shifting, when the at least one cover plate (20) is in the closed position and at least a partial area of the object (12, 12′, 12″) is positioned between the cover plate (20) and the bottom plate (14).

Claims

1. Packaging device for packaging at least one object that is essentially flat, in particular a valuable technical object, such as a lithiumion cell, comprising:

a bottom plate having at least one first side rim, which is linear in regard to at least a part thereof, and at least one first cover plate having at least one first side rim which is linear in regard to at least one part thereof, which is hingeably linked to the first side rim of the bottom plate such that the cover plate can be hinged between a closed position in which the cover plate at least partially covers the bottom plate, and an open position in which the cover plate is not opposite to the bottom plate, wherein the bottom plate comprises a cushioning layer on one side, wherein the cushioned side faces the object when said object is in the packaging and the at least one cover plate is in the closed position, and wherein

the cushioning layer is formed such that the object is held in a no-slip position in respect to lateral shifting, when the at least one cover plate is in the closed position and at least a partial area of the object is positioned between the cover plate and the bottom plate.

2. Packaging device according to claim 1, wherein the first cover plate nearly completely covers the bottom plate in its closed position.

3. Packaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a second upper cover plate having a first side rim which is linear in regard to at least a part thereof, wherein the first side rim of the second cover plate is hingeably linked to a second side rim of the bottom plate, which is linear in regard to at least a part thereof, and which is opposite to said first side rim of the bottom plate such that the second cover plate can be hinged between a closed position in which the second cover plate at least partially covers the bottom plate and an open position in which the second cover plate is not opposite to the bottom plate.

4. Packaging device according to claim 3, wherein the second cover plate comprises at one side a cushioning layer, wherein the cushioned side faces the object when the object is in the packaging and the second cover plate is in the closed position, and that the cushioning layer on the second cover plate is developed such that the object is held in a no-slip position in respect to lateral shifting when the second cover plate is in the closed position and at least a partial area of the object (12, 12′

, 12″

) is positioned between the second cover plate and the bottom plate.

5. Packaging device according to claim 3 wherein the first cover plate and the second cover plate together essentially completely cover an object which is received within the packaging, when said plates are in their closed position, respectively, and preferably nearly completely cover the bottom plate together.

6. Packaging device according to claim 5, wherein a cushioning layer on at least one cover plate, respectively on the bottom plate comprises an anti-slip coating, which is positioned on one side, wherein the coated side faces the object when the object is within the packaging and the at least one cover plate is in the closed position.

7. Packaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a pocket in the cushioning layer of the bottom plate, and/or in the cushioning layer of the at least one cover plate, in particular for inserting and taking the object.

8. Packaging device according to claim 3, wherein the first cover plate, if necessary a second cover plate, and the bottom plate comprise at least one recess, which is provided at least one side rim of the respective plate, respectively.

9. Packaging device according to claim 8, wherein the at least one recess in the bottom plate is essentially congruent to a respective recess in the first cover plate, respectively in the second cover plate, when the first cover plate, respectively the second cover plate are in the closed position.

10. Packaging device according to claim 8 wherein the at least one recess is provided in a corner of the bottom plate, and that preferably a second recess is provided in a corner of the bottom plate, which is opposite to said corner.

11. Packaging device according to claim 6, wherein at least one cushioning layer is provided as air cushion foil layer.

12. Packaging device according to claim 3, wherein at least one cover plate is connected as a single piece to the bottom plate by means of a fold.

13. Packaging device according to claim 11, wherein at least one cover plate is connected to the bottom plate as a single piece by means of two folds, which are positioned in a predetermined distance.

14. Packaging device according to claim 13, when a respective cover plate is in its closed position, an object, which is received between the respective cover plates and the bottom plate, respectively an encased clearance, is thermally isolated and/or is electrically isolated with respect to a surrounding of the packaging.

15. Packaging device according to claim 14, wherein the bottom plate and the at least one cover plate comprise a reflective metal layer for thermal isolation, and the metal layer is electrically isolated with respect to the side of the cushioning layer, which faces the object when the object is received within the packaging and the at least one cover plate is in the closed position.

16. Packaging device according to claim 15, wherein the packaging device comprises an RFID transponder comprising a storage device, which is in operative connection with the same.

17. Packaging device according to claim 16, wherein the packaging device comprises a shock sensor for detecting a mechanical impact, respectively an acceleration that influences the packaging, which, in particular, can be greater than a predetermined acceleration threshold.

18. Packaging device according to claim 16, wherein the RFID transponder comprising the storage device and/or the shock sensor is positioned between the bottom plate and a cover plate when the cover plate is in its closed position.

19. Packaging device according to claim 16 the RFID transponder comprising the storage device and/or the shock sensor is fixed at the bottom plate or a cover plate such that the thickness, respectively height of the packaging at the location where the RFID transponder, respectively the shock sensor is fixed, is not greater than the thickness of the packaging when the object is received in the packaging between the bottom plate and a cover plate.

20. Packaging device according to claim 19, wherein on one side of at least one cushioning layer, a dehumidification means, such as a silica gel, is positioned, wherein the cushioned layer faces the object when the object is in the packaging and the at least one cover plate is in the closed position,

wherein the dehumidification means in particular is/are provided in a humidity permeable pocket, which is developed on one side of the cushioning layer, or is provided in form of particles, which are applied on the surface of the side of the cushioning layer.

21. Packaging system for receiving and safe transporting of a plurality of essentially flat objects, in particular valuable technical objects such as lithium-ion cells, comprising:

at least one packaging device and a receiving device for receiving a plurality of packaging devices according to claim 20, and developed such that a respective packaging device can be deposited in the receiving device, respectively can be taken from said device.

22. Packaging system according to claim 21, wherein the receiving device is a box, which is essentially open at its top face and, in particular, lockable, which is suitable for depositing a respective packaging device through the open top face of the box into the box, and can be taken from said box, and that in the box, a plurality of packaging devices (10) can be stacked.

23. Packaging system according to claim 21, the receiving device is an inserting device, which at one side is essentially open and particularly lockable, which is suitable for inserting a respective packaging device through the open side into the inserting device, for example in essential in horizontal orientation and in horizontal direction, and can be taken from said device, and that in the inserting device a plurality of packaging devices are positioned one upon the other, and in particular can be shiftably supported on inserting guide rails.