Special receptacle or package – Shock protection type – Inflated retainer
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-10
2003-02-18
Foster, Jim (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
Shock protection type
Inflated retainer
C053S398000, C206S497000, C206S499000, C206S523000, C206S589000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06520332
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to packaging materials and, more particularly, to packaging cushions. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to inflatable packaging cushions which may be stacked in layers to protect articles packaged between the layers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Protective packaging materials are commonly used to cushion a wide variety of products during shipping. One product which presents particular difficulties is the shipping of meat packaged for retail sale. These meat packages are often prepared at a processing facility and shipped to multiple retail outlets for sale. In a typical arrangement, portions of meat are packaged in a molded polystyrene tray having a flange projecting laterally from the top edge of the tray. One or more plastic films are heat-sealed to the flange to seal the meat within a protective atmosphere. A quantity of individual packages are then assembled in an outer box for shipping.
During the shipping of these meat packages, it is critical that the packages do not become damaged in any way. Damage to the tray, film or the tray/film seal may result in contamination of the packaged product and, for health reasons, require the package and its contents to be discarded. Furthermore, damage to the tray, film or tray/film seal may cause a loss of the protective atmosphere, resulting in rapid spoilage of the product.
One arrangement for protecting these packages during shipping utilizes corrugated cardboard dividers to separate multiple layers from one another, as well as to separate individual packages within each layer. In such arrangement, interlocking corrugated cardboard dividers extending in the length and width directions of an outer box divide each layer of the box into cells, each of which receives one package of meat. A sheet of corrugated cardboard is placed over the first layer, and a second layer of dividers is inserted into the box for receiving another layer of packaged meat. Each layer of dividers is sized to be higher than the meat packages so that an air space is created above the packages in each layer. The corrugated cardboard dividers have good strength in the vertical direction of the box, and therefore satisfactorily protect the meat packages from vertical forces, such as compressive forces caused by stacking the boxes or impact forces resulting from dropping the boxes vertically onto their bottoms. However, these dividers do not adequately protect against forces having components in the horizontal direction. Thus, forces resulting from dropping a box on a side, end or corner, or from sliding a box into a fixed object, cause the trays to slide, whereupon their flanges may contact the dividers or the side of the box, frequently resulting in damage to the package.
There therefore exists a need for improved packaging materials which will enable prepackaged meats and other products to be shipped in quantity without damage. Preferably, such packaging materials will be inexpensive, easy to use and stored in a minimum of space prior to use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses these needs.
One aspect of the present invention provides a packaging cushion for holding at least one tray having a bottom, outwardly-sloping sidewalls and a top edge. The packaging cushion may include one or more ring elements extending generally in a horizontal plane, the ring elements defining one or more openings. The ring elements have top and bottom surfaces and interior side surfaces facing toward the one or more openings. The interior side surfaces of the ring elements are adapted to engage the sidewalls of the tray to support the tray in a suspended position. Preferably, the interior side surfaces of the ring elements have a substantially cylindrical contour.
The cross-sectional size of all of the ring elements may be about the same. Alternatively, a first group of the ring elements may have a cross-sectional size which is substantially less than the cross-sectional size of a second group of the ring elements. The ring elements in the first group preferably are disposed between adjacent ones of the openings.
The ring elements may define one or more rows of openings, the openings in each row being separated by a first group of the ring elements. Where the ring elements define two or more rows of openings, the openings in one row may be separated from the openings in another row by a second group of ring elements. The second group of ring elements may have a cross-sectional size which is greater than the cross-sectional size of the ring elements in the first group.
In preferred embodiments, the ring elements may be formed from a resilient material. In this regard, the ring elements may include a hollow chamber at least partially filled with a filler material, preferably air. The packaging cushion in accordance with these preferred embodiments may further include a valve member defining an opening for supplying the filler medium to an interior of the chamber.
In highly preferred embodiments, the packaging cushion may further include a plurality of upper nodes projecting upwardly from the ring elements at spaced-apart locations, the upper nodes having top surfaces disposed higher than the top surfaces of the ring elements. In accordance with these embodiments, the interior side surfaces of the ring elements may be adapted to engage the sidewalls of the tray so that the top edge of the tray lies higher than the top surfaces of the ring elements and lower than the top surfaces of the upper nodes. The top surfaces of the upper nodes may be at substantially the same height.
In other highly preferred embodiments, the packaging cushion may further include a plurality of lower nodes projecting downwardly from the ring elements at spaced-apart locations, the lower nodes having bottom surfaces disposed lower than the bottom surfaces of the ring elements. In accordance with these embodiments, the ring elements may be adapted to engage the sidewalls of the tray so that the bottom of the tray lies lower than the bottom surfaces of the ring elements and higher than the bottom surfaces of the lower nodes. The bottom surfaces of the lower nodes may be at substantially the same height.
Each of the upper nodes in these embodiments may be substantially aligned over a lower node to define a plurality of node pairs. For each node pair, the top surface of the upper node may be spaced from the bottom surface of the lower node by a separation distance, the separation distance for each node pair being about the same.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a cushion for holding at least one object. The cushion may include one or more ring elements extending generally in a horizontal plane and having top and bottom surfaces, the ring elements defining one or more openings. At least one web of material may be positioned in the openings to divide the openings into upper and lower pockets. A plurality of upper nodes may project upwardly from the ring elements at spaced-apart locations, and a plurality of lower nodes may project downwardly from the ring elements at spaced-apart locations. The,upper and lower nodes may be aligned with one another to define a plurality of node pairs. The top surface of the upper node in a node pair may be spaced from the bottom surface of the lower node in the node pair by a separation distance, which separation distance for each node pair preferably is about the same.
A further aspect of the present invention provides a packaging assembly. The packaging assembly may include a packaging cushion having any of the structural features described above, and at least one tray having a bottom, outwardly-sloping sidewalls and a top edge. The tray may be assembled in one of the openings in the packaging cushion with the interior side surfaces of the ring elements engaging the sidewalls of the tray to support the tray in a suspended position. Embodiments of the packaging assembly may include a plurality of trays having a bottom, outwardly-sloping sidewalls, a top edge and a flange proje
Barmore Charles Rice
Chrisman Kenneth Paul
Compton Stephen Floyd
Garland Steve B.
Weinberg Alan S.
Cryovac Inc.
Foster Jim
Lerner David Littenberg Krumholz & Mentlik LLP
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