Special receptacle or package – Shock protection type – With sling or suspension means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-01
2001-10-16
Foster, Jim (Department: 3727)
Special receptacle or package
Shock protection type
With sling or suspension means
C229S189000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302274
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to packaging structures, and more particularly to packaging structures in which an article is held in place within an outer container by at least one flexible film. More particularly, the present invention is directed to improved methods for forming such packaging structures, and to the structures produced by these methods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Protective packaging structures are often used when an article to be transported requires protection from physical shock, dust, dirt and other contaminants. For or example, when shipping articles which may be relatively fragile, it is often desirable to package the article inside a box to protect the article from physical impacts to the box which may occur during loading, transit and unloading. In addition, when shipping sensitive electronic articles, such as computer components, it is often desirable to protect those components from dust and dirt. Aside from the shipping box itself, some additional structures are ordinarily needed to prevent the article from being damaged by uncontrolled movement within the box. Such additional structures have included paper or plastic dunnage, molded plastic foams and foam-filled cushions, among others.
One useful form of packaging for especially fragile articles is frequently referred to as suspension packaging, examples of which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,743 to Louis H. Ridgeway and U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,701 to Devin C. Ridgeway. In suspension packaging, the article is suspended between two confronting sheets of plastic film. The sheets are usually attached to frames which are sized to fit securely within a selected size box. The frame includes side and end legs which may be folded away from the film so as to space the film from the top or bottom of the box. The fact that the article is not in contact with any substantially rigid surfaces protects it from physical shock.
An alternative to suspension packaging is often referred to as retention packaging. One version of retention packaging utilizes a frame including a rigid border extending around the entire periphery of a window opening, and side legs and end legs foldably connected to and supporting the border. A flexible film is connected to the underside of the border so that it extends across the window opening. An article to be packaged is placed on the film, and a series of four flaps connected to the four sides of the border are folded over the article to hold the article in place against the film. In a variant of this package, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,462 to Devin C. Ridgeway, the rigid border is eliminated, the flexible film is connected to the folding side legs, and only two flaps are foldably connected to the side legs to hold the article in place against the film. This variant provides increased structural rigidity while reducing the overall size of the package.
All of the foregoing packaging structures require side legs and end legs to be folded away from the film for the purpose of supporting the film at a position spaced from the top and bottom of the box. This is a time-consuming and cumbersome process which, when packaging many thousands of articles, may have a substantial impact on employee fatigue and overall shipping costs.
There therefore exists a need for packaging structures which are easier and less time consuming to form than prior art packaging structures. Preferably, such structures will have an efficient design enabling the structures to be shipped in a flat configuration and readily converted to a folded configuration without sacrificing the strength of the packaging structure so as to risk damage to the articles packaged therein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses these needs.
One aspect of the present invention provides packaging structures adapted for insertion into an outer box. One embodiment of the packaging structure includes a panel having a front surface and a rear surface, a first pair of fold lines spaced from opposite side edges of the panel to define a pair of folding side legs, each of the side legs including a first end adjacent one of the end legs and a second end adjacent another one of the end legs, and a second pair of fold lines spaced from opposite end edges of the panel to define a pair of folding end legs. A first end portion may be connected to the first end of one of the side legs along a first fold line, the first end portion including a first intermediate fold line disposed at an oblique angle relative to the first fold line to divide the first end portion into a first region adjacent the first fold line and a second region. A second end portion may be connected to the second end of one of the side legs along a second fold line, the second end portion including a second intermediate fold line disposed at an oblique angle relative to the second fold line to divide the second end portion into a first region adjacent the second fold line and a second region. The folding side legs may be folded against the rear surface of the panel with the first end portion secured in the second region to one of the end legs and the second end portion secured in the second region to another one of the end legs to define an intermediate folded structure in which the folding end legs are substantially coplanar with one another. The panel is foldable from the intermediate folded structure to a use condition in which the side legs and the end legs project away from the rear surface of the panel.
In preferred embodiments, the side legs and the end legs may delimit a main portion of the panel having a window opening, and the packaging structure may further include a flexible film material connected to the panel so as to extend across the window opening. In highly preferred embodiments, the packaging structure may further include a series of foldable members, some of the foldable members being foldably connected at one edge to the side legs, and others of the foldable members being foldably connected at one edge to the end legs. In other embodiments, the packaging structure may include at least one flap foldably connected at one edge to one of the side legs for movement between an open position remote from the window opening and a closed position adjacent the window opening.
The packaging structure described above may be converted from the intermediate folded structure to the use condition by pulling the side legs in a direction away from the rear surface of the panel, whereby the end legs are folded along the end fold lines in a direction toward the rear surface of the panel. Alternatively, the end legs may be folded in a direction toward the rear surface of the panel, whereby the side legs are folded along the side fold lines in a direction away from the rear surface of the panel.
A packaging structure in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention includes a pair of end legs, each of the end legs having a front surface and a rear surface, and a pair of side legs, each of the side legs including first and second ends. A first end portion may be connected to the first end of each of the side legs along a first fold line, the first end portion including a front surface, a rear surface and a first intermediate fold line disposed at an oblique angle relative to the first fold line to divide the first end portion into a first region adjacent the first fold line and a second region. A second end portion may be connected to the second end of each of the side legs along a second fold line, the second end portion including a front surface, a rear surface and a second intermediate fold line disposed at an oblique angle relative to the second fold line to divide the second end portion into a first region adjacent the second fold line and a second region. The front surfaces of the first end portions may be secured in the second regions to the rear surface of one of the end legs and the front surfaces of the second end portions may be secured in the second regions to the rear surface of the other end leg to define a pr
Foster Jim
Sealed Air Corporation (US)
LandOfFree
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