BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present application relates to product packaging materials, and more specifically to cushion/securement inserts for a rectilinear container and a rectilinear container including cushion/securement materials.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present application to provide an insert for a rectilinear container having side walls, a bottom wall, and upper end panels defining an inner chamber. The insert includes a corrugated cardboard insert configured to secure at least one item within the inner chamber and provide cushioning thereto. There is a first panel having a bottom panel portion, a first side panel portion, and a second side panel portion. The bottom, first side and second side panel portions including a plurality of laterally corresponding parallel spaced ridges and channels. Interfaces between the bottom and side panels being pivotable such that the side panels can pivot at an angle relative to the bottom panel. When the insert is inserted into a rectilinear container, the bottom panel portion contacts a bottom wall of the container, the side panel portions pivot to a generally perpendicular angle relative the bottom panel portion to contact the side wall portion of the container to secure and cushion an item placed therein.
In one embodiment, each ridge of the bottom and side panel portions integrally extend from the first side panel portion, across the bottom panel portion, to the second side panel portion. Preferably, the ridges have a uniform length defined by a distance between an outer edge of the first panel portion and an outer edge of the second panel portion.
In another embodiment, the at least one corrugated cardboard panel insert further including front and rear panel portions pivotably connected with the bottom panel portion. Each ridge and channel of the front and rear panel portions are arranged in parallel spaced relation relative to the ridges of the bottom and side panel portions.
In a preferred embodiment, the pivotable interface between the side and bottom panel portions is arranged along the ridges in a direction that is transverse to the length of the ridges. The front and rear panel portions are pivotable about interfaces between the front and rear panel portions and the bottom panel portion, respectively about a length of a channel.
In yet another embodiment, the channels of the side panel portions and bottom panel portion are separated to define a space therebetween. When the side panel portions are pivoted to an angle relative the bottom panel portion, a distance between side and bottom panel adjacent edges increases.
In a further embodiment, the insert further includes a second panel having a length and width generally equal to a length and width of the first panel bottom panel portion. When the first panel is inserted into a rectilinear container and the side panel portions are pivoted at an angle relative to the bottom panel portion, a distance between outer edges of the first and second side panel portions is generally equal to the width of the second panel.
It is further an object of the present disclosure to provide a rectilinear container including an insert. The container body has side walls, a bottom wall, and upper end panels defining an inner chamber. There is a corrugated cardboard insert configured to secure at least one item within the inner chamber and provide cushioning thereto, as defined above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be explained in greater detail below using embodiments with the aid of the accompanying figures in which:
FIG. 1 is a top view of a first embodiment of product packaging according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 2 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with the top panel removed;
FIG. 3 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with the top panel and product removed;
FIG. 4 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 3 with the bottom and side panels removed;
FIG. 5 is a top view of product packaging bottom, sides and top panels of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of product packaging according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 6 with the top panel removed;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 7 with the side and bottom panels partly removed;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 7 with the side and bottom panels removed;
FIGS. 10 and 11 are perspective views of the top, bottom and side panels of the embodiment of FIGS. 6-9;
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 6 with a product placed therein with the top panel removed;
FIG. 13 is perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 6 along with a third embodiment of product packaging according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the third embodiment of product packaging of FIG. 13;
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 14 with the top panel removed;
FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 15 with the side and bottom panels partly removed;
FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 15 with the side and bottom panels removed;
FIGS. 18 and 19 are perspective views of the top, bottom and side panels of the embodiment of FIGS. 14-17;
FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 14 with a product placed therein with the top panel removed;
FIG. 21 is a side view of a first embodiment of panels according to the present disclosure; and
FIG. 22 is a side view of a second embodiment of panels according to the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring first to FIGS. 1-5, a first embodiment of product packaging 2 which includes a rectilinear cardboard container 14 having side walls (not shown), a bottom wall (not shown), and upper end panels 4 defining an inner chamber 6. The packaging further includes corrugated cardboard panel inserts 8 that secure items within the inner chamber and provide cushioning to the product to prevent damage to the product during the shipping process of the packaging. It will be understood by those will skill in the art that material other than cardboard could be used for the panels, whether natural material such as pulp or synthetic material such as plastic, and that the panels are not limited to a specific material. Considerations such as cost, configuration and desired rigidity will determine the material of the panels.
As shown in FIG. 5, the panels inserts 8 include a top panel 8a, bottom panel 8b, and side panels 8c. The bottom and side panels of the embodiments of FIGS. 1-5 are connected via side edges 10 of the panels with each side edge of the bottom panel being connected with one side edge of respective side panels. The bottom and side panel edges are connected such that the side panels can pivot relative to the bottom panel. Due to the configuration of the side panels, specifically the ridges of the side panels all being parallel, the side panels connected with the longitudinal edges of the bottom panel are connected differently than the side panels connected with the transverse edges of the bottom panel. As shown in FIG. 4 along the longitudinal connection there are openings 12 between the edges of the side panels and the bottom panels wherein the panel edges are not connected to provide proper pivot of the side panels. The edges of the transversely connected side panels do not include the openings. The side edges of these panels perforated or scored to provide for proper pivot of the side panels relative to the bottom panel. It will be understood by those with skill in the art that other pivotable connections between the panels could be provided and that additional portions of a panel side edge could be connected with another panel side edge and provide sufficient pivot depending on the configuration of the panels without deviating from the spirit of the invention. Moreover, in an alternative embodiment, a side edge of the top panel 8a is connected with an outer side edge of one side panel 8c such that the top, side and bottom panels are all connected to form a single insert having six panels. In this embodiment, there are openings between the top panel side edge and side panel side edge to provide for pivotable movement of the top panel relative to the side panel.
The top panel 8a of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 is separate from the bottom 8b and side 8c panels. FIG. 3. Shows the bottom and side panels inserted into the rectilinear packaging 14 such that the side panels are pivoted to a 90 degree angle relative to the bottom panel. FIG. 4 shows the bottom and side panels removed from the rectilinear packaging such that the side panels are pivoted to an approximately 45 degree angle relative to the bottom panel. When paneling is not being used, it is preferably pivoted to its flat position (FIG. 5) such that the bottom and side panels are planar. As shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, multiple panels 8 can be stacked one on top of another which provides benefits to storing and shipping panels. Moreover, stacking the panels is beneficial when multiple panels are needed for packaging to provide further cushioning or to secure an object more tightly.
Referring now to FIGS. 6-12, a second embodiment of product packaging 2 is shown. This embodiment is similar to that of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 but that the corrugated panels 8 include more rows having a greater length and narrower width than those of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5. It will be understood by those with skill in the art that any number of rows having varying lengths and widths could be included without deviating from the spirit of the invention. Importantly, the structure of the panels must be configured such that the panels provide cushioning and security to a product and can stack on each other to provide for easy storage and to allow for multiple stacking of panels within a container if necessary.
The product packaging of FIGS. 6-12 similarly includes a rectilinear container 14 having bottom 16, side 18 and top 4 walls defining an inner chamber 6, corrugated cardboard panel inserts 8, including top 8a, bottom 8b and side 8c panels. As with the panels of the first embodiment, the panels of this embodiment have side edges 10 and openings 12 which together provide for side panels that can pivot relative to the bottom panel. FIGS. 10 and 11 show the top panel being separate from the bottom and side panels and each edge of the bottom panel being connected with side edges of respective side panels. The corrugated panels are configured such that they can stack on each other, as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22.
FIGS. 13-20 show yet another embodiment of product packaging with the same elements of those shown in FIGS. 1-12. In this instance, the packaging 2 is smaller than with the first and second embodiments, requiring corrugated panels 8 having a shorter length and including less rows.
As shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, the shape of the panels 8 may vary. Importantly, the configuration must be such that the panel secures a product, provides cushion and is stackable. The material could be one of a range, including cardboard, pulp, or plastic, to name a few. Thus, the panels may include a fabricated sheet or molded material.
Patent Application
20250033858
