Patent Application
20210139230
The present subject matter relates generally to braces for packaging and/or shipping washing machine appliances.
Washing machine appliances generally include an apron or cabinet. A tub that contains wash fluid during operation of the washing machine appliance is mounted within the cabinet. A basket within the tub holds articles for washing and is rotatable within the tub while washing the articles. To reduce noisy vibrations when the basket spins within the tub, the tub is suspended on the cabinet such that the tub is movable relative to the cabinet. However, movement of the basket relative to the tub or movement of the basket and tub relative to the cabinet can be problematic while shipping the washing machine appliance.
After manufacture, the washing machine appliance is generally packaged within a shipping box. The shipping box can limit damage to the washing machine appliance during transit. However, known shipping boxes suffer various drawbacks. For example, such shipping boxes do not include features for constraining the basket and tub relative to each other or the cabinet. Thus, a packaging brace may be provided to constrain such relative movement. However, known packaging braces are typically complex in construction and/or formation, e.g., known packaging braces typically include multiple discrete pieces which must be assembled, and may require additional steps for assembly, such as interlocking various pieces of the packaging brace, applying adhesives, and so forth.
Thus, a packaging brace for a washing machine appliance which is relatively simple in construction and easy to form would be desirable.
Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In an example embodiment, a flat blank for forming a packaging brace for a washing machine appliance is provided. The flat blank includes a bottom panel, a left side panel directly joined to a left side of the bottom panel at a first seam, a back panel directly joined to a back side of the bottom panel at a second seam, a right side panel positioned opposite the left side panel and directly joined to a right side of the bottom panel at a third seam, and a front panel positioned opposite the back panel and directly joined to a front side of the bottom panel at a fourth seam. The flat blank also includes a first corner segment directly joined to the left side panel at a fifth seam and directly joined to the back panel at a sixth seam. The first corner segment is configured to define a first corner of the packaging brace when the flat blank is folded such that the fifth seam and the sixth seam are generally aligned with each other and in contact with each other. The flat blank also includes a second corner segment directly joined to the back side panel at a seventh seam and directly joined to the right side panel at an eighth seam. The second corner segment is configured to define a second corner of the packaging brace when the flat blank is folded such that the seventh seam and the eighth seam are generally aligned with each other and in contact with each other. The flat blank also includes a third corner segment directly joined to the right side panel at a ninth seam and directly joined to the front panel at a tenth seam. The third corner segment is configured to define a third corner of the packaging brace when the flat blank is folded such that the ninth seam and the tenth seam are generally aligned with each other and in contact with each other. The flat blank also includes a fourth corner segment directly joined to the front panel at an eleventh seam and directly joined to the left side panel at a twelfth seam. The fourth corner segment is configured to define a fourth corner of the packaging brace when the flat blank is folded such that the eleventh seam and the twelfth seam are generally aligned with each other and in contact with each other. The first corner, the second corner, the third corner, and the fourth corner of the packaging brace are configured to contact an opening in a cabinet of the washing machine appliance at a first set of four contact points and to contact a basket of the washing machine appliance at a second set of four contact points.
In another example embodiment, a method of forming a packaging brace for a washing machine appliance is provided. The method includes providing a flat blank. The flat blank includes a bottom panel, a left side panel directly joined to a left side of the bottom panel at a first seam, a back panel directly joined to a back side of the bottom panel at a second seam, a right side panel positioned opposite the left side panel and directly joined to a right side of the bottom panel at a third seam, and a front panel positioned opposite the back panel and directly joined to a front side of the bottom panel at a fourth seam. The flat blank also includes a first corner segment directly joined to the left side panel at a fifth seam and directly joined to the back panel at a sixth seam. The flat blank further includes a second corner segment directly joined to the back side panel at a seventh seam and directly joined to the right side panel at an eighth seam. The flat blank also includes a third corner segment directly joined to the right side panel at a ninth seam and directly joined to the front panel at a tenth seam. The flat blank further includes a fourth corner segment directly joined to the front panel at an eleventh seam and directly joined to the left side panel at a twelfth seam. The method also includes folding the left side panel and the right side panel of the flat blank inwards towards each other. The method further includes positioning the bottom panel above an opening in a cabinet of the washing machine and inserting the bottom panel into a basket of the washing machine through the opening such that a contoured profile of the opening urges the blank to fold. As a result, the fifth seam and the sixth seam are generally aligned with each other and in contact with each other to define a first corner of the packaging brace, the seventh seam and the eighth seam are generally aligned with each other and in contact with each other to define a second corner of the packaging brace, the ninth seam and the tenth seam are generally aligned with each other and in contact with each other to define a third corner of the packaging brace, and the eleventh seam and the twelfth seam are generally aligned with each other and in contact with each other to define a fourth corner of the packaging brace. The first corner, the second corner, the third corner, and the fourth corner of the packaging brace are in contact with the opening in the cabinet of the washing machine appliance at a first set of four contact points and in contact with the basket of the washing machine appliance at a second set of four contact points.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures.
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
As used herein, terms of approximation, such as “generally,” or “about” include values within ten percent greater or less than the stated value. When used in the context of an angle or direction, such terms include within ten degrees greater or less than the stated angle or direction. For example, “generally vertical” includes directions within ten degrees of vertical in any direction, e.g., clockwise or counter-clockwise.
As used herein, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to signify location or importance of the individual components.
Turning briefly to
A wash basket 20 is rotatably mounted within cabinet 12, e.g., within a wash tub (not shown) disposed within cabinet 12. A motor (not shown) is in mechanical communication with wash basket 20 in order to selectively rotate wash basket 20, e.g., during an agitation or a rinse cycle of washing machine appliance 10. Wash basket 20 defines a wash chamber 21 that is configured for receipt of articles for washing. In some embodiments, an agitator 23 or impeller (not shown) extends from wash basket 20 into wash chamber 21. The agitator 23 assists agitation of articles disposed within wash chamber 21 during operation of washing machine appliance 10.
In some exemplary embodiments, e.g., as illustrated in
The flat blank 100 may be formed from a corrugated sheet, e.g., of plastic, cardboard or fiberboard, or other suitable material. As will be understood, the corrugated sheet has flutes that extend longitudinally within the corrugated sheet. For example, the corrugated sheet may be formed from a fluted corrugated board and one or two flat linerboards, and the fluted corrugated board may define flutes within the corrugated sheet. Corrugated sheets are well understood by those skilled in the art and are not described in detail herein.
As generally shown in
In particular, in the example embodiment illustrated in
Still referring to
As illustrated in
As generally illustrated in
As best seen in
As mentioned, the blank 100 and the resultant packaging brace 102 formed therefrom may be used with a variety of washing machine appliances. For example, in some embodiments, the blank 100 may include an aperture 154 defined in the bottom panel 104. As may be seen in
The blank 100 may further include features which promote ease of folding and formation of the packaging brace 102. For example, the blank 100 may include a plurality of relief openings which aid in formation of the four corners 194, 196, 198, and 200 of the packaging brace 102. As best seen in
As another example, the blank 100 may include perforated score lines in the corner segments to aid in forming the four corners 194, 196, 198, and 200 of the packaging brace 102. For example, such score lines may promote ease of bringing the respective seams at each corner segment together, e.g., bringing the fifth seam 124 and the sixth seam 126 of the first corner segment 122 into contact and alignment to form the first corner 194, etc. Thus, in some embodiments, the first corner segment 122 may be bifurcated by a first score line 164, the second corner segment 128 may be bifurcated by a second score line 166, the third corner segment 134 may be bifurcated by a third score line 168, and the fourth corner segment 140 may be bifurcated by a fourth score line 170.
In some example embodiments, the blank 100 may include additional relief openings, such as a fifth relief opening 157 positioned in the first corner segment 122, a sixth relief opening 159 positioned in the second corner segment 128, a seventh relief opening 161 positioned in the third corner segment 134, and an eighth relief opening 163 positioned in the fourth corner segment 140. For example, the fifth relief opening 157 may be located along the first score line 164, such as concentrically positioned on the first score line 164, e.g., whereby a center point of the fifth relief opening 157 is co-located with a midpoint of the first score line 164. Also by way of example, the sixth relief opening 159 may be located along the second score line 166, such as concentrically positioned on the second score line 166, the seventh relief opening 161 may be located along the third score line 168, such as concentrically positioned on the third score line 168, and the eighth relief opening 163 may be located along the fourth score line 170, such as concentrically positioned on the fourth score line 170.
In various embodiments, the seams or fold lines may be provided in any suitable form, such as straight lines or curved lines, or combinations thereof. For example, in some embodiments, e.g., as illustrated in
As illustrated, the corner segments 122, 128, 134, and 140 may be generally triangular. As such, the sides of the corner segments 122, 128, 134, and 140 (e.g., the seams defining each corner segment) may be oriented at an angle Θ to the seams defining the bottom panel 104. As noted in
As mentioned above, embodiments of the present disclosure also include methods of forming a packaging brace 102 for a washing machine appliance 10, such as the example method 300 illustrated in
The method 300 may also include a step 304 of folding the left side panel 106 and the right side panel 110 of the flat blank 100 inwards towards each other, followed by a step 306 of positioning the bottom panel 104 above an opening in a cabinet of the washing machine, such as the opening 24 in the cabinet 12 of the washing machine appliance 10 described above.
The method 300 may further include a step 308 of inserting the bottom panel 104 into a basket of the washing machine through the opening, such as the wash basket 20 described above. As a result of such insertion, a contoured profile of the opening 24 and/or the top panel 22 or other portion of the cabinet 12 proximate the opening 24 urges the blank 100 to fold. The blank 100 may be urged to fold such that the fifth seam 124 and the sixth seam 126 are generally aligned with each other and in contact with each other to define a first corner 194 of the packaging brace 102, the seventh seam 130 and the eighth seam 132 are generally aligned with each other and in contact with each other to define a second corner 196 of the packaging brace 102, the ninth seam 136 and the tenth seam 138 are generally aligned with each other and in contact with each other to define a third corner 198 of the packaging brace 102, and the eleventh seam 142 and the twelfth seam 144 are generally aligned with each other and in contact with each other to define a fourth corner 200 of the packaging brace 102.
In some embodiments, e.g. where the washing machine appliance 10 includes the agitator 23, inserting the bottom panel 104 into the basket 20 may include passing the agitator 23 through the aperture 154 defined in the bottom panel 104.
In some embodiments, e.g., where the flat blank further includes a left side flap, a back flap, a right side flap opposite the left side flap, and a front flap opposite the back flap, e.g., the flaps 146, 148, 150, and 152 described above, the method 300 may further include closing a lid (e.g., lid 30) of the washing machine appliance after the contoured profile of the opening urges the blank to fold. After closing the lid, an outer edge 147 of the left side flap 146, an outer edge 149 of the back flap 148, an outer edge 151 of the right side flap 150, and an outer edge 153 of the front flap 152 are each in contact with an inner surface (e.g., the inner surface 32) of the lid of the washing machine appliance when the lid is closed.
The blank 100 described herein, as well as the packaging brace 102 formed therefrom and related methods of forming the packaging brace 102, provide several advantages as will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, one such advantage is that the packaging brace 102 may be formed from a single blank 102 without needing to join additional parts or cut or otherwise separate or divide one or more sub-parts of the blank 100. As another example, the flat blank 100 may not include any tabs and may be configured to form the packaging brace 102 without using any tabs or adhesives. Furthermore, the foregoing example advantages are provided by way of illustration only and are not limiting of the present invention.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
