BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a packing member in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the packing member of FIG. 1 prior to its being folded for use;
FIGS. 3A to 3E show a process of folding the packing member of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 4A to 4E are respective side elevational views of FIGS. 3A to 3E;
FIG. 4 is an exploded, isometric view of a pair of packing members of FIG. 1, together with a product;
FIG. 5 is an assembled view of FIG. 4, together with an outer packing member; and
FIG. 6 is an exploded, isometric view of four packing members in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, together with a product.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG. 1, a packing member 1 in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention has a symmetrical shape. The packing member 1 includes two boxes 14 formed from ends of a connecting section 12. The connecting section 12 enhances a shock absorbing quality of the present invention and prevents shifting of the boxes 14 when the packing member 1 is received in a shipping container together with a product. Each box 14 includes a first sidewall 151, which is perpendicularly connected along one edge to a corresponding edge of a second sidewall 152, which is perpendicularly connected along an opposite edge to a corresponding edge of a third sidewall 153, which is perpendicularly connected along an opposite edge to a corresponding edge of a fourth sidewall 154 forming a box open at two opposite ends. Each box 14 has a through hole 16 cooperatively defined by the second sidewall 152 and the third sidewall 153. The through hole 16 is for receiving a corner or end portion of a product.
Referring to FIG. 2, a rectangular blank 10 made of corrugated paperboard or the like, for manufacturing the packing member 1 is shown. The blank 10 is divided into nine portions delineated by creases defined therein. The connecting section 12 forms a middle portion of the blank 10. Both sides of the connecting section 12 extend four sidewalls. The four sidewalls include the first sidewall 151, the second sidewall 152, the third sidewall 153, and the fourth sidewall 154 from a free side to an inner side of the blank 10. The fourth sidewall 154 is extended from a corresponding edge of the connecting section 12. The third sidewall 153 is extended from an edge of the fourth sidewall 154. The second sidewall 152 is extended from an edge of the third sidewall 153. The first sidewall 151 is extended from an edge of the second sidewall 152. A first crease 141 is defined between the first sidewall 151 and the second sidewall 152. A second crease 142 is defined between the second sidewall 152 and the third sidewall 153. A third crease 143 is defined between the third sidewall 153 and the fourth sidewall 154. A fourth crease 144 is defined between the fourth sidewall 154 and the connecting section 12. An edge 140 of the first sidewall 151, the first crease 141, the second crease 142, the third crease 143, and the fourth crease 144 are parallel to one another. Widths of the first sidewall 151, the second sidewall 152, and the third sidewall 153 are equal to one another. The fourth sidewall 154 is greater in width than the sidewalls 151, 152, 153 by an amount equal to a thickness of the blank 10. The rectangular through hole 16 is defined in each said four sidewalls across the second crease 142 between the first crease 141 and second crease 143.
A left half of FIG. 3 shows front elevational views of the blank 10 at different stages of folding in forming the packing member 1, and a right half shows bottom plan views of the left half. As FIG. 3 indicates, the first sidewall 151 of each said four sidewalls is folded along the first crease 141 and perpendicular to the second sidewall 152. The second sidewall 152 of each said four sidewalls is folded along the second crease 142 and perpendicular to the third sidewall 153. The third sidewall 153 of each of the four sidewalls is folded along the third crease 143 and perpendicular to the fourth sidewall 154. The fourth sidewall 154 of each said four sidewalls is folded along the fourth crease 144 and perpendicular to the connecting section 12. The first sidewall 151 of each of the four sidewalls is bonded to a corresponding side of the connecting section 12.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, in packing a product 2, two packing members 1 are symmetrically placed at opposites sides of the product 2 with the boxes 14 facing each other. The receiving holes 16 of the packing members 1 cooperate to form a receiving space for receiving corresponding corners or ends of the product 2. The combined assembly of the two packing members 1 and the product 2 is put into an outer packing member 3.
Referring to FIG. 6, a packing member 5 in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a first sidewall 51, a second sidewall 52, a third sidewall 53, a fourth sidewall 54, and a fifth sidewall 55. The first sidewall 51 is perpendicular to the second sidewall 52 and bonded to the fifth sidewall 55. The second sidewall 52 is perpendicular to the third sidewall 53. The third sidewall 53 of is perpendicular to the fourth sidewall 54. The fourth sidewall 54 is perpendicular to the first sidewall 51. The second sidewall 52 and the fourth sidewall 54 are located between the first sidewall 51 and the third sidewall 53. The first sidewall 51, the second sidewall 52, the third sidewall 53 and the fourth sidewall 54 enclose a through hole 50. A receiving hole 58 is defined in the second sidewall 52 and the third sidewall 53. The receiving hole 58 communicates with the through hole 50. The first sidewall 51, the second sidewall 52, the third sidewall 53, the fourth sidewall 54, and the through hole 50 make up of a hollow box of rectangular parallelepiped. The product 2 is packed with four packing members 5.
In other preferred embodiments, the box can be triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, or the like.
It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.
Patent Application
20080067106
