Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
214~~3~
PACKAGING FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to packaging,
shipping, and mailing containers, and the like. and more
specifically to a package or container adapted for use in
shipping or mailing fragile articles or instruments, such as
computers and the like. The container is reusable and includes
two telescoping sections, resulting in a side wall thickness
equal to both container portions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The centralization of various businesses and industries
has resulted in an ever expanding need for the transport of
articles of manufacture from the place of manufacture to the
distributor, and ultimately to the consumer. While many types
of products may be produced in several different areas of the
country (e. g., processed foods), thus reducing shipping costs,
many other relatively complex articles of manufacture are
produced only in one or a very few areas, resulting in the need
to ship or mail those articles to various other locations.
This is particularly true in the computer industry, where
the manufacture of personal computers has been developed in a
very few areas of the country, generally concentrated on the
east and west coasts, due to the establishment of technological
bases and expertise at those locations. As such products are
universally in demand, the result has been the need to ship
such articles relatively great distances across the country and
internationally.
While such shipping and mailing requires no advanced
technology for relatively sturdy devices, the use of existing
shipping and mailing containers for computers and other
relatively complex and fragile articles has resulted in a
relatively high damage ratio for such articles in shipping.
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Often the reason for such damage is the penetration or
deflection of the side walls of the shipping or mailing
container, and/or the crushing of the container due to stacking
of other articles thereabove.
The need arises for a container or package particularly
adapted for the shipment or mailing of fragile articles, e.g.,
computers and the like. The package must provide relatively
high compressive strength for the vertical side walls, and
moreover must provide relatively high resistance to penetration
and bending of the side walls. While it is important that the
package be relatively inexpensive to manufacture and of
relatively light weight to conserve shipping and mailing
expenses, it is also important that the container provide for
reuse for more efficient use of resources and greater economy.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
U.S. Patent No. 2,936,941, issued to Charles Lewis on May
17, 1960, discloses Cartons having limited telescoping action.
One carton has a series of tongues or flaps extending upward
from the sides thereof, and the other carton is installed
inverted on the first carton, with the sides of the second
carton alternatingly engaging the flaps of the first carton to
the inside or outside. Thus, the edges of the second carton
sides cannot telescope to the bottom of the first carton to
provide double side walls along the entire side of the carton,
as in the present invention.
U.S. Patent No. 3,979,046, issued to Charles J. Wilbur on
September 7, 1976, discloses a Special Shipping Case Having
Modified End Flaps. No telescoping is disclosed; rather, the
top or lid of the case is hingedly attached to one wall of the
case, and the upper walls of the case are provided with a
secondary lip to add to the wall thickness to preclude cutting
completely through the case walls when removing the lid. As
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the case is cut open, it is not reusable as in the present
invention.
U.S. Patent No. 4,151,912, issued to John H. Harrold on
May 1, 1979, discloses a Storage Container having upper and
lower compartments. The compartments may be at least partially
lined with a resilient material to hold the contents in place.
However, no complete resilient lining is disclosed, no
disclosure is made of the manufacture of the container from
corrugated laminates of materials, and the compartments cannot
telescope, as in the present invention.
U.S. Patent No. 4,433,781, issued to Donald A. Hummel on
February 28, 1984, discloses a Compact Dual Bell Section
Trombone Case. The padded rectangular case includes a
generally diagonal partition therein for the secure carriage
of specifically shaped articles. While the present invention
may include movable diagonal or otherwise positioned partitions
therein, as well as resilient padding, the fixed partition,
inability to telescope, hinged lid, and relative cost of the
Hummel instrument case preclude use in the environment of the
present invention.
U.S. Patent No. 4,093,493, issued to Willem H.P. Van
Iperen et al. on February 27, 1990, discloses Heat Sink
Protective Packaging for Thermolabile Goods. The substance of
the disclosure is a means of protecting thermosensitive goods
by enclosing them in a salt having a specific melting
temperature. However, Van Iperen et al. also disclose a
container including non-resilient insulation therein
(cardboard, paper, plastic, or wood). The insulation is
incapable of providing significant protection against physical
shock or damage, as in the present invention, and no
telescoping means is provided for the container.
U.S. Patent No. 4,911,962, issued to Hansjorg Baumann et
al. on March 27, 1990, discloses an Insulating System for
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Thermally-Insulated Containers. Only a single sheet of
material is disclosed for the outer wall, and two layers of
material are installed therein. The first layer is an impact
absorbing layer of soft, elastic material, while the second
(innermost) layer is a thicker layer of hard foam for thermal
insulation. The third, thermal insulation layer is beyond the
scope of the present invention, and no telescoping means or
corrugated laminates are disclosed.
U.S. Patent No. 5,193,701, issued to Thomas J. Bush et al.
on March 16, 1993, discloses a Box for Storing Hanging File
Folders comprising a box formed of chipboard sheets and having
a hinged lid and internal plastic frame components. Virtually
the only point of commonality between the Busch et al. box and
the container of the present invention is the provision of hand
holds on opposite walls.
British Patent No. 856,558 to Loewenstein and Hecht Ltd.
et al. and published on December 21, 1960, discloses
Improvements in or Relating to Packing. The outer case is
formed of cardboard; however, no disclosure is made of the use
of corrugated material. It appears that the disclosed
cardboard material comprises only a single sheet, rather than
multiple sheets having corrugations sandwiched therebetween,
as in the present invention. Moreover, the single wall and
hinged lid preclude any telescoping capability.
British Patent No. 966,623 to Leonard Gould and Co., Ltd.
and published on August 12, 1964, discloses Improvements in
Packs for Containing Delicate or Fragile Articles. An inner
container primarily comprising a plurality of resilient, shock
absorbing components is wrapped on four of its six sides by a
sheet of corrugated cardboard. The assembly is inserted into
a standard corrugated cardboard box having upper and lower
closure flaps. The insert does not include any closure flaps
nor form any part of the outer container, but is completely
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enclosed therein when the assembly is complete, unlike the
present invention. As the outer box is described as
"ordinary", it would seem that the flaps would be permanently
affixed in place (i.e., glued) so that the outer box would be
damaged when opened, thus precluding the reuse of at least the
outer box of the assembly.
Finally, British Patent No. 2, 028, 277 to Barbara Kremp and
published on March 5, 1980, discloses an Isothermal Container
having separate side panels of foam insulating material each
completely encased in a layer of corrugated cardboard. The
side members nest vertically and are retained within a bottom
member and a lid during use, but may be disassembled and laid
flat between the bottom and the lid for storage. The
disassembly and assembly of the container is not at all like
the telescoping of the present packaging, nor does the Kremp
container provide four corrugated layers when assembled, as in
the present invention.
None of the above-noted patents, taken either singly or
in combination, are seen to disclose the specific arrangement
of concepts disclosed by the present case.
SU1~1ARY OF THE INVENTION
By the present invention, improved packaging for fragile
articles is disclosed.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
there is provided a shipping package for fragile articles . The
shipping package comprises an upper portion and a lower portion
each having four side walls and respectively having a top and
a bottom flap closure, with the four side walls of the upper
portion and the lower portion being of substantial equal
height. The upper portion has side walls dimensioned so as to
closely fit over and completely cover and enclose the side
walls of the lower portion, thereby providing for the complete
telescoping of the upper portion over the lower portion of the
shipping package. The four side walls and the flap closures
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of the upper portion and the lower portion are formed of at
least two plies of corrugated sheet material, whereby the
shipping package has four perimeter walls having at least four
plies of corrugated material. The shipping package has a
volume defined by the upper portion and the lower portion when
completely telescoped together, the volume is completely lined
with resilient padding. The shipping package further includes
releasable and reusable closure means which provide for the
positive securing of the upper portion to the lower portion
when the upper portion and the lower portion are completely
telescoped together. Fragile articles are placed within the
lower portion of the shipping package. The upper portion of
the shipping package is completely telescoped over the lower
portion of the shipping package to completely enclose the
volume and the fragile articles contained therein and to
completely surround the fragile articles by means of the
resilient padding.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present
invention there is provided a shipping package for fragile
articles. The shipping package comprises an upper portion and
a lower portion each having four side walls and respectively
having a top and a bottom flap closure, with the four side
walls of the upper portion and the lower portion being of
substantially equal height. The upper portion has side walls
dimensioned so as to closely fit over and completely cover and
enclose the side walls of the lower portion, thereby providing
for the complete telescoping of the upper portion over the
lower portion of the shipping package. The shipping package
has a volume defined by the upper portion and the lower portion
when completely telescoped together. The volume is completely
lined with resilient padding. The shipping package further
includes a strap positively securing the upper portion to the
lower portion when the upper portion and the lower portion are
completely telescoped together. The strap is secured to and
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extends completely across the bottom flat closure of the lower
portion. The strap has opposite first and second ends extending
therefrom and from the bottom flap closure, and cooperating
opposite first and second tabs secured to two opposite of the
four side walls of the upper portion. The upper portion of the
shipping package is completely telescoped over the lower
portion of the shipping package, and the first and second ends
of the strap are releasably secured respectively to the
cooperating opposite first and second tabs to releasably secure
the upper portion of the shipping package to the lower portion
of said shipping package. Fragile articles are placed within
the lower portion of the shipping package. The upper portion
of the shipping package is completely telescoped over the lower
portion of the shipping package to completely enclose the
volume and the fragile articles contained therein and to
completely surround the fragile articles by the resilient
padding. The strap secures the upper portion of the shipping
package to the lower portion of the shipping package.
With these and other features in view, which will more
readily appear as the nature of the invention is better
understood, the invention consists in the novel combination and
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arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described,
illustrated and claimed with reference being made to the
attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the
telescoping container or shipping package of the present
invention, showing the upper portion thereof removed from the
lower portion;
Figure 2 is an elevation view in section through the
assembled upper and lower container portions, showing internal
details; and
Figure 3 is a plan view in section through the assembled
upper and lower container portions, showing further details.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features
consistently throughout the several Figures of the attached
drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings,
the present invention will be seen to relate to a telescoping
shipping container 10, preferably formed of corrugated sheet
material. Container 10 generally comprises an upper portion
12 and a lower portion 14, which upper portion 12 is formed to
fit closely over the lower portion 14. The upper and lower
portions 12 and 14 are each similarly formed, with the upper
portion 12 having first through fourth sides 16,18,20 and 22,
and the lower portion 14 having corresponding first through
fourth sides 16a, 18a, 20a and 22a. The upper and lower portions
12 and 14 also respectively include conventional upper and
lower flap closures, comprising opposite upper major flaps 24
and 26, upper minor flaps 28 and 30 (the edges of which may be
seen respectively in Figures 1 and 2), and corresponding lower
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major and minor flaps 24a through 30a.
The relative dimensions of the upper portion 12 and lower
portion 14 are carefully formed so as to provide an interior
width and length for the upper portion 12 which is little, if
any, larger than the corresponding exterior width and length
of the lower portion 14. When the upper and lower portions 12
and 14 are thus formed, the upper portion 12 can telescope over
the lower portion 14, with the two portions 12 and 14 closely
fitting one another and effectively providing a single, closed
shipping container 10 having a wall thickness equal to the
individual wall thicknesses of the upper portion 12 and the
lower portion 14 added together.
Similarly, the height of the four respective cooperating
sides 16/16a through 22/22a will be seen to be substantially
equal, so that when the two portions 12 and 14 are completely
telescoped together, the upper edge 32 of the lower portion 14
is immediately adjacent the interior or minor flaps 28 and 30
of the upper portion 12, and the lower edge 34 of the upper
portion 12 is substantially even with the outer or major
closure flaps 24a and 26a of the lower portion 14. The
substantially complete overlapping of the sides of the two
portions 12 and 14 will be seen to provide an assembled
container 10 having a side wall thickness greater than either
portion 12 or 14 alone, and providing significant additional
strength. As the upper and lower flap closures each comprise
doubled layers of material due to the overlapping of the major
and minor flaps, it will be seen that the substantially
rectangular solid shape of the present container 10 is provided
with doubled side thicknesses on each of the six sides when
assembled, to provide an extremely sturdy and durable
container.
Further container strength and protection for fragile
articles contained therein is provided by the resilient padding
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36, comprising a total of six sheets corresponding to the six
interior surfaces of the container 10. Four side sheets 36a
through 36d are secured respectively to the interior of the
sides 16a through 22a of the lower portion 14, while a fifth
bottom sheet 36e is secured to the interior of the lower flap
closure of the lower portion 14 of the container 10. A sixth
sheet 36f is secured to the interior of the upper flap closure
of the upper portion 12 of the container 10. Thus, when the
two container portions 12 and 14 are assembled to form a
completed container 10, the interior space is completely padded
by the resilient sheets 36a through 36f.
The resilient padding sheets 36a through 36f may be formed
of any suitable resilient material, e.g., a synthetic plastic
closed cell foam, etc. A padding material 36 having the proper
rigidity and density has been found to be compatible with the
multiple plies of material used in the construction of the side
walls and upper and lower closures of the upper and lower
portions 12 and 14, providing additional protection against
bending and penetration of the side walls and closures.
Additional sheets of resilient padding material (not shown) may
be included within the container 10 to provide protection for
specific shapes and sizes of equipment contained therein, as
desired.
Preferably, the material used for the side walls and upper
and lower closure of the upper and lower portions 12 and 14
comprises multiple plies of corrugated sheet material, as shown
in the drawings. A review particularly of Figures 2 and 3
shows that the upper portion 12 and lower portion 14
respectively each have wall thicknesses 38a and 38b comprising
two corrugated laminations of material, with the individual
corrugations or flutes 40 oriented vertically. This vertical
orientation of the flutes or corrugations provides superior
compressive strength in the vertical direction, particularly
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when the container 10 is completely assembled to provide a
total of four plies or laminations of vertically oriented
corrugations, with the interior resilient padding sheets 36
providing additional resistance to bending for the side walls
of the lower portion 14, and thus precluding substantial
bending of the side walls of the upper portion 12 due to their
overlying contact with the lower container 14 side walls. The
result is an exceptionally sturdy and durable container 10, for
its weight and manufacturing cost.
Preferably, the corrugated sheet material which is used
to form the multiple plies of the upper and lower portions 12
and 14, comprises corrugated cardboard material. However,
similarly formed plastic sheet material may also be used for
greater durability and weather resistance, if desired, as well
as other alternative materials.
In order to provide for the reuse of the container 10, a
releasable and reclosable attachment or seal is provided for
the two portions 12 and 14 of the container 10. A strap 42 is
permanently secured completely across exterior of the two lower
major flaps 24a and 26a of the lower portion 14, with the strap
having free opposite first and second ends 42a and 42b
extending therefrom. The upper portion 12 includes opposite
cooperating tabs 44a and 44b permanently secured adjacent the
lower edge 34. The container 10 is closed and sealed by
telescoping the upper portion 12 over the lower portion 14, and
wrapping the free ends 42a and 42b of the underlying strap 42
upward to secure them to the respective tabs 44a and 44b of the
upper portion 12 of the container 10. The strap ends 42a and
42b and tabs 44a and 44b may comprise complementary, mating
hook and loop fastener material 46, or other suitable securing
means. The passage of the underlying strap 42 will be seen to
provide greater strength and security to the bottom closure
flaps 24a through 30a of the lower portion 14 of the container
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10, which, along with the provision of a resilient padding
sheet 36e secured to the interior of the lower or bottom flap
closure, provides a substantial means of preventing the
inadvertent opening of the lower flap closure.
The present container 10 also includes provision for the
convenient carriage thereof by means of opposite hand holds 48a
and 48b formed respectively near the upper closure of the
opposite sides 18 and 22 of the upper portion 12, and near the
upper edge 32 of the opposite sides 18a and 22a of the lower
portion 14, as shown in Figure 1. (The hand holds of sides 18
and 18a are not visible in the drawings, but it will be
understood that the present container 10 is substantially
symmetrical and that features of one side of the container 10
are repeated on the opposite, mirror image side of the
container 10. ) Due to the provision of the hand holds near the
upper edges of their respective sides, the hand holds 48a and
48b are congruent and in substantial alignment with one another
when the two portions 12 and 14 of the container 10 are
completely telescoped together. Thus, a person lifting the
assembled container 10 may insert her hands completely through
the aligned hand holds 48a and 48b on each side of the
container 10, to positively grip both portions 12 and 14 of the
container 10 for more positive support thereof. The only
resistance to the complete insertion of the hand into the
container 10 will be the layer or sheet of resilient padding
36 secured to the interior surface of the sides 18a and 22a of
the lower portion 14, which resilient padding 36 provides
sufficient flexibility to allow the hands to completely engage
the hand holds 48a and 48b.
The present container 10 will be seen to provide a sturdy,
durable, and substantial shipping container for various types
of fragile articles, instruments, equipment, and the like, due
to the preferably multiple ply corrugated construction of the
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upper and lower portions thereof. With the provision of two
corrugated layers or plies of material for each portion of the
container 10, a total of four corrugated plies are provided,
along with the resilient padding sheets secured to each of the
inner surfaces of the container, to provide substantial
protection for articles contained therein. The container is
easily packed, as the lower portion 14 includes no upper
closure flaps to interfere with the insertion of articles
therein, and the upper portion 12 is easily telescoped over the
lower portion 14 for closure. The bottom strap ends 42a and
42b are then secured to the cooperating tabs 44a and 44b of the
upper portion 12; additional security for the contents of the
container 10 may be provided by tape or other means, as
desired. Both portions 12 and 14 of the container 10 may then
be lifted by means of the hand holds 48a and 48b which pass
completely through all plies of the side wall material, thus
enabling a person lifting the present container to positively
support both the upper and lower portions 12 and 14 without
reliance on the upper and lower portion attachment means.
However, the attachment means, comprising a continuous strap
42 permanently secured across the major closure flaps 24a and
26a of the lower portion 14, provides significant security
against the inadvertent opening of the bottom closure of the
lower portion 14. The vertical orientation of the corrugations
40 of the various sides, provides substantial vertical com
pressive strength to preclude crushing of the container due to
stacking and heavy weights placed thereon. The present
container provides for multiple uses, due to the reclosable
strap and tabs provided, thus providing for great economy as
well as the other benefits discussed above.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not
limited to the sole embodiment described above, but encompasses
any and all embodiments within the scope of the following
claims.
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