Title:
PACKAGING PAD
United States Patent 3708101
Abstract:
A clearance shock absorbing packaging pad comprising a paperboard blank foldable into a hollow elongated four sided structure having interlocked overlapped top parts that do not require gluing or other fastening means other than the interlocked portions and sloping sides to control compression of the pad under load conditions.
US Patent References:
PACKAGE FOR FRANGIBLE ARTICLES
Rohde - April 1969 - 3438488
Corner protectors
Halko, Jr. - October 1967 - 3349984
Container for tubes and bulbs
Ringler - August 1938 - 2125313
Packing element
Sider - September 1952 - 2609136
Spacer pad
Kalbrener - December 1965 - 3221973
PACKAGE FOR FRANGIBLE ARTICLES
Rohde - April 1969 - 3438488
Corner protectors
Halko, Jr. - October 1967 - 3349984
Container for tubes and bulbs
Ringler - August 1938 - 2125313
Packing element
Sider - September 1952 - 2609136
Spacer pad
Kalbrener - December 1965 - 3221973
Application Number:
05/077612
Publication Date:
01/02/1973
Filing Date:
10/02/1970
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
217/52, 206/591, 206/586
International Classes:
B65D81/107; B65D5/60
Field of Search:
229/14C,DIG.182 206/45FR,46FN,62R
Primary Examiner:
Leclair, Joseph R.
Assistant Examiner:
Garbe, Stephen P.
Claims:
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows
1. A clearance shock absorbing packaging pad, comprising: a folded paperboard blank having opposite side edges, a base portion, a pair of opposite side portions at the opposite sides of the base portion and a pair of edge portions between said edges and said side portions; means forming approximately linearly aligned inwardly directed interlocking slits at said edge portions; and means providing fold areas between said portions, the resulting said pad thereby having a base comprising said base portion, opposite sides comprising said side portions and a top comprising said edge portions in overlapped relationship with said slits in interlocking interference engagement, an edge portion on one side of its said slit being above and on the other side of its said slit beneath said opposite edge portion with the result that said overlapped edge portions are also interlaced for added shock absorbing strength and stability, each said edge portion having a boundary portion at a said edge provided with a fold area means permitting bending of a boundary portion of the inner said overlapped edge portion into surface engagement with the corresponding side portion on the inner surface thereof, and with said edge of said inner portion being received in the angle formed by the base portion and corresponding said side portions.
2. The pad of claim 1 wherein each said slit extends less than the full width of its said edge portion, the slits having lateral interlocking enlargements.
3. A clearance shock absorbing packaging pad, comprising: a folded paperboard blank having opposite side edges, a base portion, a pair of opposite side portions at the opposite sides of the base portion and a pair of edge portions between said edges and said side portions; means forming approximately linearly aligned inwardly directed interlocking slits at said edge portions; and means providing fold areas between said portions, the resulting said pad thereby having a base comprising said base portion, opposite sides comprising said side portions and a top comprising said edge portions in overlapped relationship with said slits in interlocking interference engagement, an edge portion on one side of its said slit being above and on the other side of its said slit beneath said opposite edge portion with the result that said overlapped edge portions are also interlaced for added shock absorbing strength and stability, said base portion being wider than said overlapped top, and the slits terminating at substantially the center of the pad so that the sides of the resulting pad are sloped upwardly and inwardly toward each other for added crush resistance.
4. The pad of claim 3 wherein each said edge portion has a boundary portion at a said edge provided with a fold area means permitting movement of the boundary portion of the inner said overlapped edge portion into surface engagement with the corresponding side portion on the inner surface thereof under a compression load applied to the top of said pad, and with said edge of said inner portion received in the angle formed by the base portion and corresponding said side portion.
5. The pad of claim 4 wherein each said slit extends less than the full width of its said edge portion, the slits having lateral interlocking enlargements.
1. A clearance shock absorbing packaging pad, comprising: a folded paperboard blank having opposite side edges, a base portion, a pair of opposite side portions at the opposite sides of the base portion and a pair of edge portions between said edges and said side portions; means forming approximately linearly aligned inwardly directed interlocking slits at said edge portions; and means providing fold areas between said portions, the resulting said pad thereby having a base comprising said base portion, opposite sides comprising said side portions and a top comprising said edge portions in overlapped relationship with said slits in interlocking interference engagement, an edge portion on one side of its said slit being above and on the other side of its said slit beneath said opposite edge portion with the result that said overlapped edge portions are also interlaced for added shock absorbing strength and stability, each said edge portion having a boundary portion at a said edge provided with a fold area means permitting bending of a boundary portion of the inner said overlapped edge portion into surface engagement with the corresponding side portion on the inner surface thereof, and with said edge of said inner portion being received in the angle formed by the base portion and corresponding said side portions.
2. The pad of claim 1 wherein each said slit extends less than the full width of its said edge portion, the slits having lateral interlocking enlargements.
3. A clearance shock absorbing packaging pad, comprising: a folded paperboard blank having opposite side edges, a base portion, a pair of opposite side portions at the opposite sides of the base portion and a pair of edge portions between said edges and said side portions; means forming approximately linearly aligned inwardly directed interlocking slits at said edge portions; and means providing fold areas between said portions, the resulting said pad thereby having a base comprising said base portion, opposite sides comprising said side portions and a top comprising said edge portions in overlapped relationship with said slits in interlocking interference engagement, an edge portion on one side of its said slit being above and on the other side of its said slit beneath said opposite edge portion with the result that said overlapped edge portions are also interlaced for added shock absorbing strength and stability, said base portion being wider than said overlapped top, and the slits terminating at substantially the center of the pad so that the sides of the resulting pad are sloped upwardly and inwardly toward each other for added crush resistance.
4. The pad of claim 3 wherein each said edge portion has a boundary portion at a said edge provided with a fold area means permitting movement of the boundary portion of the inner said overlapped edge portion into surface engagement with the corresponding side portion on the inner surface thereof under a compression load applied to the top of said pad, and with said edge of said inner portion received in the angle formed by the base portion and corresponding said side portion.
5. The pad of claim 4 wherein each said slit extends less than the full width of its said edge portion, the slits having lateral interlocking enlargements.
Description:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One of the features of this invention is to provide a clearance shock absorbing packaging pad for protecting merchandise in shipment comprising a paperboard blank with fold areas and interlocking slits permitting folding the blank into a hollow structure with a base, inwardly sloping sides and a top formed of overlapped sections with interengaging slits that are sufficient to hold the pad in its assembled folded arrangement without the requirement of additional fastening means such as glue. The pad is receivable between easily damaged merchandise and an outer shipping container. When the enclosing shipping container is in place, under compression load conditions, the inward slope of the pad sides will cause the sides to move inwardly until edge portions of the pad are tight into folded crease portions of the pad and thus the pad will support the load. The pad construction provides substantial strength and rigidity lengthwise of the pad to facilitate squeeze handling of the container without damage to the merchandise.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a heavy article on a shipping frame with the pads in position along with other packaging elements for receiving the enclosing shipping container portions of which are removed to illustrate the invention.
FIG. 2 is a paperboard blank of corrugated board for forming a pad embodying the invention with a surface portion of the blank removed to show the flute direction of the corrugations.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the assembled pad formed by folding the blank of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the inverted pad.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the structure of FIG. 1 with top flap portions of the shipping container removed to illustrate the cooperation between the ends of the pads and the side walls of the shipping container to facilitate squeeze handling of the merchandise in shipment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the packaging of a heavy article of merchandise such as the box 10 which in this embodiment is a chest type freezer comprises a corrugated board shipping container 9, a wooden skid 11, corner corrugated board paperboard pads 12 at the four vertical corners of the box 10 and vertical side pads 13 also of corrugated board paperboard at the sides of the box 10. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the lower ends of the pads 12 and 13 engage the skid 11 while the upper ends extend above the top surface 14 of the box 10.
Positioned on the top surface 14 of the packaged box 10 are three shock absorbing pads with a pair of the pads 15 being located on opposite sides of an intermediate pad 16. The pads 15 and 16 are of sufficient length to extend laterally between the side walls 9a and 9b of the shipping container 9. The pads 15 are held in position on the top surface 14 by any means desired such as gummed tape 15a so that the laterally extending edges 9c of the end flaps 9d of the enclosing shipping container 9 will substantially coincide with the longitudinal centers of the pads 15 as illustrated in FIG. 1 so that the pads 15 support the insides of the container end flaps 9d to assure contact with the outer top flaps 9e and 9f for container sealing by gluing. The intermediate pad 16 is adapted to aid in supporting the outer top flaps 9e and 9f of the shipping container 9.
Each pad 15 and 16 is constructed of paperboard such as the ordinary corrugated board used widely in commerce for constructing shipping containers such as container 9. Each pad comprises a paperboard blank 18 having opposite side edges 19 and end edges 20 forming a rectangular structure as shown in open position in FIG. 2. A surface portion of the blank 18 is removed at 18a to show the flute direction of the corrugations providing greater strength lengthwise of the pad to resist crushing of the pad under squeeze handling conditions. In the illustrated embodiment each pad 15 and 16 is constructed of 200 lb. corrugated board with a "C" flute. Blank 18 has a longitudinal centrally located base portion 21 for forming a base of the pad, a pair of side portions 22 on opposite sides of the base portion 21 and substantially parallel thereto and to each other and a pair of edge portions 23 between the side portions 22 and the lateral edges 19.
Each edge portion 23 has an inwardly directed slit 24 that are approximately linearly aligned to facilitate interlocking engagement of the side edges of the pad. In the illustrated embodiment each of the slits 24 are provided with an outwardly open angular lead in portion 24a and with a lateral triangular enlargement 25 at its inner end. The enlargements 25 extend in opposite directions with respect to the slits 24 such that on assembly of pad 15 as shown in FIG. 3 edge portions 25a and 25b (see FIGS. 2 and 5) are in interlocking interference relationship.
The pad blank 18 has means such as scoring 26 and 27 between the portions 21, 22 and 23 to aid in folding the blank to provide the pad as shown in FIG. 3 with a base 21, sides 22 which slope inwardly with respect to base 21 as shown in FIG. 3 and a top 28 comprising the edge portions 23 in overlapped relationship with the slits 24 in interlocking interference engagement thereby resisting unfolding of the pad.
As can be seen from the drawings, the slits 24 extend less than the full width of the edge portions 23 so that downward pressure on the pad serves to force the slits into tighter engagement at their enlarged inner ends 25 facilitating a controlled compression of pad 23 under load conditions.
Each edge portion 23 in the illustrated embodiment has an extreme side edge boundary portion 29 at the edges 19 that is itself provided with a fold area such as scoring 30 to permit bending of a portion 29a of boundary portion 29 as illustrated in FIG. 3 into surface engagement with the corresponding side portion 22 on the inner surface thereof as illustrated at the right-hand end of FIG. 3. Thus the inner edge portion 29a of boundary portion 29 has its edge received in the folded crease forming a corner between the base 21 and the adjacent side 22 to form a reinforcement for the side of the pad while the other and overlying boundary portion 29b extends beyond its corresponding side 22 to form a lateral extension of the assembled pad (FIG. 3). Because of the interengagement of the slits 24 one overlying boundary portion 29b extends from one side of the pad 15 while another boundary portion 29c extends from the other side of the pad at the opposite end thereof (FIGS. 2 and 3). At the same time an edge portion 29d of blank 18 (FIG. 2) when the blank is formed into a pad 15, has its edge received in the folded crease forming a corner between the base 21 and its adjacent side portion 22 at the far left-hand end of FIG. 3 which is not shown in detail. Although only a single pair of interengaging slits 24 have been illustrated it is of course obvious that more than one pair may be provided as desired. In all cases, however, the overlapping at the top of the assembled pad will be staggered as illustrated in FIG. 3.
In the illustrated embodiment the base 21 in the erected pad is wider than the top 28 of the pad and the slits 24 have the inner enlargements 25 to provide locking tabs 25c and 25d at about the center of the pad top 28. In this embodiment the blank 18 is approximately 291/2 inches long, and the distance from the right-hand edge as shown in FIG. 2 to slit 24 is approximately 151/4 inches on the upper edge of the blank 18, and approximately 141/4 inches on the lower edge of the blank, resulting in approximate linear alignment of the slits 24. Of course, the dimensions are related to the size of the shipping container and would be adjusted accordingly if the pads of the invention were used in conjunction with a shipping container of a different size. With the illustrated arrangement the sides 22 of the pad 15 as illustrated in FIG. 3 are sloped upwardly and inwardly from the base 21 to the top 28 at substantially equal angles which impart considerable compressive strength to the pad. Under compression load conditions, the inward slope of the pad sides 22 will cause the sides 22 to move inwardly until the edge or boundary portions 29a and 29d are tight into the folded crease portions of the pad as indicated at 29h in FIG. 3 thus to control compression and support the load.
As is apparent, the top 28 of each pad has a double thickness of paperboard throughout its length and width formed by the overlapping portions 23. Because of this and because of the angled arrangement of the sides and interengagement of the slits 24 the pad is very resistant to collapse under a compressive force. However, even if such collapse does occur there will still be three thicknesses of paperboard protecting the packaged article. Furthermore, the collapse of the pad would be obvious from examination of the container signaling that no further loading should take place. In contrast, a solid pad, if used instead of pad 15, would tend to crush the merchandise under overload conditions without evidence of such overload, possibly resulting in delivery of damaged merchandise.
In FIG. 1 there is illustrated the placing of the pads 15 and 16 of this invention on the top surface 14 of the box 10. As shown in FIG. 5 the pads such as pad 15 extend the full width of shipping container 9 and thus reinforce and support the container side walls 9a and 9b to facilitate squeeze lifting of the container through resistance to crush in this direction from the squeeze lift equipment. In addition, the flute direction of the corrugations of the corrugated board forming the blank 18 is parallel to the opposite side edges of the blank as shown at 18 a in FIG. 2 and thus the pads 15 have greater strength lengthwise for improved resistance to crushing under a squeezing force applied to the ends of the pad.
It is of course evident that similar pads can be used where feasible between the sides of box 10 and the inner sides of the enclosing packing container 9 in lieu of elements 13.
Having described my invention as related to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the appended claims.
One of the features of this invention is to provide a clearance shock absorbing packaging pad for protecting merchandise in shipment comprising a paperboard blank with fold areas and interlocking slits permitting folding the blank into a hollow structure with a base, inwardly sloping sides and a top formed of overlapped sections with interengaging slits that are sufficient to hold the pad in its assembled folded arrangement without the requirement of additional fastening means such as glue. The pad is receivable between easily damaged merchandise and an outer shipping container. When the enclosing shipping container is in place, under compression load conditions, the inward slope of the pad sides will cause the sides to move inwardly until edge portions of the pad are tight into folded crease portions of the pad and thus the pad will support the load. The pad construction provides substantial strength and rigidity lengthwise of the pad to facilitate squeeze handling of the container without damage to the merchandise.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a heavy article on a shipping frame with the pads in position along with other packaging elements for receiving the enclosing shipping container portions of which are removed to illustrate the invention.
FIG. 2 is a paperboard blank of corrugated board for forming a pad embodying the invention with a surface portion of the blank removed to show the flute direction of the corrugations.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the assembled pad formed by folding the blank of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the inverted pad.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the structure of FIG. 1 with top flap portions of the shipping container removed to illustrate the cooperation between the ends of the pads and the side walls of the shipping container to facilitate squeeze handling of the merchandise in shipment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the packaging of a heavy article of merchandise such as the box 10 which in this embodiment is a chest type freezer comprises a corrugated board shipping container 9, a wooden skid 11, corner corrugated board paperboard pads 12 at the four vertical corners of the box 10 and vertical side pads 13 also of corrugated board paperboard at the sides of the box 10. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the lower ends of the pads 12 and 13 engage the skid 11 while the upper ends extend above the top surface 14 of the box 10.
Positioned on the top surface 14 of the packaged box 10 are three shock absorbing pads with a pair of the pads 15 being located on opposite sides of an intermediate pad 16. The pads 15 and 16 are of sufficient length to extend laterally between the side walls 9a and 9b of the shipping container 9. The pads 15 are held in position on the top surface 14 by any means desired such as gummed tape 15a so that the laterally extending edges 9c of the end flaps 9d of the enclosing shipping container 9 will substantially coincide with the longitudinal centers of the pads 15 as illustrated in FIG. 1 so that the pads 15 support the insides of the container end flaps 9d to assure contact with the outer top flaps 9e and 9f for container sealing by gluing. The intermediate pad 16 is adapted to aid in supporting the outer top flaps 9e and 9f of the shipping container 9.
Each pad 15 and 16 is constructed of paperboard such as the ordinary corrugated board used widely in commerce for constructing shipping containers such as container 9. Each pad comprises a paperboard blank 18 having opposite side edges 19 and end edges 20 forming a rectangular structure as shown in open position in FIG. 2. A surface portion of the blank 18 is removed at 18a to show the flute direction of the corrugations providing greater strength lengthwise of the pad to resist crushing of the pad under squeeze handling conditions. In the illustrated embodiment each pad 15 and 16 is constructed of 200 lb. corrugated board with a "C" flute. Blank 18 has a longitudinal centrally located base portion 21 for forming a base of the pad, a pair of side portions 22 on opposite sides of the base portion 21 and substantially parallel thereto and to each other and a pair of edge portions 23 between the side portions 22 and the lateral edges 19.
Each edge portion 23 has an inwardly directed slit 24 that are approximately linearly aligned to facilitate interlocking engagement of the side edges of the pad. In the illustrated embodiment each of the slits 24 are provided with an outwardly open angular lead in portion 24a and with a lateral triangular enlargement 25 at its inner end. The enlargements 25 extend in opposite directions with respect to the slits 24 such that on assembly of pad 15 as shown in FIG. 3 edge portions 25a and 25b (see FIGS. 2 and 5) are in interlocking interference relationship.
The pad blank 18 has means such as scoring 26 and 27 between the portions 21, 22 and 23 to aid in folding the blank to provide the pad as shown in FIG. 3 with a base 21, sides 22 which slope inwardly with respect to base 21 as shown in FIG. 3 and a top 28 comprising the edge portions 23 in overlapped relationship with the slits 24 in interlocking interference engagement thereby resisting unfolding of the pad.
As can be seen from the drawings, the slits 24 extend less than the full width of the edge portions 23 so that downward pressure on the pad serves to force the slits into tighter engagement at their enlarged inner ends 25 facilitating a controlled compression of pad 23 under load conditions.
Each edge portion 23 in the illustrated embodiment has an extreme side edge boundary portion 29 at the edges 19 that is itself provided with a fold area such as scoring 30 to permit bending of a portion 29a of boundary portion 29 as illustrated in FIG. 3 into surface engagement with the corresponding side portion 22 on the inner surface thereof as illustrated at the right-hand end of FIG. 3. Thus the inner edge portion 29a of boundary portion 29 has its edge received in the folded crease forming a corner between the base 21 and the adjacent side 22 to form a reinforcement for the side of the pad while the other and overlying boundary portion 29b extends beyond its corresponding side 22 to form a lateral extension of the assembled pad (FIG. 3). Because of the interengagement of the slits 24 one overlying boundary portion 29b extends from one side of the pad 15 while another boundary portion 29c extends from the other side of the pad at the opposite end thereof (FIGS. 2 and 3). At the same time an edge portion 29d of blank 18 (FIG. 2) when the blank is formed into a pad 15, has its edge received in the folded crease forming a corner between the base 21 and its adjacent side portion 22 at the far left-hand end of FIG. 3 which is not shown in detail. Although only a single pair of interengaging slits 24 have been illustrated it is of course obvious that more than one pair may be provided as desired. In all cases, however, the overlapping at the top of the assembled pad will be staggered as illustrated in FIG. 3.
In the illustrated embodiment the base 21 in the erected pad is wider than the top 28 of the pad and the slits 24 have the inner enlargements 25 to provide locking tabs 25c and 25d at about the center of the pad top 28. In this embodiment the blank 18 is approximately 291/2 inches long, and the distance from the right-hand edge as shown in FIG. 2 to slit 24 is approximately 151/4 inches on the upper edge of the blank 18, and approximately 141/4 inches on the lower edge of the blank, resulting in approximate linear alignment of the slits 24. Of course, the dimensions are related to the size of the shipping container and would be adjusted accordingly if the pads of the invention were used in conjunction with a shipping container of a different size. With the illustrated arrangement the sides 22 of the pad 15 as illustrated in FIG. 3 are sloped upwardly and inwardly from the base 21 to the top 28 at substantially equal angles which impart considerable compressive strength to the pad. Under compression load conditions, the inward slope of the pad sides 22 will cause the sides 22 to move inwardly until the edge or boundary portions 29a and 29d are tight into the folded crease portions of the pad as indicated at 29h in FIG. 3 thus to control compression and support the load.
As is apparent, the top 28 of each pad has a double thickness of paperboard throughout its length and width formed by the overlapping portions 23. Because of this and because of the angled arrangement of the sides and interengagement of the slits 24 the pad is very resistant to collapse under a compressive force. However, even if such collapse does occur there will still be three thicknesses of paperboard protecting the packaged article. Furthermore, the collapse of the pad would be obvious from examination of the container signaling that no further loading should take place. In contrast, a solid pad, if used instead of pad 15, would tend to crush the merchandise under overload conditions without evidence of such overload, possibly resulting in delivery of damaged merchandise.
In FIG. 1 there is illustrated the placing of the pads 15 and 16 of this invention on the top surface 14 of the box 10. As shown in FIG. 5 the pads such as pad 15 extend the full width of shipping container 9 and thus reinforce and support the container side walls 9a and 9b to facilitate squeeze lifting of the container through resistance to crush in this direction from the squeeze lift equipment. In addition, the flute direction of the corrugations of the corrugated board forming the blank 18 is parallel to the opposite side edges of the blank as shown at 18 a in FIG. 2 and thus the pads 15 have greater strength lengthwise for improved resistance to crushing under a squeezing force applied to the ends of the pad.
It is of course evident that similar pads can be used where feasible between the sides of box 10 and the inner sides of the enclosing packing container 9 in lieu of elements 13.
Having described my invention as related to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the appended claims.