Packaging system for immobilizing objects in a box having a square or rectangular configuration

Abstract

A packaging system for immobilizing one or more objects has a box having a bottom and at least four side walls and a wedge in the form of a sheet. The sheet has a central portion of a polygonal shape that is generally square or rectangular. The central portion has dimensions corresponding to the bottom of the box. The sheet has one or more flaps on each of at least two edges of the central portion. The flaps are attached by an articulation to the central portion so as to allow movement of the flaps to conform against the side walls of the box so as to fasten the wedge on the side walls of the box after the wedge has been pushed down into the box.

Claims

1. A packaging system for immobilizing one or more objects, the packaging system comprising: a box having a bottom and at least four side walls, wherein the one or more objects that are placed in said box form an upper surface opposite to the bottom of said box; and a wedge comprising a sheet having a central portion of a polygonal shape that is generally square or rectangular, said central portion having dimensions corresponding to said bottom of said box, said sheet having one or more flaps on each of at least two edges of said central portion, the one or more flaps attached by an articulation to said central portion so as to allow movement of the one or more flaps to conform against the side walls close that box so as to fasten said wedge on the side walls of said box after said wedge has been pushed down into said box, said central portion having a plurality of grooves of curved or straight segments of folding lines within said central portion to facilitate a deformation of said wedge to conform to a shape of an upper surface, said plurality of grooves terminating at a periphery of said central portion, said plurality of grooves not parallel with edges of said central portion and not all parallel with each other.

2. The packaging system of claim 1, wherein said central portion defines front and rear opposing edges parallel to each other and defines left and right opposing edges perpendicular to the front and rear opposing edges, the front edge being adjacent to and between the left and right opposing edges, the rear edge being between and adjacent the left and right opposing edges, each of at least two edges of said central portion that are adjacent has the one or more flaps attached to said central portion by articulations, each group of said plurality of grooves extending between said at least two edges.

3. The packaging system of claim 2, wherein each of the articulations has a given length and wherein each groove of said plurality of grooves does not terminate within the given length of the articulation.

4. The packaging system of claim 3, wherein each of said plurality of grooves has a first termination point and a second termination point at opposite ends of the groove, the first termination point being at an end of the articulations, the second termination point being at one of the front and rear opposing edges and the left and right opposing edges of said central portion outside the articulation.

5. The packaging system of claim 1, said sheet further comprising parallel flutes, at least some of the articulations being parallel to said flutes, the articulations that are parallel to said flutes comprising a plurality of scores.

6. The packaging system of claim 1, said sheet comprising parallel flutes, said articulations that are parallel to said flutes being preceded and succeeded by straight or curved segments at the periphery of said central portion and adjacent a respective articulation whereby a folding of the one or more flaps is facilitated along the respective articulation.

7. The packaging system of claim 1, said sheet comprising parallel flutes, at least some of the articulations are not parallel to said flutes, the articulations that are not parallel to said flutes are preceded and followed by a curved segment at the periphery of said central portion and adjacent a respective articulation.

8. The packaging system of claim 1, wherein said central portion has scores defining one or more tear tabs that are adapted to provide access through said central portion.

9. The packaging system of claim 8, said scores defining a detachable portion adjacent the one or more tear tabs that is configured to provide access to initiate tearing of the one or more tear tabs.

10. The packaging system of claim 1, said sheet comprising a homogenous non-fluted material, the articulation being preceded and followed by curved segments at the periphery of said central portion and adjacent a respective articulation.

11. The packaging system of claim 1, wherein at least two of the edges of said central portion having one or more flaps that are on opposite sides of said central portion.

12. The packaging system of claim 1, wherein said central portion defines four edges comprising front and rear opposing edges parallel to each other and defines left and right opposing edges perpendicular to the front and rear opposing edges, wherein each of the four edges of said central portion has one or more flaps attached to said central portion by articulations.

13. The packaging system of claim 2, wherein each of said front and rear opposing edges and said left and right opposing edges has one or more flaps attached to said central portion by articulations.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The advantages obtained by this invention will be better understood through the following description which refers to the attached drawings illustrating, without being in any way limiting, a particular implementation of a wedge according to the invention.

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an empty box usable for wedging objects with a wedge according to the invention, shown without its lid.

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a wedging element according to the invention, before use.

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a wedge according to the invention, the flaps of which have been turned down before its insertion in the box to wedge objects.

(5) FIG. 4 is a plan view, with partial removal, of a wedge according to the invention.

(6) FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are detail and plan views of four different zones of a wedge according to the invention.

(7) Reference to said drawings is made to describe an advantageous, although by no means limiting, example of production of a fastening wedge of the objects placed in a box, according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) FIG. 1 shows a type of box 1 which is composed of a bottom 1e and of four side walls 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d, this type of box being in current use for shipping parcels containing various articles of different shapes which, when placed in the box, may present a very uneven upper surface.

(9) According to the example shown, the bottom 1e has a rectangular shape so that the box provided with this bottom has the shape of a parallelepiped rectangle. It is shown that, according to this example, the side walls 1a and 1c are parallel to the width of the box 1 and that the side walls 1b and 1d are parallel to the length of the box 1.

(10) It is emphasized that the bottom and the side walls could have a different shape, for example a square shape or a generally square or rectangular shape with cut angles.

(11) This box 1 may be produced of solid fiber, corrugated board or any other equivalent sheeted material presenting the required qualities of rigidity and folding possibilities.

(12) FIG. 2 shows a wedge produced according to the invention. Said wedge 2 features a central portion 2k of shape and dimensions essentially equivalent to those of the bottom 1e of the box 1, so it can slide without any notable play between the side walls of said box when it is pushed into the latter. Said wedge 2 also features flexible flaps 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, and 2j.

(13) Said wedge 2 may be constituted by a rigid sheet made of rigid and deformable board, corrugated board or of any other equivalent sheeted material identical or not to that of which the boxes are made that are likely to receive such a wedging element.

(14) Shown are the articulations of the flaps constituted by grooves or channels 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, and 3j which connect said flaps to said central portion. Also shows are grooves 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g, 4h, 4i, and 4j that said flaps are equipped with, parallel to said articulations. It is known that said grooves 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g, 4h, 4i, and 4j constitute folding lines which allow reducing the surface of said flaps that is applied against the inside face of said four side walls for the benefit of the surface put into contact with said pile of objects when it is not plane and has therefore a surface larger than that of said central portion 2k.

(15) FIG. 3 shows said wedge 2 made according to the invention, constituted by the central portion 2k and the flexible flaps 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, and 2j. On this figure, said flaps have been turned upward around said articulations 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, and 3j.

(16) Shown are glue lines 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, and 5g, deposited respectively of the outside face of said flaps 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, and 2g, intended to be applied against the side walls of the box, when the wedge element has been pushed into the latter.

(17) It is clear that glue lines or points (not shown) are also deposited on said flaps 2a, 2b, 2h, 2i, and 2j.

(18) It is known that after insertion of said wedge 2 in the box 1, [after] putting said wedge in contact with said pile of objects positioned in said box, and deformation of said wedge 2 to optimally adapt to the shape of the upper face of said pile of objects, said flaps find themselves turned down and flattened against the inside face of the side walls 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d of said box 1.

(19) It is also known that there are means other than gluing to firmly attach said flaps to said side walls, such as stapling, fitting material parts into each other or any other means to obtain an equivalent result.

(20) FIG. 4 also shows said wedge 2 produced according to the invention, and shown in the flat, before folding and raising the peripheral flaps.

(21) One sees the central portion 2k and the flexible flaps 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2li, 2i, and 2j connected to said central portion 2k by means of the articulations 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, and 3j.

(22) According to a first characteristic arrangement of the invention, the central portion 2k of the sheet features a plurality of grooves 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d constituted by curved and straight segments along which the material the sheet is made of, is crushed and its thickness reduced. The two end or each groove 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d end at the periphery or in proximity of the periphery of said central portion 2k of said sheet; on the other hand, the two ends of this groove or of each groove end, preferably, at the end of the articulations 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, and 3j between said flexible flaps and said central portion 2k, or outside of said articulations.

(23) According to the invention, the grooves 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d are not parallel to each other, nor to the sides of the central portion 2k of the sheet 2 (in the case of a central portion of square shape), nor with the long sides of the central portion 2k of the plate 2, nor with the short sides of said central portion (in the case of a central portion of rectangular shape).

(24) According to an advantageous arrangement, the two ends of each groove 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d end on two adjacent sides, respectively 3j-3i-3h 3g-3f; 3g-3f 3e-3d-3c; 3e-3d-3c 3b-3a; 3b-3a 3j-3i-3h, of the central portion 2k of the wedge 2.

(25) The two ends of each groove 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d end at the ends of the articulations 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j between the flexible flaps and the central portion, or outside of said articulations.

(26) Said groove 6a has one end essentially merged with one of the ends of said articulations 3d and 3e of said flaps 2d and 2e and its other end terminates between the ends of said articulations 3f and 3g of said flaps 2f and 2g and away from the ends of two successive articulations. Likewise, said groove 6b has one end which terminates between the ends of said articulations 3f and 3g of said flaps 2f and 2g and away from the ends of said successive articulations and its other end is essentially merged with one of the ends of said articulations 3h and 3i of said flaps 2h and 2i, said groove 6c has one end essentially merged with of the ends of said articulations 3i and 3j of said flaps 2i and 2j and away from the ends of said successive articulations and its other end terminates between the ends of said articulations 3a and 3b of said flaps 2a and 2b, and said groove 6d has one end which terminates between the ends of said articulations 3a and 3b of said flaps 2a and 2b and away from the ends of said successive articulations and its other end essentially merged with one of the ends of said articulations 3c and 3d of said flaps 2c and 2d.

(27) It is understood that the grooves 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d constitute folding lines for said central portion 2k, which facilitate the deformation of said wedge 2 which can assume a large variety of shapes in order to conform optimally to the shape of the upper surface of said pile of objects, in particular when said wedge is made of a sturdy and rigid material.

(28) As indicated previously, the central portion 2k of the sheet could feature channels of diverse shapes adapted to specific articles to be expedited and shipped in the boxes.

(29) One also sees, on FIG. 4, the score 7, in the form of a non-circular ring. This score 7 is constituted by a succession of straight or curved segments along which the material is scored over all or part of its thickness. Said score 7 delimits a closed contour of small surface. One understands that the portion of material included in this closed contour is attached to said central portion 2k but can easily be detached from said central portion 2k by pushing said material in or by tearing it out.

(30) One also sees on FIG. 4 the score groups 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d. One understands that, when the portion of material included in the closed contour delimited by said score 7 has been detached, it is possible to open said central portion 2k, by exerting traction beginning at the opening caused by tearing away the portion of material delimited by the score 7, so as to detach and lift the material tabs 14a, 14b, comprised between the pairs of score 8a, 8b and 8c, 8d, and thereby to open a large part of the central portion 2k, one now has easy access to the articles previously placed in the box.

(31) One also sees, on FIG. 4, the zones A, B, C, and D. These zones of said wedge 2 are shown in greater detail on FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and 8, respectively.

(32) Finally FIG. 4 shows zone E. In the particular presentation mode shown by FIG. 4, the material used for the creation of said wedge 2 consists of corrugated board or another material integrating an undulated sheet. Said zone E shows a peel-away view of said wedge 2 which reveals the flute of said material.

(33) One sees that in the particular presentation mode of FIG. 4, the articulations 3a, 3b, 3f, and 3g are parallel to the flutes 15 of the corrugated board sheet, whereas the articulations 3c, 3d, 3e, 3h, 3i, and 3j are perpendicular to said flutes 15.

(34) FIG. 5 shows in detail zone A of said wedge 2 produced according to the invention. This figure shows the central portion 2k and the flexible flap 2f. FIG. 5 also shows the articulation 3f which connects said flap 2f to said central portion 2k.

(35) It is known that said articulation 3f is parallel to the flute of the material used for the creation of said wedge 2 when it is made of corrugated board, and FIG. 5 also shows that said articulation 3f is constituted by the superposition of a groove 9f and a score 10f, itself constituted by a succession of straight segments along which the material has been scored over all or part of its thickness.

(36) One understands that the articulations 3a, 3b, and 3g, parallel to the flute of the material used for the creation of said wedge 2, are themselves constituted by the superposition of a groove and a score.

(37) FIG. 6 shows in detail zone B of said wedge 2 created according to the invention. FIG. 6 shows the central portion 2k and the flexible flap 2j. FIG. 6 also shows the articulation 3j which connects said flap 2j to said central portion 2k. FIG. 6 also shows the flexible flap 2a and the articulation 3a which connects said flap 2a to said central portion 2k.

(38) FIG. 6 also shows point 11ja which corresponds to one of the angles of the rectangle formed by said central portion 2k in the particular representation mode shown. One sees that said point 11ja is located at the intersection of the straight lines aligned on said articulations 3j and 3a. The same is true with respect to the angles of the rectangle located respectively at the intersection of the straight lines aligned on said articulations 3b and 3c, 3e and 3f, and 3g and 3h.

(39) FIG. 6 also shows the point 3ja which corresponds to one of the two ends of articulation 3j. Then again, one knows that said articulation 3j is perpendicular to the flute of the material used for the creation of said wedge 2.

(40) FIG. 6 also shows the curved segment 13ja which belongs to the periphery of said central portion 2k. The characteristic of said segment 13ja is that it is tangential to the periphery of said flexible flap 2j at point 3ja. One realizes that thanks to this characteristic said articulation 3j is prevented from becoming brittle by the creation of a starting point of a fracture at point 3ja. One understands that other curved segments similar to segment 13ja are likewise tangents to the periphery of said flexible flaps 2c, 2e, and 2h.

(41) FIG. 6 also shows that said articulation 3a is constituted by the superposition of a groove 9a and a score 10a.

(42) FIG. 6 also shows the point 3aj which corresponds to one of the two ends of the articulation 3a.

(43) It should also be remembered that according to one implementation said articulation 3a is parallel to the flute of the material used for the production of said wedge 2.

(44) FIG. 6 also shows the straight segment 12aj which belongs to the periphery of said central portion 2k. A characteristic of said segment 12aj is that it is tangential to said articulation 3a at the point 3aj. It is clear that this characteristic facilitates the folding of said flap 2a along said groove 9a and said score 10a beginning at point 3aj.

(45) It is clear that other straight segments similar to segment 12aj are, likewise, tangential to said articulations 3b, 3f, and 3g.

(46) FIG. 7 shows in detail the zone C of said wedge 2 produced according to another implementation of the invention. This figure shows the central portion 2k and the flexible flap 2a. FIG. 7 also shows the articulation 3a constituted by the superposition of the groove 9a and the score 10a which connects said flap 2a to said central portion 2k. FIG. 7 also shows the flexible flap 2b and the articulation 3b constituted by the superposition of the groove 9b and the score 10b which connects said flap 2b to said central portion 2k.

(47) It should also be remembered that said articulations 3a and 3b are parallel to the flute of the material used for the production of said wedge 2.

(48) FIG. 7 also shows the grooves 6c and 6d made on said central portion 2k and it can be seen that the ends of said grooves 6c and 6d are located in the same zone as the end 3ab of the articulation 3b and as the end 3ba of the articulation 3b, but outside of said articulations.

(49) FIG. 7 also shows the straight segment 12ab which belongs to the periphery of said central portion 2k. The characteristic of said segment 12ab is that it is tangential to said articulation 3b, at point 3ab, and to be also tangential to said articulation 3b, at point 3ba. It is clear that this characteristic facilitates the folding of said flap 2a along said groove 9a and said score 10a, beginning at point 3ab as well as folding of said flap 2b along said groove 9b and said score 10b, beginning at point 3ba.

(50) It is clear that another straight segment similar to segment 12ab is, likewise, tangential to articulations 3f and 3g.

(51) FIG. 8 shows, in detail, the zone D of said wedge 2 produced according to another example of implementation of the invention. This figure shows the central portion 2k and the flexible flap 2h. FIG. 8 also shows the articulation 3h which connects said flap 2h to said central portion 2k. FIG. 8 also shows the flexible flap 2i and the articulation 3i which connects said flap 2i to said central portion 2k.

(52) It should also be remembered that said articulations 3h and 3i are perpendicular to the flute of the material used for the production of said wedge 2.

(53) FIG. 8 also shows the groove 6b made on said central portion 2k and it shows that the end of said groove 6b is situated in the same zone as the end 3hi of the articulation 3h and as the end 3ih of the articulation 3i, but outside of said articulations.

(54) FIG. 8 also shows the curved segment 13 hi which belongs to the periphery of said central portion 2k. It is characteristic of said segment 13hi to be tangential to the periphery of said flexible flap 2h at point 3ih. One realizes that thanks to this characteristic said articulations 3h and 3i are prevented from becoming brittle by the creation of a starting point of a fracture at points 3hi and 3ih.

(55) It is clear that other curved segments similar to segment 13 hi are, likewise, tangential to the periphery of said flexible flaps 2i and 2j, 2c and 2d, and 2d and 2e.