US4483444A — Packaging system and corner post therefor

Claim 1

Independent Claim 536 words

A packaging system for a product to be protected against vertically directed compressive forces, comprising: a rigid platform having four corners defining a first rectangle with a perimeter of predetermined dimensions, said platform having an upper surface immovably mounted relative to the base of a product to be packaged, said platform having a horizontal cross section larger than that of said product base to define a platform lip outwardly of said product base, a container having horizontal superimposed rectangular top and bottom panels between which are positioned interconnecting vertical side walls defining four interior corners, the interior surfaces of said side walls defining a second rectangle proximate said first rectangle defined by said platform corners when said product is positioned in said container with said platform overlying said bottom panel, at least one of said vertical side walls being locatable outwardly relative to said platform perimeter to provide a gap therebetween, a hollow corner post located proximate each interior corner of said container extending vertically between a plane containing said upper surface of said platform and a plane containing said top panel, each said post having a lower end region adjacent said platform which is provided with (a) an outer vertical wall including a first vertical post wall section locatable adjacent said interior surface of said container side walls in the region of its respectively associated interior corner, and a second vertical post wall section inwardly spaced from said first vertical post wall section and in noncontacting relation to said interior surface of said container side walls when said first vertical post wall section is in contact with said interior surface of said container side walls, said second post wall section constituting a substantial fractional portion of said outer wall, and (b) an inner vertical post wall spaced from and rigidly connected to said outer post wall and locatable adjacent the respectively associated vertical corner of said product when said product is located on said platform within said container overlying said bottom panel, said inner post wall and said first and second post wall sections of said outer wall of said corner posts each being locatable to overlie said platform lip within said predetermined platform perimeter when said platform lip is at least equal to the overall thickness of said post defined by said spaced inner and outer vertical walls to distribute compressive forces applied to said posts via said top and bottom panels over the entire cross section of said posts, said inner post wall and said second post wall section of said outer post wall being locatable to overlie said platform lip within said predetermined platform perimeter when said platform perimeter is located between vertical planes containing said first and second sections of said outer post wall to distribute compressive forces applied to said post via said top and bottom panels over both said second section of said outer post wall and said inner post wall, whereby the resistance of each said post to compressive forces is not substantially reduced when said first section of said outer post wall extends outwardly beyond said predetermined rectangular perimeter defined by said platform corners to overhang said platform perimeter above said gap unsupported by said platform lip.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 536 words

A packaging system for a product to be protected against vertically directed compressive forces, comprising: a rigid platform having four corners defining a first rectangle with a perimeter of predetermined dimensions, said platform having an upper surface immovably mounted relative to the base of a product to be packaged, said platform having a horizontal cross section larger than that of said product base to define a platform lip outwardly of said product base, a container having horizontal superimposed rectangular top and bottom panels between which are positioned interconnecting vertical side walls defining four interior corners, the interior surfaces of said side walls defining a second rectangle proximate said first rectangle defined by said platform corners when said product is positioned in said container with said platform overlying said bottom panel, at least one of said vertical side walls being locatable outwardly relative to said platform perimeter to provide a gap therebetween, a hollow corner post located proximate each interior corner of said container extending vertically between a plane containing said upper surface of said platform and a plane containing said top panel, each said post having a lower end region adjacent said platform which is provided with (a) an outer vertical wall including a first vertical post wall section locatable adjacent said interior surface of said container side walls in the region of its respectively associated interior corner, and a second vertical post wall section inwardly spaced from said first vertical post wall section and in noncontacting relation to said interior surface of said container side walls when said first vertical post wall section is in contact with said interior surface of said container side walls, said second post wall section constituting a substantial fractional portion of said outer wall, and (b) an inner vertical post wall spaced from and rigidly connected to said outer post wall and locatable adjacent the respectively associated vertical corner of said product when said product is located on said platform within said container overlying said bottom panel, said inner post wall and said first and second post wall sections of said outer wall of said corner posts each being locatable to overlie said platform lip within said predetermined platform perimeter when said platform lip is at least equal to the overall thickness of said post defined by said spaced inner and outer vertical walls to distribute compressive forces applied to said posts via said top and bottom panels over the entire cross section of said posts, said inner post wall and said second post wall section of said outer post wall being locatable to overlie said platform lip within said predetermined platform perimeter when said platform perimeter is located between vertical planes containing said first and second sections of said outer post wall to distribute compressive forces applied to said post via said top and bottom panels over both said second section of said outer post wall and said inner post wall, whereby the resistance of each said post to compressive forces is not substantially reduced when said first section of said outer post wall extends outwardly beyond said predetermined rectangular perimeter defined by said platform corners to overhang said platform perimeter above said gap unsupported by said platform lip.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 65 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said corner post includes an elongated flattened tube fabricated of convolutely wound fiber-containing sheet material in which the fiber direction is predominantly longitudinal and the convolutions are bonded together with a hardenable bonding material, and wherein said second section of said outer wall is included in a first vertical, longitudinally-directed indentation extending substantially the entire length of the tube.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 45 words

The system of claim 2 wherein said inner wall of said tube includes a second vertical, longitudinally-directed indentation having an inner surface proximate and adapted to contact the inner surface of said outer wall when said corner begins to buckle under compressive forces applied thereto.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 16 words

The system of claim 3 wherein said first and second indentations are aligned with each other.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 33 words

The system of claim 2 wherein said first indentation divides said flattened tube into plural longitudinally-directed subsections interconnected by web-defining portions of said inner and outer post walls located between said tubular subsections.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 216 words

A packaging system for an appliance or the like, comprising: a planar bottom board fastenable to the base of the appliance and dimensioned and configured relative thereto to provide a horizontal lip which projects outwardly beyond the perimeter of an appliance base, a container sleeve surrounding the perimeter of the bottom board and locatable outwardly relative thereto to provide a gap between the bottom board perimeter and the interior of the container sleeve, and at least one vertically disposed tubular post sandwiched between each appliance wall and the associated sleeve wall and overlying and supported by the lip of the bottom board, said post having a lower end region adjacent said bottom board which is provided with (a) an outer wall section disposed proximate the sleeve and (b) an inner wall section disposed proximate the appliance wall, said outer wall section having throughout substantially its entire length, a vertically disposed indentation which extends horizontally over a substantial circumferential portion of said outer wall section, said indentation leaving a remaining fractional zone of said outer wall section, said indentation in said outer wall section overlying and being supported by said bottom board lip when said remaining fractional zone of said outer wall section overhangs said bottom board perimeter above said gap unsupported by said bottom board lip.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 216 words

A packaging system for an appliance or the like, comprising: a planar bottom board fastenable to the base of the appliance and dimensioned and configured relative thereto to provide a horizontal lip which projects outwardly beyond the perimeter of an appliance base, a container sleeve surrounding the perimeter of the bottom board and locatable outwardly relative thereto to provide a gap between the bottom board perimeter and the interior of the container sleeve, and at least one vertically disposed tubular post sandwiched between each appliance wall and the associated sleeve wall and overlying and supported by the lip of the bottom board, said post having a lower end region adjacent said bottom board which is provided with (a) an outer wall section disposed proximate the sleeve and (b) an inner wall section disposed proximate the appliance wall, said outer wall section having throughout substantially its entire length, a vertically disposed indentation which extends horizontally over a substantial circumferential portion of said outer wall section, said indentation leaving a remaining fractional zone of said outer wall section, said indentation in said outer wall section overlying and being supported by said bottom board lip when said remaining fractional zone of said outer wall section overhangs said bottom board perimeter above said gap unsupported by said bottom board lip.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 87 words

The system of claim 6 wherein said post is a corner post having a pair of angled tubular sections to enable said inner tube wall thereof to snugly embrace an associated outer vertical corner of an appliance, and wherein said vertically disposed indentation is provided in each said angled tubular section along substantially the entire length thereof, effectively dividing said tubular corner post throughout substantially its entire length into at least three longitudinally-directed tubular subsections to enhance the resistance of said tubular corner post to compressive forces.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 47 words

The system of claim 7 wherein said inner wall of each said angled tube section includes a vertical, longitudinally-directed indentation having an inner surface proximate and adapted to contact the inner surface of said outer wall when said corner begins to buckle under compressive forces applied thereto.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 19 words

The system of claim 8 wherein said indentations in said inner and outer walls are aligned with each other.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1987-11-20	1988-05-21	1988-11-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1991-11-20	1992-05-21	1992-11-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1995-11-20	1996-05-21	1996-11-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Packaging system and corner post therefor

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag