Protective bulk pack container for ice cream cones

Claim 1

A protective bulk pack container for ice cream cones, comprising: a plurality of stacks of nested ice cream cones, each of said cones being of substantially identical outside diameter; a first protective body formed of a semi-rigid and resilient plastic foam material, said first protective body defining a plurality of cylindrical cone-receiving passageways extending the height thereof, so as to define openings in the top surface and the bottom surface thereof, each of said passageways in said first protective body being of such a diameter as to yieldingly receive one of said plurality of stacks of nested ice cream cones without causing damage to any of said cones but to suspend each of said cones within said stack within said passageway, thereby preventing any lateral movement thereof; a second protective body formed of a semi-rigid and resilient plastic foam material, said second protective body defining a plurality of cylindrical cone-receiving passageways extending the height thereof, so as to define openings in the top surface and bottom surface thereof, each of said passageways in said second protective body being of a diameter substantially equal to that of said passageways in said first protective body, said second protective body being configured for placement on top of said first protective body so as to align said passageways of said second protective body with said passageways of said first protective body; a top cover member disposed on the top surface of said second protective body, said top cover member being formed of a rigid and resilient plastic foam, and dimensioned to cover each of said plurality of openings defined in said top surface of said second protective body; a bottom cover member disposed on the bottom surface of said first protective body, said bottom cover member being formed of a rigid and resilient plastic foam, and dimensioned to cover each of said plurality of openings defined in said bottom surface of said first protective body; and an external container dimensioned to snugly receive said first protective body, said second protective body, said top cover member and said bottom cover member, whereby insertion of a plurality of nested stacks of ice cream cones into said plurality of cone-receiving passageways in said first protective body and said second protective body provides a casing which envelopes said stacks of cones for shipping and storing and removal of said top cover member and said second protective body provides a container from which the cones may be dispensed.