Shipping container, system and packing method, along with reusable packing accessory for use therewith

Abstract

A reusable shipping system comprises a closable shipping container and a packing ensemble disposed in the container's interior which includes an expandable cushioning assembly and at least one reusable packing accessory. The expandable cushioning assembly may be a layered arrangement having at least one foam layer and an inflatable bladder, while the packing accessory may be one or more cushioned bags or the like. Methods are also described for preparing a shipping container having a padded interior and a layered cushioning assembly. One or more items are inserted into the shipping container, and its cushioning assembly is thereafter expanded, for example by inflating a bladder, to compress the container's padded interior against the item(s).

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 665,762 which is the U.S. National Stage Application under 35 U.S.C. 371 of International Application No. PCT / US2005 / 009400, which is the non provisional of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 554,559 filed Mar. 18, 2004, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention is broadly directed to containers. Particularly, the present invention is directed to shipping containers useful for transporting parcels between senders and recipients. More specifically, the present invention is directed to reusable shipping containers suitable for shipping expensive or fragile item(s) that may comprise separate parts or components.[0003]There are a wide variety of containers useful for holding, storing, and shipping goods. Such containers include a large variety of tote containers, cartons, and boxes...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]To address the above needs, provided is a reusable shipping container adapted to receive one or more items for shipment from a sender to an intended recipient. The reusable shipping container is capable of withstanding the rigors associated with shipping parcels in commerce, particularly when the shipping items are fragile or expensive. Advantageously, the shipping container may be packed with usable cushioning materials to accommodate the contents of varying configurations. The ability to manipulate the reusable cushioning materials to conform, as needed, to the dimensions of the selected contents permits the size of the shipping container to be standardized, if the industry so desires. Further, if desired, customized packing solutions, which are beginning to be used with some frequency, can be modified as described herein so as to be used with the reusable cushioning materials to ensure that the items are packed in a manner to reduce the risk of damage or loss of the product.

Problems solved by technology

There are several noteworthy deficiencies associated with the shipping industry's use of one-time use only cartons.

First, since the cartons are not constructed of a rigid material, such as corrugated plastic or sheet metal, shippers have been conditioned to excessively cushion items to protect them during shipping.

Such excessive packaging leads to increased packing costs and an inefficient use of the parcel carrier's space.

Wasted space reduces the volume of shipping capacity of carriers, be it air transport or land-based transport, such as trucks.

Second, there is a substantial time investment in packaging that results from the need to carefully pack and seal the paperboard carton and prepare the shipping documents for the same.

Third, in addition to the problem of cost, packing waste is one of the leading contributors to landfill waste today.

The detriment to the environment is only expected to worsen with the continued rise in internet-driven commerce.

Unfortunately, the use of conventional tote boxes, with few exceptions, has not easily translated into a viable use for the shipping industry, due perhaps to various drawbacks associated with their construction.

Depending upon their construction, the hand hold opening may permit intrusion of dirt, dust or even water into the interior of the tote box, which may harm or otherwise destroy the shipping item.

Yet another deficiency inherent in the design of the conventional tote box is its inability to efficiently adapt for use with items of varying sizes and dimensions.

For example, conventional tote boxes used to package items with conventional cushioning materials, such as those identified above, may result in excessive use of cushioning materials for relatively small items or, perhaps even worse, an insufficient amount of cushioning materials resulting in empty space.

Empty space within a rigid container would permit the item to shift therein possibly resulting in damage to the item or its loss altogether.

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