Lightweight, shock-absorbing package

Abstract

A lightweight, shock-absorbing package for carrying, shipping or mailing fragile articles is provided that is formed from a relatively stiff substantially flat sheet having front and back faces. The flat sheet has two fold lines disposed proximal to a centerline of the sheet, the fold lines dividing the flat sheet into a first section, a spine section, and a second section. The package includes at least one shock-absorbing resilient member made of lightweight, flexible material and attached proximal to three edges of the back face of the second section, one of the edges being opposite from and two being perpendicular to an edge of the spine section, of sufficient length to completely close the three open edges of a closed rectangular package formed when the flat sheet is folded back along its two fold lines to bring the back face of the first and second sections into a facing arrangement. A package composed of a resilient member that is glued or shrink-wrapped between two flat sheets is also provided.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to a lightweight, shock-absorbing package for shipping or mailing fragile items, and more specifically, to a new configuration for a mailable package which contains an article that must be cushioned so as to sustain certain shock loads that can be expected to occur during transit.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]It is an inescapable fact that the need often arises to mail or otherwise ship fragile articles. There are several reasons for this. The explosive growth of the catalog mail-order business has prompted the shipping of all sorts of delicate, impact-sensitive products from centralized warehouses to consumers' residences. Manufacturing or product development firms also often need to ship fragile items, such as computer chips or other components, from a parts supplier to a final assembly point or to some location where the component can be tested after integration into some larger system. Physicians' offices and medical labor...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]The invention now provides a new and improved lightweight, shock-absorbing package for shipping fragile articles via the postal service. Such a package avoids the use of heavier-stock boxboard and forms a package for shipping fragile articles which is easy and inexpensive to produce and assemble. The size and configuration of the package enables fragile articles to be shipped by the postal service which involves minimum shipping costs due to the size and weight of the shipping package. The invention also relates to a new and improved lightweight, shock-absorbing package for shipping fragile articles which visibly displays the article when the package is sealed.

[0012]One or more shock-absorbing resilient edge members are provided that are preferably fashioned of a solid, flexible foam. This will provide an advantageous shock-absorbing quality when the package undergoes the gyrations and impacts that inevitably occur during shipping. The resilient edge member can be bonded proximally to three edges of the back face of the second section by means of adhesive or fasteners such as staples. The edges are those that are opposite from and perpendicular to the spine section.

Problems solved by technology

It is an inescapable fact that the need often arises to mail or otherwise ship fragile articles.

The explosive growth of the catalog mail-order business has prompted the shipping of all sorts of delicate, impact-sensitive products from centralized warehouses to consumers' residences.

Manufacturing or product development firms also often need to ship fragile items, such as computer chips or other components, from a parts supplier to a final assembly point or to some location where the component can be tested after integration into some larger system.

One disadvantage of the Sparks package is the increased weight that results from the use of the thick boxboard that increases the weight of the shipping container.

The size of the package required to enclose a given volume is also increased by the boxboard's thickness, with the attendant increase in material costs and reduction in the amount of boxes that can be ferried by any particular mode of transportation.

Additional drawbacks of Sparks' use of boxboard includes the increased difficulty in forming the specified cut-outs, creases and flaps in the boxboard, which of course leads to increased production costs.

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