Stackable Foam Corner Protector for Targeted Furniture Shipping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for protecting furniture corners during shipment, such as large plastic bags and oversized corrugated boxes, are costly, inefficient, and generate excessive waste, as they fail to provide targeted protection for unique furniture shapes and sizes, leading to unnecessary wrapping and increased labor costs.
Innovation Solution
The development of a corner protector system comprising flexible polyolefin foam protectors that can be easily adapted to various angles and shapes, which can be shipped flat and quickly assembled into a pyramidal shape for enhanced protection, combined with a cost-effective adhesive for secure attachment to stretch film.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If large plastic bags or bubble wrap are used to protect furniture corners, then protection coverage is improved, but cost and labor requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the furniture surface into specific zones requiring protection (corners and edges) versus zones that do not (flat surfaces, faces). Instead of wrapping the entire furniture piece, corner protectors are applied only to the vulnerable corner regions, reducing material usage and application labor while maintaining effective protection where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner protectors are designed with differentiated properties: a hard outer shell for impact resistance, a foam interior for cushioning, and adhesive backing for secure attachment. This localized application of protective materials with specific properties to specific areas (corners) provides optimal protection without the need for uniform wrapping of the entire furniture piece.
2Reliability
If oversized corrugated boxes are used for furniture protection, then damage protection is improved, but shipping efficiency and environmental impact worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the essential protective function from traditional wrapping methods. Instead of using oversized boxes or full-wrap materials, the corner protectors isolate and protect only the vulnerable corner regions, eliminating excess material usage and reducing environmental waste while maintaining adequate protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner protectors utilize a multi-layer construction with specific material properties: a hard outer shell for structural protection, a foam intermediate layer for shock absorption, and an adhesive layer for secure attachment. This parameter-optimized design provides effective protection with minimal material consumption compared to traditional oversized packaging.
3Area of stationary object
If traditional wrapping methods are used, then comprehensive coverage is improved, but applicability to unique furniture shapes and sizes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The corner protectors are designed to be adaptable to various furniture configurations. The protectors can be applied to different corner geometries and furniture types (tables, desks, shelves, etc.) without requiring custom-sized packaging. This dynamic adaptability allows the same protector design to serve multiple furniture shapes and sizes effectively.
4Strength
If thick plastic poly bags are used for furniture protection, then impact protection is improved, but cost and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The corner protectors employ a composite structure combining a hard outer shell for impact resistance, a foam intermediate layer for cushioning and energy absorption, and an adhesive layer for secure attachment. This composite material approach provides superior impact protection compared to single-material thick plastic bags, while using less total material and reducing cost.
Data Source
AI summary
Corner protectors, including corner protectors for furniture corners, are shown and described. Corner protectors may include, in some examples, a body, a first end including a shoulder, a second end including a cutout, a first side, and a second side. A cutout may include an attachment projection and an attachment receptor. Corner protector sheets may stack for convenient storage, with individual corner protectors removable from the corner protector sheet and each taking on an expanded form to fit around a furniture corner.