GB2339190A

GB2339190A - Protective packaging

Info

Publication number: GB2339190A
Application number: GB9814575A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey Auban Walker
Original assignee: Wetcover Ltd
Current assignee: Wetcover Ltd
Priority date: 1998-07-07
Filing date: 1998-07-07
Publication date: 2000-01-19
Also published as: GB9814575D0

Description

2339190

DESCRIPTION PROTECTIVE PACKAGING

The present invention relates to protective packaging and in particular, but not exclusively, to protective packaging for enclosing fragile articles of a relatively flat or planar nature, such as VDU screens.

The popularity of VDU screens has increased greatly over recent years, primarily as a result of stricter regulations regarding the levels of emissions from VDUs.

Such VDU screens are relatively fragile since they normally include a coated glass or laminated glass window. Thus, problems can arise when sending such products by mail. Although it is possible to wrap the screens in protective packauina such as "bubble wrap", it has been found that the screen can still move to such an extent that it can become damaged during transit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a protective packaging which holds such articles firmly to prevent substantial movement whilst protecting the articles from impact, thereby protecting the articles during transit.

In accordance with the present invention, a protective packaging comprises a base, and a lid releasably positionable on the base, each of the base and lid comprising a plurality of inwardly-directed projections for engagement with a respective one of two opposite surfaces of an enclosed article when the lid is located in a closed position on the base, the heights of the inwardly directed projections on the base and the lid being arranged to define a gap corresponding to the thickness of the article when the lid is in the closed position.

By arranging for the spacing between the projections to correspond to the thickness of the article to be protected the article can be held firmly within the packaging.

In one embodiment, the projections on the base project to substantially the same, first level and the projections on the lid project to substantially the same, second level, the first and second levels being spaced apart from each other.

Preferably, the projections on the lid and the base are offset with respect to one another such that the projections of one of the lid and base lie between the projections of the other of the lid and base when the lid is in position on the base. This reduces or eliminates the tendency for an article to be squeezed when a force is applied to the base or lid.

The projections preferably comprise elongate upstanding ribs. The ends of the ribs are preferably spaced from the adjacent wall of the base or lid in order to reduce the transfer of an external impact to the ribs and thereby to the article within the packaging.

The base and/or lid may additionally be shaped to accommodate a particular article to be protected.

The base and/or lid may comprise resilient material. For example the base and/or lid may comprise moulded expanded polystyrene. Although the shape of the base and lid will probably correspond broadly to the shape of an article to be protected, in one embodiment the base and lid are preferably generally rectangular.

By way of example only, a specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Z:

Fig. I is a perspective view of an embodiment of protective packaging in accordance with the present invention, showing a lid portion removed from a base portion; Fig. 2 is a perspective view from below of the protective packaging shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the protective packaging shown in Fig. 1, enclosing a VDU screen; Fig. 4 is a cross-section through the protective packaging of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a cross-section through the protective packaging of Fig. I in the closed position.

Referring to the Figures, a protective packaging comprises a generally rectangular base 10 and a generally rectangular lid 12 removably engageable with the base to form a hollow, cuboidal packaging article. The base and Ed are moulded from expanded polystyrene.

The base 10 comprises a planar lower wall 14, upstanding parallel elongate side walls 16 extending perpendicularly from the base and upstanding parallel elongate end walls 18 extending perpendicularly to the base 12 and the side walls 14, The base is generally hollow but is provided with four parallel transversely extending ribs 20 projecting from the inner face of the lower wall 12 of the base. In the embodiment described, the uppermost face 22 of the ribs is flat and lies parallel to the lowermost wall 12 of the base. Moreover, the uppermost face 22 of each of the ribs is at the same level and is above the level of the periphery of the base, whereby the ribs project from the base. The internal face of the base 12 is also provided with an elongate step 24 arranged parallel to the side walls 16 so that the portion 25 adjacent to one of the side walls 14 is at a lower level than the remainder, to accommodate a particular type of VDU screen as will be described later. It will also be observed that the ribs 20 do not extend across the whole width of the base but that gaps 26, 28 exist between the ends of the ribs and the respective inner faces of the side walls 14.

The upper periphery of the base is also stepped to provide a peripheral recess 30 which receives a portion of the lid as will be explained later.

The lid is also generally rectangular in shape and comprises a planar upper wall 32, two elongate parallel side walls 34 extending perpendicularly to the upper wall 32 and two elongate, parallel end walls 36 extending perpendicularly to the side walls 34 and the upper wall 32.

As best seen in Fig. 2, the inner face of the lid is provided with three transversely-extending parallel ribs 38. As for the base, the ribs do not extend across the whole width of the lid and gaps 40,42 exist between the end of the ribs 38 and the respective side walls 34. However, the height of the ribs 38 is such that they lie within the lid, that is below the level of the periphery of the base.

The reaions between adjacent ribs 38 and the regions between the outermost ribs 38 and the respective adjacent end wall 32 are also formed into recesses 48,50 of rectangular shape with rounded comers. 'Me lower periphery of the lid 12 is stepped to provide a recess 54 thereby forming an upstanding peripheral lip 56 which, in use, is received in the peripheral recess 30 of the base.

The lid is removably disposable on the base and, as best seen in Fig. 4, when the lid is in position on the base, the ribs 38 of the lid lie in between and interspersed with the ribs 20 of the base. Moreover, when the lid is located on the base with the upstanding peripheral rib 50 of the lid seated in the upstanding peripheral recess 30 of the base it will be observed that the level of the lowermost face of the ribs 38 on the lid is spaced from the level of the uppermost face of the ribs 20 projecting upwardly from the base, whereby a gap X exists between the two levels.

In use, a VDU screen 58 to be protected during transport is placed on to the base such that its inner face lies on the upstanding ribs 20 of the base 10, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The lid 12 is then placed onto the base and the relative dimensions of the lid and base (and in particular the heights of the respective ribs 20, 38) are chosen such that the spacing between the levels of the ribs on the base and the lid when the lid is in position corresponds to the thickness of the VDU screen. In this way, when the lid 12 is in position on the base 10 the VDU screen 58 is held firmly in several positions but is not squeezed between opposed portions on the lid and base.

It will also be observed that the recess 22 adjacent to one of the side walls 14 of the base accommodates a side flange 60 extending from one end of each of the side faces of the VDU screen.

The gaps 26,28 between the ends of the ribs 20 of the base and the side walls 14 and the gaps 40,42 between the ends of the ribs 38 of the lid and the side wall 34 assist in the protection of the VDU screen. If the side walls of the -6container are subjected to an impact, there is less likelihood of the impact being transmitted to the VDU screen. Similarly the ribs 20 and 38 on the base and the lid are spaced from their respective end walls, providing similar resistance to impacts.

The engagement of the VDU screen by a plurality of ribs at spaced apart location also reduces the likelihood of impacts being transferred to the VDU screen and allows slight readjustment of the screen while still holding it firmly. The fact that the ribs of the base and the lid are interspersed with one another also reduces the likelihood of the screen being squeezed if the lower wall 14 of the base or the upper wall of the lid is subjected to an impact.

Once the lid is in position on the base it may be secured in position by adhesive tape or the like and the screen may then be safely transported.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment.

Claims

-7CLAIMS

1 A protective packaging comprising a base and a lid releasably positionable on the base, each of the base and lid comprising an inwardlydirected projection for engagement with a respective one of two opposite surfaces of an enclosed article when the lid is located in a closed position on the base, the heights of the inwardly-directed projections on the base and the lid being arranged to define a gap corresponding to the thickness of the article when the lid is in the closed position.

2. A protective packaging as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base comprises a plurality of inwardly-directed projections.

3. A protective packaging as claimed in claim 2, wherein the projections on the base project to substantially the same, first level.

4. A protective packaging as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the lid comprises a plurality of inwardly-directed projections.

5. A protective packaging as claimed in claim 4, wherein the projections on the lid project to substantially the same, second level.

6. A protective packaging as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 when appendant to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the projections on the base project to substantially the same, first level and the projections on the lid project to substantially the same, second level, the first and second levels being spaced apart from each other.

7. A protective packaging as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the projections on the lid and on the base are offset with respect to one another.

8. A protecting packaging as claimed in claim 7 when appendant to any of claims 2 to 6, wherein a projection of one of the lid and base lies between projections of the other of the lid and base when the lid is in position on the base.

9. A protective packaging as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the projections comprise elongate upstanding ribs.

10. A protective packaging as claimed in claim 9, wherein the base and/or lid comprises a wall positioned at a peripheral edge and wherein the edge of the tD ribs are spaced from the wall.

I L A protective packaging as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the portions of the projections for engagement with an article to be enclosed are substantially planar.

12. A protective packaging as claimed in claim 11, wherein the projections of the base and/or lid project from a planar wall and wherein the engagement surface of the projections is parallel to the wall from which the projections project.

13. A protective packaging as claimed in any of claims 11 and 12, wherein the planar engagement surface of the projections on the base are parallel with the planar engagement portions of the projections on the lid when the lid is positioned on the base.

14. A protective packaging as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising one or more projections which do not project above the level of the portion from which they extend.

15. A protective packaging as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising one or more projections projecting above the height of the portion from which they extend.

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16. A protective packaging as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the base and/or lid comprises resiliently deformable material.

17. A protective packaging as claimed in claim 16, wherein the base and/or lid comprises expanded polystyrene.

18. A protective packaging as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the base and lid are generally rectangular in shape.

19. A protective packaging as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the inner surface of the assembled packaging is shaped to accommodate an article to be protected.

20. A protective packaging substantially as herein described, with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

21. A protective packaging for a VDU screen filter, as claimed in any of the preceding claims.

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