US3223234A

US3223234A - End support for fragile tubular articles

Info

Publication number: US3223234A
Application number: US429420A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hugh R Weiss
Original assignee: PANTASOTA CO
Current assignee: PANTASOTA CO
Priority date: 1965-02-01
Filing date: 1965-02-01
Publication date: 1965-12-14
Anticipated expiration: 1982-12-14

Description

Dec. 14, 1965 H. R. wElss 3,223,234

END SUPPORT FOR FRGILE TUBULAR ARTICLES Filed Feb. l, 1965 2 SheetS-Shee, 1

5 1;-- 4 INVENTOR i7 Hugh R.Weis5 BY7c ,Zmuw

ATTORNEYS Dec. 14, 1965 H, R, wElss 3,223,234

END SUPPORT FDR FRAGILE TUBULAR ARTICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. l, 1965 l h i lll* in l INVENTOR Hugh, R. We iss ATTORNEYS United States Patent Olce 3,223,234 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 3,223,234 END SUPPORT FOR FRAGILE TUBULAR ARTICLES Hugh R. Weiss, Montclair, NJ., assignor to The Pantasota Company, Passaic, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Feb. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 429,420 12 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) The present invention relates to shipping containers for fragile tubular articles, such as fluorescent tubes, and more particularly to cushioned receptacles which are vacuum molded from thin sheets of plastic and constructed to receive a series of glass tubes and to protect them against damage in the shipping carton.

Heretofore, relatively thick preformed protective paperboard trays have been employed for shipping iiuorescent tubes in paperboard cartons or the like and have been shaped to t or support the cyiindrical outer surface of the tubes as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 3,163,312. In spite of the use of these protective trays, a considerable number of tubes have been broken in shiping particularly when the cartons were dropped on edge.

It has now been discovered that damage to fluorescent tubes during shipping can be reduced by mounting the opposite ends of the tubes on one-piece vacuum-formed end pads or receptacles formed of thin plastic sheets and having corrugated walls and recesses shaped to lit the tubes. The end walls of the recesses at the ends of the uorescent tubes limit the axial movement but can yield somewhat to cushion shocks, and the corrugated side wall which engages the interior surface of the end wall of the shipping carton is inclined to permit substantial axial cushioning movement. This side wall is sufficiently strong to provide an eifective cushioning means while at the same time centering the iiuorescent tube in the carton. The thin walls of the tube-receiving recesses which form the sides of the partitions are preferably corrugated to provide strength and to permit stacking by placing the end pads in engagement with an underlying row of fluorescent tubes. This makes possible stacking as many as four rows of tubes with only five rows of plastic end pads at each end of the shipping carton (the uppermost pad being inverted to protect the uppermost tubes). When the tubes are long, adequate support and protection is provided using as auxiliary center supports similar plastic receptacles which are open at both sides.

An object of the present invention is to minimize damage to uorescent tubes or other fragile tubular articles during shipping.

A further object of the invention is to reduce the weight of protective holders in shipping containers to facilitate handling.

A still further object of the invention is to provide improved protective receptacles for fragile articles which can be mass produced at minimum cost.

Other objects, uses and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and claims and from the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational View on a reduced scale with parts broken away and shown in section illustrating the shipping container assembly of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 and on a larger scale;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of one of the end pads used in the assembly of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational View of the pad of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the pad of FIGURE 4, on a larger scale;

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal sectional View of the pad taken substantially on the line 6 6 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a transverse sectional View of the pad taken on the line 7 7 of FIGURE 3 which further shows the carton of FIGURES l and 2, the fluorescent tube being shown in dot-dash lines;

FIGURE 8 is a top plan View of the central tray used to support the central portion of each tube in the assembly of FIGURE 1, the repeating design of central portion being omitted;

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational View of the central tray of FIGURE 8; and

FIGURE 10 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of FIGURE 9.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES l to 9 of the drawings, which are drawn substantially to scale, there is shown a paperboard shipping carton A having top and bottom rectangular walls 1 and 2, parallel rectangular side walls 3, and rectangular end walls 4 perpendicular to the walls 3 and having flat rectangular interior surfaces 5.

Packed within the carton A are several rows of conventional fluorescent tubes a, the carton shown herein being constructed to receive 24 tubes each having a length somewhat less than the distances between the interior surfaces 5. Each fluorescent tube a has an exteriorly cylindrical glass tube 7 and a pair of metal end caps 8 having a pair of spaced prongs 9 to provide the electrical connections. The 24 uorescent tubes are supported in four parallel rows in the carton A with each tubes in horizontal alignment with iive other tubes and in vertical alignment with three other tubes as shown in FIGURE 2. The necessary support is provided by ten plastic end pads 1t), and tive plastic central pads 11, which are similar to the end pads but are open at both sides.

The end pad 1t) is a vacuum formed as an elongated one-piece receptacle from a thin rectangular resinous material which is preferably a thermoplastic material such as polyvinylchloride, a copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate, or various other vinyl resins. The shape of the end pad 10 may vary considerably, but it is preferable to provide generally semi-cylindrical corrugated articlereceiving recesses or pockets and a corrugated side wall generally as shown in FIGURES 3 to 7 of the drawings, which are drawn to scale to facilitate an understanding of the invention. The structure of each pad 10 will be apparent from the drawings. Each pad has straight

parallel side edges

13 and 14 and

parallel end edges

15 and 16 perpendicular to the side edges and located substantially in the same plane, it being understood, of course, that the edges will become deformed somewhat after being cut. Each pad 1t) has a series of tube-receiving recesses or pockets 17 of generally cylindrical shape and a semicircular cross section, the recesses being bounded by a series of upright separator ribs or partitions 18 and end partitions 19 and 2t), the latter partitions being preferably provided with arcuate notches 21 to facilitate removal of the fluorescent tubes. The end pad usually has at least four recesses 17 and preferably has five to ten of such recesses, whereby the pad has a length at least several 3 times its width and preferably three to eight times its width.

The partitions 18 have corrugated side walls 22 at the sides of the recess 17, and the bottom wall portion 23 of that recess is provided with similar corrugations which are continuations of the corrugations of the wall 22, the corrugations at 22 and 23 being regularly spaced along the length of each recess 17 as shown in the drawings. Thus, the rounded convex portions 24 of the corrugations have a convex shape as shown in FIGURE 7 and have a radius as shown in FIGURE 6 substantially the same as the radius of the glass tubes 7 so as to fit the tubes and provide a good support therefor. The corrugations not only strengthen the walls of the recess 17 but also assist in holding the glass tube 7 away from the underlying glass tube which engages the bottom of the end pad. This makes it possible to pack the fluorescent tubes as shown in FIGURE 2, using only the pads 10 and 11 between one row of fluorescent tubes and the underlying row. In order to further protect the tubes and to further reinforce the bottom wall portion 23 of each recess 17, it is preferable to provide an intermediate projection having a straight top edge at its center fold and a generally lenticular margin as viewed from the top. Each of the projections 25 is located midway between the adjacent convex portions 24 of the corrugations at the center of the groove.

An upright generally at end wall 35 is provided at the end of each recess 17 for engaging the end of the fluorescent tube a as indicated in FIGURE 7 to center the tube in the carton A while limiting axial movement thereof. The end walls 35 are preferably located substantially in a plane parallel to the

edges

13 and 14, and said end walls are preferably inclined somewhat to facilitate entry of the cap 8 and to provide a more effective cushioning action.

The end of each recess 17 remote from the wall 35 is open, and the partitions 18 are provided with upright end walls 26 having rounded portions 27 at the corners of the partitions as shown in FIGURE 7. The top surface 28 of each partition preferably is located a distance from the bottom portions 23 equal to the radius of the part 24 and the radius of the tube 7, but said surface 28 need not be parallel to the plane containing the

edges

13 and 14. As herein shown, the surface 28 is inclined downwardly from the rounded portion 27 so that notches 29 can be provided at the top of the elongated upright side wall 30 of the pad. Said side wall preferably has a maximum height corresponding to the height of the

partitions

18, 19 and 20 so that the upper surface of the pad below the uppermost row 0f fluorescent tubes will engage and support the inverted uppermost pad 11 resting on the top of said row of tubes as shown in FIGURE l. Also, the side wall 30 is preferably provided with regularly spaced corrugations 31 which extend throughout the length of the pad as shown in FIGURE 3. The pad is also provided with

end walls

32 and 33 which are preferably corrugated in the same manner as the side wall 30. The corrugations strengthen the side and end walls and enable them to provide strong supports while also yieldably resisting movement of the fluorescent tubes toward the walls of the shipping carton, thereby cushioning shocks and preventing damage to the tubes as pointed out in more detail hereinafter.

The semicircular end walls 35 may be constructed in various ways and may be substantially rigid, but it is preferable to construct the end pads so that the end walls 35 assist in cushioning shocks. As herein shown, a prongreceiving depression 36 is provided at the top of each wall 35 and has a generally trapezoidal shape as shown in FIGURE 6 and a substantially uniform width as indicated in FIGURE 3. The depression 36 is open `at one end to receive the electrical connectors 9 of the fluorescent tube and is closed at its opposite end by an upright wall 37. A semicircular notch 38 is preferably provided at the top center of each depression 36 in axial alignment with the associated recess 17. A narrow crescent-shaped iin 39 may be provided midway between the ends of the notch 38 as best shown in FIGURES 6 and 7.

Posts

40 and 41 are thus provided on opposite sides of the notches 38 and at the ends of the recesses 17 and similar posts 40 and 4l are provided at the ends of the pad 10. The top surfaces of these various posts are preferably at and located substantially in a plane containing the upper surface of the

partitions

19 and 20 and the uppermost surface of the partitions 18 and parallel to the plane containing the

edges

13 and 14 as seen in FIGURE 7, for example. The posts tend to strengthen the end pad and make it possible to provide adequate support for the tubes even though each pad is made from a plastic sheet having a very small thickness (for example, a thickness of .003 to .0l inch).

The central pads 11 are symmetrical and open at both ends and, therefore, do not have posts similar to those of the pad 10. However, the partitions of the central pads 11 may be generally the same as those of the pad 10 or similar thereto. Thus, each of the central pads 11 could have a cross section generally as indicated in FIGURE 2; however, it will be apparent that the cross section of each tube-receiving recess rnay vary somewhat. As shown in FIGURE 9, the central pad 11 has tube-receiving recesses 47 which are generally trapezoidal but are, nevertheless, shaped to t the cylindrical wall of the tube 7 as shown in dot-dash lines in that figure, the top of each partion 48 being located substantially in a plane containing the axes of the row of tubes. In addition to the intermediate partitions 48, there are

end partitions

49 and 50 having flat exterior walls 53 which form the end walls of the pad 11. The end walls 53 are preferably inclined like the

end walls

32 and 33 so as to perform a cushioning function and may be corrugated like

walls

32 and 33 if desired. The side walls 51 of the partitions 48 to 50 and the bottom portions 52 of the recesses 47 are provided with regularly spaced corrugations throughout the length of the tube-receiving recess, said corrugations preferably being similar to those of the pads 10 but generally straight as in FIG- URE 9 rather than rounded in cross section as in FIG- URE 2. The central pad 11 thus functions generally like the pads 10 and supporting one row of tubes on top of another, the opposite end edges 55 engaging the end side walls 3 of the carton at opposite ends thereof to hold the fluorescent tubes against transverse movement except to the extent that such movement is permitted by deformation of the end walls 53. The marginal edge 54 of the pad 11 is rectangular like that of the pad 10 and the dimensions of said marginal edge may be the same as that of the pad 10, if desired.

It will be noted that the

corrugated end walls

32 and 33 of each tray 10 and the similar end walls 53 of the tray 11 are inclined so that the bottom portions of the end walls engage the side walls of the box and the upper portions are normally .spaced from the side walls a small fraction of an inch. Thus each of the

end walls

32 and 33 is inclined to provide a narrow clearance space 46 and yields under pressure to cushion shocks by moving within the clearance space. This cushioning action is not obtained in the packing elements of Patent No. 3,163,312, for example.

While the cushioning of shocks at the side walls is helpful, even more important is the cushioning of axial shocks which occur, for example, when the shipping carton is dropped on end. The end pads 10 are especially well suited for cushioning such end shocks. As shown in FIG- URE 7, the end edge 13 at the bottom of the pad 10 engages the inner surface 5 of the end wall to center the fluorescent tube a in the carton but the side wall 30 is inclined to provide a narrow clearance space 45 which gradually increases in width in an upward direction, the upper end of wall 30 normally being spaced a small fraction of an inch (i.e., 0.1 to 0.2 inch) from surface 5 and being free to move in the clearance space t0 cushion axial shocks. The bottom of the

wall

32 or 33 is preferably ared outwardly as shown in the drawings, but this is not essential.

The

posts

46 and 41 and the notches 38 tend to reinforce the side of the end pad and to make the side wall 30 function more effectively in holding the fluorescent tubes centered in the carton. Also, the depressions 35 improve the cushioning action of the end walls 3S.

It will be apparent that the size of the end pads 10 may vary considerably. However, they are usually about 10 to l5 inches long and about 2 to 3 inches wide, and each end wall 3S is usually spaced a small fraction of an inch (i.e., 0.2 to 0.5 inch) from the sidewall 3f). Each articlereceiving recess 17 preferably has a length about 2 to 5 times its height, and each of the corrugated portions 24 at the bottom of each recess 17 has its inner and outer surfaces spaced apart a distance several times its thickness to protect the associated fluorescent tube against damage due to pressing against an adjacent tube. As shown herein the vertical distance from a horizontal

plane containing edges

13 and 14 to the tube 7 resting on the corrugated wall portion 23 is around 0.1 inch or so.

The construction shown provides adequate protection for the tubes 7 when they are stacked as shown in FIG- URE 2. The weight of the tubes will, of course, deform the

edges

13 and 14, but there is adequate strength in the wall portions 23 and the marginal portions of the pad 10 to maintain adequate separation of adjacent rows of tubes even when the thickness of the plastic is very small (i.e., .002 to .005 inch). It is thus possible to mass produce the trays 10 and 11 at very low cost using conventional equipment such as shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,902,718 or U.S. Patent No. 3,026,566.

It will be understood that the above description is by way of illustration rather than limitation and that, in accordance with the provisions of the patent laws, variations and modifications of the specific devices shown herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An end pad for locating and protecting fluorescent tubes in a shipping carton comprising an elongated onepiece receptacle formed of a thin generally rectangular sheet of thermoplastic material and having a row of tubeend-receiving recesses dened by a series of regularly spaced narrow transverse partitions, each partition having diverging side walls with corrugations spaced along its length for engaging the cylindrical outer surface of a uorescent tube and an upright end wall at one side of said pad for engaging the end of the tube, one end of each recess being open at said one side and the other end being closed by an upright end wall spaced a small fraction of an inch from the other side oi said pad, and resilient cushioning means for yieldably centering the iluorescent tubes in the carton comprising an inclined side wall at said other side of said pad with vertical corrugations spaced apart along the length of said pad and having a height at least about equal to that of the tube-receiving recesses and having a length many times its height.

2. An end pad as defined in claim 1 wherein the top of said last-named side wall and the upper surfaces of said partitions are located adjacent a plane containing the axes of the fluorescent tubes.

3. An end pad as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said recesses has a semi-circular cross section.

4. A end pad as defined in claim 2. wherein each of said recesses has a length at least about twice the height of said partitions.

5. An end pad as defined in claim 2 wherein a series of depressions are formed at the top of the end pad between the corrugated side wall and the transverse recesses to provide a series of reinforcing posts having their upper surfaces located adjacent said plane.

6. An end pad for a shipping carton containing glass tubes comprising a thin generally rectangular sheet of a synthetic resinous material formed to provide a narrow upright side wall with vertical corrugations spaced apart throughout its length, a pair of corrugated end walls and a row of regularly spaced generally semi-cylindrical recesses separated by a series of narrow corrugated transverse partitions, each with a length at least twice its height, each partition having an end wall at the side of the end pad remote from said side wall forming part of the opposite side of the pad and terminating at upright end walls formed at the ends of the adjacent recesses, said upright end walls being generally in alignment in a direction perpendicular to the tubes and being spaced a small fraction of an inch from said first-named side wall, said side wall being inclined to provide resilient cushioning means for yieldably centering the tubes in the shipping carton.

7. End pads for use in supporting a series of rows of elongated glass tubes in a shipping carton having rectangular side and end walls, each pad comprising an elongated one-piece receptacle formed of a thin sheet of resinous material with a thickness in the neighborhood of .0l inch or less and having a row of recesses of a size to receive said tubes which is defined by narrow transverse partitions with a length substantially less than the width of the end pad, each partition having diverging side walls with corrugations spaced along its length and an upright end wall for engaging the end of one of said tubes to hold it away from the end wall of said carton, each end pad having one side wall with corrugations spaced apart along its length and a bottom edge portion for engaging the end wall of the carton to position the glass tubes in the carton while the upper portion of said side wall is spaced from said end wall, said one side wall providing resilient means for cushioning axial movements of said tubes and for moving in said clearance space in the direction of said tubes during such cushioning.

S. In a shipping carton containing a series of parallel rows of elongated glass tubes and having rectangular top, bottom and side walls and rectangular end walls perpendicular to the tubes and spaced apart a distance greater than the length of the tubes, the combination therewith of a pair of one-piece end pads at the opposite ends of said carton for supporting each row of tubes, each pad comprising an elongated one-piece tray formed of a thin sheet of resinous material and having a row of recesses of a size to receive said tubes, a partition between each pair of recesses having diverging corrugated side walls engaging the periphery of the adjacent tubes, each recess having an upright end wall spaced a small distance from the end wall of the carton and engaging the end portion of the tube in that recess yieldably to center the tube in the carton, each end pad having a corrugated side wall inclined so that the bottom portion thereof engages the end wall of the carton and the upper portion is spaced from said end wall to provide a clearance space, said side wall providing resilient means for cushioning axial movements of said tubes by deforming in said clearance space in response to an axial force exerted by the tubes.

9. The combination defined in claim 8 wherein only one end pad is provided between adjacent rows of tubes at each end of the carton and the uppermost row of tubes is supported by one of the end pads and covered by a simi- Alar end pad in inverted position at each end of the carton.

10. The combination deined in claim 9 wherein the central portion of each tube is supported by a one-piece tray formed of a thin sheet of resinous material with a thickness in the neighborhood of .01 inch or less which is elongated in a direction perpendicular to the tubes, each tray having a series of recesses of a size to receive the tubes and a series of partitions with corrugations spaced along their length for engaging the opposite side portions of each tube.

11. The combination detined in claim 10 wherein the tray has parallel marginal end edges engaging the opposite side walls of the carton and end walls which are inclined to provide narrow clearance spaces that gradually increase in width in an upward direction away from Walls providing resilient means for cushioning shocks'by deforming in said clearance space when subjected to substantial pressure.

'12. The combination defined in claim v8 wherein the Walls of Aeach recess are generally semi-cylindrical and have .regularly spaced corrugations for engaging the tubes around the circumference thereof, the portions of the corrugations at the bottom of the trayhaving generally straight pleats in the -valleys'between the raised portions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/ 1953 Ambrette et al. 229--14 12/1957 Caswell 206-65 1/1962 Agriss et al. 229-14 1/1964 Burket 206-65 X 8/1964 Maize 206-65 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1911 Great Britain.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. AN END PAD FOR LOCATING AND PROTECTING FLUORESCENT TUBES IN A SHIPPING CARTON COMPRISING AN ELONGATED ONEPIECE RECEPTACLE FORMED OF A THIN GENERALLY RECTANGULAR SHEET OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL AND HAVING A ROW OF TUBEEND-RECEIVING RECESSES DEFINED BY A SERIES OF REGULARLY SPACED NARROW TRANSVERSE PARTITIONS, EACH PARTITION HAVING DIVERGING SIDE WALLS WITH CORRUGATIONS SPACED ALONG ITS LENGTH FOR ENGAGING THE CYLINDRICAL OUTER SURFACE OF A FLUORESCENT TUBE AND AN UPRIGHT END WALL AT ONE SIDE OF SAID PAD FOR ENGAGING THE END OF THE TUBE, ONE END OF EACH RECESS BEING OPEN AT SAID ONE SIDE AND THE OTHER END BEING CLOSED BY AN UPRIGHT END WALL SPACED A SMALL FRACTION OF AN INCH FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID PAD, AND RESILIENT CUSHIONING MEANS FOR YIELDABLY CENTERING THE FLUORESCENT TUBES IN THE CARTON COMPRISING AN INCLINED SIDE WALL AT SAID OTHER SIDE OF SAID PAD WITH VERTICAL CORRUGATIONS SPACED APART ALONG THE LENGTH OF SAID PAD AND HAVING A HEIGHT AT LEAST ABOUT EQUAL TO THAT OF THE TUBE-RECEIVING RECESSES AND HAVING A LENGTH MANY TIMES ITS HEIGHT.