US3302780A

US3302780A - Packaging means

Info

Publication number: US3302780A
Application number: US424917A
Authority: US
Inventors: Massman Jack; Allen Matthew
Original assignee: MASSMAN
Current assignee: MASSMAN
Priority date: 1965-01-12
Filing date: 1965-01-12
Publication date: 1967-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 1984-02-07

Description

Feb. 7, 11967 J. MAssMAN ETAL PACKAGING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 12, 1965 //vv/vTo es JA C/ MAfiE/MAA/ 44,4 7THEW ALLEN By A GENT J. MASSMAN ETAL Feb. 7,, 196? PACKAGING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 12, 1965 5 M m 5 ms A M K c A J 44A 7THEW ALLEN AGE VT United States Patent 3,3tl2,780 PAQKAGHNG MEANS Jack Massman, 807 Qinthia SL, Beverly Hills, Cal f. 90210, and Matthew Allen, Los Angeles, C2llf.; said Allen assi or to said Massman Fiij d Jan. 12, 19565, Ser. No. 424,917 11 Claims. (Cl. Hie-46) This invention relates to packaging means, and more particularly to a packaging container or bag havlng 1mproved means for gaining entrance into and exit from the package so that the package may accommodate large parts or items and particularly those items having irregular configurations.

The present invention is an improvement in packaging means such as is set forth in U.S. Patent 3,138,248 issued June 23, 1964. Such a package has been-found particularly applicable to the packaging of fragile industrlal parts which are especially susceptible to damage occurring from rough handling or accidental dropping of these parts during shipment or storage.

The packaging envelope covered by the aforementioned patent includes an object receiving compartment and a fluid tight compartment which are comprised of flexlble plastic film material inter connected at the edges so that the formed respective compartments define a slit opening for gaining access into the envelope. The prior 1nvention further includes an impact shock absorbing foam cushion which is contained in the envelope within the object receiving compartment for resiliently supporting the object while in transport. Means for introducing a gaseous fluid into the fluid tight compartment are. provided for skin packing the object contained in the object receiving compartment against the foam cushion to thereby render the object immobile within the object receiving compartment.

Difficulties have been encountered when employing packaging mean-s such as is set forth in the aforementioned patent, when attempting to pack the package with a relatively large part or equipment and particularly so when such part or equipment is of irregular configuration or excessively heavy. For example, it is to be noted that the patented package includes a slit-type opening 20 through which an object 22 may be inserted followed by the closing of entrance Ztl by a suitable slide fastener. This opening means has been found to be suitable for parts having a size which is substantially smaller than the length of the slit opening 2! through which the part may be inserted and particularly when the configuration of the part does not offer any particular protrusions, extensions or other irregularities in contour which would make it awkward to be inserted through the entrance to the package. In fact, it has been found to be extremely diflicult if not prohibitive to insert items or equipment such as a typewriter or printed circuit board or the like into the prior art package since the ends of the movable carriage of atypewriter or the sharp protruding pins of a circuit board are prone to snag or catch portions of the envelope as the part is passed through the limited entrance area in the prior art package.

Furthermore, difliculties have also been encountered when installing a cushion layer or a plurality of layers of cushioning material, such as ifOZlIIl for example, into the compartment of the package intended to receive the cushioning means. Again, this difliculty is due largely to the necessity of employing relatively large slabs or layers of cushion material which makes it difiicult to insert through the limited slit type opening as provided for in the prior art package. Generally, the layers or slabs are square so that the corners easily bind on the edges of the opening slit and proper seating of layers or slabs into the specially configured cushion compartment so that the layer corners will be properly accommodated is difiicult. Particularly when packaging production requirements are high, having a single slit-type opening means has been found to be time consuming as well as difficult to pack.

Therefore, it can be seen that the packaging means covered by the aforementioned patent is not suitable for either production manufacturing techniques or for readily packing parts having irregular contours and particularly of large physical size or heavy Weight. In general, the improved packaging means of the present invention comprises a plastic container or bag which has a first fluid tight compartment connected by a flexible hinge to a second compartment for receiving a cushioning material such as represented by a foam composition. A removable partition or wall is'placed on top of the foam for supporting the object. The removable partitionsupports the object when the gaseous fluid is introduced into the fluid tight compartment to skin pack the object against the supporting wall or partition.

By employing the improved packaging means of the present invention, it can be seen that after the proper determination of foam density and thickness, the layer or layers of foam or cushioning material can be placed in position within the cushion receiving compartment followed by the placement of the separate wall or partition on the top of the cushion material and the placement of the object to be transported onto the supporting surface of the separate wall. Inasmuch as the object need only be laid onto the partition, it is not necessary to insert the object past a restrictive or limited opening and to close the object receiving compartment it is necessary only to rotate the fluid tight compartment on its flap hinge to cover the object and to activate the slide fastener around three sides of the package so that the fluid tight compartment is brought into direct operable relationship with the object and the side walls of the foam receiving compartment.

Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved and novel packaging means in which an object to be transported of irregular contour and relatively large physical size may be easily and readily packed.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved packaging means whereby various layers of foam or a contoured layer of cushion material may be readily installed into the package during assembly which avoids the problems of binding contact or interference with other parts of the package.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a packaging means wherein a fluid tight compartment is hingea bly connected on one side to a cushion receiving compartment so that an item or object to be packed may be readily placed in pushion receiving compartment and covered 'by the fluid tight compartment without causing damage to either the item or the packaging means.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved packaging means which includes a fluid tight compartment and a cushion receiving compartment which are hingea'bly connected together and which further includes a removable partition which may be placed on top of the installed cushion for supporting an object against which the fluid compartment may be disposed and held in position by slide fastening means which joins the cushion compartment and the fluid tight compartment to encircle and encase the object and the removable partition.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an improved packaging container embodying the present invention with portions broken away to show the internal construction thereof; and

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view, partially in section, of the packaging container of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the present invention having a modified fluid tight compartment;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged top view of a portion of the packaging means shown in the direction of arrows 4-4 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of still another embodiment of the present invention showing the packaging means of FIGURE 3 incorporating side panels to complete the enclosure of the packed object.

Referring to FIGURES l and 2, a generally rectangular packaging means in accordance with the present invention is shown as indicated by arrow 7 for holding an item or object 12 having a fluid tight compartment illustrated in the general direction of arrow 8 and a cushion compartment illustrated in the general direction of arrow 9. The fluid tight compartment is constituted of walls 10 and 11 which are made of flexible plastic films and are heat sealed at their interconnecting edges to form the fluid tight compartment. Along three sides of the fluid tight compartment, there is provided an edge marginal strip 13 which may be integral with one of the walls of the fluid tight compartment or it may be a separate strip which has been heat sealed, sewn or cemented to the composite fluid tight compartment. Walls 10 and 11 may be made of transparent or pigmented film, as desired. The fluid tight compartment is provided with a suitable means for introducing a gaseous fluid therein, such as a Roberts air valve 14 in wall 10.

The cushion compartment 9 takes the form of an open, box like structure constituted of

parallel side walls

15 and 16 and

parallel end walls

17 and 18 secured along their lower edges to a common bottom 20. The walls and bottom are preferably made of a plastic material, such as vinyl and the junctures of the walls and bottom to provide corners and mating surfaces may be suitably heat sealed at their respective edges to form the compartment. The cushion compartment contains a suitable cushion, such as may be composed of a foam plastic, generally designated by the numeral 21. A single foam cushion may be employed or as shown in the drawings, a sandwich construction of two or more different foam materials may be employed. The foam composition of the cushion may take the form of a polyurethane foam which, being resilient, decreases the deceleration forces encountered by the object 12 upon impact or the foam composition may take the form of a polyethylene layer which serves as a supporting platform for the contents of the package when fluid pressure is applied to the fluid tight compartment. In some instances, even polystyrene may be employed for cushioning or shock absorbing purposes.

It is to be noted that the cushion compartment end wall 18 includes an integral hinge portion 22 which is suitably secured to the end of the composite fluid tight compartment 8 so that the compartment constitutes a flap hingeably connected to the cushion compartment 9. Such construction permits the fluid tight compartment to be laid back from the cushion compartment to facilitate packing or assembly of the cushion 28 into the cushion compartment. A feature of the present invention resides in this construction since complete access is made to the cushion compartment for the assembly and installation of the cushion material so that the material can be laid into the compartment with relative ease and without encountering surface binding generally caused by an insertion procedure whereby the material is forced through a slit between two adjacent wall sections. Such a conventional insertion procedure generally causes the corners of the foam material to bind and hang on the wall surfaces so ithat a proper and uniform fit of the foam material within the cushion compartment is unobtainable or, at least, made diificult.

The flap type fluid tight compartment and the cushion compartment are provided with a closure means such as a plastic zipper 30, for example, which includes mating halves secured to edge marginal strip 13 and the top of the

side wall

15 and 16 respectively and end wall 17 of the cushion compartment. The closure means serves to prevent the entry of dirt, dust and other contaminants into the package interior and to hold the flap to the cushion compartment when the fluid tight compartment is inflated.- The closure means extends around the pack age on all sides with the exception of the package side having hinge portion 22. The opposite ends of the closure means terminate at the opposite ends of the hinge portion which define a small opening, such as represented by numeral 19, through which air within the object receiving compartment can be conducted exteriorly of the package when the fluid tight compartment is inflated.

Installed on the top of the cushion 21, there is provided a removable partition or wall 31 for supporting the object or part 12 which requires the protection of the packaging means. The partition may be composed of any suitable material 33 which may be covered on all sides with a thin sheet of vinyl plastic 34 or which may be uncovered. It is to be noted that the partition 31 is not secured or attached to any structure of the composite package but is merely laid in place on top of the cushion within the confines of the Walls defining the cushion compartment.

Because of the flap type construction of the fluid tight compartment with respect to the cushion compartment, both the partition 31 and the object to be transported in the package can be readily installed in the package without encountering interference from surrounding package structure such as is normally encountered by the convention-a1 insertion procedure through a slit opening.

After installation of the object 12 into the package 7, the fluid tight compartment is rotated about the hinge 22 and the mating halves of the zipper are aligned and the zipper actuated to secure the fluid tight compartment to the cushion compartment. During this procedure, the wall 11 of the fluid tight compartment comes into contact with the object 12 and the supporting surface of the partition 31. The fluid tight compartment is filled through valves 14 with a gaseous fluid such as nitrogen or air, under a pressure of about 1 to 4 /2 pounds per square inch, depending upon the weight of the object. The fluid pressure distends wall 10 and causes wall 11 to hug or skin pack the object in rough conformity to its shape. The edge marginal strip is drawn tightly about the edges of the partition.

In actual usage, the improved packaging means of the present invention provides for the flap type fluid tight compartment 8 to be rotated about its integral hinge connection 22 with the cushion compartment 9 away from the cushion compartment. This removal of the fluid tight compartment from the opening to the cushion compartment permits complete access to the interior of the cushion compartment so that multiple layers of material or material of various configurations may be easily and readily place-d into proper position within the confines of the walls defining the cushion compartment. Once the cushion material has been installed, the semi-rigid partition or other suitable material 31 may be placed on top of the cushion compartment so that its object supporting surface is completely exposed and free from surrounding elements or structure of the package. The object 12 to be shipped or handled is placed directly onto this supporting surface of the partition followed by the rotation of the fluid tight compartment 8 on its hinge 22 over the object 12 and partition 31 so that the closure means 30 associated with the cushion compartment and the edge marginal strip 13 of the fluid tight compartment 8 are properly aligned. The closure means is actuated to secure the compartments together and to place the wall 11 of the fluid tight compartment into contact with the supporting surface of the partition and the object.

The introduction of a gaseous fluid through the valve 14 introduces a fluid pressure in the fluid tight compartment which distends wall and causes wall 11 to skin pack the object in rough conformity to its shape against the supporting surfaces of the partition. The object is thereby held firmly against the cushion so that it is not free to move in any direction. Thus, the object and the air and the foam cushions are in effect made integral, and there is no relative movement between them while the package is being shipped or handled or upon drop impact of the package.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4, another embodiment of the present invention is shown wherein the fluid tight compartment is fabricated in two sections represented by

numerals

40 and 41. The two fluid tight sections are joined at a hinge joint 42, so that the two sections form a composite flap "hingeably attached to the cushion compartment 9 by hinge 22. The interiors of the two inflatable sections communicate via a plurality of air passages, such as passage 44 which extend through the hinged joint as shown more clearly in FIGURE 4. The joint may be suitably formed by intermittently heat sealing, sewing or cementing the film walls together which constitute the fluid tight compartment along the hinged joint so that the plurality of air passages are provided. Fluid introduced through the valve means 14 will thus cause both sections of the fluid ti-ght compartment to inflate. Fastening means 45 is provided which secures the free end of the fluid tight compartment to the cushion compartment to complete the package.

This particular embodiment has been found useful for protecting objects of irregular configuration such as conical or pyramid type objects wherein the geometry of the configuration makes packaging diflicult. As illustrated, the object 12 packaged is a clock mounted in a pyramid housing having the base of the housing resting on the wall or partition 31 of the package while the apex of the housing is disposed between the two sections of the fluid tight compartment adjacent the hinge joint. Upon inflation of the fluid tight compartment, the walls 11 of the fluid tight compartment sections billow and distend about the upper portion of the object 12 to engage and hold the object against the partition and the foam cushion compartment. In this embodiment, the opposite sides of the inflated package are open to the extent that the walls 11 of the fluid tight compartment sections do not distend into contact with each other. However, for many applications, it is not necessary to completely enclose the object to be transported in order to protect the object from undesired shocks.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, a modification of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 3 is illustrated incorporating the present invention and further including

film side walls

46 and 47 located on opposite sides of the package having a general configuration in the form of a triangle. The sides of the triangularly shaped walls are secured to the edge marginal regions of the fluid tight compartment sections, wherein the apex of the walls mate with the opposite ends of the hinge joint 42 and wherein a continuous fastening or securing means, such as a zipper, may be accommodated along the base of the walls. The fastening means extend from the opposite edges or ends of the hinge joint 22 along the base of the

walls

46 and 47 and.

along the free end of the fluid tight compartment sections. Fabrication in this fashion, permits the fastening means to be actuated to completely secure the fluid tight compartment including the side walls to the cushion compartment for completely enclosing and sealing the object 12 supported on the partition 31.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A package for packing a fragile object comprising:

an object receiving compartment;

a fluid tight compartment hingeably connected to said object compartment;

an impact shock absorbing cushion contained in said object receiving compartment;

a partition member disposed on said shock absorbing cushion resiliently supporting the object within said object receiving compartment; and

means for introducing a gaseous fluid into said fluid tight compartment for skin packing the object contained in said object receiving compartment against said partition member and thereby rendering it immobile within the object receiving compartment.

2. A package for packing a fragile object comprising:

an open object receivingcompartment defined by walls and a common bottom;

a fluid tight compartment hingeably connected to said object receiving compartment and adapted to be positioned over said object receiving compartment to close the opening thereof;

said compartments being comprised of flexible plastic film materials interconnected at the edges to form the respective compartments;

an impact shock absorbing cushion contained in said object receiving compartment on said bottom within said walls;

a removable partition member disposed on said shock absorbing cushion having peripheral edges in close proximity to said walls and resiliently supporting the object within said object receiving compartment; and

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said fluid tight compartment includes a pair of inflatable sections joined in end-to-end relationship by a hinge and being foldable about the object.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said hinge includes a fluid passage communicating the interior of said inflatable sections with respect to each other and fastener means operable to couple the end of one of said inflatable sections to said object receiving compartment to secure said fluid tight compartment about the object.

5. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said hinge includes a fluid passage communicating the interior of said inflatable sections together;

a pair of side walls secured along the opposite edges of said fluid tight compartment; and

closure means operably coupling said fluid tight compartment to said object receiving compartment along said side walls from one end of said hingeable con nection to its opposite end.

6. The invention as defined in claim 3,

including closure means carried on said object receiving compartment and said fluid tight compartment operating jointly for releasably securing said compartments together.

7. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said impact shock absorbing cushion material is comprised of outside layers of a closed cell polyethylene foam and an intermediate layer of an open cell polyurethane foam, said layers being in sandwich arrangement.

8. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said partition member includes a vinyl plastic covering about all sides of said partition member and wherein said partition member is composed of semi-rigid material.

7 8 9. A container for packing a fragile object comfastener means for detachably securing the free end of prising: said fluid tight compartment to said object receiving coman object receiving compartment; partment, a fluid tight compartment; 11. The invention as defined in claim 9 including a pair said compartments being comprised of flexible plastic 5 of side walls;

film materials interconnected at their edge marginal each of said side walls having three peripheral edges regions to form said respective compartments; wherein two of said wall edges are secured to the said fluid tight compartment having a pair of inflatable side edges of said inflatable sections; and

sections arranged in end-to-end relationship and closure means extending along said third wall edge being foldable about the object; 10 of each side wall and along the free end of said a hinge connecting said pair of inflatable sections tofluid tight compartment and further extending from gether; said hinge having a plurality of fluid passages one end of said hinge means to its opposite end for intercommunicating the interiors of said inflatable detachably securing said fluid tight compartment to sections; said object receiving compartment. hinge means pivotally connecting one end of said fluid 15 tight compartment to said object receiving compart- Refefences filed y the Examine! UNITED STATES PATENTS at said object receiving compartrrfent' 0 1827322 10/1931 Lindermann' 3,138,248 6/1964 Abbott 20646 a removal partition member disposed on said cushion 3 192 978 6/1965 Horvath 217 35 X between said fluid tight compartment and said object receiving compartment for resiliently supporting the EI N PATENTS oblw; q 23,965 1897 Great Britain. means for introducing a gaseous fluid into said fluid 2:) 2 505 05 Great Britain tight compartment for skin packing the object con- 848,243 9/1960 Great Britain tained in said object receiving compartment against 71 179 19 1 Great Britain said cushion and thereby rendering the object immobile within said object receiving compartment. LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner. 10. The invention as defined in claim 9 including

Claims

1. A PACKAGE FOR PACKING A FRAGILE OBJECT COMPRISING: AN OBJECT RECEIVING COMPARTMENT; A FLUID TIGHT COMPARTMENT HINGEABLY CONNECTED TO SAID OBJECT COMPARTMENT; AN IMPACT SHOCK ABSORBING CUSHION CONTAINED IN SAID OBJECT RECEIVING COMPARTMENT; A PARTITION MEMBER DISPOSED ON SAID SHOCK ABSORBING CUSHION RESILIENTLY SUPPORTING THE OBJECT WITHIN SAID OBJECT RECEIVING COMPARTMENT; AND MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A GASEOUS FLUID INTO SAID FLUID TIGHT COMPARTMENT FOR SKIN PACKING THE OBJECT CONTAINED IN SAID OBJECT RECEIVING COMPARTMENT AGAINST SAID PARTITION MEMBER AND THEREBY RENDERING IT IMMOBILE WITHIN THE OBJECT RECEIVING COMPARTMENT.